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Month: April 2021

Manhattan Associates again named leader in Gartner report

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Manhattan Associates Inc. has been named a Leader for the third consecutive year in Gartner Inc.’s Magic Quadrant for Transportation Management Systems.

Changing consumer delivery expectations, reductions in store sizes and locations and the desire to maintain business continuity have created a growing need for transparent and unified transportation solutions. Manhattan’s broad, deep and powerful TMS combined with its nimble integration and implementation services position it as a leader in this rapidly evolving industry.

“It is an honour to once again be recognised by Gartner Research as a Leader in transportation management solutions,” said Gregg Lanyard, director of Product Management for Manhattan Associates. “Manhattan TMS is designed to manage every transportation function, across any mode or size of network. Its state-of-the-art modelling and optimisation tools can increase profitability, lower a company’s carbon footprint and help users predict and adapt to future change.”

Manhattan’s TMS received one of the top three highest scores for Level 4 Complexity and Level 5 Complexity Use Cases in the Gartner Critical Capabilities report that accompanies the Magic Quadrant. Manhattan was also praised by its customers on the Gartner Peer Insights website. When compared to the other TMS Leaders, Manhattan’s solution was the most highly recommended by customers and rated highest for Integration & Deployment and Service & Support.

Manhattan’s transportation and logistics management solutions leverage advanced intelligence to solve the most difficult transportation problems. The software allows shippers and carriers to be more flexible and responsive to price and service pressures to harmonise inbound and outbound logistics management and carrier management.

Manhattan Associates again named leader in Gartner report

Posted on by David Priestman

Manhattan Associates Inc. has been named a Leader for the third consecutive year in Gartner Inc.’s Magic Quadrant for Transportation Management Systems.

Changing consumer delivery expectations, reductions in store sizes and locations and the desire to maintain business continuity have created a growing need for transparent and unified transportation solutions. Manhattan’s broad, deep and powerful TMS combined with its nimble integration and implementation services position it as a leader in this rapidly evolving industry.

“It is an honour to once again be recognised by Gartner Research as a Leader in transportation management solutions,” said Gregg Lanyard, director of Product Management for Manhattan Associates. “Manhattan TMS is designed to manage every transportation function, across any mode or size of network. Its state-of-the-art modelling and optimisation tools can increase profitability, lower a company’s carbon footprint and help users predict and adapt to future change.”

Manhattan’s TMS received one of the top three highest scores for Level 4 Complexity and Level 5 Complexity Use Cases in the Gartner Critical Capabilities report that accompanies the Magic Quadrant. Manhattan was also praised by its customers on the Gartner Peer Insights website. When compared to the other TMS Leaders, Manhattan’s solution was the most highly recommended by customers and rated highest for Integration & Deployment and Service & Support.

Manhattan’s transportation and logistics management solutions leverage advanced intelligence to solve the most difficult transportation problems. The software allows shippers and carriers to be more flexible and responsive to price and service pressures to harmonise inbound and outbound logistics management and carrier management.

K Group on the road with fully electric chilled deliveries

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Thermo King, a leader in transport temperature control solutions, has worked with K Group to test successfully the electric E-200 refrigeration unit paired with the electric-powered MAN eTGE van in its food delivery operations in Finland.

K Group is the third-biggest retail operator in Northern Europe, with over 1500 grocery stores in Finland under the Kesko Food brands: K-food, K-Citymarket, K-Supermarket and K-Market.

K Group has been piloting the use of fully electric trucks and vans as part of its efforts to reduce emissions and achieve carbon neutrality by 2025. For its last-mile grocery delivery operations, it chose the new electric-powered MAN eTGE and equipped it with the E-200 multi-temperature refrigeration unit from Thermo King.

“In an urban environment, the zero-emissions and quiet operations offered by electrified transport deliveries are particularly looked forward to by the residents,” said Eneko Fernandez, product leader at Thermo King. “We are proud of working closely with retailers as the K Group and helping them make sustainable all-day and nighttime deliveries a reality. Electric-powered delivery vans like MAN eTGE, coupled with the E-200 confidently meet current and future sustainability targets throughout the cold chain and allow customers to operate in areas with the lowest Urban Access Requirements (UVARs).”

