Subscribe

Month: September 2021

BNP Paribas makes key UK appointments

Posted on by Keith McKinley

BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions UK has appointed Mark Richards as General Manager and Tim Pulleyn as his successor as Head of Partner Sales.

Richards (pictured) is a highly experienced industry professional with over 25 years’ experience, having previously held roles at both GE Capital and Hitachi. His career has been 100% focussed on vendor and broker financing, building strong long-term customer relationships based on understanding the importance of service excellence & partnership. In his previous role as Head of Partner Sales, Richards has been instrumental in taking the business to the next phase of the business growth and development.

In his new role, Richards will be responsible for the whole Equipment Logistic and Solutions business division, overseeing Sales, Credit and Operations across the following markets – Construction, Food and Agriculture, Materials Handling and Commercial Vehicles. As well overseeing the subsidiary company, BNP Paribas Rental Solutions, which specialises in commercial vehicle contract hire solutions.

On his appointment, Mark Richard commented: “Despite the obvious challenges of the last 18 months due to the pandemic, we have seen strong year-on-year growth across many areas of our business. I would like to say a huge thank you to all our customers for their support and trust in us during this period and to our staff for their commitment.

“The long-term view of BNP Paribas puts Leasing Solutions firmly at the heart of the group strategy, enabling us to weather the different economic cycles while maintaining consistency in our proposition, and to build lasting relationships with our partners in a mutually beneficial way.

“This, combined with the strong, talented team I will be working with as we enter this next chapter, makes me feel excited about the future for both us and our customers. For the leadership team and I, it’s critical we are in constant communication with our customers, hearing them so that we can listen, learn and act to deliver a service that is consistent, reliable and does what they need.”

Pulleyn is also highly experienced within the industry, as a proven credit and sales leader across a range of disciplines including global banking, international leasing and asset finance. Most recently having held the position of Head of Structured Finance at Metro Bank before joining BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions UK in 2019 as Head of the Broker division. Since 2019, Tim has fostered great relationships with the Brokers, making a significant growth impact, capitalising on his already extensive network of contacts and knowledge.

Pulleyn said: “I am delighted to be taking up this new role within the company. I feel proud to work for a business that is one of Europe’s most trusted providers of asset finance. As a team, we are committed to supporting partners with specialist knowledge to help them achieve their growth ambitions – performance through partnership. One of the ways we do this is by building strategic alliances, aligning our expertise to the needs of our partners through a deep understanding of their requirements.

“In the next few months, one of my priorities will be to continue to talk to our customers, understand where we can really add value in the leasing cycle and make sure we deliver that value consistently, day in day out.”

Richards said: “Tim’s appointment as Head of Partner Sales further cements our ambitions to keep putting our customers at the heart of everything we do. Tim and his team will continue to build real customer focus, ensuring it remains at the forefront of every decision we make.”

Rachel Appleton, CEO of BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions UK, commented: “I am absolutely delighted to welcome both Mark and Tim in their new roles. As General Manager, Mark will be able to build further on his achievements to date. Mark has proven his commitment to both our customers and our business, building a sales strategy, which focuses on adding value at every stage in the leasing cycle.

“Likewise, Tim has made a significant impact across our broker markets since joining us in 2019, using his wealth of knowledge to build a solid proposition.“

Brittany Ferries and CMA CGM form cargo partnership

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Brittany Ferries, the largest ferry company operating under the French flag, and the CMA CGM Group, a world leader in shipping and logistics, have announced that CMA CGM has agreed to make a €25m investment in Brittany Ferries, including €10m in quasi-equity. Through this agreement, CMA CGM is seeking to support Brittany Ferries’ post-Covid-19 recovery.

The partnership will help to unlock synergies between the two companies in passenger and freight transport. By harnessing the respective areas of expertise of the CMA CGM Group and Brittany Ferries, it will also help promote the development of cross-Channel shipping and underpin France’s position in the sector. Under this agreement, a representative of the CMA CGM Group will join Brittany Ferries’ Supervisory Board.

The agreement establishes a commercial partnership between the CMA CGM Group and Brittany Ferries through the use of available cargo space on board Brittany Ferries’ services to the United Kingdom, Ireland and the Iberian Peninsula. The transportation of goods aboard Brittany Ferries’ roll-on roll-off (roro) ships will help expand the CMA CGM Group’s offering in the roro sector for the Atlantic and northern coast of France to destinations in the United Kingdom.

