September 2023

Ferag Acquires dereOida

Posted on 11 September, 2023 by David Priestman

In a strategic move, Ferag AG and dereOida have announced their merger, combining their expertise and innovations to create a comprehensive, single solution for all intralogistics requirements.

Ferag AG, a renowned family-owned Swiss company with over 65 years of experience as a global market leader in material flow systems, and dereOida, an Australian pioneer in warehouse automation software with their revolutionary doWarehouse system, are uniting their strengths to offer an unparalleled intralogistics solution to businesses across various industries.

dereOida’s flagship product, doWarehouse, presents a holistic single view across the warehouse. With the freedom to select any automated system, customers can seamlessly integrate their chosen hardware into doWarehouse, all while benefiting from dereOida’s outstanding support services. The doWarehouse system enables the user to streamline processes, enhance productivity, reduce costs and allows for continuous improvement through insightful analytics. Notably, it provides a single source of truth, revolutionises sortation management, replaces cumbersome spreadsheets, and optimises warehouse space utilisation.

Ferag AG’s legacy as a family-owned Swiss company specialising in intralogistics solutions and the development, design and distribution of material flow systems is built upon innovation, quality, and a commitment to customer satisfaction. With a global presence across 18 countries and a team of over 600 dedicated professionals, Ferag has consistently delivered cutting-edge sorting, conveying, buffering and Order Fulfilment Solutions to a diverse range of industries.

The merger of these two industry innovators presents a transformative offering for businesses seeking to optimise their warehouse operations. By combining Ferag’s unparalleled expertise in material flow systems and design with dereOida’s state-of-the-art software solutions, customers can expect an end-to-end solution that addresses every aspect of intralogistics with unprecedented quality, reliability, and support.

Key Benefits of the Merger:
Comprehensive Intralogistics Solutions: Customers now have access to a complete suite of intralogistics solutions that cover the entire spectrum of warehouse automation and management.
Synergy of Expertise: The merger brings together Ferag’s decades of experience in equipment intralogistics with dereOida’s cutting-edge automation software, resulting in a holistic and advanced hardware and software intralogistics solution.
Optimised Productivity: Businesses can leverage the power of doWarehouse’s real-time insights and analytics to drive continuous improvements and optimise their operations.
Simplified Support: dereOida’s single point of contact for hardware and software support ensures seamless assistance and quick issue resolution for enhanced customer satisfaction.

Tommaso Ramundo, CEO Ferag AG, commented:
“We are thrilled to announce our merger with dereOida, a strategic move that not only strengthens our position in the market but also propels us forward in achieving our long-term goals. This partnership is a pivotal part of our goal to attain Ferag Excellence 2025, as we relentlessly pursue the realignment of our global sales strategy to effectively meet the changing needs of our customers. By combining the strengths of Ferag and dereOida, we are poised to deliver an even more comprehensive suite of solutions to our valued customers, reaffirming our commitment to excellence and quality in every aspect of our business.”

Karl Friesenbichler, CEO dereOida, commented:
“I am very excited to announce our merger with Ferag. As we embark on this journey together, our focus remains steadfast on delivering unmatched quality, unwavering customer service, and cutting-edge solutions. The synergy between our teams and the complementary nature of our offerings create a powerful force that will undoubtedly shape the future of our industry. Our customers have always been at the heart of what we do, and this merger only strengthens our ability to provide them with the best. We are dedicated to ensuring a seamless transition, maintaining the highest standards, and upholding the trust you have placed in us.”

Both CEOs commented:
“The combined expertise and resources of Ferag and dereOida enable us to explore new horizons and drive innovation at every turn. Not only can we unite our wealth of expertise and resources, but we can also nurture synergies by sharing knowledge and technology, thus leveraging the finest aspects of both entities. Our existing networks provide newfound access to untapped markets, driving growth and expansion. The amalgamation stimulates innovation as we synergise our creative capabilities and diverse skill sets. With this merger, we are confident that our overall competitiveness will be strengthened, enabling us to achieve remarkable results and elevate the level of value we offer to our customers, partners, and stakeholders.”

