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Day: 7 November 2022

Maximising loading efficiency for air cargo in Kenya

Posted on by David Priestman

Joloda Hydraroll, world leader in loading and unloading solutions, has partnered with Sai Raj, a fibreglass moulder, vehicle body manufacturer and conversion specialist in Kenya.

For Sai Raj’s long-standing customer, AirFlo Kenya, Joloda Hydraroll has supported the development of a new air cargo trailer that can be loaded and unloaded far more efficiently. Joloda says the process is faster, safer and doesn’t require forklifts.

Bespoke Solution

AirFlo Kenya is a specialist provider of logistics solutions for perishables, such as fresh cut flowers, vegetables, and fruits. In early 2022, the company approached Sai Raj with the request to build a new air cargo trailer to transport pallets from the warehouse facility to Airside operations at Nairobi airport, where they would be unloaded onto the aircraft. AirFlo Kenya wanted to make the loading and unloading process safer and more efficient compared with traditional loading and unloading practices reliant on forklifts or pallet trucks.

Sai Raj decided to partner with Joloda Hydraroll to create a bespoke rollerbed vehicle to meet the brief. Joloda Hydraroll’s Pneumatic Roller Track (PRT) solution utilises rise and fall rollerbed technology, and is integrated into the trailer’s floor, customised to fit its length.

Efficiency Gains

The addition of Joloda Hydraroll’s solutions and loading/unloading expertise has enabled Sai Raj to build and deliver its first air cargo trailer – named Cargotuff by Sai Raj – to AirFlo Kenya. With it, operators can transport up to four ULDs at one time, with the ability to load and unload in a simple and speedy manner. The rollerbed floor is pneumatically operated, meaning air cargo can simply be rolled in and out of the trailer without the need for forklifts.

Amar Bahra, Director at Sai Raj, explains: “We got in touch with Joloda Hydraroll because their customer service was extraordinary, and the pricing was competitive. We thought the installation stages were going to be complicated, but we were made to feel at ease. The installation was complete in just three days, which allowed us to keep operational downtime to a minimum.”

Since its delivery in May 2022, the trailer has been in use daily. The team at AirFlo Kenya have found that loading and unloading the trailer is now much quicker. With the rollerbed loading solution, the process is also safer as the pneumatic rollers are automatically lowered when the trailer is in transit.

New Revenue Opportunities

Working with Joloda Hydraroll has opened new avenues for Sai Raj. “By working with Joloda Hydraroll, we can now provide new solutions to other supply chain businesses; and we have already started to have these conversations,” says Bahra.

Additionally, with the logistics market in Kenya experiencing accelerated growth, Bahra sees this project as a sign of things to come: “We’re proud to provide such a solution in Kenya – it’s been a very positive journey for us. There’s a lot of scope for growth in logistics in Kenya, as well as throughout Africa, and by partnering with Joloda Hydraroll, we already have a head start in meeting such demands.”

Arjan Nobel, Global Sales Manager, Joloda Hydraroll, concludes: “We’re thrilled to have supported Sai Raj –  our first customer in Kenya, Central East Africa – with its new air cargo trailer. Kenya, like many countries in Africa, has a growing and demanding logistics market, exporting masses of horticultural produce into Europe.

“Doing so quickly and efficiently is reaching new heights of importance – and this is where the loading and unloading process in particular can make a big difference. The addition of Joloda Hydraroll’s Integrated Rollerbed Loading System means the air cargo trailer can be loaded/unloaded with ease. The whole process is safer and faster, helping to reduce the time that perishable cargo is in transit.”

Maximising loading efficiency for air cargo in Kenya

Posted on by David Priestman

Joloda Hydraroll, world leader in loading and unloading solutions, has partnered with Sai Raj, a fibreglass moulder, vehicle body manufacturer and conversion specialist in Kenya.

For Sai Raj’s long-standing customer, AirFlo Kenya, Joloda Hydraroll has supported the development of a new air cargo trailer that can be loaded and unloaded far more efficiently. Joloda says the process is faster, safer and doesn’t require forklifts.

Bespoke Solution

AirFlo Kenya is a specialist provider of logistics solutions for perishables, such as fresh cut flowers, vegetables, and fruits. In early 2022, the company approached Sai Raj with the request to build a new air cargo trailer to transport pallets from the warehouse facility to Airside operations at Nairobi airport, where they would be unloaded onto the aircraft. AirFlo Kenya wanted to make the loading and unloading process safer and more efficient compared with traditional loading and unloading practices reliant on forklifts or pallet trucks.

