Month: September 2020

Xpediator plc announced its half year results today for the six months ended 30 June 2020, with revenue marginally down 2.7% to £99.6m and an increase in Adjusted PBT of 5% to £2.1m.

Alex Borelli, Chairman of Xpediator, said “These results show a resilient performance and demonstrate that there has been good demand for our services both in the UK and on the continent despite the impact of Covid-19. Where business units have been impacted by the pandemic, the effect is largely temporary and since the half-year trading across all three divisions is getting close to normal. That said, the Group is still mindful that a second wave of Covid-19 remains a possibility and we continue to review our contingency plans.”

The impact of COVID-19 across the Group was reduced by the geographical diversification of the business across the UK and Central and Eastern Europe, with CEE countries being less heavily affected by COVID-19. The core division of the Group, Freight Forwarding, delivered a strong performance with operating profit up 89.7% to £2.6m. This was largely due to demand for the Group services remaining robust in CEE markets, particularly in Lithuania and Bulgaria. The growth in these markets was partially offset by Benfleet’s operations in Italy and China, resulting in a reduction in profit of £(0.2)m.

The Transport Division operating under the Affinity brand, which provides fuel cards to hauliers and truckers across the East and West Balkan region, experienced a fall in volumes due to traffic reductions as CEE Governments decided to close borders. This was combined with a drop of the diesel price of more than 15% year on year. However, Xpediator reported improvement in volumes since July 2020 and anticipates volumes to return to normal trading levels in the second half of the year.

The Warehousing and Logistics division, which is split between the UK and Romania, saw revenue fall 16.9% to £18.7m. This was despite a strong performance by its pallet distribution network in Romania, Pall-Ex, with revenue and operating profit increasing 14% and 90% respectively vs H1 2019. COVID-19 caused disruption to volumes in the UK, driven by EMT’s exposure to high street fashion. Cost reductions of £0.5 million made during H120 are to become annualised savings and net cash was up 5% to £4.3m.

CWT Commodities has transformed its operations after purchasing five new Mitsubishi EDiA forklift trucks all fitted with li-ion batteries. The company has its main UK site at Seaforth Docks in Liverpool, where 10 warehouses are used for storing cocoa and coffee products. The materials arrive by ship from West Africa during the busy cocoa season which runs from November to April. After collecting the shipping containers from the quayside, CWT uses its forklift fleet to empty the contents and load them onto lorries to be delivered to some of the biggest blue-chip food and drink companies in the world.

With a lot of product to move, CWT needs forklifts that are available any time within a 24 hour period to help meet delivery targets. The company had previously been using electric forklifts with wet-cell lead-acid batteries and had been experiencing multiple problems over the years. “The lead-acid batteries we were using weren’t charging properly, or they took a long time to charge overnight, and our productivity was suffering as a result,” says Alex Turner, Site Manager at Seaforth Docks.

After speaking with local Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks dealer Jofson, Turner decided to upgrade the fleet and change to li-ion. The technology is known for its super-fast charging capabilities and reduced mains energy draw compared with conventional battery chargers. Jofson Sales Director Kevin Gorman explains: “A li-ion battery doesn’t require any maintenance. You can also charge it more frequently and far quicker than a lead-acid battery without any damage to the battery. High-speed charging means there is no need for spare batteries which take up precious storage space and need specialist lifting equipment and labour to change. It’s ideal for a company like CWT that requires full equipment availability at all times.”

CWT Commodities ordered three 3.5-tonne electric EDiA EX FB35N 80-volt counterbalance trucks with li-ion batteries. Two of the trucks were specified with 5.5-metre masts to support high lifts, and the third was specially designed for de-stuffing shipping containers. Each forklift was built to spec, with CWT selecting a number of additional features to support their operations. These included a load weight indicator which displays a weight via the dashboard to prevent overloading, an auto-tilt mast to support safe box stacking, a rear-mounted blue spotlight which alerts nearby pedestrians to the forklift, and automatic LED headlights to illuminate the inside of containers. CWT also ordered a fleet management system that could provide real-time information on truck location and uptime, thereby improving driver accountability.

“The safety features on the trucks make things much easier for the operators because they can focus on the task and let the truck work automatically,” said Turner. “Kevin had great knowledge about the trucks and li-ion, and the service department have been great at making any adjustments we wanted.” CWT also ordered two 5-tonne electric FB50N counterbalance forklifts, each with high-lift 6.5-metre masts. These larger models were suitable for the attachment of bespoke, quick-release rotating clamps used for decanting boxes of cocoa onto lorries for onward delivery.

Andy Baldy is the new Parts Manager at Clark, since September 1st. In this function he is responsible for sales, customer service and purchasing. He succeeds Markus Jöckel, who will devote himself to other tasks in the future.

Baldy began his professional career after studying sales management in 2004 at Intrupa BV in the Netherlands in the Customer Service and Marketing department. After the takeover by TVH in 2006, he moved to Büsch Gabelstapler in Kerken – a dealer at that time. Here he first held the position of Junior Sales Manager Industrial Trucks, and later as Sales Manager he was responsible for key accounts and dealers. In 2010 Baldy joined Clark as Parts Sales Manager. His responsibilities included looking after dealers throughout the EMEA region (Europe, Africa and the Middle East), conducting internal and external training and sales support.

Rolf Eiten, President & CEO at Clark Europe: “Mr. Baldy looks back on 10 years of experience at Clark Europe and has been instrumental in the strong growth of our spare parts business in recent years. We wish Mr. Baldy continued success in his new area of responsibility”. As Parts Manager, he reports to Andreas Krause, Chief Operating Officer at Clark Europe.

