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Day: 28 April 2023

Senior Appointment for Warehousing Firm

Posted on by David Priestman

Big Box Group UK is pleased to announce the appointment of Stuart Rathbone to the role of Buildings Division Lead, reporting to Managing Director, Iain Gillard.

Stuart, pictured, brings extensive managerial experience from senior industry roles incorporating sales, operations and project management. This experience, which includes the delivery of one hundred successful projects in under three years, allied with a wealth of technical knowledge, will help Stuart to develop the expertise Big Box Buildings offers.

Big Box Buildings provide both temporary and permanent structures. The buildings division works closely alongside Big Box Intralogistics to provide racking and mezzanine, whilst incorporating the expertise of Big Box Automation.

Commenting on his new role, Stuart said, “My immediate priorities are to use my experience and knowledge to underpin technical expertise within the buildings division, introduce protocols and set up instinctive systems that the team can pick up and easily manage. If one benefits, we all benefit. This is a rapidly expanding sector and I’m excited to be a part of such a dynamic company with a big future.”

Commenting on his appointment, Big Box Group Managing Director, Iain Gillard said, “We are constantly striving to attract and retain outstanding talent and Stuart’s appointment marks an important milestone on our journey. It reinforces the experience and expertise we are building across our major operational areas, contributing a wealth of skill and experience that will help grow the company.”

Port’s Zero Emission Material Handler Swings

Posted on by David Priestman

Port of Tilbury’s new Liebherr zero emission material handler was officially welcomed into the port this week. The new Liebherr LH 150 M HR, is the first of its kind to operate in the UK and joins the busy port’s fleet of material handlers including Sennebogen 870 and 875 machines.

The new handler, which is to be known as ‘Big Giraffe’ following a naming competition with local schools, is the most advanced model with strong sustainability and net zero credentials which support’s the port drive to greener operations.

The machine which will work across the port estate including bulks and general cargo, uses the latest Tier V engine capable of running on HVO100 fuel which ensures zero CO2 emissions. An Energy Recovery Cylinder (ERC) is fitted to the main boom which will deliver up to 30% of fuel saving. The model also has low energy LED Lighting throughout and will contribute to the port’s ongoing commitment to ISO 14001and ISO 50001 accreditation.

Paul Dale, Asset and Site Director at the Port of Tilbury said: “Across our ports, we are investing in greener technology to ensure that our operations are sustainable and moving towards zero emissions. We have worked with Liebherr over the years and we are pleased to be the first in the UK to use their most advanced model of material handler.”

Mike Hanlon, Ports and Re-handling Specialist at Liebherr Great Britain, commented: “In line with our commitment to continuously reduce our environmental impacts and to shape long-term industry trends, we are driving forward the electrification of our machine portfolio. Many ports are increasingly demanding minimal CO2 emissions and a significant reduction in noise pollution for round-the-clock loading and unloading. Our emission-free material handlers respond to these challenges.”

The winning name, ‘Big Giraffe’ was the firm favourite with the port judging team, but they also awarded a runners up prize to the name ‘Big Claw’. The winner was Rebekah Oppong, aged 10, from Lansdown Primary Academy and Kitty North, aged 8, from Tilbury Pioneer Academy was the runner up.

Commenting on the competition, Peter Ward, Commercial Director at the Port of Tilbury said: “We wanted to get the local community involved in naming our new machine and were very impressed with all the creative ideas that the school children came up with. The name ‘Big Giraffe’ is a fitting name and we hope that Rebekah will get to see the new machine for herself at the port soon.”

Port’s Zero Emission Material Handler Swings

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Port of Tilbury’s new Liebherr zero emission material handler was officially welcomed into the port this week. The new Liebherr LH 150 M HR, is the first of its kind to operate in the UK and joins the busy port’s fleet of material handlers including Sennebogen 870 and 875 machines.

The new handler, which is to be known as ‘Big Giraffe’ following a naming competition with local schools, is the most advanced model with strong sustainability and net zero credentials which support’s the port drive to greener operations.

The machine which will work across the port estate including bulks and general cargo, uses the latest Tier V engine capable of running on HVO100 fuel which ensures zero CO2 emissions. An Energy Recovery Cylinder (ERC) is fitted to the main boom which will deliver up to 30% of fuel saving. The model also has low energy LED Lighting throughout and will contribute to the port’s ongoing commitment to ISO 14001and ISO 50001 accreditation.

Paul Dale, Asset and Site Director at the Port of Tilbury said: “Across our ports, we are investing in greener technology to ensure that our operations are sustainable and moving towards zero emissions. We have worked with Liebherr over the years and we are pleased to be the first in the UK to use their most advanced model of material handler.”

