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Month: January 2023

Dematic Expands UAE Operations

Posted on by David Priestman

Dematic recently opened an office in Abu Dhabi to better serve its customers within the United Arab Emirates and the entire GCC region. The opening of the second office broadens the global leader of automated warehouse and distribution centre design and delivery in the UAE.

The new Abu Dhabi office location is in the Musaffah industrial district in the southwestern part of Abu Dhabi and is considered one of the most important economic areas within the UAE. Dematic’s office is in Mazyd Mall.

“The UAE has traditionally been a trade hub thanks to its central location as well as strong ports developed over the years as a key economic driver. As globalization has accelerated around the world, countries such as UAE have continued to evolve as major players in the international logistics supply chain. With the region continuously building its status as a global trade hub, it is essential for companies such as Dematic to have a solid footing in the GCC states,” explains Rainer Schmid, regional market leader for the Middle East.

Both office locations are overseen by the Dematic Sales team in Dubai of Mithun Perinchery, Head of Sales for the Middle East, Turkey & Africa and Thomas Rosenau, Installation and Customer Service.

“We are generally known in the region as the company Landmark Group selected to automate their massive and state-of-the-art O-mega distribution centre. This facility in Dubai’s Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA) centrally consolidates inventory and directly supplies regional warehouses in other Gulf Cooperation Council countries as well as stores and consumers,” notes Perinchery, adding, “but our goal is to establish Dematic across the Middle East as the partner of choice for intralogistics automation and software. We leverage our global expertise with local delivery and that requires setting up local offices in the key markets.”

Perinchery and Rosenau themselves moved into a new office in 2021 in Dubai, which is located at the European Business Centre in Dubai Investments Park.

Rosenau, who has been with Dematic since 2006, has been based in Dubai since 2017. He began as site project manager for the Landmark project before taking the lead for installation, customer service activities and Managing Director in UAE.
Perinchery has been in the UAE for the past 15 years and joined Dematic in 2021. He gained broad experience managing intralogistics automation prior to his role at Dematic.

 

New Titanium Power Transmission Belt

Posted on by David Priestman

‘Titanium’ is Megadyne’s new Power Transmission Belt. A flagship, high-performance product, it aims to deliver a new level of performance for synchronous timing belt drive applications.

The combination of materials and belt design used to create ‘Titanium’ have been tested against industry-leading belt brands and proven to deliver outstanding results.

“The new belt design surpasses the current industries’ offerings with carbon cords, unique cross-linked elastomer construction, and a new low-friction self-lubricating tooth facing. However, one of the most important features is that the belt is anti-static,” says Anna Villalta, Global R&D Manager of Rubber Power Transmission Belts.

Power Transmission Belt

The belt’s anti-static features, high-strength cords and wide temperature range make ‘Titanium’ the right choice for high-performance needs across a broad range of industries and applications such as HVAC, Material Handling & Logistics, Agriculture, Wood, Marble & Heavy industry, Textile, Machine Tools, Oil & Gas, Fin Fan.

Megadyne is a member of AMMEGA – a global company located in 40 countries. AMMEGA provides advanced and high-quality belting solutions for over 20 different industries, including global logistics, food production, packaging, material handling and construction.

Successful material handling systems require many different components to achieve efficient results. Material handling systems assist with sorting products in distribution centres. They are highly automated to optimize the productivity and efficiency of a variety of operations. Properly implemented and well-designed material handling solutions reduce operational costs and improve services for a wide range of businesses.

The experts at Megadyne continue to keep pace with the rapid developments in the material handling industry. As a result, we have expanded our selection of conveyor and polyurethane timing belts to meet this industry’s specific requirements and overcome its various challenges. The latest in our line of top-quality products is Megalinear QST, which offers perfect tracking, positive drive, and minimal noise.

Applications that benefit from our innovative solutions include:

Automated Storage Retrieval System (ASRS)
Large Warehouse and Distribution centers use computer aided technology to move and store small and large goods being inventoried. Megadyne high strength synchronous belts are used in both single and double mast fixed aisle lift systems,as well as on gantry cranes and carousel systems.

