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Day: 20 January 2023

Supply Chain on-Time, in Full Strategies

Posted on by David Priestman

If you work in logistics, then making sure your supply chain deliveries are on-time, in full will be key to your success, writes Paul Fordon, MD of TEPS.

It’s a key metric that should be placed near the top of the list in terms of importance. Yet despite having such an influential role in the long-term success (or failure) of a business, many companies within the supply chain fail to give this metric the full attention that it deserves.

But, how can you drive efficiency, and accuracy whilst saving time in your supply chain with on-time in full strategies? How can you ensure that you’re succeeding in this area? It all comes down to your on-time in full strategies. On this page, we’ll take a close look at OTIF, its benefits, and how you can improve yours.

What is OTIF?

OTIF stands for on time in full, a key metric used to measure efficiency in supply chain companies. An on-time in full delivery is essentially a successful delivery that arrived “on time” and “in full” (i.e., everything that was supposed to arrive did so). Your OTIF rate is the percentage of your total orders that meet this benchmark. Suppliers, logistics companies, and manufacturers can all use OTIF to measure their performance.

It can be difficult to achieve OTIF, especially for companies who have stock brought into ports or store their goods in warehouses, but there are things you can do to improve your OTIF rate.

Benefits of OTIF Strategies

Most companies within the supply chain will benefit from adopting strategies that improve their OTIF percentage. Why? Because there are so many benefits to doing so. The advantages include the following:

• Reducing Costs – A problem with OTIF is usually a result of a shipping problem. By identifying what those problems are, businesses can make changes that help to optimise their shipping process and reduce the need for expensive, expedited shipping services.

• Happier Customers – Customers rightly grow frustrated when they experience problems with their orders. By improving your OTIF percentage, you’ll give your customer satisfaction rates a nudge in the right direction.

• Improve the Company’s, Bottom Line – Late and missed deliveries can be hugely problematic and expensive for companies. At best, the company will need to pay for expedited shipping to fulfil an order. At worst, they may receive a hefty fine or lose a customer altogether. Investing in your OTIF will reduce unnecessary expenses and help to solidify long-term success.

How to calculate OTIF

Understanding your OTIF rate is key to measuring your company’s performance. There’s a simple formula you can use to calculate your rate. First, figure out the total number of deliveries that were made on time and in full. That means the orders that arrived when they were supposed to and contained everything that was supposed to be in the order (i.e., there was nothing missing, and the customer got everything they asked for).

Next, divide that number by the total number of deliveries you made. For example, let’s say you made 820 deliveries on time and in full. Your total deliveries were 950. The formula would be: 820/950 x 100 = 86%. You’ll never get a 100% OTIF rate, but you should aim to be as close to 100% as possible. A score of 85 – 90% is classed as very good.

How to improve OTIF

Even if you have a high OTIF rate, you may want to look at improving the score. There’s no downside to making as many on-time and in-full deliveries as possible. Some handy methods for improving OTIF include:

• Use Smart Warehouse Management Systems – You’ll have problems fulfilling an order if you don’t have items in stock. A smart warehouse management system will allow you to understand what inventory you have in your warehouse at any one time.

• Utilise Real-Time Visibility – Real-time visibility allows companies to keep up to date with the status of an order. By keeping tabs on the location of your shipment in real-time, you’ll be able to identify potential problems that could result in delays. You can also keep your customer up to date.

• Work with Experienced Companies – You’ll depend on other companies to deliver your goods on time and in full. Working with an experienced haulage, storage, and distribution provider will help to reduce the likelihood of issues that could cause a delay or other problems with your shipment.

Ultimately, it’s worth investing in your OTIF rate because of its importance to your business.

Supply Chain on-Time, in Full Strategies

Posted on by David Priestman

If you work in logistics, then making sure your supply chain deliveries are on-time, in full will be key to your success, writes Paul Fordon, MD of TEPS.

It’s a key metric that should be placed near the top of the list in terms of importance. Yet despite having such an influential role in the long-term success (or failure) of a business, many companies within the supply chain fail to give this metric the full attention that it deserves.

But, how can you drive efficiency, and accuracy whilst saving time in your supply chain with on-time in full strategies? How can you ensure that you’re succeeding in this area? It all comes down to your on-time in full strategies. On this page, we’ll take a close look at OTIF, its benefits, and how you can improve yours.

What is OTIF?

OTIF stands for on time in full, a key metric used to measure efficiency in supply chain companies. An on-time in full delivery is essentially a successful delivery that arrived “on time” and “in full” (i.e., everything that was supposed to arrive did so). Your OTIF rate is the percentage of your total orders that meet this benchmark. Suppliers, logistics companies, and manufacturers can all use OTIF to measure their performance.

It can be difficult to achieve OTIF, especially for companies who have stock brought into ports or store their goods in warehouses, but there are things you can do to improve your OTIF rate.

Benefits of OTIF Strategies

Most companies within the supply chain will benefit from adopting strategies that improve their OTIF percentage. Why? Because there are so many benefits to doing so. The advantages include the following:

• Reducing Costs – A problem with OTIF is usually a result of a shipping problem. By identifying what those problems are, businesses can make changes that help to optimise their shipping process and reduce the need for expensive, expedited shipping services.

• Happier Customers – Customers rightly grow frustrated when they experience problems with their orders. By improving your OTIF percentage, you’ll give your customer satisfaction rates a nudge in the right direction.

