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Month: December 2023

New Intermodal Terminal in Romania

Posted on by David Priestman

SLS Bucharest Intermodal Terminal, the logistics and transport operator owned by FAN Courier, has inaugurated the first intermodal terminal in one of the most complex industrial parks in Romania.

The new investment is part of the company’s medium and long-term development strategy, announced in 2020, following its entry into the FAN Courier portfolio. The investment made by SLS Cargo in partnership with P3 has a value of 1.9 million Euros and gives the company the status of exclusive operator of this terminal. At the same time, the operational capacity of the company has increased significantly.

SLS Cargo has a total area of more than 55,000 m2 and is the second largest tenant of the P3 Industrial Logistic Parks on the A1 highway. SLS Bucharest Intermodal Terminal will reach an operational capacity of up to 750 containers per month. On a monthly basis, the terminal will be transited by 15 trains, with return routes to Constanța Port. SLS Cargo introduces the concept of ‘one window’, as it combines within its portfolio Road, Sea and Air transport services with a variety of warehousing, distributors, and customs consultancy services.

SLS Bucharest Intermodal Terminal has selected the Navis Cloud Terminal Operating System by Kaleris as its comprehensive solution to optimize operations and increase the visibility of cargo movements for carriers and clients of the terminal. The easy-to-use interface of this system will help the terminal with gate management, yard planning, tracking cargo, billing, and communicating real-time data to its carriers and other customers via Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) connections.

The Navis Cloud TOS is designed to handle various cargo types, making it highly adaptable to the terminal’s current and future needs. Powerful yet easily configurable, it provides a single, integrated view of all operations and information, helping the terminal make decisions that result in the best outcomes for its customers.

In this context, DSP – Data and System Planning, a technological Company specialized in Ports & Terminals Industry since 1986 and certified as the first Navis partner in 2007, will design the Business Process Management and act as Solution Integrator for SLS.

“When we needed a TOS for our new intermodal terminal, we knew we would get the best results with the Navis Cloud technology from Kaleris due to their extraordinary reputation and proven track record in the industry,” Mihai Stoica, CEO of SLS Cargo. “We are looking forward to implementing it at SLS Bucharest Intermodal Terminal to get a competitive edge and achieve our goal of becoming the main point in container transportation in the region.”

“We’ve been asked by SLS Cargo to design their digital platform solution to manage their operations and then to integrate the Navis Cloud TOS with their administrative and customs process,” said Marco Fehmer DSP CEO, “We will walk with SLS Cargo hand by hand through this digitalization journey putting at disposal all our experience, competence and innovation attitude to return the most possible value from the TOS.

Diverse Battery Solutions Help any Warehouse

Posted on by David Priestman

Although any building that stores raw materials or manufactured goods before distribution is called a warehouse, there are vast differences from one building to another. For instance, the largest warehouses are the size of 90 football fields and store vast quantities of products. Others are small with limited available space. In an ever-competitive world, all are likely to be under pressure to maximise productivity, whilst maintaining a safe working environment. This can be realised through the implementation of technology, such as powered carts known as mobile workstations. Here, Robert Brown, Marketing Executive at industrial battery manufacturer Ultralife, explores the benefits that carts can bring to any size of warehouse and the crucial role that battery solutions play.

In online retail, next-day delivery is becoming increasingly expected by customers, so a large warehouse is likely to be tasked with processing hundreds of thousands of products per day, making every second count. For example, one staff member may need to apply around 1,000 labels per day to boxes scattered throughout the building. However, the nearest desktop computer may be several minutes’ walk away.

Therefore, it is not time efficient to have the operative walk to a desktop computer every time they need to print new labels, but there is likely to be room for a large cart, containing a desktop computer and printer, to be wheeled around so that they can print labels right next to the box they are sticking them to.

When wheeling a cart, it is not practical to keep unplugging the devices it is carrying from AC mains and, in a large warehouse, the nearest plug socket could be some distance from the packages it is processing. An alternative to AC mains is to attach a portable power solution, that uses batteries, to the side of the cart and use wires to connect it to each of the devices that are being powered, for example desktop computers and printers.

These devices may require more power than can be delivered by a single battery, so some power systems – such as Ultralife’s X5 – give the option to use multiple batteries. In Ultralife’s X5 Power System, one or two 276Wh hot-swappable Lithium Iron Phosphate smart batteries can be harnessed to give an output of 120VAC 60Hz, which can effectively power devices such as computers, monitors, USB hubs, scanners, and printers up to a maximum of 150W.

From a safety perspective, large warehouses are likely to house many bulky packages weighing over 25kg, which would be unsafe for a warehouse worker to carry to a desktop computer for processing. Therefore, a mobile cart can be used to process goods on the receiving dock before they are picked up by a forklift truck and placed in a rack several meters above the ground.

