European Logistics Association Awards Finalist Reveals Project

Logistics Way, a Greek supply chain solutions provider, was a shortlised finalist in the recent European Logistics Association Awards. Managing Director Dionisis Grigoropoulos describes the outstanding project, Diolkos, that they entered.

In the ancient times Diolkos saved ships sailing from the Ionian Sea to the Aegean Sea, a dangerous sea journey around the Peloponnese, where its three headlands had a reputation for gales, especially Cape Matapan and Cape Maleas. Without a ‘shortcut’, across the Corinth Canal, ships would have to sail from the Ionian Sea to the Aegean Sea by going around the Peloponnesian Peninsula. Not only the sail was long, it was a dangerous one as well. Gale-force winds often troubled sailors at Cape Matapan and Cape Maleas, with its treacherous shoreline. In addition, the overland passage of the Corinth Canal, a neck of land 6.4 km wide at its narrowest, offered a much shorter route to Athens for ships sailing to and from the Ionian coast of Greece and fortunately it is remaining in use from circa 600 BC until now as the Corinth Canal.

We at Logistics Way tried to find new Sailing Routes for our clients back in 2015, when the capital controls shut down the banks and changed customer payment habits, offering much more potential and financially stable markets in Europe. When the capital controls were introduced in Greece in June 2015 , the Greek government was forced to immediately close Greek banks for almost 20 days and to implement controls on bank transfers from Greek banks to foreign banks, and limits on cash withdrawals, in order to avoid an uncontrolled bank run and a complete collapse of the Greek banking system. We did not now for how many years this was going to take place. So the only way to keep sales and growth back then was to expand the brand internationally.

The client was a leading Greek company with 50 successful years of operation in the field of air conditioning and electrical appliances. The project officially began in January 2016 with the following analysis: Market research, Product Portfolio, Supply Chain Structure, Demand Planning, Forecasting and Finance.

The project objectives were to firstly achieve operational excellence by aligning with a reliable logistics partner, whose services could go beyond just managing the physical movement and handling of goods and could also provide the systems and services that could enable flexible and efficient fulfillment processes. Assuring quality in services and honoring contracts with on-time deliveries was also a key objective. Additionally, driving innovation, along with a partnership that would introduce new technologies or enhance the in-house processes was important, as was managing costs (operational and capital expenditures) while enhancing the quality of customer service and satisfaction levels. Finally, maximizing value by obtaining lower rates, benefiting from more advanced technology and enjoying more control and visibility for the transportation / storage expenditures.

The idea was to create something quite new in order to fulfill the needs of the new market. Our Client chose 14 products from its portfolio plus 3 new ones. The plan was to start in the UK in 2016, Germany and France in 2017 and Italy and Spain in 2018. The supply chain strategy selected Strasbourg as the hub. For the UK we send the RFP to 27 companies and 6 of them responded with an offer. The savings in logistics and distribution costs was 30%, using a 1800 pallet storage distribution centre. For continental Europe we sent the RFP to 52 Companies in Germany, Belgium, France, Sweden and Holland and many responded with an offer. The cost savings here were 13%, utilizing a 2500 pallet storage facility in Germany and a 600 pallet warehouse in France. It was a new organization chart for the client. Sales on Amazon last year were 15% of the total sales of the company.

European Logistics Association Awards Finalist Reveals Project

Logistics Way, a Greek supply chain solutions provider, was a shortlised finalist in the recent European Logistics Association Awards. Managing Director Dionisis Grigoropoulos describes the outstanding project, Diolkos, that they entered.

In the ancient times Diolkos saved ships sailing from the Ionian Sea to the Aegean Sea, a dangerous sea journey around the Peloponnese, where its three headlands had a reputation for gales, especially Cape Matapan and Cape Maleas. Without a ‘shortcut’, across the Corinth Canal, ships would have to sail from the Ionian Sea to the Aegean Sea by going around the Peloponnesian Peninsula. Not only the sail was long, it was a dangerous one as well. Gale-force winds often troubled sailors at Cape Matapan and Cape Maleas, with its treacherous shoreline. In addition, the overland passage of the Corinth Canal, a neck of land 6.4 km wide at its narrowest, offered a much shorter route to Athens for ships sailing to and from the Ionian coast of Greece and fortunately it is remaining in use from circa 600 BC until now as the Corinth Canal.

