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Day: 24 September 2021

Linde provides forklifts to support flood relief efforts

Posted on by David Priestman

Linde Material Handling is continuing to support reconstruction efforts in central Europe following the devastating floods that struck the region earlier this year.

Even more than three months after the devastating floods that had taken place along the rivers Ahr, Kyll or Erft, many places in this part of western Germany are still a scene of destruction. Back in August, Linde MH and network partner Linde Material Handling Rhein-Ruhr made various forklifts available to the German Red Cross (DRK) for an indefinite period of time – and these are still in use to help transport supplies to those affected and support reconstruction efforts.

“We were shocked by the extent of the damage and wanted to help by way of what we and our network partners can do best: high-performance goods handling,” says Stefan Prokosch, SVP Brand Management at Linde MH. To this end, the company unbureaucratically handed over numerous vehicles to the German Red Cross for their use for an indefinite period of time.

Since then, the forklifts have been used to move many tonnes of loads at various locations, helping to ensure that supplies reach the population and relief workers in addition to supporting clean-up and reconstruction work in the affected areas. In July, the parent company KION Group had already donated €1m in emergency aid to the German Red Cross.

Forklifts as flood helpers

To date, Linde Material Handling and its network partner have delivered more than a dozen industrial trucks to various DRK bases. Most of the equipment – forklifts and warehouse trucks with a load capacity of up to two tonnes – is used at collection points for relief supplies in Euskirchen and Alsdorf. Here, they help by unloading HGVs and transporting materials around the warehouse. “The vehicles were welcomed with great cheers,” reports Mirco Trautewig, who is responsible for marketing at Linde MH Rhein-Ruhr. “Before, there were often only manual pallet trucks available, the use of which required a lot of effort from volunteers.”

A larger diesel forklift with a load capacity of five tonnes is currently in use in the municipality of Grafschaft, district of Ahrweiler at the food distribution point set up there. From this central location, the German Red Cross supplies a total of twelve field kitchens in which up to 29,000 meals are prepared every day and distributed to those in need as well as to volunteers via 42 distribution points. With a load capacity of eight tonnes, the diesel forklift in use at the DRK’s collection and transshipment centre in Koblenz offers even more power.

This vehicle is utilised by Red Cross workers to unload power generators, drying devices and other heavy equipment, which is delivered from all over Germany by truck before being distributed from here to the flood-stricken areas. A team of employees from the Central Service, Truck Finish and Sales Germany departments in Aschaffenburg worked together to ensure that the two forklifts reached the affected region quickly. “Everyone pulled together and was enthusiastic about the project,” says Klaus Reichert, the sales representative responsible for Linde’s forklift pool.

One operation in the flooded area proved to be particularly precarious: A medium-sized company that had stored hazardous materials on its premises suffered the complete destruction of its warehouse and production facilities due to the massive ingress of water. “Only a short time after receiving the emergency call from our sales organisation, we were able to send a suitable explosion protection truck to the site, which has been helping with the clean-up work ever since,” says Marcel Fackert, Managing Director Linde Protected Solutions.

Linde provides forklifts to support flood relief efforts

Posted on by David Priestman

Linde Material Handling is continuing to support reconstruction efforts in central Europe following the devastating floods that struck the region earlier this year.

Even more than three months after the devastating floods that had taken place along the rivers Ahr, Kyll or Erft, many places in this part of western Germany are still a scene of destruction. Back in August, Linde MH and network partner Linde Material Handling Rhein-Ruhr made various forklifts available to the German Red Cross (DRK) for an indefinite period of time – and these are still in use to help transport supplies to those affected and support reconstruction efforts.

“We were shocked by the extent of the damage and wanted to help by way of what we and our network partners can do best: high-performance goods handling,” says Stefan Prokosch, SVP Brand Management at Linde MH. To this end, the company unbureaucratically handed over numerous vehicles to the German Red Cross for their use for an indefinite period of time.