As there may not be an AC mains supply in the loading dock, and trailing wires could get tangled up between the boxes, battery-powered carts are well-suited for this application. Although the X5 Power System is the perfect way to bring safety and productivity benefits to large warehouses, where space is not a problem, smaller warehouses may not have room for a large cart and power solution to be used but, equally, may not be processing such a high volume of parcels.

In those cases, small pole/mobile carts may be used instead, transporting a barcode scanner and a tablet computer that only require USB-C or USB-A power. For these warehouses, Ultralife has developed the X5-LITE charging solution. This utilizes the same 276Wh hot-swappable Lithium Iron Phosphate smart battery as the X5 Power System but in a small battery cradle.

In a small warehouse, the time needed to walk between packages and a desktop computer station may be considerably less, so it may seem like this does not have such a big impact on productivity. However, it can add up over time, as 15 seconds every hour equates to 36.5 hours a year, which is nearly a full working week for a warehouse operative.

With regards to safety, trailing wires and extension cords can be hazardous particularly in a small warehouse where there is not much room to get around. As well as not requiring an AC mains cord, battery-powered carts can house the cables for the devices they are transporting inside a plastic housing. So, although not all warehouses are the same, they can all benefit from using the latest battery technology to power carts that improve safety and productivity.

Diverse Battery Solutions Help any Warehouse

Posted on by David Priestman

Although any building that stores raw materials or manufactured goods before distribution is called a warehouse, there are vast differences from one building to another. For instance, the largest warehouses are the size of 90 football fields and store vast quantities of products. Others are small with limited available space. In an ever-competitive world, all are likely to be under pressure to maximise productivity, whilst maintaining a safe working environment. This can be realised through the implementation of technology, such as powered carts known as mobile workstations. Here, Robert Brown, Marketing Executive at industrial battery manufacturer Ultralife, explores the benefits that carts can bring to any size of warehouse and the crucial role that battery solutions play.

In online retail, next-day delivery is becoming increasingly expected by customers, so a large warehouse is likely to be tasked with processing hundreds of thousands of products per day, making every second count. For example, one staff member may need to apply around 1,000 labels per day to boxes scattered throughout the building. However, the nearest desktop computer may be several minutes’ walk away.

Therefore, it is not time efficient to have the operative walk to a desktop computer every time they need to print new labels, but there is likely to be room for a large cart, containing a desktop computer and printer, to be wheeled around so that they can print labels right next to the box they are sticking them to.

When wheeling a cart, it is not practical to keep unplugging the devices it is carrying from AC mains and, in a large warehouse, the nearest plug socket could be some distance from the packages it is processing. An alternative to AC mains is to attach a portable power solution, that uses batteries, to the side of the cart and use wires to connect it to each of the devices that are being powered, for example desktop computers and printers.

These devices may require more power than can be delivered by a single battery, so some power systems – such as Ultralife’s X5 – give the option to use multiple batteries. In Ultralife’s X5 Power System, one or two 276Wh hot-swappable Lithium Iron Phosphate smart batteries can be harnessed to give an output of 120VAC 60Hz, which can effectively power devices such as computers, monitors, USB hubs, scanners, and printers up to a maximum of 150W.

From a safety perspective, large warehouses are likely to house many bulky packages weighing over 25kg, which would be unsafe for a warehouse worker to carry to a desktop computer for processing. Therefore, a mobile cart can be used to process goods on the receiving dock before they are picked up by a forklift truck and placed in a rack several meters above the ground.

As there may not be an AC mains supply in the loading dock, and trailing wires could get tangled up between the boxes, battery-powered carts are well-suited for this application. Although the X5 Power System is the perfect way to bring safety and productivity benefits to large warehouses, where space is not a problem, smaller warehouses may not have room for a large cart and power solution to be used but, equally, may not be processing such a high volume of parcels.

In those cases, small pole/mobile carts may be used instead, transporting a barcode scanner and a tablet computer that only require USB-C or USB-A power. For these warehouses, Ultralife has developed the X5-LITE charging solution. This utilizes the same 276Wh hot-swappable Lithium Iron Phosphate smart battery as the X5 Power System but in a small battery cradle.

In a small warehouse, the time needed to walk between packages and a desktop computer station may be considerably less, so it may seem like this does not have such a big impact on productivity. However, it can add up over time, as 15 seconds every hour equates to 36.5 hours a year, which is nearly a full working week for a warehouse operative.

With regards to safety, trailing wires and extension cords can be hazardous particularly in a small warehouse where there is not much room to get around. As well as not requiring an AC mains cord, battery-powered carts can house the cables for the devices they are transporting inside a plastic housing. So, although not all warehouses are the same, they can all benefit from using the latest battery technology to power carts that improve safety and productivity.

