STILL celebrates two IFOY nominations

Hamburg-based intralogistics expert STILL has been nominated for the final round of the IFOY Award 2022 with two entries.

Once the members of the IFOY jury choose the winners of this year’s IFOY Award in Dortmund between 18th and 23rd March, STILL will be represented with two entries in the categories “Special of the Year” and “Integrated Warehouse Solution” in the competition for the coveted intralogistics trophies.

Both of the entries from STILL GmbH passed the IFOY pre-selection with flying colours and were nominated for the final round in Dortmund in March. One of these is the innovative STILL ‘Descent Speed Regulation’ (DSR) assistance system, which makes journeys with the new LXT 120-350 and LXW 20-30 series of platform trucks and tractors from the Hamburg-based intralogistics provider even safer.

When driving downhill with a load, DSR adjusts the speed of the vehicles – either manually or automatically, depending on the configuration level – to a value that protects it from dangerous situations. This unique system supports the driver for safe travel on ramps and at the same time increases handling performance.

The assistance system is available in the DSR Basic, DSR Eco or DSR Premium versions. While the driver still has to activate the system manually in the Basic version so that it reduces the speed to a previously set maximum value, the system in the Eco version activates automatically when driving down a slope and brakes the vehicle to a predefined value. With DSR Premium, the assistance system automatically regulates the vehicle speed when driving downhill depending on the slope and the load being towed.

The “Hase Project”

The expansion of the automated warehouse at Hase Safety Group AG (pictured), a producer of work gloves based in the Frisian town of Jever, is another flagship project with which STILL has entered the race for the coveted prizes. During this warehouse expansion, the STILL industrial trucks were replaced by automated, more powerful equipment with telescopic forks and the existing racking system was expanded to 10,000 pallet spaces.

All Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) now navigate safely and autonomously through the warehouse. The resulting optimisation of the driving course is made possible by rotating laser scanners on the vehicles, which permanently measure the distances to the reflectors installed in the warehouse. In addition, three MX-X very narrow aisle trucks and six EXV-SF high lift stackers of the latest generation were fitted with the iGo Systems automation kit from STILL.

Winners kept secret until award ceremony

“This year we are once again taking part in the international IFOY Award with two promising and highly competitive entries,” explains Torsten Wiecker, Vice President Brand Management STILL EMEA at STILL, and adds: “Both the innovative new development of the safety-enhancing assistance system and the successful expansion and optimisation of the Hase Safety Group’s automatic warehouse have the potential to rank high in the favour and esteem of the international jury of experts.”

However, the nominees will have to wait a while longer before hearing “And the winner is ….” again. The winners of the contest will remain a secret until the final IFOY Award Night on 30th June in the BMW World in Munich.

About IFOY

The IFOY Award (International Intralogistics and Forklift Truck of the Year Award) is presented annually as a recognition of outstanding performance in intralogistics. It is supported by the IFOY organisation and an international jury of renowned trade journalists representing the leading logistics media in the respective markets. The UK is represented on the jury exclusively by Logistics Business’ news editor Peter MacLeod, a founding member of the IFOY jury when the awards were established a decade ago.

The IFOY organisation says it evaluates according to transparent criteria, independently and on the basis of professional expertise. The award is intended to document the performance and innovative strength of the intralogistics industry and aims to contribute to the competitiveness and public image of the entire industry. The IFOY Award is sponsored by the Association for Materials Handling and Intralogistics within the VDMA (German Engineering Federation) and is under the patronage of the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection.

STILL celebrates two IFOY nominations

Hamburg-based intralogistics expert STILL has been nominated for the final round of the IFOY Award 2022 with two entries.

Once the members of the IFOY jury choose the winners of this year’s IFOY Award in Dortmund between 18th and 23rd March, STILL will be represented with two entries in the categories “Special of the Year” and “Integrated Warehouse Solution” in the competition for the coveted intralogistics trophies.

Both of the entries from STILL GmbH passed the IFOY pre-selection with flying colours and were nominated for the final round in Dortmund in March. One of these is the innovative STILL ‘Descent Speed Regulation’ (DSR) assistance system, which makes journeys with the new LXT 120-350 and LXW 20-30 series of platform trucks and tractors from the Hamburg-based intralogistics provider even safer.

