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Month: July 2022

Transporeon, Schmitz Cargobull aim to Deliver Data Visibility

Posted on by David Priestman

Transporeon, one of Europe’s leading Transportation Management Platform, and Schmitz Cargobull, Europe’s leading manufacturer of trailers, have announced a partnership that will provide Schmitz Cargobull’s customers an easy and secure data connection to Transporeon’s real-time visibility solution. This Connectivity is made possible by the new Schmitz Cargobull TrailerConnect® Data Management Center and enhances visibility and control over transport data.

Each new Schmitz Cargobull trailer is equipped with the Schmitz Cargobull telematics system as standard. The system continuously records all relevant trailer data – such as temperature and cooling unit data, speed, fuel consumption, weight or tire pressures. All of which is collected by the TrailerConnect® Portal from where it now can easily be distributed via the TrailerConnect® Data Management Center to Transporeon. Freight forwarders and carriers can then decide which transport data they want to share with whom from within a protected network. The data will never be visible to anyone outside the network, ensuring total privacy and security over all information shared by carriers.

With this partnership, Schmitz Cargobull is connecting its telematic system TrailerConnect® with the Transporeon solution. By giving the Lead Logistic Providers the opportunity to combine trailer telematics data with Transporeon’s powerful machine learning algorithms and AI capabilities, Schmitz Cargobull Customers will be able to deliver more complete transportation data to a specific customer that can lead to tangible outcomes. With the Schmitz Cargobull’s TrailerConnect® Data Management Center rights, scope and type of content can be configured for data forwarding and set individually for each customer. This tailored approach provides several tangible business benefits. For example, stakeholders will be able to use the data with the Transporeon platform to enhance the way they measure carbon emissions and predict ETAs, as well as improve their freight matching processes.

Joint customers will also gain additional benefits by having access to the Transporeon Carrier Trust Center – which makes it easier for participants to collaborate with supply chain partners – and other Carrier Value Added Services.

“Having real-time access to accurate transportation data has never been more important for logistics businesses and, as the largest provider of best-in-class real-time data integrated with transport execution, we’re well placed to deliver in-depth insights,” said Jesper Bennike, Chief Product Officer at Transporeon. “Combining Schmitz Cargobull’s vehicle data with our real-time visibility data will enable our algorithms to provide even more accurate ETA predictions. Customers will get full value from telematics data without the risk of unauthorized third-party access and uncontrolled dataflow, making this partnership a match made in heaven.”

“As supply chain digitization continues to accelerate, we know that our customers need to connect to their customers and to the many systems that can help them drive efficiencies and reduce costs,” said Søren Danielsen, Manager Digital Services at Schmitz Cargobull. “We also know that carriers expect to have full control over that data. Bringing together our telematics data with Transporeon’s AI capabilities will deliver a whole new level of insight, which Schmitz Cargobull Customers as providers of the transport data can then easily and securely share with the relevant parties to enhance their logistics networks.”

Forterro Expands with Acquisition of Wise Software

Posted on by David Priestman

Forterro, a European provider of software solutions to more than 10,000 small and midsized industrial companies, today announced its acquisition of Wise Software (UK) Ltd (OrderWise), a provider of ERP software solutions for industrial companies with retail, wholesale, ecommerce, and distribution requirements. OrderWise’s specialised, highly-integrated financials, order management, Point of Sale (POS), warehouse management (WMS), transportation management (TMS) and ecommerce solutions are used by nearly 1,000 clients throughout the United Kingdom.

OrderWise will significantly expand Forterro’s northern Europe region, with the product representing the group’s fourth largest revenue stream and fourth largest customer base. The acquisition marks Forterro’s second in the UK, following its acquisition of 123insight a year ago. It also serves as Forterro’s inaugural acquisition under its new owners Partners Group, a leading global private markets firm, acting on behalf of its clients.

“We warmly welcome OrderWise, its people and customers,” said Dean Forbes, CEO of Forterro. “OrderWise and its products are a perfect fit with the Forterro vision and cements our position as the leading provider of software solutions for the industrial SMEs of Europe.”