Giant Doors for a Stable Climate

Posted on by David Priestman

It is among the most cutting-edge in the world: the new company site for cross-laminated timber (CLT) in Ždírec, Czech Republic, was inaugurated in October last year. The new production line makes an essential contribution to STORA ENSO’s growth strategy in the timber construction solutions sector. The annual production capacity is around 120,000 m³. This modern complex, costing 80 million euros, now includes 22 EFAFLEX high-speed doors. Doors from the premium manufacturer EFAFLEX are also in use in Planá in Western Bohemia and Ostrava, two other sites in the Czech Republic associated with the brand.

“Our company is dedicated to products based on timber and biomass. It is therefore important to us that our customers and suppliers are also looking for environmentally friendly solutions. EFAFLEX doors fit perfectly into this spectrum thanks to their speed, reliability and long service life. The benefit of these doors is that they meet all the specified requirements, even for over-size products,” explains Tomáš Adamec, technical manager at STORA ENSO.

High-speed doors from EFAFLEX are designed for industrial use. They meet the high requirements demanded by modern operations, are reliable, and can save a significant amount of energy thanks to their high opening and closing speed. “Another factor that is just as important is that fast-closing doors contribute to a stable climate at the workstation. That creates more pleasant working conditions for the employees in the halls,” Tomáš Adamec describes further benefits of the doors.

High-speed doors for the lorry entrance

EFAFLEX has installed very high and wide doors at the Ždírec factory in order to allow large lorries to enter. That’s why three EFA-SST®-XL Premium with respectable dimensions of almost 9 metres in width and 5.5 metres in height were chosen. The fact that the doors are designed as external doors for halls and have good insulation is crucial, because the savings depend not only on the opening and closing speed, but also on the size of the doors to be opened. The larger the opening for the airflow, the more important it is to close it again quickly so that the area around the door does not cool unnecessarily.

High-speed doors on the upper floor

But high-speed doors with large dimensions are not the only interesting applications at the STORA ENSO factory in Ždírec. Three further high-speed doors on the upper floor level, EFA-SST®-L ECO, are used by forklifts to bring the material to the upper floor. The doors each have dimensions of 3 x 3 metres, there are insulated, and they have an opening speed of up to 1.5 m/s. They can handle up to 200,000 load cycles per year. 21 of the doors in Ždírec are external doors with an insulated design. An interior door, the EFA-STR®-S, is used to separate interior areas.

For safety and easy operation

In addition to the industrial doors, EFAFLEX offers a comprehensive range of safety accessories and thus guarantees that logistics go smoothly. These include the EFA-TLG® infrared light curtain, which is integrated directly into the door closing line, for example. Intersecting infrared rays create a flat light grid which can detect even the smallest obstacles without contact. If something is in the way, the closing movement stops immediately or is not initiated in the first place. This protects people, doors and transport equipment.

STORA ENSO – a sustainable manufacturer with products made from renewable raw material

Ždírec is the fourth STORA ENSO CLT factory after Bad St. Leonhard and Ybbs in Austria and Gruvön in Sweden. As a leading provider of renewable products in the packaging, biomaterials and timber construction sector, the company is also one of the largest private forest owners in the world. The STORA ENSO Wood Products division is the largest sawn timber producer in Europe and one of the leading providers of sustainable timber-based solutions for the global construction industry. Sustainability is an integral part of the STORA ENSO business strategy.

The growing Building Solutions division offers building concepts and a comprehensive range of products to support low-carbon construction. The employees develop services and digital tools to simplify the planning and construction of buildings with timber. The company has around 21,000 employees and its turnover in 2022 was 11.7 billion euros.

Giant Doors for a Stable Climate

Posted on by David Priestman

It is among the most cutting-edge in the world: the new company site for cross-laminated timber (CLT) in Ždírec, Czech Republic, was inaugurated in October last year. The new production line makes an essential contribution to STORA ENSO’s growth strategy in the timber construction solutions sector. The annual production capacity is around 120,000 m³. This modern complex, costing 80 million euros, now includes 22 EFAFLEX high-speed doors. Doors from the premium manufacturer EFAFLEX are also in use in Planá in Western Bohemia and Ostrava, two other sites in the Czech Republic associated with the brand.

“Our company is dedicated to products based on timber and biomass. It is therefore important to us that our customers and suppliers are also looking for environmentally friendly solutions. EFAFLEX doors fit perfectly into this spectrum thanks to their speed, reliability and long service life. The benefit of these doors is that they meet all the specified requirements, even for over-size products,” explains Tomáš Adamec, technical manager at STORA ENSO.

High-speed doors from EFAFLEX are designed for industrial use. They meet the high requirements demanded by modern operations, are reliable, and can save a significant amount of energy thanks to their high opening and closing speed. “Another factor that is just as important is that fast-closing doors contribute to a stable climate at the workstation. That creates more pleasant working conditions for the employees in the halls,” Tomáš Adamec describes further benefits of the doors.

