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Day: 6 December 2022

Linde offers explosion protection at highest level

Posted on by David Priestman

Since their introduction in 2021, the latest electric counterbalance trucks from Linde Material Handling (MH) have been setting new standards with regard to ergonomics, visibility, safety and energy efficiency. Now, the Linde E25 to E35 models are also available in explosion-proof versions.

Operators can thus benefit from the extensive range of advantages offered by these series-production trucks. The vehicles for ATEX zone 2/22 are already available, with the versions for zone 1/21 to follow in mid-2023.

It was one of the crowd-pullers at the Dangerous Goods/Hazardous Substances trade fair in Leipzig at the beginning of November: the new Linde E25 to E35 EX electric forklift truck for ATEX zone 2/22. With the models of this series, the fundamentally improved generation of Linde counterbalance trucks is now also available for use in hazardous areas.

Close collaboration

“The close collaboration between series and Ex truck development at Linde Material Handling has proven its worth once again,” emphasizes Elke Karnarski, Product Manager Ex-Proof Trucks. The design of the chassis, cab and mast provides an optimal view of the vehicle, load and working environment, thus serving both increased handling performance and greater operational safety. Additionally, drivers benefit from an optimized operator’s workplace which is even more generously dimensioned than in the previous models and offers more headroom, for example.

“Thanks to the complete integration of the explosion protection measures, the advantages of the series-production trucks are fully retained for all ATEX zones,” affirms Karnarski.

At the same time, operation in hazardous environments is taken into account. Protection against static charge is provided by plastic trim, floor mats and tires, as well as seat upholstery and armrests made of dissipative material. For the first time, the front, rear and roof wipers for zone 1/21 are electrically operated as standard. As with the standard vehicles, drivers of explosion-proof models can read important information – such as the battery charge status, error codes or when the next service is due – on a 3.5-inch display (standard for zone 2/22) or the generous 7-inch TFT colour display (optional for zone 2/22, standard for zone 1/21).

Safety-relevant values, such as the temperature of various components, are also monitored and alerts are shown on a separate display. Additionally, the EX-Monitoring app provides the driver with specific recommendations for action such as letting the vehicle cool down for 15 minutes, for example. The app also enables predictive maintenance, by way of monitoring safety-critical wear parts and prompting the customer at an early stage to schedule a service appointment.

Comfortable, economical, safe and agile

In addition, the driver’s workplace is largely decoupled from the drive unit and mast, and an elastomer ring bearing is used for shock absorption on the front axle. This is particularly noticeable when driving over thresholds, guide rails or uneven ground, as it makes driving more comfortable and also safeguards the operator.

Efficient motors ensure reduced energy consumption. In turn, the electronic temperature monitoring system on the traction motors, which is linked to a safety warning and shutdown function, is a typical explosion-protection feature. Furthermore, all electronic controls, sensors, fuses and relays are centrally located in a pressure-resistant control housing, which is integrated into the rear of the vehicle for easy servicing. For fast, convenient charging of the lead-acid battery, optional access is provided via the rear of the vehicle.

Another special feature of the new explosion-proof E-Trucks is the great number of optional assistance systems and lighting solutions. As with the standard trucks, customers can choose from many equipment variants. Both LED headlights, BlueSpot, LED strips and VertiLight are available in non-sparking versions or as sealed components. The same applies to assistance systems such as the Linde Load-Assist, Safety Pilot, electronic seat belt monitoring and Linde Safety Guard. Added to this are the benefits of the Linde:connect fleet management solution with access control and electronic damage monitoring. The data transmission unit fitted as standard makes the explosion-proof trucks fit for digital logistics processes such as software updates.

Explosion protection from Linde

With the new Linde E25 to E35 EX E-Trucks, customers also receive qualified customer service, a 24/7 supply of standard and ATEX spare parts, as well as the respective ATEX certificates and detailed operating manuals, in addition to individual vehicle configurations.

 

 

Linde offers explosion protection at highest level

Posted on by David Priestman

Since their introduction in 2021, the latest electric counterbalance trucks from Linde Material Handling (MH) have been setting new standards with regard to ergonomics, visibility, safety and energy efficiency. Now, the Linde E25 to E35 models are also available in explosion-proof versions.

Operators can thus benefit from the extensive range of advantages offered by these series-production trucks. The vehicles for ATEX zone 2/22 are already available, with the versions for zone 1/21 to follow in mid-2023.

It was one of the crowd-pullers at the Dangerous Goods/Hazardous Substances trade fair in Leipzig at the beginning of November: the new Linde E25 to E35 EX electric forklift truck for ATEX zone 2/22. With the models of this series, the fundamentally improved generation of Linde counterbalance trucks is now also available for use in hazardous areas.

