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Day: 27 June 2023

First Fleet of Autonomous Carriers on Roads

Posted on by David Priestman

Clevon, a global autonomous delivery innovator, and Lithuania’s leading grocery chain IKI are bringing Europe’s first fleet of Autonomous Robot Carriers (ARCs) onto public roads. Three driverless carriers will offer daily commercial delivery services in the busy Vilnius city centre area and be operated by the last-mile transportation platform LastMile.

Orders will be collected at the IKI store on Mindaugas Street and delivered for free directly to customers’ homes in the city centre area. ARCs deliver the goods and have lockable compartments of different sizes, suitable for smaller and larger online grocery orders. The fleet of robots can deliver seven customer orders in a single run in the capital’s New Town and Old Town districts.

Neither congestion nor rain will interfere

Last year, LastMile and Clevon carried out a pilot project in the Vilnius suburban district of Balsiai – this was the first deployment of driverless delivery robots in Lithuania. In three months, the robot travelled around 2,000 km and showed good performance.

“The trial paid off with an overall score of 4.8 out of 5, and shoppers were keen to try the innovation. Meanwhile, we have seen that we can deliver goods even more efficiently and flexibly, with less environmental impact, thanks to electric motors. After a successful test, we are taking the next step – for the first time in Europe, as many as three autonomous carriers will be part of the traffic in city centre streets. We believe that these robots will give us a significant advantage in the delivery sector, as customers will receive their goods quickly, even in the city centre, and even during peak hours. Speed is becoming one of the most important criteria for shoppers when choosing a home delivery method – even 95% of our customers buy goods with delivery within a few hours,” says Tadas Norušaitis, CEO and co-founder of LastMile.

The pilot project also proved that robots can drive autonomously in a wide range of conditions – in the rain, on unpaved roads, in the snow, and in puddles after rain.

According to Nijolė Kvietkauskaitė, CEO of IKI Lietuva, the e-commerce market in Lithuania is very vibrant, so it is crucial always to be one step ahead. “Today’s shopper expects an even more seamless shopping experience – and we are helping to meet this expectation with bold technological innovations such as autonomous stores and autonomous cars that deliver purchases quickly, safely and conveniently. We can promise our shoppers that we will continue to lead the way in Lithuania by introducing retail innovations that will create an even better consumer experience,” said N. Kvietkauskaitė.

Clevon’s CEO, Sander Sebastian Agur, highlighted that the partnership with Rewe Group through IKI and LastMile is a major commercial achievement for Clevon: “Our team keeps proving that autonomous deliveries are here to stay, and we’re expanding our operations from single vehicles to fleets in Europe, the US, and in the Middle East region. Clevon was the first in Europe to get permission to operate driverless carriers on public roads in 2020. Now, we’re making history again by being the first to deploy a fleet of ARCs for commercial deliveries on Europe’s public roads, right here in Lithuania. This is just the beginning!”

Safety is a top priority

Starting on 27 June, the autonomous carriers will spend two months delivering shopping in a larger and much busier area than in the pilot project, driving through the streets of the capital’s city centre. To ensure maximum safety, the autonomous carriers will travel at a maximum speed of 25 km/h. They will be able to navigate the streets safely thanks to 360-degree cameras and special sensors. The carriers will be tele-supervised by teleoperators who monitor the driving in real-time.

On Tuesday, a public demo was carried out at the robotics launch event, where the autonomous carriers navigated a specially designed obstacle course without mistakes. The autonomous delivery will be completely free of charge. After ordering, customers will receive a text message telling them when the robot will arrive and a code that will unlock its door.

The LastMile platform currently has more than 300 000 registered users in Lithuania. They can choose products from more than 40 partner stores, with a total assortment of more than 30,000 products. Together with the start-up LastMile, the retail chain IKI is part of the international Rewe Group, which operates in 21 European countries and has around 380,000 employees. IKI has been operating in Lithuania since 1992. With 237 stores across Lithuania, IKI is one of the largest retail chains. It is one of the country’s largest employers, employing around 5,500 people.

Clevon introduced the next-generation autonomous robot carrier, CLEVON 1, as the first autonomous robot carrier in Europe to offer driverless delivery services on public roads, starting with DPD (part of LaPoste) and most recently working with customers including DHL Express Estonia in Tallinn, and IKI stores in Vilnius, Lithuania delivering groceries. On-demand delivery industries like grocery retailers, food and beverage businesses, and logistics providers partner with Clevon for safe, reliable, and customizable delivery solutions that are environmentally focused — all backed by a proven track record of 15 years of experience in robotics and automation technologies. In 2022, Clevon was founded after spinning off from Cleveron, the innovation leader in robotic click-and-collect solutions.

