IAG Cargo opens applications for Heathrow apprenticeships

IAG Cargo, the cargo division of International Airlines Group (IAG), has launched its 2023 apprenticeship scheme commencing in January which combines on the job operational training with recognised qualifications.

There are 14 roles available, working in the fast-paced environment at IAG Cargo’s hub at London-Heathrow. The scheme is designed to support and develop skills and knowledge in the air cargo industry whilst gaining confidence.

IAG Cargo first launched the apprenticeship scheme in 2012 and has since welcomed over 100 apprentices across the business. The 18-month programme has been designed to support a career in the cargo and logistics industry from the early age of 16+ and the scheme offers competitive benefits to include salary and discounts on flights. The scheme has a focus on the manual handling of freight, breaking and building units and operating equipment and machinery in a safe, secure and efficient environment. The deadline for applications is 16th October 2022.

Caroline Andrews, Chief People Officer at IAG Cargo said: “Our past and present apprentices have played a vital role in supporting our business to help keep the world’s economy turning and so I’m delighted to launch our latest apprenticeship scheme. With many school leavers keen to start their working lives this programme supports individuals to kick-start their career in such an important industry and we can’t wait to welcome them into our business.”

Zena Foley, Global ULD Logistics Manager began her career in 2012 and is now an integral part of the Supply Chain Operations at IAG Cargo: “I’ve always loved airports and aircraft, so when I saw this apprenticeship programme it immediately appealed to me. Not only did I receive hands-on experience and a qualification, but I was also earning too – university did not offer me this pathway.”

CLICK HERE to apply to IAG Cargo’s apprenticeship scheme.

 

 

Rite-Hite celebrates 30-year European anniversary

The Rite-Hite group of companies has reached a significant milestone in Europe – three decades of helping industrial firms to improve the safety, security and efficiency of their operations, especially in the area of intralogistics, through high quality products and services.

Soon after the company was founded in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1965, it quickly established a reputation for its pioneering work and numerous innovative product developments, such that by the early 1970s it was already known as a premier supplier of door and loading dock equipment in the American market.

The success of its US operations led to the opening of its first European branch in Holland in 1992, with a focus on products that would make the logistical flow of materials and goods within companies safer, more productive and more energy-efficient. A hydraulic dock leveller with integrated safety function to help prevent forklift crashes at the loading ramp was the very first Rite-Hite product to be sold in Europe, and one such leveller installed 30 years ago is still in operation.

After only a few years, the decision was made to invest in owned production sites on the European continent. After initial exploratory talks at an industrial fair in the early 2000s, Rite-Hite was able to acquire the dock leveller manufacturer CAEMA in Volkmarsen, Germany. This location thus became the European headquarters and has been trading as Rite-Hite GmbH since 2013.

The increasing demand for safely and efficiently transporting goods in the European market prompted Rite-Hite to rapidly expand its network within Europe. As part of its extensive dealer and service network, today, Rite-Hite has company-owned branches in Austria, France, Italy, the UK and the Netherlands and exclusive partners in all other major European countries. An additional production site is also maintained in Poland.

Showrooms have been built where customers can test products intensively, as well as a company-owned training centre where practical expert knowledge is delivered. This expansion has allowed Rite-Hite Europe to offer more industrial equipment solutions such as vehicle restraints, high speed doors, HVLS fans and safety barriers, in addition to the dock levellers they have always been known for.

In keeping with its motto of Always Looking Ahead, Rite-Hite is involved with the advancing digitalisation in logistics and intralogistics and is developing smart connected product solutions for the requirements of tomorrow. The company’s solutions for improving the carbon footprint of logistics properties are also attracting rapidly growing interest. A dedicated team of experts shows companies ways in which their buildings can be planned or modernised in a sustainable and energy-saving manner.

Thorsten Mauritz, European Marketing Manager for Rite-Hite, says that recently the company has been breaking new ground strategically and organisationally in Europe: “Numerous processes in production and administration have been successfully optimised with the help of modern lean management methods, which focus on the employees,” he explains.

“For this, the company was awarded the Lean Base ‘Newcomer’ Award 2022, among other prizes. In this context, the creation of a European corporate culture, with a solid system of values to which every employee can orientate themselves and which is based on respect, trust and team spirit, as well as diverse and extensive measures and investments to improve the attractiveness as an employer, were also decisive.