Richard Furby, president of Forterro Northern Europe and group M&A, agreed. “Forterro’s portfolio of solutions for the midmarket manufacturing sector comprises a diverse range of local and vertical industry solutions. OrderWise has a core strength in the UK warehousing and distribution spaces, which when added to our acquisition last year of DACH-focused myfactory, means we now serve the needs of over 5,000 European customers in these two niches alone.”

David Hallam, founder of OrderWise, will transition out of the business. He will be handing over to his well established leadership team to work with Forterro on the next phase of growth for OrderWise. “This is a bittersweet moment for me,” said Hallam, who coded the first version of the OrderWise system just a few years after completing college. “It will be one of my life’s greatest achievements to have built a business that has been able to help so many UK companies grow and thrive.”

He continued: “The past two years have been our strongest to date. As we close in on another year of double-digit revenue growth and finalise the development of our browser-based version, OrderWise is in an ideal position for new ownership. I have been searching for a partner that would take this company to the next level, while allowing us to stay true to our roots and continue taking care of our customers. I am pleased to say that Forterro is that partner.”

Cold Chains can Save Lives

Posted on by David Priestman

The launch of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign in December 2020 led to great relief around the world and was greeted with hope after the virus had affected almost all aspects of life for most of the year. While public discourse focused on the lack of production capacity, another major challenge came into play: the safe transport and storage of vaccines at very low temperatures. Unfortunately, this issue is still highly topical in 2022. The summer wave combined with the extreme heat and an upcoming fourth vaccination in autumn continue to require increased vigilance and reliable refrigerated transport.

Despite the adverse conditions, Trane Technologies, with its strategic Thermo King® brand, and Danfoss have joined forces to play a critical role in maintaining the cold chain and delivering life-saving vaccines. Thermo King has long been a global leader in refrigerated transport and storage of food, medicines and other sensitive, perishable goods. This often involves the use of the powerful, adaptable SuperFreezer solution, which has been co-designed and built with Danfoss since 1996 to achieve ultra-low temperatures and optimal preservation.

The SuperFreezer is typically used for sea transport of sushi-grade tuna, but also for biopharmaceutical products such as blood plasma and other pharmaceutical agents, as well as biological samples. It ensures consistent temperature control, prevention of microbial decay and efficient storage and transport – even under challenging conditions such as high ambient temperatures, frequent door openings or long operating times.

The SuperFreezer is a cascade system with two refrigeration circuits, each with its own compressor, refrigerant and inline components, both controlled by a common advanced controller. Each SuperFreezer unit relies on Danfoss inline components such as expansion valves, solenoid valves, regulators, dehydrators, sight glasses, pressure switches, contractors, etc. to ensure smooth and reliable operation of the refrigerant and to maintain the correct cryogenic temperature.

The COVID-19 mRNA vaccines, with their unique ultra-cold temperature specifications – down to -70 degrees Celsius – are ideal for the SuperFreezer. However, the equipment had to be slightly modified to reach and maintain the extremely cold temperatures. Danfoss components played a crucial role in this process.

Many rural hospitals, doctors’ surgeries or clinics do not have access to suitable temperature-controlled storage facilities. Rural regions often do not have a suitable infrastructure to ensure the required cold chain. The situation is also particularly critical in third world countries, where vaccination rates are still far too low, even one and a half years after the first vaccines were approved.

To reduce the spoilage of life-saving vaccines, active refrigeration like the Thermo King SuperFreezer is the ideal solution. “To meet the demands of shipping and storing vaccines worldwide, we had to customise the units and produce them quickly,” says Francesco Incalza, president of Thermo King EMEA at Trane Technologies. “This meant we had to source additional components supplied by Danfoss in an extremely short time.”

Danfoss received its first component order from Thermo King in late 2020, and production was immediately up and running. As the components are manufactured in several factories around the world – in Denmark, Poland, China, Mexico and India – each factory had to follow the same strict production schedule to meet the demand for the SuperFreezer.

“The entire supply chain had to be accelerated,” said Carlos Zamudio, senior director of global accounts at Danfoss. “Instead of a normal eight-week process, production became a three- to four-week process,” Zamudio said. “The entire supply chain worked together to produce the parts needed for the SuperFreezer. All Danfoss factories worked together to supply Thermo King and subcontractors with parts.”

