14 March, 2023

Funding Raised to Capitalize on $128bn Market

Posted on 14 March, 202329 July, 2025 by David Priestman

Plus One Robotics, a provider of advanced AI vision software and solutions for robotic parcel handling, today announced that it has raised $50M in Series C funding. The round was led by Scale Venture Partners, with Partner Rory O’Driscoll joining the board of directors. Top Tier Capital Partners, Tyche Partners, ROBO Global Ventures, Translink, McRock, and Pritzker Group Venture Capital also participated in the round alongside existing investors, which brings the company’s total funding to date to nearly $100 million. Plus One’s technology helps to alleviate the persistent shortage of manual labour through robotic solutions, dramatically streamlining the parcel picking and depalletizing processes. Plus One deployments perform over one million parcel picks each day in production and currently hold an industry-leading metric of more than half a billion parcel picks globally. With these new funds, Plus One can further increase its capacity and rapidly scale deployment, as well as expand its sales and marketing efforts in North America and internationally.

This expansion builds on Plus One Robotics’ existing relationships with customers in the parcel post, logistics, and general merchandise industries, serving customers that include FedEx, MSC Industrial, and many more.

The Labour Problem

“The labour shortage is hitting the shipping industry hard, and parcel picking is an often overlooked yet essential part of the process,” said Scale Partner Rory O’Driscoll. “By automating the parcel handling piece, Plus One Robotics is rapidly modernizing an outdated system that’s no longer sustainable. It is stepping up and leading the way in a $128 billion market, with fundamentals that prove its value.”

Ecommerce has grown to represent 19% of U.S. retail sales, with approximately 20 billion parcels delivered in the U.S. in 2021. Shipping growth is expected to rise by 25% over the next five years resulting in warehouses and distribution centers not having the workforce to keep up.

On the supply side, over 80% of warehouses are manual, and with the demands placed on shipping expected to grow, there will be over 1 million more jobs to fill by 2025 despite the shrinking of available labour sources – and costs are rising. Labour costs average $25 per hour and continue to increase. This creates a perfect storm threatening the supply chain and impeding future e-commerce growth.

“The growth of e-commerce has placed tremendous pressure on shipping responsiveness and scalability that has significantly exacerbated labour and capacity issues,” said Erik Nieves, CEO and co-founder of Plus One Robotics. “Automation is key, but keeping a human-in-the-loop is essential to running a business 24/7 with greater speed and fewer errors. With the ongoing labour shortages, I believe we’ll see an increase in the adoption of Robots-as-a-Service (RaaS) to lower capital expenditures and deploy automation on a subscription basis. This new funding will help us scale up and meet the need for these solutions.”

Plus One Robotics’ solutions employ award-winning AI-powered software with unique end-of-arm robot grippers that provide the perception and manipulation necessary to pick and place parcels. Key to Plus One Robotics’ effectiveness is its unparalleled approach to human-in-the-loop software. Employees, remote or on-premises, can supervise multiple robots from any location, speeding the robot’s ability to handle exceptions, enabling 24/7 operations. Users benefit from improved sorting and picking throughput by >30% while decreasing operational costs.

Plus One has experienced nearly three-times year-over-year growth from expanded business with existing customers and new deployments. Additionally, it has increased its adoption of the human-in-the-loop capability and RaaS offering among its parcel and post, third-party logistics (3PL), and general merchandise customers. Plus One deployments perform over one million parcel picks each day in production and currently hold an industry-leading metric of more than half a billion parcel picks globally.

DHL Introduces Volvo Electric Tractor Units

Posted on 14 March, 20237 August, 2025 by David Priestman

DHL Supply Chain today announces the introduction of the UK’s first fully electric Volvo heavy duty tractor units. The four Volvo FM electric trucks are designed for high-capacity deliveries operating at 40 tonnes and directly replace diesel vehicles on a range of activities.

Featuring Volvo’s largest 540kWh battery which provides 666hp, the zero-emissions trucks have a range of up to 300km/180 miles, allowing them to complete full round-trips servicing DHL’s retail and automotive customers across the UK.

