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Day: 26 October 2022

RAJA shares growth strategy with suppliers 

Posted on by Keith McKinley

RAJA Group, a European leader in the distribution of packaging, office supplies and industrial equipment, brought together its 300 most important suppliers on October 14th in Frankfurt as part of the RAJA Group Suppliers’ Day 2022.

Led by Ulrick Parfum, Director of Purchasing and Product Offering (Packaging, Equipment, Janitorials, EPP), and Michael Behling, Head of Category, Commerce Platform & Data Management, as well as Alain Josse and Vincent Terradot, Managing Directors RAJA Office and RAJA Packaging & Equipment, the event allowed for RAJA Group to involve its main supplier partners in its ambitious development projects.

Driven by strong organic growth and a strategy of acquisitions to better meet market needs, the RAJA Group has become a key player in the field of business supplies and equipment. An independent company benefiting from the long-term vision of its President Danièle Kapel-Marcovici, a multi-specialist and multi-channel distributor with strong values and convictions, RAJA today serves more than two million companies across Europe, of all sizes and in all sectors of activity.

Despite the difficult economic climate, the Group remains as optimistic and determined as ever: “Being a supplier to the RAJA Group means having maximum exposure for your products and multiplying opportunities to sell. It is also an opportunity to create value and share the fruits of strong growth throughout Europe.  Finally, and above all, it also means ensuring the satisfaction of our customers every day,” say Josse and Terradot.

The Suppliers’ Day 2022 also allowed RAJA Group to clarify its expectations of its suppliers: “Our growth plans necessarily go hand in hand with the selection of the best manufacturers. Our aim is to build long-lasting partnerships with our strategic suppliers, based on common values: consistent product quality, excellent service, innovation, commitment to environmental responsibility and of course competitiveness,” Parfum and Behling explain.

 

RAJA shares growth strategy with suppliers 

Posted on by David Priestman

RAJA Group, a European leader in the distribution of packaging, office supplies and industrial equipment, brought together its 300 most important suppliers on October 14th in Frankfurt as part of the RAJA Group Suppliers’ Day 2022.

Led by Ulrick Parfum, Director of Purchasing and Product Offering (Packaging, Equipment, Janitorials, EPP), and Michael Behling, Head of Category, Commerce Platform & Data Management, as well as Alain Josse and Vincent Terradot, Managing Directors RAJA Office and RAJA Packaging & Equipment, the event allowed for RAJA Group to involve its main supplier partners in its ambitious development projects.

Driven by strong organic growth and a strategy of acquisitions to better meet market needs, the RAJA Group has become a key player in the field of business supplies and equipment. An independent company benefiting from the long-term vision of its President Danièle Kapel-Marcovici, a multi-specialist and multi-channel distributor with strong values and convictions, RAJA today serves more than two million companies across Europe, of all sizes and in all sectors of activity.

Despite the difficult economic climate, the Group remains as optimistic and determined as ever: “Being a supplier to the RAJA Group means having maximum exposure for your products and multiplying opportunities to sell. It is also an opportunity to create value and share the fruits of strong growth throughout Europe.  Finally, and above all, it also means ensuring the satisfaction of our customers every day,” say Josse and Terradot.

The Suppliers’ Day 2022 also allowed RAJA Group to clarify its expectations of its suppliers: “Our growth plans necessarily go hand in hand with the selection of the best manufacturers. Our aim is to build long-lasting partnerships with our strategic suppliers, based on common values: consistent product quality, excellent service, innovation, commitment to environmental responsibility and of course competitiveness,” Parfum and Behling explain.

 

Avocado distributor opens Dartford facility

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Mission Produce, a global leader in avocado marketing and distribution, is set to open its first UK facility at Goodman’s Crossways Commercial Park in Dartford, Kent.

Covering 101,659 sq ft, the highly-sustainable building will be used as Mission’s state-of-the-art ripening, packing, and forward distribution centre which is expected to help streamline import logistics and reduce transit times to UK customers.

Founded in 1983 and headquartered in California, Mission specialises in sourcing, producing and distributing fresh Hass avocados. It has an established network of 12 ripening and distribution centres globally, with avocado packing facilities in key locations including California, Mexico and Peru, and additional sourcing capabilities in South Africa. Mission leverages its global presence to serve retail, wholesale, and food service customers in more than 25 countries.

Paul Frowde, Managing Director at Mission Produce UK, said: “The opening of this distribution facility is a milestone that represents a significant opportunity for our business as we expand into the UK market.

“Goodman’s Crossways Commercial Park location was the ideal choice, blending a strategic location with a high-quality facility designed to streamline our operations. Its sustainable features and use of renewable energy are also expected to promote energy, cost and maintenance savings as we strive to maximise efficiency.”