Mike Hanlon, Ports and Re-handling Specialist at Liebherr Great Britain, commented: “In line with our commitment to continuously reduce our environmental impacts and to shape long-term industry trends, we are driving forward the electrification of our machine portfolio. Many ports are increasingly demanding minimal CO2 emissions and a significant reduction in noise pollution for round-the-clock loading and unloading. Our emission-free material handlers respond to these challenges.”

The winning name, ‘Big Giraffe’ was the firm favourite with the port judging team, but they also awarded a runners up prize to the name ‘Big Claw’. The winner was Rebekah Oppong, aged 10, from Lansdown Primary Academy and Kitty North, aged 8, from Tilbury Pioneer Academy was the runner up.

Commenting on the competition, Peter Ward, Commercial Director at the Port of Tilbury said: “We wanted to get the local community involved in naming our new machine and were very impressed with all the creative ideas that the school children came up with. The name ‘Big Giraffe’ is a fitting name and we hope that Rebekah will get to see the new machine for herself at the port soon.”

Additional Supply Chain Network Visibility

Posted on by David Priestman

E2open has announced that Samsara has selected its Advanced Supply Chain Planning and Collaboration for network visibility and to help manage its demand, supply, and inventory across its operations. Samsara, the pioneer of the Connected Operations™ Cloud, has become a system of record for tens of thousands of customers. By harnessing IoT data from trucks, warehouses, and heavy equipment, Samsara’s integrated platform provides actionable insights to run safer, more efficient, and more sustainable operations.

“At Samsara, we look for technology solutions that support our pace of innovation and commitment to providing the best possible experience for our customers,” said Jeff Faulkner, VP of Operations at Samsara. “With increased visibility and automated workflows, e2open can help us stay ahead of potential disruptions and enable a quick supply chain response to changes in customer demand.”
With e2open, Samsara will be able to automate more tools and communications across its supply chain network, potentially providing greater visibility into its operations. A metrics-driven command centre and external connectivity offer opportunities for improved collaboration, while meaningful simulations and scenarios can be leveraged to drive decisions.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Samsara as a client leveraging e2open’s Planning and Supplier Collaboration suites, to support their growth and customer journey,” said Michael Farlekas, CEO of e2open. “Samsara is on an exciting trajectory, and we look forward to working together to help them realise the benefits of outside-in planning, collaboration, and visibility across their entire supply chain network.”

Samsara is the pioneer of the Connected Operations™ Cloud, which is a system of record that enables organisations that depend on physical operations to harness Internet of Things (IoT) data to develop actionable insights and improve their operations. Samsara operates in North America and Europe and serves tens of thousands of customers across a wide range of industries including transportation, wholesale and retail trade, construction, field services, logistics, utilities and energy, government, healthcare and education, manufacturing, and food and beverage. The company’s mission is to increase the safety, efficiency, and sustainability of the operations that power the global economy.

Mission Zero Touch Robotics

Posted on by David Priestman

Cost pressures, lack of space and personnel shortages are major issues needing a solution. One key to solving these issues is intelligent robotics. KNAPP’s innovative robot solutions help lower costs in logistics processes while increasing shipping capacity. KNAPP calls this new approach zero-touch fulfilment.

The goal of zero-touch fulfilment is to increase the degree of automation while minimizing the number of manual work steps, allowing employees to work efficiently and be relieved from physically demanding and repetitive tasks. At LogiMAT in Stuttgart, Germany, KNAPP presented technologies that help companies meet these goals.

There is no zero-touch fulfilment without robotic picking. KNAPP’s Pick-it-Easy Robot (pictured) will pack and pick diverse items into different containers in a live demonstration. AI-based object recognition and grip point determination allow the robot to handle a wide array of items. The intelligent KiSoft software suite functions as the brain of Pick-it-Easy Robot. It is used to design made-to-order software solutions for all processes and across all levels.

Autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) handle in-house transport jobs and offer many benefits that conventional conveyors simply cannot provide. After being configured, which is quickly accomplished, they move about freely and independently. They don’t require any changes to the warehouse and the fleet can be expanded rapidly when there are more transport tasks. AMRs are versatile and can be used for transport from goods-in to the storage system, cross docking and supplying work stations. One of KNAPP’s series of AMRs, the Open Shuttle Fork, handles the transport of pallets automatically, space-effectively and flexibly.

These autonomous mobile robots are controlled by the intelligent fleet control system in the KiSoft suite. The travel paths and processes of the AMR are easy to model and adapt in the software. KiSoft functions like a navigation system with specific route planning, analogous to the GPS in a car, and its obstacle detection ensures complete safety for people and equipment.

The best automation solution is only as good as its master data. In order for robots, shuttles and the like to work in a way that creates value, they need good-quality master data. This is exactly what MultiScan does best: collect high-quality master data, which is then saved by the software KiSoft Genomix. MultiScan easily and precisely captures morphological data, such as the volume or weight of items as well as quantities, stacking data, EAN barcodes and much more. The software solution KiSoft Genomix digitizes all the relevant item attributes, from their weight, dimensions and packaging type to their contents, centre of gravity, tilting behaviour and much more. This type of information is critical for smooth operation in the robotic warehouse and is what a robotic system needs to precisely process and handle various types of items.