“As the company grows, the focus remains on meeting and exceeding the needs of customers and providing an excellent work environment for employees.”

Transaid exceeds 50,000 professional drivers trained in Africa

Transaid used its recent annual showcase event in London to celebrate two major road safety milestones met during 2022, whilst also highlighting the significant challenges facing its professional driver training projects in sub-Saharan Africa.

Speaking before an audience of around 100 corporate members and supporters, Road Safety Project Manager Neil Rettie announced that since 2008, Transaid had trained more than 100 professional driver trainers, who have in turn delivered training to more than 50,000 mostly HGV, PSV and forklift drivers – having a lasting impact on road safety standards.

CEO Caroline Barber paid special thanks to the industry for its steadfast support, saying: “Achieving these milestones in 2022 has only been possible thanks to our strong partnerships, incredible teams and partners in Africa, and the remarkable backing from the transport industry and those that fund our work. Despite another challenging year, your support has remained constant, and I know that you are as committed to Transaid’s mission as ever.”

Looking to the future, Neil said that Transaid must work hard to support female drivers in gaining employment after completing their training – explaining that when entering a male dominated sector, women are often compared directly to male candidates for employment who already have years of experience.

He also highlighted that the environmental impact of transport means Transaid will place a renewed focus on teaching fuel-efficient driving, whilst also adjusting training to cater for the introduction of buses and motorcycle taxis with electric drivelines. Neil also warned that spiralling shipping costs are making it unrealistically expensive for Transaid to send donor vehicles to countries where they are needed to establish and grow training fleets – and invited offers of assistance from logistics or shipping partners.

As well as shining a spotlight on Transaid’s breadth of road safety projects, which includes work with the FIA Foundation in Kenya to establish a national motorcycle helmet coalition, the event included an update on its access to health initiatives, which have continued apace in 2022 with implementation of the MAMaZ Against Malaria@Scale programme.

The showcase was also an opportunity to present the annual Victor Simfukwe Awards – which recognise outstanding contribution and are held in memory of the former Transaid team member who passed away in 2019 following a road traffic accident in Zambia.

GXO graduate Abbie Rennison was highly commended for her nine-month secondment to Transaid’s professional driver training work in Uganda, whilst former Transaid Chair Jo Godsmark, who stood down in the summer, won the overall award for her unwavering commitment to the organisation. Jo spent nine years on the board of trustees, including six years as Chair, and will next week take part in Transaid’s Cycle Malawi event – the latest in a string of major fundraising commitments.

The event was kindly hosted at the central London offices of law firm Ashurst LLP.

SiB Solutions expands UK business

SiB Solutions, the Swedish enabler of flawless logistics, is expanding its UK business to meet the growing interest in its services. Experienced logistics expert Paul Bowes (pictured) joins the company as Technical Project Manager.

Eridge Associates Ltd. has represented SiB Solutions in the UK since 2021. Eridge Associates Ltd is represented by Michael Marienfeld and David Bingham with a combined 50 years of logistics expertise. Now they will be supported by the logistics expert Paul Bowes as he joins SiB Solutions as Technical Project Manager. Paul will lead the expansion and oversee the start, implementation and training for instant improvements using its intelligent video and AI services to current and new customers.

SiB Solutions offers cutting-edge technologies including AI and intelligent video analysis to enable companies to achieve flawless logistics. Companies using the service instantly save time and money, dramatically improving quality through superior visibility, visual evidence and insights. This is evident to UK logistics-intensive companies who are looking for further ways to improve quality to gain extra profitability and a competitive advantage.

Cutting-edge solution

“What appealed about SiB Solutions to me was that they have come up with a cutting-edge solution to problems for logistics operations,” says Paul Bowes. “In the last five years, Internet shopping has exploded, and naturally brought problems of traceability and visibility of what is picked and what goes out of the door. Being able to validate claims using visual evidence puts an end to any supply chain blame game.”

“We have known about Paul for some time and he was the person we wanted to lead our expansion in the UK,” says Stefan Borg, CEO of SiB Solutions. “We see a huge market potential there. All you have to do is drive down the M1 and see the number of warehouses and distribution centres, both manual and automated. The potential for a service like ours that enables logistics professionals make almost instant improvements is huge.”

