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Day: 16 December 2019

Brexit not Done, Warns UK Warehouse Trade Body

Posted on by David Priestman

UK warehouse trade body the UKWA has warned that Brexit comfort remains a long way off, despite the strong majority won by prime minister Boris Johnson in the national elections held last week. In a statement CEO Peter Ward said:

“The Conservative Party’s overwhelming victory in last week’s General Election will finally break the Parliamentary gridlock that has frustrated the business community for over three years and the return of a high degree of political certainty is bound to be good for investment.  Indeed, there are already clear signs that the economic climate has been boosted by the result, and we expect a greater degree of confidence within our membership to emerge in the new year as the uncertainty about the UK’s withdrawal from Europe falls away.

“Within a few days we are likely to see the timetable for the passing of the Withdrawal Agreement, and our exit from the EU will be confirmed by the end of January. However, as UKWA has said consistently, while securing a Withdrawal Agreement that is acceptable both to the EU and the UK Parliament is an important milestone in the Brexit process, there is plenty of hard work still to be done before we ‘get Brexit done’.

“The nature of Britain’s future relationship with the EU has yet to be defined and the Prime Minister’s pre-election pledge that the Brexit Transition Period will not be extended beyond December 2020 means that the risk of leaving the EU on WTO terms – with the interruptions to supply chains that such a scenario will bring – is still with us.”

Brexit not Done, Warns UK Warehouse Trade Body

Posted on by Keith McKinley

UK warehouse trade body the UKWA has warned that Brexit comfort remains a long way off, despite the strong majority won by prime minister Boris Johnson in the national elections held last week. In a statement CEO Peter Ward said:

“The Conservative Party’s overwhelming victory in last week’s General Election will finally break the Parliamentary gridlock that has frustrated the business community for over three years and the return of a high degree of political certainty is bound to be good for investment.  Indeed, there are already clear signs that the economic climate has been boosted by the result, and we expect a greater degree of confidence within our membership to emerge in the new year as the uncertainty about the UK’s withdrawal from Europe falls away.

“Within a few days we are likely to see the timetable for the passing of the Withdrawal Agreement, and our exit from the EU will be confirmed by the end of January. However, as UKWA has said consistently, while securing a Withdrawal Agreement that is acceptable both to the EU and the UK Parliament is an important milestone in the Brexit process, there is plenty of hard work still to be done before we ‘get Brexit done’.

“The nature of Britain’s future relationship with the EU has yet to be defined and the Prime Minister’s pre-election pledge that the Brexit Transition Period will not be extended beyond December 2020 means that the risk of leaving the EU on WTO terms – with the interruptions to supply chains that such a scenario will bring – is still with us.”

BluJay Release Enhances Visibility and Data Insights

Posted on by David Priestman

Supply chain software specialist BluJay Solutions has released version 20.0 of its transportation and distribution applications. It says the latest updates provide greater user efficiency, enhanced visibility, optimised routing, and easy order integration across its transportation and distribution solutions, to enable shippers and logistics service providers (LSPs) to remove friction throughout the supply chain.

“Shippers and LSPs are the glue that bind our global supply chain and they need the ability to flex to meet the needs of customers while still driving operational effectiveness across the entire transportation network,” said David Landau, Chief Product Officer at BluJay Solutions. “With the latest updates to BluJay’s transportation and distribution applications, we’re leveraging more data and actionable insights across the platform to increase efficiency and visibility, making it easier for users to make immediate, informed decisions about their supply chain management.”

Highlights of BluJay’s version 20.0 for transportation and distribution applications include:

Data-driven Insights – A new feature called “SpotLight” within the Transportation Management platform harnesses the power of BluJay’s BluDex industry benchmark index tool to help users make more informed cost-based routing decisions. This feature identifies which loads have the highest potential for savings by going to the spot market and enables the user to quickly and easily send these loads out to bid.

Improved Ocean Workflow – BluJay has also streamlined its Ocean workflow in Transportation Management to allow for ease of use and user-defined automation. By eliminating unnecessary clicks and ticks, users can seamlessly create, schedule, and execute Ocean bookings with the right vessel line, with the right rate, and at the right time.

Increased Parcel Visibility – For Parcel, BluJay has built an API for tracking and a new UI on top of it, creating a new Parcel Track and Trace module that allows customers and their partners to track, report on, and see the history of their parcels.