Sai Raj decided to partner with Joloda Hydraroll to create a bespoke rollerbed vehicle to meet the brief. Joloda Hydraroll’s Pneumatic Roller Track (PRT) solution utilises rise and fall rollerbed technology, and is integrated into the trailer’s floor, customised to fit its length.

Efficiency Gains

The addition of Joloda Hydraroll’s solutions and loading/unloading expertise has enabled Sai Raj to build and deliver its first air cargo trailer – named Cargotuff by Sai Raj – to AirFlo Kenya. With it, operators can transport up to four ULDs at one time, with the ability to load and unload in a simple and speedy manner. The rollerbed floor is pneumatically operated, meaning air cargo can simply be rolled in and out of the trailer without the need for forklifts.

Amar Bahra, Director at Sai Raj, explains: “We got in touch with Joloda Hydraroll because their customer service was extraordinary, and the pricing was competitive. We thought the installation stages were going to be complicated, but we were made to feel at ease. The installation was complete in just three days, which allowed us to keep operational downtime to a minimum.”

Since its delivery in May 2022, the trailer has been in use daily. The team at AirFlo Kenya have found that loading and unloading the trailer is now much quicker. With the rollerbed loading solution, the process is also safer as the pneumatic rollers are automatically lowered when the trailer is in transit.

New Revenue Opportunities

Working with Joloda Hydraroll has opened new avenues for Sai Raj. “By working with Joloda Hydraroll, we can now provide new solutions to other supply chain businesses; and we have already started to have these conversations,” says Bahra.

Additionally, with the logistics market in Kenya experiencing accelerated growth, Bahra sees this project as a sign of things to come: “We’re proud to provide such a solution in Kenya – it’s been a very positive journey for us. There’s a lot of scope for growth in logistics in Kenya, as well as throughout Africa, and by partnering with Joloda Hydraroll, we already have a head start in meeting such demands.”

Arjan Nobel, Global Sales Manager, Joloda Hydraroll, concludes: “We’re thrilled to have supported Sai Raj –  our first customer in Kenya, Central East Africa – with its new air cargo trailer. Kenya, like many countries in Africa, has a growing and demanding logistics market, exporting masses of horticultural produce into Europe.

“Doing so quickly and efficiently is reaching new heights of importance – and this is where the loading and unloading process in particular can make a big difference. The addition of Joloda Hydraroll’s Integrated Rollerbed Loading System means the air cargo trailer can be loaded/unloaded with ease. The whole process is safer and faster, helping to reduce the time that perishable cargo is in transit.”

Thermo King presents broad refrigeration portfolio at Intermodal

Posted on by David Priestman

Thermo King, a leader in transport temperature control solutions and a brand of Trane Technologies, will welcome visitors at the booth J20 of the Intermodal Europe 2022 show in Amsterdam, Netherlands, to present the latest refrigeration solutions designed to lower customers’ energy consumption, carbon footprint and improve the capabilities of their reefer fleets.

“Thermo King is coming to Intermodal Europe to demonstrate the container industry’s broadest refrigeration solutions portfolio for shipping lines, intermodal and stationary use,” said Claudio Zanframundo, vice president Thermo King Global Marine, Rail and Air. “We are looking forward to discussing the close ties between the cold chain and global sustainability goals. This includes important topics like energy consumption, cold chain resiliency, food waste and technologies of the future. We want to demonstrate how we make an impact accompanying our customers through the entire lifecycle of their reefers, improving, and upgrading the capabilities and efficiency of their fleets.”

The highlights of the Thermo King booth J20 booth of Intermodal Europe held from 8th to 10th November will include:

New Container Fresh and Frozen (CFF) refrigeration unit with a game-changing technology offering up to 20% less energy consumption than the market average and best-in-class, precise temperature control of +/- 0.25°C in chilled mode and +/- 1°C in frozen mode. The CFF responds to customer needs to reduce energy cost, increase sustainability, comply with the IMO 2030 requirements and achieve low total cost of ownership. Up to 20% less energy consumption on most common shipments of fruit with set-point 10-15°C, can represent a net saving of up to $65 per trip per container (calculated with the cost of Bunker oil per kWh at $0.1937).