Transport Platform
As part of the ASRS systems, transport platforms are used to shuttle the goods being stored from the lifting apparatus to the storage rack. Timing belts with high friction, wear resistant covers are used to telescope products into the dedicated storage location.

Offloading & Delivery Conveyors
Offloading and delivery conveyors are typically fitted with at belts, however multiple path polyurethane timing and rubber belts with high friction covers are also common. Special cover materials are available on belts used where accumulation occurs.

Diverters
In today’s warehousing and distribution environments, offloading of product for specific fulfillment needs can be accomplished with high friction belt right angle diverters. Starting with a base synchronous belt, we offer a broad range of high friction cover surfaces. From Megalinear joined polyurethane synchronous belts and Mega ex truly endless polyurethane synchronous belts with TPU smooth covers, to rubber synchronous belts with homogeneous covers, along with specialty cover materials like DuraTaq® high friction.

Pallet Conveyor
Pallet Handling Conveyors are designed to move light to heavy loads in a precise, flexible manner. Used in warehouse picking and delivery systems or in assembly operations in a number of manufacturing environments. Starting with a base synchronous belt, we offer a broad range of high friction cover surfaces.

Roller Conveyor
Timing belts or poly-v rib belts are commonly used on roller conveyors. On the external side of the roller, power transmission belts deliver power from the motor to the main driven conveyor roller. From this stage rollers are interconnected by either timing belts or poly-v rib belts, some of which can be produced with elastic-stretch properties.

EV Charge Cost Turns Logistics back to Diesel

Posted on by David Priestman

With UK Government encouragement, media pressure and customer demands the automotive industry is continuing its drive toward cleaner logistics through the use of electric vehicles (EV’s). However, this forward planning is now being impacted by the current energy crisis, writes Nigel Lyons, partner at Browne Jacobson LLP.

Is EV investment still a sound logistic business sense ?

As the automotive industry continues to be innovative those businesses that don’t embrace the fast moving technology that is being offered will be left behind, for example, in the last 12 months Sony announced plans to enter the EV market, with Apple working on a self-driving electric car and Mercedes-Benz’s claiming a EV vehicle range of up to 620 miles.

The ongoing challenges for retailers with large carbon footprints

Whilst automotive manufacturers may be able to demonstrate innovative ways of tackling the limitations with the existing EV infrastructure, mass market EV’s still demand the need for a greater charging network. On that note, in the UK the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) has launched a Local EV Infrastructure Fund to support the roll-out of larger on-street charging schemes and rapid charging hubs across the UK.

The war in Ukraine has brought a further significant issue with the huge increase in the cost of EV charging. This is adding another dimension to the cost of powering vehicles, with businesses having to ultimately pass on the increased expense onto their customers.

The issues surrounding EV charging points

The OZEV Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS) is a voucher-based scheme that helps provide support towards the upfront costs of the purchase and installation of EV charge points. The scheme is run by the OZEV and administered by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA). This grant can be used in conjunction with the EV infrastructure grant for staff and fleets. It helps fund both the installation of charge points and the cost of charge point infrastructure.

The EV future

The RAC motoring organisation has identified that the price of using the fastest ultra-rapid chargers now stands at 74.79p per kilowatt hour, up from 50.97p in May 2022 (47%) and 63.94p in September 2022. Drivers using rapid chargers now pay 20p per mile for their electricity, only a penny less than those using less common ultra-rapid chargers who pay 21p per mile. These costs are higher than the equivalent per-mile rate for a petrol car that achieves an economy of 40 miles to the gallon (17p per mile) and are on a par with a diesel car achieving the same economy (20p per mile).

Recent UK new car registration figures show that the demand for EVs is clearly still there, however, even with the OZEV scheme there is a risk that if energy prices remain high this will put businesses off using EV chargers. The Government is being pressed to review the current VAT policy as businesses pay four times the rate of tax as those charging at home.