Dorner GmbH continues its product expansion by adding the 2200 Series Modular Belt Conveyor to its portfolio of conveyor platforms being manufactured in Jülich, Germany. Dorner is an industry leader in the design, application, manufacturing and integration of precision industrial and sanitary conveyor systems.

The 2200 Series Modular Belt is ideal for small to medium part handling within the automation, packaging, assembling, metalworking and general manufacturing industries. The conveyor comes with features and benefits that make it ideal for a variety of conveying applications, including:

• Ladder-style, open-frame design that allows better airflow through the frame for cooling, water and chemical drainage applications

• Sleek, narrow profile for positioning under machinery and in other tight spaces where other conveyors wouldn’t fit

• Universal T-slot compatible with industry standard hardware for attaching accessories and guiding fast and simple

The 2200 Series Modular Belt joins the 2200 Series LPZ as the second major conveyor platform this year being manufactured from Dorner’s Jülich, Germany, location. Now building three versions of the 2200 Series in Germany enables customers throughout Europe and the Middle East to take delivery of their equipment faster than ever before. Features and specifications of the 2200 Series Modular Belt conveyor include:

• Loads up to 68 kg

• Belt speeds up to 76 m/min

• Belt widths: 76 mm to 610 mm

• Conveyor lengths: 457 mm to 9,144 mm

• Micro pitch (general purpose) belt option

• Metalworking belt option

• 12 mm diameter integral drive shaft

• Fully encapsulated in frame belt return

Dorner GmbH continues its product expansion by adding the 2200 Series Modular Belt Conveyor to its portfolio of conveyor platforms being manufactured in Jülich, Germany. Dorner is an industry leader in the design, application, manufacturing and integration of precision industrial and sanitary conveyor systems.

The 2200 Series Modular Belt is ideal for small to medium part handling within the automation, packaging, assembling, metalworking and general manufacturing industries. The conveyor comes with features and benefits that make it ideal for a variety of conveying applications, including:

• Ladder-style, open-frame design that allows better airflow through the frame for cooling, water and chemical drainage applications

• Sleek, narrow profile for positioning under machinery and in other tight spaces where other conveyors wouldn’t fit

• Universal T-slot compatible with industry standard hardware for attaching accessories and guiding fast and simple

The 2200 Series Modular Belt joins the 2200 Series LPZ as the second major conveyor platform this year being manufactured from Dorner’s Jülich, Germany, location. Now building three versions of the 2200 Series in Germany enables customers throughout Europe and the Middle East to take delivery of their equipment faster than ever before. Features and specifications of the 2200 Series Modular Belt conveyor include:

• Loads up to 68 kg

• Belt speeds up to 76 m/min

• Belt widths: 76 mm to 610 mm

• Conveyor lengths: 457 mm to 9,144 mm

• Micro pitch (general purpose) belt option

• Metalworking belt option

• 12 mm diameter integral drive shaft

• Fully encapsulated in frame belt return

Abu Dhabi Ports has announced that Khalifa Port’s expansion is on pace for completion. The Khalifa Port expansion, launched in December 2019, aims to attract new business and significantly boost capacity in line with evolving customer expectations, and has progressed significantly since its inception despite the challenging economic conditions presented by the global pandemic. Upon completion, the project is expected to substantially increase handling volumes by providing additional deep-water access and enhanced infrastructure.

To date, 200 metres of quay wall and almost 175,000 sqm of land within Khalifa Port Logistics (KPL) have been handed over ahead of the project’s full phase one completion in Q1 2021. At the same time, considerable progress has also been made on the first phase of Khalifa Port’s South Quay development that is slated for completion by Q4 2020. With 80 percent of construction already complete, a total of 650 metres of quay wall, containing two berths alongside 37,000 sqm terminal yard is now available in advance of receiving its first shipment.

Progress has also been made on Abu Dhabi Terminals’ (ADT) expansion plans with the delivery of five new ship-to-shore cranes. With each unit boasting a lifting capacity of 90 tonnes, the new cranes have boosted capacity at the terminal significantly and have put Khalifa Port Container Terminal on track to meet its target of 5 million TEUs by the end of the current year.

Saif Al Mazrouei, Head of Ports Cluster, Abu Dhabi Ports, said: “The continued expansion of our infrastructure at Khalifa Port demonstrates Abu Dhabi Ports’ commitment to transforming trade and logistics in the region. Thanks to the strategic direction and guidance of the Government of Abu Dhabi, our emirate is ensured to experience increased direct foreign investment and growth of non-oil GDP. We are confident that the ongoing expansion of Khalifa Port will significantly enhance our operational and cargo handling capabilities. Our ports are not only gateways to the Gulf, but also convenient departure points to markets around the world, connecting east and west. The multimodal connections between Abu Dhabi and global markets through land, sea, air, and future rail channels have elevated the emirate’s status as a leading trade and logistics hub in the Middle East.”

The addition of land plots with adjacent quay wall and deep-water access at Khalifa Port provides a host of new customer opportunities, particularly for industrial producers requiring prime land plots in proximity to Khalifa Port Industrial Zone (KIZAD) and cargo owners that wish to import, export and trans-ship with global markets via Khalifa Port’s multimodal touchpoints. One example lies with Arabian Chemical Terminals (ACT) which recently signed a 50-year agreement to establish the first commercial bulk liquid and gas storage terminal at Khalifa Port that will be located on a plot with 16-metre direct deep-water quay access within the newly developed KPL. This project is well underway with the Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) having been awarded in May 2020.

In addition to highlighting progress on the expansion project at Khalifa Port, the session also provided an overview on ongoing trade and economic recovery efforts in the UAE, the port’s role as part of these recovery efforts and its ongoing mission to facilitate global trade and logistics, as well as the latest developments with Abu Dhabi Ports’ portfolio of global partnerships.