Subscribe

Day: 14 November 2023

Safe and Steady Forklifts

Posted on by David Priestman

Leading building materials specialist EPD Insulation Group is improving safety and fuel efficiency with a fleet of brand new GRENDiA ES forklifts. When it came to sourcing a new fleet of trucks, EPD Insulation Group had a specific set of criteria. They turned to their local Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks distributor who came highly recommended, and who offered a solution that ticked all the right boxes.

“A little while back we ordered a few Mitsubishi GRENDiA ES LPG forklifts for our primary site in Peterborough, and they work so well for us we decided to order more for our new site in Huntingdon,” explains Chris Pratt, Transport Manager at EPD. “GRENDiA is well-suited to our site, as we have our own gas tank, so it made sense for all our trucks to be LPG.”

Spiralling costs

Trucks on EPD’s two sites regularly work 12-hour shifts Monday to Friday, carrying a range of loads on and off lorries and vans. In the past when they had used alternative forklift models, they had noticed extreme wear on tyres. Pratt says: “The operators were often pulling away in such a manner that the tyres would spin, which was causing accelerated wear and tear. We were spending a lot of money replacing tyres. It also meant the trucks were using more gas.”

Wayne Hammond headed the team for the local Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks distributor, and offered a game-changing feature that could be added to the Mitsubishi GRENDiA ES LPG forklifts. “Electronic speed control is an option that offers adjustable speeds, but more importantly for EPD it includes soft power mode, which stops the wheels from spinning so reduces the tyre wear and saves money on maintenance,” Hammond enthuses. “It even reduces fuel consumption by up to 19 percent, which is huge considering the ongoing cost of energy right now. This small addition to the forklifts has been a massive benefit to EPD.”

Encouraging safer operations

EPD now have eight 2.5-tonne Mitsubishi GRENDiA ES LPG forklifts at their Peterborough site, and seven 2.5-tonne GRENDiA ES LPG forklifts at their Huntingdon site, with Mitsubishi forklift trucks making up half of their entire MHE fleet. The forklifts are required for indoor and outdoor work, so are fitted with a half cabin, and have a side shift for easier loading. Several optional features have been added to all trucks to improve safety, including a load weight indicator and rear blue lights.

“The trucks have great specifications which means better safety for our operators,” says Pratt. “We have big sites with a lot of trucks all operating in the same space, so every little feature helps when it comes to minimising the risk of an accident. In particular, the fact that the operators can’t spin the wheels means they will have greater control over the truck.”

Proactive support

Speed of service makes all the difference to EPD, who run intense distribution operations. “We have been really impressed by the GRENDiA forklifts, and the operators were excited by them,” says Pratt. “For us on the management side it’s been great having an online portal where we can log repairs and see what needs doing on the trucks. We have a maintenance package with our Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks distributor as well. We have had great support from Hammond and his team. They are really proactive. We like the trucks, and we love the service. We can’t ask for much more.”

Safe and Steady Forklifts

Posted on by David Priestman

Leading building materials specialist EPD Insulation Group is improving safety and fuel efficiency with a fleet of brand new GRENDiA ES forklifts. When it came to sourcing a new fleet of trucks, EPD Insulation Group had a specific set of criteria. They turned to their local Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks distributor who came highly recommended, and who offered a solution that ticked all the right boxes.

“A little while back we ordered a few Mitsubishi GRENDiA ES LPG forklifts for our primary site in Peterborough, and they work so well for us we decided to order more for our new site in Huntingdon,” explains Chris Pratt, Transport Manager at EPD. “GRENDiA is well-suited to our site, as we have our own gas tank, so it made sense for all our trucks to be LPG.”

Spiralling costs

Trucks on EPD’s two sites regularly work 12-hour shifts Monday to Friday, carrying a range of loads on and off lorries and vans. In the past when they had used alternative forklift models, they had noticed extreme wear on tyres. Pratt says: “The operators were often pulling away in such a manner that the tyres would spin, which was causing accelerated wear and tear. We were spending a lot of money replacing tyres. It also meant the trucks were using more gas.”

