Month: November 2019

To celebrate the official opening of the its new strategically located warehouse facility, DSV has held an opening and innovation event at the Mount Park site, Southampton, UK.

The opening was marked by a ribbon cutting ceremony by Southampton Mayor Peter Baillie (above).

DSV Regional Manager Karen Truckel, Branch Manager Paul Hendy and Regional Sales Manager Phillip Hoare welcomed Mayor Peter Baillie, Executive Chair Hampshire Chamber of Commerce Ross McNally, Executive Director Business South Leigh-Sara Timberlake, plus a number of local clients and businesses to celebrate the occasion and meet with the DSV Southampton Team and Product specialists from around the country.

DSV says the new distribution centre strengthens the company’s presence in the south, situated in an ideal location and in close proximity to the other facilities DSV currently operates within the area.

Rhenus Home Delivery has been appointed sole carrier for all two-man home deliveries by UK design-centric furniture company Swoon.

Located in London, Swoon was established in 2012, and today sells more than 1,000 designs ranging from sofas to sideboards.

Since starting its contract with Swoon, Rhenus says it has already improved delivery success by more than 50% and has provided Swoon customers with greater flexibility regarding the number of daily deliveries and volume of products.

Swoon co-founder Debbie Williamson commented: “We think it is so important to give our customers an unparalleled buying journey and part of that is for them to have a seamless delivery experience. Working with Rhenus has given us just that. Our experience with Rhenus has been a breath of fresh air, from the smooth and professional onboarding process all the way through to the NPS (Net promoter score) feedback from our customers”.

Home delivery is a key area for Rhenus and has seen significant growth in the UK in the last two years. With four regional depots located in Northwich, Milton Keynes, Edinburgh and Antrim, as well as specialist delivery partners, Rhenus claims to be able to ensure consistent top-level service, as well as guaranteeing a wide-reaching operation across the whole of the UK and Ireland.

Global automator Piab says its just-launched piLIFT® SMART vacuum lifter “really does bring the future of Industry 4.0 integration a step closer”. The Sweden-based firm says it enables users to introduce smarter handling solutions where data is collected in real-time, making their production processes deliver on the promises of the fourth industrial revolution, Industry 4.0.

“The piLIFT® SMART vacuum lifter is the first manually operated vacuum lifter to meet the demands of Industry 4.0. Not only a market breakthrough, it also heralds a genuine paradigm shift for ergonomic vacuum lifters,” says David Collins, Vice President and Head of Piab’s Ergonomic Handling Division.

The vacuum lifter’s integrated, smart data features are based on internet connectivity. These enable the vacuum lifter to sense and record movements and to respond quickly to user intentions, making it a particularly user-friendly lifting tool. In addition, it will lift and weigh loads simultaneously, as well as collect and log data, making process statistics and analyses immediately accessible to the user on either the lifter’s built-in display or through web platform log-in. These data management features also enable the lifter to let the operator know when it is time for maintenance or cleaning.

The piLIFT® SMART is ergonomic by design. The shape of its handle, allowing a side-on grip, and the placement of the variable speed controls, enabling left or right-handed use, are the results of an insightful design guided by ergonomic principles. The protective hand guard and the minimal operating sound level are testaments to a multi-pronged focus on the health and wellbeing of users.

The new launch also utilises the latest and best performing vacuum lifting technology, according to the company. The system controls the pump and valves, feeding power only when needed, which results in an energy consumption 76% lower than other comparable vacuum lifters.

The vacuum lifter’s low-energy system controls the vacuum pump and the valves. This means that power is fed to these parts only when it is needed. Vacuum is generated only when the operator is ready to grip or lift an object. In between such activity, the air flow is kept at a minimal level, enabling the piLIFT® SMART to operate at a mere whisper.

The piLIFT also utilises the same single vacuum source to both grip and lift in one single movement. This provides the added bonus of an inherent safety feature that no other lifting solution benefits from. If the object cannot be gripped, neither will it lift. Hence there is no risk of it being dropped unintentionally mid-procedure. So, less risk of industrial injuries.

The piLIFT® SMART can handle objects weighing up to 40 kg, offering the perfect vacuum lifting solution for materials handling procedures in a broad range of industries. The loading and off-loading of parcels and boxes from transportation pallets is one example. Or it may be used to lift, move and empty containers of bulk material, enabling its safe transferral to a feeding station connected to, for instance Piab’s piFLOW® vacuum conveyor for further processing.

Click here for more details.

UK ecommerce solutions provider Doddle has helped launch Australia’s most comprehensive network of pick-up and drop-off (PUDO) locations for online shopping.

With ecommerce volumes set to grow by 55% by 2022, fulfilment capacity is reaching a critical point globally. Doddle says its deal with Australia Post “marks a milestone in the company’s drive to become the partner of choice for international carriers and postal services looking to diversify their ecommerce offering with more sustainable, customer focused solutions.” This year Doddle has opened offices in the US where the business is currently working on an emerging PUDO partnership with USPS – the country’s biggest consumer carrier – and Doddle also plans to launch a business in Japan in January 2020.

In Australia, Doddle is providing the technology and expertise to accelerate growth of new click and collect and online return services. As part of the arrangement, Doddle is responsible for extending Australia Post’s existing 4,300 post offices and 350 locker locations with a network of thousands of new locations including supermarkets, department stores, pharmacies and petrol stations. At launch, these locations will include selected Metcash IGA supermarkets, Priceline pharmacies and shopping centres owned by Aventus Group.

Currently, online shopping only accounts for 10% of total retail sales in Australia, compared to 18% of total retail sales in the UK with less than half (42%) of online retailers in Australia offering click & collect and click & returns solutions. With click & collect the fastest growing delivery option globally, it is expected the new deal will significantly accelerate the Australian ecommerce market.

Doddle already works with parcel carriers and top retail names in the UK.