Subscribe

Month: September 2022

Be smart and take full control of site inspections

Posted on by Keith McKinley

[ADVERTORIAL]

Increase inspection efficiency with Scafftag‘s reliable holders and inserts that can communicate the safety status of any type of equipment at the point of use. Furthermore, planning, inspecting and reporting can be streamlined, customised and largely automated to save time with SafeTrak software and app. Discover complete solution from Scafftag – A Brady Company.

Visual Tagging solutions from Scafftag

Visual Tagging solutions communicate the latest equipment inspection and status at the point of use and record an audit trail of equipment maintenance, tests and inspections to comply with health and safety legislation.

Scafftag inspection tag systems help control pre-shift inspections, maintenance and identification of all and any aspect of site and/or equipment, improving workplace safety and communication. Scafftag offers visual tagging systems to meet your needs for a wide variety of applications, including (but not limited to) hoarding, fencing, temporary works, spill, fire and first aid, excavations and excavators…

Clear communication at the point of use

When properly used and applied on equipment and in plain view, Scafftag can always communicate the latest equipment status to anyone who wants to use a specific piece of equipment. Tags are available for almost any tool or equipment, including ladders, scaffolds, drills, vehicles and engines. Inspection records on the tag’s insert will show when equipment was considered fit for use. When equipment fails inspection, the inspector can remove the insert to show a clear ‘Do not use’ message on the tag’s holder. In this way, Scafftag helps prevent costly workplace accidents resulting from the use of unfit equipment.

The majority of our solutions comprise two components – a holder attached to the asset or equipment, and replaceable inserts to record latest inspection and notable data. This creates a simple three-stage looped process for latest equipment status and a clear data trail:

  1. Empty holder displays: Do not Use, Do not enter, Inspection Required, etc…
  2. Equipment is inspected periodically, the insert is completed and placed in the holder.
  3. If equipment should not be used, remove the insert from holder.

This ensures you have a permanent data trail of inspections and work carried out, as well as evidence in a court of law if you need it.

Extremely robust and reliable

Scafftag holders and inserts are designed to last in extreme outdoor conditions. Holders are made out of ABS or Nylon and will rarely break. The polypropylene inserts can withstand water, oil and dirt while still being easy to write on. Both the holder and insert can resist prolonged UV exposure in order to stay legible in construction sites.

Both the holders and removable inserts are highly customisable and can support the standardisation of inspection procedures. A QR code can also be printed on the inserts or holders to activate a digital inspection flow via a smartphone and Safetrak software, complete with inspection planning management and automatic inspection report generation.

Discover a wide range of tools and equipment you can immediately increase compliance for in our guide “OPTIMISE EQUIPMENT SAFETY”

CLICK HERE to download the free guide.

 

Kite Packaging extends Coventry campus

Posted on by David Priestman

Adding almost 190,000 sq ft, Kite Packaging’s Coventry capacity now stands at 380,000 sq ft, offering a considerably larger inventory to clients. With space for c.40,000 pallets, Kite says great stock availability is guaranteed. An additional 30,000 sq ft of space in Unit 2 awaits expansion as the company continues to grow, with plans to increase Coventry personnel to 170 people.

Significant investment went into furnishing the new site, with Kite supporting the local economy by hiring Midlands-based contractors where possible. The units feature new IT infrastructure and energy-efficient machinery, with 18 new forklifts, 14 low-level order pickers, and a conveyor system to streamline warehouse processes. With no shortage for space, Kite’s mobile packaging laboratory has its very own parking place when it is not out on visits.

Complete with a meeting room suite, exceptional canteen and breakout space, the campus also boasts a dedicated educational facility which Kite describes as “like no other in our industry”, providing on-site training for employees and customers as well as a great work environment. Surrounding wildlife has been preserved and landscaped with walkway access, benefitting the employees without disturbing the natural environment.