Wayne Hammond headed the team for the local Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks distributor, and offered a game-changing feature that could be added to the Mitsubishi GRENDiA ES LPG forklifts. “Electronic speed control is an option that offers adjustable speeds, but more importantly for EPD it includes soft power mode, which stops the wheels from spinning so reduces the tyre wear and saves money on maintenance,” Hammond enthuses. “It even reduces fuel consumption by up to 19 percent, which is huge considering the ongoing cost of energy right now. This small addition to the forklifts has been a massive benefit to EPD.”

Encouraging safer operations

EPD now have eight 2.5-tonne Mitsubishi GRENDiA ES LPG forklifts at their Peterborough site, and seven 2.5-tonne GRENDiA ES LPG forklifts at their Huntingdon site, with Mitsubishi forklift trucks making up half of their entire MHE fleet. The forklifts are required for indoor and outdoor work, so are fitted with a half cabin, and have a side shift for easier loading. Several optional features have been added to all trucks to improve safety, including a load weight indicator and rear blue lights.

“The trucks have great specifications which means better safety for our operators,” says Pratt. “We have big sites with a lot of trucks all operating in the same space, so every little feature helps when it comes to minimising the risk of an accident. In particular, the fact that the operators can’t spin the wheels means they will have greater control over the truck.”

Proactive support

Speed of service makes all the difference to EPD, who run intense distribution operations. “We have been really impressed by the GRENDiA forklifts, and the operators were excited by them,” says Pratt. “For us on the management side it’s been great having an online portal where we can log repairs and see what needs doing on the trucks. We have a maintenance package with our Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks distributor as well. We have had great support from Hammond and his team. They are really proactive. We like the trucks, and we love the service. We can’t ask for much more.”

eCommerce Retailer Parcel Insurance

Posted on by David Priestman

Anansi, the insurtech company, is pleased to announce its strategic partnership with Despatch Cloud, a provider of eCommerce shipping and warehouse management solutions. This exciting collaboration will bring an integrated solution for goods-in-transit insurance to Despatch Cloud’s vast network of eCommerce customers.

The eCommerce landscape has evolved rapidly, with online sales now constituting over one-third of the UK retail market. With peak season about to commence worldwide, the rising cases of damaged and missing goods are set to impact retailers and their customers, compelling them to explore innovative solutions to bridge these gaps and elevate their offerings.

Retailers using Anansi are able to automatically protect their goods up to the full retail value, avoid cumbersome manual claims experiences, and protect their customer experience. With this partnership, Anansi and Despatch Cloud aim to address the pervasive protection gap that plagues the industry, with an alarming 90% of goods in transit remaining either underinsured or uninsured.

Commenting on this pivotal partnership, Megan Bingham-Walker, Co-founder & CEO of Anansi, stated, “We are thrilled to collaborate with Despatch Cloud. Embedding Anansi’s insurance directly into Despatch Cloud’s market-leading Shipping Management Software is a game-changer for the countless eCommerce businesses seeking comprehensive parcel insurance.”

Chris Jones, CCO at Despatch Cloud, shared their perspective, “Despatch Cloud is continually exploring innovative technologies to enhance the operations of our extensive network of eCommerce retailers. Anansi’s automated parcel insurance is poised to help retailers bolster their goods’ safety, financial well-being, and overall customer experience.”

Anansi is an embedded goods-in-transit insurance platform for retailers, distribution partners and eCommerce merchants. Access to the platform is via an embedded API or web application, enabling 3PLs, e-commerce and shipping platforms and marketplaces to offer digital insurance directly to their customers from within their own front-end environments. It is the only solution, in a $71 billion market, that is automated to offer one-click signup, zero admin and automatically triggered claims and payouts.

Founded by Megan Bingham-Walker and Ana Martins de Carvalho, Anansi was born from their personal struggles with outdated, traditional insurance processes. Over the past year, Anansi launched its flagship insurance product with multiple logistics providers and worked with Wowcher to embed goods-in-transit insurance into its shipping journey. Its insurance products are underwritten by Arch Insurance International.