Since then, the forklifts have been used to move many tonnes of loads at various locations, helping to ensure that supplies reach the population and relief workers in addition to supporting clean-up and reconstruction work in the affected areas. In July, the parent company KION Group had already donated €1m in emergency aid to the German Red Cross.

Forklifts as flood helpers

To date, Linde Material Handling and its network partner have delivered more than a dozen industrial trucks to various DRK bases. Most of the equipment – forklifts and warehouse trucks with a load capacity of up to two tonnes – is used at collection points for relief supplies in Euskirchen and Alsdorf. Here, they help by unloading HGVs and transporting materials around the warehouse. “The vehicles were welcomed with great cheers,” reports Mirco Trautewig, who is responsible for marketing at Linde MH Rhein-Ruhr. “Before, there were often only manual pallet trucks available, the use of which required a lot of effort from volunteers.”

A larger diesel forklift with a load capacity of five tonnes is currently in use in the municipality of Grafschaft, district of Ahrweiler at the food distribution point set up there. From this central location, the German Red Cross supplies a total of twelve field kitchens in which up to 29,000 meals are prepared every day and distributed to those in need as well as to volunteers via 42 distribution points. With a load capacity of eight tonnes, the diesel forklift in use at the DRK’s collection and transshipment centre in Koblenz offers even more power.

This vehicle is utilised by Red Cross workers to unload power generators, drying devices and other heavy equipment, which is delivered from all over Germany by truck before being distributed from here to the flood-stricken areas. A team of employees from the Central Service, Truck Finish and Sales Germany departments in Aschaffenburg worked together to ensure that the two forklifts reached the affected region quickly. “Everyone pulled together and was enthusiastic about the project,” says Klaus Reichert, the sales representative responsible for Linde’s forklift pool.

One operation in the flooded area proved to be particularly precarious: A medium-sized company that had stored hazardous materials on its premises suffered the complete destruction of its warehouse and production facilities due to the massive ingress of water. “Only a short time after receiving the emergency call from our sales organisation, we were able to send a suitable explosion protection truck to the site, which has been helping with the clean-up work ever since,” says Marcel Fackert, Managing Director Linde Protected Solutions.

BIFA seeks to inspire next generation

Posted on by David Priestman

The British International Freight Association (BIFA), the trade association that represents the UK’s freight forwarding and logistics sector is launching a campaign to encourage its members to work with schools to promote careers in logistics, forwarding and the supply chain, and encourage students to consider them.

With schools returning for a new academic year, BIFA is equipping its members with materials to help them promote careers within the freight and logistics sector to students.

During September, BIFA members will be receiving copies of literature (pictured below) that is full of ideas of how to promote their business and the industry as a career option to the next generation.

This promotional material is the first part of a wider industry inspiration programme that will help members to highlight to students the available routes when making career choices, identify the core values and behaviours required when applying for jobs, and provide advice that may encourage young people to broaden their horizons.

Carl Hobbis, executive director and training development manager, says: “Industry promotion is one of BIFA’s key roles and part of that is encouraging logistics as a career path. We see career guidance via school events as being key to that.”

Whilst the trade association has its own plans to have more proactive engagement with schools, it hopes that the literature that is being distributed will inspire members around the country to do something locally.

BIFA believes that schools need employer engagement and apart from the blue-chip organisations, many members generally don’t know where to start or who to approach, so it is encouraging those members to reverse this and reach out to schools in their vicinity.

Hobbis adds: “Since the Brexit vote and the onset of the Covid pandemic, global supply chains have been in the news more than ever, so what a great time to encourage someone to consider a career in international freight sector that manages those supply chains.

“Apprenticeships are certainly something that a lot of students are considering, rather than taking on the debt associated with a degree, and we are reminding members that there is a specific apprenticeship standard for International Freight Forwarding, that BIFA was instrumental in establishing.

“Many of our members are doing some fantastic things already, but we, as a trade association need to do more. This literature is just the start and provides a framework to support members, and help them to attract the next generation to the freight forwarding and logistics industry.”