Close collaboration

“The close collaboration between series and Ex truck development at Linde Material Handling has proven its worth once again,” emphasizes Elke Karnarski, Product Manager Ex-Proof Trucks. The design of the chassis, cab and mast provides an optimal view of the vehicle, load and working environment, thus serving both increased handling performance and greater operational safety. Additionally, drivers benefit from an optimized operator’s workplace which is even more generously dimensioned than in the previous models and offers more headroom, for example.

“Thanks to the complete integration of the explosion protection measures, the advantages of the series-production trucks are fully retained for all ATEX zones,” affirms Karnarski.

At the same time, operation in hazardous environments is taken into account. Protection against static charge is provided by plastic trim, floor mats and tires, as well as seat upholstery and armrests made of dissipative material. For the first time, the front, rear and roof wipers for zone 1/21 are electrically operated as standard. As with the standard vehicles, drivers of explosion-proof models can read important information – such as the battery charge status, error codes or when the next service is due – on a 3.5-inch display (standard for zone 2/22) or the generous 7-inch TFT colour display (optional for zone 2/22, standard for zone 1/21).

Safety-relevant values, such as the temperature of various components, are also monitored and alerts are shown on a separate display. Additionally, the EX-Monitoring app provides the driver with specific recommendations for action such as letting the vehicle cool down for 15 minutes, for example. The app also enables predictive maintenance, by way of monitoring safety-critical wear parts and prompting the customer at an early stage to schedule a service appointment.

Comfortable, economical, safe and agile

In addition, the driver’s workplace is largely decoupled from the drive unit and mast, and an elastomer ring bearing is used for shock absorption on the front axle. This is particularly noticeable when driving over thresholds, guide rails or uneven ground, as it makes driving more comfortable and also safeguards the operator.

Efficient motors ensure reduced energy consumption. In turn, the electronic temperature monitoring system on the traction motors, which is linked to a safety warning and shutdown function, is a typical explosion-protection feature. Furthermore, all electronic controls, sensors, fuses and relays are centrally located in a pressure-resistant control housing, which is integrated into the rear of the vehicle for easy servicing. For fast, convenient charging of the lead-acid battery, optional access is provided via the rear of the vehicle.

Another special feature of the new explosion-proof E-Trucks is the great number of optional assistance systems and lighting solutions. As with the standard trucks, customers can choose from many equipment variants. Both LED headlights, BlueSpot, LED strips and VertiLight are available in non-sparking versions or as sealed components. The same applies to assistance systems such as the Linde Load-Assist, Safety Pilot, electronic seat belt monitoring and Linde Safety Guard. Added to this are the benefits of the Linde:connect fleet management solution with access control and electronic damage monitoring. The data transmission unit fitted as standard makes the explosion-proof trucks fit for digital logistics processes such as software updates.

Explosion protection from Linde

With the new Linde E25 to E35 EX E-Trucks, customers also receive qualified customer service, a 24/7 supply of standard and ATEX spare parts, as well as the respective ATEX certificates and detailed operating manuals, in addition to individual vehicle configurations.

 

 

Supermarket Logistics, Forever

Posted on by David Priestman

Highly dynamic, supermarket logistics centres need to be durable and flexible. Two big Witron projects illustrate why.

Thomas Kerkenhoff has run logistics for many years in the Rhine-Ruhr region for German supermarket giant Edeka, the network including two highly automated distribution centres in Hamm and Oberhausen. He says: “In order to operate a facility successfully and economically in the long-term, you need a very good team, both at your logistics partner and on-site, that is constantly working on the enhancement of the mechanical components and the software. But this only works if you also have a partner who has already implemented a large number of systems in the industry worldwide, and thus has extensive experience, know-how, and references.” Suffice to say, Kerkenhoff has been a Witron customer for more than 15 years.

“If I invest money, then the system must be able to map my business model also in 25 years’ time,” he goes on. “But at the same time it must also be able to adapt to new basic conditions and business processes. That’s what I expect as a customer.”

Advice from the top

Witron CEO, Helmut Prieschenk nods enthusiastically in agreement. “Durability means a lot more than the systems still working after many years. Durability means that our customers still generate economic benefits even after 25 years of operation.” In the past, he says, many suppliers advertised using the buzzword ‘modularity’. “But those who only think in terms of modularity only take small steps,” he warns.

Kerkenhoff has never thought in the short-term. “We have to invest in predictive systems and rely on proactive maintenance and service. Artificial intelligence is the keyword. The forecast must also adapt to the new post-Covid 19 situation, and the IT systems of Edeka and Witron have to network even more intensively via open interfaces. Holy Thursday before Easter has always been our peak day – yet this year it was Holy Saturday. The warehouse systems have to adapt to that situation.” In Witron’s own parlance, the logistics centre has “to breathe”.

Take the end customer’s view

Prieschenk knows the requirements of Kerkenhoff and other expert logistics managers worldwide. “Our systems grow with the customer. It’s a challenge to receive figures at the beginning of the project design phase that are prone to change during the implementation phase. The pandemic multiplied these situations.”