First Fleet of Autonomous Carriers on Roads

Posted on by David Priestman

Clevon, a global autonomous delivery innovator, and Lithuania’s leading grocery chain IKI are bringing Europe’s first fleet of Autonomous Robot Carriers (ARCs) onto public roads. Three driverless carriers will offer daily commercial delivery services in the busy Vilnius city centre area and be operated by the last-mile transportation platform LastMile.

Orders will be collected at the IKI store on Mindaugas Street and delivered for free directly to customers’ homes in the city centre area. ARCs deliver the goods and have lockable compartments of different sizes, suitable for smaller and larger online grocery orders. The fleet of robots can deliver seven customer orders in a single run in the capital’s New Town and Old Town districts.

Neither congestion nor rain will interfere

Last year, LastMile and Clevon carried out a pilot project in the Vilnius suburban district of Balsiai – this was the first deployment of driverless delivery robots in Lithuania. In three months, the robot travelled around 2,000 km and showed good performance.

“The trial paid off with an overall score of 4.8 out of 5, and shoppers were keen to try the innovation. Meanwhile, we have seen that we can deliver goods even more efficiently and flexibly, with less environmental impact, thanks to electric motors. After a successful test, we are taking the next step – for the first time in Europe, as many as three autonomous carriers will be part of the traffic in city centre streets. We believe that these robots will give us a significant advantage in the delivery sector, as customers will receive their goods quickly, even in the city centre, and even during peak hours. Speed is becoming one of the most important criteria for shoppers when choosing a home delivery method – even 95% of our customers buy goods with delivery within a few hours,” says Tadas Norušaitis, CEO and co-founder of LastMile.

The pilot project also proved that robots can drive autonomously in a wide range of conditions – in the rain, on unpaved roads, in the snow, and in puddles after rain.

According to Nijolė Kvietkauskaitė, CEO of IKI Lietuva, the e-commerce market in Lithuania is very vibrant, so it is crucial always to be one step ahead. “Today’s shopper expects an even more seamless shopping experience – and we are helping to meet this expectation with bold technological innovations such as autonomous stores and autonomous cars that deliver purchases quickly, safely and conveniently. We can promise our shoppers that we will continue to lead the way in Lithuania by introducing retail innovations that will create an even better consumer experience,” said N. Kvietkauskaitė.

Clevon’s CEO, Sander Sebastian Agur, highlighted that the partnership with Rewe Group through IKI and LastMile is a major commercial achievement for Clevon: “Our team keeps proving that autonomous deliveries are here to stay, and we’re expanding our operations from single vehicles to fleets in Europe, the US, and in the Middle East region. Clevon was the first in Europe to get permission to operate driverless carriers on public roads in 2020. Now, we’re making history again by being the first to deploy a fleet of ARCs for commercial deliveries on Europe’s public roads, right here in Lithuania. This is just the beginning!”

Safety is a top priority

Starting on 27 June, the autonomous carriers will spend two months delivering shopping in a larger and much busier area than in the pilot project, driving through the streets of the capital’s city centre. To ensure maximum safety, the autonomous carriers will travel at a maximum speed of 25 km/h. They will be able to navigate the streets safely thanks to 360-degree cameras and special sensors. The carriers will be tele-supervised by teleoperators who monitor the driving in real-time.

On Tuesday, a public demo was carried out at the robotics launch event, where the autonomous carriers navigated a specially designed obstacle course without mistakes. The autonomous delivery will be completely free of charge. After ordering, customers will receive a text message telling them when the robot will arrive and a code that will unlock its door.

The LastMile platform currently has more than 300 000 registered users in Lithuania. They can choose products from more than 40 partner stores, with a total assortment of more than 30,000 products. Together with the start-up LastMile, the retail chain IKI is part of the international Rewe Group, which operates in 21 European countries and has around 380,000 employees. IKI has been operating in Lithuania since 1992. With 237 stores across Lithuania, IKI is one of the largest retail chains. It is one of the country’s largest employers, employing around 5,500 people.

Clevon introduced the next-generation autonomous robot carrier, CLEVON 1, as the first autonomous robot carrier in Europe to offer driverless delivery services on public roads, starting with DPD (part of LaPoste) and most recently working with customers including DHL Express Estonia in Tallinn, and IKI stores in Vilnius, Lithuania delivering groceries. On-demand delivery industries like grocery retailers, food and beverage businesses, and logistics providers partner with Clevon for safe, reliable, and customizable delivery solutions that are environmentally focused — all backed by a proven track record of 15 years of experience in robotics and automation technologies. In 2022, Clevon was founded after spinning off from Cleveron, the innovation leader in robotic click-and-collect solutions.

Smyths Toys Adopts right-size Auto-Packaging

Posted on by David Priestman

Leading toy retailer, Smyths Toys, has implemented Sparck Technologies’ advanced right-size auto-boxing packaging systems to boost throughput for its ecommerce business, installing three Sparck CVP machines at its distribution centre in Corby, Northamptonshire.

