Month: December 2019

Fulfilment technology and service provider fulfilmentcrowd is celebrating on two fronts – it has reported its most significant year yet for eCommerce sales and fulfilment activity on Black Friday, while new clients to the roster are being added.

Signalling a shift in marketing methods, research carried out by the company also indicates that exclusive discounts for the day are now being extended by most retailers for what is commonly referred to as ‘Black Friday weekend’. With trading remaining high across Saturday and Sunday this year, fulfilmentcrowd has found that enjoyment of this retail holiday is far from slowing.

Reflecting a record-breaking year for client wins and centre expansion, during which the Chorley-based provider won 140 new contracts (the latest is Lumos, whose kickstarter-funded cycling helmet recently featured on BBC’s The Apprentice), parcel volumes on Black Friday totalled 14,300 – a significant 320% increase on 2018’s performance, in which fulfilmentcrowd dispatched 3,400 parcels on behalf of its customers.

This figure represents the launch of its international network earlier in the year, in response to the rapid growth of eCommerce markets in Europe and the USA. fulfilmentcrowd is supporting this rising number of global retailers with new, optimally located fulfilment centres spanning Germany, Holland and LA. The centres also incubate the growth of the UK eCommerce market, providing fast, next day delivery and in-country returns to the growing number of UK-based retailers now shipping globally.

fulfilmentcrowd sales & marketing director, Lee Thompson, comments: “By 2040, it is thought that 95% of purchases will be facilitated by eCommerce and this growing shift in consumer behaviour is clearly reflected in the performance of our clients this Black Friday weekend.

“We work alongside our eCommerce customers to forecast parcel volume far in advance, ramping up our own efforts across nine fulfilment centres to maintain excellent service levels during peak periods such as the biggest retail holiday of the year. With a same-day dispatch rate of 99.7%, it’s safe to say that we have easily exceeded 2018’s figures and the end-customers of our clients have been far from disappointed.”

Specialist beverage logistics company Hillebrand, is launching a revolutionary 40ft flexitank, enabling customers to transport non-hazardous liquids across the world more sustainably and in temperature-controlled conditions.

The latest innovation is a versatile flexitank that can be used in both dry and temperature controlled 40ft containers. Depending on the sensitivity of the product to temperature and its requirements during loading/unloading customers will be guaranteed a flexitank that fits the exact need of the product, according to the company. This new flexitank is ideal when a customer’s supply chain requires larger quantities moved in a constant refrigerated or heated condition, with the benefit of increasing transport efficiency and reducing emissions.

The product carried can also be loaded and discharged from a single point, with minimal residue remaining. It also incorporates unique and patented wave breaking technology to mitigate risk by dampening the surging of the liquid during transport and preventing container bulging.

Jacob Moe, COO of Hillebrand’s bulk division, says: “This new flexitank is the result of careful research and our promise to always build solutions in response to customers’ needs. Born from the original request from a fruit juice producing customer, to find a solution for moving product in frozen conditions and a latex customer to move product in hot conditions, this flexitank was designed to manage any non-hazardous product. Whether cold, hot or ambient. This is a sustainable option for customers wanting to move large quantities of product in a Flexitank that is 100% recyclable.”

Beaches Logistics is a busy warehouse and distribution site in Carlisle, a brand new 40,000 square feet facility that only closes for 5 hours every night. The Operations Manager, Bryan Jones, is keen to ensure the site remains in pristine condition so he called in Nilfisk to advise and demonstrate the best cleaning equipment for the job. This is his story:

The Cleaning Issue
A busy site like ours inevitably gets dirty quickly. In addition to distributing goods for clients we also provide storage for customers who access the warehouse themselves. Dust on rafters and stock items builds up quickly so I was determined to not let this start, to maintain standards for all concerned.
Stored goods include clothes and cleaning materials, so it is essential that dust and diesel fumes do not infiltrate the stock. Diesel powered cleaning equipment is therefore out of the question and we need to clean both indoors and outdoors. Whatever solution we chose had to be durable, good quality equipment that will stand up to the rigours of what we do every day.
We have a lot of trees surrounding the facility so clearing up leaves before they come into the building and or become a slip risk was key. Inside the facility we, like many others, have an issue with shrink wrap, pallet blocks, splinters and loose pallet straps. Forklifts are often driven straight over the top of rubbish, resulting in impellor damage which costs us money and critically downtime.

Nilfisk SW5500 Ride on Sweeper
A neighbouring depot in Penrith recommended Nilfisk and a prompt visit from their Key Account Manager followed. The pre-sales service we received was excellent, hassle free, no pressure advice that resulted in a demonstration of the SW5500 Ride on Sweeping machine powered by LPG.
It was immediately clear that the machine was very efficient and so easy to drive, the staff were fighting over the opportunity to put it through its paces! Indoors and outdoors it did the job with ease, providing daily cleaning within the facility and external sweeping once or twice a week.
In our previous facility we were literally using a man and a broom to try to keep on top of the issue. This was ridiculously inefficient and left someone drawing the short straw. This cleaning process has really revolutionised our process and will ensure the facility stays pristine.