For example, efficient ecommerce processes had to be integrated within a very short time for customers in the UK and Scandinavia, in logistics centres that were originally designed for bricks-and-mortar store delivery. That means the number of items changes, the volume varies, the order lines adapt, and more distribution channels are added. “We always have the goal in mind, to see logistics from the end customer’s perspective in the store or at home, and analyze developments”, explains Prieschenk, who has the advantage that Witron supplies markets worldwide with its solutions and therefore can recognise developments on other continents faster than others.

Another decisive factor is that Witron itself takes full current responsibility for the permanent high availability of the systems with 57 OnSite teams in 13 countries; it even takes over monitoring and control room tasks. The OnSite teams are an essential interface with the customer and are also closely networked with each other. “This means we can provide answers to many questions,” says Prieschenk. In the end, he says, it doesn’t matter to the customer whether the solution of the problem refers to mechanics, control, or IT. “We have to ask ourselves early in the design phase how the material flow needs to work to enable us to add, if required, a new conveyor or additional COM machines later on. Or how must the IT environment look like to implement new mechanical components, obtain sales figures from the stores, or efficiently integrate external route scheduling systems.”

Global reference visits

Many future Witron customers visit the company’s existing facilities all over the world before they start discussions with the experts at Witron’s Parkstein base. Australian customers travel to Spain, American customers to Scandinavia, and Swiss customers to France. Helmut Prieschenk and his team do not even notice many of the reference visits at first, and only get to hear about them afterwards. “The retail world is small – people know each other. What’s exciting is that the interested parties do not necessarily visit the recently completed logistics centres. They trust us that we can keep optimizing the technology and the functionalities of OPM. But they want to see on site what an OPM system will look like after 20 years,” says Prieschenk.

One of these customers is leading Spanish food supermarket Mercadona, which has been working with Witron’s technology for more than 16 years. “We have had a trusting and successful partnership with Witron that goes far beyond a usual customer-supplier relationship,” explains Rosa Aguado, General Director of Logistics at Mercadona. At six Spanish locations, Witron has designed and implemented 13 highly automated systems to date. The technological heart is Witron’s OPM solution, which Mercadona uses in the dry, fresh, and frozen goods area.

“With 185 installed COM machines, we are one of Witron’s largest customers worldwide working with the OPM solution. During all this time, the COM machines have avoided the physical strain on our employees and have picked more than two billion cases in the dry, fresh, and frozen goods area,” says Rosa Aguado. “In addition to ergonomics and cost-efficiency, two other factors were particularly important to us: flexibility and durability. Because change is a constant at Mercadona. Our declared aim is for our employees to spend their entire careers with the company and to continue to develop. And in the same way, we expect our logistics systems to adapt to permanently changing market requirements.”

Shipping to supermarket

“In the future, Witron employees will have to understand the customer even better than they do now, get to know the customer’s business in even greater detail, be closely involved in the processes, analyze them, and then make the right recommendations for action,” says Prieschenk. “If retailers run their system in three shifts, then we might be able to offer them optimizations. The same applies to logistics discussions with our customers’ suppliers or discussions about cut-off times with the shipping department.”

Prieschenk and his team are planning to offer optimization kits to customers in the future. “We have the data and can run through optimizations via digital twins of the warehouses, develop new ideas, and make them available to the retailer as additional services. It’s a business model that we also cover with OCM (Omni-Channel Machinery). We have to integrate existing supermarket warehouses to make the best use of all assets. That delivers an economic advantage to the customer, even if the system is 15 years old.”

Back at supermarket Edeka, the OPM at the Hamm facility has also been running for almost 15 years, and the Oberhausen warehouse was ramped up at the end of 2021. “There is no competitor solution on the market that can store and pick more than 10,000 different items fully automatically as efficiently as the Witron OPM system,” says Kerkenhoff.

 

Supermarket Logistics, Forever

Posted on by David Priestman

Highly dynamic, supermarket logistics centres need to be durable and flexible. Two big Witron projects illustrate why.

Thomas Kerkenhoff has run logistics for many years in the Rhine-Ruhr region for German supermarket giant Edeka, the network including two highly automated distribution centres in Hamm and Oberhausen. He says: “In order to operate a facility successfully and economically in the long-term, you need a very good team, both at your logistics partner and on-site, that is constantly working on the enhancement of the mechanical components and the software. But this only works if you also have a partner who has already implemented a large number of systems in the industry worldwide, and thus has extensive experience, know-how, and references.” Suffice to say, Kerkenhoff has been a Witron customer for more than 15 years.

“If I invest money, then the system must be able to map my business model also in 25 years’ time,” he goes on. “But at the same time it must also be able to adapt to new basic conditions and business processes. That’s what I expect as a customer.”