When driving downhill with a load, DSR adjusts the speed of the vehicles – either manually or automatically, depending on the configuration level – to a value that protects it from dangerous situations. This unique system supports the driver for safe travel on ramps and at the same time increases handling performance.

The assistance system is available in the DSR Basic, DSR Eco or DSR Premium versions. While the driver still has to activate the system manually in the Basic version so that it reduces the speed to a previously set maximum value, the system in the Eco version activates automatically when driving down a slope and brakes the vehicle to a predefined value. With DSR Premium, the assistance system automatically regulates the vehicle speed when driving downhill depending on the slope and the load being towed.

The “Hase Project”

The expansion of the automated warehouse at Hase Safety Group AG (pictured), a producer of work gloves based in the Frisian town of Jever, is another flagship project with which STILL has entered the race for the coveted prizes. During this warehouse expansion, the STILL industrial trucks were replaced by automated, more powerful equipment with telescopic forks and the existing racking system was expanded to 10,000 pallet spaces.

All Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) now navigate safely and autonomously through the warehouse. The resulting optimisation of the driving course is made possible by rotating laser scanners on the vehicles, which permanently measure the distances to the reflectors installed in the warehouse. In addition, three MX-X very narrow aisle trucks and six EXV-SF high lift stackers of the latest generation were fitted with the iGo Systems automation kit from STILL.

Winners kept secret until award ceremony

“This year we are once again taking part in the international IFOY Award with two promising and highly competitive entries,” explains Torsten Wiecker, Vice President Brand Management STILL EMEA at STILL, and adds: “Both the innovative new development of the safety-enhancing assistance system and the successful expansion and optimisation of the Hase Safety Group’s automatic warehouse have the potential to rank high in the favour and esteem of the international jury of experts.”

However, the nominees will have to wait a while longer before hearing “And the winner is ….” again. The winners of the contest will remain a secret until the final IFOY Award Night on 30th June in the BMW World in Munich.

About IFOY

The IFOY Award (International Intralogistics and Forklift Truck of the Year Award) is presented annually as a recognition of outstanding performance in intralogistics. It is supported by the IFOY organisation and an international jury of renowned trade journalists representing the leading logistics media in the respective markets. The UK is represented on the jury exclusively by Logistics Business’ news editor Peter MacLeod, a founding member of the IFOY jury when the awards were established a decade ago.

The IFOY organisation says it evaluates according to transparent criteria, independently and on the basis of professional expertise. The award is intended to document the performance and innovative strength of the intralogistics industry and aims to contribute to the competitiveness and public image of the entire industry. The IFOY Award is sponsored by the Association for Materials Handling and Intralogistics within the VDMA (German Engineering Federation) and is under the patronage of the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection.

Loading bay safety without high maintenance costs

In  this article supplied by Castell Safety, we seek an answer to the question: Are your loading bay safety system maintenance costs cutting into profit?

The loading bay is an essential part of any manufacturing company, warehouse, or distribution centre. It is what allows the process of raw materials to enter and completed goods to be transported to consumers and end users. Unfortunately, the loading bay can be a hazardous environment where accidents can occur. It is estimated that 25% of all industrial accidents happen at the loading bay according to ISHN.

To mitigate the risk of accidents, organisations often invest in loading bay safety systems to mitigate the risk of accidents or injury at the loading bay. A variety of systems can be found on the market to prevent these incidents such as hook restraints, wheel chocks, blocking arms, and interlocking gladhand systems.

Organisations often invest in these systems to avoid accidental injuries at the bay and spend anywhere from thousands to millions for a corporate- or site-wide roll-out of one of these systems. Companies expect these systems to be a one-time investment that will prevent them from incurring the costs associated with a workplace injury or potential death.

What companies don’t expect is the high recurring maintenance costs associated with some types of loading bay safety systems.

Loading bay safety systems typically fall into the categories below and can vary in maintenance costs:

Automatic Wheel Restraints: Automatic wheel restraints such as powered chocks perform in a similar way to mechanical chocks; however, they are automatic and thus require no personnel in the yard to fit it. They are also integrated with other bay equipment which ensures that a safe process is enforced. Some systems are built in at sub ground level and therefore require significant installation effort, these can also be significantly affected by the elements. Systems that are installed above ground become an obstacle, especially in winter.