The move saw more green initiatives accommodated, enabling Kite to refine its existing sustainable operations in its new home. While modern insulation and smart lighting are employed for energy efficiency, the site has also been fitted with solar panels to source renewable power. A campus-wide recycling initiative has been implemented, along with Kite having its very own on-site water recycling plant for self-sufficiency. To add, electric vehicle charging points have been installed across the premises with the opportunity to add more if the need arises.

Kite Packaging extends Coventry campus

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Adding almost 190,000 sq ft, Kite Packaging’s Coventry capacity now stands at 380,000 sq ft, offering a considerably larger inventory to clients. With space for c.40,000 pallets, Kite says great stock availability is guaranteed. An additional 30,000 sq ft of space in Unit 2 awaits expansion as the company continues to grow, with plans to increase Coventry personnel to 170 people.

Significant investment went into furnishing the new site, with Kite supporting the local economy by hiring Midlands-based contractors where possible. The units feature new IT infrastructure and energy-efficient machinery, with 18 new forklifts, 14 low-level order pickers, and a conveyor system to streamline warehouse processes. With no shortage for space, Kite’s mobile packaging laboratory has its very own parking place when it is not out on visits.

Complete with a meeting room suite, exceptional canteen and breakout space, the campus also boasts a dedicated educational facility which Kite describes as “like no other in our industry”, providing on-site training for employees and customers as well as a great work environment. Surrounding wildlife has been preserved and landscaped with walkway access, benefitting the employees without disturbing the natural environment.

The move saw more green initiatives accommodated, enabling Kite to refine its existing sustainable operations in its new home. While modern insulation and smart lighting are employed for energy efficiency, the site has also been fitted with solar panels to source renewable power. A campus-wide recycling initiative has been implemented, along with Kite having its very own on-site water recycling plant for self-sufficiency. To add, electric vehicle charging points have been installed across the premises with the opportunity to add more if the need arises.

Garbe converts military training ground to logistics

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Garbe Industrial Real Estate GmbH has secured a conversion area of around 76,000 sq m in Thuringia. The site is the final large plot in the Eisenach Kindel industrial estate in the municipality of Hörselberg-Hainich (Wartburgkreis). A new production and logistics property is to be constructed there for the tenant BCUBE Logistik GmbH by September 2023. Garbe Industrial Real Estate is investing around €40m in the project.

“The area we acquired from the Free State of Thuringia is part of a former military training ground,” explains Adrian Zellner, Member of the Executive Board at Garbe Industrial Real Estate. “During the revitalisation, one focus is therefore on the detection and professional removal of possible combat ordnance and ammunition remnants, as well as on compensating for the enormous height difference. Thanks to our many years of expertise, we are currently on schedule with the conversion of the former brownfield site and want to start construction of the new property before the end of September.”

A state-of-the-art production and logistics property with a total area of around 35,000 sq m is to be built there. BCUBE Logistik GmbH has already been confirmed as the tenant. The company is part of the BCUBE Group, one of the leading international companies for integrated logistics services, employing around 6,700 people worldwide and serving customers in the automotive, aviation and plant engineering sectors.

“With the new hall, we are significantly expanding our previous capacities in Eisenach and creating around 80 jobs at this new location”, says Frank Schöppach, Managing Director of BCUBE Logistik GmbH. “Customised contract logistics operations for a well-known automotive supplier will be handled there in the future. In addition to production supply, packing kit creation, the pre-assembly of components and quality inspection, this will also include the industrial cleaning of standard and specialised load carriers.”

For this purpose, the production and logistics property will be pre-equipped for the installation of two wet and two dry cleaning systems and sealed in accordance with the protective measures for water-polluting substances under the Water Resources Act (WHG). To enable efficient loading and unloading, 30 ramp gates with dock levellers and five ground-level sectional gates are envisaged – as well as parking spaces for 102 cars and nine trucks on the outdoor area.

In addition, the site impresses with its central position in the middle of Germany. The industrial estate is only about 10km from the city of Eisenach and is located directly on the B 84. After only 3km, the Eisenach-Ost junction to the A 4 Bad Hersfeld–Dresden road can be reached without having to drive through built-up areas. This means that BCUBE Logistik GmbH will benefit from short distances between their locations and excellent connections to the motorway network.