Advice from the top

Witron CEO, Helmut Prieschenk nods enthusiastically in agreement. “Durability means a lot more than the systems still working after many years. Durability means that our customers still generate economic benefits even after 25 years of operation.” In the past, he says, many suppliers advertised using the buzzword ‘modularity’. “But those who only think in terms of modularity only take small steps,” he warns.

Kerkenhoff has never thought in the short-term. “We have to invest in predictive systems and rely on proactive maintenance and service. Artificial intelligence is the keyword. The forecast must also adapt to the new post-Covid 19 situation, and the IT systems of Edeka and Witron have to network even more intensively via open interfaces. Holy Thursday before Easter has always been our peak day – yet this year it was Holy Saturday. The warehouse systems have to adapt to that situation.” In Witron’s own parlance, the logistics centre has “to breathe”.

Take the end customer’s view

Prieschenk knows the requirements of Kerkenhoff and other expert logistics managers worldwide. “Our systems grow with the customer. It’s a challenge to receive figures at the beginning of the project design phase that are prone to change during the implementation phase. The pandemic multiplied these situations.”

For example, efficient ecommerce processes had to be integrated within a very short time for customers in the UK and Scandinavia, in logistics centres that were originally designed for bricks-and-mortar store delivery. That means the number of items changes, the volume varies, the order lines adapt, and more distribution channels are added. “We always have the goal in mind, to see logistics from the end customer’s perspective in the store or at home, and analyze developments”, explains Prieschenk, who has the advantage that Witron supplies markets worldwide with its solutions and therefore can recognise developments on other continents faster than others.

Another decisive factor is that Witron itself takes full current responsibility for the permanent high availability of the systems with 57 OnSite teams in 13 countries; it even takes over monitoring and control room tasks. The OnSite teams are an essential interface with the customer and are also closely networked with each other. “This means we can provide answers to many questions,” says Prieschenk. In the end, he says, it doesn’t matter to the customer whether the solution of the problem refers to mechanics, control, or IT. “We have to ask ourselves early in the design phase how the material flow needs to work to enable us to add, if required, a new conveyor or additional COM machines later on. Or how must the IT environment look like to implement new mechanical components, obtain sales figures from the stores, or efficiently integrate external route scheduling systems.”

Global reference visits

Many future Witron customers visit the company’s existing facilities all over the world before they start discussions with the experts at Witron’s Parkstein base. Australian customers travel to Spain, American customers to Scandinavia, and Swiss customers to France. Helmut Prieschenk and his team do not even notice many of the reference visits at first, and only get to hear about them afterwards. “The retail world is small – people know each other. What’s exciting is that the interested parties do not necessarily visit the recently completed logistics centres. They trust us that we can keep optimizing the technology and the functionalities of OPM. But they want to see on site what an OPM system will look like after 20 years,” says Prieschenk.

One of these customers is leading Spanish food supermarket Mercadona, which has been working with Witron’s technology for more than 16 years. “We have had a trusting and successful partnership with Witron that goes far beyond a usual customer-supplier relationship,” explains Rosa Aguado, General Director of Logistics at Mercadona. At six Spanish locations, Witron has designed and implemented 13 highly automated systems to date. The technological heart is Witron’s OPM solution, which Mercadona uses in the dry, fresh, and frozen goods area.

“With 185 installed COM machines, we are one of Witron’s largest customers worldwide working with the OPM solution. During all this time, the COM machines have avoided the physical strain on our employees and have picked more than two billion cases in the dry, fresh, and frozen goods area,” says Rosa Aguado. “In addition to ergonomics and cost-efficiency, two other factors were particularly important to us: flexibility and durability. Because change is a constant at Mercadona. Our declared aim is for our employees to spend their entire careers with the company and to continue to develop. And in the same way, we expect our logistics systems to adapt to permanently changing market requirements.”

Shipping to supermarket

“In the future, Witron employees will have to understand the customer even better than they do now, get to know the customer’s business in even greater detail, be closely involved in the processes, analyze them, and then make the right recommendations for action,” says Prieschenk. “If retailers run their system in three shifts, then we might be able to offer them optimizations. The same applies to logistics discussions with our customers’ suppliers or discussions about cut-off times with the shipping department.”

Prieschenk and his team are planning to offer optimization kits to customers in the future. “We have the data and can run through optimizations via digital twins of the warehouses, develop new ideas, and make them available to the retailer as additional services. It’s a business model that we also cover with OCM (Omni-Channel Machinery). We have to integrate existing supermarket warehouses to make the best use of all assets. That delivers an economic advantage to the customer, even if the system is 15 years old.”

Back at supermarket Edeka, the OPM at the Hamm facility has also been running for almost 15 years, and the Oberhausen warehouse was ramped up at the end of 2021. “There is no competitor solution on the market that can store and pick more than 10,000 different items fully automatically as efficiently as the Witron OPM system,” says Kerkenhoff.