The partnership will also pave the way for Brittany Ferries to gain more expertise in freight and logistics. It will help the company to adapt more easily to the post-Covid-19 trends in goods transportation, including the transport of unaccompanied trailers, and to offer new transport services so it can better meet the needs of its customers.

Through this agreement, both groups will be able to introduce new roro services.

CMA CGM and Brittany Ferries, both of which are committed to developing liquefied natural gas (LNG) to power their ships, will be looking at ways of sharing their LNG knowledge and resources in areas such as training for French crews and safety procedures.

Both companies have also undertaken to introduce more environmentally-friendly shipping and logistics solutions.

Two new LNG-powered ships are due to join Brittany Ferries’ fleet next year and in 2023. The new Ro-pax vessels, to be named Salamanca and Santoña, will operate services between the United Kingdom and Spain. In addition, Brittany Ferries is about to introduce a new rail freight service to expand its multimodal offering. By year-end 2022 the company will offer its customers an unaccompanied trailer transport service on the Atlantic coast rail network between Bayonne and Cherbourg.

Big Box appoints new marketing head

Posted on by David Priestman

Big Box Group has announced that Lucie Stephenson has been appointed Head of Marketing.

Stephenson, previously Product Manager at Haribo UK and Marketing Manager at Costcutter Supermarkets Group, brings a wealth of marketing knowledge to Big Box Group as it continues to grow and establish itself in the Intralogistics, Automation and Buildings sectors.

Stephenson reports to Managing Director, Iain Gillard, and takes up her post with immediate effect. Stephenson has responsibility for Big Box Group’s overall marketing strategy and execution, brand development and messaging in the marketplace.

Iain Gillard said: “We are delighted to confirm Lucie as our new Head of Marketing at Big Box Group. She has great experience and brings a wealth of marketing expertise that will help us continue to drive forward our ambitious growth plans.”

Lucie began her career in product marketing at confectionery giant, Haribo, working her way up to Product Manager before moving to Costcutter Supermarkets Group (responsible for over 1,550 stores nationwide) as Marketing Manager.

Stephenson said: “It is a really exciting time for Big Box Group, as it continues to expand. The organisation has grown from its roots in intralogistics and now has a strong presence in the buildings and automation sectors. I am really looking forward to working with the team to build on what has been done so far and to bring some new and innovative ideas to the table in order to further drive the reach of Big Box Group.”

Cranfield logistics MSc graduates ‘most employable’ in the UK

Posted on by David Priestman

Graduates of the Cranfield Master’s in Logistics and Supply Chain Management are the most employable in the UK, according to the latest QS Global Rankings.

The Cranfield MSc was rated first in the UK and 7th in the world for employability, and was named in the UK top 10 for diversity (3rd), thought leadership (3rd) and alumni outcomes (5th) in the 2022 rankings.

Course director Dr Hendrik Reefke said: “Our MSc in Logistics and Supply Chain Management aims to equip students with the knowledge and skills they need to make a significant difference in the global marketplace.

“We know our students go on to achieve some amazing things in their careers as a result of studying at Cranfield, and are delighted that this has been recognised in these latest rankings.

“My thanks go to the whole teaching team for their continued dedication to ensuring the very best outcomes for all our students.”

Supply chain leaders share best practice at visibility conference

Posted on by Keith McKinley

FourKites, a leading real-time supply chain visibility platform, has announced that its European customer conference, Visibility 2021, will be held virtually on 7th October. The theme of this year’s conference, “Go Beyond,” presents a bold vision for supply chains of the future, centred around automation, innovation and collaboration. Supply chain leaders from across Europe have the opportunity to network, share best practices and insights, and collaborate on FourKites’ product roadmap during the world’s largest virtual supply chain summit.

“FourKites‘ Visibility conference is exactly what the industry needs right now,” says Roy van der Heijden, Business Analyst at Int. Transportbedrijf van der Heijden, a leading provider of freight transportation and logistics, as well as a recent addition to FourKites Premier Carrier List.  “End-to-end, real-time transportation visibility is a key priority for all companies, big and small, and I’m excited to hear from so many industry leaders and to engage with supply chain peers at this unique event.”