Sparck Technologies has provided Smyths Toys with three of its market-leading ‘fit-to-size’ CVP packaging systems – two CVP Impack machines, each capable of forming and sealing up to 500 tailor-made cardboard boxes per hour, along with its latest high-capacity model, the CVP Everest, which can create up to 1100 right-sized boxes every hour.

Smyths Toys has over 100 stores in the UK and a busy website offering an extensive range of toys for all ages, from baby and preschool products to outdoor items and gaming.

The introduction of Sparck Technologies’ CVP auto-boxing machines is part of a major investment into state-of-the-art warehouse automation at the toy retailer’s Corby fulfilment centre, aimed at increasing capacity and improving sustainability. The move will see over 70% of orders packed automatically by Sparck’s CVP machines,

Commenting on the decision to invest in high-speed fit-to-size packaging technology, Stephen Kearney, Warehouse Manager at Smyths Toys, says: “We believe in automation and have invested in advanced technologies where we can see it will bring significant results. We needed to increase throughput for our fast-growing online business and the most obvious means of achieving the performance required, particularly for peak, was to leverage the speed and efficiency of right-size packaging technology.

“Importantly, these packaging systems are highly flexible, capable of producing tailor-made packages at speed, whilst being able to cater for single or multi-item orders with differing product profiles,” he says. “We could also see how fit-to-size packaging would help us further improve our position on sustainability through optimising package size and removing the need for void fill. Sparck’s CVP technology offered us the flexible solution that we were looking for.”

To optimise throughput and minimise waste all three CVP machines supplied to Smyths Toys have dual induct stations and double corrugate feeders for 600 mm and 800 mm card. Advancing environmental performance, paper tape is used for sealing packages, aiding the recycling of cardboard. Installation of the three machines took place in October 2022 in readiness for peak season.

Jo Bradley, Business Development Manager for Sparck Technologies in the UK, says: “We are delighted to be working with one of Europe’s most respected toy retailers and we look forward to developing a close partnership with Smyths Toys, supporting its growth objectives for the future.”

With the capability to tailor-make up to 1,100 boxes per hour, for multiple or single item orders, the CVP Everest and CVP Impack packaging systems offer automated solutions for ecommerce operations challenged by increasing order volumes and growing demands for sustainable packaging solutions. With installations across Europe, the US and Canada, the CVP Automated Packaging Solutions effortlessly create, fill, fold and label each parcel in one seamless process – reducing package volumes by up to 50%, cutting cardboard usage by 30% and eliminating the need for void fill.

Sparck Technologies is a global leader in the design and fabrication of advanced, fit-to-size automated packaging systems for high-volume ecommerce applications – award-winning sustainable packaging solutions that eliminate excessive packaging. We aim to make every parcel our clients send out a brand ambassador for their business. Based in Drachten, The Netherlands, Sparck Technologies supplies some of the world’s largest retail and industrial brands, supporting their ecommerce channels in multiple geographies with market-leading engineering know-how that combines innovation, reliability and unbeatable performance.

Smyths Toys Adopts right-size Auto-Packaging

Posted on by David Priestman

Leading toy retailer, Smyths Toys, has implemented Sparck Technologies’ advanced right-size auto-boxing packaging systems to boost throughput for its ecommerce business, installing three Sparck CVP machines at its distribution centre in Corby, Northamptonshire.

Sparck Technologies has provided Smyths Toys with three of its market-leading ‘fit-to-size’ CVP packaging systems – two CVP Impack machines, each capable of forming and sealing up to 500 tailor-made cardboard boxes per hour, along with its latest high-capacity model, the CVP Everest, which can create up to 1100 right-sized boxes every hour.

Smyths Toys has over 100 stores in the UK and a busy website offering an extensive range of toys for all ages, from baby and preschool products to outdoor items and gaming.

The introduction of Sparck Technologies’ CVP auto-boxing machines is part of a major investment into state-of-the-art warehouse automation at the toy retailer’s Corby fulfilment centre, aimed at increasing capacity and improving sustainability. The move will see over 70% of orders packed automatically by Sparck’s CVP machines,

Commenting on the decision to invest in high-speed fit-to-size packaging technology, Stephen Kearney, Warehouse Manager at Smyths Toys, says: “We believe in automation and have invested in advanced technologies where we can see it will bring significant results. We needed to increase throughput for our fast-growing online business and the most obvious means of achieving the performance required, particularly for peak, was to leverage the speed and efficiency of right-size packaging technology.

“Importantly, these packaging systems are highly flexible, capable of producing tailor-made packages at speed, whilst being able to cater for single or multi-item orders with differing product profiles,” he says. “We could also see how fit-to-size packaging would help us further improve our position on sustainability through optimising package size and removing the need for void fill. Sparck’s CVP technology offered us the flexible solution that we were looking for.”