• Improve the Company’s, Bottom Line – Late and missed deliveries can be hugely problematic and expensive for companies. At best, the company will need to pay for expedited shipping to fulfil an order. At worst, they may receive a hefty fine or lose a customer altogether. Investing in your OTIF will reduce unnecessary expenses and help to solidify long-term success.

How to calculate OTIF

Understanding your OTIF rate is key to measuring your company’s performance. There’s a simple formula you can use to calculate your rate. First, figure out the total number of deliveries that were made on time and in full. That means the orders that arrived when they were supposed to and contained everything that was supposed to be in the order (i.e., there was nothing missing, and the customer got everything they asked for).

Next, divide that number by the total number of deliveries you made. For example, let’s say you made 820 deliveries on time and in full. Your total deliveries were 950. The formula would be: 820/950 x 100 = 86%. You’ll never get a 100% OTIF rate, but you should aim to be as close to 100% as possible. A score of 85 – 90% is classed as very good.

How to improve OTIF

Even if you have a high OTIF rate, you may want to look at improving the score. There’s no downside to making as many on-time and in-full deliveries as possible. Some handy methods for improving OTIF include:

• Use Smart Warehouse Management Systems – You’ll have problems fulfilling an order if you don’t have items in stock. A smart warehouse management system will allow you to understand what inventory you have in your warehouse at any one time.

• Utilise Real-Time Visibility – Real-time visibility allows companies to keep up to date with the status of an order. By keeping tabs on the location of your shipment in real-time, you’ll be able to identify potential problems that could result in delays. You can also keep your customer up to date.

• Work with Experienced Companies – You’ll depend on other companies to deliver your goods on time and in full. Working with an experienced haulage, storage, and distribution provider will help to reduce the likelihood of issues that could cause a delay or other problems with your shipment.

Ultimately, it’s worth investing in your OTIF rate because of its importance to your business.

Chinese New Year Supply Chain Chaos?

Posted on by David Priestman

A larger share of freight forwarders and supply chain professionals this year in 2023 are expecting disruptions owing to COVID outbreaks in China and the Chinese New Year factory closures as compared to the last year (2022).

“We are looking at three different Chinese Years in 2020, 2021 and 2022. It’s not what we’ve been accustomed to in the prior years when there was demand leading up to the Chinese New Year. There is a lot of inventory with retailers and manufacturers. Inflation and fear of recession continue to impact demand. And therefore, the spot rates have started to fall off the cliff. There are a lot of unknowns and preparing with better data, information and visibility into the supply chain is the way to navigate through these unforeseen times.” said Cathy Morrow Roberson, Founder and President of Logistics Trends & Insights LLC during a webinar organised by Container xChange on the Chinese New Year analysis and predictions.

The annual Chinese New Year survey by Container xChange witnessed some 2300 respondents from the supply chain industry sharing their opinions and views about how they view Chinese New Year and COVID outbreaks in China have an impact on global supply chains.

As compared to some 66% in 2022, there was an increase in the percentage (73%) of supply chain professionals expecting Chinese New Year to further disrupt the shipping industry this year.This comes in contrast to industry reports where a lot of analysis talks about lessening the impact of disruptions in China on the global supply chains. Out of the 73% saying that they do foresee an impact, 65% were freight forwarders and the rest were supply chain professionals in general.

“Usually, we expect a cargo rush in January and February but this year, the Chinese New Year is earlier. The situation will have a significant impact on the domestic supply chain from January 15 to February 6, 2023. In my opinion, this time is difficult for businesses. I think companies can prepare better by controlling costs, better forecasting, and efficient information flow. This is where technology can help greatly.” commented Mr. Sun Director / General Manager, CNTRANS in the webinar.

When asked in the survey, ‘what impact will be the most prominent in the coming weeks’, most agreed that there will be ‘an increase in port congestions and delays’ and ‘delayed container journeys’ soon after China reopens. Last year, most industry professionals feared capacity issues and higher rates as the Chinese New Year aftermath. One respondent elaborated, “I think an ‘increase in port congestions and delays’ and ‘delayed container journeys’ will be the possible result as it makes sense to me that once they all ship out again that means more ships leaving closer to one another for the same destinations which may cause backups for a short time.”

“There are added, and new complexities ahead coupled with Chinese New Year where at one end we see China coping with the Covid infections, and on the other end we see a continued dip in demand. We cannot see Chinese New Year in isolation but in combination with all these challenges. The biggest concern is the reduced production and port capacity due to the infections in China. Also, the rates are low, capacity management is still a top priority for carriers and blank sailings are prominent. Amidst this, in the coming weeks, we foresee prolonged factory closures and bearish market conditions.” Christian Roeloffs, cofounder and CEO, of Container xChange, an online container logistics platform that offers an ecosystem for booking and managing of shipping containers.

We also asked how the industry is planning for the closures. We asked – “In planning for the 2023 Chinese New Year factory closures, have you ordered inventory/placed bookings earlier this year?”

Last year, in the year 2022, 59% said ‘yes’ and this year, 55% said yes. While the majority planned advance bookings, there is a drop of 4%. Another change we noticed this year was, while 65% of international freight forwarders said they expect Chinese New Year closures to impact supply chains, only 47% have made advance plans to deal with the same. One possible cause of the dip in preparing in advance could be still high inventory levels—and the market being bearish in general, as demand continues to fall and transportation capacity supply increases.