Founded in 2015 by Matthew Dunne, Despatch Cloud emerges from a deep understanding of courier software and fulfilment needs. Over the past 6 years, they’ve witnessed remarkable growth, reaching millions of parcel transactions monthly. While their roots lie in the heart of Yorkshire where their state-of-the-art 250,000 sq. ft. facility stands, it’s their commitment to innovation, efficiency, and real-world solutions that sets them apart.

 

eCommerce Retailer Parcel Insurance

Posted on by David Priestman

Anansi, the insurtech company, is pleased to announce its strategic partnership with Despatch Cloud, a provider of eCommerce shipping and warehouse management solutions. This exciting collaboration will bring an integrated solution for goods-in-transit insurance to Despatch Cloud’s vast network of eCommerce customers.

The eCommerce landscape has evolved rapidly, with online sales now constituting over one-third of the UK retail market. With peak season about to commence worldwide, the rising cases of damaged and missing goods are set to impact retailers and their customers, compelling them to explore innovative solutions to bridge these gaps and elevate their offerings.

Retailers using Anansi are able to automatically protect their goods up to the full retail value, avoid cumbersome manual claims experiences, and protect their customer experience. With this partnership, Anansi and Despatch Cloud aim to address the pervasive protection gap that plagues the industry, with an alarming 90% of goods in transit remaining either underinsured or uninsured.

Commenting on this pivotal partnership, Megan Bingham-Walker, Co-founder & CEO of Anansi, stated, “We are thrilled to collaborate with Despatch Cloud. Embedding Anansi’s insurance directly into Despatch Cloud’s market-leading Shipping Management Software is a game-changer for the countless eCommerce businesses seeking comprehensive parcel insurance.”

Chris Jones, CCO at Despatch Cloud, shared their perspective, “Despatch Cloud is continually exploring innovative technologies to enhance the operations of our extensive network of eCommerce retailers. Anansi’s automated parcel insurance is poised to help retailers bolster their goods’ safety, financial well-being, and overall customer experience.”

Anansi is an embedded goods-in-transit insurance platform for retailers, distribution partners and eCommerce merchants. Access to the platform is via an embedded API or web application, enabling 3PLs, e-commerce and shipping platforms and marketplaces to offer digital insurance directly to their customers from within their own front-end environments. It is the only solution, in a $71 billion market, that is automated to offer one-click signup, zero admin and automatically triggered claims and payouts.

Founded by Megan Bingham-Walker and Ana Martins de Carvalho, Anansi was born from their personal struggles with outdated, traditional insurance processes. Over the past year, Anansi launched its flagship insurance product with multiple logistics providers and worked with Wowcher to embed goods-in-transit insurance into its shipping journey. Its insurance products are underwritten by Arch Insurance International.

Founded in 2015 by Matthew Dunne, Despatch Cloud emerges from a deep understanding of courier software and fulfilment needs. Over the past 6 years, they’ve witnessed remarkable growth, reaching millions of parcel transactions monthly. While their roots lie in the heart of Yorkshire where their state-of-the-art 250,000 sq. ft. facility stands, it’s their commitment to innovation, efficiency, and real-world solutions that sets them apart.

 

Robotics Partnership with Intralogistics Specialist

Posted on by David Priestman

Global Robotics Services (GRS), the robotics arm division of GLP, has agreed a new strategic partnership with Brysdales Intralogistics (Brysdales), part of the Verat Group, one of the UK’s leading providers of material handling solutions

Under the terms of the partnership, GRS will work with Brysdales to offer a full-service solution to warehouse operators and businesses across the UK who seek to improve the productivity of their operations through robotics and other efficient storage solutions. GRS offers a collaborative robotics-as-a-service (RaaS) solution which gives customers access to the benefits of robotics through an innovative subscription model, offering the flexibility of a pay-as-you-go solution, and avoiding significant upfront CAPEX expenditure.