High-speed doors for the lorry entrance

EFAFLEX has installed very high and wide doors at the Ždírec factory in order to allow large lorries to enter. That’s why three EFA-SST®-XL Premium with respectable dimensions of almost 9 metres in width and 5.5 metres in height were chosen. The fact that the doors are designed as external doors for halls and have good insulation is crucial, because the savings depend not only on the opening and closing speed, but also on the size of the doors to be opened. The larger the opening for the airflow, the more important it is to close it again quickly so that the area around the door does not cool unnecessarily.

High-speed doors on the upper floor

But high-speed doors with large dimensions are not the only interesting applications at the STORA ENSO factory in Ždírec. Three further high-speed doors on the upper floor level, EFA-SST®-L ECO, are used by forklifts to bring the material to the upper floor. The doors each have dimensions of 3 x 3 metres, there are insulated, and they have an opening speed of up to 1.5 m/s. They can handle up to 200,000 load cycles per year. 21 of the doors in Ždírec are external doors with an insulated design. An interior door, the EFA-STR®-S, is used to separate interior areas.

For safety and easy operation

In addition to the industrial doors, EFAFLEX offers a comprehensive range of safety accessories and thus guarantees that logistics go smoothly. These include the EFA-TLG® infrared light curtain, which is integrated directly into the door closing line, for example. Intersecting infrared rays create a flat light grid which can detect even the smallest obstacles without contact. If something is in the way, the closing movement stops immediately or is not initiated in the first place. This protects people, doors and transport equipment.

STORA ENSO – a sustainable manufacturer with products made from renewable raw material

Ždírec is the fourth STORA ENSO CLT factory after Bad St. Leonhard and Ybbs in Austria and Gruvön in Sweden. As a leading provider of renewable products in the packaging, biomaterials and timber construction sector, the company is also one of the largest private forest owners in the world. The STORA ENSO Wood Products division is the largest sawn timber producer in Europe and one of the leading providers of sustainable timber-based solutions for the global construction industry. Sustainability is an integral part of the STORA ENSO business strategy.

The growing Building Solutions division offers building concepts and a comprehensive range of products to support low-carbon construction. The employees develop services and digital tools to simplify the planning and construction of buildings with timber. The company has around 21,000 employees and its turnover in 2022 was 11.7 billion euros.

End of Packaging Line Solutions

Posted on by David Priestman

More and more processes at the end of today’s production and packaging lines are digital and networked. But what’s the best way to organize these processes to ensure they run smoothly as possible? Mosca will be showcasing complete strapping and stretch wrapping solutions that can be fully integrated into upstream systems at LogiMAT 2024 (Hall 4, Stand 4D21). The Mosca KZV-111 and Movitec Saturn S6 rotary ring stretch wrapping machine are two solutions designed to secure entire pallets. For strapping individual packages, the Mosca product portfolio includes the SoniXs TR-Connect and SoniXs MP-6 T.

Full or partial packaging line automation offers great potential for increasing efficiency and throughput in high-volume industrial operations with multi-stage production, packaging and securing of palletised products for transport. Efficient integration of all line components is critical. Mosca CEO Timo Mosca explains: “When different machines are setup to work together seamlessly, they need to be compatible with each other as well as with add-on conveyor technology and other equipment. The SoniXs TR-Connect we are presenting at LogiMAT is just one of our high-performance machines that can be easily integrated into complex IoT applications. We will also be demonstrating the SoniXs MP-6 T in combination with a robotic arm from Pinger Robotic to show what such a fully automated packaging system can look like.”

Ready for the Internet of Things and high performance

The SoniXs TR-Connect comes with an all-inclusive digital package. This machine was launched on the market in 2023 as the successor to the SoniXs TR-6 Pro and SoniXs TR-6 Base. Featuring an integrated WebHMI, it can be operated via LAN interface using customer devices or optionally via tablet attached to the machine. Users can view key parameters – including performance, strapping settings and availability – and easily adjust them to their specific requirements. The data generated by the machine can also be used to comprehensively analyse performance and predict maintenance intervals.

The machine’s standard interface makes it possible to seamlessly integrate the units into a fully automated line, where it shines with an output capacity of up to 45 strapped packages per minute. Thanks to automatic Cycle Rate Adjustment (CRA), the machine adapts to the throughput of upstream machines and processes. When it receives info about changing package sizes via sensors or interface signals, it can also automatically change product data presets.