Further, we asked ‘Ahead of Chinese New Year factory closures, have you changed your container sourcing strategy to ensure you have boxes?’ Last year in 2022, the majority said nothing specific and this year too, the majority responded by saying nothing specific, only this year, highlighting that there is enough supply.

Chinese New Year Supply Chain Chaos?

Posted on by David Priestman

A larger share of freight forwarders and supply chain professionals this year in 2023 are expecting disruptions owing to COVID outbreaks in China and the Chinese New Year factory closures as compared to the last year (2022).

“We are looking at three different Chinese Years in 2020, 2021 and 2022. It’s not what we’ve been accustomed to in the prior years when there was demand leading up to the Chinese New Year. There is a lot of inventory with retailers and manufacturers. Inflation and fear of recession continue to impact demand. And therefore, the spot rates have started to fall off the cliff. There are a lot of unknowns and preparing with better data, information and visibility into the supply chain is the way to navigate through these unforeseen times.” said Cathy Morrow Roberson, Founder and President of Logistics Trends & Insights LLC during a webinar organised by Container xChange on the Chinese New Year analysis and predictions.

The annual Chinese New Year survey by Container xChange witnessed some 2300 respondents from the supply chain industry sharing their opinions and views about how they view Chinese New Year and COVID outbreaks in China have an impact on global supply chains.

As compared to some 66% in 2022, there was an increase in the percentage (73%) of supply chain professionals expecting Chinese New Year to further disrupt the shipping industry this year.This comes in contrast to industry reports where a lot of analysis talks about lessening the impact of disruptions in China on the global supply chains. Out of the 73% saying that they do foresee an impact, 65% were freight forwarders and the rest were supply chain professionals in general.

“Usually, we expect a cargo rush in January and February but this year, the Chinese New Year is earlier. The situation will have a significant impact on the domestic supply chain from January 15 to February 6, 2023. In my opinion, this time is difficult for businesses. I think companies can prepare better by controlling costs, better forecasting, and efficient information flow. This is where technology can help greatly.” commented Mr. Sun Director / General Manager, CNTRANS in the webinar.

When asked in the survey, ‘what impact will be the most prominent in the coming weeks’, most agreed that there will be ‘an increase in port congestions and delays’ and ‘delayed container journeys’ soon after China reopens. Last year, most industry professionals feared capacity issues and higher rates as the Chinese New Year aftermath. One respondent elaborated, “I think an ‘increase in port congestions and delays’ and ‘delayed container journeys’ will be the possible result as it makes sense to me that once they all ship out again that means more ships leaving closer to one another for the same destinations which may cause backups for a short time.”

“There are added, and new complexities ahead coupled with Chinese New Year where at one end we see China coping with the Covid infections, and on the other end we see a continued dip in demand. We cannot see Chinese New Year in isolation but in combination with all these challenges. The biggest concern is the reduced production and port capacity due to the infections in China. Also, the rates are low, capacity management is still a top priority for carriers and blank sailings are prominent. Amidst this, in the coming weeks, we foresee prolonged factory closures and bearish market conditions.” Christian Roeloffs, cofounder and CEO, of Container xChange, an online container logistics platform that offers an ecosystem for booking and managing of shipping containers.

We also asked how the industry is planning for the closures. We asked – “In planning for the 2023 Chinese New Year factory closures, have you ordered inventory/placed bookings earlier this year?”

Last year, in the year 2022, 59% said ‘yes’ and this year, 55% said yes. While the majority planned advance bookings, there is a drop of 4%. Another change we noticed this year was, while 65% of international freight forwarders said they expect Chinese New Year closures to impact supply chains, only 47% have made advance plans to deal with the same. One possible cause of the dip in preparing in advance could be still high inventory levels—and the market being bearish in general, as demand continues to fall and transportation capacity supply increases.

Further, we asked ‘Ahead of Chinese New Year factory closures, have you changed your container sourcing strategy to ensure you have boxes?’ Last year in 2022, the majority said nothing specific and this year too, the majority responded by saying nothing specific, only this year, highlighting that there is enough supply.

Robotics Provider Expands Product Range

Posted on by David Priestman

Today Exotec, a global warehouse robotics provider, expands its product portfolio with three innovative solutions: a new conveyor system, an improved picking solution, and new proprietary warehouse software.

As inflation, economic headwinds, and labour shortages continue to place mounting pressure on supply chains, businesses around the world are looking for ways to address their immediate needs while also positioning themselves for an unpredictable future. Increasingly, this means doing more with less.

New additions to the Skypod system bring Exotec one step closer to becoming an end-to-end provider for automated warehousing solutions

To help meet these needs, Exotec is releasing a new conveyor system, updated robotic picking solution, and proprietary warehouse software that all perfectly integrate with the Skypod system. Each of these new solutions leverages Exotec’s signature modular design allowing customers to meet their dynamic business needs by easily adding new solutions to their existing systems. The new products bring Exotec closer to its vision of fully-automated warehouses that enable humans to work smarter not harder.

Exotec customers who use the Skypod system can also take advantage of the following:

The Skypath is a modular conveyor system that can reach a maximum throughput of 2,500 totes per hour. The modular design consists of straight, curved, and inclined building blocks that fit most logistic needs and layouts and can easily adapt to customer needs.

The Skypicker is an intelligent picking solution for modern warehouses. It features machine learning-based vision that automatically detects each item’s dimensions to intelligently place items in preparation containers in a way that optimizes for the available space and smooth package handling. Improvements to the system allow the Skypicker to reliably reach outputs of up to 600 items per hour.

