eGrocery specialist Picnic counts on TGW

Dutch online supermarket Picnic trusts in the expertise and experience of intralogistics specialist TGW once more. In the German town of Oberhausen, North Rhine-Westphalia, a powerful fulfilment centre will be built by summer 2024, securing Picnic’s further growth on the German market. Both companies are linked by a close collaboration: only months ago, their first jointly planned and implemented project, a logistics centre in Utrecht, celebrated its go-live.

Picnic was launched in Amersfoort in 2015 and has evolved into one of the leading European eGrocery suppliers within just a few years. The growing online supermarket with superior service is currently active in the Netherlands, Germany as well as France. Orders can be placed using an intuitive app, groceries are delivered using eco-friendly electric vehicles. If you order before 10 PM, fresh, chilled and frozen groceries will be delivered right to your door the next day. Thanks to the so-called “milkman principle”, the delivery is precisely on time and for free.

Three temperature zones

To continue its expansion on the German market, Picnic takes the next step and builds a highly automated fulfilment centre in the heart of the Ruhr area. TGW’s plans involve a FlashPick® system, which is powerful, reliable and extremely flexible and thus enables the best customer service at a high level of efficiency. A shuttle warehouse with 40 aisles is at the heart of the system: grocery and non-grocery items are stored at three different temperature ranges – 20°C, 4°C and -25°C.

Robots load the transport frames

Customer orders either start at one of more than 60 PickCenter One workstations or in the Zone-Picking area – these are mostly products with a large volume and fast-moving items. Then, the orders are consolidated in an automated buffer.

Shortly before the lorries leave to go to the local distribution points, items are retrieved towards a robot-assisted system developed by TGW, which loads the totes with the customer orders into the transport frames fully automatically, thereby creating more efficiency.

Thanks to the great performance of the FlashPick system, and the Picnic algorithms, the amount of orders that can be processed per hour are best in class. “The project in Oberhausen is another milestone and marks the next level of our cooperation with Picnic. Their renewed proof of trust is a great acknowledgement of our close collaboration”, Hans De Sutter, Managing Director TGW Benelux, is pleased to announce.

Frederik Nieuwenhuys, co-founder of Picnic adds: “TGW has been a great partner in co-creating this best-in-class facility. The combination of the Picnic tech team and the TGW technology shows that we can lead the industry to provide even better service to our clients.”

 

 

eGrocery specialist Picnic counts on TGW

Dutch online supermarket Picnic trusts in the expertise and experience of intralogistics specialist TGW once more. In the German town of Oberhausen, North Rhine-Westphalia, a powerful fulfilment centre will be built by summer 2024, securing Picnic’s further growth on the German market. Both companies are linked by a close collaboration: only months ago, their first jointly planned and implemented project, a logistics centre in Utrecht, celebrated its go-live.

Picnic was launched in Amersfoort in 2015 and has evolved into one of the leading European eGrocery suppliers within just a few years. The growing online supermarket with superior service is currently active in the Netherlands, Germany as well as France. Orders can be placed using an intuitive app, groceries are delivered using eco-friendly electric vehicles. If you order before 10 PM, fresh, chilled and frozen groceries will be delivered right to your door the next day. Thanks to the so-called “milkman principle”, the delivery is precisely on time and for free.

Three temperature zones

To continue its expansion on the German market, Picnic takes the next step and builds a highly automated fulfilment centre in the heart of the Ruhr area. TGW’s plans involve a FlashPick® system, which is powerful, reliable and extremely flexible and thus enables the best customer service at a high level of efficiency. A shuttle warehouse with 40 aisles is at the heart of the system: grocery and non-grocery items are stored at three different temperature ranges – 20°C, 4°C and -25°C.

Robots load the transport frames

Customer orders either start at one of more than 60 PickCenter One workstations or in the Zone-Picking area – these are mostly products with a large volume and fast-moving items. Then, the orders are consolidated in an automated buffer.

Shortly before the lorries leave to go to the local distribution points, items are retrieved towards a robot-assisted system developed by TGW, which loads the totes with the customer orders into the transport frames fully automatically, thereby creating more efficiency.

Thanks to the great performance of the FlashPick system, and the Picnic algorithms, the amount of orders that can be processed per hour are best in class. “The project in Oberhausen is another milestone and marks the next level of our cooperation with Picnic. Their renewed proof of trust is a great acknowledgement of our close collaboration”, Hans De Sutter, Managing Director TGW Benelux, is pleased to announce.

Frederik Nieuwenhuys, co-founder of Picnic adds: “TGW has been a great partner in co-creating this best-in-class facility. The combination of the Picnic tech team and the TGW technology shows that we can lead the industry to provide even better service to our clients.”