We at Logistics Way tried to find new Sailing Routes for our clients back in 2015, when the capital controls shut down the banks and changed customer payment habits, offering much more potential and financially stable markets in Europe. When the capital controls were introduced in Greece in June 2015 , the Greek government was forced to immediately close Greek banks for almost 20 days and to implement controls on bank transfers from Greek banks to foreign banks, and limits on cash withdrawals, in order to avoid an uncontrolled bank run and a complete collapse of the Greek banking system. We did not now for how many years this was going to take place. So the only way to keep sales and growth back then was to expand the brand internationally.

The client was a leading Greek company with 50 successful years of operation in the field of air conditioning and electrical appliances. The project officially began in January 2016 with the following analysis: Market research, Product Portfolio, Supply Chain Structure, Demand Planning, Forecasting and Finance.

The project objectives were to firstly achieve operational excellence by aligning with a reliable logistics partner, whose services could go beyond just managing the physical movement and handling of goods and could also provide the systems and services that could enable flexible and efficient fulfillment processes. Assuring quality in services and honoring contracts with on-time deliveries was also a key objective. Additionally, driving innovation, along with a partnership that would introduce new technologies or enhance the in-house processes was important, as was managing costs (operational and capital expenditures) while enhancing the quality of customer service and satisfaction levels. Finally, maximizing value by obtaining lower rates, benefiting from more advanced technology and enjoying more control and visibility for the transportation / storage expenditures.

The idea was to create something quite new in order to fulfill the needs of the new market. Our Client chose 14 products from its portfolio plus 3 new ones. The plan was to start in the UK in 2016, Germany and France in 2017 and Italy and Spain in 2018. The supply chain strategy selected Strasbourg as the hub. For the UK we send the RFP to 27 companies and 6 of them responded with an offer. The savings in logistics and distribution costs was 30%, using a 1800 pallet storage distribution centre. For continental Europe we sent the RFP to 52 Companies in Germany, Belgium, France, Sweden and Holland and many responded with an offer. The cost savings here were 13%, utilizing a 2500 pallet storage facility in Germany and a 600 pallet warehouse in France. It was a new organization chart for the client. Sales on Amazon last year were 15% of the total sales of the company.

Integrated Lift Tables for AGVs

Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) are already a familiar sight in distribution and logistics centers. Now manufacturing wants a slice of their cost savings and efficiency, too, alongside the industry’s other initiatives in robotics and automatization. “We are seeing that the market for AGVs in industry is clearly growing,” says Magnus Nilsson, Purchaser for Jernbro’s automation department.

Jernbro is a leading supplier of customer-specific automation solutions. It develops complete solutions with AGVs, overall control, fixtures, robotic loading and unloading for both assembly applications and production-close logistics applications.

Precise solutions with customized AGVs

“For instance we have developed quite a niche at Jernbro, focused on manufacturing, and particularly of engines for heavy-duty trucks,” Nilsson continues. “We always work closely with our customers to ensure we can deliver precisely tailored solutions.”

Jernbro’s AGV solutions fall into two main application classes: ergonomic and shuttle. “The ergonomic application follows the whole line, moving items of all sizes to ensure first-class ergonomics for the engineers working on them,” says Nilsson. “The shuttle application moves items between locations without the need for permanent tracks, which makes it a very flexible solution.” Many Jernbro solutions incorporate a Hymo-VPG lift table in the AGV. “They are so easy to integrate,” says Nilsson. “We recently used Hymo-VPG lift tables as bolt-on products for nine of our units.”

Christer Martinelle, Technical Sales at Hymo-VPG, is excited about the prospects for AGVs with lift tables. “Our big lift tables, which will easily lift a truck, have earned an equally big reputation. AGVs need something different, something more compact, and that’s where our smaller models are perfect.” He cites the new AX5 model as an example: “It’s the smallest lift table on the market, and has innovative integrated hydraulics.”

Opportunities for cost savings in manufacturing

“We recognize how AGVs are opening up cost savings for manufacturing,” says Martinelle. “The flexibility of AGVs makes them ideal for Lean manufacturing. You can design a production line that can be adapted quickly to changing working conditions.” Nilsson agrees: “A fixed conveyor line is hard to redesign and change, once it’s in place with permanent fittings in the floor or ceiling. Another example is our shuttle solution for movements between floors, which uses AGVs rather than a rail solution and costs much less.”