Deepsky (pictured) is an end-to-end warehouse software that seamlessly integrates Exotec technology with most warehouse management and control systems as well as third-party automation equipment. It automatically collects data and feeds it into pre-configured dashboards for immediate visibility and optimizes for consistent performance.

“With these innovations, we are further enabling our customers to run efficient, scalable, and modular warehouses that flex to fit their unique needs,” says Exotec CEO and Co-founder Romain Moulin. “Our work with more than 30 industry-leading brands provides us with a unique perspective on the most pressing warehousing needs and allows us to continuously innovate to unlock even more value for our customers.”

Robotics Provider Expands Product Range

Posted on by David Priestman

Today Exotec, a global warehouse robotics provider, expands its product portfolio with three innovative solutions: a new conveyor system, an improved picking solution, and new proprietary warehouse software.

As inflation, economic headwinds, and labour shortages continue to place mounting pressure on supply chains, businesses around the world are looking for ways to address their immediate needs while also positioning themselves for an unpredictable future. Increasingly, this means doing more with less.

New additions to the Skypod system bring Exotec one step closer to becoming an end-to-end provider for automated warehousing solutions

To help meet these needs, Exotec is releasing a new conveyor system, updated robotic picking solution, and proprietary warehouse software that all perfectly integrate with the Skypod system. Each of these new solutions leverages Exotec’s signature modular design allowing customers to meet their dynamic business needs by easily adding new solutions to their existing systems. The new products bring Exotec closer to its vision of fully-automated warehouses that enable humans to work smarter not harder.

Exotec customers who use the Skypod system can also take advantage of the following:

The Skypath is a modular conveyor system that can reach a maximum throughput of 2,500 totes per hour. The modular design consists of straight, curved, and inclined building blocks that fit most logistic needs and layouts and can easily adapt to customer needs.

The Skypicker is an intelligent picking solution for modern warehouses. It features machine learning-based vision that automatically detects each item’s dimensions to intelligently place items in preparation containers in a way that optimizes for the available space and smooth package handling. Improvements to the system allow the Skypicker to reliably reach outputs of up to 600 items per hour.

Deepsky (pictured) is an end-to-end warehouse software that seamlessly integrates Exotec technology with most warehouse management and control systems as well as third-party automation equipment. It automatically collects data and feeds it into pre-configured dashboards for immediate visibility and optimizes for consistent performance.

“With these innovations, we are further enabling our customers to run efficient, scalable, and modular warehouses that flex to fit their unique needs,” says Exotec CEO and Co-founder Romain Moulin. “Our work with more than 30 industry-leading brands provides us with a unique perspective on the most pressing warehousing needs and allows us to continuously innovate to unlock even more value for our customers.”

IFOY finalists have been selected

Posted on by David Priestman

The IFOY organisation has announced the finalists for the IFOY AWARD 2023. Among a total of 39 applicants, 23 intralogistics providers from seven countries made it to the finals with 25 products and solutions, including seven start-ups. They will compete in the IFOY audit at the end of March, which will again take place in Dortmund in 2023 as part of the TEST CAMP INTRALOGISTICS.

“The audit of the IFOY finalists promises a spectacular setting this year. With their selection, the jury has lined up the best of the best in intralogistics. They show where the journey of intralogistics is heading in the future: classic warehouse technology is becoming increasingly sophisticated, quick commerce, robotics and AI are making their way into logistics, and innovative details are making warehouse life more efficient, easier and more productive,” emphasises Anita Würmser, Chairperson of the IFOY jury. She expects a tough discussion in the jury sessions for the seven winner trophies, which will be awarded in summer in Dortmund.

Intralogistics specialists AGILOX, Combilift, Continental, Crown, DS AUTOMOTION, HIKROBOT, IdentPro, Jungheinrich, Kemaro, Libiao Robotics, Mobile Easykey, NIMMSTA, Raymond, STILL, Volume Lagersysteme, and Youibot Robotics want to win one of the trophies.

Among the startups, the finalists are 1MRobotics, Chemovator (Loady), ff Fördersysteme, HUNIC, Predimo, Sentics and sereact.

Five warehouse trucks nominated

The jury sent a total of five manually operated warehouse trucks to the finals, three in the highlifter category and two in the lowlifters.

The Aisle-Master OP from Irish forklift specialist Combilift, with a lift height of 12.1 meters and a load capacity of two tonnes, combines the advantages of a narrow-aisle forklift and an order picker. The forklift shows its strength in the high-performance segment as well as in narrow aisles, for rack delivery and bulk order picking. The combi device can also be used as a conventional forklift truck with rubber tyres for indoor and outdoor applications, such as loading and unloading trucks.

The brand new SP 1500 from US supplier Crown wins an IFOY nomination even before its official market launch. The completely redesigned order picker with a reach height of 11.2 meters and load capacities of up to 1.25 tonnes has been optimised in terms of all-round visibility, performance and speeds. With its ergonomic operator area and numerous innovative details, it is aimed not only at traditional order picking but above all at the requirements of retail and e-commerce.

Two final places can be secured by the Hamburg intralogistics specialist STILL. The further developed PXV vertical order picker from STILL convinced the jury with its gripping height of 14.5 meters. Equipped with numerous safety and comfort features, a person on the 1.5 tonne highlifter can reliably pick loads in both wide and narrow aisles thanks to its compact and variable vehicle dimensions.