Brysdales brings more than 50 years of expertise in warehouse organisation helping businesses across a variety of commercial and manufacturing sectors to maximise workspace by designing storage systems that help companies work more efficiently.

To date, GRS has completed more than 30 robotics projects across Asia and Europe, with installations completed in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Italy.

Commenting on the partnership Jaap Vos, Managing Director Brysdales Intralogistics said: “Our partnership with GRS now gives us a unique fully automated solution in the intralogistics space. This new technology partnership will allow us to offer even greater efficiencies to new and existing customers and we look forward to working together to deliver these solutions across the UK’s warehouse and logistics marketplace.”

Hongming Chen, CEO of Global Robotics Services (GRS) commented : “Following our successful roll out across Asia we are now seeing significant interest in our subscription model robotics-as-a-service across Europe including the UK. Our new partnership with Brysdales, a market leader in the UK in the intralogistics space, will allow us to leverage their UK client network and local execution capabilities to reach an even greater number of potential customers across the country. We look forward to working with our new partners.”

GRS is an innovative platform providing collaborative robotics as a service (RaaS) solutions through a subscription model, offering the flexibility of a pay-as-you-go solution. The service is aimed at customers who are seeking to improve the productivity of their logistics operations through robotics, amid the increasing need to maximise efficiency in e-commerce.

 

European Portfolio gets Project in Croatia

Posted on by David Priestman

Accolade Group, a leading investor in modern industrial and manufacturing properties across Europe, has announced its expansion into Croatia, marking the seventh European country in its portfolio. This move is part of the group’s strategic goal to grow in regions with high demand and potential for future development.

The group has successfully acquired a building permit for its inaugural project, an industrial building situated north of Zagreb. This project, sprawling over approximately 50,000 m², serves as a stepping stone for further expansion in Southern Europe.

Key Highlights of the Croatian Project:

• Location: The industrial site is located in the Donja Bistra region, near Zagreb, offering easy access to important trade routes and neighboring countries.
• Strategic Importance: Croatia’s recent entry into the Eurozone and Schengen Area, coupled with its skilled workforce and infrastructural advantages, makes it an ideal investment location.
• Future Plans: Accolade is exploring several other locations in Croatia for developing additional industrial zones.

Sustainable and Modern Infrastructure:

• The Zagreb project will feature modern, sustainable buildings aiming for the highest BREEAM sustainability certification.
• Innovations include thermal insulation, utility monitoring, photovoltaic power systems, LED lighting, and environmentally friendly outdoor spaces.

Expansion Beyond Zagreb:

• Accolade is also considering significant locations like the port of Rijeka, Varaždin, Split, and Osijek for future developments.
• A Croatian team has been established, with plans to open a new office in Zagreb shortly.

Milan Kratina, CEO of Accolade, commented, “We are eager to tap into Croatia’s untapped potential and contribute to its growing industrial infrastructure. Our goal is to uncover exciting locations and maximize their potential, just as we have done in other regions.”

This expansion not only signifies Accolade’s growth but also highlights Croatia’s rising importance in the European industrial landscape.

European Portfolio gets Project in Croatia

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Accolade Group, a leading investor in modern industrial and manufacturing properties across Europe, has announced its expansion into Croatia, marking the seventh European country in its portfolio. This move is part of the group’s strategic goal to grow in regions with high demand and potential for future development.

The group has successfully acquired a building permit for its inaugural project, an industrial building situated north of Zagreb. This project, sprawling over approximately 50,000 m², serves as a stepping stone for further expansion in Southern Europe.

Key Highlights of the Croatian Project:

• Location: The industrial site is located in the Donja Bistra region, near Zagreb, offering easy access to important trade routes and neighboring countries.
• Strategic Importance: Croatia’s recent entry into the Eurozone and Schengen Area, coupled with its skilled workforce and infrastructural advantages, makes it an ideal investment location.
• Future Plans: Accolade is exploring several other locations in Croatia for developing additional industrial zones.

