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Month: September 2023

St. Modwen Logistics Acquires Distribution Hub

Posted on by David Priestman

St. Modwen Logistics, one of the UK’s leading logistics owners and developers, has acquired a 267,000 sq ft logistics unit in Bilston, Wolverhampton, West Midlands.

The unit, known as the Titan 10 Distribution Centre, is let to Pallet-Track, one of the UK’s fastest growing palletised freight distribution companies, originally formed in nearby Wednesbury. The facility has been home to Pallet-Track for more than 15 years and serves as its central UK hub, handling an average of 8,000 pallets per night and servicing its distribution network depots.

Located in the heart of the Midlands, the building is just a ten-minute drive from junction 10 of the M6 motorway corridor and is only 15 miles from Birmingham city centre, offering excellent national road connectivity. It sits in the UK’s logistics ‘golden triangle’, from where 90% of the UK population can be reached within four hours’ drivetime.

James Cooper, Head of Transactions at St. Modwen Logistics, commented: “This transaction represents a rare opportunity to acquire a high-specification distribution facility which is let to a leading UK business, in the ‘golden triangle’. This asset is a great example of the business-critical logistics facilities we are acquiring as part of our wider aggregation strategy.”

Commenting on the deal, Andrew Franck-Steier, Director at Atlas Real Estate, said: “We were delighted to be asked to sell the asset and it was great to have been involved in both the original funding and sale of the deal.” Atlas Real Estate acted for the vendor and Acre Capital Real Estate acted for St. Modwen Logistics.

St. Modwen is a property developer and manager owned by Blackstone focused on logistics and housebuilding. St. Modwen Logistics develops and manages urban and big box warehouses for customers including global logistics and e-commerce organisations as well as significant national and regional enterprises.

Electrification for Trailers

Posted on by David Priestman

ZF’s latest version of its pioneering concept to electrify the trailer will be on show at the NUFAM commercial vehicles trade show in Karlsruhe (Germany). The ZF electrified trailer solution is made possible by integrating ZF’s AxTrax 2 electric axle with a modular battery system box for recuperation and traction support. Thanks to its ability to recuperate energy from braking, the system can effectively convert a heavy-duty diesel truck into a hybrid vehicle, generating up to 16 percent fuel and CO2 savings, while the optional plug-in variant can save up to 40 percent. The trailer also provides benefits for zero-emissions electrified heavy trucks by extending their range.

ZF’s electrified trailer concept is gaining traction as interest from the industry grows. Bringing the benefits of electrified trailers to fleet operators took a step closer as ZF’s Commercial Vehicle Solutions (CVS) division announced that it will cooperate with BPW to offer a fully integrated running gear system for trailer builders including ZF’s AxTrax 2 electric axle. Kässbohrer and Krone, two leading trailer manufacturers will also start to implement ZF´s pioneering electrification system into their platforms. This announcement will see the companies start the process of integrating ZF’s pioneering electrified trailer technologies into their range of products.

“Electrification for trailers is an innovative solution to decarbonize road freight transport in the very near future,” said Dr. Bernd Meurer, responsible for the electric trailer program at ZF. “Instead of solely being pulled by the truck, the new approach provides additional traction while generating fuel savings, reducing CO2 emissions and improving sustainability.

“The fact that industry leaders are embracing our system demonstrates that we have taken the right concept approach in developing a lightweight and modular system that can be adapted to suit the diverse requirements and various applications of manufacturers and fleet operators.”

Thore Bakker, General Manager Business Unit Trailer Solutions & Mobility Services at BPW said: “Every trailer needs a chassis, suspension and braking technology that can be trusted. With our axles for 7.5t trucks and the generator axles for reefers, we already have a lot of experience regarding the integration of electric drives. It therefore makes perfect sense that ZF, with expertise in drivelines, cooperates with BPW to offer a robust and highly engineered running gear solution with the AxTrax 2 axle for recuperation and traction support for semitrailers that can be easily assembled by trailer builders and is fully trusted by the fleets.”