The jury also gave the green light to the manoeuvrable pedestrian pallet truck EHX 16 from STILL. With a load capacity of 1.6 tonnes, the lowlifter is particularly suitable for truck transport and last-mile applications. Advantageously, the lift truck features a unique tiller head with integrated display for intuitive handling. With an integrated lithium-ion battery, the shorter dimension means there is more room.

In the final of the lowlifter category also is US manufacturer Raymond with its 8910 End Rider Pallet Truck. The rugged 3.63-tonne capacity pallet truck was designed with a focus on energy efficiency and can be tailored to a variety of applications, including cold storage, wharves, loading and unloading, or long trips to handling centres. It also promises numerous options for better ergonomics and more productivity.

Four nominations for AGVs and AMRs

The bandwidth of IFOY applicants is traditionally large and very international in the field of automated guided vehicles (AGVs), which for some years now have not only come from the intralogistics sector. This time, four suppliers made it to the finals.

The new AGILOX ODM – short for omnidirectional dolly mover – from Austrian supplier AGILOX is an intelligent logistics robot for small load carriers weighing up to 300 kilograms. It does not require any additional infrastructure or navigation aids, can turn while stationary and allows parallel driving. The first vehicle is implemented in less than twelve hours, each additional one in just 15 minutes. The core target group is the pharmaceutical and electronics industries.

The AMR IL 1200 from Continental Automotive Technologies is designed for use in warehouses or logistics centres as well as production logistics with heavy pallets, such as those found in the automotive and metalworking industries. With its integrated lifting system and various body options, the AMR IL 1200 transports pallets weighing up to 1.2 tonnes at a speed of two meters per second.

The F4-1000C Forklift Mobile Robot from Chinese manufacturer HIKROBOT, with a load capacity of one tonne, is an alternative to conventional warehouse forklifts and, with its positioning accuracy, is particularly suitable for 24/7 use in extremely narrow aisles and for material handling in the automotive, manufacturing and consumer electronics industries. Under the control of the in-house Robotic Control System (RCS), the F4-1000C works in tandem with other vehicles.

Also from China is the Automatic Trolley AT100 of Youibot Robotics, consisting of the brand-new AT100 AMR assistance picking robot and the YOUIFleet fleet management system. The intuitive combination of AMR and batch picking trolley for loads up to 100 kilograms manages a speed of 1.5 meters per second and was developed specifically for sorting and picking tasks in existing infrastructures as well as for workflows of retailers and 3PLs.

Three Intralogistics Robots in the final

The three automated warehouse systems in the Intralogistics Robot category offer a strong starting field.

The automated, ultra-compact and scalable PowerCube compact warehouse system from Hamburg-based intralogistics company Jungheinrich adapts to almost any infrastructure and container dimensions. It can be used 24/7 across all industries and promises four times the storage density of shelf racking at room heights of up to 12 metres. The powerful lithium-ion shuttles can simultaneously pick up two 50-kilogram containers and load on the fly.

In the Airrob container handling robotic system from Chinese manufacturer Libiao Robotics, the robots can “climb” up the shelves and store, pick, sort and move plastic containers weighing up to 35 kilograms. The simple and cost-effective solution is particularly suitable for micro-fulfilment centres or warehouses on a production line. Airrob focuses on e-commerce, footwear, apparel, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and production parts storage.

Volume DIVE from Volume Lagersysteme is a sophisticated robotics-based storage and picking system for heights up to 14 meters. The robot can pick and deliver totes at any position without a lifter. Standard euro containers are stored as well as beverage crates, which may also be used outside the system. Although DIVE was developed for quick commerce, it is also an alternative to energy-intensive miniload applications. Throughput can be scaled up to 4,000 containers per hour. In the smallest version, Volume DIVE takes up only 16 square meters.

Three nominations for Intralogistics Software

The jury nominated a total of three solutions in the Intralogistics Software category.

The Industrial Truck Key Performance Indicator (FFZ-KPI) developed by Mobile Easykey, as a component of the software, enables the determination of a manufacturer-neutral fleet efficiency of the intralogistics fleet with only one key figure and a visual traffic light system. The basis of the FFZ-KPI is the OEE key figure for the overall equipment effectiveness of immobile equipment. The FFZ-KPI adds further calculation parameters to the OEE, making the key figure for moving equipment calculable for the first time.

With the vehicle software ARCOS, the Austrian supplier DS AUTOMOTION enables devices to be used either as Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV) or Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR). With the help of so-called “plannable autonomy”, the advantages of both technologies are combined. The user can use autonomous functions specifically where they bring advantages and prevent them where the disadvantages predominate.

The Warehouse Execution System from IdentPro promises up to 30% higher productivity. It uses IoT sensors on the vehicles to make all warehouse processes visible in the digital twin in real time (RTLS). The digitisation solution, which can be used indoors and outdoors, achieves centimetre-precise localisation (+/-10 cm) of goods and vehicles, collaborative use of autonomous and manned industrial trucks, and smart distribution of driving orders.

Three Specials of the Year in the final

Three products are competing in the Special of the Year category.

The Light Tags of NIMMSTA are a new pick-by-light approach that promises up to 80% more efficiency without integration effort. The intelligence is in the Industrial Smart Watch, which the worker wears on his body. In the NIMMSTA app, a storage location is assigned once to each light tag, to which it is simply attached with an adhesive strip. When the worker approaches, the Smart Watch and Light Tag light up in the same colour and pattern.