 

 

Digital technology helps mitigate climate change risk

Twenty-seven percent of supply chain leaders have conducted a climate change risk assessment to identify their most critical supply chain risks, according to a survey by Gartner, Inc. The survey among 320 supply chain leaders in December 2021 and January 2022 found that 18% of respondents have conducted both risk assessments and scenario planning (see Figure 1).

“The effects of climate change are hard to predict, but it is possible to model the risks and opportunities that might occur,” said Heather Wheatley, senior director analyst with the Gartner Supply Chain practice. “Chief supply chain officers (CSCOs) regularly assess various risks and opportunities as part of normal business – this must be done for climate change as well.”

Figure 1: How Organisations Assess Exposure to Climate Change Risk

According to the survey, 44% of respondents have a general sense of potential climate change risks based on previous events. This means they understand that climate change risks are materialising, but those risks are not methodically identified or quantified. However, the past is not a good predictor of future climate change events, as the severity and impact of events will escalate.

“Scenario planning is a crucial part of the process, as it highlights key elements of a possible future and helps draw attention to the key factors that will drive future developments. For example, in a future that includes raw material scarcity and trade uncertainty, organisations that rely on more resilient inputs such as drought resistant crops can gain a competitive advantage,” Wheatley said.

Lack of Foresight is Biggest Challenge

Climate adaptation must be included in investment decisions. For example, if building a new manufacturing plant, design considerations should be made for future climate change threats such as heat waves or water shortages. However, the need for financial investment can deter action. The top barriers to planning for climate change in the supply chain include a focus on short-term decision making (57%) and an inability to link the cause and investment to benefits (57%).

“Investments in climate adaptation require a certain level of foresight. An increasingly popular tool is the shadow carbon price, which applies a notional cost to greenhouse gas emissions, effectively translating a future risk into a present-day operational cost that attracts the attention of business leaders,” Wheatley said.

Technology Use Still in Infancy Stages

Only 19% of surveyed companies are using digital technology to help understand climate change risks. Of those organisations that are using technology, 85% are utilising predictive analysis. Examples of tools that could be used include geospatial analysis, drones and artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities such as ecological simulations. Many organisations are also partnering with external consultants to help model scenarios.

“For those organisations that are not using digital technology, it is unclear what information is being used to help model scenarios and to identify and assess risks. CSCOs should ensure that this blind spot is not overlooked,” Wheatley concluded.

 

Swedish sawmill orders electric forklift

Moelven Edanesågen AB, a sawmill based in Edane, in western Sweden is looking to reduce emissions and has ordered its first fully electric lift truck, the Konecranes E-VER electric forklift. The order was made in December 2021 and it arrived in May 2022.

Established in 1899, Moelven Group produces building products and systems in Norway and Sweden for the construction industry around the world. Its sawmill in Edane, central west Sweden, is one of its biggest facilities. As part of its operations, Moelven is using forklifts to move raw wood, equipment and products as they offer outstanding efficiency, safety and flexibility. Moelven wanted to expand its forklift fleet for more site capacity, and it has chosen Konecranes again.

“Moelven likes the new Konecranes E-VER electric forklift because its battery technology and zero emissions perfectly align with their sustainability goals,” says Håkan Lorén, District Manager for local dealer N.C. Nielsen. “In addition, its high quality, durability and eco-efficiency underline our own long-term commitment to the environment in the machines we offer to our customers.”

“Moelven bought their first lift truck from Konecranes in the 90s and have been with us ever since,” says Daniel Sjöstrand, Sales Director for Konecranes Lift Trucks. “Now, including the Konecranes E-VER electric forklift, they have 34 Konecranes lift trucks across their Scandinavian operations. N.C. Nielsen has been essential in this relationship, always providing excellent support when needed. We’re proud that Moelven is now ready to experience our next generation of lift trucks.”

The new lift truck at the Moelven site is a Konecranes E-VER 13.6-600C forklift, a sturdy lifting machine with a capacity of 13,600kg and a fully electric drivetrain, powered by lithium ion (Li-ion) batteries for energy efficiency and fast charging.

“A battery management system ensures the power source is optimised for performance and safety,” says Lisa Martinsson, Senior Project Manager for Electric Program for Konecranes Lift Trucks. “Smart systems integrate the E-VER with TRUCONNECT Remote Monitoring, a data collection system providing an almost real-time view of truck usage, for easier operations and maintenance planning.”

A range of special features maximise ergonomics, stability and safe handling in a sawmill environment, including an OPTIMA cabin for comfort and visibility, with mini-wheel steering and an air-cushion seat, mud flaps, a cross log bracket, fork levelling, central greasing, and extra external lights.

This new order is part of Ecolifting, Konecranes’ vision to increase its handprint – meaning the beneficial environmental impact that can be achieved with our product and service portfolio – while reducing customers’ carbon footprints. From eco-optimising diesel drives to hybridisation and fully electrified fleets, we will continue to do more with less.