İffet Türken, Kässbohrer Board Member said: “Together to the next 125 years”, we highlight the importance of a wide ecosystem of innovation and partnerships to advance the trailer industry towards sustainability. We support our industry with longer and heavier vehicles, our award winning intermodal product range and our already tested electrified reefers. We are committed to invest our proven innovation capability, engineering competence to advance the technical integration challenges of the new system safely and efficiently. We look forward to our cooperation with ZF and all our partners furthering electrification application to include all sectors of transport business.”

Dr. Stefan Binnewies, Board Member of the Krone Group, said: “ZF and Krone share similar attributes like commitment to quality, sustainability, and innovative technology. Very early on, Krone investigated and invested in possible options for trailers to provide electrified traction support as a way towards meeting decarbonization targets of road transport. We are happy to see that well-established partners of the industry like ZF and BPW team up to support the transformation to more sustainable logistics by offering innovative solutions that we as trailer OEMs can integrate into our Trailer Systems. At Krone we are convinced that we can only meet the challenges of the future together – generating the best solutions for our customers.”

With this announcement, customers will be able to draw on ZF’s leading expertise in combining brake control and electrification systems with innovative technologies, such as the AxTrax 2 electrified axle system which enables recuperation and traction support to deliver up to 210 kW continuous power and 26,000 Nm of peak output of seamless torque.

The ZF system has been designed as a highly integrated solution enabling manufacturers to combine electrified technologies into their own trailer platforms more easily. The system takes advantage of braking energy recuperation to recharge the batteries to generate 16% fuel and CO2 savings, while the Plug-in Hybrid version can achieve 40% when combined with an ICE-powered truck.
ZF’s electrified trailer solution is designed to meet future standards and comply with national and regional regulations. The first electric trailers are expected to be operating on EU roads, once regularity classification has been received.

Smaller, Faster, Greener Automatic Labelling

Posted on by David Priestman

To meet the growing demand for accurate, high-speed and easy to use industrial automatic labelling systems, TSC Printronix Auto ID has just launched a popular-sized 4-inch version of its PEX-2000 Series print engine. This powerful device promises to save time, money and resources in logistics operations, the pharmaceutical industry and manufacturing, especially food and drink.

Print engines perform an essential role in print and apply operations and design of the new 4-inch PEX-2000 has been carefully considered for both system integrators and users. Its compact full-metal chassis is 14% smaller at the rear than its mainstream peers and the device can easily be integrated into just about any automatic labelling system supporting DB15 and DB 25 connectors. Its adjustable peel-off module gives systems integrators greater design flexibility by setting label feed-out to their preferred angle (-3º to -18º).

“Furthermore, the PEX-2000 offers 55mm wide media handling space for simpler installation or parts changes, and a quick release mechanism for printhead and roller change. Any repairs or maintenance are significantly expedited by the rear chassis simply being lifted and pulled out,” says Bob Vines, UK, Ireland & Nordics country manager for TSC Printronix Auto ID. One of the most interesting developments of the new 4-inch PEX-2000 is the option for enterprises to reduce their environmental impact and costs by saving ribbon waste by 30% to 80%, especially special colour ribbons like gold or silver. The patented ribbon-saving function minimises large, wasteful non-printed areas, displaying percentages saved on the LCD monitor.

“The 4-inch PEX-2000 Series has been designed to meet diverse applications, including RFID encoding capability,“ suggests Bob. “Its high label registration supports label printing as small as 5mm high, with print deviation of ±0.4mm. Its super-fast print speed of up to 18 inches per second (ips) will scale up any print and apply label application and enable enterprises to meet one cycle time with high stability.”

TSC Printronix Auto ID offers value-added software tools like SOTI Connect and TSC Console to enable system integrators and/or end customers to manage and monitor their print engines through the internet or intranet, depending on users‘ needs. Both tools enable quick deployment, configuration, and updates from any location.