The world’s first fully autonomous K900 dry-cleaning robot from Swiss supplier Kemaro can save 70% of cleaning costs, which amounts to more than US$37,000 per year in a logistics company covering around 10,000 square meters. The compact robots with integrated dust extraction system navigate with the help of lidar and 3-D sensors and clean even the toughest industrial dirt. Their specialty is large indoor spaces.

Stacking, scanning and transferring results to any WMS in one can be done by addedVIEW fork camera with barcode scanning function of Jungheinrich. The digital full HD fork tine camera with integrated image processing software for barcode scanning detects whether the correct or incorrect barcode is located in front of the tine, even at great heights, as it passes by. An acknowledgement button near the steering wheel eliminates the need for hand scanners and makes unnecessary unstacking of incorrect goods a thing of the past.

Seven start-ups in the final

In the usual broad-based start-up category, the jury sent seven finalists into the final.

The Israeli tech company 1MRobotics gets the green light with its nano fulfilment centre of the same name for the last mile in omnichannel retailing. The modular robotic darkstores are delivered worldwide in standard containers and are ready for immediate use. The business model is based on operational costs. Well-known companies are already relying on the technology.

The young German start-up ff Fördersysteme solves a ubiquitous storage problem with its patented 3D conveyor and drive system. The 3D chain adapts to the space and not vice versa. Whether it’s curves, ramps, elevators or inclines, different tasks can be solved in one track, eliminating the need for modular conveyor systems and saving space, but also opening up architectural possibilities. An application would be curved escalators, for example.

A return on investment (ROI) of six months is promised by AI software for autonomous pick-and-place robotics sereact of the supplier sereact. Picking processes that have already been trained in simulation can thus be transferred to new, unknown scenarios and integrated into existing warehouse management systems within one day without robot programming or time-consuming teach-in.

Munich-based startup Sentics enters the final IFOY round with the first optical, AI-based real-time localisation system ORTLS for industrial applications. Infrastructure sensors, which only need to be installed once in the industrial environment, detect and localise objects such as forklifts, people or machines and make this information available to fleet managers, as well as autonomous transport vehicles.

ComputerMyoGraphie by Predimo is a final tool for evaluating workplaces in terms of ergonomics and process efficiency. With the help of cloud-based software and 17 IoT sensors over clothing, a digital human twin can be used to visualise which muscles and joints are actually under strain at work. This makes it possible to indicate physical overload as a key performance indicator and determine an ROI for ergonomics.

With its software-as-a-service solution Loady, the start-up Chemovator (Loady) is entering the race for an IFOY AWARD. Loady provides standardised requirements for loading and unloading at industrial sites and serves as a central pre-product database. Equipment to be brought along, documents or processes on site are managed in a structured data model and serve as a source for all logistics partners. Free text fields or Excel files for logistics tenders, cleaning requirements and pre-products are no longer necessary.

An IFOY nomination also goes to the passive exoskeleton SoftExo Lift from HUNIC. The extremely lightweight yet effective body-mounted lifting and carrying aid uses a spring principle to support the leg and back muscles when lifting and carrying loads by up to 21%, relieving the body of up to 50% of the load and positively influencing ergonomic posture.

IFOY Nominees at TEST CAMP INTRALOGISTICS

The innovations of the IFOY finalists will be available for self-testing by visitors at TEST CAMP INTRALOGISTICS on March 29 and 30. The hands-on testing event for innovations and new developments enables decision-makers from industry, trade and the service sector to extensively self-test selected innovations on 10,000 square meters of hall space. In addition to the IFOY finalists, a total of over 50 innovations and 1,000 participants are expected at this year’s CAMP.

Due to its expertise, the IFOY AWARD is considered the definitive innovation award in intralogistics. The selection is preceded by an extensive audit with nomination and test cycles. The equipment and solutions nominated for the final undergo the IFOY test and the scientific innovation check individually at Messe Dortmund. In addition, jurors and their teams of advisors from industry travel to assess the finalists themselves.

The coveted trophies will be awarded in the summer. Until then, the results will remain a secret – both for the finalists and for the public.

 

IFOY finalists have been selected

Posted on by Keith McKinley

The IFOY organisation has announced the finalists for the IFOY AWARD 2023. Among a total of 39 applicants, 23 intralogistics providers from seven countries made it to the finals with 25 products and solutions, including seven start-ups. They will compete in the IFOY audit at the end of March, which will again take place in Dortmund in 2023 as part of the TEST CAMP INTRALOGISTICS.

“The audit of the IFOY finalists promises a spectacular setting this year. With their selection, the jury has lined up the best of the best in intralogistics. They show where the journey of intralogistics is heading in the future: classic warehouse technology is becoming increasingly sophisticated, quick commerce, robotics and AI are making their way into logistics, and innovative details are making warehouse life more efficient, easier and more productive,” emphasises Anita Würmser, Chairperson of the IFOY jury. She expects a tough discussion in the jury sessions for the seven winner trophies, which will be awarded in summer in Dortmund.

Intralogistics specialists AGILOX, Combilift, Continental, Crown, DS AUTOMOTION, HIKROBOT, IdentPro, Jungheinrich, Kemaro, Libiao Robotics, Mobile Easykey, NIMMSTA, Raymond, STILL, Volume Lagersysteme, and Youibot Robotics want to win one of the trophies.

Among the startups, the finalists are 1MRobotics, Chemovator (Loady), ff Fördersysteme, HUNIC, Predimo, Sentics and sereact.