To optimise throughput and minimise waste all three CVP machines supplied to Smyths Toys have dual induct stations and double corrugate feeders for 600 mm and 800 mm card. Advancing environmental performance, paper tape is used for sealing packages, aiding the recycling of cardboard. Installation of the three machines took place in October 2022 in readiness for peak season.

Jo Bradley, Business Development Manager for Sparck Technologies in the UK, says: “We are delighted to be working with one of Europe’s most respected toy retailers and we look forward to developing a close partnership with Smyths Toys, supporting its growth objectives for the future.”

With the capability to tailor-make up to 1,100 boxes per hour, for multiple or single item orders, the CVP Everest and CVP Impack packaging systems offer automated solutions for ecommerce operations challenged by increasing order volumes and growing demands for sustainable packaging solutions. With installations across Europe, the US and Canada, the CVP Automated Packaging Solutions effortlessly create, fill, fold and label each parcel in one seamless process – reducing package volumes by up to 50%, cutting cardboard usage by 30% and eliminating the need for void fill.

Sparck Technologies is a global leader in the design and fabrication of advanced, fit-to-size automated packaging systems for high-volume ecommerce applications – award-winning sustainable packaging solutions that eliminate excessive packaging. We aim to make every parcel our clients send out a brand ambassador for their business. Based in Drachten, The Netherlands, Sparck Technologies supplies some of the world’s largest retail and industrial brands, supporting their ecommerce channels in multiple geographies with market-leading engineering know-how that combines innovation, reliability and unbeatable performance.

November Deadline Awaits UK Exporters

Posted on by David Priestman

CNS, a digital trade solution company, is calling on freight forwarders and customs managers to use the summer months to prepare for the imminent transition in the UK Government’s customs declaration process.

There were huge challenges in October last year following the UK Government’s deadline for traders to move from its legacy CHIEF system to its new Customs Declaration Service (CDS) for submitting import declarations. Now, CNS, a DP World company which develops digital solutions for the port and logistics sector, is urging traders to prepare themselves for 30 November 2023, when the same switch occurs for export declarations.

The challenges encountered last year have left many traders nervous about the new system, which requires additional data fields to complete an export declaration. However, CNS is advising traders to prepare themselves in advance of the deadline by testing the requirements on its specially designed CDS-compatible system.

Matthew Bradley, Managing Director at CNS emphasized the importance of adequate preparation, stating: “There are some issues like outages on the system that are impossible to prepare for, but there are a lot of issues traders are now aware of and various learnings from last year, which mean there are known steps that can and should be taken. Last year showed us that organisations that trained their staff and prepared through test environments before the deadline were far less impacted by the change in system. The broader industry should learn from this and start testing and preparing now. The repercussions of being unable to submit valid and compliant declarations include cargo delays, increased costs and frustration for customers and staff. However, affordable and user-friendly tools and solutions are readily available to help mitigate disruption. We would urge any traders dealing with export declarations to do their homework and be as prepared as they possibly can be.”

To assist traders in managing the transition and ongoing declaration submissions on the government’s CDS system, CNS developed its Customs Declarations Management System (CDMS) cloud-based solution. The solution streamlines the process of filing CDS-compliant export declarations, providing users with a secure and intuitive interface. The system is purpose-built for CDS and incorporates features to expedite data input, improve compliance, and guides users directly to the HMRC website to identify what data needs to be provided, saving input time and improving compliance.

Extensive system testing, both internally and externally, has been conducted since early 2022. In fact, the CNS product team recently celebrated 100,000 declarations through the system, demonstrating its scalability and reliability, and proving its positive impact on customer experience. Reducing the time spent on trial and error and resubmission is another critical factor. CDMS has been designed to only require the data that is needed for a specific declaration type and includes market-leading features to explain error codes in natural language.

For those users integrating their own systems with CDMS via the CDMS Application Programming Interface (API), CNS offers an instant update facility to validate commodity codes, ensuring accurate tax and duty rates, along with error diagnosis and other features.

“The feedback from customers is that our CDMS solution made their life a lot easier last October and they believe that we ultimately saved them time and money. We understand increased costs and slimming margins are always a key factor and we can’t protect against all eventualities. But the reassurance of knowing you are as prepared as you can be, may put end customers at ease and may even help you sleep better at night – which is something we think is pretty important in our extremely stressful industry,” Bradley concluded.

November Deadline Awaits UK Exporters

Posted on by David Priestman

CNS, a digital trade solution company, is calling on freight forwarders and customs managers to use the summer months to prepare for the imminent transition in the UK Government’s customs declaration process.

There were huge challenges in October last year following the UK Government’s deadline for traders to move from its legacy CHIEF system to its new Customs Declaration Service (CDS) for submitting import declarations. Now, CNS, a DP World company which develops digital solutions for the port and logistics sector, is urging traders to prepare themselves for 30 November 2023, when the same switch occurs for export declarations.