Like mechanical chocks, relatively high maintenance costs can be associated with these systems due to the number of moving parts, concrete work associated with damaged equipment, and the time associated with clearing snow/ice in harsh weather conditions.

Hook Restraints: Hook restraints can be manual or automatic systems that prevent drive-aways at the loading bay. The hook restraint is installed at the bay door and when a truck is present, the hook is engaged and clamps onto the ICC bar of the vehicle to prevent the trailer to pull away from the bay prematurely.

Hook restraint systems can require significant maintenance due to the number of moving parts, hydraulics, damage to equipment, and high forces involved in restraining the vehicle at the loading bay.

Mechanical Chocks/Wheel Restraint: Mechanical chocks build upon the principle of manual chocks however they typically have additional permanent structure that they are fitted to which provides increased restraining force. If the permanent structure is higher than ground level, these can become an obstacle, especially in winter when ploughing the site. Ground level plates can also be affected by winter conditions as they become covered in snow/ice, making it difficult to fit the chock.

There can be high maintenance costs associated with this these types of restraint systems due to the number of moving parts, damage to permanent structures, and the time associated with clearing snow/ice in harsh weather conditions.

Manual Chocks: Manual chocks are common, simple wedges of material that are placed closely against a vehicle’s wheel to prevent accidental drive-aways.

Chocks can be unreliable as they can easily be lost, stolen or break. Maintenance cost for manual chocks include complete product replacements and can vary due to the number of sets of chocks the facility owns.

Interlocking Gladhands: Gladhand devices are used to lock out the air brake of the trailer to prevent movement at the loading bay. When gladhand devices are interlocked with the bay door with fixed mounted trapped key interlock devices, they can create a sequential safety process that must be followed to load and unload the trailer that results in the prevention of drive-aways at the loading bay.

Maintenance costs associated with these systems are minimal as the only maintenance required is the greasing of the gladhand coupling device once per year depending on the temperature of your facility’s location.

In the below chart, common loading bay safety systems are ranked from the highest to lowest associated maintenance costs for a facility with 25 loading bays over the time period of one year:

As you can see, some safety solutions require more maintenance than others, resulting in high costs that cut into the facility’s profit. If you and your facility find yourself in the position of continually having to maintain components, replaced damaged equipment, order replacements, and spend entirely too much time and money on your loading bays safety system, it is time to reconsider your existing system.

Safety at the loading shouldn’t cause additional headaches, it should be simple, safe, and low maintenance. Lucky for you, there are other options than your existing solution that won’t cut into your facility’s profit.

Castell Safety believes everyone has the right to be safe at work. It protects people and assets within the energy, industry, and logistics sectors. Its logistics safety solution, Salvo Loading Bay Safety System, prevents accidental drive-aways at the loading bay by interlocking the trailers airbrakes with the bay door.

 

Ferag launches to UK market

Ferag, a global leader in advanced conveying and sortation solutions, has launched its hi-tech, Swiss engineered overhead pouch and sorter systems to the UK market. The technology offers retail, ecommerce, automotive and general merchandise businesses reliable, high-performance conveying and sortation at speeds of up to 12,000 units per hour.

Based in Zurich, Ferag has its origins in the international print industry, where ultra-reliable, high-speed conveying technology is essential to the time-critical production of newspapers with daily print runs in the millions. With over 60 years’ experience designing, engineering and fabricating, high-speed overhead conveyor systems for mission-critical interlogistics operations, Ferag has now secured a strong presence in the UK intralogistics market by winning three new contracts for solutions in the apparel and retail sectors.

Heading up Ferag’s UK operations, Darcy de Thierry, Managing Director, Ferag UK Ltd, says: “British retailers and manufacturers are experiencing huge structural change. The growing focus for most is on ecommerce orders, which places a heavy emphasis on high-performance fulfilment operations capable of handling thousands upon thousands of single or few-item orders a day.

“Automated systems, such as overhead pouch and sortation solutions, facilitate fast picking, making them increasingly critical to maintaining and growing order volumes. But businesses cannot afford for them to fail – they need well engineered solutions using only the best, hard-wearing components and low-friction materials. That’s where Ferag’s extensive experience within the newspaper industry – where reliability is paramount – will be a tremendous advantage to the UK market.”