“As internet shopping becomes ever more popular, DCs have gone from full pallet movement to lots of small transactions. Pickers go on autopilot, doing the same routine thing day in day and mistakes happen”, says Stefan Borg, CEO of SiB Solutions. “Video clips let you see the whole process and work out any operational hiccups. UK logistics operators then get better in their practices and see where mistakes happen. Which is why we now have an expert in Paul with his more than 25 years of logistics expertise to help companies reach flawless logistics.”

Paul of course had the final word on why he wanted to work with SiB Solutions. “As soon as I spoke to the people at SiB Solutions and saw the potential I was hooked. What really did it for me was the enthusiasm, belief, and downright fun the company show that it has. A job shouldn’t just be a job, it should be a pleasure to go to work every day. That’s what I know I’m signing up to with SiB Solutions.”

 

TagID guided charging brings new standard

With TagID guided charging, Fronius says it is bringing a new standard to the market for charging lead-acid batteries. With this intelligent battery sensor system, users can optimise the entire charging process from implementation to ongoing monitoring of traction batteries.

Many companies are currently having to balance healthy order books with supply chains that are difficult to plan and an acute shortage of personnel. In times of rising costs and increasing workload, it is important to charge forklift batteries as economically as possible. “With our new TagID guided charging solution, fleet managers can increase the availability of their forklifts while reducing the internal workload,” explains Johannes Spreitzer, strategic product manager at Fronius Perfect Charging. “In addition, TagID guided charging makes an important contribution to avoiding incorrect battery handling, increasing user safety and extending the service life of the battery,” adds Spreitzer.

Optimal supply to the batteries

The regular servicing of traction batteries can often get overlooked in busy warehouses. When developing the TagID, the Fronius Perfect Charging team made sure that these tasks are carried out largely automatically.

“TagID continuously measures the various physical variables of the batteries. Based on this data, our battery chargers provide a particularly gentle and efficient charge,” says Spreitzer. For example, the intelligent battery sensor system can detect whether a battery is deeply discharged and automatically starts the corresponding desulphation process, while an integrated level sensor signals when battery fluid needs to be refilled. The so-called ’automatic ionic circulation’ feature prevents acid stratification in the battery, which has a positive effect on the battery life.

Efficient charging with Plug & Charge

If lead-acid batteries are connected to the TagID and Selectiva 4.0 chargers from Fronius, fleet managers can rely on a charging infrastructure that is as efficient as possible. Thanks to the self-configuration curve, characteristics no longer have to be set manually, but automatically adapt to the battery state of charge. Optimum charging is thus ensured at all times.

Equalising charges are only carried out with the Intelligent Equalising Charge function if the battery actually requires it, reducing energy consumption by up to four percent. This both cuts energy costs and makes an important contribution to greater sustainability.

Users no longer have to worry about ambient temperatures either. The TagID is equipped with a temperature sensor as standard and automatically adjusts the charge to the temperature of the battery.

“We have set ourselves the goal of making the charging of lead-acid batteries as efficient, sustainable and simple as possible. With TagID guided charging, this is now becoming a reality,” says Spreitzer.

The TagID can be configured using the NFC interface via the TagID Config app and automatically checks whether the voltage value of the battery entered during configuration matches the actual measured value.

Johannes Spreitzer, strategic product manager at Fronius Perfect Charging, is convinced that TagID guided charging will establish a new standard for charging traction batteries.

Toyota reveals winner of Logistic Design Competition

Toyota Material Handling Europe and Toyota Europe Design Development have presented the winners of this year’s Toyota Logistic Design Competition. The response was huge: over 1,500 registrations and 203 final submissions.

A panel of design experts chose 10 finalists in a first round, with a second jury of industry experts picking the final winners. Toyota Logistic Design Competition 2022, Category Gold Award Winner is Jacob Abraham from University of Houston, USA, with ´Oro´.

Oro delivery module is a design solution that optimises final mile delivery vehicles in dense urban environments. Inspired by Toyota, the product has clear DNA from both the Toyota logistics and mobility side. Delivery modules can travel through areas inaccessible to most delivery vehicles, especially obstructed pathways.