The challenges encountered last year have left many traders nervous about the new system, which requires additional data fields to complete an export declaration. However, CNS is advising traders to prepare themselves in advance of the deadline by testing the requirements on its specially designed CDS-compatible system.

Matthew Bradley, Managing Director at CNS emphasized the importance of adequate preparation, stating: “There are some issues like outages on the system that are impossible to prepare for, but there are a lot of issues traders are now aware of and various learnings from last year, which mean there are known steps that can and should be taken. Last year showed us that organisations that trained their staff and prepared through test environments before the deadline were far less impacted by the change in system. The broader industry should learn from this and start testing and preparing now. The repercussions of being unable to submit valid and compliant declarations include cargo delays, increased costs and frustration for customers and staff. However, affordable and user-friendly tools and solutions are readily available to help mitigate disruption. We would urge any traders dealing with export declarations to do their homework and be as prepared as they possibly can be.”

To assist traders in managing the transition and ongoing declaration submissions on the government’s CDS system, CNS developed its Customs Declarations Management System (CDMS) cloud-based solution. The solution streamlines the process of filing CDS-compliant export declarations, providing users with a secure and intuitive interface. The system is purpose-built for CDS and incorporates features to expedite data input, improve compliance, and guides users directly to the HMRC website to identify what data needs to be provided, saving input time and improving compliance.

Extensive system testing, both internally and externally, has been conducted since early 2022. In fact, the CNS product team recently celebrated 100,000 declarations through the system, demonstrating its scalability and reliability, and proving its positive impact on customer experience. Reducing the time spent on trial and error and resubmission is another critical factor. CDMS has been designed to only require the data that is needed for a specific declaration type and includes market-leading features to explain error codes in natural language.

For those users integrating their own systems with CDMS via the CDMS Application Programming Interface (API), CNS offers an instant update facility to validate commodity codes, ensuring accurate tax and duty rates, along with error diagnosis and other features.

“The feedback from customers is that our CDMS solution made their life a lot easier last October and they believe that we ultimately saved them time and money. We understand increased costs and slimming margins are always a key factor and we can’t protect against all eventualities. But the reassurance of knowing you are as prepared as you can be, may put end customers at ease and may even help you sleep better at night – which is something we think is pretty important in our extremely stressful industry,” Bradley concluded.

Nuremberg LogisticCity: Recycled Paper, not Plastic

Posted on by David Priestman

The LogisticCity in Nuremberg is the logistics centre of the Hoffmann Group, which was put into operation at the end of 2021. As a market-leading partner for quality tools, the company supplies over 135,000 customers worldwide. The increased output of the highly automated LogisticCity led to the evaluation in use of protective void fill cushioning materials. To meet the new requirements of the packaging process, Papier Sprick supplied the PaperJet cushioning system, a demand-oriented and efficient solution.

120,000 different catalogue items, 80 packing stations and up to 40,000 packages per day ‒ the LogisticCity presents complex demands on a packaging solution. Before the LogisticCity was built,
Hoffmann Group used foil cushions as padding material. Junior Project and Process Manager Jonas Karg remembers: “The topic of filling or cushioning material was a puzzle that had to be reassembled. From employees to upper management, everyone was involved in the project.”

Several impulses shifted the decision in the direction of recycled paper: The innovative idea behind the LogisticCity was to be carried forward in the area of sustainability. “The desire for a more eco-friendly packaging material was also expressed by customers,” says Karg. In addition, regulatory requirements for importing plastic foil to other countries influenced the decision-making process. At FACHPACK in September 2019, before the finalization of the LogisticCity, Hoffmann Group and Papier Sprick engaged in dialog for the first time.

The very next month, the first test setups were carried out at the established Nuremberg site, which were expanded into the building of LogisticCity in April 2020. Paper- and foil-based solutions from various manufacturers were put to the test in practice and evaluated by employees based on feedback sheets, among other criteria. Papier Sprick submitted the PaperJet, an extremely fast system for the production of paper cushions.

The test clearly highlighted the advantages of the PaperJet over the film solution and other paper-based materials. “Initial scepticism about the paper solution was quickly dispelled. The employees favoured the PaperJet and preferred to work at these stations,” says Michael Scholz, Team Leader Logistics Small Packaging.

Jörg Kaschny, Field Sales Manager of Papier Sprick’s, was on hand to advise from the start of the test phase. “This reliable service was very valuable for us,” says Karg. “With Mr. Kaschny, we have a single point of contact who takes care of all matters.” The test setups were accompanied by training sessions for packaging. Here, Kaschny informed the employees about cushioning and packing options, carton sizes and the workflow. Scholz emphasizes, “This gave our employees an understanding of the material and cushioning with paper.”

