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Month: April 2020

Keep Britain’s Backbone in Good Health

Posted on by Keith McKinley

The FMCG industry is being pushed to its limits, with many manufacturers reporting demand at an historic high, as a consequence of COVID-19.

One concern for FMCG employers during this time of strain, is the ability to keep staff healthy and happy, to meet the heightened requirements placed on teams. Paul Shawcross, Clinical Lead in Occupational Health Services at Connect Health, provides advice on measures that can be introduced to keep teams in good musculoskeletal health whilst they’re busy supplying the nation.

While NHS staff are being clapped and supermarket workers being thanked in person for their efforts, those behind the scenes – the food packers and warehouse operatives which account for around 400,000 employees in the UK – are working tirelessly to make sure supermarket shelves are kept well stocked and Britain doesn’t go hungry.

These unsung heroes, who tend to work 12-hour shifts, are prone to musculoskeletal conditions – back, joint and upper limb pain, caused by long periods of standing and lots of repetition. Add to that the current pressure of increased demand, worry over contracting coronavirus and the removal of interaction with colleagues as a result of social distancing, and it’s likely these workers are feeling intense stress and strain.

We know that musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) are the second leading cause of working days lost in the UK – accounting for 22% of sickness absence and costing the nation an estimated £7 billion a year. So, at this time of national emergency, it has never been more important to keep staff in the best possible health, to avoid a surge in absenteeism and the knock-on implications of that.

BLG Posts Flat Earnings and Small Profit Increase for 2019

Posted on by David Priestman

Logistics giant BLG Group has reported a 1.5 percent YOY profit growth for 2019, on stable earnings of EUR 37.5 million. CEO Frank Dreeke says that it give the company “a robust and solid basis to ride out the storm”.

The company’s statement from its digital meeting reads:

For 2019, the BLG Group posted a total sales figure of EUR 1 billion, 158.6 million. That is an increase of EUR 17.3 million or 1.5 percent on 2018. At EUR 37.5 million, earnings before tax (EBT) remain at the previous year’s level. The EBT margin, at 3.2 percent, is just short of the previous year’s level (3.3 percent). 

In 2019, BLG LOGISTICS again consolidated its position as one of Europe’s leading automobile logistics companies and also expanded its network in Europe. A total of 6.3 million vehicles were handled, transported, or technically processed in 2019. A very good sales increase of more than EUR 50 million also generated a significantly improved profit. Sales revenue in the AUTOMOBILE division amounted to EUR 603.7 million, which is an increase of 9.1 percent on 2018. Compared to the previous year, EBT increased by more than 24 percent, reaching EUR 19.3 million.
Despite a slight downturn in sales, the CONTRACT division posted a stable result. At the close of the business year, sales amounted to EUR 563.9 million. That is a small reduction compared to 2018 (EUR 599.2 million). At the same time, the company increased earnings before tax (EBT) by 2.5 percent to EUR 7.4 million. The EBT margin also increased by 8.3 percent to 1.3 percent. With new orders and locations in Waiblingen, Meerane, Brandenburg, Ochtrup, Schlüchtern, and Geiselwind, contract logistics is ideally set up for the future.

The CONTAINER Division of the BLG Group is represented by half of the shares in EUROGATE. In business year 2019, the European terminal operator group generated an annual net profit of EUR 45.5 million (2018: EUR 67.3 million). The slightly lower overall handling volume in Germany resulted in a sales revenue of EUR 564.6 million, which was also below the previous year’s value (2018: 604.0 million). Generally, the business year was marked by the effects of the consolidation wave in shipping line alliances during previous years and the resulting changes in networks.
Looking at the current business year of 2020, the CEO stated: “At the moment, nobody can say with certainty how drastic the impacts of the coronavirus crisis will be. Economic research institutes predict a fall in GDP of 9.8 percent in the second quarter. That would be a crash double the scale of that in the 2009 global financial crisis. The effects of the coronavirus crisis on volume, sales, and profit will be massive and severe in all areas. However, the figures for 2019 show that we have a robust and solid basis which will allow us to ride out the storm.”