BIFA seeks to inspire next generation

Posted on by David Priestman

The British International Freight Association (BIFA), the trade association that represents the UK’s freight forwarding and logistics sector is launching a campaign to encourage its members to work with schools to promote careers in logistics, forwarding and the supply chain, and encourage students to consider them.

With schools returning for a new academic year, BIFA is equipping its members with materials to help them promote careers within the freight and logistics sector to students.

During September, BIFA members will be receiving copies of literature (pictured below) that is full of ideas of how to promote their business and the industry as a career option to the next generation.

This promotional material is the first part of a wider industry inspiration programme that will help members to highlight to students the available routes when making career choices, identify the core values and behaviours required when applying for jobs, and provide advice that may encourage young people to broaden their horizons.

Carl Hobbis, executive director and training development manager, says: “Industry promotion is one of BIFA’s key roles and part of that is encouraging logistics as a career path. We see career guidance via school events as being key to that.”

Whilst the trade association has its own plans to have more proactive engagement with schools, it hopes that the literature that is being distributed will inspire members around the country to do something locally.

BIFA believes that schools need employer engagement and apart from the blue-chip organisations, many members generally don’t know where to start or who to approach, so it is encouraging those members to reverse this and reach out to schools in their vicinity.

Hobbis adds: “Since the Brexit vote and the onset of the Covid pandemic, global supply chains have been in the news more than ever, so what a great time to encourage someone to consider a career in international freight sector that manages those supply chains.

“Apprenticeships are certainly something that a lot of students are considering, rather than taking on the debt associated with a degree, and we are reminding members that there is a specific apprenticeship standard for International Freight Forwarding, that BIFA was instrumental in establishing.

“Many of our members are doing some fantastic things already, but we, as a trade association need to do more. This literature is just the start and provides a framework to support members, and help them to attract the next generation to the freight forwarding and logistics industry.”

Retailers: how to survive and thrive through a ‘pingdemic’

Posted on by David Priestman

Retailers have had it rough, to say the least. With Brexit and the pandemic causing a wave of uncertainty, brands saw themselves facing never before seen challenges. As a result, customer service teams and operational agility were pushed to their limits, picking up the pieces with frustrated customers due to supply chain and workforce shortages.

With thousands of front-line workers ‘pinged’ to self-isolate, the same problems of empty supermarket shelves, delayed deliveries, and stretched customer service teams we saw in the peak of March 2020, appeared once again. What first seemed like a viable solution to make people safer, soon had a damaging effect on the supply chain.

Now, with changes to the app made, the number of people ‘pinged’ has thankfully fallen, and policy updates mean that those double jabbed, no longer need to self-isolate. Despite this, the battle is far from won and retailers still need to emerge from these challenges in a more robust and agile position.

With brands setting the bar higher than ever before, COVID, Brexit and the ‘pingdemic’ are no longer excuses for a bad delivery experience. But what steps can retailers make to mitigate risk and protect the experience for their customers?

Step 1: automated tracking

Royal Mail recently reported disruption to deliveries in 12 different postcodes across the UK after a wave of staff were forced to self-isolate. With many other companies following suit, there was also another kind of wave – that being a surge of angry customers, without any knowledge of where their deliveries could be.

Ultimately, leading them to pick up the phone and ask ‘where is my order?’ to customer teams. If a customer’s delivery is going to be late, they want to know about it ahead of time rather than being the one to chase for updates – and this is where automated tracking can save the day.

Similar to fast Wi-Fi or running tap water, branded tracking should be basic hygiene. Yet in a recent study conducted by sorted.com, it was found that only 36% of retailers have branded tracking on their app or website, while 18% of retailers do not offer any tracking at all. With disruption always on the horizon, automated tracking is now crucial, especially when it comes to staying one step ahead of the customer.

With automated tracking, retailers can keep customers informed at every point of the delivery journey, meaning they know where their delivery or return is before they even need to ask. This is already doing wonders for some brands. MusicMagpie, for example, successfully slashed their “where is my order” contact enquiries by 63% after they incorporated automated tracking. In turn, this reduced the pressure on contact centres, all while protecting customer loyalty and confidence.