Now in its fourth year, FourKites’ annual conference brings together the world’s largest community of shippers, carriers, 3PLs and freight forwarders, together with industry experts and influencers, for a series of rich information-sharing sessions, presentations and brainstorms on the future of supply chain management and automation.

Supply chain leaders from Dow, Bayer, Zebra Technologies, AB Inbev, Yara International and other customers will take part in immersive sessions that explore the next generation of international ocean freight management; best practices for improving supply chain efficiency and sustainability; how to manage disruption; and how to leverage data to make critical business decisions. FourKites will also showcase leading-edge innovations with its strategic partners Volvo Group, Qualcomm Ventures and Zebra Technologies.

Former NASA astronaut Scott Parazynski will deliver the keynote address. “Leadership is never an easy task,” Parazynski said. “And with the massive disruptions and uncertainty that have arisen in the supply chain over the last couple years, it’s a truly Herculean task to be a market leader and create differentiation in a rapidly evolving market. I’m honoured to address FourKites’ audience of market leaders as they push the boundaries of what’s possible and think outside the box when it comes to innovation for the greater good of the industry.”

“We are excited to bring together this unique community of collaborative supply chain leaders across Europe,” said FourKites founder and CEO Mathew Elenjickal. “The pace of innovation in this industry continues to accelerate as we work together with our customers to break down barriers across today’s supply chains to enable true end-to-end visibility, analytics and automation.”

In the year since Visibility 2020, FourKites has experienced record growth in its network, including load volume growth of over 50%, with up to 2 million loads and $100 billion in freight under management at any given time; 70% YoY growth in connected facilities, now totaling 6.4 million; 140% YoY increase in ocean and rail shipments; 97% growth in air shipments; and 22% growth in connected carriers in 176 countries across road, rail, ocean, air and courier.

In addition, FourKites introduced a number of industry-first innovations, including Dynamic Yard, which extends visibility into warehouses and yards; Dynamic ETA for Air, which provides highly accurate and automated ETAs on 100% of air freight, at a time when ETAs for air shipments have only been available 40% of the time and may be off by as much as two days; as well as Dynamic OceanSM, a next-generation international ocean visibility solution that encompasses advanced document management capabilities, robust collaboration features and support for bookings, with superior end-to-end real-time tracking.

A testament to the company’s breakthrough innovations, FourKites was also recently awarded a patent for its Smart Forecasted Arrival (SFA) capabilities, which provide companies with highly frequent and accurate ETAs for freight in transit — even when that truck lacks any technology (such as ELD) to transmit location data.

In April, FourKites was named a Leader in the 2021 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Real-Time Transportation Visibility Platforms, and it secured $100m in funding from Thomas H. Lee Partners, Qualcomm Ventures, Volvo Group Venture Capital and Zebra Technologies to continue to define the future of supply chain automation.

 

Briggs helps major sporting events prosper

Posted on by David Priestman

Briggs Equipment’s fleet of short-term hire equipment has been busy throughout 2021, helping some of the biggest events in the UK’s sporting calendar prosper. Working closely alongside partners Arena Group, a wide range of equipment including access products, forklifts and JCB rough terrain machines have been supplied by Briggs to play a key role in the construction and installation of event structures and seating.

Two of the events that Briggs have supported recently, include the Royal Windsor Horse Show and Matchroom Boxing’s Fight Camp. The Royal Windsor is the UK’s largest outdoor horse show and a fleet of JCB handling equipment helped install the various seating structures that safely housed thousands of spectators throughout the event.

Matchroom’s Fight Camp was established as a result of the pandemic and the inability to accommodate large numbers of fans in arenas or stadiums. As one of the world’s leading boxing promoter, Matchroom had to keep the show on the road and created a pop-up boxing venue at their HQ to host events. Briggs have supported this activity with high quality Hyster & Yale forklifts and JLG access equipment to ensure on-site teams can operate safely and efficiently.

One of the key elements of the Briggs Short-Term Hire service is understanding the requirements of customers before any equipment is delivered. This means that as soon as the machines are delivered on-site, the operating teams can get to work straight away without delay.

Carrie Sherrington, Briggs Equipment’s Short-Term Hire Manager, South & West, commented: “We have a strong partnership with Arena Group and have worked closely with their team over many years to help support their involvement with some of the UK’s most prestigious and recognisable events.