Five warehouse trucks nominated

The jury sent a total of five manually operated warehouse trucks to the finals, three in the highlifter category and two in the lowlifters.

The Aisle-Master OP from Irish forklift specialist Combilift, with a lift height of 12.1 meters and a load capacity of two tonnes, combines the advantages of a narrow-aisle forklift and an order picker. The forklift shows its strength in the high-performance segment as well as in narrow aisles, for rack delivery and bulk order picking. The combi device can also be used as a conventional forklift truck with rubber tyres for indoor and outdoor applications, such as loading and unloading trucks.

The brand new SP 1500 from US supplier Crown wins an IFOY nomination even before its official market launch. The completely redesigned order picker with a reach height of 11.2 meters and load capacities of up to 1.25 tonnes has been optimised in terms of all-round visibility, performance and speeds. With its ergonomic operator area and numerous innovative details, it is aimed not only at traditional order picking but above all at the requirements of retail and e-commerce.

Two final places can be secured by the Hamburg intralogistics specialist STILL. The further developed PXV vertical order picker from STILL convinced the jury with its gripping height of 14.5 meters. Equipped with numerous safety and comfort features, a person on the 1.5 tonne highlifter can reliably pick loads in both wide and narrow aisles thanks to its compact and variable vehicle dimensions.

The jury also gave the green light to the manoeuvrable pedestrian pallet truck EHX 16 from STILL. With a load capacity of 1.6 tonnes, the lowlifter is particularly suitable for truck transport and last-mile applications. Advantageously, the lift truck features a unique tiller head with integrated display for intuitive handling. With an integrated lithium-ion battery, the shorter dimension means there is more room.

In the final of the lowlifter category also is US manufacturer Raymond with its 8910 End Rider Pallet Truck. The rugged 3.63-tonne capacity pallet truck was designed with a focus on energy efficiency and can be tailored to a variety of applications, including cold storage, wharves, loading and unloading, or long trips to handling centres. It also promises numerous options for better ergonomics and more productivity.

Four nominations for AGVs and AMRs

The bandwidth of IFOY applicants is traditionally large and very international in the field of automated guided vehicles (AGVs), which for some years now have not only come from the intralogistics sector. This time, four suppliers made it to the finals.

The new AGILOX ODM – short for omnidirectional dolly mover – from Austrian supplier AGILOX is an intelligent logistics robot for small load carriers weighing up to 300 kilograms. It does not require any additional infrastructure or navigation aids, can turn while stationary and allows parallel driving. The first vehicle is implemented in less than twelve hours, each additional one in just 15 minutes. The core target group is the pharmaceutical and electronics industries.

The AMR IL 1200 from Continental Automotive Technologies is designed for use in warehouses or logistics centres as well as production logistics with heavy pallets, such as those found in the automotive and metalworking industries. With its integrated lifting system and various body options, the AMR IL 1200 transports pallets weighing up to 1.2 tonnes at a speed of two meters per second.

The F4-1000C Forklift Mobile Robot from Chinese manufacturer HIKROBOT, with a load capacity of one tonne, is an alternative to conventional warehouse forklifts and, with its positioning accuracy, is particularly suitable for 24/7 use in extremely narrow aisles and for material handling in the automotive, manufacturing and consumer electronics industries. Under the control of the in-house Robotic Control System (RCS), the F4-1000C works in tandem with other vehicles.

Also from China is the Automatic Trolley AT100 of Youibot Robotics, consisting of the brand-new AT100 AMR assistance picking robot and the YOUIFleet fleet management system. The intuitive combination of AMR and batch picking trolley for loads up to 100 kilograms manages a speed of 1.5 meters per second and was developed specifically for sorting and picking tasks in existing infrastructures as well as for workflows of retailers and 3PLs.

Three Intralogistics Robots in the final

The three automated warehouse systems in the Intralogistics Robot category offer a strong starting field.

The automated, ultra-compact and scalable PowerCube compact warehouse system from Hamburg-based intralogistics company Jungheinrich adapts to almost any infrastructure and container dimensions. It can be used 24/7 across all industries and promises four times the storage density of shelf racking at room heights of up to 12 metres. The powerful lithium-ion shuttles can simultaneously pick up two 50-kilogram containers and load on the fly.

In the Airrob container handling robotic system from Chinese manufacturer Libiao Robotics, the robots can “climb” up the shelves and store, pick, sort and move plastic containers weighing up to 35 kilograms. The simple and cost-effective solution is particularly suitable for micro-fulfilment centres or warehouses on a production line. Airrob focuses on e-commerce, footwear, apparel, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and production parts storage.

Volume DIVE from Volume Lagersysteme is a sophisticated robotics-based storage and picking system for heights up to 14 meters. The robot can pick and deliver totes at any position without a lifter. Standard euro containers are stored as well as beverage crates, which may also be used outside the system. Although DIVE was developed for quick commerce, it is also an alternative to energy-intensive miniload applications. Throughput can be scaled up to 4,000 containers per hour. In the smallest version, Volume DIVE takes up only 16 square meters.

Three nominations for Intralogistics Software

The jury nominated a total of three solutions in the Intralogistics Software category.

