14 May, 2021

London office marks DiCentral’s European expansion

Posted on 14 May, 202129 July, 2025 by David Priestman

DiCentral, a leading provider of business-to-business (B2B) supply chain integration and collaboration solutions, has opened its first UK office in London. This UK investment further expands DiCentral’s European footprint, which started with the creation of DiCentral Europe in Germany in December 2018, following the company’s acquisition of Compello GmbH.

The new UK office will act as a local sales and support hub for DiCentral, with the company actively recruiting to grow the team in the region.

DiCentral has secured many new European customers over the last year. The UK office will provide local support for these new wins and existing customers. DiCentral’s UK team will be focused on growing the company’s business in the retail and automotive sectors, helping new clients to enjoy the benefits of seamless e-commerce and marketplace integration. It will also continue to execute its channel strategy by leveraging the company’s extensive integration experience with SAP, Microsoft Dynamics and NetSuite.

DiCentral provides EDI and supply chain integration for retail, manufacturing and CPG, 3PL and distribution, automotive and healthcare. It enables businesses to quickly connect with 3PLs, carriers, suppliers and other trading partners, integrate external data into ERP, WMS or accounting software, and maintain real-time visibility over B2B communications. This increases ROI, reduces redundant, error-prone data entry and removes the need to outsource key functions, providing real-time updates through customisable dashboards and mobile alerts.

“DiCentral is doubling down in Europe, as we look to service the needs of multi-national clients seeking to integrate their global supply chains,” said Jacques Vigneault, EVP Europe DiCentral at DiCentral. “With a dedicated office in the UK, we can ensure our clients are fully supported locally 24/7, and that we have a close understanding of their geographies and markets.

“Many businesses now have increasingly complex data integration requirements, and the Covid-19 pandemic has only heightened the need for faster and more efficient B2B digital transactions,” added Jacques Vigneault.

“With DiCentral, companies of all sizes can effectively manage all their fulfilment channels and software integrations on a unified cloud platform. This means they can focus on growing their business, rather than worrying about the complexities of integration.”

Headquartered in Houston, Texas, DiCentral has an extensive global network, with local offices in the Americas, Asia-Pacific and Europe.

London office marks DiCentral’s European expansion

Posted on 14 May, 2021 by David Priestman

The new UK office will act as a local sales and support hub for DiCentral, with the company actively recruiting to grow the team in the region.

Headquartered in Houston, Texas, DiCentral has an extensive global network, with local offices in the Americas, Asia-Pacific and Europe.

Starship quadruples autonomous deliveries during pandemic

Posted on 14 May, 202125 July, 2025 by David Priestman

Starship Technologies, a leading provider of autonomous delivery services, has announced that its delivery numbers have quadrupled globally since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the service is now available to one million people around the world.

“This past year has been a game-changer for autonomous delivery, moving adoption ahead by years,” said Ahti Heinla, Co-founder and CEO of Starship Technologies. “When we launched commercial delivery three years ago, we didn’t expect to be at the point we are today. We marked the significant milestone of one million deliveries in January 2021 and we’ve since surpassed 1.5 million deliveries. These rapid developments have also helped us scale the business, so we can provide a lower cost of delivery than any other option available.”

As well as offering a reliable way to protect vulnerable populations and adhere to social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic, contactless delivery offerings such as Starship’s service have also proved to be a vital revenue stream for local businesses. In the last 12+ months, Starship has partnered with 40 independent merchants in Milton Keynes and Northampton, enabling these companies to offer a delivery service to local residents that they didn’t previously provide in order to continue operations.

One of these businesses that has thrived in the last year is St Mary’s Chippy, a local fish and chip takeaway in Milton Keynes offering contactless delivery using Starship’s fleet of 100+ robots in the town.

“Over the last 12 months during the pandemic we’ve faced a very difficult time as have many local businesses with the lockdowns and guidelines around when and how we’ve been able to stay open,” said Tony Paolucci, Owner of St Mary’s Chippy in Milton Keynes. “However, partnering with Starship has provided a lifeline as it has enabled us to offer delivery services to customers that we didn’t provide previously as a walk in takeaway. In the last year we’ve seen our order numbers grow by 15% through using the robots. It’s a fantastic service!”

Starship Technologies operates commercially on a daily basis around the world. Its zero-emission robots have made more than 1.5 million autonomous deliveries, more than any other autonomous delivery company in the world, travelled millions of miles and make more than 80,000 road crossings every day. The company has raised $102m in funding to date.

The Starship Food Delivery app is available for download on iOS and Android. To get started, users choose from a range of their favourite food or drink items, then drop a pin where they want their delivery to be sent. They can then watch as the robot makes its journey to them, via an interactive map. Once the robot arrives, they receive an alert, and can then meet and unlock it through the app.