Lease Finance Deal
Given the financial outlay involved in purchasing the Nilfisk SW5500 I investigated a lease finance deal that would spread the cost across a 3-year period. The way I looked at it the residual value of the machine would be low given our heavy usage so we could finance the machine over 3 years and include a full premium service contract that will fix the monthly outgoings.
For us this is an easier, cost effective solution. There is no variable element, just a planned monthly cost that has gone into the budget for the next 3 years. The whole process was seamless, professional managed by our Nilfisk Key Account Manager who also conducted the staff training.
I really can’t fault the service. Expert, informed, down to earth advice that I know we will draw on again in the future.

Nilfisk are one of the world’s largest manufacturers of commercial and industrial cleaning equipment. Nilfisk offers a complete and affordable solution to all cleaning challenges.

Beaches Logistics is a busy warehouse and distribution site in Carlisle, a brand new 40,000 square feet facility that only closes for 5 hours every night. The Operations Manager, Bryan Jones, is keen to ensure the site remains in pristine condition so he called in Nilfisk to advise and demonstrate the best cleaning equipment for the job. This is his story:

The Cleaning Issue
A busy site like ours inevitably gets dirty quickly. In addition to distributing goods for clients we also provide storage for customers who access the warehouse themselves. Dust on rafters and stock items builds up quickly so I was determined to not let this start, to maintain standards for all concerned.
Stored goods include clothes and cleaning materials, so it is essential that dust and diesel fumes do not infiltrate the stock. Diesel powered cleaning equipment is therefore out of the question and we need to clean both indoors and outdoors. Whatever solution we chose had to be durable, good quality equipment that will stand up to the rigours of what we do every day.
We have a lot of trees surrounding the facility so clearing up leaves before they come into the building and or become a slip risk was key. Inside the facility we, like many others, have an issue with shrink wrap, pallet blocks, splinters and loose pallet straps. Forklifts are often driven straight over the top of rubbish, resulting in impellor damage which costs us money and critically downtime.

Nilfisk SW5500 Ride on Sweeper
A neighbouring depot in Penrith recommended Nilfisk and a prompt visit from their Key Account Manager followed. The pre-sales service we received was excellent, hassle free, no pressure advice that resulted in a demonstration of the SW5500 Ride on Sweeping machine powered by LPG.
It was immediately clear that the machine was very efficient and so easy to drive, the staff were fighting over the opportunity to put it through its paces! Indoors and outdoors it did the job with ease, providing daily cleaning within the facility and external sweeping once or twice a week.
In our previous facility we were literally using a man and a broom to try to keep on top of the issue. This was ridiculously inefficient and left someone drawing the short straw. This cleaning process has really revolutionised our process and will ensure the facility stays pristine.

Lease Finance Deal
Given the financial outlay involved in purchasing the Nilfisk SW5500 I investigated a lease finance deal that would spread the cost across a 3-year period. The way I looked at it the residual value of the machine would be low given our heavy usage so we could finance the machine over 3 years and include a full premium service contract that will fix the monthly outgoings.
For us this is an easier, cost effective solution. There is no variable element, just a planned monthly cost that has gone into the budget for the next 3 years. The whole process was seamless, professional managed by our Nilfisk Key Account Manager who also conducted the staff training.
I really can’t fault the service. Expert, informed, down to earth advice that I know we will draw on again in the future.

Nilfisk are one of the world’s largest manufacturers of commercial and industrial cleaning equipment. Nilfisk offers a complete and affordable solution to all cleaning challenges.

Dawes Highway Safety, which has fitted its PeoplePanels® to more than 5,000 HGVs across the UK, has warned fleets to be on their guard against businesses selling similar products that infringe the company’s intellectual property and copyright.

PeoplePanels®, flat panels designed to fit over existing side guards to prevent vulnerable road users such as motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians from being crushed under the wheels of vehicles, are available for use on a wide range of commercial units ranging from 3.5-tonne units to four-wheel tippers and articulated lorries with trailers.

However, Dawes Highway Safety has already successfully taken legal action against eight organisations – settling out of court for “substantial damages” of more than £10,000 in each case – that have fitted replica panels to vehicles.

The technology, which is accredited by both the Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS) and Construction Logistics and Community Safety (CLOCS), has already been adopted by safety-focused fleets that include Tarmac as well as Martin Browers, Keltbray, Mick George and Travis Perkins. PeoplePanels® are also supplied to the industry via almost all major bodybuilders.

Tarmac has to date fitted around 300 HGVs with PeoplePanels® and has committed to fitting all new tippers and mixers with this lifesaving equipment.