 

Swedish sawmill orders electric forklift

Moelven Edanesågen AB, a sawmill based in Edane, in western Sweden is looking to reduce emissions and has ordered its first fully electric lift truck, the Konecranes E-VER electric forklift. The order was made in December 2021 and it arrived in May 2022.

Established in 1899, Moelven Group produces building products and systems in Norway and Sweden for the construction industry around the world. Its sawmill in Edane, central west Sweden, is one of its biggest facilities. As part of its operations, Moelven is using forklifts to move raw wood, equipment and products as they offer outstanding efficiency, safety and flexibility. Moelven wanted to expand its forklift fleet for more site capacity, and it has chosen Konecranes again.

“Moelven likes the new Konecranes E-VER electric forklift because its battery technology and zero emissions perfectly align with their sustainability goals,” says Håkan Lorén, District Manager for local dealer N.C. Nielsen. “In addition, its high quality, durability and eco-efficiency underline our own long-term commitment to the environment in the machines we offer to our customers.”

“Moelven bought their first lift truck from Konecranes in the 90s and have been with us ever since,” says Daniel Sjöstrand, Sales Director for Konecranes Lift Trucks. “Now, including the Konecranes E-VER electric forklift, they have 34 Konecranes lift trucks across their Scandinavian operations. N.C. Nielsen has been essential in this relationship, always providing excellent support when needed. We’re proud that Moelven is now ready to experience our next generation of lift trucks.”

The new lift truck at the Moelven site is a Konecranes E-VER 13.6-600C forklift, a sturdy lifting machine with a capacity of 13,600kg and a fully electric drivetrain, powered by lithium ion (Li-ion) batteries for energy efficiency and fast charging.

“A battery management system ensures the power source is optimised for performance and safety,” says Lisa Martinsson, Senior Project Manager for Electric Program for Konecranes Lift Trucks. “Smart systems integrate the E-VER with TRUCONNECT Remote Monitoring, a data collection system providing an almost real-time view of truck usage, for easier operations and maintenance planning.”

A range of special features maximise ergonomics, stability and safe handling in a sawmill environment, including an OPTIMA cabin for comfort and visibility, with mini-wheel steering and an air-cushion seat, mud flaps, a cross log bracket, fork levelling, central greasing, and extra external lights.

This new order is part of Ecolifting, Konecranes’ vision to increase its handprint – meaning the beneficial environmental impact that can be achieved with our product and service portfolio – while reducing customers’ carbon footprints. From eco-optimising diesel drives to hybridisation and fully electrified fleets, we will continue to do more with less.

 

Kite launches large letter postal boxes

Slim corrugated boxes offer rigid protection to small items while fitting into the Royal Mail’s PiP Large Letter specification. This minimises and regulates postal costs, enabling a business to maximise their overall profits.

Kite Packaging is now offering its brown large letter boxes in five different sizes to cater toward everything from gift cards and small jewellery items to A4 documents or certificates. The sturdy construction provides greater resistance to the normal knocks and bumps that occur during transit when compared to bubble mailers or envelopes.

Additionally, the cardboard boxes are an eco-friendly alternative to plastic mailers and can be kerbside recycled by a customer. The flaps fold inwards and can be secured with a small portion of paper tape to form a fully plastic-free, sustainable and recyclable packaging solution.

Green credentials are attractive to a modern-day eco-conscious customer. The ease and efficiency of the order also enhances the customer experience since the slim letterbox design allows the package to be safely posted even if the recipient is not in.

Kite says the compact and lightweight boxes with hinged lids are an aesthetic way of displaying products, making them highly appropriate for the ecommerce gift industry. The eco-friendly composition and economic benefits confirm their suitability for growing businesses seeking professional packaging.

 

 

 

 

Kite launches large letter postal boxes

Slim corrugated boxes offer rigid protection to small items while fitting into the Royal Mail’s PiP Large Letter specification. This minimises and regulates postal costs, enabling a business to maximise their overall profits.

Kite Packaging is now offering its brown large letter boxes in five different sizes to cater toward everything from gift cards and small jewellery items to A4 documents or certificates. The sturdy construction provides greater resistance to the normal knocks and bumps that occur during transit when compared to bubble mailers or envelopes.

Additionally, the cardboard boxes are an eco-friendly alternative to plastic mailers and can be kerbside recycled by a customer. The flaps fold inwards and can be secured with a small portion of paper tape to form a fully plastic-free, sustainable and recyclable packaging solution.

Green credentials are attractive to a modern-day eco-conscious customer. The ease and efficiency of the order also enhances the customer experience since the slim letterbox design allows the package to be safely posted even if the recipient is not in.

Kite says the compact and lightweight boxes with hinged lids are an aesthetic way of displaying products, making them highly appropriate for the ecommerce gift industry. The eco-friendly composition and economic benefits confirm their suitability for growing businesses seeking professional packaging.

 

 

 

 

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