If the EV use is to expand through our logistic network then the Government will need to be as innovative as automotive manufacturers if it to maintain the drive to bring down air pollution and decarbonise the UK’s transport infrastructure.

Saving Energy with Eco Drive Systems

Posted on by David Priestman

The share of total energy consumption of all industries for electric drive systems is 70 per cent, according to expert estimates. This is not only a significant cost factor – there is also a large optimisation and savings potential hidden here. The NORD ECO service helps companies to reveal this potential and to find the most efficient drive solution for their application.

“The first step is the comprehensive collection of measurement values”, Jörg Niermann, Head of Marketing at NORD, explains. For this purpose, the so-called NORD ECO BOX, a mobile inverter cabinet, is connected between the motor and the power supply. The NORD ECO BOX consists of an energy measuring device with data logger function, current transformer and cable connections.

Over a period of about two weeks, the box records data in real time about permanent loads, load peaks and irregular conditions. Once the survey is completed, the results are uploaded to software developed by NORD that automatically evaluates the data.

Identifying over-dimensioning and optimising systems

NORD offers the ECO service for systems with both its own and third-party components. “The measurements over time make it possible to create a load cycle for the system. This shows whether a system’s dimensioning corresponds to the requirements of the respective application, Niermann explains. “We often see drive systems that are oversized for the corresponding application.” If a system is driven with the drive recommended by NORD, the company offers to carry out a remeasurement. As part of a TCO analysis (Total Cost of Ownership), the most cost- and energy-efficient solution can then be determined.

Variant reduction for more efficiency

For large systems with several drives, such as in intralogistics, the analysis with the NORD ECO service can significantly reduce the number of different drive systems. This helps to minimise administrative costs and streamlines production, logistics, storage and service processes. NORD offers high-efficiency motors with constant torque over a large speed range, which are ideally suitable for variant reduction.

With over 4,800 employees today, NORD DRIVESYSTEMS has developed, produced and sold drive technology since 1965, and is one of the leading global full-service providers in the industry. In addition to standard drives, NORD delivers application-specific concepts and solutions for special requirements such as energy-saving drives or explosion-protected systems. In the 2021 financial year, annual sales amounted to 870 million Euros. NORD has 48 subsidiaries in 36 countries and further sales partners in more than 50 countries. They provide technical support, local stocks, assembly centres and customer service. NORD develops and produces a wide range of drive solutions for more than 100 industries, gear units for torques from 10 Nm up to over 282 kNm, supplies electric motors in the power range of 0.12 kW to 1,000 kW, and supplies the required power electronics with frequency inverters of up to 160 kW. Inverter solutions are available for conventional control cabinet installations as well as for decentralised, fully integrated drive units.

New Linde Solutions for Growing Challenges

Posted on by David Priestman

Recommendations, advice and solutions with regard to upcoming investments – this is what visitors to the LogiMAT trade show can expect to find at a total of three exhibition areas of Linde Material Handling (MH). In keeping with the motto ‘Green Performance’, the focus this year will be on the topics of energy and sustainability. Further key issues will include automation, the well-being of drivers and numerous vehicle innovations.

From April 25 to 27th, solution provider Linde MH will be presenting its extensive range of industrial trucks and software as well as consulting and other services on a total of 552 square meters throughout various areas in Hall 10 (Booths B21 and B17) of the Stuttgart trade fair grounds. In addition, a spacious outdoor area between Halls 8 and 10 will be used for vehicle demonstrations and to offer visitors the opportunity to test selected forklift trucks and warehouse technology equipment for themselves. Furthermore, the goods handling specialist will be showcasing its wide range of available energy and drive types in a third area in the Rothauspark, which connects the two wings of the exhibition centre’s halls. Under the slogan ‘Right Energy’, Linde MH subsumes the claim of being able to offer the most suitable type of drive or battery for all individual operating conditions. Corresponding software solutions help of the process of selecting the right system.