Crossways Commercial Park’s strategic location, places 11.7 million consumers within a 60-minute drivetime. Its prime position, adjacent to Junction 1a of the M25, offers fast access to London and the national motorway network.

Developed to a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ specification, the facility promotes energy efficiency aligning with Mission’s strong Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) credentials. It features a 490kWp rooftop array of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, solar thermal hot water, rainwater harvesting and charging infrastructure for electric vehicles.

With the facility expected to open in early 2023, Mission is currently undertaking a highly specialised fit-out, including the installation of a 3,000 sq ft mezzanine and a variety of cutting-edge features. Grading visibility technology to reduce handling and minimise fruit damage, advanced testing machinery to determine stages of ripeness with precision, and specialised heating and cooling systems are just some of the systems being implemented to help Mission optimise its operations and provide customers with year-round supply of the world’s finest avocados.

The Crossways Commercial Park location will also be Mission’s first facility to feature “Mission Control” technology in dedicated ripening rooms. Using a specialised atmosphere control process, this innovative system can create the optimal environment for ripening, which in turn helps enhance product quality, extend product shelf life and reduce waste.

George Glennie, development director at Goodman, said: “Crossways Commercial Park is our most sustainable UK development, with cutting-edge technology and investment in on-site renewables.

“Combined with a prime M25 location, Crossways Commercial Park offers fast access to large consumer markets, maximising logistical efficiencies and supporting Mission in its next phase of growth.”

The news follows Goodman’s leasing of Crossways 138 – another unit in Crossways Commercial Park – to premium ingredients supplier, Albion Fine Foods, leaving just one 240,884 sq ft unit remaining.

Avocado distributor opens Dartford facility

Posted on by David Priestman

Mission Produce, a global leader in avocado marketing and distribution, is set to open its first UK facility at Goodman’s Crossways Commercial Park in Dartford, Kent.

Covering 101,659 sq ft, the highly-sustainable building will be used as Mission’s state-of-the-art ripening, packing, and forward distribution centre which is expected to help streamline import logistics and reduce transit times to UK customers.

Founded in 1983 and headquartered in California, Mission specialises in sourcing, producing and distributing fresh Hass avocados. It has an established network of 12 ripening and distribution centres globally, with avocado packing facilities in key locations including California, Mexico and Peru, and additional sourcing capabilities in South Africa. Mission leverages its global presence to serve retail, wholesale, and food service customers in more than 25 countries.

Paul Frowde, Managing Director at Mission Produce UK, said: “The opening of this distribution facility is a milestone that represents a significant opportunity for our business as we expand into the UK market.

“Goodman’s Crossways Commercial Park location was the ideal choice, blending a strategic location with a high-quality facility designed to streamline our operations. Its sustainable features and use of renewable energy are also expected to promote energy, cost and maintenance savings as we strive to maximise efficiency.”

Crossways Commercial Park’s strategic location, places 11.7 million consumers within a 60-minute drivetime. Its prime position, adjacent to Junction 1a of the M25, offers fast access to London and the national motorway network.

Developed to a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ specification, the facility promotes energy efficiency aligning with Mission’s strong Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) credentials. It features a 490kWp rooftop array of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, solar thermal hot water, rainwater harvesting and charging infrastructure for electric vehicles.

With the facility expected to open in early 2023, Mission is currently undertaking a highly specialised fit-out, including the installation of a 3,000 sq ft mezzanine and a variety of cutting-edge features. Grading visibility technology to reduce handling and minimise fruit damage, advanced testing machinery to determine stages of ripeness with precision, and specialised heating and cooling systems are just some of the systems being implemented to help Mission optimise its operations and provide customers with year-round supply of the world’s finest avocados.

The Crossways Commercial Park location will also be Mission’s first facility to feature “Mission Control” technology in dedicated ripening rooms. Using a specialised atmosphere control process, this innovative system can create the optimal environment for ripening, which in turn helps enhance product quality, extend product shelf life and reduce waste.

George Glennie, development director at Goodman, said: “Crossways Commercial Park is our most sustainable UK development, with cutting-edge technology and investment in on-site renewables.

“Combined with a prime M25 location, Crossways Commercial Park offers fast access to large consumer markets, maximising logistical efficiencies and supporting Mission in its next phase of growth.”

The news follows Goodman’s leasing of Crossways 138 – another unit in Crossways Commercial Park – to premium ingredients supplier, Albion Fine Foods, leaving just one 240,884 sq ft unit remaining.