Robotics enable production line integration

The Mosca exhibit at LogiMAT also features a SoniXs MP-6 T machine designed for strapping single boxes and packages. This table version is normally loaded manually with packages wider than a minimum 60 cm. In the application at LogiMAT, the strapping machine requires no human intervention. This cost-effective solution uses a robotic arm from Pinger Robotic to easily load the SoniXs MP-6 T with small packages. Thanks to robotics, the stand-alone machine can be integrated into a fully automated line. The robot is also extremely flexible when it comes to transporting boxes and can load them into the SoniXs MP-6 T lengthways or crossways as required. When extra-secure cross strapping is required, the robot inserts the package, removes it after strapping, turns it around and repositions it in the machine. Johannes Wieder, Mosca Sales Manager Logistics explains: “Thanks to their outstanding versatility and small footprint, solutions like the robotic arm presented at LogiMAT offer an extremely practical alternative to inflexible conveyor technology.”

Power for secure pallets

After products have been bundled and boxes are securely closed, there is one more important step necessary in intra and retail logistics: packing and securing the products on pallets. For this application, Mosca will be showcasing two solutions from its product portfolio at LogiMAT 2024: the Movitec Saturn S6 rotary ring stretch wrapping machine and the KZV-111 pallet strapping machine. The Saturn S6 secures up to 120 loaded pallets per hour and is suitable for high production volume throughput. In the demonstration presented at the trade fair, a load unit enters the top selling machine manufactured by Movitec, a Mosca subsidiary. The unit is then secured by a ring stretch wrapper without having to be moved again. The Saturn S6 is ideal for stacked smaller, single product cardboard boxes that are also weather protected thanks to the stretch wrap.

On the other side of the roller conveyor, the KZV-111 is ready to take orders at LogiMAT. This machine uses SoniXs ultrasonic technology to strap packages in just 12 seconds with maximum efficiency and minimum emissions. The strap lance moves through the pallet base and the sealing unit approaches the load unit from above. The KZV-111 is available in different versions with a strap lance or closed strap frame designed for handling palletised or non-palletised products. This model is ideal for palletised goods that are packed in boxes and do not require additional moisture protection.

End of Packaging Line Solutions

Posted on by David Priestman

More and more processes at the end of today’s production and packaging lines are digital and networked. But what’s the best way to organize these processes to ensure they run smoothly as possible? Mosca will be showcasing complete strapping and stretch wrapping solutions that can be fully integrated into upstream systems at LogiMAT 2024 (Hall 4, Stand 4D21). The Mosca KZV-111 and Movitec Saturn S6 rotary ring stretch wrapping machine are two solutions designed to secure entire pallets. For strapping individual packages, the Mosca product portfolio includes the SoniXs TR-Connect and SoniXs MP-6 T.

Full or partial packaging line automation offers great potential for increasing efficiency and throughput in high-volume industrial operations with multi-stage production, packaging and securing of palletised products for transport. Efficient integration of all line components is critical. Mosca CEO Timo Mosca explains: “When different machines are setup to work together seamlessly, they need to be compatible with each other as well as with add-on conveyor technology and other equipment. The SoniXs TR-Connect we are presenting at LogiMAT is just one of our high-performance machines that can be easily integrated into complex IoT applications. We will also be demonstrating the SoniXs MP-6 T in combination with a robotic arm from Pinger Robotic to show what such a fully automated packaging system can look like.”

Ready for the Internet of Things and high performance

The SoniXs TR-Connect comes with an all-inclusive digital package. This machine was launched on the market in 2023 as the successor to the SoniXs TR-6 Pro and SoniXs TR-6 Base. Featuring an integrated WebHMI, it can be operated via LAN interface using customer devices or optionally via tablet attached to the machine. Users can view key parameters – including performance, strapping settings and availability – and easily adjust them to their specific requirements. The data generated by the machine can also be used to comprehensively analyse performance and predict maintenance intervals.

The machine’s standard interface makes it possible to seamlessly integrate the units into a fully automated line, where it shines with an output capacity of up to 45 strapped packages per minute. Thanks to automatic Cycle Rate Adjustment (CRA), the machine adapts to the throughput of upstream machines and processes. When it receives info about changing package sizes via sensors or interface signals, it can also automatically change product data presets.

Robotics enable production line integration

The Mosca exhibit at LogiMAT also features a SoniXs MP-6 T machine designed for strapping single boxes and packages. This table version is normally loaded manually with packages wider than a minimum 60 cm. In the application at LogiMAT, the strapping machine requires no human intervention. This cost-effective solution uses a robotic arm from Pinger Robotic to easily load the SoniXs MP-6 T with small packages. Thanks to robotics, the stand-alone machine can be integrated into a fully automated line. The robot is also extremely flexible when it comes to transporting boxes and can load them into the SoniXs MP-6 T lengthways or crossways as required. When extra-secure cross strapping is required, the robot inserts the package, removes it after strapping, turns it around and repositions it in the machine. Johannes Wieder, Mosca Sales Manager Logistics explains: “Thanks to their outstanding versatility and small footprint, solutions like the robotic arm presented at LogiMAT offer an extremely practical alternative to inflexible conveyor technology.”