Initially, the factories had to source sufficient raw materials, which was a challenge due to shortages in the market. “We were able to leverage our relationships with our suppliers,” says Jason Pederson, Global Key Account Manager at Danfoss. “We made sure we had enough manpower to complete production. When total customer demand exceeded our production capacity by 25%, we prioritised the products we made for the SuperFreezers.”

“We were able to respond quickly,” says Zamudio. “Everyone understood the importance of what we were doing. Thermo King relied on us to deliver the components on time. Throughout the supply chain, many companies worked together to ensure the vaccines could be delivered and stored.”

“It was critical that there were no delays in production or shipping,” Incalza stressed. “The support of Danfoss was instrumental in ensuring that we were able to transport this critical cargo through all the countries in Europe and to many remote locations around the world. The fact that we were able to respond quickly and efficiently to a crisis of this magnitude is a testament to the strength of partnerships like this.”

After all components were airlifted to Thermo King, the SuperFreezers were quickly assembled and ready for their life-saving cargo – becoming a vital part of the first mass immunisation and pop-up clinics. Due to the urgency, Thermo King transported the parts by air freight from Danfoss’ manufacturing and distribution sites in Europe, North America and Asia Pacific to Thermo King in China.

The last two years have been challenging, but also educational. Thermo King has decades of experience and played a role in safeguarding past vaccines such the one used during the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, and over the past two years has accumulated a wealth of experience that is vital as infections and variant formations continue to rise. The Corona pandemic is unfortunately more topical than ever and society must prepare for further follow-up vaccinations. Here, a fast and safe vaccine distribution must be guaranteed to help overcome this pandemic once and for all.

New Rail Service Connecting Scotland Globally

Posted on by Keith McKinley

MSC UK is delighted to announce a new rail service connecting Mossend in Scotland via Hams Hall, to Felixstowe and London Gateway. The new Mossend rail service builds upon MSC UK’s commitment to the Scottish market, customers, and ports, by complementing two existing weekly calls into the ports of Grangemouth and Greenock.

Jonathan Burke, Operations Director at MSC UK commented: “We are very pleased to announce that, together with our partners GB Railfreight (GBRf) and Maritime, the new service launched last week will add greater flexibility for our customers to move cargo to and from anywhere in Scotland and connect to global trade routes via the ports of Felixstowe and London Gateway.

This latest enhancement to MSC UK’s long established and market-leading intermodal network offers great value to our UK customers by seamlessly connecting their cargo across road, rail and sea; delivering an efficient and cost-effective solution that helps contribute to our customers’ sustainability goals.”

Intermodal transportation is a core focus for MSC, and the company continues to make significant investments in this area to strengthen its inland solutions offering. Its fast-growing road, rail and barge network offers customers all over the world a flexible and effective way of moving cargo inland and contributes to the decarbonisation of global supply chains.

John Smith, CEO of GB Railfreight added “GBRf is delighted to begin this exciting new venture with MSC. We are committed to working with partners to ensure that we provide a first-class service. One that demonstrates the commercial value of collaborating with GBRf, delivers wider sustainability benefits for every region across the UK and grows the rail freight industry.”

The train service will run 6 days a week and enhance rail and road capacity for MSC UK’s customers, complemented by the company’s door-to-door haulage services designed to provide support at all stages across customer supply chains.
John Bailey, Managing Director – Intermodal and Terminals, for Maritime Transport Ltd said: ‘We are pleased that MSC UK have decided to utilise both of our terminals at Mossend and Hams Hall to launch this service. Our continued investment in intermodal services and infrastructure means the two sites, which form part of our growing network of seven fully open access terminals, offer excellent coverage and rail connectivity throughout the UK.

Jonathan continued: “This exciting enhancement to our intermodal offering ensures we can collect or deliver customers’ cargo from anywhere in Scotland and connect seamlessly to the ports of Felixstowe and London Gateway and mainline services to destinations around the globe.”