STILL cooperates with Hydrogentle on hydrogen

Posted on by David Priestman

STILL has been a pioneer in the field of alternative energies for years and is continuing to drive forward the use of hydrogen in intralogistics. From next year on the Hamburg-based intralogistics provider will not only be producing fuel cell systems at the company’s own plant, but has also entered into a cooperation regarding hydrogen infrastructure in order to offer customers everything from a single source.

STILL will launch its own 24V fuel cell system for warehouse trucks next year. This will be produced at the main plant in Hamburg. With this, STILL will be the first original equipment manufacturer on the European market to produce fuel cell systems – so-called battery replacement modules – at its own production facilities.

“Fuel cell technology is certainly STILL’s most innovative mainstay at the moment,” explains Frank Müller, Senior Vice President STILL Brand Management. “Particularly in view of the current crises, we believe that this technology has a great chance to succeed.

In order to advise and support its customers comprehensively in matters of fuel cell technology as well, STILL has entered into a partnership with Hydrogentle GmbH, a Hamburg-based engineering firm that plans special plant construction, prepares feasibility analyses and advises customers on the subject of hydrogen infrastructure.

“With the support of the hydrogen specialist Hydrogentle, we can, in the interest of our customers, offer a holistic approach to the topic of fuel cells,” Müller continues. Holistic means that the customer only needs one point of contact with STILL: to provide high-quality industrial trucks that are ‘fuel cell-ready’, the fuel cell, the service and the entire hydrogen infrastructure – all from a single source.

Hydrogentle GmbH, based in the Port of Hamburg, develops and implements projects and concepts in the field of green hydrogen and provides support to customers. Like STILL, Hydrogentle takes a holistic approach: consulting, evaluation and individual site assessment as well as planning, project management and implementation. At the customer’s request, Hydrogentle provides support right up to the handover of a turnkey hydrogen infrastructure for the refuelling of industrial trucks and other vehicles.

“Hydrogen and all that it entails is complicated,” says Axel Poblotzki, Managing Director of Hydrogentle GmbH. “We simplify the topic and make hydrogen- based solutions tangible at every scale.”

The one-face-to-the-customer approach takes on a special meaning in the context of hydrogen. The value chain from the production to the refuelling of hydrogen is long and complex. Different suppliers and trades have to be coordinated with each other like Swiss clockwork. This is where Hydrogentle comes in and develops everyday solutions for customers. The focus is on the technical, legal and economic feasibility of projects and concepts.

“The cooperation between our two companies will significantly simplify the consultation, the installation of infrastructure and the operation of fuel cell-powered forklift trucks for our customers,” says Müller. “We are very pleased that we were able to win Hydrogentle as a partner.”

 

STILL cooperates with Hydrogentle on hydrogen

Posted on by David Priestman

STILL has been a pioneer in the field of alternative energies for years and is continuing to drive forward the use of hydrogen in intralogistics. From next year on the Hamburg-based intralogistics provider will not only be producing fuel cell systems at the company’s own plant, but has also entered into a cooperation regarding hydrogen infrastructure in order to offer customers everything from a single source.

STILL will launch its own 24V fuel cell system for warehouse trucks next year. This will be produced at the main plant in Hamburg. With this, STILL will be the first original equipment manufacturer on the European market to produce fuel cell systems – so-called battery replacement modules – at its own production facilities.

“Fuel cell technology is certainly STILL’s most innovative mainstay at the moment,” explains Frank Müller, Senior Vice President STILL Brand Management. “Particularly in view of the current crises, we believe that this technology has a great chance to succeed.

In order to advise and support its customers comprehensively in matters of fuel cell technology as well, STILL has entered into a partnership with Hydrogentle GmbH, a Hamburg-based engineering firm that plans special plant construction, prepares feasibility analyses and advises customers on the subject of hydrogen infrastructure.

“With the support of the hydrogen specialist Hydrogentle, we can, in the interest of our customers, offer a holistic approach to the topic of fuel cells,” Müller continues. Holistic means that the customer only needs one point of contact with STILL: to provide high-quality industrial trucks that are ‘fuel cell-ready’, the fuel cell, the service and the entire hydrogen infrastructure – all from a single source.

Hydrogentle GmbH, based in the Port of Hamburg, develops and implements projects and concepts in the field of green hydrogen and provides support to customers. Like STILL, Hydrogentle takes a holistic approach: consulting, evaluation and individual site assessment as well as planning, project management and implementation. At the customer’s request, Hydrogentle provides support right up to the handover of a turnkey hydrogen infrastructure for the refuelling of industrial trucks and other vehicles.