Step 2: ready for the unexpected

If retailers have less staff on the ground, those who can work need all the help they can get with automation. To drive the most efficient operations, brands need to be more informed with access to data. After all, a more informed business means a more successful one. Better informed CX teams leads to better support for customers, so accurate insights are vital for quick crisis management.

While the pandemic has been a case of unprecedented disruption, other unexpected factors (such as weather and traffic disruptions) are inevitable. No two days are ever the same in logistics. From a snowstorm to blocked motorways, anything can crop up so having the insight to act fast and make changes is critical.

This is why retailers must stay ahead of the game and be prepared to deal with any sudden issues to protect brand reputation and customer loyalty. To do so, delivery performance reporting can be incorporated to keep teams up to date with any problems or issues that can appear across multiple carriers. To be as proactive as possible, teams can set-up escalation management, such as alerts and warnings, to be notified of any missing or late parcels. With 1 out of 5 of customers less likely to shop with a retailer online again following a bad delivery experience, proactivity is therefore crucial to brand loyalty and customer satisfaction.

Step 3: better insight

No matter how prepared you may be, disruption is often inevitable, so customer service representatives must be ready to deal with any unpredictable issues. As such, it’s crucial for teams to be fully informed with access to any necessary data insights all in one place to offer quick solutions. For instance, with an interactive dashboard, teams can highlight any issues by severity, so prioritisation is clear. It’s bad enough for customers to be left in the dark, but for teams to be clueless about the status of a delivery or return too, will be self-destructive for a brand.

Even better, today’s digital age means customers can look up information on their own with ‘self-serve’. Rather than getting in touch with contact centres, customers can access the specific information they need, wherever they are in their post-purchase journey. This eases the pressure of customer service teams, allowing them to focus on more complex issues. With 73% of customers saying that valuing their time is the most important thing a company can do to provide them with good online customer service – self-serve provides an answer to your teams’ prayers.

The bottom line: be proactive

The past year has been a challenging time for retailers, but the ‘pingdemic’ won’t be the last of their problems. To be more prepared, brands must now adopt the right tech and be equipped with actionable insights to reduce the pressure on teams and deliver the best service possible.

Retailers: how to survive and thrive through a ‘pingdemic’

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Retailers have had it rough, to say the least. With Brexit and the pandemic causing a wave of uncertainty, brands saw themselves facing never before seen challenges. As a result, customer service teams and operational agility were pushed to their limits, picking up the pieces with frustrated customers due to supply chain and workforce shortages.

With thousands of front-line workers ‘pinged’ to self-isolate, the same problems of empty supermarket shelves, delayed deliveries, and stretched customer service teams we saw in the peak of March 2020, appeared once again. What first seemed like a viable solution to make people safer, soon had a damaging effect on the supply chain.

Now, with changes to the app made, the number of people ‘pinged’ has thankfully fallen, and policy updates mean that those double jabbed, no longer need to self-isolate. Despite this, the battle is far from won and retailers still need to emerge from these challenges in a more robust and agile position.

With brands setting the bar higher than ever before, COVID, Brexit and the ‘pingdemic’ are no longer excuses for a bad delivery experience. But what steps can retailers make to mitigate risk and protect the experience for their customers?

Step 1: automated tracking

Royal Mail recently reported disruption to deliveries in 12 different postcodes across the UK after a wave of staff were forced to self-isolate. With many other companies following suit, there was also another kind of wave – that being a surge of angry customers, without any knowledge of where their deliveries could be.

Ultimately, leading them to pick up the phone and ask ‘where is my order?’ to customer teams. If a customer’s delivery is going to be late, they want to know about it ahead of time rather than being the one to chase for updates – and this is where automated tracking can save the day.