“We have a long history with Thermo King units and we could always count on close support and cooperation from their dealer, VTA Tekniikka,” said Vesa Ylikotila, fleet manager at Kesko Logistics. “With this project, we wanted to test the electric MAN eTGE in daily operations and gain real-life user feedback from these trials. We chose Thermo King’s E-200 unit to refrigerate the van as we were looking for a quiet, sustainable delivery solution – fully powered by electricity. Months of operation proved we made the right choice.”

The E-200 units, being inverter driven, unlike typical direct drive solutions designed for diesel combustion engines, deliver constant capacity and can seamlessly work with electric-powered vehicles like the MAN eTGE. The units feature patented power management that contributes to lower energy consumption, increased vehicle autonomy and higher efficiency and reliability.

“When preparing the test van for the K Group we were looking at various options, but Thermo King and VTA Tekniikka were the only ones that could offer the most complete solution,” said Timo Puustinen, product manager at MAN Finland. “The Thermo King E-200 unit can work without separate battery packs, which lowers the costs and increases overall usability. It allows K Group to benefit from maximum load capacity of the vehicle. During the tests, the range of the vehicle remained in line with our requirements and proved that the eTGE and E-200 are a very good combination.”

 

 

K Group on the road with fully electric chilled deliveries

Posted on by David Priestman

Thermo King, a leader in transport temperature control solutions, has worked with K Group to test successfully the electric E-200 refrigeration unit paired with the electric-powered MAN eTGE van in its food delivery operations in Finland.

K Group is the third-biggest retail operator in Northern Europe, with over 1500 grocery stores in Finland under the Kesko Food brands: K-food, K-Citymarket, K-Supermarket and K-Market.

K Group has been piloting the use of fully electric trucks and vans as part of its efforts to reduce emissions and achieve carbon neutrality by 2025. For its last-mile grocery delivery operations, it chose the new electric-powered MAN eTGE and equipped it with the E-200 multi-temperature refrigeration unit from Thermo King.

“In an urban environment, the zero-emissions and quiet operations offered by electrified transport deliveries are particularly looked forward to by the residents,” said Eneko Fernandez, product leader at Thermo King. “We are proud of working closely with retailers as the K Group and helping them make sustainable all-day and nighttime deliveries a reality. Electric-powered delivery vans like MAN eTGE, coupled with the E-200 confidently meet current and future sustainability targets throughout the cold chain and allow customers to operate in areas with the lowest Urban Access Requirements (UVARs).”

“We have a long history with Thermo King units and we could always count on close support and cooperation from their dealer, VTA Tekniikka,” said Vesa Ylikotila, fleet manager at Kesko Logistics. “With this project, we wanted to test the electric MAN eTGE in daily operations and gain real-life user feedback from these trials. We chose Thermo King’s E-200 unit to refrigerate the van as we were looking for a quiet, sustainable delivery solution – fully powered by electricity. Months of operation proved we made the right choice.”

The E-200 units, being inverter driven, unlike typical direct drive solutions designed for diesel combustion engines, deliver constant capacity and can seamlessly work with electric-powered vehicles like the MAN eTGE. The units feature patented power management that contributes to lower energy consumption, increased vehicle autonomy and higher efficiency and reliability.

“When preparing the test van for the K Group we were looking at various options, but Thermo King and VTA Tekniikka were the only ones that could offer the most complete solution,” said Timo Puustinen, product manager at MAN Finland. “The Thermo King E-200 unit can work without separate battery packs, which lowers the costs and increases overall usability. It allows K Group to benefit from maximum load capacity of the vehicle. During the tests, the range of the vehicle remained in line with our requirements and proved that the eTGE and E-200 are a very good combination.”