Power for secure pallets

After products have been bundled and boxes are securely closed, there is one more important step necessary in intra and retail logistics: packing and securing the products on pallets. For this application, Mosca will be showcasing two solutions from its product portfolio at LogiMAT 2024: the Movitec Saturn S6 rotary ring stretch wrapping machine and the KZV-111 pallet strapping machine. The Saturn S6 secures up to 120 loaded pallets per hour and is suitable for high production volume throughput. In the demonstration presented at the trade fair, a load unit enters the top selling machine manufactured by Movitec, a Mosca subsidiary. The unit is then secured by a ring stretch wrapper without having to be moved again. The Saturn S6 is ideal for stacked smaller, single product cardboard boxes that are also weather protected thanks to the stretch wrap.

On the other side of the roller conveyor, the KZV-111 is ready to take orders at LogiMAT. This machine uses SoniXs ultrasonic technology to strap packages in just 12 seconds with maximum efficiency and minimum emissions. The strap lance moves through the pallet base and the sealing unit approaches the load unit from above. The KZV-111 is available in different versions with a strap lance or closed strap frame designed for handling palletised or non-palletised products. This model is ideal for palletised goods that are packed in boxes and do not require additional moisture protection.

Automation for Sustainable Food Retail

Posted on by David Priestman

Micro-fulfilment centres, warehouse temperature sensors, and layer picking solutions are key ways food retailers are automating logistics to improve efficiency, sustainability, and food safety. Supply chain automation involves using technology like artificial intelligence and machine learning to streamline tasks and systems, eliminating the need for humans, and improving speed and accuracy. For instance, Dutch food retailer, Jumbo runs a 45,000-square-metre automated dry-goods-handling warehouse capable of fulfilling two million case picks per week, therefore successfully reducing costs by 15%, McKinsey reveals.

Micro-fulfilment centres

A micro-fulfilment centre (MFC) is a small-scale, automated warehouse usually found in densely-populated urban locations in order to better serve consumers. MFCs ensure shorter and faster delivery routes with greater flexibility in terms of delivery options for consumers. For instance, consumers can choose to pick up their groceries in a locker, click-and-collect in-store, or have their order delivered straight to their home. MFCs are either installed and operated in stand-alone locations, within existing stores, or attached to stores. Typically, in a MCF, a robotic goods-to-person system involving fixed or autonomous mobile robots is used to bring items to warehouse workers. The worker then moves the product to the customer bag as needed, verifying the final order is accurate and in good condition (for instance, meat should be packaged at the correct temperature, while fruit should also be bruise-free). An MFC picks around 350-500 items per hour on average, taking between seven to ten seconds to move each product, data from MWPVL International, a supply chain consultancy, reveals. In comparison, human workers take roughly 75 seconds to pick just one item, or numerous items of the same kind (like two jars of peanut butter, for instance). MFCs therefore drastically improve speed and efficiency.

MFCs are also key for maintaining sustainable food logistics operations moving forward. For instance, a recent study by Accenture and Frontier Economics found that if MFCs were used to fulfil 50% of London’s e-commerce orders over the next five years, they would slash delivery traffic by 13%, resulting in 320 million fewer miles driven by delivery vehicles. Delivery vehicle-generated emissions in London would also decrease by 17% by 2025 — the equivalent of taking as many as 15,000 cars off the road for good.

Temperature sensors in cold storage warehousing

Cold storage warehousing — warehouses typically used to store fruit, vegetables, meat, and fish — is also being automated with the use of temperature sensors, therefore facilitating precise temperature regulation. Cold storage warehouses are a useful way to store perishable goods, while also minimising risk of deterioration, although precise temperatures are essential for ensuring optimal conditions. By installing wireless temperature sensors throughout the warehouse (including both areas designated for food storage, as well as other key areas), the warehouse operator will be immediately alerted to fluctuations that surpass a pre-set temperature threshold, so corrective action can be taken as needed. In turn, temperature sensors help ensure food safety, protect goods, prevent wastage, and save money. Temperature sensors also generate real-time status updates, graphs, reports, and audit trails that can be viewed on the corresponding app.

Layer pick solutions

Cold storage warehouses can also benefit from layer picking systems able to access a huge volume of inventory with a single robot, and assemble a select mix of goods onto a single pallet — therefore eliminating the need for manual picking. An effective mode of automation, layer pick solutions are capable of moving both horizontally and vertically, successfully improve efficiency, and lower costs in cold storage warehouses, particularly compared to manual labour. Robots can specifically create “rainbow pallets” (also called “mixed stock keeping unit pallets”) made up of different layers of inventory based on the customer’s order. In addition to being fast, quiet, and equipped with load stability, these robots are also flexible, which means cold storage warehouses can therefore be in a better position to handle unexpected market changes thanks to this adaptable tech.

