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Month: February 2024

FCL Solution for Seamless Shipping from India

Posted on by Keith McKinley

cargo-partner, a leading global logistics provider, has introduced a new Full Container Load (FCL) solution from India to Benelux destinations, catering to the diverse needs of businesses with import shipments to the Netherlands and Belgium.

cargo-partner’s new FCL service offers a competitive, secure, and straightforward shipping method for full container loads. Customers can take advantage of competitive prices and guaranteed cargo space. The service includes a range of solutions with standard, reefer, open-top, and flat-rack containers, as well as all necessary special equipment for customized cargo requirements.

Originating from two destinations – Mundra or Nhava Sheva – the new weekly service from India to Benelux is managed by an expert local cargo-partner team. Depending on the solution required, transit times between India and Benelux destinations – Rotterdam or Antwerp – range between 19 and 30 days.

As part of all of cargo-partner’s transport solutions, customers can also make use of the SPOT Visibility & Collaboration Platform and Purchase Order Management system which allow for full visibility and provides comprehensive supply chain management.

cargo-partner’s Benelux Managing Director, Enzo Phillips, said: “We are thrilled to introduce this FCL solution, addressing the unique shipping needs from India to the Benelux region. With a focus on efficiency and reliability, our new service ensures a smooth and secure transport experience for our valued clients. We’re pleased to be continuing to provide personal and flexible solutions for businesses navigating the complexities of global shipping.”

cargo-partner is also excited to announce the appointment of Stefan Versloot as National Product Manager Sea Cargo – Benelux, bolstering the company’s sea cargo solutions and enhancing services and trade lanes between the Netherlands and Belgium.

Data-driven Decisions for Flexible Supply Chain

Posted on by Keith McKinley

The pandemic, Brexit, ongoing geopolitical conflicts, and rising inflation have placed unprecedented pressure on the global logistics industry. Soaring material costs, wavering customer demand, and disrupted shipping patterns are just some of the challenges businesses are continuing to face as a result.

Against a backdrop of such unpredictability, flexibility and adaptability remain crucial for logistics businesses. It enables them to better adapt to unexpected shifts in market conditions. While some businesses have sought to nearshore manufacturing operations or diversify suppliers in an attempt to wrestle back some control over the uncertain landscape, many neglect to consider how internal processes could hold more of the answers.

Although back-office accounting systems are rarely a focus for logistics leaders, modern cloud finance platforms can knit seamlessly together with other fundamental business systems to provide valuable features and insights. It can equip teams with better, more comprehensive data that can be used to make meaningful business decisions to maximise flexibility and opportunities for growth.

Strategic stock management

One of the crucial areas in which businesses can leverage data to enhance flexibility is stock management. Interoperable accounting systems can interact with, and share information across, other mission-critical programmes from third-party providers, including inventory management, to bring all the crucial data in one place. Stock levels can be scrutinised alongside financial and operational data in real-time so inventory can be scaled up or down strategically. This data-driven strategic stock management can help reduce the amount of money being held in stock that’s not being required at the expected rate, or unlikely to be used soon. This can free up the budget to be reallocated elsewhere, allowing logistics businesses to accommodate new priorities quickly.

Increased visibility and real-time reporting

Logistics managers need access to a detailed and up-to-date breakdown of costs to help inform decisions across the business. Interoperable systems automatically replicate data across systems, eliminating the need for error-prone rekeying or manual reporting and allowing users to easily extract relevant data. They can see cost data across different areas, including warehousing, labour, fuel and shipping, to evaluate spend and take fluctuating prices and market conditions into account. This granular visibility allows managers to quickly identify over or underspending, inefficiencies, and unnecessary expenses. They can then quickly and easily reallocate funds where they’re needed most. This visibility allows businesses to keep their fingers on the pulse of changing conditions and act quickly to maximise opportunities.

Greater insight also brings benefits to cash flow and helps teams ensure there’s enough liquidity to meet operational needs. With constant moving parts and continuous billing and payment cycles, managing all the moving parts can be a challenge. Yet, this data-driven insight, enabled by a centralised cloud finance platform, allows businesses to plan more effectively for unforeseen expenses or take advantage of opportunities that require quick financial action.

Streamlining operations with enhanced activity insights

With a comprehensive view of key operational information across the business, logistics leaders have all the information they need to optimise operations and streamline processes at their fingertips. It can help identify frequent sticking points or inefficiencies across the business and equip the business with the data they need to take effective action. Frequent errors in manual order picking, for example, and the knock-on impact on business finances, could indicate the need for new automated technology that would quickly overcome challenges. This means resources can be adjusted accordingly, with employee time and effort being reallocated to more strategic and fulfilling business activities. This insight and data can be leveraged with individual expertise to deliver a better overall business outcome.

Final thoughts

The data and insight offered by modern, interoperable cloud financial systems provide a more granular and accurate picture of what’s going on in the business, the data-based evidence to make strategic changes, and the ability to identify and mitigate risks early on. This agility is crucial in adapting to rapidly changing market conditions, unexpected disruptions and new opportunities. While there’s a hope that the geopolitical landscape will settle somewhat in 2024, the businesses that take full advantage of their accounting software and operate with good visibility, control and flexibility will be better placed to weather the storm.

By Pascal Chandler (pictured), business consultant at cloud-based accountancy software bluQube

New Material Handling Range in Denmark

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Rødding-based Stenderup A/S, the Authorised Bobcat dealer for Denmark, has announced that the company will be offering the new Bobcat range of material handling equipment for Danish customers from 1st April 2024.