 

 

Samskip drives forward with commitment to sustainable marine biofuels

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Global multimodal logistics company Samskip has increased its commitment to greener shipping through a new formal agreement with sustainable cargo initiative GoodShipping to run part of its fleet on marine biofuels and significantly reduce carbon footprint.

The initial usage of biofuels will enable a CO2-reduction of up to 45%, with plans to scale up to a CO2-reduction of up to 80% for any given voyage later in 2021. This initiative underlines the company’s longstanding dedication to take a leading role in reducing CO2 emission within the sea freight industry.

The Samskip Endeavour, an 800TEU capacity containership which normally runs on traditional fuels, had the honour to kick-off the partnership by using sustainable biofuels in its recent sailings. By bunkering sustainable biofuels, Samskip enables cargo owners to reduce their ocean carbon footprint significantly in their supply chains.

Two years ago, it was also the Samskip Endeavour that was the first ever vessel to be biofuel-bunkered through the GoodShipping initiative, demonstrating the viability of biofuels as a marine alternative to fossil fuels. Made from sustainable waste streams, the fossil-free bio-residual fuel equivalent product has proved to be a successful substitute for conventional marine fuels as part of the vessel’s operations between the Netherlands and Ireland.

Under the renewed agreement, also in partnership with GoodShipping, biofuels supplier GoodFuels is supporting Samskip’s plan to rapidly extend the use of biofuels on more of its vessels this year. GoodFuels’ second-generation sustainable biofuels consist of certified feedstock, labelled as waste or residue. There are no land-use issues, no competition with food production or deforestation during the production process.

“Sustainability runs through Samskip as a core value from every perspective. Therefore, we take great pride in and welcome the collaboration with GoodShipping to strengthen our deep partnership, becoming one of their fulfilment and innovation partners,” says Ásbjörn Gíslason, CCO and Deputy CEO at Samskip.

“We always aim to build a better future and to leave a positive footprint on our planet. By playing a forward-thinking and pioneering role in the energy transition, our customers can now benefit from a simple and easy means of decarbonising their cargo streams. We get to pioneer advanced marine biofuels, and the environment benefits from an immediate carbon reduction.”

“This announcement marks yet another important milestone in our journey beyond the fossil default,” says Katarin van Orshaegen, Commercial Lead at GoodShipping. “Reducing fuel emissions and consumption is a vital next step for the maritime transport industry, so we are extremely pleased to have found a stable fulfilment outlet for our sustainable cargo streams with Samskip, deepening a long-term partnership that is helping to change the way our market thinks about future fuels.”

Samskip drives forward with commitment to sustainable marine biofuels

Posted on by David Priestman

Global multimodal logistics company Samskip has increased its commitment to greener shipping through a new formal agreement with sustainable cargo initiative GoodShipping to run part of its fleet on marine biofuels and significantly reduce carbon footprint.

The initial usage of biofuels will enable a CO2-reduction of up to 45%, with plans to scale up to a CO2-reduction of up to 80% for any given voyage later in 2021. This initiative underlines the company’s longstanding dedication to take a leading role in reducing CO2 emission within the sea freight industry.

The Samskip Endeavour, an 800TEU capacity containership which normally runs on traditional fuels, had the honour to kick-off the partnership by using sustainable biofuels in its recent sailings. By bunkering sustainable biofuels, Samskip enables cargo owners to reduce their ocean carbon footprint significantly in their supply chains.

Two years ago, it was also the Samskip Endeavour that was the first ever vessel to be biofuel-bunkered through the GoodShipping initiative, demonstrating the viability of biofuels as a marine alternative to fossil fuels. Made from sustainable waste streams, the fossil-free bio-residual fuel equivalent product has proved to be a successful substitute for conventional marine fuels as part of the vessel’s operations between the Netherlands and Ireland.

Under the renewed agreement, also in partnership with GoodShipping, biofuels supplier GoodFuels is supporting Samskip’s plan to rapidly extend the use of biofuels on more of its vessels this year. GoodFuels’ second-generation sustainable biofuels consist of certified feedstock, labelled as waste or residue. There are no land-use issues, no competition with food production or deforestation during the production process.