Starship quadruples autonomous deliveries during pandemic

Posted on 14 May, 2021 by David Priestman

Bullet Express equipped to go the extra miles

Posted on 14 May, 2021 by Keith McKinley

Bullet Express, the Glasgow-based international logistics, transport and storage company, has installed 3.5 miles of pallet racking in its new 30,000 sq ft storage logistics facility in the city. Laid end to end, the racking is long enough to stretch from the storage facility at 2129 London Road, Glasgow, to George Square in the heart of Scotland’s largest city.

The new racking, manufactured by Spanish specialist AR Racking and installed by local installation experts, Rackit Ltd, means that the facility is now fully operational only two months after Bullet Express received the keys to the building.

The new storage facility:

Represents a seven-figure investment from Bullet Express
Can hold 5,000 pallets
Increases Bullet Express’s capacity by 25% to 26,000 pallets
Has 20 rows of high-capacity racking, creating 364 storage bays stacked seven layers high
Operates 10 aisles
Has a narrow aisle configuration to accommodate Aisle Master forklift trucks

Bullet Express’s creation of the new storage facility reflects a surge in demand from both existing and new customers for storage services. This is in response to tighter consumer delivery demand following a 40% rise in online shopping due to Covid-19 lockdowns. The new facility will result in the creation of up to 10 new jobs initially.

David McCutcheon, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer at Bullet Express, said: “Demand from existing and new customers for storage space close to their customers is at unprecedented levels and investing in this high-capacity racking means that we can accommodate their needs, offering an end-to-end service. So much so that the facility is already close to reaching its capacity with new business wins from blue-chip customers in the retail grocery sector.

“I’m full of admiration for the service we’ve received from AR Racking, Rackit and Douglas Gillespie Plant, whose high-lift plant was used throughout the installation. I’m proud, too, of Bullet Express’s own team who have moved heaven and earth to get this installation completed in record time.”

Bullet Express equipped to go the extra miles

Posted on 14 May, 2021 by David Priestman

The new storage facility:

Represents a seven-figure investment from Bullet Express
Can hold 5,000 pallets
Increases Bullet Express’s capacity by 25% to 26,000 pallets
Has 20 rows of high-capacity racking, creating 364 storage bays stacked seven layers high
Operates 10 aisles
Has a narrow aisle configuration to accommodate Aisle Master forklift trucks

C.H. Robinson acquires Combinex to expand European footprint

Posted on 14 May, 20217 August, 2025 by Keith McKinley

C.H. Robinson has further expanded its European road transportation presence with the acquisition of Combinex Holding B.V. Combinex is one of the fastest-growing forwarders in the Benelux region, specialising in transport services for dry, fresh and frozen goods.

“The acquisition is a great opportunity for C.H. Robinson and will strengthen our existing footprint in Europe, particularly our presence in Western Europe,” said Jeroen Eijsink, President of Europe for C.H. Robinson. “Combinex will also offer us additional haul capabilities with a dedicated fleet, expanding our reach in the short-medium haul market. I am excited to welcome Arie Troost and his experienced team to the C.H. Robinson family.”

“This is an exciting day for us at Combinex, as we bring together our strong offerings and incredible talent to compliment C.H. Robinson’s services, technology and presence in Europe,” said Arie Troost, Founder and CEO of Combinex. “Combining our diversified, loyal client base, reliable network of transporters and dedicated fleet and owned trailers with C.H. Robinson’s scale and expertise, will allow us to provide even better services to our customers.”

C.H. Robinson’s European road transportation business spans across all the major trade lanes in Europe. Its global freight forwarding division offers global air, ocean, and customs services. This announcement follows two recent European company acquisitions in 2019, including Dema Services, a leading provider of road transportation based in Italy, and Space Cargo, a global freight forwarding group in Spain.

RHA launches tail lift safety guidance

Posted on 14 May, 20217 August, 2025 by David Priestman

The RHA has published long-awaited guidance to improve safety around the use of tail lifts.The Tail Lift and Pallet Truck Guidance Document aims to help operators reduce the risk of death and serious injury when palletised goods are delivered by vehicles fitted with tail lifts.

The guidance sets out industry best practice, and supports businesses to review their health and safety processes.

It helps firms with establishing safe systems of work, risk assessments, staff training and support, incident reporting, equipment maintenance, and reminds employers of their responsibilities.

The guidance is the culmination of several years’ work by the RHA, the Association of Pallet Networks, haulage and logistics operators, and transport law experts Backhouse Jones.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) provided technical support to the group as they developed the guidance which has been keenly anticipated across the haulage and logistics industry.