Körber Celebrates Milestone with Geek+

Posted on by David Priestman

Körber and Geek+ are celebrating the third anniversary of their strategic partnership. Geek+ is one of Körber’s trusted global robotic partners, making this anniversary an important milestone in Körber’s journey to provide businesses worldwide with efficient, scalable and sustainable end-to-end logistics solutions.

With more than 30 implementations in eight regions and thousands of bots successfully deployed, Körber and Geek+ continue to revolutionise warehouse operations through an extensive portfolio of Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR) solutions. Through this partnership, customers have seen productivity gains in excess of 100%, accuracy improvements of up to 99.99% and a reduction in walking distances of up to 82% across the warehouse.

Customers throughout Europe, America and Asia Pacific are currently advancing their supply chain operations with flexible automation solutions from Körber and Geek+, relying on the combined expertise of a global leader in AMR technology and Körber’s broad capabilities in end-to-end consulting, conceptualisation, integration and support. By increasing picking accuracy, reducing labour costs, and improving productivity and efficiency, robotics also help create safer and more ergonomic workplaces where warehouse associates can avoid tedious and risky tasks, focus on more value-added activities, and enjoy a more collaborative and satisfying work environment.

One example includes the implementation of a highly innovative logistics software and automation landscape for the biggest 3PL eCommerce warehouse in Eastern Central Europe, run by 3PL logistics start-up Boxy. András Táncsics, CEO of Boxy, stated: “Relying on cutting-edge technology provided by Körber, together with partners like Geek+, has helped us to maintain an efficient flow of goods, enhanced shipping performance, and reliability in light of the steady growing pressure of customer demands. We truly believe that these types of automation and software solutions are the future of the industry and our competitive edge on the market. Therefore, we keep a close eye on these technologies together with our partners and always try to be in the forefront of innovation.”

Recent customer successes also include one of the largest AMR deployments in Eastern Europe at DB Schenker, one of the leading global logistics service providers. In Australia, Körber and Geek+ have collaborated with leading Australian retailers such as Officeworks. In North America, S&S Activewear, a leading wholesale distributor of apparel and accessories, will rely on a high velocity picking system from Geek+ with Körber’s expertise in the design, deployment and support of this transformative system to meet evolving demand and optimize fulfilment.

“The supply chain has undergone tremendous changes in recent years, with an ever-increasing demand for efficiency and productivity while continually requiring more sustainable practices. We need innovative solutions to answer new challenges to be cost-efficient and competitive while also sustainable. Driven by huge developments in AI and machine learning, robots can help by addressing these challenges, at scale,” said Lit Fung, VP and Managing Director, Overseas Business at Geek+.

“Particularly in the growing eCommerce segment, robotics continues to be a true gamechanger for the logistics landscape to introduce greener, safer and more ergonomic operations,” said John Santagate, Vice President Robotics at Körber Business Area Supply Chain. “We look forward to continuing our partnership with one of the leading global AMR providers, helping companies worldwide optimise their operational success and conquer their supply chain complexities.”

Geek+ entered its first global partnership with Körber in 2020, with expansion rapidly accelerating since then – showcased by 30,000 robots deployed that helped save 140,000 tons of carbon emissions and 16 million KwH in energy in 2022. Together with Geek+’ growing portfolio of robotic solutions, Körber continues to enhance access to an unparalleled breadth and depth of supply chain solutions, spanning warehouse management, warehouse control, simulation and voice, to help those who move goods do good.

Transactional Insurance Acquisition Transformed

Posted on by David Priestman

Redkik, an innovative global software company and Lockton Companies, the world’s largest privately held insurance broker, are thrilled to announce a strategic partnership with McLeod Software, a provider of transportation dispatch, accounting, operations, brokerage management software, and document management systems specifically developed for the trucking industry. This collaborative effort marks a significant milestone in reshaping how logistics and transportation companies manage insurance and streamline operations.

With a mission to simplify and improve the insurance industry, Redkik is revolutionizing the way cargo insurance is acquired and managed. Their integrated solution provides instant Certificates of Insurance (COIs) at the time of booking, along with comprehensive administrative, financial, and claims support, offering peace of mind and operational efficiency to industry players.