The latest innovations in automation technology are working to make food retail practices more efficient and sustainable. Micro-fulfilment centres, temperature sensors, and layer pick solutions, in particular, are key technologies successfully streamlining the food retail supply chain, maximising productivity, and minimising waste.

Automation for Sustainable Food Retail

Posted on by David Priestman

Micro-fulfilment centres, warehouse temperature sensors, and layer picking solutions are key ways food retailers are automating logistics to improve efficiency, sustainability, and food safety. Supply chain automation involves using technology like artificial intelligence and machine learning to streamline tasks and systems, eliminating the need for humans, and improving speed and accuracy. For instance, Dutch food retailer, Jumbo runs a 45,000-square-metre automated dry-goods-handling warehouse capable of fulfilling two million case picks per week, therefore successfully reducing costs by 15%, McKinsey reveals.

Micro-fulfilment centres

A micro-fulfilment centre (MFC) is a small-scale, automated warehouse usually found in densely-populated urban locations in order to better serve consumers. MFCs ensure shorter and faster delivery routes with greater flexibility in terms of delivery options for consumers. For instance, consumers can choose to pick up their groceries in a locker, click-and-collect in-store, or have their order delivered straight to their home. MFCs are either installed and operated in stand-alone locations, within existing stores, or attached to stores. Typically, in a MCF, a robotic goods-to-person system involving fixed or autonomous mobile robots is used to bring items to warehouse workers. The worker then moves the product to the customer bag as needed, verifying the final order is accurate and in good condition (for instance, meat should be packaged at the correct temperature, while fruit should also be bruise-free). An MFC picks around 350-500 items per hour on average, taking between seven to ten seconds to move each product, data from MWPVL International, a supply chain consultancy, reveals. In comparison, human workers take roughly 75 seconds to pick just one item, or numerous items of the same kind (like two jars of peanut butter, for instance). MFCs therefore drastically improve speed and efficiency.

MFCs are also key for maintaining sustainable food logistics operations moving forward. For instance, a recent study by Accenture and Frontier Economics found that if MFCs were used to fulfil 50% of London’s e-commerce orders over the next five years, they would slash delivery traffic by 13%, resulting in 320 million fewer miles driven by delivery vehicles. Delivery vehicle-generated emissions in London would also decrease by 17% by 2025 — the equivalent of taking as many as 15,000 cars off the road for good.

Temperature sensors in cold storage warehousing

Cold storage warehousing — warehouses typically used to store fruit, vegetables, meat, and fish — is also being automated with the use of temperature sensors, therefore facilitating precise temperature regulation. Cold storage warehouses are a useful way to store perishable goods, while also minimising risk of deterioration, although precise temperatures are essential for ensuring optimal conditions. By installing wireless temperature sensors throughout the warehouse (including both areas designated for food storage, as well as other key areas), the warehouse operator will be immediately alerted to fluctuations that surpass a pre-set temperature threshold, so corrective action can be taken as needed. In turn, temperature sensors help ensure food safety, protect goods, prevent wastage, and save money. Temperature sensors also generate real-time status updates, graphs, reports, and audit trails that can be viewed on the corresponding app.

Layer pick solutions

Cold storage warehouses can also benefit from layer picking systems able to access a huge volume of inventory with a single robot, and assemble a select mix of goods onto a single pallet — therefore eliminating the need for manual picking. An effective mode of automation, layer pick solutions are capable of moving both horizontally and vertically, successfully improve efficiency, and lower costs in cold storage warehouses, particularly compared to manual labour. Robots can specifically create “rainbow pallets” (also called “mixed stock keeping unit pallets”) made up of different layers of inventory based on the customer’s order. In addition to being fast, quiet, and equipped with load stability, these robots are also flexible, which means cold storage warehouses can therefore be in a better position to handle unexpected market changes thanks to this adaptable tech.

The latest innovations in automation technology are working to make food retail practices more efficient and sustainable. Micro-fulfilment centres, temperature sensors, and layer pick solutions, in particular, are key technologies successfully streamlining the food retail supply chain, maximising productivity, and minimising waste.

Supply Chain Trend Predictions

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Mark Morley, Senior Director, Product Marketing at OpenText, provides his supply chain trend forecast for the year ahead.

1. Embracing conversational AI across tomorrow’s supply chains: Companies have been embarking on a journey of digitizing their supply chains for many years. In fact, that journey started in the 1960s as large companies around the world started to embrace EDI communication and document standards. It is surprising today how many companies have not completely digitized their supply chain operations, and as a result, they are not able to realize the significant benefits and ROI that digitizing the supply chain can bring. In 2024, we will see more companies looking to obtain greater value and insights from the data being exchanged across their business ecosystem. As a technology, ‘Big Data’ has been around since 2010, but in 2024, we will see explosive growth in the use of Generative AI solutions and especially Conversational AI solutions in the supply chain sector. The ability to have a ‘conversation with a business network’ that is connected to all your business systems and your external trading partner community will be of tremendous value to companies of all sizes, offering accelerating supplier onboarding to optimizing logistics flows, from improving inventory management to accelerating payments between parties. Conversational AI is set to change how users interact with their business networks.