As a national leader in shipping and logistics, with knowledgeable support from local teams in Glasgow, Liverpool, London and the UK Head Office in Ipswich, MSC UK is confident that the new rail service will deliver success for all parties involved.

Tech to Navigate the Aftermath of Supply Chain Crisis

Posted on by Keith McKinley

By Stefan Spendrup, VP of Sales, Northern and Western Europe at SOTI.

The supply chain is a complex system many of us rarely think about when shelves are fully stocked and delivery vehicles are on the road. However, many of us experienced the impact of disruptions to transportation and logistics (T&L) at one point or another during the pandemic.

There were numerous contributing factors to the emergence of the global crisis. First, businesses struggled to anticipate and react to the pandemic due to a limited view of supply chains. In fact, 72% of companies faced challenges in monitoring their end-to-end supply chain. Without having an overview of the location and status of inventory, or the ability to forecast customer demand to prepare for a surge in sales, businesses could not react quickly enough and plan the right course of action.

On top of this, businesses struggled with both sourcing and receiving products. With such high dependence on China for the manufacturing of products around the world, businesses experienced a shortage of products and loss of sales because of the inability to fulfil customer needs as it became harder to import goods from China. In the U.S., 60% of businesses experienced delays in receiving orders from China.
Additionally, products were stranded at sea on cargo ships due to maritime mobility issues. This was detrimental as 80% of all goods are carried by sea, resulting in over 320 cargo ships left queued and waiting to dock. Faced with the pressure to keep up with customer demand, businesses battled increased shipping costs – the cost to transport a shipping container from China to the North American West Coast is now four times higher than before the pandemic.

As the U.S. announces its plans to ban imports from China’s Xinjiang region in response to forced labour outrages, many manufacturers and retailers are bracing for the consequent disruptions to supply chains and having to quickly switch to alternative suppliers to satisfy customer demand and meet sales targets.

To protect and prevent further disruptions to supply chains, businesses must implement plans to fix the broken links. This involves intensifying supply chain diversity by having multiple options when it comes to suppliers, such as procuring raw materials, manufacturing, warehouse storage and shipping. However, supply chain resilience is just as important in the reaction to a disruption.

Despite the disruptions and uncertainty caused by the pandemic, businesses still have faith in the supply chain. In fact, 92% of businesses did not halt technology investments. Technology is the only answer to increasing diversity and digitising the supply chain, but how will it be restored to pre-pandemic efficiencies?

The pandemic completely changed consumer shopping behaviours, evidenced by the unpredictable rise in purchases of items like toilet paper and a spike in hobby items such as puzzles and gardening tools. However, rather than using unreliable past trends to predict consumer behaviours, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning can help direct companies on everything from inventory recommendations to distribution strategies to suppress the impact of future crises.

Sustainability has been at the forefront of many business models as the world moves closer to sustainability targets. Sustainability efforts were paused during the pandemic, where the focus shifted to operating as close to business as usual at the cost of using sustainable resources. As we emerge from the pandemic, sustainability is back atop business agendas.
Warehouses are integrating timers to control lighting, heat, water, gas and temperature, and road freights have adopted sensors on trucks to monitor tire pressure and fuel efficiency. Automation can predictively schedule vehicle maintenance to keep that part of the supply chain as green as possible.

The pandemic led to mass unemployment, resulting in key transportation and delivery links lacking staff. For example, the U.S. trucking industry is short 80,000 drivers, but many people who lost employment across a range of industries due to COVID-19 are now looking to move into the trucking sector. To better manage the recruitment process, technology can be used to attract, screen and retain talent that matches vacant roles.

Amid a spike in demand for personal protective equipment (PPE), such as masks, face shields and medical equipment like ventilators, 3D printers were able to manufacture these essential items and supply health services.

Mobile barcoding stepped up as a reliable practice during the pandemic. Workers across the industry used outdated manual processes, such as filling out forms with a pen. Instead, mobile barcoding has protected workers who are mindful of social distancing by digitally capturing the data so it can be shared accurately and efficiently, eliminating in-person contact and preventing further complications.
Digitising is the Future

The pandemic accelerated the adoption of technology, with 36% of executives saying COVID-19 accelerated the digital transformation of their supply chains. Such digital transformations are here to stay, and as businesses rely on processes such as mobile device deployment, rapid app development, incident management, operational intelligence and the management of Internet of Things (IoT) devices, they must find more ways to digitise processes and protect themselves from future crises by using technology to locate devices, remotely solve issues and access critical device data.