“Solutions in the form of industrial trucks from Linde MH stand for maximum performance in goods handling,” emphasizes Stefan Prokosch, Senior Vice President Brand Management at Linde Material Handling. “By offering innovative technologies and measurable improvements, we ensure even greater productivity for our customers.” One example in case is the wide range of solutions designed to optimize energy consumption, with which operators of industrial trucks are able to not only improve their carbon footprint but also keep energy costs under control. “In this way, we combine performance, sustainability and energy cost efficiency, thus ensuring our customers’ competitiveness,” Prokosch emphasizes. The Linde connect:charger, an intelligent software application that makes transparent the power consumption of chargers and controls said consumption to avoid expensive power peaks, will be presented for the first time. Another application, the Linde Energy Manager, allows this principle to be extended and enables the power requirements for the entire company to be actively planned. “This is particularly advantageous if the company produces its own energy (e.g. by means of a photovoltaic system) and there is a willingness to become an active player on the energy market,” explains the chief brand manager.

The new Linde X35 to X50 series of electric counterbalanced trucks is another prime example of green performance that will be launched at LogiMAT. Powerful, just as suitable for outdoor use as their combustion counterparts, and on a par with these in terms of robustness and ergonomics, the new trucks additionally offer the environmental benefits of featuring electric drives and potentially CO2-neutral operation. “Thus, Linde MH is currently the market’s leading manufacturer when it comes to having equally effective, networked and economical counterbalanced trucks with both electric motors and combustion engines in its portfolio,” Prokosch emphasizes.

Various themed areas on the main exhibition stand in Hall 10 will provide the setting for presenting numerous other innovations that will make their debut at the trade show. The highlight for storage and retrieval applications is the new Linde V modular vertical order picker with a liftable platform, travel speeds of up to 13 km/h and gripping heights of up to 14.5 meters. Designed for maximum picking performance, there is a choice of various payload versions, cab designs, assistance systems, mast variants and battery sizes. Most notably, safety and ergonomics are given top priority in the new vertical order picker for guided and un-guided applications. For example, the control panel of the V modular can be mounted on the mast side, load side or on both sides as required. Furthermore, its redesigned chassis and improved load arms ensure greater stability and the greatest possible manoeuvrability.

For loading and unloading applications, the new Linde T20 SP pallet trucks are waiting in the wings. Unique in the industry, these models allow the operator to stand at a 45° angle in the truck for a better view in both directions. The new series increases travel speed to up to 14 km/h. The D12 HP SP double-stackers impress with improved lifting and lowering speeds.

The Transport sector is responding to the increasing demand for automation solutions – triggered by a shortage of skilled workers and the search for further possibilities to optimize processes, greater flexibility in the flow of goods and greater operational safety. Demonstrating a dynamic application, Linde MH will show trade visitors how individual intralogistics challenges can be solved. Linde Material Handling’s range of products and services extends from autonomous, mobile transport robots to standard applications using automated industrial trucks to complex solutions implemented hand in hand with sister company and automation specialist Dematic.

When it comes to manually operated industrial trucks, the operators themselves are the measure of all things. The better they are supported and protected on the job, the faster, safer and healthier they can work. That’s why Linde MH will dedicate a separate outdoor area exclusively to drivers. Solutions on display will include innovative alternatives to the steering wheel in the form of a mini-wheel or joystick, the decoupling of the driver’s workplace on forklifts and warehouse trucks to provide protection against human vibrations, and various safety and assistance systems.

“As a holistic provider of material flow solutions, we are determined to fulfil any customer wish. That’s why our network partners’ sales consultants and the product experts from Linde Material Handling at LogiMAT will do everything in their power to help visitors find customized, future-proof solutions,” says Prokosch.

Governments grapple with Supply Chain Disruption

Posted on by David Priestman

Today, BSI, the business improvement and standards company and leading global provider of supply chain intelligence, unveiled its annual Supply Chain Risk Insights Report which indicates that organizations that manage supply chain disruption effectively in 2023 will be best equipped to weather the financial challenges ahead.