Even the smallest items, such as jewellery, watches and their parts need to be securely stored. For this application, KNAPP offers the InduStore, which stores and handles items up to the size of a shoe box and up to 5 kg (11 lb) as standard. The InduStore uses its intelligent image recognition system to automatically identify each item. A conveyor brings small items to the robot, which picks them up and places them on the shelves in a compact, space-saving way.

For today’s warehouse logistics, three areas of expertise make all the difference: machines and robots, service and consulting, and finally, software. Each of these areas can of course stand alone; however, when combined, they provide an incredible advantage. This is exactly the combination KNAPP focuses on. This approach using integrated intelligence connects all the disciplines to provide customers with an all-in-one solution. For example, the KiSoft software configures the AMRs, so they go where they are needed, and also trains the KNAPP Pick-it-Easy Robot picking robots so they continually improve. It’s quite an impressive interplay of robots and software. With its business intelligence products, KiSoft provides the information needed to make strategic decisions. KNAPP has modules in KiSoft for resource planning, data analysis for strategic decision-making, predictive maintenance and life cycle management.

Mission Zero Touch Robotics

Posted on by David Priestman

Cost pressures, lack of space and personnel shortages are major issues needing a solution. One key to solving these issues is intelligent robotics. KNAPP’s innovative robot solutions help lower costs in logistics processes while increasing shipping capacity. KNAPP calls this new approach zero-touch fulfilment.

The goal of zero-touch fulfilment is to increase the degree of automation while minimizing the number of manual work steps, allowing employees to work efficiently and be relieved from physically demanding and repetitive tasks. At LogiMAT in Stuttgart, Germany, KNAPP presented technologies that help companies meet these goals.

There is no zero-touch fulfilment without robotic picking. KNAPP’s Pick-it-Easy Robot (pictured) will pack and pick diverse items into different containers in a live demonstration. AI-based object recognition and grip point determination allow the robot to handle a wide array of items. The intelligent KiSoft software suite functions as the brain of Pick-it-Easy Robot. It is used to design made-to-order software solutions for all processes and across all levels.

Autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) handle in-house transport jobs and offer many benefits that conventional conveyors simply cannot provide. After being configured, which is quickly accomplished, they move about freely and independently. They don’t require any changes to the warehouse and the fleet can be expanded rapidly when there are more transport tasks. AMRs are versatile and can be used for transport from goods-in to the storage system, cross docking and supplying work stations. One of KNAPP’s series of AMRs, the Open Shuttle Fork, handles the transport of pallets automatically, space-effectively and flexibly.

These autonomous mobile robots are controlled by the intelligent fleet control system in the KiSoft suite. The travel paths and processes of the AMR are easy to model and adapt in the software. KiSoft functions like a navigation system with specific route planning, analogous to the GPS in a car, and its obstacle detection ensures complete safety for people and equipment.

The best automation solution is only as good as its master data. In order for robots, shuttles and the like to work in a way that creates value, they need good-quality master data. This is exactly what MultiScan does best: collect high-quality master data, which is then saved by the software KiSoft Genomix. MultiScan easily and precisely captures morphological data, such as the volume or weight of items as well as quantities, stacking data, EAN barcodes and much more. The software solution KiSoft Genomix digitizes all the relevant item attributes, from their weight, dimensions and packaging type to their contents, centre of gravity, tilting behaviour and much more. This type of information is critical for smooth operation in the robotic warehouse and is what a robotic system needs to precisely process and handle various types of items.

Even the smallest items, such as jewellery, watches and their parts need to be securely stored. For this application, KNAPP offers the InduStore, which stores and handles items up to the size of a shoe box and up to 5 kg (11 lb) as standard. The InduStore uses its intelligent image recognition system to automatically identify each item. A conveyor brings small items to the robot, which picks them up and places them on the shelves in a compact, space-saving way.

For today’s warehouse logistics, three areas of expertise make all the difference: machines and robots, service and consulting, and finally, software. Each of these areas can of course stand alone; however, when combined, they provide an incredible advantage. This is exactly the combination KNAPP focuses on. This approach using integrated intelligence connects all the disciplines to provide customers with an all-in-one solution. For example, the KiSoft software configures the AMRs, so they go where they are needed, and also trains the KNAPP Pick-it-Easy Robot picking robots so they continually improve. It’s quite an impressive interplay of robots and software. With its business intelligence products, KiSoft provides the information needed to make strategic decisions. KNAPP has modules in KiSoft for resource planning, data analysis for strategic decision-making, predictive maintenance and life cycle management.

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