“Oro with its ‘walkie’ function makes it extremely manoeuvrable in narrow spaces. One of the many great ideas coming out of our dialogue with young designers. After eight years the competition has submissions from 123 countries, showcasing revolutionary ideas around urban micrologistics,” comments Magnus Oliveira Andersson, Head of Design at Toyota Material Handling Europe.

“We enjoyed working with Laurent and his team and all of us will be back with a new edition next year, challenging the students to come up with logistic and mobility solutions for Paris 2024, “ concludes Andersson.

Laurent Bouzige, Chief Designer Strategy and new Mobility at Toyota Europe Design Development, agrees: “We are delighted to have been able to participate in this competition for the first time, collaborating with Toyota Material Handling Europe. It wasn’t an easy task to select the finalists as the quality of the works was remarkable, breathtakingly creative, and fresh! Many aspects of mobility service were well-thought through, the proposals were mature, relevant, and inspiring. All the stakeholders’ works, and the participants too, are all highly appreciated. We are already looking forward to the next edition.”

The Silver Award went to Zsófia Mátravölgyi from Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design Budapest, Hungary, with ´Oasis´.  Oasis is a pick-up and drop-off point system focused on the downtown. Its aim is to make last-mile delivery easier with minimal impact on social spaces and to help reduce the congestion of urban traffic with an alternative hybrid delivery method.

Nicholas Orie, from California State University, USA, with ‘Mitsubachi’ received the Bronze Award. The Toyota Mitsubachi solution is a modular, autonomous drone fleet, integrated in warehouses and urban micro hubs, designed to streamline the process of handling, and organising goods.

All finalists are awarded with cash prizes and will have the opportunity to apply for a six-month paid internship at the Toyota Material Handling Design Center, either in Sweden or Italy, and at Toyota Europe Design Centre, ED², in France.

At this edition, ED² identified the high-potential idea of E-Cargo Bike, designed by Marius Cramer, from Umeå Institute of Design, Sweden.  Former president of ED², Ian Cartabiano, now Vice President Advanced Design at Calty Design Research in USA, together with the executive juror, decided to give a special award to this project.  Currently, Marius is doing his 6-month internship at ED2 thanks to this special mention.

The award ceremony was held during Logiconomi 2022, a unique two-day event bringing together 600 logistics professionals and industry leaders to address the many challenges logistics is facing today, presenting solutions and providing inspiration.

CLICK HERE to see the winning design work.

Five success factors for supply chain design

The right supply chain design is becoming a crucial competitive advantage for companies around the globe, writes Ralf Duester, board member of SCM software provider Setlog.

“Form follows function”: anyone who is into architecture knows the principle which was preached by the so-called German Bauhaus representatives at the beginning of the 20th century. Even better than in architecture, the influence of “form follows function” can be seen in the products developed at the Bauhaus. The use of new materials and technologies opened completely new perspectives in the development of everyday objects – not least from an economic point of view. This is just as true for chairs as it is for desk lamps.

What does lamp design have to do with the design of modern supply chains? To put it bluntly, you could say that the Bauhaus principle figuratively sets the tone for the design of value chains. Why? Because, on one hand, customer demands are increasing – for example, in quick commerce, deliveries are already specified in minutes. On the other hand, the challenges in SCM are increasing because supply chain interruptions are threatening companies more and more often. Accidents, climate change, pandemics and political crises are just some of the many causes.

Supply chain design is the basis for strategic supply chain planning. Proper design thus becomes a key competitive advantage for companies. Managers must therefore provide their teams with robust mechanisms and modern technologies to help them manage supply chain complexity. Tools include scenario planning, cross-functional communication and AI-supported decision-making.

Five factors will play a key role in shaping supply chains in the future:

Aligning the supply chain with the customer: Companies’ focus on what customers want is now more important than ever. Amazon & Co. have led the way. The dilemma: in meeting customer demands, both the timely availability of goods and logistics costs need to be taken into consideration. To find optimal solutions, a customer-centric supply chain must be data-driven.

The end-to-end optimisation of global networks: International supply chains that span across multiple channels and serve different markets are extremely complex. It is no longer possible to manually turn screws. The usage of simulations and machine learning methods supports the optimisation of global networks.