“Despite all the challenges that the last 18 months has provided, we have been working extremely hard to provide the appropriate equipment solutions and support to ensure these events can take place. Our hire team have been exceptional in meeting challenging deadlines and making sure that the right equipment is delivered first time to our customers.

“With coronavirus restrictions lifted across the UK, we’re excited about increasing our involvement and activity in this area and look forward to support Arena Group in future events.”

Terry Smith, Arena Group’s Managing Director – Seating, commented: “Working alongside Briggs Equipment we have been able to deliver high quality solutions to help get some of the UK’s biggest events up and running. The value that Briggs provide is their capability to meet the requirements of our customers, no matter how challenging, and deliver a complete service at the first time of asking.

“We have worked with Briggs for many years and look forward to continuing our partnership.”

 

CMA CGM stars in ‘No Time To Die’

Posted on by Keith McKinley

An official partner of the 25th James Bond film, No Time To Die, CMA CGM granted filmmaker EON Productions unprecedented access to Kingston Container Terminal in Jamaica to shoot an action sequence with a seaplane, and the vessel Fort Saint Georges features in the film when Bond is rescued from the ocean.

Filming took place at the CMA CGM-operated Kingston South Quay Terminal in Jamaica, a strategic transhipment hub for the Group in the Caribbean, located at the exit of the Panama Canal and the crossroads of the North/South and East/West lines.

Flying the French flag and under the leadership of French Masters, the vessels Fort Saint Georges (2,260 TEU) and Fort de France (3,504 TEU) and more than 1,000 containers were mobilised for the shoot. In addition, a dozen crew, including the Master, took part in the filming.

To support the unique partnership, a dedicated team led by Tanya Saadé Zeenny, Executive Officer of the CMA CGM Group, was formed at the Head Office in Marseille and CMA CGM-operated terminals in Kingston and Dunkirk.

The CMA CGM teams at sea and ashore who worked seamlessly together to support the production are now eagerly awaiting the film’s global release.

No Time To Die is directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga and stars Daniel Craig, who returns for his fifth and final film as Ian Fleming’s James Bond. The film will be released in cinemas from 30th September, 2021, in the UK through Universal Pictures International and in the US on 8th October, 2021, from Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM) via its United Artists Releasing banner.

FedEx launches small business competition in Europe

Posted on by Keith McKinley

FedEx Express has launched its Small Business Grant Competition in Europe. The competition offers a total grant pool of nearly €250,000 to European small businesses to help them grow and achieve their ambitions. For the first time, the competition will be run as a single pan-European contest, open to small businesses based in 16 countries.

The competition is open to for-profit small businesses with 50 employees or fewer across the following European countries: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, and the United Kingdom.

Fifteen  finalists will be selected to compete for the Grand Prize (€50,000) or one of the three Judges’ Choice Awards: Digital Excellence, Sustainability Champion, and Innovation Mastermind (€15,000 each). In addition to the finalists competing for one of the four prizes awarded by the jury, the non-finalist companies take part in the public voting phase and can win the People’s Choice Award in their country, leading to 15 additional winners who will receive €10,000 each.

“Running a small business is tough at the best of times, but the last 18 months have really pushed SMEs to adapt to survive,” said Helena Jansson, SVP Finance International, FedEx Express and Small Business Grant Contest jury member. “Through the Small Business Grant Competition, we want to get behind our small businesses, help them achieve their dreams, and write the next chapter of their story.”

To participate, companies do not have to be a current customer or have an active shipment account with FedEx Express. The competition entry period is open from 15th September to 20th October 2021. The 15 finalists will be announced on 17th November 2021 and public voting for the People’s Choice Awards will be opened. All winners will be announced on 26th January 2022. CLICK HERE to visit the application process and the terms and conditions.

Established in the US in 2012, the FedEx Small Business Grant Competition continues to expand year over year around the world. In Europe, the competition was first launched in 2016 in three countries, building to five countries by 2019. Now, for the first time, it is launching in 16 countries across Europe to provide more opportunities for small companies who show passion and innovation in the region.

Stop storing and shipping fresh air

Posted on by Keith McKinley

A simple-to-use track-and-trace system that collects measurements and images of incoming stock or packaged goods and turns them into valuable Master Data is being launched in the UK by sensor manufacturer SICK with a free trial offer.