The Industrial Truck Key Performance Indicator (FFZ-KPI) developed by Mobile Easykey, as a component of the software, enables the determination of a manufacturer-neutral fleet efficiency of the intralogistics fleet with only one key figure and a visual traffic light system. The basis of the FFZ-KPI is the OEE key figure for the overall equipment effectiveness of immobile equipment. The FFZ-KPI adds further calculation parameters to the OEE, making the key figure for moving equipment calculable for the first time.

With the vehicle software ARCOS, the Austrian supplier DS AUTOMOTION enables devices to be used either as Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV) or Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR). With the help of so-called “plannable autonomy”, the advantages of both technologies are combined. The user can use autonomous functions specifically where they bring advantages and prevent them where the disadvantages predominate.

The Warehouse Execution System from IdentPro promises up to 30% higher productivity. It uses IoT sensors on the vehicles to make all warehouse processes visible in the digital twin in real time (RTLS). The digitisation solution, which can be used indoors and outdoors, achieves centimetre-precise localisation (+/-10 cm) of goods and vehicles, collaborative use of autonomous and manned industrial trucks, and smart distribution of driving orders.

Three Specials of the Year in the final

Three products are competing in the Special of the Year category.

The Light Tags of NIMMSTA are a new pick-by-light approach that promises up to 80% more efficiency without integration effort. The intelligence is in the Industrial Smart Watch, which the worker wears on his body. In the NIMMSTA app, a storage location is assigned once to each light tag, to which it is simply attached with an adhesive strip. When the worker approaches, the Smart Watch and Light Tag light up in the same colour and pattern.

The world’s first fully autonomous K900 dry-cleaning robot from Swiss supplier Kemaro can save 70% of cleaning costs, which amounts to more than US$37,000 per year in a logistics company covering around 10,000 square meters. The compact robots with integrated dust extraction system navigate with the help of lidar and 3-D sensors and clean even the toughest industrial dirt. Their specialty is large indoor spaces.

Stacking, scanning and transferring results to any WMS in one can be done by addedVIEW fork camera with barcode scanning function of Jungheinrich. The digital full HD fork tine camera with integrated image processing software for barcode scanning detects whether the correct or incorrect barcode is located in front of the tine, even at great heights, as it passes by. An acknowledgement button near the steering wheel eliminates the need for hand scanners and makes unnecessary unstacking of incorrect goods a thing of the past.

Seven start-ups in the final

In the usual broad-based start-up category, the jury sent seven finalists into the final.

The Israeli tech company 1MRobotics gets the green light with its nano fulfilment centre of the same name for the last mile in omnichannel retailing. The modular robotic darkstores are delivered worldwide in standard containers and are ready for immediate use. The business model is based on operational costs. Well-known companies are already relying on the technology.

The young German start-up ff Fördersysteme solves a ubiquitous storage problem with its patented 3D conveyor and drive system. The 3D chain adapts to the space and not vice versa. Whether it’s curves, ramps, elevators or inclines, different tasks can be solved in one track, eliminating the need for modular conveyor systems and saving space, but also opening up architectural possibilities. An application would be curved escalators, for example.

A return on investment (ROI) of six months is promised by AI software for autonomous pick-and-place robotics sereact of the supplier sereact. Picking processes that have already been trained in simulation can thus be transferred to new, unknown scenarios and integrated into existing warehouse management systems within one day without robot programming or time-consuming teach-in.

Munich-based startup Sentics enters the final IFOY round with the first optical, AI-based real-time localisation system ORTLS for industrial applications. Infrastructure sensors, which only need to be installed once in the industrial environment, detect and localise objects such as forklifts, people or machines and make this information available to fleet managers, as well as autonomous transport vehicles.

ComputerMyoGraphie by Predimo is a final tool for evaluating workplaces in terms of ergonomics and process efficiency. With the help of cloud-based software and 17 IoT sensors over clothing, a digital human twin can be used to visualise which muscles and joints are actually under strain at work. This makes it possible to indicate physical overload as a key performance indicator and determine an ROI for ergonomics.

With its software-as-a-service solution Loady, the start-up Chemovator (Loady) is entering the race for an IFOY AWARD. Loady provides standardised requirements for loading and unloading at industrial sites and serves as a central pre-product database. Equipment to be brought along, documents or processes on site are managed in a structured data model and serve as a source for all logistics partners. Free text fields or Excel files for logistics tenders, cleaning requirements and pre-products are no longer necessary.

An IFOY nomination also goes to the passive exoskeleton SoftExo Lift from HUNIC. The extremely lightweight yet effective body-mounted lifting and carrying aid uses a spring principle to support the leg and back muscles when lifting and carrying loads by up to 21%, relieving the body of up to 50% of the load and positively influencing ergonomic posture.

IFOY Nominees at TEST CAMP INTRALOGISTICS

The innovations of the IFOY finalists will be available for self-testing by visitors at TEST CAMP INTRALOGISTICS on March 29 and 30. The hands-on testing event for innovations and new developments enables decision-makers from industry, trade and the service sector to extensively self-test selected innovations on 10,000 square meters of hall space. In addition to the IFOY finalists, a total of over 50 innovations and 1,000 participants are expected at this year’s CAMP.

Due to its expertise, the IFOY AWARD is considered the definitive innovation award in intralogistics. The selection is preceded by an extensive audit with nomination and test cycles. The equipment and solutions nominated for the final undergo the IFOY test and the scientific innovation check individually at Messe Dortmund. In addition, jurors and their teams of advisors from industry travel to assess the finalists themselves.

The coveted trophies will be awarded in the summer. Until then, the results will remain a secret – both for the finalists and for the public.

 

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