Principle products in Ferag’s extensive range of innovative sorters and conveyors include: Skyfall, an overhead pouch system that combines conveying, buffering, sorting and consolidating, suited to a wide variety of goods weighing up to 20kg. The solution makes efficient use of available overhead space; Denisort, a tilt-tray sorter that provides order picking, conveying and sorting in one seamless and scalable solution; Denisort Compact, a modular vertical sorter designed for items weighing up to 12kg; Deniway, a plate chain conveyor with low-friction rollers for long conveying distances, offering smooth transfers with the minimum number of drive units; and Easychain, a largely maintenance-free continuous and seamless conveying system with an ultra-narrow curve radii, making it well suited to complex, 3D layouts.

Ferag has installed intelligent conveyor and sortation systems for some of the world’s largest brands, such as: DHL, Auchan, Nestle, Zeiss, Cewe, Zalando, Mayoral, Viapost, Peerless Clothing International, Dumoulin, AstraZeneca, Stage, VW, Shoebox, along with many more.

The launch into the UK’s intralogistics market plays to the strengths of Ferag’s international maintenance and support network, where remote and condition monitoring are provided 24/7 and replacement components are readily available to a UK based nationwide team of service engineers.

Ferag AG employs around 550 people worldwide and is represented in more than 18 countries with its own sales and service companies. The business has installed over 3,000 systems on five continents and holds in excess of 9,000 registered patents.

Ferag launches to UK market

Ferag, a global leader in advanced conveying and sortation solutions, has launched its hi-tech, Swiss engineered overhead pouch and sorter systems to the UK market. The technology offers retail, ecommerce, automotive and general merchandise businesses reliable, high-performance conveying and sortation at speeds of up to 12,000 units per hour.

Based in Zurich, Ferag has its origins in the international print industry, where ultra-reliable, high-speed conveying technology is essential to the time-critical production of newspapers with daily print runs in the millions. With over 60 years’ experience designing, engineering and fabricating, high-speed overhead conveyor systems for mission-critical interlogistics operations, Ferag has now secured a strong presence in the UK intralogistics market by winning three new contracts for solutions in the apparel and retail sectors.

Heading up Ferag’s UK operations, Darcy de Thierry, Managing Director, Ferag UK Ltd, says: “British retailers and manufacturers are experiencing huge structural change. The growing focus for most is on ecommerce orders, which places a heavy emphasis on high-performance fulfilment operations capable of handling thousands upon thousands of single or few-item orders a day.

“Automated systems, such as overhead pouch and sortation solutions, facilitate fast picking, making them increasingly critical to maintaining and growing order volumes. But businesses cannot afford for them to fail – they need well engineered solutions using only the best, hard-wearing components and low-friction materials. That’s where Ferag’s extensive experience within the newspaper industry – where reliability is paramount – will be a tremendous advantage to the UK market.”

Principle products in Ferag’s extensive range of innovative sorters and conveyors include: Skyfall, an overhead pouch system that combines conveying, buffering, sorting and consolidating, suited to a wide variety of goods weighing up to 20kg. The solution makes efficient use of available overhead space; Denisort, a tilt-tray sorter that provides order picking, conveying and sorting in one seamless and scalable solution; Denisort Compact, a modular vertical sorter designed for items weighing up to 12kg; Deniway, a plate chain conveyor with low-friction rollers for long conveying distances, offering smooth transfers with the minimum number of drive units; and Easychain, a largely maintenance-free continuous and seamless conveying system with an ultra-narrow curve radii, making it well suited to complex, 3D layouts.

Ferag has installed intelligent conveyor and sortation systems for some of the world’s largest brands, such as: DHL, Auchan, Nestle, Zeiss, Cewe, Zalando, Mayoral, Viapost, Peerless Clothing International, Dumoulin, AstraZeneca, Stage, VW, Shoebox, along with many more.

The launch into the UK’s intralogistics market plays to the strengths of Ferag’s international maintenance and support network, where remote and condition monitoring are provided 24/7 and replacement components are readily available to a UK based nationwide team of service engineers.

Ferag AG employs around 550 people worldwide and is represented in more than 18 countries with its own sales and service companies. The business has installed over 3,000 systems on five continents and holds in excess of 9,000 registered patents.

“Chronic” shortage of industrial land in London

An independent expert-led commission on the future of industrial land has warned that a chronic shortage of space in London and rocketing rents for industrial premises risks damaging the city’s economy and hindering its ability to service the needs of the population.