“Sustainability runs through Samskip as a core value from every perspective. Therefore, we take great pride in and welcome the collaboration with GoodShipping to strengthen our deep partnership, becoming one of their fulfilment and innovation partners,” says Ásbjörn Gíslason, CCO and Deputy CEO at Samskip.

“We always aim to build a better future and to leave a positive footprint on our planet. By playing a forward-thinking and pioneering role in the energy transition, our customers can now benefit from a simple and easy means of decarbonising their cargo streams. We get to pioneer advanced marine biofuels, and the environment benefits from an immediate carbon reduction.”

“This announcement marks yet another important milestone in our journey beyond the fossil default,” says Katarin van Orshaegen, Commercial Lead at GoodShipping. “Reducing fuel emissions and consumption is a vital next step for the maritime transport industry, so we are extremely pleased to have found a stable fulfilment outlet for our sustainable cargo streams with Samskip, deepening a long-term partnership that is helping to change the way our market thinks about future fuels.”

New partnership yields cloud-based print innovation

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Perceptor PTXL is the first innovation to emerge from a new partnership between thermal print specialists, TSC Printronix Auto ID, and complex optical inspection solutions expert, InterVision Global.

The joint cooperation sees TSC Printronix Auto ID‘s world-renowned barcode verifier, the ODV-2D, and its T8000 printer combined with an unparalleled centralised, cloud-based inspection system. The end-to-end solution, Perceptor PTXL, enables companies to monitor, verify and control their print process across multiple networked printing systems, irrespective of where in the world the devices are located.

“We are delighted InterVision Global has leveraged our unparalleled ODV-2D and T8000 printer technology with a cloud-based system to enable unlimited printers around the world to be connected and managed by one central server,” says Neil Baker, Sales Manager UK, Ireland, BeNeLux and South Africa, at TSC Auto ID Technology EMEA GmbH.

Perceptor PTXL is expected to prove most beneficial to global brands in highly regulated sectors such as automotive, healthcare, life sciences, medical device, pharmaceutical, and food and beverage, where printed barcodes and human readable text must meet minimum quality requirements. Incorrectly printed barcodes, label content or duplicate serial numbers can prove costly in chargebacks for non-conformities and rework, as well as rejected deliveries.

“This integrated solution makes global control of printing processes possible, ensuring labels meet ISO barcode print quality and data content compliance. Perceptor PTXL inspects and verifies every label in real-time. It ensures codes are formatted correctly, or if label sizes are correct or barcode heights are wrong. Every defective label is overstruck and destroyed with no need for manual intervention,” says Mark Worlidge, Managing Director at InterVision Global.

Perceptor PTXL controls the print process so unauthorised labels cannot be printed. Once an authenticated user is logged in and the system is running, labels can be printed and barcodes verified by the T8000/ODV-2D. Once they’ve passed verification, labels are inspected for OCR on human readable text, for blemishes and that data content and patterns match.

All this is done in real-time with each failure being overstruck. All data is recorded to the customer’s own Azure Hosted Tenancy which is held and replicated in the cloud ensuring full traceability and an audit trail. Batch information and accumulated serial numbers are all held centrally ensuring that no two systems can duplicate label printing.

 

 

New partnership yields cloud-based print innovation

Posted on by David Priestman

Perceptor PTXL is the first innovation to emerge from a new partnership between thermal print specialists, TSC Printronix Auto ID, and complex optical inspection solutions expert, InterVision Global.

The joint cooperation sees TSC Printronix Auto ID‘s world-renowned barcode verifier, the ODV-2D, and its T8000 printer combined with an unparalleled centralised, cloud-based inspection system. The end-to-end solution, Perceptor PTXL, enables companies to monitor, verify and control their print process across multiple networked printing systems, irrespective of where in the world the devices are located.

“We are delighted InterVision Global has leveraged our unparalleled ODV-2D and T8000 printer technology with a cloud-based system to enable unlimited printers around the world to be connected and managed by one central server,” says Neil Baker, Sales Manager UK, Ireland, BeNeLux and South Africa, at TSC Auto ID Technology EMEA GmbH.