Lockton Companies supports Redkik by providing insurance programs and relationships to support Redkik’s solutions for cargo and other transactional products. This includes claim support and risk control services for the trucking industry.

McLeod Software is renowned for delivering advanced management solutions and services tailored specifically to the trucking industry. With a focus on increasing efficiency and reducing costs, McLeod Software empowers transportation companies to enhance customer service levels, optimize operating ratios, attract and retain the best drivers, and automate processes to eliminate inefficiencies.

This strategic partnership among Redkik, Lockton and McLeod Software unites industry leaders dedicated to fostering growth and efficiency within all logistics and transportation sectors. By integrating Redkik’s cutting-edge technology and product delivery platform with Lockton’s best in class insurance solutions and McLeod Software’s comprehensive suite of management tools, transportation companies will gain access to a complete ecosystem of resources and support to drive operational excellence.

Chris Kalinski, CEO, and Founder of Redkik, expressed excitement about the partnership, saying, “We are thrilled to join forces with these transportation industry giants in our mission to revolutionize the supply chain. This partnership signifies our commitment to simplifying complex processes and providing McLeod’s clients with the tools they need to thrive.”

Ben Morgan, Head of the Lockton Transportation and Logistics practice in Texas, said, “The transportation world is changing by the minute. The technology solutions available from these strong companies revolutionize the delivery of real-time meaningful risk management and insurance products and services. We’re proud to be a part of the effort.”

Ryan Sparrow, Product Manager of McLeod’s Logix Solutions/DocumentPower resonated the excitement, “We are excited to add Redkik’s technology and insurance solution to our product offering and hope to provide our clients with the simplest possible way to add insurance to a transport.”

The partnership among Redkik, Lockton and McLeod Software is poised to redefine how logistics and transportation companies approach insurance and operational management. Together, these industry leaders aim to provide a comprehensive solution that not only enhances competitiveness but also ensures peace of mind for all stakeholders.

Born of personal industry experiences, Redkik provides a global InsurTech solution curated with the mission to transform and improve the insurance industry for all parties within logistics and transportation. Through Redkik’s easily embedded integration, the acquisition of appropriate cargo insurance has never been easier. Instant COIs at time of booking coupled with administrative, financial, and claims assistance take the time and guesswork out of insurance and provide peace of mind.

Liverpool FC and UPS Deliver Partnership

Posted on by David Priestman

Liverpool FC and UPS are proud to announce a new multi-year partnership, with UPS becoming the Reds’ first Official Global Logistics and Shipping Partner. The two iconic brands will work together to expand on the global distribution of LFC’s retail and e-commerce operations.

The club will utilise UPS’ extensive logistics experience and expertise, with UPS supporting Liverpool FC’s Global Retail and eCommerce channels, allowing them to deliver a better fan experience and getting LFC merchandise into the hands of those fans quicker and more efficiently than ever before.

Liverpool FC and UPS will also team up to provide unique opportunities and experiences and will come together to drive engagement and positive impact for LFC fans, UPS customers, and employees.

Ben Latty, Commercial Director for Liverpool FC, said: “We are proud to be announcing this global partnership with UPS. As one of the world’s largest companies, UPS are bringing a wealth of knowledge and expertise to our already successful retail operations. We are looking forward to seeing the impact this will have, and how it will improve fans’ experiences around the world.”
With millions of small business owners from worldwide cheering LFC on every week, the partnership will also allow for UPS to engage with its global customer base in a new way.

“We’re proud to be the official logistics sponsor of Liverpool Football Club,” said Kevin Warren, Chief Marketing and Customer Experience Officer at UPS. “Our global, integrated logistics network means we can offer unmatched speed and reliability as LFC continues to grow its retail operations. We’re ready to deliver team spirit and pride to LFC fans – no matter where they are in the world.”