2. Leveraging a business network for ESG and SCOPE 3 reporting: Business networks connect global supply chains across many different sectors, they are pervasive and reach into almost any business system and out to any trading partner or information source. Companies using business networks have been able to obtain an indirect benefit for many years, digitizing and automating paper-based processes helps to save paper and of course billions of trees around the world. Developing more sustainable supply chains has been the goal of all supply chain and procurement leaders around the world. With the introduction of new ESG mandates worldwide, companies are being forced to make significant changes to their supply chain operations. Business networks allow companies to not only exchange information digitally, but they can also derive powerful insights to help optimize up and downstream processes and comply with regional compliance mandates. From adhering to the Dodd Frank Conflict Minerals law in the US to ensuring that all companies in Germany embrace the ‘Act on Due Diligence in Supply Chains’, ethical and sustainable sourcing will become a required business practice moving forwards. In 2024, we expect more companies to draft similar regulations, which are expected to include the newer SCOPE 3 regulations. Companies will become responsible for monitoring the carbon emissions produced at every tier of their supply chain and transporting goods across each tier. Business networks will become central to the exchange of ESG and SCOPE 3 information, and we will likely see new EDI transactions emerge or existing transactions updated to include information about ESG and SCOPE 3 reporting.

3. How intelligent command centres provide supply chain leaders with actionable insights: As global supply chains strive to mitigate the risk and impact of disruptive events; visibility is key to making timely and accurate decisions. However, simply having access to relevant information is not enough, but users will need to identify the right information to focus on at any given time based on their role and responsibilities. Supplier risk indicators, performance benchmarks, extreme weather phenomena, labour disputes, and many other pieces of information are all potentially relevant to supply chains operations, but only meaningful if you can identify how they will impact your business and what steps can be taken to mitigate these impacts. To move from simply having information to leveraging it to drive meaningful action, organizations will need enabling technology. In 2024, we are likely to see the traditional supply chain control towers increasingly being replaced or complemented by intelligent command centre capabilities that go beyond KPI tracking by allowing users to access more insights and get guidance on where they need to focus. This will require bringing together various technical capabilities from role-based access and diverse data integration to specialized user interfaces and AI-assisted analytics features. As with most complex IT solutions, one size will not fit all, and flexibility and adaptability will be crucial for success.

4. Rebalancing B2B resources to meet the needs of tomorrow’s integration activities: With the global business landscape undergoing major changes, companies need to be able to adapt quickly to stay competitive. Technology plays a key role in this. Pressures around digital transformation are impacting businesses of all sizes, and despite the economic headwinds faced by most companies, the level of investment in digital technologies remains high. While modernization and new technology adoption create many opportunities, they also increase complexity and create a need for more integration between different systems and applications—both internally and across the extended business ecosystem. As we move into 2024 and beyond, companies need to adjust their IT resources to match the changes in requirements. This includes rebalancing their B2B integration resources to meet the demand around increased connectivity and process automation with external business partners. Yet, due to the diverse nature of B2B connectivity, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to hire and retain staff with the right skills and expertise to manage complex integration projects. As many seasoned professionals around some of the core technologies still actively used today are retiring from the workforce, companies need to identify a continuity plan for B2B integration. This will drive many organizations to partner more closely with managed service providers that can offer the range of skills needed on an on-demand basis to ensure both availability and optimal utilization of the required resources.

5. Digital Product Passports will simplify the journey towards the Circular Economy: Digitizing a product is not a novel concept as the digital twin has gained traction in product design, testing and usage. But adding in the identity-centric models, such as a digital passport adds new use cases and also some new challenges. 2024 will see a renewed interest in digital twins leveraging the digital passport to drive sustainability projects, especially those mandated by government regulations. The Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation in the European Union is a good example of these regulations. The proposal for a new Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), is the cornerstone of the Commission’s approach to more environmentally sustainable and circular products. One of the key challenges is governing who should have access to the digital passport data, such as location or the personal data of the user of the product. This could be especially problematic in highly regulated industries such as healthcare where patient data must be protected but still be utilized by the authorized groups. The digital passport needs a strong governance and authentication system for its true value to be realized. If implemented with a strong security posture it can be a key part of a product’s digital transformation that gives insight into the initial use and throughout the product’s lifecycle. Digital passports will give manufacturers of any size, valuable data that can be used to improve product design as well as enhance the customer experience.

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