The sustainable design of supply chains: For most companies, sustainability is now a high priority – which is why supply chains are moving more into the focus of management. Sustainable supply chain design is not an option, but an obligation. However, costs cannot be ignored in the decision making either. That’s why modern methods and digital tools need to be used to assess the economic, social and environmental costs of supply chains.

Designing the supply chain against the backdrop of risk: whether it’s Fukushima, Covid or the war in Ukraine, supply chain disruptions and uncertainties cannot be prevented. Therefore, new methods for integrating risk and resilience need to be used in supply chain design. Scenario planning is a tool to forge resilient chains. Risks need to be played out at different stages. And models must be developed that enable the highest performance and return on investment (ROI) across a range of scenarios.

The use of software to create transparency: whether inbound logistics, supplier management or CSR: data silos within a company will only be broken down if all departments communicate in a shared tool to which external supply chain partners are also connected – sub-sub-suppliers as well as procurement agencies, technicians, laboratories, or freight forwarders, for example. This is the only way to achieve transparency in the supply chain. Any disruption in the material flow can then be communicated to all players in real time.

Linde approves biofuel for IC trucks

Fleet operators using diesel forklifts from Linde Material Handling (MH) can now reduce their CO2 emissions by up to 90% through the use of hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO). This fossil-free fuel has the additional benefits of providing extra power to the engine and giving cleaner combustion, while not requiring any adaptations to the refuelling infrastructure and offering the option of being blended with regular diesel.

HVO diesel is made from 100% renewable raw materials and does not release any new carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. It is produced by hydrotreating from various vegetable oils, animal fats, and waste and residual materials, such as used cooking oils and fats from restaurants and the food industry. Its chemical structure is almost identical to that of conventional diesel and can therefore replace it completely.

“By approving this fuel for our diesel forklift engines, we are giving our customers the chance to massively reduce the carbon footprint of their diesel forklifts without having to invest a single cent in additional infrastructure,” says Frank Bergmann, Senior Product Manager Counterbalanced Forklifts. The cost per litre of HVO diesel, the expert adds, is slightly higher than that of standard diesel. But this is more than offset by the improved sustainability factor.

HVO advantages

In addition to reducing CO2 emissions by up to 90% compared to conventional diesel, local emissions such as particulate matter, nitrogen oxide (NOX), hydrocarbons (HC) and carbon monoxide (CO) are also reduced, which has a positive impact on the working environment of employees. In addition, HVO diesel has a higher propensity to ignite (cetane number), which results in efficient and clean combustion and reduces soot formation in engines and exhaust systems.

The fuel’s high performance even at temperatures as low as -22°C opens up a wide range of application options. Last but not least, the ability to flexibly blend HVO is a convincing argument: The fuel can be used in its pure form or in any mixing ratio with fossil diesel and requires no hardware adjustments to the IC truck.

Linde MH has approved the biofuel for both its current industrial trucks and most predecessor series in the load capacity range from 1.4 to 18 tonnes. “All customers who are unable to switch to electric forklifts in the short term can now improve their carbon footprint by changing to HVO,” states Bergmann.

Yale launches configurable Series N

The Yale Series N has the potential to be game-changing for customers with its configurable features, allowing them to redefine the way they operate with a bespoke lift truck to meet the unique demands of their applications.

“Customers in warehouse and logistics, automotive and food industries can elevate their success by integrating the Series N into their applications,” explained Phil Mean, Product Strategy Manager at Yale Europe Materials Handling. “Our dealers and sales team know how to get to the root of an application’s individual needs and define a precise lift truck specification that gives our customers exactly what they require. The configurability of the range sets a new level of excellence in lift truck solutions – so we thought we could outline what a Series N in each industry may look like.”

Warehouse & Logistics

Warehouse and logistics operators are often required to regularly get on and off the truck during their normal operational tasks. The Series N has a number of features to help the operator get quickly and safely off the truck.

The step position offers excellent ingress and egress, which combined with the overhead guard position minimises twist as the operator climbs into the cab, reducing the flex in an operator’s back and torso. A large step is one of three points of contact, alongside a convenient handle for the left hand and the seat’s flip-up armrest to provide the operator a secure way of getting into the truck.

