The people behind the process: Karena Hu

At Hillebrand Gori, we're constantly looking for new ways to deliver a quality service while minimizing our environmental impact. Karena Hu, Head of Operations in Greater China, exemplifies this commitment through her innovative approach to protecting wine and beer shipments from heat damage in China’s hot climate. Here’s how Karena’s solution-driven mindset turned a challenge into a sustainable opportunity, helping us to become the industry’s Provider of Choice.

The challenge: protecting wine and beer shipments cost-effectively

In China’s logistics market, options for LCL (Less than Container Load) pallet deliveries are limited to general trucks (which lack temperature protection) and refrigerated trucks (which offer cooling but come at a higher cost and increased carbon emissions). As demand for affordable temperature protection grew, Karena saw an opportunity to repurpose Hillebrand Gori’s patented insulation liners — originally purchased by importers to protect incoming shipments. These liners help to protect wine, beer and spirits from the effects of temperature and humidity on their journey. While these liners are made from fully recyclable materials, local recycling options are limited and Karena wanted to avoid waste by reusing them effectively.

The solution: reusing insulation liners for last-mile protection

Karena led an initiative to repurpose the insulation liner pallet covers from imported shipments for use in local LCL deliveries. These reusable liners could help to protect the pallets from heat damage, providing customers with an added value more sustainable solution for last-mile deliveries. By reusing the insulation liners, Hillebrand Gori offered a valuable service to customers without additional product costs or environmental impact, addressing both customer needs and helping with sustainability goals.

The results: cost savings, customer satisfaction and reduced emissions

Karena’s initiative led to multiple successes:

• Temperature protection and customer satisfaction: The insulated pallet covers effectively shielded wine and beer shipments from heat during truck deliveries, meeting customer needs for temperature-controlled transportation at a lower cost than refrigerated trucks. The project’s success was evident in positive customer feedback on the end-to-end care provided by Hillebrand Gori.
• Reduced carbon emissions: By reusing insulation liners instead of relying on refrigerated trucks, the initiative achieved a reduction in carbon emissions, aligning with Hillebrand Gori’s commitment to sustainability.
• Maximized use of resources: The initiative extended the lifecycle of the pre-purchased insulation liners, preventing them from becoming single-use items. This approach not only reduced waste but also demonstrated the creative ways Hillebrand Gori maximizes the value of its resources for customers.

A demonstration of passion and expertise 

At Hillebrand Gori, we strive to innovate sustainable solutions that benefit our customers and the planet. From temperature protection to end-to-end logistics care, our team, led by visionaries like Karena Hu, are committed to delivering high-quality service with minimal environmental impact. We’re here to help you navigate every step of the logistics process, providing creative, effective solutions for your wine, beer and spirits transportation needs.