FedEx Logistics Moves into new Singapore Office

Posted on by David Priestman

FedEx Logistics, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) and provider of integrated solutions that facilitate global trade, announced the move of its office in Singapore to the city-state’s Changi Business Park, in the latest expansion of its Asia, Middle East, and Africa (AMEA) worldwide network.

“This move enables us to better serve our customers not just in the AMEA region but around the world,” said Patrick Moebel, President of FedEx Trade Networks. “Our local, regional, and global customers who trade with Singapore benefit from our global reach and the many integrated services and solutions offered by FedEx Logistics. We are continuing to deliver for our customers by helping them navigate global commerce with the guidance of local expertise.”

The FedEx Logistics Singapore office expansion further elevates the company’s overall global portfolio, providing one-source, end-to-end logistics solutions and delivering best-in-class services. FedEx Logistics Singapore operates a robust suite of supply chain services including air freight, ocean freight, customs brokerage, air and ocean consolidation service, multimodal transportation services of sea/air, air/sea and truck/air, and cross-dock services. The company also operates as the air and ocean gateway with its road freight network for Southeast Asian countries, including Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore.

The enhanced office demonstrates the company’s role in expanding global trade, building supply chain solutions, and facilitating the transportation of local products and services to customers around the world. FedEx Logistics AMEA region works within the global FedEx network to provide customers with logistics solutions to more than 220 countries and territories.

FedEx Logistics plays a key role within the FedEx portfolio with its comprehensive suite of integrated logistics solutions. The company provides air and ocean freight forwarding, supply chain solutions, customs brokerage, and trade management tools and data from a single trusted source.

Tive launches temperature logging label

Posted on by David Priestman

Tive, a global leader in supply chain and logistics technology, has announced the release of the Tive Tag. The Tive Tag is a long-life cloud-enabled temperature logger in the form factor of a flexible shipping label. Designed to break price point barriers, the Tive Tag provides a solution for first- and last-mile deliveries, warehouse operations, as well as over the road, rail, air, and ocean cold chain management.

Imagine a cloud-enabled temperature logger, in the form of a thin, flexible shipping label, and at half the cost of a conventional logger. Now make it last for a year, design it to be reused trip after trip during that year, and then give it a non-Lithium earth-friendly battery. Introducing the Tive Tag. It’s like a shipping label, says Tive – just one that has an incredible amount of tech embedded inside.

Tive already has a portfolio of award-winning cold chain innovations. The Tive Tag is a simple solution for shippers, retailers, cold storage operators, and last-mile delivery. Customers have an audit trail for compliance, the tag is air freight safe, and supports your ESG initiatives with minimal electronic waste. Simply stick, tap it with your phone, and ship.

Powerful Cold Chain Visibility

Start and stop the Tive Tag to define individual trips. Stick the Tag on a reusable plastic container (RPC), a carton, or a box and now you have proof of delivery and proof the cold chain was maintained. Go across town, coast-to-coast, or continent-to-continent. The Tive Tag makes shipping and receiving safe and easy.

“I’m really excited to show the Tive Tag to the world. We are committed to pushing the limits of possible, to deliver cutting edge products and services to global supply chain managers. Seamless like a shipping label, the Tive Tag puts amazing tech in the palm of your hand at a price the market has never seen,” said Krenar Komoni, Founder & CEO of Tive. “Customers have been searching for a last-mile solution, and cost has always been the barrier. The Tive Tag is the answer.”

 

Time to look after your assets

Posted on by David Priestman

At a time when companies are focused on keeping business costs to a minimum, a strict materials handling equipment maintenance and servicing regime is more important than ever, says Toyota Material Handling UK Ltd’s Service Sales Manager, Andy Pritchard.