Garbe Industrial Real Estate is attaching great importance to sustainability in the construction of the property. “We generally develop our projects according to current ecological standards and ESG criteria. This is part of our corporate strategy,” emphasises Adrian Zellner. As a result, the new building in Hörselberg-Hainich is being constructed according to the specifications of the efficiency building class 55 of the Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau/Reconstruction Loan Corporation (KfW).

A photovoltaic system covering the entire roof area of the production and logistics hall is planned to produce regenerative energy. Garbe Industrial Real Estate is aiming for certification according to the Gold Standard of the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB) for this new property.

Garbe converts military training ground to logistics

Posted on by David Priestman

Garbe Industrial Real Estate GmbH has secured a conversion area of around 76,000 sq m in Thuringia. The site is the final large plot in the Eisenach Kindel industrial estate in the municipality of Hörselberg-Hainich (Wartburgkreis). A new production and logistics property is to be constructed there for the tenant BCUBE Logistik GmbH by September 2023. Garbe Industrial Real Estate is investing around €40m in the project.

“The area we acquired from the Free State of Thuringia is part of a former military training ground,” explains Adrian Zellner, Member of the Executive Board at Garbe Industrial Real Estate. “During the revitalisation, one focus is therefore on the detection and professional removal of possible combat ordnance and ammunition remnants, as well as on compensating for the enormous height difference. Thanks to our many years of expertise, we are currently on schedule with the conversion of the former brownfield site and want to start construction of the new property before the end of September.”

A state-of-the-art production and logistics property with a total area of around 35,000 sq m is to be built there. BCUBE Logistik GmbH has already been confirmed as the tenant. The company is part of the BCUBE Group, one of the leading international companies for integrated logistics services, employing around 6,700 people worldwide and serving customers in the automotive, aviation and plant engineering sectors.

“With the new hall, we are significantly expanding our previous capacities in Eisenach and creating around 80 jobs at this new location”, says Frank Schöppach, Managing Director of BCUBE Logistik GmbH. “Customised contract logistics operations for a well-known automotive supplier will be handled there in the future. In addition to production supply, packing kit creation, the pre-assembly of components and quality inspection, this will also include the industrial cleaning of standard and specialised load carriers.”

For this purpose, the production and logistics property will be pre-equipped for the installation of two wet and two dry cleaning systems and sealed in accordance with the protective measures for water-polluting substances under the Water Resources Act (WHG). To enable efficient loading and unloading, 30 ramp gates with dock levellers and five ground-level sectional gates are envisaged – as well as parking spaces for 102 cars and nine trucks on the outdoor area.

In addition, the site impresses with its central position in the middle of Germany. The industrial estate is only about 10km from the city of Eisenach and is located directly on the B 84. After only 3km, the Eisenach-Ost junction to the A 4 Bad Hersfeld–Dresden road can be reached without having to drive through built-up areas. This means that BCUBE Logistik GmbH will benefit from short distances between their locations and excellent connections to the motorway network.

Garbe Industrial Real Estate is attaching great importance to sustainability in the construction of the property. “We generally develop our projects according to current ecological standards and ESG criteria. This is part of our corporate strategy,” emphasises Adrian Zellner. As a result, the new building in Hörselberg-Hainich is being constructed according to the specifications of the efficiency building class 55 of the Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau/Reconstruction Loan Corporation (KfW).

A photovoltaic system covering the entire roof area of the production and logistics hall is planned to produce regenerative energy. Garbe Industrial Real Estate is aiming for certification according to the Gold Standard of the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB) for this new property.

ASRV replaces paper-based practices with Descartes solution

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Descartes Systems Group, a global leader in uniting logistics-intensive businesses in commerce, has announced that San Diego-based ASRV, a leading high performance sportswear brand, has replaced its manual paper-based order fulfilment practices in its warehouse with Descartes’ combined e-Commerce warehouse management and shipping solution to meet rising order volumes, tighten inventory control and hone the customer experience.