“Hydrogen and all that it entails is complicated,” says Axel Poblotzki, Managing Director of Hydrogentle GmbH. “We simplify the topic and make hydrogen- based solutions tangible at every scale.”

The one-face-to-the-customer approach takes on a special meaning in the context of hydrogen. The value chain from the production to the refuelling of hydrogen is long and complex. Different suppliers and trades have to be coordinated with each other like Swiss clockwork. This is where Hydrogentle comes in and develops everyday solutions for customers. The focus is on the technical, legal and economic feasibility of projects and concepts.

“The cooperation between our two companies will significantly simplify the consultation, the installation of infrastructure and the operation of fuel cell-powered forklift trucks for our customers,” says Müller. “We are very pleased that we were able to win Hydrogentle as a partner.”

 

Supply chain diversification due to COVID raising questions

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Procurement professionals who diversified their supply chains due to the pandemic are now struggling with the realities of managing hundreds of individual relationships, ensuring goods are ethically manufactured, and reaching their sustainability targets.

According to a report by the ONS, 1 in 20 UK businesses diversified their procurement supply chains at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in an effort to keep disruptions to a minimum.

Now, search data, collated by Banner, shows that procurement professionals are left with a lot of questions about the realities of diversification, particularly when it comes to managing relationships, measuring their environmental impact, and ensuring that products were ethically manufactured.

Jason Thomas from Banner says: “It made sense during the pandemic for businesses to diversify their supply chains.  The more individual suppliers they could manage, the less likely they would be to suffer major disruption.  But the reality of maintaining many different relationships is becoming apparent, and it’s making things like sustainability and ethics much harder to keep track of.

“The problem is supply chains are still unstable, so we aren’t suggesting anyone goes back to having one supplier for each product or service. There is a middle way though. Supply chain partners are a sensible alternative that is the best of both worlds in terms of ease of management and supply chain robustness, sustainability and ethics.”

Searches including the term “sustainable procurement” show professionals are not only searching how to achieve it, but also what it even is.  They are also commonly searching for “ethical sourcing practices” and “how to ensure ethical procurement”.  But the most common UK searches including the term “supply chain” are “will supply chains get better”, “when will supply chain issues be resolved” and even “supply chain management for dummies”.

similar news

Operational resilience through supply chain and business process mapping

 

 

Supply chain diversification due to COVID raising questions

Posted on by David Priestman

Procurement professionals who diversified their supply chains due to the pandemic are now struggling with the realities of managing hundreds of individual relationships, ensuring goods are ethically manufactured, and reaching their sustainability targets.

According to a report by the ONS, 1 in 20 UK businesses diversified their procurement supply chains at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in an effort to keep disruptions to a minimum.

Now, search data, collated by Banner, shows that procurement professionals are left with a lot of questions about the realities of diversification, particularly when it comes to managing relationships, measuring their environmental impact, and ensuring that products were ethically manufactured.

Jason Thomas from Banner says: “It made sense during the pandemic for businesses to diversify their supply chains.  The more individual suppliers they could manage, the less likely they would be to suffer major disruption.  But the reality of maintaining many different relationships is becoming apparent, and it’s making things like sustainability and ethics much harder to keep track of.

“The problem is supply chains are still unstable, so we aren’t suggesting anyone goes back to having one supplier for each product or service. There is a middle way though. Supply chain partners are a sensible alternative that is the best of both worlds in terms of ease of management and supply chain robustness, sustainability and ethics.”

Searches including the term “sustainable procurement” show professionals are not only searching how to achieve it, but also what it even is.  They are also commonly searching for “ethical sourcing practices” and “how to ensure ethical procurement”.  But the most common UK searches including the term “supply chain” are “will supply chains get better”, “when will supply chain issues be resolved” and even “supply chain management for dummies”.

similar news

Operational resilience through supply chain and business process mapping

 

 

Ensuring the safety of damaged electric vehicles

Posted on by David Priestman

Over recent years, the electric vehicle (EV) market has grown significantly, as we drive for sustainable solutions to support our green future. However, if EVs become damaged, safe storage and monitoring by workshops and recovery vehicles is key to prevent further risk. Tommy Carnebo, risk management specialist, Dafo Vehicle Fire Protection, discusses the risks of damaged EVs and how these can be mitigated to maximise safety.

By 2030, it’s estimated that, globally, there will be over 300 million EVs on the road (up from 16.5 million at the end of 2021). This comes as governments worldwide continue to push sustainability agendas to reduce carbon emissions. Predominately powered by lithium-ion (li-ion) batteries, EVs also present a new kind of fire risk – thermal runaway:

  1. If a battery overheats, overcharges or is subject to physical damage or overvoltage, it can cause an internal malfunction.
  2. That can lead to smoke emissions, alongside rapid temperature increases throughout the battery cells.
  3. If not controlled almost instantly, this can lead to fire, toxic emissions (eg hydrogen fluoride, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and cyanide) and potentially large explosions.