Founded in 1892, Liverpool FC is one of the world’s most historic and famous football clubs, having won 19 League Titles, including the Premier League, eight FA Cups, nine League Cups, six European Cups, three UEFA Cups, four European Super Cups, 16 Charity Shields, two Women’s Super League titles and one Women’s Championship.

As a socially responsible Club, Liverpool FC is proud of the work it does via the award-winning The Red Way, its ongoing commitment to creating a better future for its people, its planet and its communities. This includes efforts to improve club-wide sustainability, enhance Equality, Diversity & Inclusion in all areas, and create life changing opportunities for children and young people in Merseyside and beyond thanks to its official charity, LFC Foundation.

 

Dexory Announces Investment from Schenker

Posted on by David Priestman

Dexory has secured additional investment with Schenker Ventures, the corporate investment arm of DB Schenker, strengthening further their position in the market. This investment will allow greater focus on introducing the DexoryView solution across Europe and into the US in the coming months.

Following the recent $19m Series A funding announcement in June, this partnership continues to strengthen Dexory’s leading position on providing real time visibility across the supply chain.

Dexory’s solution addresses the urgent need for improved visibility, better space utilisation and increased efficiency in warehouse operations around the world. Dexory brings together autonomous robots, capable of capturing rich image and sensor data from across a warehouse, with powerful analytics and insights. This powerful combination provides comprehensive visibility across individual warehouses of any size, as well as connecting sites across the global supply chain through Dexory’s digital platform, DexoryView.

For warehouse operators, guaranteeing flawless ‘on-time, every time’ order fulfilment is paramount to satisfying the expectations of today’s consumers. “Technology that operates autonomously, provides real-time insights, possesses intuitive interfaces, and seamlessly integrates can lead to a revolutionary transformation in the day-to-day efficiency, productivity and precision of warehouse operations”, says Andrei Danescu, CEO and Co-founder of Dexory. “I’m delighted DB Schenker shares our vision for full visibility across supply chains and have great confidence in our technology, ambitions and growth plans. Their industry expertise will help us grow into new territories and maximise the capabilities of the tech while bringing fantastic value to their sites, a great partnership for both.”

DexoryView, a one of a kind platform, conducts comprehensive warehouse scans within a few hours – a 100 times faster than human efforts and other inventory collection technologies. Moreover, DexoryView serves as a digital replica of the physical warehouse, nurturing not only management but also performance optimisation. This innovative feature empowers the software to simulate, optimise, and forecast future scenarios, freeing warehouse colleagues to engage in more complex tasks.

“The potential and evident success of Dexory’s technology within the global logistics landscape in a short space of time is impressive. Dexory has engineered a solution that not only boasts seamlessness and user-friendliness, but also provides a remarkable depth and speed of inventory data collections setting Dexory apart, enabling efficient and accurate insight.” says Paulina Banszerus, Head of Venture Capital, Schenker Ventures.

The strong execution-driven team behind the vision for DexoryView goes beyond inventory management, the technology’s visualisation is impressive, whilst being scalable in the future. And that’s what makes Dexory a great fit to our innovative portfolio. We’re really pleased to be part of Dexory’s exciting future.”

With ongoing conversations to partner with DB Schenker in the various territories, Dexory aims to continue to embed accurate real-time data into its customers’ supply chains worldwide, making it the new standard for the warehouse of the future.

Expanding Opportunities in Ecommerce

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Global Reach Logistics (GRL) is thrilled to announce its partnership with TikTok Shop, opening new avenues for our current and prospective customers. This collaboration allows businesses to seamlessly integrate the popular Ecommerce platform, TikTok Shop, with an advanced Operation Management System (OMS). The exponential growth and active user base of TikTok Shop present an exciting opportunity for businesses to leverage the world’s fastest-growing social media platform for increased sales.

GRL understand the pivotal role efficient stock and order management plays in a business’s success. The company developed a cutting-edge ERP system tailored to empower clients with seamless control over their operations.

Key Features:

Custom ERP System: proprietary ERP system has been meticulously crafted to meet the unique needs of businesses across various industries.