Sustainable and Modern Infrastructure:

• The Zagreb project will feature modern, sustainable buildings aiming for the highest BREEAM sustainability certification.
• Innovations include thermal insulation, utility monitoring, photovoltaic power systems, LED lighting, and environmentally friendly outdoor spaces.

Expansion Beyond Zagreb:

• Accolade is also considering significant locations like the port of Rijeka, Varaždin, Split, and Osijek for future developments.
• A Croatian team has been established, with plans to open a new office in Zagreb shortly.

Milan Kratina, CEO of Accolade, commented, “We are eager to tap into Croatia’s untapped potential and contribute to its growing industrial infrastructure. Our goal is to uncover exciting locations and maximize their potential, just as we have done in other regions.”

This expansion not only signifies Accolade’s growth but also highlights Croatia’s rising importance in the European industrial landscape.

Seed Funding to Modernise Europe Warehousing

Posted on by David Priestman

Stockoss, a Paris-based logistics technology start-up, has raised €4m in seed funding led by London-based VC Pi Labs. The investment signifies a major milestone in Stockoss’ mission to streamline and enhance supply chain management for companies while providing independent logistics service providers (3PLs) access to its cutting-edge technology that enables them to make better use of existing warehouse space. Additional backing was provided by Global Brain, 50Partners, Hartwood and Kima Ventures.

Founded by Laurent Bonnet and Franck Nussbaumer (pictured), Stockoss offers 100% digitalised warehousing and logistics services for customers such as Stellantis, Netflix and Jacquemus to meet their ever-growing storage and distribution needs across a fast-growing network of high-quality logistics and warehouse partners in multiple locations.

Much of Europe’s 35,000+ warehouse stock is under ownership of multiple, independent players, unable to meet the demands of today’s logistics customers due to the fragmented, disconnected and localised nature of the market. Stockoss creates a more sustainable path for the resilience of the warehouse and logistics sector, enabling owners to more effectively use existing space rather than building new stock to meet demand.

By unifying the entire logistics value chain and improving the visibility, efficiency and automation of operations, Stockoss gives independent, localised warehouse owners a platform to operate on a much bigger scale and compete with bigger rivals. For customers, Stockoss provides an Amazon-like user experience enabling them to ship and store their products and stock at the click of a button.

Laurent Bonnet, Founder and CEO at Stockoss, said: “Our aim has always been to use technology to simplify the relationship between a company and its logistics partners, whether it’s to improve day-to-day communication or increase visibility, traceability and transparency across the entire logistics value chain.

“We are proud that our platform enables hundreds of users to simplify and automate their logistics processes on a daily basis. We are also proud to help dozens of logistics partners to optimise their operations. Our technology provides a 10x better user experience and more flexibility for customers, as well as higher productivity and more revenues for our warehousing and logistics partners.

“The funding from Pi Labs and our other investors will enable us to take our solution and expand our logistics network to new geographies such as the UK, Germany and Spain, and bolster our team further to continue delivering a better product experience. Amazon has profoundly changed the way we think about B2C logistics. Stockoss will have the same impact on B2B logistics.”

The logistics industry is at a crossroads, marked by economic uncertainties and mounting environmental concerns. The re-industrialisation of Europe is leading to the reshoring of warehousing which has increased demand for more sustainable and digitised supply chains. With its next-generation software, Stockoss is ideally placed to meet these demands and accelerate the digital transformation of the logistics sector.

Faisal Butt, Founder and Managing Partner at Pi Labs, said: “Across Europe, 76% of all warehousing space is operated by SMEs, but much of this existing stock is unable to meet customer demands for more flexible, efficient, timely and cost-effective solutions for their storage and distribution needs. The way to sustainably meet growing demand is to use technology to upgrade the operations potential of Europe’s existing 35,000+ independent warehouses instead of building new stock.

Stockoss reflects our overall mission to invest in technology that will digitalise and decarbonise the built environment, particularly in logistics and distribution which is one of the fastest-growing segments in the sector. We are thrilled to be supporting Bonnet and Nussbaumer and Franck as they execute their vision to leverage technology to automate operations and drive sustainable growth in logistics.”