In his speech, Frank Dreeke stressed that BLG LOGISTICS remains committed to its strategic goals such as digitalization and sustainability. The seaport and logistics service provider aims to reduce its absolute CO2 emissions by 30 percent by 2030. The Sustainability Report describes what actions BLG LOGISTICS has already taken to achieve its sustainability goals. With 100-day projects, 6-month sprints, and basic research projects over several years, the seaport and logistics service provider is working on the implementation of artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, and digital platforms.

JLT Releases New Range of Rugged Barcode Scanners

Posted on by David Priestman

JLT Mobile Computers has introduced a range of ultra-rugged barcode scanners for use with its mobile vehicle-mount computers and tablets. JLT customers in manufacturing, warehousing and other logistics industries whose productivity relies on high-quality scanners as well as outstanding service and support now benefit from a single point of contact for all these needs, it says.

The lineup consists of two 1D/2D ultra-rugged laser scanners with LED illuminators: the corded JLT3608 and the cordless JLT3678, both available in standard and extended range versions. The standard range versions are ideal for shipping and receiving on loading docks, while the extended range versions are designed for use in warehouses and ports where workers may need to capture more distant barcodes, such as on upper warehouse shelves or stacked containers. A vehicle cradle kit for use with the cordless scanners is also available.

“Our customers’ workforces scan thousands of barcodes every day to ensure accurate orders and on-time delivery,” said Per Holmberg, CEO of JLT Mobile Computers Group. “They need the best equipment for scanning codes to ensure reliable operation no matter what environments they are working in. Being able to get their scanners from the same trusted supplier as their rugged mobile computers not only streamlines the purchasing process for our customers, they also gain access to JLT’s renowned after-sale service and support.”

The new JLT scanners are built, claims the company, to be nearly indestructible. Both models are dust, spray and waterproof to IP67. They can handle extreme cold and heat and can be used anywhere, even in freezers. The scanners are designed to survive 8-foot (2.4 m) drops onto concrete and thousands of tumbles. Standard range scanners can do over 100,000 scans on a full battery charge, extended range versions 70,000 scans. A special battery charge indicator makes it easy to monitor battery power.

Freight Professionals “Want to Change Supply Chain Strategies Post-Covid” Says Survey

Posted on by David Priestman

Shipping and freight professionals want to change their supply chain strategies post-Covid, according to a recent survey.

Answered by over 300 Shipping and Freight Professionals across the world, the survey brought out some key indicators that will inform the future course of global supply chains. One of the most important trends unearthed was the readiness to change supply chain strategies (42.2%). Additionally, answers and a large number of comments on the survey questions point to the overall adaptability of the industry and that we can expect a renewed surge in the demand for technology solutions, with 67.6% of the survey takers indicating they will invest in technology.

Global supply chains and shipping as we know them will be different from how they worked for decades. Navigating around and through the COVID-19 situation has left us all in uncharted waters, with 59.2% of responders indicating their operations were significantly affected, rocking the foundation of even the most stable businesses. However, sharing information and understanding best practices will enable the industry to come together and combat this as a whole. If there was ever a time for collective efforts, it is now.

With this intent, the survey, conducted by Shipping and Freight Resource and sponsored by Ocean Insights, the Ocean Freight Tracking System provider, was designed to measure the effect of the coronavirus pandemic on global supply chains. It collected and analyzed data on three key aspects – Impact, Preparedness, and Recovery.

The survey was answered by Carriers, Logistics Providers, Freight Forwarders/NVOs, Consultants, Shippers/BCOs (95.7%) and other (4.3%) industry professionals across job levels —C-Level, Director/Top Management, Middle Management, and Operations.

Find more details here.

UK Firm’s Yard Management Tech Wins Nestle Deal

Posted on by David Priestman

A solution developed by smart tech firm Sauce is aimed at solving complex yard management challenges for confectionery and beverage manufacturer Nestlé. The system is being used to track and manage all trailer movements at the firm’s York factory, where products such as KitKat and Yorkie are manufactured; and at its Regional Distribution Centre, where products such Nescafé and Smarties are dispatched.

After being successfully introduced at the York site, the solution will now be applied to a revolutionary new distribution centre in the East Midlands, known as the Digital Distribution Operation of the Future. The multilingual system could then be rolled out to other Nestlé operations internationally – the business operates more than 400 factories in over 80 countries.