In terms of major trends within the supply chain environment, the report observed that thefts from hijacking have fallen as a proportion of cargo theft from 24.4% to 17.0%. These are now second to theft from facilities, which now account for more than a quarter of total thefts, having increased from 24.2% to 26.0%. Food and beverages remain the most commonly stolen commodity and the report highlighted that this has increased considerably in 2022, increasing share by 2.8%. The proportion of automotive and fuel thefts is also rising, whereas the proportion of electronics, agriculture and construction theft has fallen. While hijacking has also fallen as a proportion of cargo theft, BSI observed that this continues to exert a real impact on global supply chains – with food, pharmaceuticals and construction materials most effected.

Another of the report’s key findings is that unprecedented price inflation, exacerbated by the Russia-Ukraine war, but also an enduring legacy of COVID-19-related shutdowns and the resulting prolonged shortage of key manufacturing components, has awakened governments to the importance of global supply chains to national interests. This has led to the launch of new legislation such as the CHIPS Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in the US, and increased GPDR regulations across the EU, the combination of which is placing greater accountability on suppliers and purchasers. Government intervention spans efforts to bolster domestic supply chains, reduce carbon emissions, and enhance governance.

Monitoring rapidly changing regulatory agendas is highlighted as one business imperative that decision-makers need to be aware of if organizations are to succeed in the face of the ongoing global disruptions.

The report identifies five additional imperatives that organizations will need to address to enable future growth and provide financial sustainability:
– Leadership: Supply chain continuity requires investment from the top down and what organizations really need right now is strong buy-in from top level leadership
– Digital: Organizations need to urgently address their digital risk, with 73% significantly concerned about the risks posed by the digitization of supply chains, but not one organization having resolved the risk
– Self-knowledge: Organizations need to invest in tools and technology which help them form a comprehensive understanding of their supply chain environment, such as data analysis, IoT, cloud computing, information security and predictive analysis
– A tailored approach: An awareness of the different, unique challenges facing each sector’s supply chain is key
– New technologies: Data, the metaverse, and cybersecurity are segments of technology that will differentiate organizations’ approaches to building strong supply chains

Susan Taylor Martin, Chief Executive of the British Standards Institution (BSI), which compiled the report, said: “2022 saw volatility in global supply chains that many would never have expected in their lifetime. Successive crises, including a global pandemic followed by a war in Europe, have resulted in continued uncertainty on many fronts and have demonstrated to governments the benefit of ensuring a robust global supply chain. Given the turbulence of the last twelve months, 2023 will be an important watershed for many organizations – with those that successfully manage their supply chain risks being more likely to thrive.”

Jim Yarbrough, Global Intelligence Program Manager at BSI, said: “The threats facing global supply chains vary from region to region and are distributed unequally, but in the face of rampant global price inflation, all countries ended 2022 in conditions more precarious than they were at the outset. Without intervention, businesses will see dramatic impacts on their bottom line, meaning that discussing supply chain issues at the C-suite level can help to ensure investments are funnelled to suppliers, building resilience to threats and supporting financial sustainability.”

Capabilities to get Global Supply Chains Moving

Posted on by David Priestman

To help organizations increase the efficiency of global supply chains, Oracle is introducing new logistics capabilities within Oracle Fusion Cloud Supply Chain & Manufacturing (SCM). The updates to Oracle Transportation Management (OTM) and Oracle Global Trade Management (GTM), part of Oracle Cloud SCM, help customers reduce costs, improve accuracy, automate regulatory compliance, and enhance logistics flexibility.

Logistics leaders are overwhelmed with a recent build-up of port and shipping delays, fluctuating fuel costs, and evolving trade regulations while also being at the forefront of efforts to reduce carbon emissions of goods in transit. Organizations that don’t have flexible and responsive logistics processes in place often end up passing these delays and costs onto their customers.