Similar to fast Wi-Fi or running tap water, branded tracking should be basic hygiene. Yet in a recent study conducted by sorted.com, it was found that only 36% of retailers have branded tracking on their app or website, while 18% of retailers do not offer any tracking at all. With disruption always on the horizon, automated tracking is now crucial, especially when it comes to staying one step ahead of the customer.

With automated tracking, retailers can keep customers informed at every point of the delivery journey, meaning they know where their delivery or return is before they even need to ask. This is already doing wonders for some brands. MusicMagpie, for example, successfully slashed their “where is my order” contact enquiries by 63% after they incorporated automated tracking. In turn, this reduced the pressure on contact centres, all while protecting customer loyalty and confidence.

Step 2: ready for the unexpected

If retailers have less staff on the ground, those who can work need all the help they can get with automation. To drive the most efficient operations, brands need to be more informed with access to data. After all, a more informed business means a more successful one. Better informed CX teams leads to better support for customers, so accurate insights are vital for quick crisis management.

While the pandemic has been a case of unprecedented disruption, other unexpected factors (such as weather and traffic disruptions) are inevitable. No two days are ever the same in logistics. From a snowstorm to blocked motorways, anything can crop up so having the insight to act fast and make changes is critical.

This is why retailers must stay ahead of the game and be prepared to deal with any sudden issues to protect brand reputation and customer loyalty. To do so, delivery performance reporting can be incorporated to keep teams up to date with any problems or issues that can appear across multiple carriers. To be as proactive as possible, teams can set-up escalation management, such as alerts and warnings, to be notified of any missing or late parcels. With 1 out of 5 of customers less likely to shop with a retailer online again following a bad delivery experience, proactivity is therefore crucial to brand loyalty and customer satisfaction.

Step 3: better insight

No matter how prepared you may be, disruption is often inevitable, so customer service representatives must be ready to deal with any unpredictable issues. As such, it’s crucial for teams to be fully informed with access to any necessary data insights all in one place to offer quick solutions. For instance, with an interactive dashboard, teams can highlight any issues by severity, so prioritisation is clear. It’s bad enough for customers to be left in the dark, but for teams to be clueless about the status of a delivery or return too, will be self-destructive for a brand.

Even better, today’s digital age means customers can look up information on their own with ‘self-serve’. Rather than getting in touch with contact centres, customers can access the specific information they need, wherever they are in their post-purchase journey. This eases the pressure of customer service teams, allowing them to focus on more complex issues. With 73% of customers saying that valuing their time is the most important thing a company can do to provide them with good online customer service – self-serve provides an answer to your teams’ prayers.

The bottom line: be proactive

The past year has been a challenging time for retailers, but the ‘pingdemic’ won’t be the last of their problems. To be more prepared, brands must now adopt the right tech and be equipped with actionable insights to reduce the pressure on teams and deliver the best service possible.

XPO Logistics sponsors Birmingham Pride

Posted on by David Priestman

XPO Logistics, a leading global provider of freight transportation services, is continuing to demonstrate its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion by sponsoring the Birmingham Pride Festival on 25th–26th September 2021 in the West Midlands. The theme of the event, “Stronger Together”, also signals XPO’s support of LGBTQ+ employees and allies.

XPO sponsors LGBTQ+ events that reflect the geographic diversity of its operations, as well as the individualism of its team members. The company recently supported the Tamworth Pride Festival in Staffordshire and has sponsored the New York City Pride, the Mid-South Pride Fest, the Tri-State LGBTQ+ Unity Summit and the Lesbians Who Tech Virtual Summit in the US.

Dan Myers, managing director – UK and Ireland, XPO Logistics, said: “We want everyone to feel welcome and valued as members of the XPO team. A diverse team makes us a stronger business and helps us to recruit and retain the very best people. Our support for Pride events like Birmingham and Tamworth is an important demonstration of our commitment to an inclusive workplace.”

XPO provides technology-enabled freight transportation services for customers across a range of supply chains in Europe, including food and beverage, e-commerce, industrial and consumer goods, as well as the Tour de France and other world-class events. Following success in recruiting from within the LGBTQ+ community, XPO is applying its best practices to other areas of diversity hiring, development and promotion.