The lifetime cost is key

Jernbro AGVs are frequency-driven, with magnets in the floor, which offers simplicity and flexibility. “We also offer a laser/contour navigation system,” notes Nilsson. “The initial outlay might be higher, but it’s the lifetime cost that’s important – and it’s the job of the Purchaser to see that bigger picture.”

Integrated Lift Tables for AGVs

Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) are already a familiar sight in distribution and logistics centers. Now manufacturing wants a slice of their cost savings and efficiency, too, alongside the industry’s other initiatives in robotics and automatization. “We are seeing that the market for AGVs in industry is clearly growing,” says Magnus Nilsson, Purchaser for Jernbro’s automation department.

Jernbro is a leading supplier of customer-specific automation solutions. It develops complete solutions with AGVs, overall control, fixtures, robotic loading and unloading for both assembly applications and production-close logistics applications.

Precise solutions with customized AGVs

“For instance we have developed quite a niche at Jernbro, focused on manufacturing, and particularly of engines for heavy-duty trucks,” Nilsson continues. “We always work closely with our customers to ensure we can deliver precisely tailored solutions.”

Jernbro’s AGV solutions fall into two main application classes: ergonomic and shuttle. “The ergonomic application follows the whole line, moving items of all sizes to ensure first-class ergonomics for the engineers working on them,” says Nilsson. “The shuttle application moves items between locations without the need for permanent tracks, which makes it a very flexible solution.” Many Jernbro solutions incorporate a Hymo-VPG lift table in the AGV. “They are so easy to integrate,” says Nilsson. “We recently used Hymo-VPG lift tables as bolt-on products for nine of our units.”

Christer Martinelle, Technical Sales at Hymo-VPG, is excited about the prospects for AGVs with lift tables. “Our big lift tables, which will easily lift a truck, have earned an equally big reputation. AGVs need something different, something more compact, and that’s where our smaller models are perfect.” He cites the new AX5 model as an example: “It’s the smallest lift table on the market, and has innovative integrated hydraulics.”

Opportunities for cost savings in manufacturing

“We recognize how AGVs are opening up cost savings for manufacturing,” says Martinelle. “The flexibility of AGVs makes them ideal for Lean manufacturing. You can design a production line that can be adapted quickly to changing working conditions.” Nilsson agrees: “A fixed conveyor line is hard to redesign and change, once it’s in place with permanent fittings in the floor or ceiling. Another example is our shuttle solution for movements between floors, which uses AGVs rather than a rail solution and costs much less.”

The lifetime cost is key

Jernbro AGVs are frequency-driven, with magnets in the floor, which offers simplicity and flexibility. “We also offer a laser/contour navigation system,” notes Nilsson. “The initial outlay might be higher, but it’s the lifetime cost that’s important – and it’s the job of the Purchaser to see that bigger picture.”

“The Forklifts and their Secret Superpowers” by Emer Conlon and Combilift

Collaboration between forklift manufacturer Combilift and award-winning Irish author Emer Conlon has resulted in “The Forklifts and their Secret Superpowers”, an exciting new children’s book has been launched just in time for Christmas, which depicts the main Combilift products as cartoon characters. Innovation has been a hallmark of Combilift and this has now been extended to capture children’s imaginations.

The combination of a children’s book and one of the largest indigenous companies in Ireland may not seem a likely fit, but according to Emer Conlon this is a novel way to communicate with existing and potential customers, as well as being involved in the education of the next generation. “I also wanted to use it as a marketing tool for the adults and so I used the USPs of the actual forklifts and turned them into the superpowers of the characters. That way both adults and children would get something from the book. “Martin McVicar (Combilift MD) really liked the idea – especially the educational aspect for children and as a result, CombiKids was created. So Combilift is ‘Lifting Innovation’ and now CombiKids is ‘Lifting Imaginations’”

“The aim was to achieve a balance between Combilift branding and creating a story, filled with drama and excitement featuring endearing characters that children would fall in love with. The Combilift adventure is a real page turner and the book also has a couple of ‘baddies’ – but these are of course not Combilift trucks!” For further enjoyment, there is an activity section at the back which includes something for all age groups such as one-off activities (join the dots and a word search puzzle) and activities that can be completed again and again (a Maze, Spot the Difference and a Map of the World). These add to the engagement and interaction that children will get from the book.