TK Fresh+ advanced fresh air management solution – a microprocessor controlled fresh air exchange system ensuring quick pull down, temperature control and perishable cargo protection. The sensors measure the O2 and CO2 levels inside the container allowing the microprocessor to automatically adjust to changing conditions if the levels exceed the pre-programmed range.  Featuring ‘ventilation on demand’, TK Fresh+ responses to continuing changes in respiratory gases, opening the vent automatically to allow fresh air in and closing it again when the desired gas levels are reached.

Thermo King SuperFreezer reaching -70°C, and SuperChiller units with setpoint between -60°C and +10°C, designed for ultra-low pharma, seafood, meat and sensitive materials applications. The showcase will also include a 10ft Cold Storage Solution (CSS) with Thermo King SuperFreezer responding to ultra-low temperature needs. The CSS can deliver complete coverage for vaccine and pharmaceutical storage at -70°C and can also be used with a genset making it suitable for transit and eliminating the need for dry ice.

Latest Thermo King SG-3500 genset available for sale and rent. The SG-3500 can power all ISO reefers thanks to its 24.4 horsepower engine and delivers noise and emissions reduction, which makes it one of the quietest and most sustainable gensets available on the market. Customers in North America, Europe and other regions can benefit from its cost efficiency and future proof their operations thanks to EPA Tier 4 Final, NRMM Stage V and 7-year CARB compliance. The unit also incorporates a stable voltage control to intelligently regulate power and keep it within limits set by ISO1496. Specifically for the North American market, Thermo King also offers the SG-5000 gensets that are CARB compliant for the lifetime of the product, protecting the customers’ investment and removing the need for retrofit or replacement.

Thermo King Advancer Intermodal refrigeration unit for containers offering market leading performance and fuel efficiency, temperature control, and fleet connectivity. The Thermo King Advancer Intermodal refrigeration unit offers unrivalled system efficiency and up to 40% quicker pull down and up to 30% better fuel-efficiency than the market average. The power-agnostic architecture of the Advancer units makes them future-ready and compatible with alternative power sources. This includes the Thermo King AxlePower smart energy generating system that harvests energy from the chassis’ axle and can enable fully electric, low or zero-emission and autonomous refrigeration.

On 9th November at 11.00am in the Keynote Theatre of the Intermodal Europe Conference, Claudio Zanframundo will speak about the evolution of the end-to-end cold chain solutions. In his keynote presentation Claudio Zanframundo will show how Thermo King has created a bridge between the Truck and Trailer business and Marine, Rail and Air applications. He will also address how Thermo King and Trane Technologies have committed to reducing carbon emissions with the Trane Technologies’ bold  2030 Sustainability Commitments, including the Gigaton Challenge to reduce customer greenhouse gas emissions by 1 billion tonnes.

 

Thermo King presents broad refrigeration portfolio at Intermodal

Posted on by David Priestman

Thermo King, a leader in transport temperature control solutions and a brand of Trane Technologies, will welcome visitors at the booth J20 of the Intermodal Europe 2022 show in Amsterdam, Netherlands, to present the latest refrigeration solutions designed to lower customers’ energy consumption, carbon footprint and improve the capabilities of their reefer fleets.

“Thermo King is coming to Intermodal Europe to demonstrate the container industry’s broadest refrigeration solutions portfolio for shipping lines, intermodal and stationary use,” said Claudio Zanframundo, vice president Thermo King Global Marine, Rail and Air. “We are looking forward to discussing the close ties between the cold chain and global sustainability goals. This includes important topics like energy consumption, cold chain resiliency, food waste and technologies of the future. We want to demonstrate how we make an impact accompanying our customers through the entire lifecycle of their reefers, improving, and upgrading the capabilities and efficiency of their fleets.”

The highlights of the Thermo King booth J20 booth of Intermodal Europe held from 8th to 10th November will include:

New Container Fresh and Frozen (CFF) refrigeration unit with a game-changing technology offering up to 20% less energy consumption than the market average and best-in-class, precise temperature control of +/- 0.25°C in chilled mode and +/- 1°C in frozen mode. The CFF responds to customer needs to reduce energy cost, increase sustainability, comply with the IMO 2030 requirements and achieve low total cost of ownership. Up to 20% less energy consumption on most common shipments of fruit with set-point 10-15°C, can represent a net saving of up to $65 per trip per container (calculated with the cost of Bunker oil per kWh at $0.1937).