Sauce, which is based at the Centre for Digital Innovation (C4DI) tech hub, in Hull, was approached by Nestlé to develop a bespoke yard management system to monitor and manage trailer movements. The system is used to improve the visibility and tracking of movements of drivers, vehicles and trailers.

Previously, lorry drivers coming to the York site would drop their trailer off at the warehouse to be unloaded, then remain in a waiting area until it was ready, or collect a previously loaded trailer. Communication was via two-way radio or walkie talkies and the recording system was largely paper-based.

Under the new system, all delivery drivers now input their details digitally upon arrival at security, including their name, vehicle and trailer numbers. They then wait in a designated area where they can view a “flight board” – similar to an airport or train station information screen – enabling them to monitor the status of their load. When it has been loaded or unloaded, they can return to their vehicle and leave the site.

Shunter drivers, who manoeuvre delivery trailers on and off-loading bays at the warehouse and factories, also access the live information via a tablet in their cab, meaning they are fully aware of all movements on site.
Sauce Chief Executive Matt Weldon said: “To have a company the size of Nestlé put their trust in us to deliver this system is huge for us and we are incredibly proud to work with them.

“They have an amazing logistics operation and we’re delighted that we have been able to provide a further digital dimension to it. We have been able to provide Nestlé with the enhanced level of visibility they wanted as part of scalable solution that can be applied to any of their sites.

“Nestlé had looked at various off-the-shelf shelf yard management systems, but none suited their requirements. That’s where we came in. We worked closely with Nestlé to understand exactly what they needed and to create a completely bespoke solution.”

Sauce has created five programs to meet Nestlé’s requirements – a booking system; a traffic management system; a warehouse tracking system; a shunter tablet app; and a live flight board – which work seamlessly together.

Vitronic USA Names New President and Targets Logistics Sector Expansion

Posted on by David Priestman

Machine vision specialist Vitronic USA has named Beth Huff its new President. She succeeds Michael Schindler who, after 20 years, has “taken on new challenges”. In her new role, Ms Huff is responsible for all business areas of Vitronic in the USA and reports directly to the Group Board.

Further expansion of the Traffic Division and the Vitronic Logistics products are her key responsibilities. Also she will be heading the introduction of the company’s industry leading quality inspection solutions for the Automotive and Healthcare sectors.

“We are proud to be able to offer this responsibility to a long-standing and highly committed employee like Beth. In her, we have found a strong leader who constantly has her eye on our customers’ needs, and our family culture at heart. I look forward continuing to work with her and wish her every success in her new role,” says CEO Daniel Scholz-Stein, who has made various future-oriented changes in the family-owned company since its 35th anniversary in March 2020.

Beth Huff has been an integral part of the Group for more than 10 years. During this time she has held various positions, most recently as Vice President of Finance and Operations.

UN Recognition for Craemer 770-Litre Wheeled Bin

Posted on by Keith McKinley

The new 770-Litre wheeled bin a new product launch by Craemer has gained UN packaging performance certification for their new 770-Litre wheeled bin – a container designed for the collection and transportation of clinical waste. The news follows the recent successful launch of their new neo4 range of plastic four-wheeled waste bins.

The new neo4 UN bin shares the same robust, ergonomic features as the larger 1100L container which is quickly proving popular across both UK and European clinical waste stream industries.

This latest edition to Craemer’s comprehensive wheeled bin range features the Craemer auto lid-lock system, plus optional non-marking wheels, customised hot-foil stamping and towing equipment.

Manufactured at Craemer’s purpose-built UK production facility in Telford, the Wheeled Bin is the  latest addition to the company’s comprehensive range of waste handling products emphasises Craemer’s position as the UK’s leading manufacturer of wheeled bins.

For more product news in the logistics sector, the latest issue of Logistics Business is available here

Aberle, Cirrus, Cohesio, HighJump, inconso and Others to Unite under Körber Brand

Posted on by David Priestman

The supply chain companies comprising the Körber stable are to reunite under a single brand name. The group includes such names as Aberle, Cirrus Logistics, Cohesio Group, Consoveyo, DMLogic, HighJump, Inconso and Otimis among others.

