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Month: November 2020

New Machines Delivered to The Port of Liverpool

Posted on by Keith McKinley

The Port of Liverpool has taken first delivery of two new cutting edge shovel loaders.The new JCB 457 loading shovels are the latest JCB built machines from Briggs Equipment and include cutting edge machine technology. The new machines have been selected and specified with additional safety features including: hi-visibility hand rails, Ardent Vehicle Fire Protection, Camera System, Illuminating Chevrons and Tier 5 engine technology, reducing harmful emissions by eliminating ultra-fine particles of soot in diesel exhaust known as sub-micron level particles. This is extremely important and in alignment with Peel Ports clean air quality strategy.

A further four new machines will be delivered over the coming weeks which will include another two JCB 457 and two JCB 437 loading shovels.

The new equipment will be used across the bulk terminals at Mersey, specifically the AFS and Merlin General Bulk Stores, and will allow the port to continue to provide its customers with a reliable and competitive service.

Phil Hall, Port Director (Liverpool), Peel Ports said: “The addition of these cutting edge machines have been well received by the team. They are highly reliable pieces of equipment which will further enable us to deliver our customer needs more efficiently due to an increased cubic capacity bucket.

Customer service first

“We have a great working relationship with Briggs Equipment who are our strategic wheeled asset partners. They have a strong track record for safety and customer service. Putting our customer service first is paramount to Peel Ports, this investment will minimise machine down time supporting our operational capability to customer service satisfaction”.

Tony Worrall, National Account Manager, Briggs Equipment, said: “We are delighted to have completed this latest delivery of JCB equipment to Peel Ports.

“We have worked closely with Peel Ports to understand their specific requirements and the solution that we’ve delivered ticks every box. The fast-paced working environment at the Port demands equipment that is strong, reliable and suited to high-intensity workloads and these new machines will provide exactly that.

“The additional safety features were a key requirement for Peel Ports and the new Tier 5 engine technology demonstrates their clear commitment towards sustainability in their work.

“We’re looking forward to continuing our work with Peel Ports and seeing the positive impact that these new machines will have on all aspects of their operations.”

Prologis Appoints Gavin Quinn to Strengthen London Market

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Prologis has announced the appointment of Gavin Quinn (pictured) to strengthen its leasing and development team in London and the South East.

Gavin Quinn, a partner with Levy Real Estate in London, will join Prologis (a UK’s leading developer of industrial logistics parks) on November 30th and will help the property company continue to grow its presence in the London and South East markets and implement its urban Last Touch® strategy in London as it seeks to secure more logistics facilities close to the Capital to enable customers to fulfil deliveries of goods ordered online efficiently and sustainably.

Speaking about the recent appointment, Robin Woodbridge, Head of Capital Deployment for Prologis in the UK said: “We’re delighted to welcome Gavin to the team; his significant experience in different asset classes in London and the South East will further strengthen our core offering in this area, particularly through the acquisition of new opportunities.”

“At Prologis, we’ve invested over half a billion pounds in London and the Home Counties over the past 18 months to ensure we can provide the urban logistics facilities our customers need and intend to continue investing in this location at the same level; Gavin’s appointment further underwrites this commitment.”

Earlier this year Prologis announced it had acquired more industrial space, close to two of its existing properties in Hemel Hempstead in a £26 million deal in order meet growing demand for floor space in the area.

 

UK logistics Sector Deals Increase in Q3 of 2020

Posted on by Keith McKinley

In Q3 deal activity in the UK logistics sector increased, despite year-to-date deal volume being significantly lower than the previous year.

Transaction volumes in the UK logistics sector in Q3 increased by 12.5%, with a quarter of deals being cross border, according to the latest report from accountancy and business advisory firm BDO LLP.

The ‘UK & Ireland M&A Update – Q3 2020’ report revealed that nine deals were completed from July to the end of September 2020 (eight in Q2 2020), with deal value ‘jumping off the scale’ in Q3 thanks to two significant transactions.

Aggregate disclosed deal value in the third quarter sat at £1.452 billion, £1,321 billion higher than the value recorded between April and June 2020 (£131 million). This value was driven by the £900 million acquisition by Advent International of the Hermes Parcelnet and Hermes Germany operations from Otto Group, together with the £420 million acquisition by Compania Logistica de Hidrocarburos CLH S.A. of 15 storage terminals from Inter Terminals Limited, with these larger deals reflecting the appetite for market leadership and opportunity for operational performance benefits in scale.