By integrating the PaperJet, the work process was comprehensively optimized. Today, a total of 80 machines are placed in the small and large packaging departments. In the small packaging
department, the PaperJet produces cushions in a dispenser at the packing table, while in the large packaging department, the employees remove the cushion directly from the machine. The central preproduction of foil cushions and subsequent distribution to the packing stations has thus been replaced.

“Packing is now much more versatile than before,” says Scholz. The freely selectable cushion lengths allow for precise void fill. “The short set-up time is a crucial point which makes the PaperJet so attractive. We currently change the material pallet per workstation about every 3 to 4 weeks. This means a considerable timesaving compared to the previous 1 to 2 roll changes of foil material per day,” says Karg. This is achieved thanks to the ComPackt endless pallet in space-saving fanfold format, which offers 7,600 meters of recycled paper in a small footprint. “For an ergonomic workplace, our in-house perforated plate was integrated into the container solutions on request, so that all necessary materials are placed directly and ergonomically within reach at the packing station,” adds Karg.

The Hoffmann Group does not only pursue the goal of sustainability in the selection of the cushioning material. “Every year, we generate 600 tons of paper waste, the majority of which comes from incoming goods,” explains Karg. Previously, the waste was collected in several presses, which were then picked up separately for disposal. Now the waste paper is pressed in the company’s own bailing compactor.

These bales can be used by Papier Sprick to produce more paper for the PaperJets used in the LogisticCity. This is done at the Papier Sprick paper mill in Diemelstadt and provided through the
regular material deliveries. The result of the cooperation between the Hoffmann Group and Papier Sprick is thus not only a modern, efficient packaging solution, but also a sustainable recycling
management.

Nuremberg LogisticCity: Recycled Paper, not Plastic

Posted on by David Priestman

The LogisticCity in Nuremberg is the logistics centre of the Hoffmann Group, which was put into operation at the end of 2021. As a market-leading partner for quality tools, the company supplies over 135,000 customers worldwide. The increased output of the highly automated LogisticCity led to the evaluation in use of protective void fill cushioning materials. To meet the new requirements of the packaging process, Papier Sprick supplied the PaperJet cushioning system, a demand-oriented and efficient solution.

120,000 different catalogue items, 80 packing stations and up to 40,000 packages per day ‒ the LogisticCity presents complex demands on a packaging solution. Before the LogisticCity was built,
Hoffmann Group used foil cushions as padding material. Junior Project and Process Manager Jonas Karg remembers: “The topic of filling or cushioning material was a puzzle that had to be reassembled. From employees to upper management, everyone was involved in the project.”

Several impulses shifted the decision in the direction of recycled paper: The innovative idea behind the LogisticCity was to be carried forward in the area of sustainability. “The desire for a more eco-friendly packaging material was also expressed by customers,” says Karg. In addition, regulatory requirements for importing plastic foil to other countries influenced the decision-making process. At FACHPACK in September 2019, before the finalization of the LogisticCity, Hoffmann Group and Papier Sprick engaged in dialog for the first time.

The very next month, the first test setups were carried out at the established Nuremberg site, which were expanded into the building of LogisticCity in April 2020. Paper- and foil-based solutions from various manufacturers were put to the test in practice and evaluated by employees based on feedback sheets, among other criteria. Papier Sprick submitted the PaperJet, an extremely fast system for the production of paper cushions.

The test clearly highlighted the advantages of the PaperJet over the film solution and other paper-based materials. “Initial scepticism about the paper solution was quickly dispelled. The employees favoured the PaperJet and preferred to work at these stations,” says Michael Scholz, Team Leader Logistics Small Packaging.

Jörg Kaschny, Field Sales Manager of Papier Sprick’s, was on hand to advise from the start of the test phase. “This reliable service was very valuable for us,” says Karg. “With Mr. Kaschny, we have a single point of contact who takes care of all matters.” The test setups were accompanied by training sessions for packaging. Here, Kaschny informed the employees about cushioning and packing options, carton sizes and the workflow. Scholz emphasizes, “This gave our employees an understanding of the material and cushioning with paper.”

By integrating the PaperJet, the work process was comprehensively optimized. Today, a total of 80 machines are placed in the small and large packaging departments. In the small packaging
department, the PaperJet produces cushions in a dispenser at the packing table, while in the large packaging department, the employees remove the cushion directly from the machine. The central preproduction of foil cushions and subsequent distribution to the packing stations has thus been replaced.

“Packing is now much more versatile than before,” says Scholz. The freely selectable cushion lengths allow for precise void fill. “The short set-up time is a crucial point which makes the PaperJet so attractive. We currently change the material pallet per workstation about every 3 to 4 weeks. This means a considerable timesaving compared to the previous 1 to 2 roll changes of foil material per day,” says Karg. This is achieved thanks to the ComPackt endless pallet in space-saving fanfold format, which offers 7,600 meters of recycled paper in a small footprint. “For an ergonomic workplace, our in-house perforated plate was integrated into the container solutions on request, so that all necessary materials are placed directly and ergonomically within reach at the packing station,” adds Karg.