Saul Resnick, CEO DHL Supply Chain UK & Ireland, DHL Supply Chain said: “Today marks an important milestone in our journey towards alternative fuel vehicles. The size and capability of these trucks make them a truly viable alternative to diesel as they fully meet our needs and those of our customers. Following our introduction of the UK’s first 16-tonne rigid electric truck in late 2020, we’re proud to continue to lead the way in electric commercial transport.”

The new trucks share the same controls and very latest safety features seen on conventional diesel Volvo FM vehicles, making the transition for drivers as safe and easy as possible. Early feedback from drivers has been extremely positive, especially with regard to acceleration and hill performance. The investment in industry leading vehicles reflects DHL’s commitment to ensuring its fleet is best in class and offers the highest levels of service to its supply chain customers, as well as reflecting DHL’s own ambitious Go Green agenda.

DHL connects people and businesses securely and reliably, enabling global sustainable trade flows. With specialised solutions for growth markets and industries including technology, life sciences and healthcare, engineering, manufacturing & energy, auto-mobility and retail, DHL is decisively positioned as “The logistics company for the world”.

DHL is part of Deutsche Post DHL Group. The Group generated revenues of more than 94 billion euros in 2022. With sustainable business practices and a commitment to society and the environment, the Group makes a positive contribution to the world. Deutsche Post DHL Group aims to achieve net-zero emissions logistics by 2050.

Long-term Deal on Teesport Sailings

Posted on 14 March, 202331 July, 2025 by David Priestman

PD Ports is delighted to have secured a new long-term deal with worldwide logistics specialist CLdN for Teesport sailings. The new service, consisting of four round trip sailings per week, three from Zeebrugge and one from Rotterdam, reinforces Teesport’s position as a critical gateway for international trade and demonstrates the confidence that global shippers have in the service provided by PD Ports.

The expansion, which is driven by customer demand to have direct and reliable access for freight units to the North of England, will enable shippers to bring cargo closer to its end destination; avoiding road mileage and reducing CO2 emissions.

With the first vessel planned to arrive on March 19th, PD Ports’ CEO, Frans Calje, spoke of how the long-term commitment from CLdN further showcases the stability and resilience of the Port and the region.

“This is absolutely fantastic news not just for us at PD Ports but also for the River Tees and for the wider region as it truly shows the resilience we have when it comes to ensuring vital trade flows are maintained,” said Frans. “There are still a number of challenges that are affecting global trade such difficult economic trading circumstances and supply chain disruptions. We’re absolutely delighted that we have been able to secure a contract of this nature to bring frequent vessel calls and volume into Teesport despite current circumstances. This is certainly a great boost for trade in the Tees Valley and we’re very much looking forward to working closely with the CLdN team and delivering the service excellence that our customer base expects.”

The new services will bring ‘Roll on Roll off’ cargo, such as cars, trucks, trailers and containers from continental Europe.

Florent Maes, CEO of CLdN, commented: “We are very pleased to start a new service with PD Ports in to Teesport and also significantly expand our service. Thanks to CLdN’s continuous investment in terminal infrastructure and an efficient RoRo fleet, we have the capability to respond rapidly to customer demand. We are excited about today’s announcement, and we see this expansion as the next step in the on-going structural growth of the CLdN network.”

Lloyd’s Maritime Academy Rebrands

Posted on 14 March, 202331 July, 2025 by David Priestman

Lloyd’s Maritime Academy, the leading international provider of online academic education for maritime professionals, announces its forthcoming rebrand. The rebrand comes in response to the post-pandemic impact on learning and education in the maritime industry and as a reflection of their never-ending pursuit of progression and lifelong learning.

Commenting on the refreshing of their brand, Veronica Araujo, Head of Performance Marketing of Lloyd’s Maritime Academy said: “It’s exciting times for Lloyd’s Maritime Academy. We have listened to our customers and embraced Lloyd’s Maritime Academy’s legacy while looking into what’s yet to come for the sector to create a visual identity that’s both confident and dynamic. It felt like the perfect time to realign our brand identity with our values: Training that’s designed for, and around, the global maritime workforce of the future.”

The new branding is rooted in three strong pillars:
• Industry foresight: A brand that’s built to best serve the future of the maritime industry and its partners.
• For tomorrow’s workforce: Audience-focused, talking to the needs of students, workers, and leaders throughout their career.
• An ongoing legacy: Building on and celebrating the organisation’s enviable heritage, whilst embracing a technologically focused future of the maritime industry and its partners.