Interestingly, trade deals in Q3 made up two-thirds of transactions, with private equity in the UK and US continuing to show interest in the domestic market, such as the recent acquisitions by Advent International and Palatine Private Equity’s investment in NRG Fleet Services Ltd. The high level of available ‘investment ready’ funds across private equity means investors are actively engaged, searching out both niche and disruptive growth opportunities.

The report also highlighted that the BDO Logistics FTSE Index bounced back to levels 11% ahead of where the index started in July 2019, reflecting the recent recognition of the sector’s role at the forefront of keeping the economy moving. In comparison, the FTSE All Share Index was down 22% over that period.

Jason Whitworth, M&A partner at BDO LLP (pictured), explained: “There remains a strong sense of caution across the market. However, there are signs that trade buyers and investors are starting to see opportunities to generate value, and this is reflected in an increase in Q3 M&A activity. Although deal volume to date, at 33 deals, is significantly down on the previous year’s 47 deals, there continues to be strong activity from key operators.”

He added: “As with previous downturns, there has to be a degree of vigilance as the economic impact of the pandemic continues to unfold. However, operators are proving to be exceptionally robust and resilient as they adapt, with a number delivering strong growth. What is encouraging is that market sentiment shows there is still appetite for acquisitions in the forthcoming months, particularly to support the changing demands of the economic landscape and the opportunities and challenges it presents

Cost-Effective Lorry Curtains for Clean Lines

Posted on by Keith McKinley

The UK’s largest suppliers of lorry tension curtains have launched the Adaico Ada-Slider for commercial vehicle operators looking for a cost-effective sliding curtain for easy access and vibrant graphics. The Adaico system features a reinforced sliding curtain, secured at either end with a single tensioning lock to provide a smooth surface for branding and designs.

Paul Reeve, Managing Director of Structure-flex, said, “As the Ada-Slider has had limited availability in the UK, we’re glad to be making it widely available to hauliers and fleet operators. And with our Sales Manager’s in-depth experience with the system, we know it delivers great value and durability.”

The Ada-Slider system is manufactured in Spain by Adaico and has won fans across Europe for its lower overall cost than comparable systems. The Ada Slider is available for heights up to 2.4m and lengths between 3.5m and 7m. Weighing less than many curtain systems, a single door lock at each end provides easy access and a smooth tensioned surface for vehicle graphics. The system also achieves the EN 12642-XL standard for load containment within commercial vehicles and trailers.

Despite being a new addition to Structure-flex’s range, their Area Sales Manager Blaine Durno, appointed in early 2020, has extensive experience with the product from a previous role. Blaine states, “the beauty of the Ada Slider is it’s simplicity. It is easy to open, close and secure with a single latch. Using our print technology, we can create highly impactful graphics that stay vibrant for longer.” Norfolk-based Structure-flex have provided lorry tension curtains since 1970 and the Ada-Sider is intended to complement their existing range which includes their innovative Smoothside buckle-free curtain.

Structure-flex’s operation are one of the largest and most capable in the UK, with the firm recently announcing a supply contract to Eddie Stobart Logistics. Investment in the latest ink technology has increased the intricacy of designs they can print onto tension curtains and ensures colours remain stronger for longer than ever before.

Blaine concludes, “Lorry curtains are more effective than ever as a place to build brand recognition and boost sales. Using reinforced PVC, high-frequency welding and the latest inks technology we can make any vehicle stand out on UK and European roads.” Previously available through a single UK supplier, Structure-flex were keen to stock the Adaico system and Blaine and his colleagues have already completed orders for individual vehicles and entire fleets.
More on trailers here

5-point Strategy Against Corona

Posted on by David Priestman

How do we deal with the rising COVID-19 numbers and the immediate effects on employees, supply chain and turnover calculations? At this year’s German Logistics Congress, Günther Jocher, Managing Director of GROUP7, presented his company’s 5-point strategy. The first point of the strategy is to quickly adapt to the changed needs of the market. “We recognized the increasing demand for medical protective equipment early on and supported our customers with the initially difficult import process. By transporting a total of 31 million pieces of equipment, we were able to compensate the reduced volumes in other sectors such as automotive and textiles”, Jocher explained.