The SICK Master Data Analyzer is already deployed at hundreds of retail logistics hubs worldwide capturing 100,000s of products every hour. Now UK operators are being given their first opportunity to see for themselves how easily the system records and integrates data into warehouse management and ERP systems.

The SICK Master Data Analyzer is a Dimensioning, Weighing and Scanning (DWS) system with the option of associated image capture, supplied as an all-in-one static or mobile operator station. It promises significant returns on investment through more consistent track and trace of products, reduced packaging sizes, and space-saving efficiencies both during storage, and when loading goods for onward transportation.

Threats to Cost-Efficiency

“The greatest threat to both cost-efficiency and environmental performance in logistics, comes from storing or shipping fresh air because packages are oversized, or because they are stacked in bays or packed into transport inefficiently,” says Mark Harris, SICK’s UK product manager for Systems & Auto Ident. “Equally, the danger of the wrong, or incomplete, products reaching a customer can mount up to significant cost through returns or customer penalties.

“Not only does the SICK Master Data Analyzer provide the data building blocks to eliminate these inefficiencies, it has also been shown to increase operator capacity by more than 20%. A study conducted with one major international retailer demonstrated a significantly reduced cycle time in inputting data of a wide range of Stock Keeping Units (SKUs) entering the customer’s facilities.”

Unpack, set-up and connect the SICK Master Data Analyser to begin capturing the weight, length, width, height, image and the bar code of goods or packages in a single step. The trolley-mounted mobile version is powered by a rechargeable battery and transmits data via WLAN so it can be moved to the best location for efficient input of data.

Simple to Operate

Simply place the item to be measured on the toughened glass weighing plate and use the hand-held scanner to read the barcode. Slide the Measuring Light Grid (MLG) frame across the object in either direction to reliably capture the dimensions. A consistently stable measurement is produced whatever the shape of the object, and even if it has a highly reflective surface, such as a foil.

The system then merges the barcode, dimensions and weight into a single data string which is output immediately in a format that can be imported into any management software, such as an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system.

The SICK Master Data Analyzer can also be supplied with an IP Camera so that an image of the product can be associated directly with the object’s barcode, part number, or European Article Number. A correlating physical image of each SKU or package is saved in the system, enabling the shipper to check back to verify that the correct item was delivered, and identify any in-transit tampering or damage.

The SICK Master Data Analyzer has a volume measurement accuracy of 2.5 x 2.5 x 2.5mm and weight determination with an accuracy of ±5g and can work to a maximum objects size of 800 x 600 x 600mm.

Free Trial

“Recording basic data accurately, consistently and quickly is the starting point of any efficient warehouse or logistics operation. Armed with these valuable Master Data building blocks, operators are better equipped to drive logistics processes more efficiently and save costs,” Mark Harris continues.

“That’s why we are offering a one-week trial to any operator on a first come first served basis. We want customers to see for themselves how easy it is to start collecting Master Data. Whether you use one unit, or many across a site, we are confident you will begin to make cost and storage savings immediately.”

Lithion and UgoWork collaborate to recycle lithium batteries

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Lithion Recycling and UgoWork have signed a collaboration agreement for the recycling of lithium-ion batteries developed by UgoWork for the material handling market.

The agreement includes recycling tests of several generations of batteries produced by UgoWork at Lithion’s demonstration plant. In addition, a commercial collection, transportation and recovery process will also be developed between the two organisations to promote the sustainable and efficient recycling of lithium-ion batteries. The agreement initially covers North America.

“This collaboration with UgoWork is a great example of Quebec synergies through the lithium-ion battery industry and is fully aligned with our desire to grow this sector in Quebec,” said Benoit Couture, president of Lithion. “It is important to promote local recycling and to offer a competitive advantage to companies like UgoWork in the face of sustainable development objectives and end-of-life management requirements for lithium batteries,” he added.

“Recycling battery components that reached their end-of-life is perfectly aligned with our sustainable product development approach,” said Philippe Beauchamp, co-founder and CEO of UgoWork. “Joining forces with Lithion which has strong partnerships with companies such as Hyundai Canada, reflects our commitment to our customers and will help support our continued growth in North America.”

Subscribe

Get notified about New Episodes of our Podcast, New Magazine Issues and stay updated with our Weekly Newsletter.