As the cornerstone of the supply chain, warehousing and logistics operations are likely to require trucks that work in both indoor and outdoor environments. The addition of high-output LED lights on a Series N provides superior illumination in dark conditions. Where trucks are used in outdoor areas, the cab can be configured for various climates. Features such as heaters or air conditioning can be specified.

When frequently placing loads on racks in warehouses, visibility to the load, forks, racking and stored loads is key for the operator. The Series N has a wide mast window, helping the operator to see the load every time they lift. It can also be fitted with a fork laser line, helping to reduce operator guesswork during high lifting.

Automotive Industry

Automotive customers have similar demands to those of warehouse and logistics operations, with some key additional challenges.

An industry-wide drive for efficiency in logistics has led to the use of more lightweight and returnable packaging – and with it, an increased risk of damage to the packaging from the forklift. The Yale Series N offers some excellent options to reduce this risk, allowing packages to be handled carefully.

This includes a new hydraulic system, which offers improved sensitivity and fine control. Together with industry-leading drive systems, the truck enables operators to consistently and accurately place loads.

Food Industry

In the food industry, it is common practice for customers to have light but bulky loads, which can limit forward visibility, therefore increasing the need for more reverse driving.

To facilitate manoeuvring in reverse, users can benefit from a rear drive handle with horn option. The handle is conveniently located on the rear overhead guard leg and helps to reduce strain on the operator’s back when driving in reverse. The addition of the horn button allows an operator to use the horn function without having to remove their hand from the steering wheel. While operators should keep an eye in the direction of travel, a reverse camera option can support visibility behind the truck, especially when manoeuvring and first moving away.

Tall loads are often block stacked, which bring its own operational issues. They can be less secure on the forks due to the high centre of gravity, especially when stacked on top of each other. The Yale Series N has a number of features to help, from a simple load back rest to the Dynamic Stability System, where truck performance is limited during high lift situations.

“There are even more features and options offered by our Series N range that can add value to customers’ operations. This is an incredibly exciting product, engineered to help raise the levels of efficiency and productivity for our customers and their employees. We encourage anyone interested in learning more about the range to get in touch with our team today and find out how the Series N can help them set their own standard,” concluded Mean.

Sparck manager receives SCM award

Jo Bradley, Sparck Technologies’ UK business development manager, has been selected as an award recipient of Supply & Demand Chain Executive’s prestigious 2022 Women in Supply Chain Awards.

The Women in Supply Chain Awards honour female supply chain leaders and executives whose accomplishments, mentorship and examples set a foundation for women in all levels of a company’s supply chain network. This year over 280 submissions were received.

Jo has been a high profile evangelist for the advancement of eco-friendly packaging in the ecommerce sector for the past six years. Her work, raising industry awareness as to the wasteful practice of using oversized boxes for ecommerce deliveries, has helped establish automated right-sized packaging as an accepted and transformative technology for the industry.

Sparck Technologies’ Richard Nijboer, director of sales & services, said: “This award is fitting recognition of Jo’s determination to change the way that ecommerce supply chains approach packaging. Jo believes that she can make a difference, by encouraging the industry to do the right thing for the planet and for the sound business principles of capacity, performance and cost. She passionately believes that right-sized packaging is the sustainable way forward for the ecommerce sector.

“Her determination to deliver change is just one of Jo’s many fine qualities. She has an entrepreneurial spirit and a creative mind that thinks both ‘inside and outside’ the box. Everyone at Sparck is delighted that Jo has received this prestigious award.”

With the capability to tailor-make up to 1,100 packages per hour, for multiple or single item orders, Sparck Technologies’ CVP Everest and CVP Impack packaging systems effortlessly create, fill, fold and label each parcel in one seamless process – reducing package volumes by up to 50%, cutting cardboard usage by 30% and eliminating the need for void fill.

Through her efforts, Jo has achieved considerable success positioning the machines at some of the UK’s largest retailers – including ASDA, The White Company, Boots and Frasers.

Commenting on the Award, Jo Bradley said: “Receiving a Women in Supply Chain Award has been both a wonderful surprise and a great honour. In many ways this Award is industry recognition of the important roll eco-friendly packaging plays in the supply chain – saving materials, transit space and energy.”

 

Subscribe

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