The Hoffmann Group does not only pursue the goal of sustainability in the selection of the cushioning material. “Every year, we generate 600 tons of paper waste, the majority of which comes from incoming goods,” explains Karg. Previously, the waste was collected in several presses, which were then picked up separately for disposal. Now the waste paper is pressed in the company’s own bailing compactor.

These bales can be used by Papier Sprick to produce more paper for the PaperJets used in the LogisticCity. This is done at the Papier Sprick paper mill in Diemelstadt and provided through the
regular material deliveries. The result of the cooperation between the Hoffmann Group and Papier Sprick is thus not only a modern, efficient packaging solution, but also a sustainable recycling
management.

Dexory Raises $19M for Warehouse Visibility

Posted on by David Priestman

Dexory has secured $19 million in Series A funding led by leading European VC firm Atomico, with participation from existing investors Lakestar, Kindred, Capnamic, and Maersk Growth, the investment arm of the global logistics and container shipping company, Maersk. As part of this investment Atomico Partner Ben Blume will join Dexory’s board of directors.

Addressing the urgent need for improved space utilisation and increased efficiencies in warehouses around the world, Dexory combines powerful analytics with autonomous robots capable of capturing rich image and sensor data from across a warehouse. This powerful combination provides comprehensive visibility across warehouses of any size, as well as connecting warehouses across the global supply chain through Dexory’s digital platform, DexoryView.

In the last few years, the combination of a boom in e-commerce, the global Covid-19 pandemic, and the war in Ukraine has sent unprecedented shocks through global supply chains. While the foundational systems that underpin cross-border production and trade have many interconnected moving parts – procurement, manufacturing, packaging, shipping, energy, tracking and distribution – this has been felt particularly acutely in warehouses, the ‘core’ of the supply chain, where goods are stored, sorted, and distributed.

“For those operating warehouses, ensuring 100% fulfilment ‘in time, all the time’ is crucial to meeting the demands of the modern consumer. A critical component to achieving this is high stock accuracy, but staff shortages, manual processes, and the speed demanded by customers means that critical decisions across the supply chain are currently being taken blindly,” said Dexory CEO and co-founder Andrei Danescu. “Technology that is autonomous, real-time, intuitive, and integrated can have a transformative effect on the everyday efficiency, productivity, and accuracy of a warehouse – and form an integral part of revamping businesses supply chain strategies”.

Rising costs, low supply of warehouse units combined with huge demand for goods, and a shortage of labour is putting extreme pressure on the sector to improve space utilisation and increase efficiencies.

Dexory, which is already integrated in leading distribution companies such as Maersk and Menzies Aviation, provides a platform which offers 360 degree visibility into customers’ warehouses, the beating heart of the supply chain. Manual processes often still dominate in these operations and global companies can have up to as many as 500 different warehouse management systems (WMS) running across thousands of their globally distributed warehouses at any one time. This means that expensive manual audits often take place on an infrequent basis, finding lost inventory takes days due to a lack of interoperability between WMS’, and a unified global view is impossible to achieve.

Dexory’s platform, DexoryView, can perform a full warehouse scan in just a matter of hours, around 100x faster than humans, giving customers an immediate view of the core hub in their supply chain. This gives customers enhanced inventory visibility, with DexoryView’s dashboard tracking detailed location of goods, allowing for the quick identification and location of items, accurate information on stock levels and locations, and better decision-making in warehouse operations.

And customers can also use DexoryView as a ‘digital twin’ replica of their warehouse to help not only manage, but get the most out of warehouse performance – allowing for the software to optimise, simulate and predict future scenarios. All of this frees up human workers to focus on more complex activities, leading to improved productivity, better resource allocation, and the ability to handle higher order volumes efficiently.

“For an operation as complex and sophisticated as running a modern warehouse, the current lack of an automated way to capture data about the physical space is a major pain point”, said Atomico Partner Ben Blume, “We’re hugely excited by the promise, and market traction, of Dexory’s technology with leading global logistics companies like Maersk and Menzies Aviation. Through creating a digital replica of the warehouse with their advanced robotic data capture technology, they are able to deploy a platform that is not only seamless and intuitive, but provides powerful and actionable insights too.”

This Series A funding round will be used for international expansion in key markets such as the US, and Central and Northern Europe, with aims to double Dexory’s workforce by the end of the year to support unit deployment functions and increased production. The funding will also be used to continue developing Dexory’s forecasting and simulation technology; as well as accelerating the production of its automated robots in its facility in the U.K.