XPO Logistics sponsors Birmingham Pride

Posted on by David Priestman

XPO Logistics, a leading global provider of freight transportation services, is continuing to demonstrate its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion by sponsoring the Birmingham Pride Festival on 25th–26th September 2021 in the West Midlands. The theme of the event, “Stronger Together”, also signals XPO’s support of LGBTQ+ employees and allies.

XPO sponsors LGBTQ+ events that reflect the geographic diversity of its operations, as well as the individualism of its team members. The company recently supported the Tamworth Pride Festival in Staffordshire and has sponsored the New York City Pride, the Mid-South Pride Fest, the Tri-State LGBTQ+ Unity Summit and the Lesbians Who Tech Virtual Summit in the US.

Dan Myers, managing director – UK and Ireland, XPO Logistics, said: “We want everyone to feel welcome and valued as members of the XPO team. A diverse team makes us a stronger business and helps us to recruit and retain the very best people. Our support for Pride events like Birmingham and Tamworth is an important demonstration of our commitment to an inclusive workplace.”

XPO provides technology-enabled freight transportation services for customers across a range of supply chains in Europe, including food and beverage, e-commerce, industrial and consumer goods, as well as the Tour de France and other world-class events. Following success in recruiting from within the LGBTQ+ community, XPO is applying its best practices to other areas of diversity hiring, development and promotion.

DSV inaugurates largest logistics centre in Africa

Posted on by Keith McKinley

DSV has inaugurated its new Gauteng HQ in South Africa, DSV Park Gauteng, which is Africa’s largest integrated logistics centre. With this centralised facility DSV will be able to provide more seamless service to customers which is an integral part of creating a strengthened and more efficient logistics network in South Africa.

DSV has consolidated its Gauteng operations in South Africa into a new, centralised facility which is the largest of its kind in Africa. It is situated near O.R. Tambo International Airport between Johannesburg and Pretoria and with easy access to the East and West Rand. The logistics centre consists of approx. 130,000 sq m of buildings and covers supply chain solutions from first to last mile controlled and managed under one roof, by DSV.

The investment in DSV Park Gauteng is a testament to DSV’s commitment to South Africa and to continuing to strengthen the logistics infrastructure in the country to the benefit of DSV customers and the South African society.

The new DSV logistics centre was officially inaugurated at a virtual ceremony. The ceremony host and CEO of DSV Africa, Keith Pienaar, says: “The inauguration of DSV Park Gauteng once again underlines DSV’s strong commitment to South Africa and our will to grow the business in the region. DSV Park Gauteng consolidates several smaller offices and warehouses around Johannesburg into one large, modern logistics centre.

“The foundation of our values and culture is to promote an inclusive workforce and sustainable business practices. One consolidated facility will enhance collaboration and offer truly integrated supply chain solutions for our clients and customers.

“The sprawling complex houses a logistics warehouse of 79,000 sq m, a cross-dock facility of 41,000 sq m and office space of 10,000 sq m. DSV’s divisions Air & Sea, Road, Solutions as well as the Shared Services function will be inhabiting the new logistics centre while other specific units such as Healthcare and parts of Mounties and Solutions will continue out of their current specialised facilities.

“With DSV Park Gauteng, DSV has developed a large-scale modern logistics centre which captures the essence of our consolidation strategy to create larger and more efficient facilities, enabling us to have many of our business units together under one single roof.”

Brian Almind Winther, EVP and Head of Group Property, DSV, says: “We have packed the new DSV facility with solutions such as an innovative sorter that can handle 13,000 packages every single hour. Throughout the whole building process, we have also utilised our global experience to construct buildings where sustainability and resource optimisation have been fundamental in all processes.”

To further improve the infrastructure nationally in South Africa, DSV is also building a consolidating logistics centre in the Western Cape called DSV Park Cape Town. This site will be located near the Cape Town International Airport, and close to the harbour and industrial and commercial hubs.

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