Perceptor PTXL is expected to prove most beneficial to global brands in highly regulated sectors such as automotive, healthcare, life sciences, medical device, pharmaceutical, and food and beverage, where printed barcodes and human readable text must meet minimum quality requirements. Incorrectly printed barcodes, label content or duplicate serial numbers can prove costly in chargebacks for non-conformities and rework, as well as rejected deliveries.

“This integrated solution makes global control of printing processes possible, ensuring labels meet ISO barcode print quality and data content compliance. Perceptor PTXL inspects and verifies every label in real-time. It ensures codes are formatted correctly, or if label sizes are correct or barcode heights are wrong. Every defective label is overstruck and destroyed with no need for manual intervention,” says Mark Worlidge, Managing Director at InterVision Global.

Perceptor PTXL controls the print process so unauthorised labels cannot be printed. Once an authenticated user is logged in and the system is running, labels can be printed and barcodes verified by the T8000/ODV-2D. Once they’ve passed verification, labels are inspected for OCR on human readable text, for blemishes and that data content and patterns match.

All this is done in real-time with each failure being overstruck. All data is recorded to the customer’s own Azure Hosted Tenancy which is held and replicated in the cloud ensuring full traceability and an audit trail. Batch information and accumulated serial numbers are all held centrally ensuring that no two systems can duplicate label printing.

 

 

Strapping machine secures single and double pallets economically

Posted on by David Priestman

 

With two-in-one functionality for pallet strapping, Mosca introduces the flexible, high-performance KZV-321 strapping machine. It easily adapts to a variety of product shapes and is ideal for logistics and transport of goods.

“The KZV-321 is the latest addition to our portfolio. It is an extremely adaptable high-performance strapping machine designed to secure goods for transport on pallets. This model makes it possible to strap single and double pallets at different heights with just one machine. Until now, this operation required two different machines,” explains Mosca CEO, Timo Mosca.

To combine the two applications, the KZV-321 is equipped with an open strap frame and six movable strap lances at three different heights. The machine automatically detects the height of a product as it enters the machine. The strap lances then close the frame at the appropriate height and the KVZ-321 securely straps the package.

Timo Mosca: “This new machine variant helps us support our customers by making their processes more efficient and reliable.”

The KZV-321 straps up to 130 single pallets or 65 double pallets per hour. The machine can be optionally equipped with an integrated turntable that enables it to efficiently secure two pallets for transport. The KZV-321 first straps each pallet separately to create a stable bundle.

A machine operator or automatic pallet doubler then stacks the two pallets on top of each other. This stack is fed into the KZV-321 again and, if necessary, realigned on the turntable. Finally, the machine’s strap lances pass through the planks in the base of the upper and lower pallets. This second strapping creates a stable bond between the stacked pallets.

“By strapping the double pallet through the pallet bases, the KZV-321 introduces a completely new process to the market that automatically and efficiently creates a stable unit,” explains Christian Zwieb, Sales Manager at Mosca Engineering. The straps are threaded through the planks in the pallet base and therefore do not touch the products. This allows maximum strap tension without damaging the product.

“The strapping simply attaches the top and bottom pallets and does not need to be placed around the entire stack. This ensures maximum stability, saves consumables, lowers costs and helps protect the environment,” adds Christian Zwieb.The two-stage securing process also makes it easier to split double pallets again without affecting the bond between pallet and product. The straps are removed quickly and easily without leaving any residue.

To ensure optimum machine availability and energy efficiency, the KZV-321 is equipped with the Mosca SoniXs ultrasonic sealing unit that has been tried and tested in high-performance machine operations. This unit does not require warm-up and efficiently seals strap ends with minimal wear.

To simplify maintenance and service, the two sealing units are located on the side of the machine and close to the floor. The KZV-321 is more compact and lower than previous KZV versions. “This machine requires less space, is easily accessible for operators and easy to maintain,” says Christian Zwieb.