 

Exiger joins WEF Innovators Community

Posted on by David Priestman

Exiger, a global leading third-party and supply chain management software company, has joined the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Global Innovators Community. The invitation-only unicorn group is comprised of leading companies, valued at over US$1bn, that are at the forefront of ethical technological and business model innovation. Exiger will contribute to the platform on Shaping the Future of Mobility, seeking to tackle issues on resilient supply chains and environmental sustainability.

“The World Economic Forum is pleased to welcome Exiger to join our Global Innovators community,” says Verena Kuhn, Head of the Global Innovators Community, World Economic Forum. “Including new, innovative voices is essential in the work we do at the Forum; we look forward to what Exiger’s expertise will add to our projects, dialogues and platforms.”

The Shaping the Future of Mobility Platform is dedicated to creating new ways of thinking that accelerate the global transition to safer, cleaner and more inclusive transportation systems, optimize the delivery of goods, and ensure easy access to mobility for all. Exiger’s work with the World Economic Forum will focus on the crucial role of supply chains in achieving sustainable and inclusive mobility; how cutting-edge data analytics can enable more sustainable systems; and how today’s mobility systems can meet future demand.

Exiger proud to join

“We’re proud to join the Global Innovators Community and look forward to working with pioneering companies as we demonstrate how every business can do well by doing good in the world,” said Brandon Daniels, CEO of Exiger. “Exiger is committed to bringing radical transparency to global supply chains and furthering the unique impact that the World Economic Forum recognizes rapidly expanding unicorns can have on society. We’re excited to collaborate with this great community to introduce new ideas and fresh thinking that can help protect lives, livelihoods and industries around the globe.”

Exiger’s proprietary real-time supply chain management technology empowers companies and government agencies to rapidly surface, understand, and mitigate critical threats to their entire supplier ecosystem. The platform delivers unparalleled transparency to better manage global supply chains and mitigate risks such as ESG, reputational, financial, cyber, operational risks, and adversarial ownership, control or influence at unprecedented speed and scale.

Exiger has dramatically accelerated its growth in the past several years including its acquisition of Supply Dynamics, creating the first end-to-end supply chain visibility and holistic risk management solution. Matt Hibbard, CFO of Exiger said, “Exiger’s focus on making the world a safer place to prosper is the reason we have been able to accelerate our client growth each year and join the Global Innovators Community at this level. We’re proud that our customers continue to view Exiger as the most trusted partner to help them achieve new levels of supply chain transparency, inclusiveness and sustainability, and we’re excited to work with the WEF to amplify this work.”

The Global Innovators Community is part of the World Economic Forum – the international organization for public-private cooperation based in Geneva, Switzerland. Each year the World Economic Forum hosts its annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland.

 

Exiger joins WEF Innovators Community

Posted on by David Priestman

Exiger, a global leading third-party and supply chain management software company, has joined the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Global Innovators Community. The invitation-only unicorn group is comprised of leading companies, valued at over US$1bn, that are at the forefront of ethical technological and business model innovation. Exiger will contribute to the platform on Shaping the Future of Mobility, seeking to tackle issues on resilient supply chains and environmental sustainability.

“The World Economic Forum is pleased to welcome Exiger to join our Global Innovators community,” says Verena Kuhn, Head of the Global Innovators Community, World Economic Forum. “Including new, innovative voices is essential in the work we do at the Forum; we look forward to what Exiger’s expertise will add to our projects, dialogues and platforms.”

The Shaping the Future of Mobility Platform is dedicated to creating new ways of thinking that accelerate the global transition to safer, cleaner and more inclusive transportation systems, optimize the delivery of goods, and ensure easy access to mobility for all. Exiger’s work with the World Economic Forum will focus on the crucial role of supply chains in achieving sustainable and inclusive mobility; how cutting-edge data analytics can enable more sustainable systems; and how today’s mobility systems can meet future demand.

Exiger proud to join

“We’re proud to join the Global Innovators Community and look forward to working with pioneering companies as we demonstrate how every business can do well by doing good in the world,” said Brandon Daniels, CEO of Exiger. “Exiger is committed to bringing radical transparency to global supply chains and furthering the unique impact that the World Economic Forum recognizes rapidly expanding unicorns can have on society. We’re excited to collaborate with this great community to introduce new ideas and fresh thinking that can help protect lives, livelihoods and industries around the globe.”

Exiger’s proprietary real-time supply chain management technology empowers companies and government agencies to rapidly surface, understand, and mitigate critical threats to their entire supplier ecosystem. The platform delivers unparalleled transparency to better manage global supply chains and mitigate risks such as ESG, reputational, financial, cyber, operational risks, and adversarial ownership, control or influence at unprecedented speed and scale.

Exiger has dramatically accelerated its growth in the past several years including its acquisition of Supply Dynamics, creating the first end-to-end supply chain visibility and holistic risk management solution. Matt Hibbard, CFO of Exiger said, “Exiger’s focus on making the world a safer place to prosper is the reason we have been able to accelerate our client growth each year and join the Global Innovators Community at this level. We’re proud that our customers continue to view Exiger as the most trusted partner to help them achieve new levels of supply chain transparency, inclusiveness and sustainability, and we’re excited to work with the WEF to amplify this work.”