Surprise customers with new services such as Skype inventory

Point 2 of the GROUP7 strategy is the development of new products and services, adapted to the new Corona restrictions. “An important stock-taking of a customer gave us the idea to handle the process digitally. Our customers and the auditors were able to view the inventory virtually via Skype, and our employees could take samples on site”, Günther Jocher explains. This environmentally friendly and time-saving process will also be used by the logistics service provider after Corona.

Use the crisis to strengthen cohesion in the company

GROUP7 Managing Director Jocher’s point 3 was very important: “I deliberately avoided short-time working – we used the time to reduce vacation and strengthened our sales department”. According to him, this had already proven itself in the past: Thanks to the strong sales activities in the 2008/09 crisis, GROUP7 was able to generate a 64 percent increase in sales in the following year.

Continue to drive investments such as the Hamburg construction project

The 4th point in GROUP7’s pandemic package is aimed at investments in future business areas. Despite the difficult situation, the company was certified according to the GDP guidelines (Good Distribution Practice) in order to further advance the Pharma & Healthcare sector. “Our new construction project – a logistics center in Hamburg-Billbrook will also start on schedule in 2021,” said Jocher on the subject of investments.

Using the pandemic as a driver of the digitalisation process

The final point of the GROUP7 strategy is to use the pandemic as a driver of the digitalization. “Our further developed, digital security net has proven itself useful for our customers in the current crisis,” says Jocher. GROUP7 also tested agile working earlier than planned and will in future use it in the forwarding departments where it brings added value. “With our 5-point strategy for dealing with Corona, we are planning to be even more innovative in the future,” concludes Jocher.

More freight news here.

Logistics Expert: “Gear up for Record Breaking Returns this Christmas”

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Logistics supply chains face chaos if they don’t get their act together when it comes to managing returns during this Christmas and into the new year according to the UK boss at multi-modal transportation management platform provider C.H. Robinson.

Nick Ghia (pictured), General Manager, North West Europe at C.H. Robinson, believes that supply chains will face unprecedented pressures throughout December and January as an expected surge in online shopping leads to more consumers returning goods. His warning comes as a recent report reveals that more than three quarters (77%) of British consumers now do at least part of their shopping online, up 16% on 2019, with UK online spending expected to exceed £74bn by the end of 2020.

He says: “There’s a real risk that supply chains will be caught out and be overwhelmed by a massive increase in returns due to what will be a record breaking year for online sales as people stay away from shopping centres and social distancing restrictions remain in place.”

Many retailers offer extended returns policies for items bought before Christmas and industry analysts predict that up to 40 per cent of online purchases are returned. The rush of returns typically start at the end of November following Black Friday and Cyber Monday and 2nd January is known as National Returns Day, with some 72% more returns than on a typical day in December. Also, more than three quarters (78%) of consumers look at the returns process before choosing where to shop.

Critical considerations

Ghia adds: “Companies need to ensure they have a robust return management strategy in place so they can provide the best possible customer experience and maximise value recovery from the returned items. There are a number of critical considerations and collecting data is key across the board so artificial intelligence, together with predictive analytics technologies, will have a significant role to play this year to make sense of all the information on millions of expected returns.

“Firstly, data needs to be collected on item condition and reason for return to determine whether an item coming back to the warehouse is suitable for resale or instead needs to be scrapped or repaired.

“Secondly, it’s crucial to gather data early in the return process as returned items can be unpredictable and follow no obvious pattern. It’s therefore critical that close tabs are kept on the items as they enter transit. Upon delivery back to the warehouse, the importance of visibility of the returned items is equally important so that the goods can be verified thereby preventing unnecessary inventory loss.

“Finally, controlling the items that are sent back to the warehouse in the first instance is key. Having every return go back to the warehouse can tie up vital operations. By controlling returned items, companies can dispose of or donate items that are not saleable in store.”

 

New Addition to Turning Attachments Product Range

Posted on by David Priestman

Forklift technology company B&B Attachments has introduced its new box turning attachment product (pictured). This high visibility unit with its robust construction is a low maintenance solution to handling and rotating a range of different box sizes.

This turning attachment is intended exclusively for the transport and lateral discharge of produce and Dolav boxes. It improves productivity through speed of rotation and elimination of dropped loads.

The specially positioned arms are fitted directly to a KAUP 360 degree rotating head. The arms secure the box load at both the top and sides, providing a safe and secure hold on the load. The arms are manually adjustable to handle different box sizes securely and are fully bushed to ensure smooth arm movement. There are several different types of top and side arm options available. The attachment can be supplied with a side arm on either one or both sides of the rotator.