Ferag Acquires dereOida

Posted on 11 September, 202325 July, 2025 by David Priestman

In a strategic move, Ferag AG and dereOida have announced their merger, combining their expertise and innovations to create a comprehensive, single solution for all intralogistics requirements.

Cargo Owners Encouraged to Shift to Rail

Posted on 8 September, 202331 July, 2025 by David Priestman

DP World has launched a new programme in the UK to help cargo owners reduce their carbon emissions by shifting from road to rail freight.

The Modal Shift Programme, which is being trialled at DP World’s Southampton Logistics Hub, offers customers a financial incentive to move their imported goods off the road and onto rail, cutting carbon emissions and air pollutants – the programme could prevent as much as 30,000 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide being emitted per year. The financial incentive will be paid for by a relatively small charge on all import laden containers coming through DP World Southampton.

Under the scheme, customers whose import-laden containers are moved by rail to a railhead within 140 miles of DP World Southampton will receive a £70 incentive. Containers that are moved by rail to a railhead more than 140 miles from DP World Southampton will be reimbursed the £10 fee on each container.

John Trenchard, UK Commercial & Supply Chain Director at DP World, said: “DP World will help mitigate the impacts of climate change by becoming a net zero logistics organisation by 2050 and continue to support our customers on their own decarbonisation journeys. We invite supply chain partners to review if rail can play a bigger role in their UK supply chains.

“Southampton has traditionally moved more containers by rail more than any other UK terminal. Over the last few years however, there has been a gradual decline in rail share – a consequence of the wider nationwide challenges facing rail freight at present. Through the Modal Shift Programme we aim to increase the rail share up towards 40% by the end of 2025 – supporting the UK Government’s ambition to drive the modal shift from road freight to more environmentally sustainable alternatives like rail.”

DP World was named ‘Sustainability Company of the Year’ at Multimodal 2023 thanks, in part, to the Modal Shift Programme. The company was also recognised for delivering a 55% reduction in net carbon emissions from its fleet and installations at Southampton in 2022 after transitioning to Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) and its £12m investment at London Gateway in the first all-electric fleet of straddle carriers to go into commercial operation at a port anywhere in the world.

In addition to its UK hubs at Southampton and London Gateway, DP World’s offer includes logistics, forwarding and European transport capabilities, all of which are being integrated into the company’s global network. Operating in 78 countries, DP World now handles 10 per cent of world trade.

Cargo Owners Encouraged to Shift to Rail

Posted on 8 September, 2023 by David Priestman

DP World has launched a new programme in the UK to help cargo owners reduce their carbon emissions by shifting from road to rail freight.

Highrunner: Containerised Logistics Palletiser

Posted on 8 September, 2023 by David Priestman

CKF Systems are delighted to introduce the new palletising solution developed by Qimarox for logistics operations where palletising goods from containers happens frequently. The Qimarox Highrunner HR9 comes complete with a unique pattern generator allowing the system to stack boxes of almost any size on pallets at high speed without specially trained technicians generating a fresh pallet pattern for each new product.

CKF Systems is the sole Silver Partner for Qimarox in the UK and has a wealth of experience integrating Qimarox product lifts and layer palletisers. The manual unloading of ‘loose loaded’ containers is physically demanding, time-consuming and unattractive work. The removal process from the containers one by one and then manually stacked onto pallets, can lead to damaged packaging and goods if stacked carelessly or dropped.

Investment in the automation of the palletising process will provide companies the solution necessary to meet the increasing demands of the global supply chain to empty containers more efficiently and improve the working environment for personnel.