The Global Innovators Community is part of the World Economic Forum – the international organization for public-private cooperation based in Geneva, Switzerland. Each year the World Economic Forum hosts its annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland.

 

Pallite expands to meet demand

Posted on by David Priestman

Pallite, the award-winning international designer and manufacturer of high-density storage bins, has taken on bigger premises in Milwaukee, US to facilitate the demand for its honeycomb cardboard pick bin units.

Since launching its strong, flexible warehouse storage solutions in the US 12 months ago and success following MODEX, Pallite has seen huge demand from a growing number of customers, including Quiet Platforms.

Over its 13-year operating history, Quiet has become the chosen fulfilment provider to the most successful and progressive digitally native companies seeking to maintain their brand identities.

With facilities located in key regions including Boston, St Louis, Chicago, Dallas & LA, working with Pallite it has been able to transform its storage and picking efficiencies.

Pallite brings business benefits

With the installation of Pallite’s PIX SLOTS storage solution, Quiet has reported considerable business benefits, including the reduction in the price per pick location, increased durability compared to previous corrugated bin boxes that would break down and need to be replaced, and also tangible improved ROI.

PIX has also provided Quiet with the flexibility it needed, scalability and customisation of the pick location dimensions, another major factor provided for by Pallite storage solutions.

“The biggest impact of installing PIX was the ability to have a storage solution able to be used for picking in our Atlanta launch,” said a spokesperson from Quiet Platforms. “From the date we acquired the building to the date we had inventory in storage ready to be picked was six weeks. Storage density has improved and picking locations per square foot has increased.

“Another major impact is inventory accuracy. There are no bin boxes being crushed and ripped causing inventory to fall on the floor. The sustainability of the units provided an additional benefit.”

Pallite PIX and PIX SLOTS is a range of lightweight, flexible, and robust storage units constructed from honeycomb paper cardboard. Designed to flex to the ever-changing demands of the modern warehouse, this innovative range of modular storage bins can be produced to each customer’s inventory requirements. PIX units maximise every inch of warehouse space, revolutionising picking efficiencies, improving pick accuracy as well as helping businesses fulfil on their sustainability goals.

Recent innovations to the range include rearward angled shelving to further alleviate stock spilling from pick faces. Rigid shelf edges with space for labels and bar codes are included for easy integration into existing pick systems.

Pallite expands to meet demand

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Pallite, the award-winning international designer and manufacturer of high-density storage bins, has taken on bigger premises in Milwaukee, US to facilitate the demand for its honeycomb cardboard pick bin units.

Since launching its strong, flexible warehouse storage solutions in the US 12 months ago and success following MODEX, Pallite has seen huge demand from a growing number of customers, including Quiet Platforms.

Over its 13-year operating history, Quiet has become the chosen fulfilment provider to the most successful and progressive digitally native companies seeking to maintain their brand identities.

With facilities located in key regions including Boston, St Louis, Chicago, Dallas & LA, working with Pallite it has been able to transform its storage and picking efficiencies.

Pallite brings business benefits

With the installation of Pallite’s PIX SLOTS storage solution, Quiet has reported considerable business benefits, including the reduction in the price per pick location, increased durability compared to previous corrugated bin boxes that would break down and need to be replaced, and also tangible improved ROI.

PIX has also provided Quiet with the flexibility it needed, scalability and customisation of the pick location dimensions, another major factor provided for by Pallite storage solutions.

“The biggest impact of installing PIX was the ability to have a storage solution able to be used for picking in our Atlanta launch,” said a spokesperson from Quiet Platforms. “From the date we acquired the building to the date we had inventory in storage ready to be picked was six weeks. Storage density has improved and picking locations per square foot has increased.

“Another major impact is inventory accuracy. There are no bin boxes being crushed and ripped causing inventory to fall on the floor. The sustainability of the units provided an additional benefit.”

Pallite PIX and PIX SLOTS is a range of lightweight, flexible, and robust storage units constructed from honeycomb paper cardboard. Designed to flex to the ever-changing demands of the modern warehouse, this innovative range of modular storage bins can be produced to each customer’s inventory requirements. PIX units maximise every inch of warehouse space, revolutionising picking efficiencies, improving pick accuracy as well as helping businesses fulfil on their sustainability goals.

Recent innovations to the range include rearward angled shelving to further alleviate stock spilling from pick faces. Rigid shelf edges with space for labels and bar codes are included for easy integration into existing pick systems.

Food logistics must evolve in 2023

Posted on by David Priestman

Paul Empson, GM of bakery and food equipment company Bakers Basco, shares his reflections and predictions for the year ahead – and why the environmental fight against plastic waste must be a top priority.