Regardless of whether your business operates a single pallet truck or a large fleet of varied materials handling equipment, when sourcing forklift trucks it is important to deal with an organisation that has the infrastructure in place to guarantee the highest levels of lift truck service and maintenance support.

A regular servicing and maintenance regime is the best way of preventing significant truck downtime – and all the cost and disruption to a business that can entail. And, with repair costs for serious truck damage rising, a commitment to forklift maintenance and servicing is becoming more important than ever.

Toyota offers a range of after-sales care and support packages to suit the business needs of companies of all sizes operating in all industry sectors. For example, the ‘full service’ package involves a comprehensive parts and labour plan that covers preventative maintenance, breakdowns and parts used in service and breakdown repairs.

Most Toyota customers agree a planned service contract at the time that they buy or rent their truck or trucks. With the support of Toyota’s dedicated after-sales development team to guide them through the various options available, Toyota customers can choose their plan with complete confidence, safe in the knowledge that it will keep their trucks safe and in good working order to ensure that they get the most out of their materials handling equipment at all times.

Customer satisfaction is our number-one priority and we do everything we can to meet our customers’ needs and expectations. Since service is a key differentiator, it’s important to us and, of course, our customers, that we carry out preventative maintenance and any repairs that are required quickly and efficiently.

We apply the Toyota Service Concept, a structured approach to optimise our services that is based on 12 key values that include ‘Poka Yoke’ – a Japanese term that means ‘mistake-proofing’ or ‘inadvertent error prevention.’ For example, by constantly upgrading the quality of spare parts and checking them before shipping, we ensure that the right part will be delivered in time.

Across the UK we employ some 600 technicians. We guarantee to respond to a customer’s request for assistance within four working hours and have a 96% first time fix rate. We aim to get things right the first time so we make sure parts are available when they are needed. And, we service any make of truck – not just Toyota models – which is essential for those clients that operate mixed fleets.

95% of spare parts are always available and any Toyota parts that are not held in stock are delivered within 24 hours. The genuine Toyota parts used are designed and tested to be safe and to prevent equipment failure, which means downtime risk and repair costs are lower and a client’s operational efficiency and, therefore, profitability is increased.

 

 

Prologis Park Hams Hall fully occupied

Posted on by David Priestman

Prologis, one of the UK’s leading developers of logistics property, has successfully preleased all of speculatively built Prologis Park Hams Hall with final unit, DC4, being let to West Midlands-based AMG Logistics on a 15-year lease.

The full occupancy of the Park, ahead of practical completion later this summer, demonstrates the site’s strength and broad appeal particularly to both automotive and logistics sectors.

Spanning 85,000 sq ft, DC4, like all Prologis units, has sustainability built into the fabric of the building; Net zero carbon in construction, BREEAM-rated ‘Excellent’ and a projected EPC A rating.

This transaction follows on from Britishvolt recently preleasing Hams Hall DC2, a customer leading the way in sustainable, low-carbon battery innovation, and Hams Hall DC3 being snapped up by international multi-modal logistics operator, LTS Global Solutions.

Located only 10 miles from Birmingham city centre and one mile from M42 Junction 9, Prologis Park Hams Hall is strategically located to offer its customers prime accessibility in and around the Midlands, and further afield.

Andrew Griffiths, Managing Director, AMG Logistics, said: “We are delighted to secure DC4 Hams Hall to help facilitate our growth plans and take our business to the next level. Operating from a highly sustainable unit was a key factor for our customers and Prologis Park Hams Hall ticked all the boxes in that regard. It has been great to work with the Prologis team to get the deal over the line.”

Tom Price, Director, Capital Deployment and Leasing, Prologis UK, added: “Letting DC4 prior to its completion is testament to appetite within the market for top quality, well-located logistics property in and around the Midlands. Reaching full occupancy is a landmark moment for Hams Hall and we’re all looking forward to welcoming AMG Logistics and our other new customers to the park once the buildings are complete.”

Danny Nelson, Head of Industrial, Logistics and Distribution, Winvic Construction Ltd, concluded: “Our team has been working hard on site to deliver a further three high quality industrial facilities at Hams Hall for our client, Prologis. We are delighted to see the last unit, DC4, has been let and we are looking forward to handing over this sustainable facility to AMG Logistics at the end of the summer.”