TK Fresh+ advanced fresh air management solution – a microprocessor controlled fresh air exchange system ensuring quick pull down, temperature control and perishable cargo protection. The sensors measure the O2 and CO2 levels inside the container allowing the microprocessor to automatically adjust to changing conditions if the levels exceed the pre-programmed range.  Featuring ‘ventilation on demand’, TK Fresh+ responses to continuing changes in respiratory gases, opening the vent automatically to allow fresh air in and closing it again when the desired gas levels are reached.

Thermo King SuperFreezer reaching -70°C, and SuperChiller units with setpoint between -60°C and +10°C, designed for ultra-low pharma, seafood, meat and sensitive materials applications. The showcase will also include a 10ft Cold Storage Solution (CSS) with Thermo King SuperFreezer responding to ultra-low temperature needs. The CSS can deliver complete coverage for vaccine and pharmaceutical storage at -70°C and can also be used with a genset making it suitable for transit and eliminating the need for dry ice.

Latest Thermo King SG-3500 genset available for sale and rent. The SG-3500 can power all ISO reefers thanks to its 24.4 horsepower engine and delivers noise and emissions reduction, which makes it one of the quietest and most sustainable gensets available on the market. Customers in North America, Europe and other regions can benefit from its cost efficiency and future proof their operations thanks to EPA Tier 4 Final, NRMM Stage V and 7-year CARB compliance. The unit also incorporates a stable voltage control to intelligently regulate power and keep it within limits set by ISO1496. Specifically for the North American market, Thermo King also offers the SG-5000 gensets that are CARB compliant for the lifetime of the product, protecting the customers’ investment and removing the need for retrofit or replacement.

Thermo King Advancer Intermodal refrigeration unit for containers offering market leading performance and fuel efficiency, temperature control, and fleet connectivity. The Thermo King Advancer Intermodal refrigeration unit offers unrivalled system efficiency and up to 40% quicker pull down and up to 30% better fuel-efficiency than the market average. The power-agnostic architecture of the Advancer units makes them future-ready and compatible with alternative power sources. This includes the Thermo King AxlePower smart energy generating system that harvests energy from the chassis’ axle and can enable fully electric, low or zero-emission and autonomous refrigeration.

On 9th November at 11.00am in the Keynote Theatre of the Intermodal Europe Conference, Claudio Zanframundo will speak about the evolution of the end-to-end cold chain solutions. In his keynote presentation Claudio Zanframundo will show how Thermo King has created a bridge between the Truck and Trailer business and Marine, Rail and Air applications. He will also address how Thermo King and Trane Technologies have committed to reducing carbon emissions with the Trane Technologies’ bold  2030 Sustainability Commitments, including the Gigaton Challenge to reduce customer greenhouse gas emissions by 1 billion tonnes.

 

Kiabi selects Dematic for stock picking enhancement

Posted on by David Priestman

Dematic has recently been selected by French clothing producer and retailer Kiabi to enhance its stock picking processes with a focus on the family apparel specialist’s e-commerce business. The contract calls for Dematic to supply a fully automated system run with Dematic software.

Initially, the solution is to consist of 12 multishuttle lanes equipped with ergonomic goods-to-person (GTP) stations and a cutting-edge handling system. The site where the installation is set to take place is in the town of Lauwin-Planque in northern France and covers 66,000 sq m. The work is scheduled to begin with immediate effect and is slated for completion in 2024.

The facility had been initially automated by another provider with Dematic brought in to supplement the current set-up in terms of its e-commerce business, including apparel for the entire family and other products dedicated to the company’s online business. The French apparel company, whose corporate vision states a goal to “make life easier for families by weaving together responsible fashion and sustainable solutions”, is committed to providing customers with a feel-good fashion journey along with a renewed omnichannel shopping experience through its 553 points of contact in 25 countries and its e-shop. In this context, according to Kiabi, Dematic’s flexible omnichannel solution was a strong reason for the selection of the warehouse automation and software specialist.

Dematic’s solution makes it possible to feed both the e-commerce and store flows in an optimised and agile way. “This new installation means that we can increase our preparation and distribution capacities five-fold for our web and local collections in Northern Europe. The choice of Dematic was based on the quality of the solution they proposed, which was worked on at length in the pre-sales phase by the Dematic teams,” explains Marine Pomart, Kiabi’s supply chain director, adding, “The agile solution is also capable of navigating web preparation constraints, store and reserve storage in the defined requirements. Finally, its evolution allows us to meet our growth challenges and our stated vision in the medium and short term.”