In doing so, Dexory hopes to continue to embed accurate and real-time data into its customers’ supply chains, making it the new standard for the warehouse of the future.

Dexory was founded in 2015 by three founders, Andrei, Oana and Adrian (pictured), and is based in the UK. The founders are school friends from Romania, who moved to the UK a decade ago with experience accumulated across engineering and tech roles at Formula 1, Google, and IBM. Combining commercial nous with deep technical expertise, the three founders are now working together to help transform warehouse management practices worldwide.

Dexory Raises $19M for Warehouse Visibility

Posted on by David Priestman

Dexory has secured $19 million in Series A funding led by leading European VC firm Atomico, with participation from existing investors Lakestar, Kindred, Capnamic, and Maersk Growth, the investment arm of the global logistics and container shipping company, Maersk. As part of this investment Atomico Partner Ben Blume will join Dexory’s board of directors.

Addressing the urgent need for improved space utilisation and increased efficiencies in warehouses around the world, Dexory combines powerful analytics with autonomous robots capable of capturing rich image and sensor data from across a warehouse. This powerful combination provides comprehensive visibility across warehouses of any size, as well as connecting warehouses across the global supply chain through Dexory’s digital platform, DexoryView.

In the last few years, the combination of a boom in e-commerce, the global Covid-19 pandemic, and the war in Ukraine has sent unprecedented shocks through global supply chains. While the foundational systems that underpin cross-border production and trade have many interconnected moving parts – procurement, manufacturing, packaging, shipping, energy, tracking and distribution – this has been felt particularly acutely in warehouses, the ‘core’ of the supply chain, where goods are stored, sorted, and distributed.

“For those operating warehouses, ensuring 100% fulfilment ‘in time, all the time’ is crucial to meeting the demands of the modern consumer. A critical component to achieving this is high stock accuracy, but staff shortages, manual processes, and the speed demanded by customers means that critical decisions across the supply chain are currently being taken blindly,” said Dexory CEO and co-founder Andrei Danescu. “Technology that is autonomous, real-time, intuitive, and integrated can have a transformative effect on the everyday efficiency, productivity, and accuracy of a warehouse – and form an integral part of revamping businesses supply chain strategies”.

Rising costs, low supply of warehouse units combined with huge demand for goods, and a shortage of labour is putting extreme pressure on the sector to improve space utilisation and increase efficiencies.

Dexory, which is already integrated in leading distribution companies such as Maersk and Menzies Aviation, provides a platform which offers 360 degree visibility into customers’ warehouses, the beating heart of the supply chain. Manual processes often still dominate in these operations and global companies can have up to as many as 500 different warehouse management systems (WMS) running across thousands of their globally distributed warehouses at any one time. This means that expensive manual audits often take place on an infrequent basis, finding lost inventory takes days due to a lack of interoperability between WMS’, and a unified global view is impossible to achieve.

Dexory’s platform, DexoryView, can perform a full warehouse scan in just a matter of hours, around 100x faster than humans, giving customers an immediate view of the core hub in their supply chain. This gives customers enhanced inventory visibility, with DexoryView’s dashboard tracking detailed location of goods, allowing for the quick identification and location of items, accurate information on stock levels and locations, and better decision-making in warehouse operations.

And customers can also use DexoryView as a ‘digital twin’ replica of their warehouse to help not only manage, but get the most out of warehouse performance – allowing for the software to optimise, simulate and predict future scenarios. All of this frees up human workers to focus on more complex activities, leading to improved productivity, better resource allocation, and the ability to handle higher order volumes efficiently.

“For an operation as complex and sophisticated as running a modern warehouse, the current lack of an automated way to capture data about the physical space is a major pain point”, said Atomico Partner Ben Blume, “We’re hugely excited by the promise, and market traction, of Dexory’s technology with leading global logistics companies like Maersk and Menzies Aviation. Through creating a digital replica of the warehouse with their advanced robotic data capture technology, they are able to deploy a platform that is not only seamless and intuitive, but provides powerful and actionable insights too.”

This Series A funding round will be used for international expansion in key markets such as the US, and Central and Northern Europe, with aims to double Dexory’s workforce by the end of the year to support unit deployment functions and increased production. The funding will also be used to continue developing Dexory’s forecasting and simulation technology; as well as accelerating the production of its automated robots in its facility in the U.K.

In doing so, Dexory hopes to continue to embed accurate and real-time data into its customers’ supply chains, making it the new standard for the warehouse of the future.

Dexory was founded in 2015 by three founders, Andrei, Oana and Adrian (pictured), and is based in the UK. The founders are school friends from Romania, who moved to the UK a decade ago with experience accumulated across engineering and tech roles at Formula 1, Google, and IBM. Combining commercial nous with deep technical expertise, the three founders are now working together to help transform warehouse management practices worldwide.

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