Improved Visibility and Mobility for LSPs – For LSPs, the latest platform updates offer improved visibility and execution at cross-dock centres with enhanced mobile capabilities, along with various shipping unit and document printing advancements.

Simplicity and Efficiency for Carriers – MobileSTAR’s Dispatch Portal provides advanced allocation, optimisation and visibility to carriers. This set of tools allows dispatchers to automatically allocate jobs and deliveries on the best route, with the best driver based on location and working hours, plus optimise run orders, calculate ETAs, and track progress. In addition, exception alert notifications enable dispatchers to perform corrective action to meet customer expectations

Collaborative, Easy Order Integration – Supplier Portal, an extension of Transportation Management, enables shippers and suppliers to more easily collaborate while providing shippers with better control and visibility of inbound freight. Users now have the ability to create orders directly in the Supplier Portal without having to integrate to an external source. The portal greatly improves user efficiency and streamlines the order creation process.

Find out more here.

BluJay Release Enhances Visibility and Data Insights

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Supply chain software specialist BluJay Solutions has released version 20.0 of its transportation and distribution applications. It says the latest updates provide greater user efficiency, enhanced visibility, optimised routing, and easy order integration across its transportation and distribution solutions, to enable shippers and logistics service providers (LSPs) to remove friction throughout the supply chain.

“Shippers and LSPs are the glue that bind our global supply chain and they need the ability to flex to meet the needs of customers while still driving operational effectiveness across the entire transportation network,” said David Landau, Chief Product Officer at BluJay Solutions. “With the latest updates to BluJay’s transportation and distribution applications, we’re leveraging more data and actionable insights across the platform to increase efficiency and visibility, making it easier for users to make immediate, informed decisions about their supply chain management.”

Highlights of BluJay’s version 20.0 for transportation and distribution applications include:

Data-driven Insights – A new feature called “SpotLight” within the Transportation Management platform harnesses the power of BluJay’s BluDex industry benchmark index tool to help users make more informed cost-based routing decisions. This feature identifies which loads have the highest potential for savings by going to the spot market and enables the user to quickly and easily send these loads out to bid.

Improved Ocean Workflow – BluJay has also streamlined its Ocean workflow in Transportation Management to allow for ease of use and user-defined automation. By eliminating unnecessary clicks and ticks, users can seamlessly create, schedule, and execute Ocean bookings with the right vessel line, with the right rate, and at the right time.

Increased Parcel Visibility – For Parcel, BluJay has built an API for tracking and a new UI on top of it, creating a new Parcel Track and Trace module that allows customers and their partners to track, report on, and see the history of their parcels.

Improved Visibility and Mobility for LSPs – For LSPs, the latest platform updates offer improved visibility and execution at cross-dock centres with enhanced mobile capabilities, along with various shipping unit and document printing advancements.

Simplicity and Efficiency for Carriers – MobileSTAR’s Dispatch Portal provides advanced allocation, optimisation and visibility to carriers. This set of tools allows dispatchers to automatically allocate jobs and deliveries on the best route, with the best driver based on location and working hours, plus optimise run orders, calculate ETAs, and track progress. In addition, exception alert notifications enable dispatchers to perform corrective action to meet customer expectations

Collaborative, Easy Order Integration – Supplier Portal, an extension of Transportation Management, enables shippers and suppliers to more easily collaborate while providing shippers with better control and visibility of inbound freight. Users now have the ability to create orders directly in the Supplier Portal without having to integrate to an external source. The portal greatly improves user efficiency and streamlines the order creation process.

Find out more here.

Alternative Fuel Resistance On the Wane Says UK Truck Dealer Group

Posted on by David Priestman

Resistance to the take-up of alternative fuelled vehicles may be showing signs of decreasing, according to IVECO’s largest truck dealer group in the UK.

Robert Spittle, managing director of Guest Truck and Van, says that their sales and technical teams are helping customers, particularly fleet managers to slowly overcome objections that they or their drivers might have.

He said “The efficiency statistics show that there are definitely both economic and environmental advantages to using Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) power, and driver feedback tells us that there is no compromise on power.

“However, the current lack of refuelling infrastructure right across the UK means that it takes some research and planning to make sure that a CNG vehicle is the right addition to a fleet.”