Streamlined Stock Management: Effortlessly track, organize, and optimize your inventory with our intuitive stock management features. Say goodbye to stockouts and overstocking issues.

Order Management Made Easy: Simplify order processing with our user-friendly interface. From order creation to fulfilment, GRL’s ERP system ensures accuracy and efficiency every step of the way.

The Power of TikTok Shop

TikTok Shop boasts a massive and engaged audience, making it an attractive platform for businesses to showcase their products and services. With this partnership, GRL aims to empower its customers by providing them with a seamless way to connect to TikTok Shop, thereby expanding their reach and maximizing their sales potential. By integrating TikTok Shop with GRL’s OMS, businesses can efficiently manage their operations and logistics, ensuring smooth order fulfilment and customer satisfaction.

In today’s ever-evolving digital landscape, businesses continually search for innovative ways to expand their reach and drive sales. TikTok Shop emerged as a dynamic and influential platform, captivating millions of users not only in the UK but also globally. By integrating your brand with TikTok Shop, you’re not merely following a social media trend; you’re accessing a treasure trove of marketing opportunities. With TikTok boasting billions of monthly views across the globe, it presents an enticing proposition for businesses aiming to bolster brand visibility and sales.

Creating a successful TikTok presence in the UK necessitates a customized strategy tailored to your target audience’s unique preferences. Begin by identifying trending topics, hashtags, and challenges that resonate with the UK’s TikTok community. Authenticity is paramount; engage with your audience in an approachable and sincere manner. Showcase your products or services with imaginative, concise videos, and don’t overlook TikTok’s vast music library for adding an engaging soundtrack.

Collaborate with local TikTok influencers to tap into their established follower base and enhance credibility within the domestic market. Always remember, consistency is key on TikTok – maintain a regular posting schedule and engage with comments and trends to stay relevant. By embracing these strategies and aligning them with the UK audience’s distinct charm, you can pave the way for a triumphant TikTok presence that not only amplifies brand recognition but also drives sales.

“Partnering with TikTok Shop is not just a strategic move; it’s a game-changer for our GRL clients and a pivotal step for businesses looking to tap into a platform that accumulates billions of views every month. Together, we’re rewriting the rules of sales and marketing in the digital age,” said Harry Johnson, Sales and Marketing Director of GRL.

Butcher Rolls-Out Digital Distribution Tech

Posted on by David Priestman

Walter Rose & Son, a British multi-award-winning butcher, has rolled-out a digital distribution system with software from Podfather. With a fleet of 28 vehicles delivering to catering establishments, high-end retailers, and homes across England, Walter Rose has transformed its distribution operation using Podfather’s route planning, vehicle check, delivery tracking, ETA notification and electronic proof of delivery solution.

The Walter Rose team uses Podfather to help plan delivery routes, and capture electronic vehicle checks before drivers leave the Devizes depot in Wiltshire. In the past, vehicle checks would have been collected on a paper sheet and delivered back to the transport office later. Now all teams have instant visibility if there is a defect that needs to be dealt with. All drivers use the Podfather app on a smartphone device. Job information is now sent straight from Podfather’s cloud-based back-office planning system to the driver hand-held removing reliance on handing out paper tickets and collating them when the driver returns.

“When I first saw the Podfather system I could clearly see that it ticked all the boxes in terms of what we needed to help update our delivery processes,” comments Gradyn Runyeard-Hunt, Transport Manager at Water Rose & Sons. “Walter Rose has been in business since 1847, much has changed since that time, but we were still relying on paper to plan and manage our deliveries. Now with Podfather in place, we have been able to move over to an automated system which is much better for us and our customers.”

Deliveries are now tracked via the app and customers are kept up to date with realistic ETA information, a function that is available to all Podfather core product users as standard. Once a driver has arrived at a customer site, electronic signatures and photographs are captured, as well as the precise time and location information that shows exactly what was delivered where when. Electronic proof of delivery has been a huge game changer for the team as they now have real-time visibility of what has been delivered where vital when some items are left unattended at the point of delivery.