The modular design of the KZV-321 also allows users to choose individual strap spacings. The standard is currently 480 millimetres. “Depending on the type and composition of the product to be strapped, we can adjust the strap spacing to customer specifications,” explains Christian Zwieb. The machine ensures safe transport of goods across all industries including intralogistics: for example, products packed in plastic containers or cartons, barrels or bags and stacked on pallets. This makes the KZV-321 a good choice for manufacturers from a wide range of industries, including food, chemicals, construction or agricultural products.

“No matter what type of packaging is used for goods stacked on pallets, the KZV-321 can be adapted to a wide range of dimensions and formats to optimally secure products for road, sea or air transport,” concludes Timo Mosca.

Strapping machine secures single and double pallets economically

Posted on by David Priestman

 

With two-in-one functionality for pallet strapping, Mosca introduces the flexible, high-performance KZV-321 strapping machine. It easily adapts to a variety of product shapes and is ideal for logistics and transport of goods.

“The KZV-321 is the latest addition to our portfolio. It is an extremely adaptable high-performance strapping machine designed to secure goods for transport on pallets. This model makes it possible to strap single and double pallets at different heights with just one machine. Until now, this operation required two different machines,” explains Mosca CEO, Timo Mosca.

To combine the two applications, the KZV-321 is equipped with an open strap frame and six movable strap lances at three different heights. The machine automatically detects the height of a product as it enters the machine. The strap lances then close the frame at the appropriate height and the KVZ-321 securely straps the package.

Timo Mosca: “This new machine variant helps us support our customers by making their processes more efficient and reliable.”

The KZV-321 straps up to 130 single pallets or 65 double pallets per hour. The machine can be optionally equipped with an integrated turntable that enables it to efficiently secure two pallets for transport. The KZV-321 first straps each pallet separately to create a stable bundle.

A machine operator or automatic pallet doubler then stacks the two pallets on top of each other. This stack is fed into the KZV-321 again and, if necessary, realigned on the turntable. Finally, the machine’s strap lances pass through the planks in the base of the upper and lower pallets. This second strapping creates a stable bond between the stacked pallets.

“By strapping the double pallet through the pallet bases, the KZV-321 introduces a completely new process to the market that automatically and efficiently creates a stable unit,” explains Christian Zwieb, Sales Manager at Mosca Engineering. The straps are threaded through the planks in the pallet base and therefore do not touch the products. This allows maximum strap tension without damaging the product.

“The strapping simply attaches the top and bottom pallets and does not need to be placed around the entire stack. This ensures maximum stability, saves consumables, lowers costs and helps protect the environment,” adds Christian Zwieb.The two-stage securing process also makes it easier to split double pallets again without affecting the bond between pallet and product. The straps are removed quickly and easily without leaving any residue.

To ensure optimum machine availability and energy efficiency, the KZV-321 is equipped with the Mosca SoniXs ultrasonic sealing unit that has been tried and tested in high-performance machine operations. This unit does not require warm-up and efficiently seals strap ends with minimal wear.

To simplify maintenance and service, the two sealing units are located on the side of the machine and close to the floor. The KZV-321 is more compact and lower than previous KZV versions. “This machine requires less space, is easily accessible for operators and easy to maintain,” says Christian Zwieb.

The modular design of the KZV-321 also allows users to choose individual strap spacings. The standard is currently 480 millimetres. “Depending on the type and composition of the product to be strapped, we can adjust the strap spacing to customer specifications,” explains Christian Zwieb. The machine ensures safe transport of goods across all industries including intralogistics: for example, products packed in plastic containers or cartons, barrels or bags and stacked on pallets. This makes the KZV-321 a good choice for manufacturers from a wide range of industries, including food, chemicals, construction or agricultural products.

“No matter what type of packaging is used for goods stacked on pallets, the KZV-321 can be adapted to a wide range of dimensions and formats to optimally secure products for road, sea or air transport,” concludes Timo Mosca.

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