Month: July 2020

Essex-based international logistics business Uneek Group will implement Microlistics WMS this year as they focus investment into expanding their service offering and improving operational efficiency.

The implementation will initially include two Uneek Group warehouse sites of approximately 55, 000 square feet in total. Both facilities currently operate a legacy paper-based WMS. Uneek Group’s General Manager, Amit Patel, said a long-run vision for the business informed the search for a WMS technology partner.

“We wanted a WMS solution that can do everything we need from day one, without expensive modifications, while also providing us room to grow in terms of the number of sites and the types of services we can offer to customers. Our focus is on ensuring we have the capability we need for success in the medium to long-term – Microlistics WMS was the system to deliver that.”

The decision to implement a new WMS was made early in the COVID-19 pandemic, with Uneek taking advantage of an expected lull in operational activity to focus on the project.

Essential factors in the decision included Microlistics WMS’s strong 3PL capabilities (including multi-site, multi-client operations), robust integrated 3PL billing functionality and the capacity for true ‘real-time’ RF-based task management without paper-based workarounds. Another influential factor was Microlistics inclusion in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for WMS since 2014.

Microlistics is working with Uneek to apply its remote implementation methodology, developed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mark Dawson (above), Managing Director at Microlistics, said: “Our approach enables all aspects of the implementation to be conducted effectively despite social distancing and travel restrictions. The project is now well underway with solutions design workshops and training being delivered remotely.

“Uneek Group are a good example of a robust freight forwarding business adapting to opportunities in the marketplace, expanding into eCommerce fulfilment and offering other value-add services.

“We’re pleased Uneek have selected Microlistics WMS as their preferred solution to help them leverage these opportunities into business growth, and we look forward to working with their team on what will be an exciting evolution for the business.”

With the first of two race weekends at Spielberg following the coronavirus-induced hiatus, Formula 1 is poised to kick off the 2020 season, which will see the pinnacle of motorsport celebrate its seventieth anniversary. The two races in Austria are the first in a revised racing calendar which Formula 1 has put in place based on the current situation. Initially, eight races in six different locations, including two triple headers, will be held in Europe over the summer, with more locations to be announced. Additional safety measures to protect against coronavirus will be put in place both during the race weekends and in the logistics for which DHL is responsible as the official logistics partner.

Formula 1 and its partners and promoters have worked carefully in the past few weeks to ensure a secured return to racing. Strict measures will be taken to protect all those involved and include regular testing and social distancing, as well as closed events with no spectators and fewer operational staff on site. As the official logistics partner, DHL has also taken extensive measures to ensure that its logistics processes are safe and that all of the respective countries’ requirements for protection against COVID-19 are met. This also includes regular testing, the wearing of masks and regular disinfection of work materials and equipment in a dedicated zone.

With its tightly rescheduled racing calendar, the anniversary season also brings logistical challenges. For the first time in F1 history, there will be two triple headers – three races on three consecutive weekends – in one season with the races in Austria and Hungary as well as in the UK and Spain taking place in direct succession. The tight scheduling involved in triple headers presents a particular challenge for logistics, but thanks to decades of experience, DHL is well equipped to meet this challenge.

“We are delighted that Formula 1 is now able to kick off its 70^th anniversary season,” says Paul Fowler, Vice President Global Motorsport, DHL Global Forwarding. “The tightly scheduled racing calendar over the summer, including two triple header races, makes speed and maximum precision all the more important in Formula 1 logistics. At DHL, we responded very quickly to the risks posed by the pandemic and are ideally equipped to offer safe, fast and reliable logistics in Formula 1 even under these extraordinary conditions,” he adds.

DHL has been active in Formula 1 for over 35 years, and official logistics partner since 2004. The company also presents two coveted awards, the DHL Fastest Lap Award and the DHL Fastest Pit Stop Award, at the end of each championship season. They will continue to be presented as usual during the modified 2020 season. In addition to Formula 1, DHL maintains a number of other partnerships in motorsport, including Formula E, of which the company is a founding partner.