“Kiabi, which continues its development in France and internationally, has just granted us its confidence for the years to come, by entrusting us with its new omnichannel order preparation unit. It is also for Dematic a chance to demonstrate our capacity to integrate and interface with tools already in place on the retailer’s logistics flagship,” says Alain Bussod, head of France Dematic.

 

Kiabi selects Dematic for stock picking enhancement

Posted on by David Priestman

Dematic has recently been selected by French clothing producer and retailer Kiabi to enhance its stock picking processes with a focus on the family apparel specialist’s e-commerce business. The contract calls for Dematic to supply a fully automated system run with Dematic software.

Initially, the solution is to consist of 12 multishuttle lanes equipped with ergonomic goods-to-person (GTP) stations and a cutting-edge handling system. The site where the installation is set to take place is in the town of Lauwin-Planque in northern France and covers 66,000 sq m. The work is scheduled to begin with immediate effect and is slated for completion in 2024.

The facility had been initially automated by another provider with Dematic brought in to supplement the current set-up in terms of its e-commerce business, including apparel for the entire family and other products dedicated to the company’s online business. The French apparel company, whose corporate vision states a goal to “make life easier for families by weaving together responsible fashion and sustainable solutions”, is committed to providing customers with a feel-good fashion journey along with a renewed omnichannel shopping experience through its 553 points of contact in 25 countries and its e-shop. In this context, according to Kiabi, Dematic’s flexible omnichannel solution was a strong reason for the selection of the warehouse automation and software specialist.

Dematic’s solution makes it possible to feed both the e-commerce and store flows in an optimised and agile way. “This new installation means that we can increase our preparation and distribution capacities five-fold for our web and local collections in Northern Europe. The choice of Dematic was based on the quality of the solution they proposed, which was worked on at length in the pre-sales phase by the Dematic teams,” explains Marine Pomart, Kiabi’s supply chain director, adding, “The agile solution is also capable of navigating web preparation constraints, store and reserve storage in the defined requirements. Finally, its evolution allows us to meet our growth challenges and our stated vision in the medium and short term.”

“Kiabi, which continues its development in France and internationally, has just granted us its confidence for the years to come, by entrusting us with its new omnichannel order preparation unit. It is also for Dematic a chance to demonstrate our capacity to integrate and interface with tools already in place on the retailer’s logistics flagship,” says Alain Bussod, head of France Dematic.

 

Miniclipper celebrates sustainable future

Posted on by David Priestman

Miniclipper Logistics has published its first ever Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) report which outlines its current achievements and future ambitions that will make it a more sustainable business.

The 20-page document shows how its fleet CO2 emissions have reduced by 114,000 tonnes and fuel use by 43,599 litres in just two years through a proactive fleet replacement strategy.

Meanwhile its participation in DfT trials of extra length double deck trailers has seen every journey increase capacity by 20% and mileages reduced to its Midlands transport hub by 60,000 annually.

It continues to increase the density of its local multi-drop deliveries for its customers and third-party logistics partners to optimise vehicle and driver utilisation in readiness to trial electric trucks in the near future.

A new driver wellbeing strategy has been rolled out that has improved driver retention while a driver referral scheme has helped Miniclipper grow its team. Following the fitment of Microlise telematics on every truck, drivers have signed up to a bonus scheme which rewards efficient driving styles and low fuel use. MPG improvements of between 5-19% have already been reported for 18-tonne rigids and tractor units, respectively.

Miniclipper has also had a major focus on reducing its energy efficiency with gas usage down by -8.1% and electricity usage by -6.2% from 2020 to 2021 aided by rolling out an LED-only light policy. It is also hooking up with Trident Utilities to create effective processes, plans and targets to reach its Future Net Zero (FNZ) Scope 1, 2 and 3 and PAS 2060 targets.

Peter Masters, Miniclipper’s MD, said: “We understand that as a logistics business, we have a responsibility to minimise our environmental impact locally, nationally, and globally. We put these values at the heart of all our decision making and continue to evaluate new initiatives that will reduce energy use and drive sustainable efficiencies for our business and customers.”

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