“At ASRV, we are inspired to continually innovate our products and we recognised that we needed to reimagine fulfilment operations to enrich the customer experience and facilitate our ability to grow,” said David Chang, Head of Operations, at ASRV. “By building our fulfilment tech stack around the Descartes solution, we can maintain accurate inventory levels for our 2,000 SKUs, efficiently ship thousands of orders per month and easily scale to meet escalating demand and order volume spikes.”

Descartes’ e-Commerce warehouse management solution helps direct-to-consumer brands and e-Commerce retailers drive significant efficiencies across order fulfilment processes to optimise the customer experience. It helps retailers ship the right items on time, prevents overselling of existing inventory, and provides full transparency into warehouse operations. The cloud-based solution is pre-integrated with major e-Commerce platforms, like Channel Advisor, Shopify Plus, Magento and others, to accelerate implementation and time to value.

Descartes’ multi-carrier shipping solution is integrated with its e-Commerce warehouse management solution to seamlessly execute its entire e-Commerce fulfilment process, improving warehouse accuracy and productivity, reducing order lead-time, and minimising shipping costs. One of the most widely integrated multi-carrier shipping platforms available, the quick-to-deploy solution allows businesses to grow their shipping volume through advanced automation capabilities, a powerful business rule engine, and a strong set of APIs for rating, shipping and tracking. The solution also connects e-Commerce companies to their parcel and LTL carriers of choice using their own negotiated rates or using rate discounts available through the platform.

“An outstanding customer experience is critical to e-Commerce success, and we’re pleased to help ASRV eliminate manual processes with our e-Commerce warehouse and shipping solution to improve fulfilment performance,” said Troy Graham, VP Business Development at Descartes. “The automation our solution brings also provides e-Commerce companies with the ability to quickly scale their operations to meet demand peaks, but without necessarily having to significantly increase resources to meet them.”

 

ASRV replaces paper-based practices with Descartes solution

Posted on by David Priestman

Descartes Systems Group, a global leader in uniting logistics-intensive businesses in commerce, has announced that San Diego-based ASRV, a leading high performance sportswear brand, has replaced its manual paper-based order fulfilment practices in its warehouse with Descartes’ combined e-Commerce warehouse management and shipping solution to meet rising order volumes, tighten inventory control and hone the customer experience.

“At ASRV, we are inspired to continually innovate our products and we recognised that we needed to reimagine fulfilment operations to enrich the customer experience and facilitate our ability to grow,” said David Chang, Head of Operations, at ASRV. “By building our fulfilment tech stack around the Descartes solution, we can maintain accurate inventory levels for our 2,000 SKUs, efficiently ship thousands of orders per month and easily scale to meet escalating demand and order volume spikes.”

Descartes’ e-Commerce warehouse management solution helps direct-to-consumer brands and e-Commerce retailers drive significant efficiencies across order fulfilment processes to optimise the customer experience. It helps retailers ship the right items on time, prevents overselling of existing inventory, and provides full transparency into warehouse operations. The cloud-based solution is pre-integrated with major e-Commerce platforms, like Channel Advisor, Shopify Plus, Magento and others, to accelerate implementation and time to value.

Descartes’ multi-carrier shipping solution is integrated with its e-Commerce warehouse management solution to seamlessly execute its entire e-Commerce fulfilment process, improving warehouse accuracy and productivity, reducing order lead-time, and minimising shipping costs. One of the most widely integrated multi-carrier shipping platforms available, the quick-to-deploy solution allows businesses to grow their shipping volume through advanced automation capabilities, a powerful business rule engine, and a strong set of APIs for rating, shipping and tracking. The solution also connects e-Commerce companies to their parcel and LTL carriers of choice using their own negotiated rates or using rate discounts available through the platform.