The CombiKids book highlights overcoming difficulties, the importance of friendship and that bullying is unacceptable. Needless to say, the hero is always a Combilift truck who “saves the day”. Also as the forklift trucks are all different shapes and sizes, there is a focus on the importance of being accepting of others’ differences, no matter what they look like or what shape or size they are.

Martin explains, “We believe it is very important to be involved with the education of the next generation and to that end we already have a number of programs including apprenticeships, tours, etc. However, our new CombiKids initiative will involve even younger children as they would ‘buy-into’ the Combilift brand by creating an association with it. This will encourage future engineers and other budding talent, as well as motivating children to read. It is a great way to highlight Combilift to a wider community that may not be overly familiar with it”.

Combilift was amongst the winners of the 2020 Red Dot Design Award thsi year  for it’s Combi-CBE4 model – the world’s first compact counterbalance design electric powered multidirectional forklift with its patented traction on all wheels. For the full story click here

 

Vanderlande delivers innovative AIRTRAX Pocket to de Bijenkorf

Vanderlande has installed its advanced AIRTRAX Pocket for de Bijenkorf at its Tilburg warehouse, the first large-scale system of its kind in The Netherlands.

The omni-channel solution is now fully operational. The Pocket sorter supports three areas on site: B2C orders; B2B store orders storing ‘fast movers’ and ecommerce returns in the storage area. It will be operated on de Bijenkorf’s behalf by Ingram Micro Commerce & Lifecycle Services, a leading provider of supply chain solutions. De Bijenkorf – meaning “the beehive” – is the most renowned chain of high-end premium department stores of the Netherlands.

Through its retail and e-commerce stores, the company sells luxury clothing, fashion accessories, cosmetics and perfume, as well as furniture and home accessories. One of the drivers behind de Bijenkorf’s decision to move to a central warehouse in Tilburg was that its older facilities were no longer fit for purpose.

The new 32,159m2 warehouse will supply seven national stores, as well as e-commerce orders from Germany, Luxemburg, Belgium, The Netherlands, France and Austria. To support its activities, de Bijenkorf required a cutting-edge automated solution that offered a sortation capacity of up to 8,000 items per hour and could handle both e-commerce multi-item and retail orders.

Vanderlande’s AIRTRAX Pocket is an innovative and reliable solution for transporting, sequencing and storing goods. There are approximately 48,000 pockets within the Tilburg system and the solution offers de Bijenkorf a loading capacity of 8,000 pockets per hour. The Pocket sorter will allow de Bijenkorf to handle around 95% of its 210,000 SKUs.

“In seeing the operation live, I am highly impressed by the Vanderlande AIRTRAX Pocket,” says Maxim Hurkmans, Business Unit Director, Ingram Micro. “We knew that the solution would become an integral part of our omni-channel warehouse because of its ability to reduce lead and transportation times and improve our stock handling.”

“De Bijenkorf has strong growth ambitions and is looking to move into different territories. To do so and to remain competitive, highly automated solutions such as the AIRTRAX Pocket are essential. Not only is the system performing effectively, but Vanderlande worked closely with us at all times during the installation process and has been a truly professional partner,” adds Joeri de Vaan, Senior Manager Operations, Ingram Micro.

“Innovations such as the AIRTRAX Pocket showcase our ambition to stay at the forefront of technology in the warehousing sector,” says Vanderlande’s Executive Vice President Warehousing and Parcel, Terry Verkuijlen. “We are proud to have partnered with Ingram Micro on this latest development, and now that the Pocket sorter is live, the warehouse can continue to deliver a first-class shopping experience to its customers.”

Vanderlande delivers innovative AIRTRAX Pocket to de Bijenkorf

Vanderlande has installed its advanced AIRTRAX Pocket for de Bijenkorf at its Tilburg warehouse, the first large-scale system of its kind in The Netherlands.

The omni-channel solution is now fully operational. The Pocket sorter supports three areas on site: B2C orders; B2B store orders storing ‘fast movers’ and ecommerce returns in the storage area. It will be operated on de Bijenkorf’s behalf by Ingram Micro Commerce & Lifecycle Services, a leading provider of supply chain solutions. De Bijenkorf – meaning “the beehive” – is the most renowned chain of high-end premium department stores of the Netherlands.

Through its retail and e-commerce stores, the company sells luxury clothing, fashion accessories, cosmetics and perfume, as well as furniture and home accessories. One of the drivers behind de Bijenkorf’s decision to move to a central warehouse in Tilburg was that its older facilities were no longer fit for purpose.