The company has 180 customers, 650,000 products in storage and manages 55,000 monthly shipments with a team of just 22. With a rapidly expanding network of warehouses, Stockoss is aiming to roll out its product to partners and customers across Europe.

Seed Funding to Modernise Europe Warehousing

Posted on by David Priestman

Stockoss, a Paris-based logistics technology start-up, has raised €4m in seed funding led by London-based VC Pi Labs. The investment signifies a major milestone in Stockoss’ mission to streamline and enhance supply chain management for companies while providing independent logistics service providers (3PLs) access to its cutting-edge technology that enables them to make better use of existing warehouse space. Additional backing was provided by Global Brain, 50Partners, Hartwood and Kima Ventures.

Founded by Laurent Bonnet and Franck Nussbaumer (pictured), Stockoss offers 100% digitalised warehousing and logistics services for customers such as Stellantis, Netflix and Jacquemus to meet their ever-growing storage and distribution needs across a fast-growing network of high-quality logistics and warehouse partners in multiple locations.

Much of Europe’s 35,000+ warehouse stock is under ownership of multiple, independent players, unable to meet the demands of today’s logistics customers due to the fragmented, disconnected and localised nature of the market. Stockoss creates a more sustainable path for the resilience of the warehouse and logistics sector, enabling owners to more effectively use existing space rather than building new stock to meet demand.

By unifying the entire logistics value chain and improving the visibility, efficiency and automation of operations, Stockoss gives independent, localised warehouse owners a platform to operate on a much bigger scale and compete with bigger rivals. For customers, Stockoss provides an Amazon-like user experience enabling them to ship and store their products and stock at the click of a button.

Laurent Bonnet, Founder and CEO at Stockoss, said: “Our aim has always been to use technology to simplify the relationship between a company and its logistics partners, whether it’s to improve day-to-day communication or increase visibility, traceability and transparency across the entire logistics value chain.

“We are proud that our platform enables hundreds of users to simplify and automate their logistics processes on a daily basis. We are also proud to help dozens of logistics partners to optimise their operations. Our technology provides a 10x better user experience and more flexibility for customers, as well as higher productivity and more revenues for our warehousing and logistics partners.

“The funding from Pi Labs and our other investors will enable us to take our solution and expand our logistics network to new geographies such as the UK, Germany and Spain, and bolster our team further to continue delivering a better product experience. Amazon has profoundly changed the way we think about B2C logistics. Stockoss will have the same impact on B2B logistics.”

The logistics industry is at a crossroads, marked by economic uncertainties and mounting environmental concerns. The re-industrialisation of Europe is leading to the reshoring of warehousing which has increased demand for more sustainable and digitised supply chains. With its next-generation software, Stockoss is ideally placed to meet these demands and accelerate the digital transformation of the logistics sector.

Faisal Butt, Founder and Managing Partner at Pi Labs, said: “Across Europe, 76% of all warehousing space is operated by SMEs, but much of this existing stock is unable to meet customer demands for more flexible, efficient, timely and cost-effective solutions for their storage and distribution needs. The way to sustainably meet growing demand is to use technology to upgrade the operations potential of Europe’s existing 35,000+ independent warehouses instead of building new stock.

Stockoss reflects our overall mission to invest in technology that will digitalise and decarbonise the built environment, particularly in logistics and distribution which is one of the fastest-growing segments in the sector. We are thrilled to be supporting Bonnet and Nussbaumer and Franck as they execute their vision to leverage technology to automate operations and drive sustainable growth in logistics.”

The company has 180 customers, 650,000 products in storage and manages 55,000 monthly shipments with a team of just 22. With a rapidly expanding network of warehouses, Stockoss is aiming to roll out its product to partners and customers across Europe.

Subscribe

Get notified about New Episodes of our Podcast, New Magazine Issues and stay updated with our Weekly Newsletter.