From rising inflation to soaring energy and fuel prices, 2022 has been challenging for almost every business operating in the food and logistics industry; the crunch being felt by all parties across the supply chain – from source to shelf to shoppers.

Supply chain issues continue to dominate the news agenda – the latest pointing to a shortage of eggs in the run up to Christmas as the poultry industry grapples with spiralling costs and a bout of bird flu. If there’s one word to sum up the biggest challenge of 2022, it’s cost. It’s an issue faced by all corners of the food industry, including the baking sector.

In 2022, the baking industry has faced formidable challenges related to the supply chain, workforce development, rising inflation and costs of flour and energy – all compounded by the conflict in Ukraine and the continued fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic. Has the industry overcome it? Not fully – but yes, in the sense that they have continued and continue to operate and provide daily bread to homes across the country.

But as with everything, it comes at a cost – a cost to the bakers, the supermarkets and the suppliers working behind the scenes to manage efficient logistics to transport the goods.

Food logistics industry predictions

At the beginning of the year, I made three predictions for the food logistics industry: that plastic prices would plateau, that more HGV drivers would enter the pool; and that the government would clamp down on illegal recycling as part of its commitment to build towards a greener future, and reach net zero by 2050.

Encouragingly, the material costs and availability of virgin material has improved slightly during the latter stages of the year, which has eased the plastic supply chain to a degree. Uncertainty has relaxed to some extent which has been a great relief for those producing and procuring plastic trays. On the HGV driver front, various actions have been taken to try and address the shortage and its impact on supply chains – with recent reports stating that the number of HGV drivers is stabilising. Two out of three ain’t bad, right?

Unfortunately, where we continue to fall short is in the fight against plastic waste – and this must be a top priority now, in 2023 and beyond. The environment is an issue that continues to be front of everybody’s mind and it’s no different for us at Bakers Basco. Plastic waste must be reduced and we must continue investigations to maintain a healthy circular economy.

We’ve long talked about the benefits of a circular economy, promoting environmental policies to reuse and recycle, and ensuring that every product is as sustainable as possible. Plastic returnable transit packaging (RTP) like our Omega bread basket was designed from  virgin plastic as a cost-effective and environmentally-friendly solution for bakeries to deliver bread and other baked goods across the UK. It’s sturdy, reusable and it’s recycled once it reaches its 12-year life span – contributing in a positive way to the circular economy.

Impact of theft

But there’s a darker side of the plastics industry being overlooked that is preventing any progress towards a healthier circular economy – and officials are still turning a blind eye to it. The Government wants all plastic packaging to be reusable by 2025. For us and many businesses like ours, we’ve already got a reusable plastic packaging solution that we’ve been using for many years. We’re trying to contribute positively to the circular economy. Yet it’s not 100% working and that’s because people are stealing the equipment and illegally grinding up the plastic, taking it out of the circular economy. What’s more, after this process has taken place, it’s going back to legal companies in the UK – whether they know it or not.

As a business, Bakers Basco has continued to go from strength to strength on our quest to repatriate as much equipment as possible – making great strides in getting the message to businesses outside of the baking, food, logistics and recycling industries. For example, we’ve engaged with the Association of Festival Organisers (AFO) which has enabled us to secure quantities of equipment from Glastonbury (a new source for us) and connect with key individuals who have the power to support change.

We will continue to broaden our horizons in 2023 in terms of which channels we investigate, continuing this expansion to connect with areas and sectors that we previously have not. And we intend on opening up further areas in different settings to repatriate our equipment, all in line with our efforts to hammer home the message that bread baskets belong to a supply chain and that they belong to Bakers Basco and its membership.

Help save the planet

The recent COP27 has served as a reminder to us all that climate change needs to remain on the global agenda. Consumers are becoming more and more aware about how the actions they take today can build towards a better future for the planet. We ourselves have seen an increase in members of the public having greater awareness of the negative environmental impact caused by equipment ending up outside the supply chain – and informing our investigations team of misplaced equipment found where it shouldn’t be.

It shows that the message is getting through and reaching a wider audience – but we mustn’t forget that it’s an imperative for businesses and governments too to put plastic waste and waste crime back on the agenda. Cracking down on rogue carriers of waste is an area that’s very close to Bakers Basco’s heart; this is absolutely the source in which illegal recyclers are getting away with unlawfully collecting our plastic bread baskets and dollies, then selling them on to rogue recyclers and gaining huge profits – at the expense of others. We need more enforcement in the UK to catch the rogue carriers who are dealing with waste – or perceived waste – in an unlawful manner.

With the right enforcement, it will not only help curb theft and support those businesses and industries who suffer as a result of stolen or missing equipment, but it could also help to save the planet. And that’s the only trend that we really need to see happen in 2023.