“An outstanding customer experience is critical to e-Commerce success, and we’re pleased to help ASRV eliminate manual processes with our e-Commerce warehouse and shipping solution to improve fulfilment performance,” said Troy Graham, VP Business Development at Descartes. “The automation our solution brings also provides e-Commerce companies with the ability to quickly scale their operations to meet demand peaks, but without necessarily having to significantly increase resources to meet them.”

 

Hydrogen fuel cell “more efficient than diesel engines”

Posted on by David Priestman

Loop Energy, a designer and manufacturer of hydrogen fuel cells for commercial mobility, unveiled its landmark 120kW fuel cell system at IAA Transportation 2022 in Hannover, Germany.

The announcement marks a milestone for Loop Energy as it believes this new product is a significant achievement in advancing the global hydrogen industry and the transition of commercial transport industries by achieving fuel cost parity with diesel by up to eight years earlier than previously possible.

The 120kW fuel cell system, the S1200, builds on Loop Energy’s existing technology, to provide an additional efficiency gain of 20% when it generates electricity. The S1200 is designed to deliver up to 60% in net system efficiency. This efficiency enables an electric vehicle powered by a Loop Energy fuel cell to deliver up to 54% fuel-to-wheel efficiency compared to the typical fuel-to-wheel efficiency delivered by a diesel engine powered vehicle of 20% to 25%.

Loop Energy believes the S1200 and its next-generation technology will significantly benefit commercial vehicle manufacturers, fleet operators and associated industries, as well as the global clean energy transition as governments seek to reach net zero emissions by 2050.

Loop Energy says it has achieved this efficiency gain because of its patented eFlow fuel cell architecture. Specifically, Loop Energy uses a signature trapezoid plate with narrowing channels for its bipolar plates, which increases gas velocity down the plate to deliver superior performance for fuel efficiency, and power output.

For fleet managers, operators of commercial vehicles and the wider hydrogen infrastructure market, that means less hydrogen fuel used per kilometre, lowering the total cost of ownership (TCO) of hydrogen-electric commercial vehicles.

Fuel costs make up roughly half of the TCO for heavy-duty hydrogen vehicles, which makes advancement in fuel efficiency a significant factor in creating a tipping point for commercial transition from diesel to clean fuels.

Loop Energy’s presence at IAA Transportation 2022 also signifies its commitment to the European continent, where it plans to expand its presence and customer base. Loop Energy already has offices in Italy and the UK, and is actively engaged with OEMs across the region. Loop Energy is also active in Asia, with its new manufacturing facility in Shanghai.

The S1200 opens up a new market for Loop Energy as the product is specifically designed for medium- to heavy-duty commercial vehicles, which is a step up in power range and scope compared to its other fuel cell products.

The S1200 is delivered as a complete fuel cell system which simplifies and quickens integration for vehicle OEMs, and makes it a ready-to adopt solution for heavy-duty transportation and power system applications.

Loop Energy President & CEO, Ben Nyland, said: “With the launch of our new fuel cell system, we are proud to be leading the way in making transport electrification economically viable. The S1200 brings world-leading fuel efficiency levels for medium- to heavy-duty vehicles, crucially making the total cost of ownership lower and bringing fuel cost parity forward by four to eight years.”

“We are keen to work with OEMs, governments and the wider hydrogen industry to help meet zero-emission targets. We strongly believe that energy transition must happen now, and hydrogen fuel cell technology is in prime place as an alternative to diesel-powered vehicles.”

Canadian Minister of Environment and Climate Change, The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, said: “Very happy to see Canadian companies such as Loop Energy leading in the global clean energy sector. They are creating sustainable jobs for workers, while contributing to our global climate objectives and a better future for everyone.”

Hydrogen fuel cell “more efficient than diesel engines”

Posted on by David Priestman

Loop Energy, a designer and manufacturer of hydrogen fuel cells for commercial mobility, unveiled its landmark 120kW fuel cell system at IAA Transportation 2022 in Hannover, Germany.

The announcement marks a milestone for Loop Energy as it believes this new product is a significant achievement in advancing the global hydrogen industry and the transition of commercial transport industries by achieving fuel cost parity with diesel by up to eight years earlier than previously possible.