 

Flexi brings new VNA truck ranges to IMHX

Posted on by David Priestman

IMHX 2022 will see the launch of Narrow Aisle Ltd’s latest Flexi ACiON (pictured) and Flexi LiTHiON VNA truck ranges.

With all drive, hydraulic and power-steering functions digitally controlled, the trucks in the Flexi ACiON (lead acid battery-powered) and Flexi LiTHiON (lithium-ion battery-powered) collections are described as a ‘tour de force’ in articulated lift truck drivability, reliability and battery energy saving.

The introduction of digitally controlled motors for steering and all other key functions delivers a more integrated truck performance and results in greater reliability, more pallets moved per hour and significantly reduced maintenance costs.

Full digital control means that all models are ultra-energy efficient: regenerative energy produced every time the truck’s mast is raised or lowered, as well as during forward and reverse travel and by movement of the steering wheel, feeds back to the battery to maximise the time that the truck can perform between battery changes or charges.

In addition, noise levels are significantly reduced and steering and mast control operations – whether using the lift/lower or sideshift functions – are carried out with optimum precision at all times.

But it is not just ‘under the bonnet’ where enhancements have been made: when developing the new Flexi ACiON and Flexi LiTHiON range, Narrow Aisle’s design team sought to produce the ultimate driver-friendly articulated forklift trucks on the market.

All aspects of operator visibility have been improved. For example, the trucks’ HiVis overhead guard has been redesigned and reconfigured to ensure perfect upward visibility of the forks and the load when stacking. The guard also features a soft grey finish that is proven by optometrists to be ‘easy on the eye’ to further aid the operator’s through vision.

Clear forward visibility is ensured by the use of three-stage lift masts, which feature four-lift cylinder technology that not only delivers full fork vision to make pallet entry clear and straightforward, but also provides class-leading lateral stability.

The latest Flexis have been developed to make order picking duties easier and safer. For instance, the ‘Halo bar’ feature provides the most comfortable single-handed action to mount or dismount the truck during intensive applications. All models are fitted with a fully weight adjustable premium seat which, combined with the trucks’ adjustable steering column, reduce operator fatigue – even during the longest shifts.

Models in Narrow Aisle’s Flexi ACiON and Flexi LiTHiON Truck ranges can operate safely and efficiently in aisles down to just 1.6m wide and can lift loads weighing up to 2.5 tonnes to heights of 14m. The Flexi’s 220° articulation feature that makes turning easier and faster is incorporated into all models in the range to ensure more pallet movements per hour.

In addition, visitors to the Narrow Aisle stand will be able to see the unique FlexiPick layer order picking system. The FlexiPick allows users to take advantage of the increasingly popular layer quantity FMCG order assembly concept. It allows retail customers to order boxed products on a larger quantity with up to five different products (SKU’s) per pallet, without the need to invest in the kind of high fixed cost automated handling technology that previous layer picking systems have relied upon.

Thanks to its articulated chassis design, the FlexiPiCK system is the perfect platform for layer picking technology. When using the FlexiPick full pallet loads of the most popular layer quantity products in the DC are arranged in an aisle format at ground level and with assembly stations positioned at the end of each aisle. The FlexiPick’s integrated hydraulic arms carefully lift single or multiple layers of product and deliver each individual layer picked to the assembly station where a load is made up of full layers.

The FlexiPiCK system works comfortably in access aisle of less than two metres – which hugely reduces the floor space footprint required. Furthermore, steel guidance rails are not required for the system to function at faster picking rates, which allows a more flexible load assembly aisle layout with more product options included.

Layer picking has become increasingly popular in the USA, where it is seen as a solution to manual handling stress injuries on high volume case picking operations. By picking orders in layers, FMCG companies can reduce case quantity picking costs by a huge amount – which provides opportunities to offer reduced costs to clients that place larger orders in layer quantities.

With its headquarters, design and manufacturing facilities in the UK, Narrow Aisle Ltd has supplied over 10,000 Flexi articulated forklift trucks to users throughout the world and has a global network of over 65 authorised distributors.

 

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