Smart pattern generator with 3D scanner

CKF Systems design and build the conveyor systems supporting the Highrunner HR9 palletiser and integrate a 3D case product scanner which automatically captures the contours and dimensions of the cartons. The data forms the input for the pattern generator which calculates multiple stacking patterns based on that information, this is then displayed to an operator highlighting the preferred pattern. The pattern is selected to offer the best stability, pallet utilisation and speed of case handling. Once selected the pattern can be saved into memory against that product and recalled, as required automatically, on recognising the product barcode. This process no longer requires highly trained and experienced technicians or callouts from specialist programmers each time a new product is received.

CKF Systems has been operating as a leading turnkey automation provider in the UK since 1988 and has a wealth of experience integrating state of the art automation solutions for our customers who range from SMEs all the way up to some of the biggest global corporations. CKF are pleased to have achieved some of the highest accolades and partnerships with Qimarox, Intralox, ABB and Interroll for many years, demonstrating their commitment in supporting CKF’s capabilities. With the introduction of the Qimarox Highrunner HR9, CKF can expand their container unloading offering to customers throughout the UK who require a robust and reliable solution to palletise varied and ranging products.

Highrunner: Containerised Logistics Palletiser

Posted on 8 September, 202329 July, 2025 by David Priestman

Smart pattern generator with 3D scanner

Transaid Welcomes New Corporate Member

Posted on 8 September, 202331 July, 2025 by David Priestman

International development organisation Transaid has welcomed Iron Mountain as the latest supporter to enrol in its corporate membership programme.

Iron Mountain, a global leader in innovative warehousing, storage and fulfilment, data centre infrastructure, asset lifecycle management and information management services, will help support Transaid’s critical work in sub-Saharan Africa through its membership. The aim is to support the charity’s primary goals of improving commercial driving standards and ensuring people in rural areas have access to healthcare.

Through this partnership, Transaid can test and implement new projects to understand their impact and appropriateness – as previously achieved through the MAMaZ Against Malaria (MAM) pilot programme, which first trialled its innovative, community-led response and use of bicycle ambulances to improve severe malaria case management in rural Zambia.

Maria Torrent-March, Warehousing & Logistics Strategy Director, Iron Mountain, says: “I am delighted to support Transaid in their commitment to improve global road safety and access to healthcare. We are looking forward to being involved in Transaid projects and to working with the Transaid Road Safety Advisory Board sharing expertise, resources and best practice to help them deliver its professional driver training.”

Florence Bearman, Head of Fundraising at Transaid voiced her appreciation for the company’s commitment, and says: “Our corporate members are fundamental to the success of our operations, and we are incredibly excited to have the opportunity to work closely with Iron Mountain. They bring a wealth of new expertise to our membership base and will enable us to extend our reach into more communities in sub-Saharan Africa, with the aim of improving even more lives.”

Transaid transforms lives through safe, available, and sustainable transport. Founded by Save the Children, The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT), and its Patron, HRH The Princess Royal, the international development organisation works with communities, partners, and governments to solve transport challenges throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Transaid works in two core areas, road safety and access to health, to solve two of the biggest transport challenges in sub-Saharan Africa. Transaid’s road safety work focuses on influencing safe driver behaviour with long term programmes in Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia, responding to local needs for improved training for drivers and riders of trucks, buses, motorcycles and forklift trucks. On the access to health side, Transaid is working with local partners and communities to strengthen access to health services, primarily in rural areas. They are also working to strengthen health supply chains in collaboration with local partners and governments.

Manhattan Associates Transforms Retail Returns

Posted on 7 September, 2023 by David Priestman

Manhattan Associates Inc. (NASDAQ: MANH) has announced enhanced Returns Management capabilities to streamline and optimise the returns process, and deliver a frictionless experience for both consumers and retailers. The new returns features strengthen customer loyalty by creating a frictionless experience, promoting an increase in store traffic and cross-selling opportunities.