Together as Körber, the companies are a global supply chain technology provider with a diverse range of capabilities spanning software, automation, voice, robotics and material handling equipment, including the system integration and consulting to tie it all together.

“For the supply chain industry, the unified Körber brand represents both the current operational structure of the organisation and its future direction,” said Clint Reiser, director of supply chain research at ARC. “Beyond a portfolio company, Körber’s range of technologies and capabilities in supply chain represent a suite of solutions and professional services that address a broad spectrum of client supply chain technology needs.”

“Over the last few years, we have strategically expanded our supply chain technologies and expertise – empowering customers to deliver upon ever-increasing requirements for speed, convenience and choice,” said Dirk Hejnal, chief executive officer for Körber Supply Chain. “In many cases, we have already leveraged this unique depth and vision for businesses worldwide. Tying it all together under a single brand was the logical next step in strengthening our position.”

“Our new branding is a natural move to bring our unique vision and message to market,” said Rene Hermes, chief marketing officer for Körber Supply Chain. “Our new tagline, ‘Conquer supply chain complexity’ embodies the ‘one-of-a-kind’ offering we have for the industry. Based on our research, more than 90% of supply chain professionals aren’t ready to handle today’s complexities. We turn what were once roadblocks into success – into opportunities today and beyond.”

The Körber Business Area Supply Chain is part of the international technology group Körber. Formerly Körber Logistics Systems, this consists of Aberle, Aberle Software, Cirrus Logistics, Cohesio Group, Consoveyo, DMLogic, HighJump, Inconso, Otimis, Langhammer, Riantics and Voiteq. Körber is home to more than 2,300 in-house professionals and nearly 100 strategic partners across the globe dedicated to advancing supply chains. As a result, businesses have access to a single provider to turn today’s supply chain challenges around labour, consumer expectations and adoption of new and emerging technologies into a strategic differentiator. With 30+ years of experience, Körber already has proven success with thousands of companies worldwide.

The Körber Business Areas Digital, Pharma and Tissue will also follow the same branding strategy – realigning to the single master brand Körber.

German Logistics Companies Benefit from Thermo King SLXi Hybrid Transport Refrigeration

Posted on by Paul Hamblin

Three German transport and logistics companies specializing in moving temperature sensitive fresh food products demonstrate how they future proof their fleet economically and sustainably with Thermo King SLXi Hybrid refrigeration technology.

In 2019, Bodan GmbH, Brocker Logistik and Jens Thomsen Spedition decided to upgrade their fleet with SLXi Hybrid, the industry’s first true hybrid trailer refrigeration units offering the benefits of both diesel and electric power. Following months of operations, the companies experienced the flexibility of hybrid operations, easier access to restricted, low-emission and low-noise areas, and significant fuel savings.

“Environmentally-focused regulations, fluctuating fuel prices and the general aspiration to ‘be green’ are driving adoption of electrified solutions. Still, long-term economics is the primary concern in the logistics industry,” said Francesco Incalza, president of Thermo King Europe, Middle East and Africa. “Thermo King innovates to help our customers control their total cost of ownership while increasing efficiency and achieving important sustainability goals. We were the first to offer our European customers true hybrid refrigeration units, a technology that futureproofs their operations combining the best of diesel and electric power.”

• The wholesale company Bodan GmbH supplies organic markets in southern Germany with natural products ranging from fruit and vegetables to milk and meat. Being environmentally cautious, they have always been open to sustainable innovations.

One of the most important delivery routes for Bodan is an evening and night route through the German Black Forrest region. In this particular case, the ability to operate with lowest noise was equally important as sustainability and fuel efficiency.

“A typical delivery covers a noise-sensitive route of 450 to 500 kilometers per night, from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m., with seven to ten stops,” said Steffen Wolf, fleet manager at Bodan. “We operate this route six days a week servicing food retailers and farm shops. When on the road, our SLXi Hybrid unit is always in electrical mode, which not only enables almost silent cooling, but saves fuel and reduces CO2 emissions.”

• Brocker Logistik specializes in long-haul food transport and annually runs approximately 160,000 kilometers per trailer. Modern fleet, environmental mindfulness and openness to the technical innovations has always been important for the managing director, Hans-Jürgen Brocker. They didn’t hesitate to add the SLXi Hybrid system to their fleet.