“The last few years tested the flexibility of global logistics operations and many organizations have struggled to keep pace with the changing market,” said Derek Gittoes, vice president of supply chain management product strategy, Oracle. “With Oracle Transportation Management and Oracle Global Trade Management, organizations can rapidly adapt to changes in their supply chain and logistics network. Oracle’s self-updating platform gives customers access to continuous innovation, as new features are added every 90 days without business disruption.”

The new capabilities within Oracle Transportation Management and Oracle Global Trade Management include:
• Automated Trade Agreement Qualification: Helps customers validate Certificate of Origin, reduce tariffs, and enter new markets. With a deep view into the bill of materials, Trade Agreement Qualification enables customers to comply with labour regulations and prove where goods were produced via auditable records.
• New Oracle Logistics Digital Assistant Capabilities: Allow users to gain insight into the status of their shipments with simple voice commands. With the embedded Logistics Digital Assistant, users can quickly find answers to their questions.
• Enhanced Workbenches: Allow users to combine data from multiple sources into a single view to streamline operations and enhance decision making. New templates for driver management, dock scheduling, work assignments, shipment, spot bids, and restricted party screening enable users to manage specific logistics processes more efficiently.
• New Oracle Transportation Management Mobile App: Enables customers to send assignments to drivers, capture arrival and departure events, and communicate in-transit status and location information. The highly configurable and intuitive app synchronizes offline app data and allows users to execute tasks efficiently no matter where they are.
• ETA Predictions with Machine Learning: Provide real-time updates and shipment tracking to create accurate predictions for arrival times based on a customer’s unique business operations. With more accurate ETA predictions, customers can take quick action to reroute shipments to enhance operational efficiency.

“1-800 Flowers has a very complex supply chain and transportation plan with our focus on high end gifting, and a strategic priority to deliver an unparalleled customer experience through operational excellence,” said Don La France, vice president, enterprise logistics and supply chain solutions, 1800 Flowers. “Our goals were standardization, scaling capabilities, cost savings, visibility and reporting. After some discovery we quickly decided on Oracle for transportation management and warehouse management. We were able to stand up OTM on our largest brand in 12 weeks, improved our proactivity, and gave our teams the visibility needed to drive greater on-time performance. We are very happy with our choice and our decision has been validated by our results many times over.”

Oracle Cloud SCM helps organizations seamlessly connect supply chain processes and quickly respond to changing demand, supply, and market conditions. With new features added every quarter, Oracle Cloud SCM helps customers create a resilient supply network and processes that outpace change.

Ocean Freight LCL Service from UK to India

Posted on by David Priestman

With the weak pound providing opportunities for UK exporters currently, Davies Turner is delivering a further boost to its ocean freight services between the UK and the Indian sub-continent with the launch of a direct weekly LCL (less than container load) service to Nhava Sheva.

Davies Turner’s previous service to Nhava Sheva was via transhipment in Jebel Ali, but by going direct, the UK freight forwarding and logistics company can offer a fast 25 day transit time port to port.

Consolidation of cargo in the UK is undertaken at one of Davies Turner’s regional distribution centres at Birmingham, Bristol, Cumbernauld, Dartford, or Manchester, for the weekly ocean freight service that departs from London Gateway port.

John Adams, Davies Turner’s Head of Trade – Middle East, ISC & South Africa, says: “India’s population of 1.4 billion people and a domestic market that is growing year on year, means there is large demand for imported goods from Europe. Our latest service improvement will help to support clients who want to use Nhava Sheva as a gateway by providing a quicker, efficient and cost effective service option.”

The dedicated weekly service to Nhava Sheva also has direct links to the following inland container depots (ICDs) – Ahmedabad, Garhiharsaru, Ludihana and Patparganj (New Delhi).

The new direct ocean freight LCL operation adds to other similar direct services that Davies Turner offers to gateways in Asia, Middle East, South Africa and USA including Hong Kong, Singapore, Dubai, Durban and New York, as well as services to other areas of India that are offered via transshipment at Singapore.