David Taylor, Head of Curriculum for Lloyd’s Maritime Academy, said: “We, and our customers are proud of our heritage and association with the Lloyd’s name, and this rebrand builds on that history to emphasise how we are supporting our maritime industry, and its most valuable asset, its people.”

“Creating a new and updated brand for a global organisation such as Lloyd’s Maritime Academy with deep roots and a fantastically loyal customer base is not for the faint of heart (!) but I’m delighted with the new identity that our design team have expertly put together. We really feel that this update reflects our modern approach to lifelong learning for a sector whose workforce is at the forefront of tackling global challenges such as climate change and food and energy security,” added Ted Bailey, Head of Digital Learning.

Lloyd’s Maritime Academy belongs to Informa Connect Academy, a premier provider of global education and training solutions that caters to a diverse range of professionals, industries, and educational partners. They are dedicated to promoting lifelong learning and are committed to offering learners expert guidance, training, and resources to help them stay competitive in a rapidly changing world. The new Lloyd’s Maritime Academy brand will be rolled out globally by the end of April 2023.

Another UK Border Control Post Bungle

Posted on 14 March, 202331 July, 2025 by David Priestman

Last July, British freight and warehouse service provider PML issued a statement regarding the crippling impact of the constant government U-turns in relation to the handling of post-Brexit border control facilities. PML‘s Mike Parr (pictured) comments on the current situation:

Many businesses invested heavily, in preparation for the changes, believing the information that was disseminated by those in power. Some of the UK’s biggest seaports considered legal action against the government in a bid to recover the extensive costs associated with building border control posts following the constant delays in the rollout of post-Brexit import checks. Companies up and down the country have committed resources to ensuring they are ready for the impending revised procedures, recruiting new staff, investing in their training and ensuring they are ‘Brexit ready’. Yet, the physical checks on fresh food and plants coming into the UK from the EU have been constantly delayed and are currently scheduled for the end of 2023. Or not …

And now those involved in the movement of fresh produce in and out of the UK have been dealt yet another devastating blow. A French company – Sodexo – has been awarded the £71m contract for post-Brexit border checks despite hopes that a domestic business might be in the running to handle Inland Border Facilities.

And as if the decision to appoint a French company rather than allow the UK business – which is reported to have shown ‘a well executed implementation delivered in exceptionally shortened timescales and acknowledged strong performance over the past two years’ – wasn’t bad enough, the company that has been selected does not exactly come with the best credentials.

In contrast to the positive track record of the outgoing supplier, although the global giant Sodexo does include facility management contracts in its list of services, its reputation is staked on delivering catering services to offices, universities and sports venues. Not experience exactly commensurate with managing international border control posts. And Sodexo is also the company that was caught up in the 2013 horse meat scandal, when it was forced to withdraw all frozen beef products from the UK following positive testing for horse DNA. Again, not exactly instilling confidence when considering the magnitude of their impending responsibilities as custodians of best practice for imported / exported food.

It would appear that price, rather than quality of service, has been the deciding factor for those in control of the border control posts. Which is ironic when so many businesses in the UK have lost money in their attempts to keep up with the constantly changing Brexit protocol goalposts.

This decision makes a mockery of everything that Brexit was supposed to stand for.

Logistics Experts: Prepare for Easter Peak Trading

Posted on 14 March, 20237 August, 2025 by David Priestman

Courier experts at DeliveryApp have revealed how companies can prepare for the Easter peak trading season. From ordering household essentials to gifts for a loved one, customers are used to receiving parcels with ease. Retail spending in the UK for Mother’s Day gifts was predicted to reach £1.34 billion in 2021, meaning demand for gifts to arrive in the time ahead of the big day is crucial. Research revealed that in 2022 sales surged twice, almost two weeks before Mother’s Day by 80%. Interestingly, revenues rose by 72% of the daily average on Mothering Sunday itself.

Peter Board, Commercial Director at DeliveryApp, a UK-wide same-day delivery tech platform has given top tips for companies on how they can best prepare for peak trading periods such as Mother’s Day, whilst keeping up with demand for fast delivery.