RHA Chief Executive, Richard Burnett said: “This guidance offers operators who move palletised goods essential advice to keep their staff and others as safe as possible.

“I cannot thank our partners in the working group and HSE technicians enough for helping us pull this document together that should make our working environments safer.”

HSE Head of Transport and Public Services Unit, Harvey Wild said: “We believe that this guidance is an important step for the industry in improving the safety of tail lift deliveries and we have provided technical support to the working group during the production of the document.

We have agreed to provide an endorsement of the guidance that recognises the value of the advice it provides to vehicle operators and others in the haulage industry.”

RHA launches tail lift safety guidance

Posted on 14 May, 202129 July, 2025 by David Priestman

The guidance sets out industry best practice, and supports businesses to review their health and safety processes.

It helps firms with establishing safe systems of work, risk assessments, staff training and support, incident reporting, equipment maintenance, and reminds employers of their responsibilities.

The guidance is the culmination of several years’ work by the RHA, the Association of Pallet Networks, haulage and logistics operators, and transport law experts Backhouse Jones.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) provided technical support to the group as they developed the guidance which has been keenly anticipated across the haulage and logistics industry.

RHA Chief Executive, Richard Burnett said: “This guidance offers operators who move palletised goods essential advice to keep their staff and others as safe as possible.

“I cannot thank our partners in the working group and HSE technicians enough for helping us pull this document together that should make our working environments safer.”

We have agreed to provide an endorsement of the guidance that recognises the value of the advice it provides to vehicle operators and others in the haulage industry.”

Brexit: non-EU imports outstrip EU imports for first time

Posted on 14 May, 202131 July, 2025 by David Priestman

Brexiteers may be celebrating the fact that EU imports to the UK were overtaken by non-EU imports for the first time, but international delivery specialist ParcelHero says that doesn’t mean Brexit is working. It just means non-EU imports to the UK have declined less alarmingly than EU imports.

As recently announced Government trade figures show that UK imports from outside the EU outstripped EU imports for the first time on record, Chancellor Rishi Sunak claimed a victory. He told the BBC that the Government had invested “hundreds of millions of pounds to help businesses adjust to those new trading arrangements and support them in the process”.

However, ParcelHero says these figures do not prove that UK importers are now discovering new products and trading partners in markets beyond the EU. Instead, they simply reveal that non-EU imports into the UK declined less alarmingly than EU imports.

ParcelHero’s Head of Consumer Research, David Jinks M.I.L.T., says: “New Government trade figures show that imports from the EU fell by £14bn to £50.6bn in the first quarter (January-March 2021) compared to the final quarter of last year (October-December 2020), before Brexit trading rules were imposed. Imports from non-EU countries also declined, but ‘only’ by £0.5bn, to £53.2bn.

“This means that – for the first time since Government records began in January 1997 – imports from beyond Europe were worth more than those from the EU. Brexiteers may try to claim this as a success, showing Britain is finding new trading partners and products from a wider range of countries; but this fails to see the full picture.

“EU sellers have simply turned their backs on the UK market. Just because non-EU imports declined less significantly than those from the EU does not mean consumers and businesses are benefiting from Brexit. Two negatives do not make a positive.

“As if the latest import figures were not dispiriting enough, British exports also declined significantly in the first quarter. The value of Britain’s exports to the EU fell a whopping £7.1bn to £32.2bn, compared to the last quarter of 2020.

“Why are these numbers so woeful? Last week, ParcelHero revealed that Brexit regulations are having a significant impact on British businesses. Over 39% of UK importers are struggling with new customs duties and 38.6% are battling increased transport costs. Exporters report similar challenges.

“It’s all because the hastily cobbled-together UK-EU free trade agreement is simply not fit for purpose. Under the deal, goods flowing between the UK and the EU that are sourced and manufactured in the UK or Europe don’t have to pay tariffs. However, how many products are entirely sourced and made in a single area in today’s world of global supply chains? The answer is very few. Electronics, for example, incorporate components from across the globe, while clothing can include materials from many continents.

“Any products unable to prove all their sourcing meets the new regulations are likely to be slapped with new duties. This has resulted in higher fees for UK importers as well as EU-based customers of UK exporters. In addition, transport costs are rising due to mounting delays and returns.

“However, there were some small, green shoots in the latest trade figures. Exports and imports both crept up by £2.3bn between February and March this year. Businesses and consumers alike will be hoping this could signal the beginning of a welcome increase in profits for exporters and more choice for shoppers.”

For more details on the increasing problems facing UK importers, CLICK HERE to see ParcelHero’s new EU-UK e-commerce report.

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