“Podfather has made life so much easier as it gives us a clear picture of how our fleet is performing and what deliveries are being successfully made where all in real-time,” adds Runyeard-Hunt. “The support from the Podfather team has been exceptional, we really do feel it’s one of the best tech projects we’ve ever implemented.”

“Walter Rose is a fantastic example of what our core product is designed to do,” comments Colin McCreadie, Managing Director at Podfather. “We have designed an advanced, yet easy-to-use solution, that enables logistics operators to tackle the key issues that are inherent in the paper processes that so many companies still rely on.”

Podfather specialises in the development, delivery and support of route optimisation and electronic proof of delivery technology. A UK company headquartered in Edinburgh, Podfather works with companies of all shapes and sizes, from industry giants such as Tarmac and Breedon to well-known names such as Rexel and ODDBOX and everything else in between. Ideal for multi drop distribution operations, Podfather provides an end-to-end solution incorporating route planning and optimisation, vehicle checks, ETA notifications, tracking, electronic proof of delivery (ePOD) and reporting.

stow Announces New Robotics Brand: Movu

Posted on by David Priestman

stow Group, a globally recognized leader in the design, manufacturing, and implementation of advanced storage solutions and automated warehouse systems, announces the launch of the new ‘Movu Robotics’ brand, developed to strengthen its Robotics business unit and to meet increasing customer demand for Automation and Robotics solutions. The new brand replaces the name ‘stow Robotics’ as of now.

Movu Robotics is a new and dynamic warehouse automation brand that stands out by bringing easier logistics automation solutions to the world’s warehouses and ensuring that, when it comes to opportunities for automation, no warehouse is left behind. Movu is based in new headquarters located in Lokeren, near Antwerp in Belgium that, under a single roof, includes engineering, R&D, production, and a state of the art Experience Centre where the latest technologies can be demonstrated live in operation to customers and partners.

stow Group is a highly successful company with 40 years’ experience as a supplier of logistics and materials handling solutions , and a product DNA based on racking. As customer and market demand for automated solutions increase s driven by labour shortages, the need to increase profitability, efficiency, flexibility, accuracy as well as shortening lead times stow has been delivering innovative solutions to meet these challenges.

stow Robotics was e stablished in 2021 a s part of the stow Group and has developed a comprehensive and competitive portfolio of automation and robotics solutions for pallets, bins and items that provides a more energy efficient and practical alternative to stacker crane bins and items that provides a more energy efficient and practical alternative to stacker crane based solutions-based solutions. This comprises Movu atlas, a leading pallet shuttle system; Movu escala, an innovative ramp shuttle solution for totes/bins; Movu ifollow, a collaborative Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR) system for pallets and additional load carriers: and the new picking robot Movu eligo.

Despite all their advantages, automated technologies and robotics are perceived by many customers as being complex, expensive, resource intensive with long lead time for installation. Movu Robotics addresses this issue by bringing easier automation to the world’s warehouses.

Movu – No warehouse left behind

For projects in the main vertical markets, especially in e-commerce, FMCG and cold storage in Europe and North America, Movu Robotics will deliver simple, standardised plug and play solutions that require less engineering and grant short lead times for execution, allowing customers to keep their operations running.

Jos de Vuyst, CEO of stow Group told Logistics Business: “Faced with challenges of labour shortages, cost increases, storage density, growing volumes and improving accuracy, companies are turning to robotics and automation for solutions. Movu Robotics offers an offers an integrated ecosystem of standardised and scalable automation technology that speeds roll out and reduces risk for all for all kinds of customers. We want to democratise materials handling through bringing the opportunities of easier automation and robotics to warehouses that would otherwise find them hard to attain. Expecting the global material handling equipment market to reach USD 350 billion and understanding the key driver AS/RS systems and Robotics systems for this, we are optimistic that Movu Robotics will become an essential player.”