25 Years of Materials Handling Innovation

Posted on by David Priestman

It’s going to be a busy few months on the exhibition circuit for Irish materials handling specialist Combilift. It will be using the ProMAT event in March to kickstart celebrations to mark the company’s 25th anniversary. Amongst the many and varied exhibits that are always a feature of Combilift’s trade fair appearances, the 75,000th truck to roll off the production lines will also be on show. This model, with its special livery, will take centre stage at the booth and will be formally handed over to the customer during the show. An evening of entertainment and dinner for guests is also planned at a location close by the McCormick Place show venue.

As testimony to Combilift’s tireless R&D department, five new products will be launched throughout the year at various European trade fairs and in-house at the global HQ and manufacturing facility in Monaghan. The first of these will be unveiled at LogiMAT in April in Stuttgart. These will all feature the groundbreaking technology and innovation that has been a hallmark of Combilift products since the first C4000 multidirectional model first appeared on the market in 1998. More information on these new developments will be released in due course.

Further exhibits will of course represent the dozens of solutions that Combilift now offers for the safe, space saving and productive handling of long products, pallets and oversized loads. These will include multidirectional forklifts, sideloaders, pedestrian stackers and Aisle Master narrow aisle articulated trucks, all of which will be able to be seen live in action.

“We are looking forward to marking this company milestone at events and in person with our customers, dealers, sales personnel, representatives from the international trade press and of course our workforce,” said Combilift CEO and co-founder Martin McVicar. “Their loyalty and support has been pivotal in enabling us to achieve the amazing level of growth and success that we have experienced during the last 25 years. We’re not going to rest on our laurels though – you can expect more innovation from us in the next few decades to come!”

ProMAT: Booth # N6936. LogiMAT: Hall 9. 9B45

Route Planning Optimization Cuts Delivery Distance

Posted on by David Priestman

Descartes Systems Group, a global leader in uniting logistics-intensive businesses in commerce, announced that Topps Tiles, a British tile retailer, is optimising its fleet delivery capabilities with Descartes’ cloud-based route planning and optimisation solution. By working with Descartes, Topps Tiles is decreasing the average kilometres driven per delivery route by two percent and gaining a better understanding of the potential impact of changes to its delivery strategies.

“With over 300 stores nationwide in the U.K., we’re continuously evaluating how to maintain a high degree of customer service while reducing operational costs, especially today’s high transportation costs,” said Simon Macdonald, National Transport Manager, Topps Tiles. “Working with Descartes, we’ve replaced manual, spreadsheet-based processes with automated route planning to optimise the volume of tiles being delivered at any given time, as well as the routes our vehicles are travelling. Descartes’ strategic route modelling capabilities are also enabling us to model delivery scenarios and make more informed strategic decisions, which would have been nearly impossible with traditional resource-intensive analytical methods.”

Route Planning Optimization

Part of its Routing, Mobile and Telematics suite, Descartes’ route planning and optimisation solution helps brands, retailers and logistics providers reduce costs with more agile and efficient routing, improve fleet resource management by generating additional delivery capacity and become more sustainable through the reduction of their CO2 footprint and their use of paper across the route network. The strategic route modelling capabilities allow companies to understand and optimize their delivery and customer service strategies before having to execute them. Descartes’ mobile application helps drivers perform their daily routes, keeps managers aware of the progress and provides an accurate estimated-time-of-arrival (ETA) to notify customers of their deliveries. Proof of delivery (POD) capabilities support customer service excellence and order accuracy through real-time mobile communication.

“Topps Tiles’ long-term success is based upon its ability to continually provide customers with a superior shopping experience while offering cost competitive pricing,” said Pól Sweeney, VP Fleet Sales in Europe at Descartes. “We’re delighted to help Topps Tiles minimize its operational costs today through our route planning and optimisation solution and in the future with our strategic route modelling capabilities.”

 

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