The 120kW fuel cell system, the S1200, builds on Loop Energy’s existing technology, to provide an additional efficiency gain of 20% when it generates electricity. The S1200 is designed to deliver up to 60% in net system efficiency. This efficiency enables an electric vehicle powered by a Loop Energy fuel cell to deliver up to 54% fuel-to-wheel efficiency compared to the typical fuel-to-wheel efficiency delivered by a diesel engine powered vehicle of 20% to 25%.

Loop Energy believes the S1200 and its next-generation technology will significantly benefit commercial vehicle manufacturers, fleet operators and associated industries, as well as the global clean energy transition as governments seek to reach net zero emissions by 2050.

Loop Energy says it has achieved this efficiency gain because of its patented eFlow fuel cell architecture. Specifically, Loop Energy uses a signature trapezoid plate with narrowing channels for its bipolar plates, which increases gas velocity down the plate to deliver superior performance for fuel efficiency, and power output.

For fleet managers, operators of commercial vehicles and the wider hydrogen infrastructure market, that means less hydrogen fuel used per kilometre, lowering the total cost of ownership (TCO) of hydrogen-electric commercial vehicles.

Fuel costs make up roughly half of the TCO for heavy-duty hydrogen vehicles, which makes advancement in fuel efficiency a significant factor in creating a tipping point for commercial transition from diesel to clean fuels.

Loop Energy’s presence at IAA Transportation 2022 also signifies its commitment to the European continent, where it plans to expand its presence and customer base. Loop Energy already has offices in Italy and the UK, and is actively engaged with OEMs across the region. Loop Energy is also active in Asia, with its new manufacturing facility in Shanghai.

The S1200 opens up a new market for Loop Energy as the product is specifically designed for medium- to heavy-duty commercial vehicles, which is a step up in power range and scope compared to its other fuel cell products.

The S1200 is delivered as a complete fuel cell system which simplifies and quickens integration for vehicle OEMs, and makes it a ready-to adopt solution for heavy-duty transportation and power system applications.

Loop Energy President & CEO, Ben Nyland, said: “With the launch of our new fuel cell system, we are proud to be leading the way in making transport electrification economically viable. The S1200 brings world-leading fuel efficiency levels for medium- to heavy-duty vehicles, crucially making the total cost of ownership lower and bringing fuel cost parity forward by four to eight years.”

“We are keen to work with OEMs, governments and the wider hydrogen industry to help meet zero-emission targets. We strongly believe that energy transition must happen now, and hydrogen fuel cell technology is in prime place as an alternative to diesel-powered vehicles.”

Canadian Minister of Environment and Climate Change, The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, said: “Very happy to see Canadian companies such as Loop Energy leading in the global clean energy sector. They are creating sustainable jobs for workers, while contributing to our global climate objectives and a better future for everyone.”

FPT Industrial’s journey to net zero carbon

Posted on by David Priestman

FPT Industrial is showcasing this week its multi-energy approach to sustainable on-road propulsion at IAA Transportation in Hannover (Germany), the world’s leading transportation industry trade show.

As a major producer of propulsion systems, FPT Industrial will take this momentous chance to demonstrate the role it can play in one of the greatest challenges of our times: the transition from a carbon-based economy to a fully sustainable and carbon-neutral economy.

A host of exciting world premieres both in the internal combustion engines and ePowertrain sector, complemented by practical and accessible solutions ensuring the continuity of current key transportation business, await visitors at FPT Industrial’s exhibition booth in Hall 21 – stand 34.

The Brand plans unveiling three products at its booth. The first is a new multi-fuel engine for the heavy-duty range, a world-wide premiere, which represents the materialization of the Brand Cursor X engine concept. In addition to that, a new generation of eAxles for medium and heavy-duty applications and a new modular battery pack for buses will be presented.

similar news

Full Electric Large Refrigerated Van on Show at IAA Hannover

 

 

 

Subscribe

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