1. Consider the impact of peak periods on last-mile delivery
During peak selling periods most companies will need additional support for fulfilment and delivery, but for smaller businesses it can often present more of a challenge. Consider the cost benefit of finding temporary versus permanent resource to ensure productivity levels are most effective. Additionally, consider the importance of employee and delivery personnel’s welfare – setting increased drop targets or challenging fulfilment goals during peak season can be counterproductive, and negatively affect employee wellbeing. In the last-mile delivery phase where pressure can be high – it’s harder to maintain control and standards, so bolster support throughout the supply chain.
2. Investing for key periods is an investment in future customers
Whilst the additional cost of hiring support drivers may be over facing in the lead up to peak trading periods, the alternative can often be a far costlier situation. A lack of logistics support to fulfil orders to eager customers can result in undelivered or spoiled goods, customer frustration if a failure to deliver for the key date, and therefore potential refunds.
3. Tailor your messaging to customers
E-commerce brands need to ensure they communicate any potential delays to customers during the peak shipping season. Unfortunately, some delays do happen but be proactive and transparent in communication with customers about any issues that may arise. For key trading periods, it is advised that you should let customers know of shipping deadlines so customers can have their orders shipped on time. If you’re offering same-day or next-day delivery, be honest with how realistic that may be during these peak periods and if your courier partners can support this.
4. Partner with the right logistics company for your business needs
Partnering with the right logistics company can help make peak trading seasons more manageable. When seeking a reliable courier service, one of the most important factors you will be looking for is a service provider who can ensure their service is seamless and goods are delivered on time. By using more agile delivery services, e-commerce companies can meet the needs of their customers with networks of self-employed courier drivers who offer the benefits of both flexibility and reliability.
5. Consider the environmental impact
Peak trading periods mean increased deliveries and therefore increased journeys. In the UK, Black Friday alone contributed 429,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions and the shipping, logistics and ecommerce sector contributes around 4% of the world’s total emissions. Consider your overflow drivers, whether they have access to green fleets of vehicles, if they operate a hubless service or offset carbon emissions with their deliveries to mitigate some of the environmental effects.
6. Tracking transparency can prevent costly customer service
If customers are keen for a package to arrive before Mothering Sunday, there’s increased frustration when delivery timeframes aren’t met, and resulting pressure on customer service teams if there’s a lack of transparency. Late deliveries are one of the top frustrations amongst customers who take to social media and other channels, requiring increased work for customer support staff, or longer waits for already aggrieved shoppers. The short-term failure to prepare can result in the loss of lifetime customers, strain on support staff and damage to TrustPilot reviews, online sentiment and overall brand perception of your business.
7. For smaller businesses, consider pooling deliveries to save on costs
If you’re operating a smaller business with harder to send parcels, options such as a day van hire and driver solution could mean using one reliable service to deliver multi-packages, rather than multiple consignments with couriers who are harder to track for your customers.

Board concludes: “Peak trading periods put enormous pressure on couriers to accommodate customer demand, whether it’s Mother’s Day, Black Friday or Christmas – retailers need to have a sustainable strategy to meet rising consumer demand. At DeliveryApp, we’ve created an innovative courier work overspill solution. If your courier business needs some help during these times, you can book an A to B delivery whenever you need it. Our professional couriers ensure prompt and safe deliveries, with a unique real-time tracking technology to ensure your customers know exactly where their parcel is on it’s journey. For brands, last-mile delivery is often one of the costliest and least efficient parts of the chain during key retail periods – it’s important that they plan, prepare and partner with the best resources, technology and logistics partners possible to ensure a successful delivery.”

Gebrüder Weiss Continues to Grow

Posted on 14 March, 202331 July, 2025 by David Priestman

The international transport and logistics company Gebrüder Weiss posted turnover of 3.01 billion euros for fiscal 2022. This translates into a year-on-year gain of 18 percent (2021: 2.54 billion euros), and builds on the positive trend of recent years. “We have succeeded in adhering to and advancing our strategic goals in a challenging environment. We have expanded our position in the core markets of Central and Eastern Europe, the United States and Asia, while moving forward with our focuses on digitalization and climate neutrality by 2030. The rewarding results across our divisions are proof positive that we are a solid organization that is fit for the future,” says Wolfram Senger-Weiss, CEO at Gebrüder Weiss. The equity ratio also rose and has been restored to its previous level of 60 percent (2021: 57 percent); this increase underlines the company’s resilience and demonstrates that Gebrüder Weiss offers its workforce secure jobs.