This attachment can be fitted with a rear spacer to help the truck discharge produce closer to the centre of vehicles or when its receiving hoppers, ensuring safety and increased productivity with every lift. The arms can also be made as ‘quick release’ which allows the operator to revert to a standard rotator and forks in under two minutes, allowing all other palletised loads to be handled by the same forklift truck.

The rotator is rated 3200kg at 500mm load centre. All capacities, sizes and types are available through B&B Attachments.

Double-Trailer Truck Investment

Posted on by David Priestman

Agility, a leading global logistics provider, is the first logistics company in Abu Dhabi to operate double-trailer trucks, which will improve operational efficiencies for its customers and reduce emissions by cutting the number of trips made.

Agility operates an extensive fleet of trailers in Abu Dhabi. About 50 of those are now double-trailer trucks. Double trailers significantly reduce the number of trips required to haul cargo, decreasing overall wear and tear on tires and vehicles. In the first six months of operation, Agility’s fleet management data demonstrates that double trailers reduce fuel use by 26% per container, eliminating about 2,500 metric tons of CO2 emissions per year. More Agility news here.

Houssam Mahmoud, Chief Executive Officer for Agility Abu Dhabi, said: “In addition to being environmentally friendly, the double trailers will positively impact productivity – and that’s good for both Agility and our customers. We are able to pass a lot of these benefits to our customer by providing greater flexibility and a significant reduction in the number of required trips.”

Acquiring the permit to operate double-trailer trucks took six months of proposals, trials, accident simulations, and safety demonstrations. Agility worked together with a local automotive distributor to develop the safest possible solution for the market, including Active Brake Assist 4, proximity control, and lane assist. Agility conducted a transport route survey to identify any routes that might be risky or challenging for drivers. Agility insisted on lane assist capability for the vehicles, and proposed it to the supplier after determining that drivers would need help to navigate sharp round-a-bouts.

In the United Arab Emirates, Agility has an industry-leading safety record, linking driver incentive pay to safety, rather than speed of operations, and has voluntarily provided extensive third-party training on double trailers to ensure it maintains its excellent record.

Agility is a global logistics company with $5.2 billion in annual revenue and 26,000+ employees in more than 100 countries. It is one of the world’s top freight forwarding and contract logistics providers, and a leader and investor in technology to enhance supply chain efficiency. Agility is a pioneer in emerging markets and one of the largest private owners and developers of warehousing and light industrial parks in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Agility’s subsidiary companies offer fuel logistics, airport services, commercial real estate and facilities management, customs digitization, and remote infrastructure services.
For more information about Agility, visit

Forklifts go Electric

Posted on by David Priestman

The Konecranes E-VER is a brand-new addition to the Konecranes Ecolifting family. With a fully electric driveline and the latest eco-efficient features, it is a silent, productive vehicle with zero direct emissions.

Since 1959, Konecranes Lift Trucks has been a pioneer in providing powerful, flexible and reliable lift trucks to customers around the world, and over the years new models have become more productive, economical and eco-efficient. Our innovative lift truck concept with box type chassis and hydraulic load sensing system, introduced in 1995, delivered fuel savings of up to 15% compared to other gear-pump units. In 2013, we launched the world’s first hybrid reach stacker, and followed that with the largest capacity reach stacker, which can lift 152 tons under hook. Today, the company continues to live up to its enviable reputation with its first electric lift truck.

Proven technology: better for the business

“Electrically-powered lifting is well-established in Konecranes, but in this project, we are being innovative and raising electrification to the next level,” says Lisa Martinsson, the Senior Project Manager who leads the company program to develop electric lift trucks. “We are resetting the industry standard once again.”

Benefits to the environment are just the start. In comparison with a standard diesel engine, the Konecranes E-VER cuts energy consumption by up to 70%. The lithium-ion battery that powers the truck’s two motors has been selected for its many advantages. It saves time, taking just 45 minutes to fully recharge. When the truck is in motion, it adds braking energy to the charge. Surrounded by a protective frame, it’s safe from physical damage and can be charged anywhere. Finally, it will last for at least 3,000 charge full charge cycles, which is up to 4 times as long as other types of batteries.

The Konecranes E-VER electric forklift needs less time and money for maintenance because it has common electrical modules and few moving parts. With no heat and less vibration, components will last longer. No oil means less chemical waste and less servicing.