Thermal runaway is extremely difficult to extinguish using traditional fire suppression systems once it’s initiated. And, as EV numbers on roads continue to increase, as does the risk of thermal runaway.

For mechanic workshops, recovery vehicles, commercial vehicle handlers, first and second responders, or any other business responsible for the storage and handling of electric vehicles after road collisions, the risk of thermal runaway is particularly pertinent.

Thermal runaway is also a risk for lithium iron phosphate batteries, as they burn in the same way as li-ion batteries. However, as these batteries often contain less energy than li-ion batteries, the risk is potentially lower.

The need for a new approach

As thermal runaway can develop rapidly, for example overnight when damaged EVs are stored in a closed unit, it’s essential to have an effective fire detection system in place to maximise safety and prevent further damage to the EV, any surrounding valuable assets and the environment.

Traditional fire detection systems will often only detect thermal runaway as it advances and temperatures have begun to rise. At this stage, temperature rises can be irreversible and toxic gas emissions can cause serious health risks. Instead, damaged EVs need a unique fire detection system, which will identify thermal runaway in its earliest stage, identifying changes in the carbon monoxide levels, before temperatures increase.

As EV accidents can happen on the road, meaning damaged vehicles often need to be towed for periods of time before storage, a portable detection solution is key. This also enables the system to be applied and reused for different vehicles, giving cost savings for workshops.

By using sensors to immediately detect smoke emissions from the vehicle’s high risk areas, these detection systems can alert those nearby to the risk and can also be connected to a site’s fire alarm system, alerting first responders.

This also reduces necessary EV quarantine and downtime after a vehicle collision and makes the overall work environment safer.

Ensuring the safety of damaged electric vehicles

Posted on by David Priestman

Over recent years, the electric vehicle (EV) market has grown significantly, as we drive for sustainable solutions to support our green future. However, if EVs become damaged, safe storage and monitoring by workshops and recovery vehicles is key to prevent further risk. Tommy Carnebo, risk management specialist, Dafo Vehicle Fire Protection, discusses the risks of damaged EVs and how these can be mitigated to maximise safety.

By 2030, it’s estimated that, globally, there will be over 300 million EVs on the road (up from 16.5 million at the end of 2021). This comes as governments worldwide continue to push sustainability agendas to reduce carbon emissions. Predominately powered by lithium-ion (li-ion) batteries, EVs also present a new kind of fire risk – thermal runaway:

  1. If a battery overheats, overcharges or is subject to physical damage or overvoltage, it can cause an internal malfunction.
  2. That can lead to smoke emissions, alongside rapid temperature increases throughout the battery cells.
  3. If not controlled almost instantly, this can lead to fire, toxic emissions (eg hydrogen fluoride, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and cyanide) and potentially large explosions.

Thermal runaway is extremely difficult to extinguish using traditional fire suppression systems once it’s initiated. And, as EV numbers on roads continue to increase, as does the risk of thermal runaway.

For mechanic workshops, recovery vehicles, commercial vehicle handlers, first and second responders, or any other business responsible for the storage and handling of electric vehicles after road collisions, the risk of thermal runaway is particularly pertinent.

Thermal runaway is also a risk for lithium iron phosphate batteries, as they burn in the same way as li-ion batteries. However, as these batteries often contain less energy than li-ion batteries, the risk is potentially lower.

The need for a new approach

As thermal runaway can develop rapidly, for example overnight when damaged EVs are stored in a closed unit, it’s essential to have an effective fire detection system in place to maximise safety and prevent further damage to the EV, any surrounding valuable assets and the environment.

Traditional fire detection systems will often only detect thermal runaway as it advances and temperatures have begun to rise. At this stage, temperature rises can be irreversible and toxic gas emissions can cause serious health risks. Instead, damaged EVs need a unique fire detection system, which will identify thermal runaway in its earliest stage, identifying changes in the carbon monoxide levels, before temperatures increase.

As EV accidents can happen on the road, meaning damaged vehicles often need to be towed for periods of time before storage, a portable detection solution is key. This also enables the system to be applied and reused for different vehicles, giving cost savings for workshops.

By using sensors to immediately detect smoke emissions from the vehicle’s high risk areas, these detection systems can alert those nearby to the risk and can also be connected to a site’s fire alarm system, alerting first responders.

This also reduces necessary EV quarantine and downtime after a vehicle collision and makes the overall work environment safer.

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