“We keep our fleet up to the latest technology and emissions standards. Fuel savings and energy efficiency are top of our mind all the time,” said Hans-Jürgen Brocker.”We use the SLXi Hybrid mainly on the 600 km route between Düsseldorf and Berlin, operated once or twice a week. With set temperature between two to five degrees Celsius, it’s crucial to have stable conditions. Continuous operation of the reefer unit is very important. Using the SLXi Hybrid in electric mode is ideal for this application and we use it all the time while driving. We only use the diesel engine of the unit when parked at the loading and unloading points, in case there is no shore power connection.”

• Jens Thomsen Spedition is a family-run company specializing in food logistics, mainly fruit, vegetables, meat and dairy products. With around 300 refrigerated trailers with 200 tractors, Thomsen supplies wholesale markets and distribution centers across Germany. Their international routes go mainly to Scandinavia.

“Together with our customers and Thermo King, we regularly discuss the opportunities to make transport more economical and environmentally friendly,” said Jan Thomsen, managing director. “The new SLXi hybrid system fulfills both criteria. As soon as we heard about it, we wanted to be one of the first companies to put this innovative technology into real life operation.”

“Sustainability is increasingly important for our retail partners and their customers,” said Ulf Thomsen, managing director. “Investing in hybrid refrigeration is not only a worthwhile investment from economical point of view, but also a clear sign of our commitment to green transport technology. We see profitability and sustainability so well combined with the SLXi Hybrid system that we want keep going in this direction and further enforce this technology.”

The SLXi Hybrid is fully telematics-enabled as standard, delivering full visibility of the unit and load condition with a TK BlueBox communication device and Bluetooth® connectivity. Detailed monitoring of the unit’s operations has allowed the customers to quantify the fuel savings attributed to the electric mode.

All three transporters averaged a total saving of 1.5 to 2 liters per 100 km after offsetting the additional consumption of the tractor engine to generate the power. Depending on the individual cases, with optimized fleet operation parameters this translates into a return of investment period of approximately four years, well below the typical trailer replacement cycle of eight or more years.

The Thermo King Hybrid refrigeration systems leverage Frigoblock alternator and inverter-drive technology, which allows the unit to switch the power between diesel and electric mode as required or necessary. The SLXi Hybrid can make the switch automatically thanks to the standard connectivity and geo-location feature. This gives transport companies the flexibility to operate night-time deliveries, access in inner cities, residential areas and low emission zones.

Extra Flexis Help Polyco Healthline Supply UK NHS

Posted on by David Priestman

Long-term Flexi warehouse truck user, Polyco Healthline, has hired an additional four trucks from Narrow Aisle Ltd to support increased demand generated by the COVID-19 situation to supply the NHS with products from its range of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE).

Polyco is among the largest suppliers of protective products to the NHS and the London-based company, which has a distribution centre near Peterborough, has employed a fleet of Flexi VNA warehouse trucks for over 14 years.
Flexi articulated VNA trucks designed and built by Narrow Aisle Ltd give Polyco the performance edge they need by facilitating a highly efficient, low-cost dense storage solution which enables fast and safe pallet movements within its operation.

With an ability to work within very narrow aisle racking layouts, Flexi articulated trucks achieve high volume throughputs by stacking and retrieving pallets – which eliminates the need for time wasting ‘pick and deposit’ stations at aisle ends. At sites where traditional ‘guided Man Up’ VNA systems are deployed, these handover points rely on the use of additional forklifts to transfer the palletised loads between the aisle end ‘pick and deposit’ locations and the goods-in and goods-out zones – a process which incurs costly ‘double handling’ expenses.

Steve McCarthy, logistics manager at Polyco Healthline, said: “Hiring additional Flexis for our fleet will be of significant help as we scale up supply to meet the vital needs of the NHS at this critical time. As Flexi provide all of our handling needs, we do not need to source additional materials handling equipment from elsewhere.”

Narrow Aisle managing director, John Maguire, commented: “We are particularly glad to support our customer Polyco Healthline in meeting this essential need under such exceptional circumstances. We would also like to thank our team at the Tipton factory for their amazing response to the crisis and helping deliver these and other customers in the retail supply chain with mission-critical equipment.”

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