In its report published on Thursday (27th January), the Industrial Land Commission finds that pressure on industrial land, primarily from the need to build new homes, is so great that it’s squeezing out businesses and leading to job losses. The Commission warns against the further loss of industrial land and is calling for urgent action to address London’s industrial land shortage, support businesses and protect jobs.

The Industrial Land Commission, chaired by leading property industry expert Liz Peace CBE and convened by Centre for London, raises the alarm over the loss of industrial land across London and the UK’s biggest city regions. The Commission’s final report found that over the last 20 years, London lost 24% of its industrial floorspace while Greater Manchester and the West Midlands saw theirs decrease by 20% and 19% respectively.

In London, the loss of industrial floorspace was equivalent to 840 football pitches (6 million sq m) between 2000/01 and 2020/21.The losses have been particularly acute in inner London, where more than 40% of total industrial floorspace has been converted to other uses over the same period, increasing to 62% in Hackney, 52% in Camden, Islington, and Westminster and 51% in Hammersmith and Fulham.

Much of London’s industrial space has been released to build more housing, which the Commission argues will eventually have a knock-on effect on how London functions. Unlike smaller cities in the UK, London’s size means that industrial accommodation for critical activities – such as waste removal, delivery depots and repair and maintenance activities – must be available in or near the city centre rather than just at the city fringe. And the rise of online retail and distribution centres have compounded the issue by creating fierce competition for remaining industrial space: industrial site vacancy rates dropped to just 4% in 2021, compared to 16% in 2001.

The Commission argues that London cannot afford to lose any more industrial land. Jobs in traditional industrial activities such as manufacturing, repair and warehousing are worth more than £78bn to the city’s economy, but the true figure is likely to be even higher as this excludes non-industrial activities such as most creative industries. The Commission’s report highlights that the number of jobs that rely on industrial land is actually increasing, with local employment opportunities being created at all skill levels, and the potential to host up to 12,000 new green jobs.

To address London’s industrial land shortage, the Commission proposes six solutions:

  • Champion industrial spaces and improve representation: The Commission recommends an independent and influential representative body is set up by businesses to make the case for London’s industrial spaces, inform planning policy and raise the profile of industrial activities. The Mayor of London should also appoint a powerful champion in City Hall for industrial land alongside supporting local authorities to upskill their staff working with industrial land.
  • Improve evidence about the supply and demand for industrial floorspace: London boroughs should develop more granular, up to date analysis of their industrial land and real estate companies should make market data more readily available.
  • Enhance local planning, protection and flexibility: The Mayor of London and London boroughs already have strong powers to retain industrial space through the planning system, but the losses of industrial space witnessed over recent years suggests they have not been using their powers to protect this land as much as they could have done. London boroughs urgently need to step in to ensure there is sufficient and suitable industrial accommodation on ‘their patch’.
  • Make better use of existing industrial land: The Mayor of London and London boroughs should co-invest in developments that intensify remaining industrial land such as multi-storey warehouses. National government should help incentivise intensification such as through business rates relief.
  • Make co-location work: The Mayor of London and London boroughs should subsidise developments that provide industrial floorspace in new locations where none currently exists.
  • Enhance strategic planning: The Mayor of London and City Hall’s planners should be given as much as power as possible to devise London’s land use strategy, while national government’s role in approving it should be limited in scope.

The Industrial Land Commission was established to explore how London can make the best use of limited available land to meet the varied needs of the city. The Commission met four times between March and October 2021 and was supported by a secretariat at Centre for London.

Liz Peace CBE, Chair of the Industrial Land Commission, Chairman of the Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation, and Chair of Trustees at Centre for London said: “London’s industrial land has long been unloved, misunderstood and often regarded as a relic of the past. Yet, and while they might not realise it, every Londoner, even those that never step onto an industrial park or into a factory, needs the services that take place in these spaces, from waste processors to mechanics, bakers to film makers.

“The demand for homes in London clearly must be satisfied but sacrificing the city’s industrial land to meet that demand is short-sighted and ignores the need for jobs for the people living in those homes and for all those vital services required in a thriving city.

“The pressure on London’s industrial land represents a potentially serious crisis for the city. That’s why the Industrial Land Commission believes that the Mayor and London boroughs must do more to protect, intensify and provide new industrial spaces, while also championing the critical functions that industrial land enables in our city.”

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