Sterling and Ameren Won Supply Chain Award
The Sustainable Supply Chain Alliance recognized a project that significantly reduced construction costs and emissions.
Updated on Oct. 5, 2026 in Utilities
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The Sustainable Supply Chain Alliance presented its Transforming Supply Chain Award to Sterling Site Access Solutions and Ameren for their collaboration on a transmission project. The initiative utilized thousands of cross-laminated timber mats to streamline operations and improve project efficiency.
Why it matters
By involving suppliers early in the planning process and treating site materials as capital expenses, the companies successfully reduced project risk and environmental impact. This approach serves as a model for utility providers looking to lower costs while meeting sustainability goals.
The partnership yielded a 33 percent decrease in construction traffic and prevented 38 metric tons of CO2 emissions. Ameren deployed 5,000 TerraLam mats for the project, which ultimately required 17 fewer construction crew days to install.
The players
Sterling Site Access Solutions
This company specializes in providing site access products, including timber matting systems for industrial and infrastructure construction projects.
Ameren
This utility company provides electric and natural gas service to millions of customers across parts of Missouri and Illinois.
Sustainable Supply Chain Alliance
This organization promotes and recognizes best practices in sustainability and supply chain management across various industries.
The details
Ameren collaborated with Sterling on the LRTP Segment 14 transmission project by integrating site access planning more than a year before construction began. Sterling manufactured the required 5-ply timber mats at its facility in Phoenix, Illinois.
Timeline
The Sustainable Supply Chain Alliance announced the award on October 5, 2026.
Market Landscape
This project illustrates the growing utility industry shift toward direct capital expense procurement for transmission infrastructure materials. By controlling the supply chain, companies are positioning themselves to gain better cost predictability and operational control over large-scale builds.
Utility customers benefit when providers successfully implement cost-saving measures that reduce overall construction expenditures. These efficiencies help manage long-term infrastructure investment costs while minimizing the environmental footprint of essential utility projects.
The takeaway
Collaborative planning processes can significantly mitigate project risk and financial overruns in complex industrial construction. Implementing sustainable material alternatives like cross-laminated timber offers a measurable path to reducing both operational traffic and carbon output.
Further reading
Learn more about energy infrastructure trends on the Utilities section page.
More information
View further details regarding their product specifications at Sterling Solutions company information.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Manila times.
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