The Land Transport division posted 1,479 million euros in sales, a gain of 16 percent (2021: 1,277 million euros). The Home Delivery service performed at last year’s level, delivering some 1.53 million shipments to private households in Austria and Eastern Europe (2021: 1.58 million consignments). As a result, Gebrüder Weiss maintained its market leadership in this segment. Major progress was also reported by Air & Sea, which closed fiscal 2022 with sales at 1,272 million euros, a plus of 24 percent (2021: 1,024 million euros). This surge was driven mainly by the high freight charges of the shipping companies and airlines. DPD Austria, which is partly owned by the Gebrüder Weiss parcel service, was able to sustain its volumes: in 2022 it shipped 66 million parcels (2021: 66.5 million).

International network expanded

Despite economic challenges in 2022 deriving from the war in Ukraine, energy issues and rising inflation, Gebrüder Weiss adhered to its investment strategy. A total of 67 million euros were devoted to consolidating the company’s own network and augmenting its international locations and services. The main focuses were Germany, Hungary, Romania and the United States, along with Turkey and Georgia. The latter two countries are chief links on the Middle Corridor, along which the logistics specialist extended its services to Central Asia and China.

In the key German logistics market, Gebrüder Weiss was able to cement its position in both Air & Sea and Land Transport. In southern Germany, the renaming of the Bavarian freight forwarding company Lode as Gebrüder Weiss Waldkraiburg was concluded. The continued expansion of the land transport network is planned for the south of Germany, with the takeover of the Rentschler shipping company (Baden-Württemberg) in early 2023 marking a first step. Having an enlarged network naturally prompted growth in the workforce: employee numbers rose by six percent to some 8,400 (2021: 7,900)

Continued focus on digitalization and sustainability

The year 2022 also saw the company sustaining its digitalization strategy “Best of Both Worlds,” which Gebrüder Weiss views as a winning combination of operational and digital competence. This included the next stage in the rollout of the digital service portal myGW, which delivers real-time information as to the exact whereabouts of customers’ goods – thus ensuring optimum transparency along the entire supply chain. “Our goal is to give our customers the best solutions for their supply chains, while confining our environmental impact to a minimum. Toward that end, we are constantly investing in our logistics terminals and digital tools, while simultaneously training our staff and identifying environmentally friendly transport options,” Wolfram Senger-Weiss explains.

To underscore the company’s commitment to sustainable goals and its pledge to contribute to climate protection globally, Gebrüder Weiss published a Sustainability Report in 2022. In line with its targets, the logistics specialist intends to achieve carbon neutrality at all of its terminals by 2030. One key element in this transition is an increase in power from regenerative sources; last year Gebrüder Weiss installed four new photovoltaic systems at sites in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. All told, 22 such systems are now already in operation, reducing CO2 emissions by 1,110 metric tons annually. In 2023, the rollout will continue in these countries and in Eastern Europe.

Nor has time stood still when it comes to alternative drive options. After successful long-distance trials with the company’s own hydrogen-powered trucks, Gebrüder Weiss is planning further investments in this technology. In 2023, five new H2 powered trucks are due to hit the roads in Germany. Moving forward, the number of electrically powered vans used in urban goods deliveries is due to further increase in Austria and Eastern Europe.

For 2023, Gebrüder Weiss is anticipating a renormalization of the logistics industry. Shipment numbers are currently declining somewhat, and the cost of transport by air and sea has dropped to 2019 levels. As a result, lower sales are expected. Global geopolitical factors may bring additional challenges. Wolfram Senger-Weiss: “The pandemic has proven that the logistics industry can perform under pressure and react swiftly to changing conditions. In the past year, Gebrüder Weiss has been able to further solidify its financial base and drive innovations – while remaining close to our customers and answering their needs with relevant digital services. In light of the current economic forecast, the high inflation rate and the war in Ukraine, we are – needless to say – circumspect and concerned. However, ultimately we remain a strong organization and that gives us confidence.”

Subscribe