Manhattan’s 2023 Unified Commerce Benchmark revealed that 41% of shoppers find the returns process very time-consuming, and 96% would buy again from retailers that offer a smooth experience. With Manhattan’s new capabilities, consumers can choose their most convenient way to return – whether, in-store or online, which also includes printer-less options. Refunds or exchanges will be processed as soon as carriers scan the package ¬¬– 3-5 days faster than most retailers.

“For shoppers today, experience beats products. Returns are an inconvenience to consumers and a big cost for retailers, and our enhanced Returns Management capabilities help retailers provide a world-class experience to their customers even after the sale, strengthening loyalty and, in turn, profitability,” said Ellie Crawford, director of Product Management for Manhattan. “At Manhattan, we are committed to solving business challenges in the simplest and most efficient way possible.”

These new capabilities reduce shipping costs and improve the sustainability of a return by optimising a product’s return path and inventory placement based on assortment and current stock levels.

The additions improve returns processes across the Manhattan Active® Omni solution suite, extending from the contact centre all the way to the store applications. They are automatically available to all subscribers of Manhattan Active Omni as part of the quarterly upgrade cycle.

Manhattan Associates is a technology leader in supply chain and omnichannel commerce. It unites information across the enterprise, converging front-end sales with back-end supply chain execution. Software, platform technology and unmatched experience help drive both top-line growth and bottom-line profitability for customers. The company designs, builds and delivers leading-edge cloud and on-premises solutions so that across the store, through a network or from a fulfilment centre, you are ready to reap the rewards of the omnichannel marketplace.

Manhattan Associates Transforms Retail Returns

Posted on 7 September, 202329 July, 2025 by David Priestman

OOCL Logistics Partners for Trade Finance Services

Posted on 7 September, 2023 by Keith McKinley

Stenn Technologies, the leading digital fintech enabling growth for businesses engaged in international trade, e-commerce and digital services, has partnered with OOCL Logistics, the world-class logistics and supply chain services provider, to power the ‘OOCL Logistics Trade Finance’ program on a fully integrated basis. The innovative logistics and supply chain solutions company is exceptionally well-positioned to serve global markets with an extensive, growing network of more than 150 offices in over 50 countries/regions.

Utilizing Stenn’s award-winning risk assessment and financing technology, OOCL Logistics will offer buyers and suppliers access to highly scalable invoice-backed capital and payment services, conveniently accessible through its PODIUM® platform.

For suppliers, the partnership offers myriad benefits including allowing them to have invoices paid sooner on a non-recourse basis. Due to Stenn’s unique embedded technology providing direct access to finance, they can get funding within 72 hours of shipment. Meanwhile, buyers are able to access better payment terms from their suppliers, whilst simultaneously helping them to preserve much needed capital, or even add new suppliers.

This latest partnership for Stenn is another crucial step in fulfilling the company’s mission to bridge financial gaps by providing funding accessibility across complex global supply chains.

Commenting on the partnership, Peter De Souza (pictured), VP of Partnerships at Stenn, said:

“Today’s partnership announcement with industry leader, OOCL Logistics, comes as a much-needed solution to the most critical issue facing 65 million underserved SMEs globally, their lack of access to affordable working capital. The integration of Stenn’s risk assessment and financing technology into the PODIUM® platform, means together with OOCL Logistics we are bringing virtually seamless access to affordable finance so suppliers and buyers may realize their international trade ambitions and supercharge their growth. Stenn is proud to play its part in closing the US$5 trillion trade finance gap with OOCL Logistics.”

Commenting on the partnership, Ken So, Assistant General Manager, Commercial & Business Development at OOCL Logistics, Project Leader of the Trade Finance program said:

“Having thoroughly searched the market, we are pleased to be teaming up with Stenn Technologies as our exclusive partner for trade finance. From their leading technology platform to pain-free solution implementation and high-quality training and support, Stenn truly stood out from other eFaaS providers. We look forward to helping our clients improve the resilience of their global supply chains through our OOCL Logistics Trade Finance program, and our innovative partnership with Stenn.”

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