Smooth and safe: better for drivers

Konecranes has always built lift trucks that provide the best in control, comfort and safety. The Konecranes E-VER is no different. Powerful and easily maneuverable, this electric vehicle runs on a motor that is more efficient than a diesel engine. Smoother movements and faster acceleration allow the driver to focus on the task of moving a load safely and efficiently. The cabin features a wide, unobstructed view of the work area and an ergonomic console with a clear, graphic screen display for unparalleled visibility and comfortable control of the vehicle.

This electric forklift takes safety one step further, with redundant sensors for faster diagnostics and failsafe functioning. In addition to the display, there are electric signals all around the machine to alert the driver to the most important details of the vehicle’s operation, such as when to recharge.

Connectivity: better for fleet optimization

The Konecranes E-VER is a Smart Connected Lift Truck as well. TRUCONNECT® Remote Monitoring follow the battery charge status along with energy consumption and recovery. The yourKONECRANES.com customer portal puts all this information together in one place, providing management and operational KPIs as well as data visualizations and trend charts to monitor and control the truck’s operational efficiency, productivity, safety and environmental impact. Our new Internet of Things platform is designed to support vehicle-to-everything communication, meaning direct streaming of data from the truck and any systems it can interact with, backed by the highest levels of data security and cybersecurity. Moreover, the IoT platform makes it easy to monitor, control and analyze customers’ lift trucks fleet and optimize their operations.

“Fitted with our state-of-the-art Smart Connected technology, the new Konecranes E-VER electric forklift will benefit our customers by dramatically reducing their environmental impact while providing improved performance,” says Andreas Falk, Senior Vice President of Konecranes Business Unit Lift Trucks. “Many customers are planning fully carbon-neutral operations for the near future and electrification is the most logical way forward. We would like to help them with that by offering an ideal solution for their world.”

The E-VER is part of Ecolifting, Konecranes’ vision to minimize the footprint and improve the handprint of equipment for terminals and heavy industrial applications. From eco-optimizing diesel drives, to hybridization and fully-electrified fleets, we will continue to do more with less. Read more here

Au Revoir, Wood

Posted on by David Priestman

One of France’s largest food retailers has said goodbye to the wooden pallet in its logistics operations. The logistics company of France’s fifth largest food retail group has said goodbye to the wooden pallet and is now building up its own inventory of plastic pallets. For the internal flow of goods between its 29 warehouses and 1,600 supermarkets in the chain, the freight forwarder has purchased 330,000 Craemer CS1 plastic pallets.

The first pallets were delivered in 2018, and the entire order volume is expected to be in use by summer 2020. The company switched from wood to plastic mainly in order to improve working conditions for warehouse employees as well as to meet the requirements of increasing automation and a policy of sustainability. The logistics company employs 5,000 people and has 1,800 lorries that deliver 700 million package units annually. The freight forwarder uses the plastic pallets exclusively for palletising and transporting mixed picked items (heterogeneous pallets) to meet the supply needs of its supermarkets directly from its own warehouses.

Bye Bye Wood

“The top deck of the CS1 is mostly closed, making the pallet ideal for bagged goods, cardboard boxes and other packaging units,” says Cyril Wahl, Sales Director at Craemer France Sarl. “And the pallet is equipped with three metal reinforcements, which allows it to carry up to 1,000 kilograms (2,200 pounds) in a high rack. Because the freight forwarder has equipped its lorry trailers with pallet racks, we provided this customer with a CS1 that has special, non-slip runners. This solution ensures that the pallets do not slip on the smooth and narrow shelf support beams when the lorry is moving.”

According to a company spokesperson, the logistics company is pursuing several goals in switching to plastic. “On the one hand, in the future it will be important for us to use only load carriers that work with the automation technology we recently introduced into the company’s warehouses. Deformed wooden pallets threaten to block the mechanical conveyor belts. Having our own inventory of plastic pallets makes us less dependent on wooden pallets and also ensures a seamless flow of goods along the supply chain.

On the other hand, it is important to us to improve the working conditions of warehouse employees and in that way to meet the goals of our corporate social responsibility. Part of that is eliminating
the risk of injury from wood splinters and easing the workload. The CS1 plastic pallet only weighs 17 kg (37.5 lb), meaning it is much easier to handle than the 23-kg (50.7-lb) wooden pallet.”

Read the whole story here

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