Stefan Pieters, CEO of Movu Robotics, commented: “Smart enough to make any operation feel simple and easy, Movu robots help to take a load off the customers’ minds as well as their shelves. Our solutions are designed to make warehouse automation and robotics not only more accessible, but also more scalable. They will enable any warehouse around the world – big or small, regular or awkwardly shaped – to be upgraded and become more productive, more efficient and more successful. This is the philosophy behind our brand claim: ‘’Movu – No warehouse left behind’.”

Group structure

stow Group now has two independent brands under its roof: stow Racking and Movu Robotics. While both of these brands retain their independence, they strongly impact each other in terms of expertise, know how, technology and global resources. All products, business activities and operations of stow Group in the field of Robotics and Automation, including R&D, production, sales and finance, will be grouped as an independent and standalone business unit under the Movu Robotics brand in the new headquarters in Lokeren. This includes the operations of the ifollow business, which is now the brand name of AMRs offered by Movu.

The management team will be led by Jos de Vuyst, CEO of stow Group and Stefan Pieters, CEO of Movu Robotics. Both stow Group and Movu Robotics are driven by a strong a strong team of board members, comprising experience from the Logistics Industry and from other sectors.

Movu Robotics technologies

Unlike many automation companies that have a single product, the new Movu Robotics brand includes a range of key technologies: Movu atlas pallet shuttles, Movu escala bin shuttles and Movu ifollow AMRs for pallets and roll cages that work either standalone or as collaborative robots. Joining these is the new Movu eligo picking robot, which is offered as a picking workstation for escala.

Movu Robotics provides solutions for easier automation that can make better use of every corner of the warehouse – irrespective of the customers’ storage space or what they are storing, conveying, picking or handling. Customers gain the key advantage of seamless integrated racking and robotics solutions – for example, the Movu atlas shuttle system working with Movu ifollow mobile robots, or Movu eligo acting as a workstation for Movu escala. A key benefit is that a customer talks to a single face representing a single partner, providing efficient project management and reliable lead times. They will also receive efficient project commissioning for a safe and resilient supply chain that assists in delivering high service levels to their customers.

Autonomous sub–systems for minimal TCO

Technologies in the Movu Robotics product portfolio can be integrated into a single autonomous sub-system as a solution, with components including racking, shuttles or AMRs, software, wifi and commissioning. This enables easy installation, adaptability to new business needs through simple integration of new applications and a minimal Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) approach. This makes upgrading warehouses easier, not only for existing users of logistics automation who want to upgrade their systems with plug and play robotics and automation, but also those yet to adopt automation but who urgently want to take the first step.

Standardisation and simplification, which is an essential part of Movu Robotics, results in shorter lead times and lower engineering costs, producing higher profitability. To maximise flexibility, Movu Robotics systems are modular in design, acting as a set of building blocks to minimise complexity and cost of upgrading. This makes the systems highly scalable – installations can start small and then expand or, if needed, they can downsize just as easily. Modularity also enables a fast roll out for projects.

For not leaving any warehouse warehouse behind, Movu Robotics will target the market with a dual strategy: providing end users with a direct channel, for which Movu relies on a network of sales offices in main territories. Its portfolio of simple, standardised, scalable, and flexible systems provide opportunities for SMEs with as few as 5000 pallet locations to automate, to address challenges such as labour shortages and cost efficiency -– a huge growth area. The other part of this strategy is the indirect channel where Movu can supply a fully functional storage sub-system from its portfolio to a systems integrator for integration into a complete project. All of this is supported by a global network in customer service and stow’s 40 years’ industry experience.

Movu Robotics is consistently working to improve existing technology for the customer, with innovation, R&D and entrepreneurial thinking being an integral part of the dynamic business unit. The next product launch is planned for 2024, to further expand the portfolio.

Movu Robotics’ headquarters in Lokeren, Belgium, combines a 5,000 square metre large office area with a 10,000 square metre surface for logistics and manufacturing operations under a single roof, next to a state-of-the-art experience centre – one of the biggest in Europe — where where the latest technologies are showcased live to customers and partners.

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