 

Food logistics must evolve in 2023

Posted on by David Priestman

Paul Empson, GM of bakery and food equipment company Bakers Basco, shares his reflections and predictions for the year ahead – and why the environmental fight against plastic waste must be a top priority.

From rising inflation to soaring energy and fuel prices, 2022 has been challenging for almost every business operating in the food and logistics industry; the crunch being felt by all parties across the supply chain – from source to shelf to shoppers.

Supply chain issues continue to dominate the news agenda – the latest pointing to a shortage of eggs in the run up to Christmas as the poultry industry grapples with spiralling costs and a bout of bird flu. If there’s one word to sum up the biggest challenge of 2022, it’s cost. It’s an issue faced by all corners of the food industry, including the baking sector.

In 2022, the baking industry has faced formidable challenges related to the supply chain, workforce development, rising inflation and costs of flour and energy – all compounded by the conflict in Ukraine and the continued fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic. Has the industry overcome it? Not fully – but yes, in the sense that they have continued and continue to operate and provide daily bread to homes across the country.

But as with everything, it comes at a cost – a cost to the bakers, the supermarkets and the suppliers working behind the scenes to manage efficient logistics to transport the goods.

Food logistics industry predictions

At the beginning of the year, I made three predictions for the food logistics industry: that plastic prices would plateau, that more HGV drivers would enter the pool; and that the government would clamp down on illegal recycling as part of its commitment to build towards a greener future, and reach net zero by 2050.

Encouragingly, the material costs and availability of virgin material has improved slightly during the latter stages of the year, which has eased the plastic supply chain to a degree. Uncertainty has relaxed to some extent which has been a great relief for those producing and procuring plastic trays. On the HGV driver front, various actions have been taken to try and address the shortage and its impact on supply chains – with recent reports stating that the number of HGV drivers is stabilising. Two out of three ain’t bad, right?

Unfortunately, where we continue to fall short is in the fight against plastic waste – and this must be a top priority now, in 2023 and beyond. The environment is an issue that continues to be front of everybody’s mind and it’s no different for us at Bakers Basco. Plastic waste must be reduced and we must continue investigations to maintain a healthy circular economy.

We’ve long talked about the benefits of a circular economy, promoting environmental policies to reuse and recycle, and ensuring that every product is as sustainable as possible. Plastic returnable transit packaging (RTP) like our Omega bread basket was designed from  virgin plastic as a cost-effective and environmentally-friendly solution for bakeries to deliver bread and other baked goods across the UK. It’s sturdy, reusable and it’s recycled once it reaches its 12-year life span – contributing in a positive way to the circular economy.

Impact of theft

But there’s a darker side of the plastics industry being overlooked that is preventing any progress towards a healthier circular economy – and officials are still turning a blind eye to it. The Government wants all plastic packaging to be reusable by 2025. For us and many businesses like ours, we’ve already got a reusable plastic packaging solution that we’ve been using for many years. We’re trying to contribute positively to the circular economy. Yet it’s not 100% working and that’s because people are stealing the equipment and illegally grinding up the plastic, taking it out of the circular economy. What’s more, after this process has taken place, it’s going back to legal companies in the UK – whether they know it or not.

As a business, Bakers Basco has continued to go from strength to strength on our quest to repatriate as much equipment as possible – making great strides in getting the message to businesses outside of the baking, food, logistics and recycling industries. For example, we’ve engaged with the Association of Festival Organisers (AFO) which has enabled us to secure quantities of equipment from Glastonbury (a new source for us) and connect with key individuals who have the power to support change.

We will continue to broaden our horizons in 2023 in terms of which channels we investigate, continuing this expansion to connect with areas and sectors that we previously have not. And we intend on opening up further areas in different settings to repatriate our equipment, all in line with our efforts to hammer home the message that bread baskets belong to a supply chain and that they belong to Bakers Basco and its membership.

Help save the planet

The recent COP27 has served as a reminder to us all that climate change needs to remain on the global agenda. Consumers are becoming more and more aware about how the actions they take today can build towards a better future for the planet. We ourselves have seen an increase in members of the public having greater awareness of the negative environmental impact caused by equipment ending up outside the supply chain – and informing our investigations team of misplaced equipment found where it shouldn’t be.

It shows that the message is getting through and reaching a wider audience – but we mustn’t forget that it’s an imperative for businesses and governments too to put plastic waste and waste crime back on the agenda. Cracking down on rogue carriers of waste is an area that’s very close to Bakers Basco’s heart; this is absolutely the source in which illegal recyclers are getting away with unlawfully collecting our plastic bread baskets and dollies, then selling them on to rogue recyclers and gaining huge profits – at the expense of others. We need more enforcement in the UK to catch the rogue carriers who are dealing with waste – or perceived waste – in an unlawful manner.

With the right enforcement, it will not only help curb theft and support those businesses and industries who suffer as a result of stolen or missing equipment, but it could also help to save the planet. And that’s the only trend that we really need to see happen in 2023.

 

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