The new 32,159m2 warehouse will supply seven national stores, as well as e-commerce orders from Germany, Luxemburg, Belgium, The Netherlands, France and Austria. To support its activities, de Bijenkorf required a cutting-edge automated solution that offered a sortation capacity of up to 8,000 items per hour and could handle both e-commerce multi-item and retail orders.

Vanderlande’s AIRTRAX Pocket is an innovative and reliable solution for transporting, sequencing and storing goods. There are approximately 48,000 pockets within the Tilburg system and the solution offers de Bijenkorf a loading capacity of 8,000 pockets per hour. The Pocket sorter will allow de Bijenkorf to handle around 95% of its 210,000 SKUs.

“In seeing the operation live, I am highly impressed by the Vanderlande AIRTRAX Pocket,” says Maxim Hurkmans, Business Unit Director, Ingram Micro. “We knew that the solution would become an integral part of our omni-channel warehouse because of its ability to reduce lead and transportation times and improve our stock handling.”

“De Bijenkorf has strong growth ambitions and is looking to move into different territories. To do so and to remain competitive, highly automated solutions such as the AIRTRAX Pocket are essential. Not only is the system performing effectively, but Vanderlande worked closely with us at all times during the installation process and has been a truly professional partner,” adds Joeri de Vaan, Senior Manager Operations, Ingram Micro.

“Innovations such as the AIRTRAX Pocket showcase our ambition to stay at the forefront of technology in the warehousing sector,” says Vanderlande’s Executive Vice President Warehousing and Parcel, Terry Verkuijlen. “We are proud to have partnered with Ingram Micro on this latest development, and now that the Pocket sorter is live, the warehouse can continue to deliver a first-class shopping experience to its customers.”

A Global Event

This time last year we looked at the 12 months ahead in optimistic mood, visualising the further advance of digital transformation supported by sustainable solutions. The good vibes were tempered by the nervousness that, although a Brexit transition deal had been agreed, the final deal was yet to be done. Right on both counts, perhaps, but definitely not in the way we thought, writes Paul Hamblin, Editor.

Logistics has put itself front and centre in the European public imagination in 2020, driven by ecommerce adoption as perhaps the principal mass change (acceleration is a better word, maybe) of habit caused by the COVID pandemic. I think back in April we all hoped – and probably believed – that by now Europe would have navigated a path out of the crisis. Instead, we’ve become used to living our working lives through our laptop screens, seeking ever-inventive ways to maintain established business relationships as well as to harvest new ones.

Great news – Logistics Business is here to help with that. We have a brand-new global event planned for the last week in February 2021 that we are all very excited about – a fullon
logistics exhibition, with six halls, exhibitor stands, panel discussions and, above all, an outstanding networking or lead generation opportunity.

And it’s all online. No travel or hotel costs, no social distancing regulations. Put simply, it’s our way of keeping the global industry connected using the best technology we can find, as we await the return of those face-to-face contact opportunities. As Europe’s best known English-language logistics journal, we feel a duty to keep everyone talking as usefully as we possibly can, particularly at a time when Europe’s roads and borders are more restricted than we are used to.

You can choose from any of six halls to exhibit your stand: Forklift and AGV Technology, Automation Handling Systems, Packaging and Pallets, Software and Computing, Transport Services and Equipment and Warehouse Equipment. Here’s another cool bit: this isn’t a stand that you assemble and then dismantle on February 25th – you can just keep it in place for a full second run of the
show planned for September 2021. Panel discussions and seminars are set to be an important addition to the main exhibitor halls. Led by Yours Truly, industry experts and veterans will discuss a plethora of themes to inform your future decision making in compact, bitesize online formats that you’ll be able to return to at your leisure.

If you have ideas for discussions, be it digital transformation, supply chain optimisation, workforce empowerment, sustainable packaging or something else altogether, or you’d like to take part in one of the panel discussions, or indeed if you’d like to nominate a panel member for our seminars, please don’t hesitate to get in touch today via our special Logistics Business Virtual Exhibition contact show@logisticsbusiness.com. Turn to page 6 for more details on this groundbreaking event.

Meanwhile, I hope you find plenty to inform and entertain you within the pages of our November 2020 issue. It’s packed with cutting-edge news, innovation and opinion from across the European logistics sphere.

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