Guest’s most recent range test has been with Ocado Group.

In the latest of a series of practical CNG tests with Ocado, Guest’s Key Account Director Bal Singh joined Ocado Fleet Manager Graham Thomas in the cab for an almost non-stop return trip from Hatfield to Manchester to prove the range capability of an IVECO NP400 Stralis.

Graham said: “Around 30% of the Ocado truck fleet is already powered by CNG and although people are sometimes resistant to change, many of our drivers have commented favourably on the change over to the CNG powered IVECO Stralis, although range remains a concern for most

“Before we took any CNG vehicles onto the fleet we had to have a very close look at the logistics of routes and fuelling because the only practical restriction to CNG is not having the option to refuel away from our base.

“This has resulted in range anxiety in some of our drivers who are working the longer routes, particularly between our Hatfield base and some of the further away spokes such as Leeds and Manchester. According to our calculations, it is feasible to complete a return journey on either of these trips with fuel to spare, providing you set off with a full tank.

“During the trip, the IVECO NP400 Stralis 4 x 2 with its lightly loaded trailer, simulating a typical load for this route, achieved 12.4mpg on the 590kms journey and returned to base with fuel still left in the tank.

Ocado’s hub and spoke distribution operation means it has regular, fixed trunking routes so are well placed to be at the forefront of new technology.

Guest’s Rob Spittle said: “It’s easy to see the issue that some fleet managers might have when they’re introducing new technology or practices, and telling someone is never as convincing as showing them.

“Bal and Graham’s trip will hopefully demonstrate to the Ocado team, not only the capability of the truck but also the confidence that we have as the dealer and Graham has as the fleet manager that CNG is the right choice for this route.”

Pictured are Bal Singh (left), Key Account Director at Guests, with Graham Thomas, Ocado Fleet Manager 

Alternative Fuel Resistance On the Wane Says UK Truck Dealer Group

Posted on by Paul Hamblin

Resistance to the take-up of alternative fuelled vehicles may be showing signs of decreasing, according to IVECO’s largest truck dealer group in the UK.

Robert Spittle, managing director of Guest Truck and Van, says that their sales and technical teams are helping customers, particularly fleet managers to slowly overcome objections that they or their drivers might have.

He said “The efficiency statistics show that there are definitely both economic and environmental advantages to using Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) power, and driver feedback tells us that there is no compromise on power.

“However, the current lack of refuelling infrastructure right across the UK means that it takes some research and planning to make sure that a CNG vehicle is the right addition to a fleet.”

Guest’s most recent range test has been with Ocado Group.

In the latest of a series of practical CNG tests with Ocado, Guest’s Key Account Director Bal Singh joined Ocado Fleet Manager Graham Thomas in the cab for an almost non-stop return trip from Hatfield to Manchester to prove the range capability of an IVECO NP400 Stralis.

Graham said: “Around 30% of the Ocado truck fleet is already powered by CNG and although people are sometimes resistant to change, many of our drivers have commented favourably on the change over to the CNG powered IVECO Stralis, although range remains a concern for most

“Before we took any CNG vehicles onto the fleet we had to have a very close look at the logistics of routes and fuelling because the only practical restriction to CNG is not having the option to refuel away from our base.

“This has resulted in range anxiety in some of our drivers who are working the longer routes, particularly between our Hatfield base and some of the further away spokes such as Leeds and Manchester. According to our calculations, it is feasible to complete a return journey on either of these trips with fuel to spare, providing you set off with a full tank.

“During the trip, the IVECO NP400 Stralis 4 x 2 with its lightly loaded trailer, simulating a typical load for this route, achieved 12.4mpg on the 590kms journey and returned to base with fuel still left in the tank.

Ocado’s hub and spoke distribution operation means it has regular, fixed trunking routes so are well placed to be at the forefront of new technology.

Guest’s Rob Spittle said: “It’s easy to see the issue that some fleet managers might have when they’re introducing new technology or practices, and telling someone is never as convincing as showing them.

“Bal and Graham’s trip will hopefully demonstrate to the Ocado team, not only the capability of the truck but also the confidence that we have as the dealer and Graham has as the fleet manager that CNG is the right choice for this route.”

Pictured are Bal Singh (left), Key Account Director at Guests, with Graham Thomas, Ocado Fleet Manager 

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