Troels Stausholm Jensen, Managing Director of Stenderup, said: “Since we were appointed as the Authorised Dealer for Bobcat in Denmark in 2022, we have been successful in increasing Bobcat’s market share in the country. We are very excited by the opportunities offered by the new material handling range from Bobcat not only for our existing customers, but for a whole new audience in manufacturing, warehousing and general industry across Denmark.”

John Coudyzer, District Manager for Bobcat Material Handling for Benelux and the Nordics, said: “Stenderup has a long and successful history dating back to 1936, supplying quality machinery and other products throughout Denmark. The material handling range represents the latest expansion in the Bobcat portfolio that already includes loaders, mini-excavators, telehandlers, light compaction and attachments, allowing Stenderup to offer new solutions for customers in an increasing number of industries across Denmark.”

Product Portfolio

The Bobcat range for logistics and material handling consists of various product lines: a series of diesel forklift trucks with lifting capacities from 2 to 16 ton; a series of LPG forklift trucks with lifting capacities from 2 to 7 ton and a series of electric forklift trucks with lifting capacities from 1.2 to 10 ton. The latter segment also includes a line of electric forklifts with three wheels for light work from 1.2 to 2 ton.

Troels Stausholm Jensen added: “The new Material Handling portfolio provides an additional springboard for Stenderup and Bobcat to increase our presence in the industrial and warehousing market in Denmark. It is a perfect complement to the Bobcat loaders and telehandlers we supply equipped with attachments such as buckets, grabs, bale clamps, dump hoppers and pallet forks, for use in material handling applications in many industries.”

Today, Stenderup is led by the third and fourth generations of the Jensen family. The company has over 40 employees divided into sales, service and administration, covering the whole of Denmark. This is backed up by the strong focus at Stenderup on service/aftermarket support for customers right across the country.

Lux Good with Aisle Master

Posted on by Keith McKinley

JCC Lighting is part of the Leviton Group and is a market leader in cutting edge LED technology, which can enable homes and businesses to tackle rising energy costs and reduce CO2 consumption. When the company moved into its new main UK distribution centre in Lux Park in Chichester at the end of 2022, it was a chance to start with a blank canvas when it came to the choice of materials handling equipment for the 60,000ft² warehouse.

Warehouse Manager Steve Chapman had experience of using articulated trucks at the previous site in Bognor, but welcomed the opportunity to switch to the Aisle Master brand, from the Irish manufacturer Combilift. “I had admired many aspects of these trucks such as the overall build, the ergonomics and the track record of reliability, and following demos, our team of operators were also very positive. So together with John Kelley of our MHE suppliers Mexmast and taking into account the racking configuration, we worked out the best Aisle Master models for the new set up, which accommodates 7,250 pallet spaces.”

The current combination of three ride-on Aisle Masters and one stand-on AMOP (Order Picker) model has proved to be ideal for operational requirements. These comprise a mix of pallet handling – placing and picking to the full racking height of 7.5m – order picking and replenishment. “We have a heavy workload here,” said Steve. “We devan 2 containers a day on average which equates to around 120 pallets or 500 – 1000 cartons, which are brought to the goods-in area before being taken to racking with the ride-on trucks.”

With 2000 ground floor pick locations and around 100 replenishments required daily, the AMOP model has been particularly beneficial according to Chapman. “The low floor height and single step access to this order picker avoids the need for the operator to have to continually climb in and out of the cab, so from an ergonomic and H&S point of view it is superb and reduces the risk of trips, strain and fatigue. What’s more, compared to a seated truck, it’s half a minute faster per pick or replenishment task – so on a daily basis that’s around 1.5 hours of extra productivity!”

In keeping with a company that has recently achieved carbon neutrality, JCC’s trucks are all electric powered. With lift capacities of 2,000kgs, they work in aisle widths which vary from 2200mm to 3300mm, to accord with the 4’, 5’ or 6’ pallets, which weigh from around 300kg to 1,000kg. Non marking tyres and red halo safety lighting were fitted at Steve’s request: “we get a lot of customers visiting and these keep the warehouse looking smart and ensure the safety of pedestrians.” Other features such as mast mounted cameras and fork level indicators were added to make it easier for operatives to pick accurately at height.

Driver feedback was an important consideration when choosing the Aisle Masters, and they scored highly on comfort and ease of operation. Jakub Zuber, who spends most of his working day on the AMOP is impressed. “The steering and joystick operation is very smooth and sensitive and leaves you feeling totally in control.”

Chapman sums up: “By investing in these trucks we aim to ensure the smooth running of handling and picking operations as our business continues to grow. We have had no issues around reliability, unlike our previous fleet, and we have 100% peace of mind as Mexmast looks after maintenance, and John Kelley and Colin Harding of Combilift are on hand whenever we may need any further support. All in all it has been a successful project.”

CMC Innovation Day Celebrates 11th Edition

Posted on by Keith McKinley

CMC Packaging Automation, a leading supplier of fully automated right-sized packaging solutions that is proud partner of KKR’s Global Impact team and backed by Amazon’s Climate Pledge Fund, hosted the 11th edition of its highly anticipated CMC Innovation Day (CID24) at the Italian headquarters in Città di Castello. Attended by 150 industry leaders representing the eCommerce and logistics sectors, CID24 has become a pivotal event, unveiling cutting-edge technologies designed to enhance efficiency, return on investment and sustainability.

CID24 is a gathering of minds where industry players share their visions, insights into market dynamics, and best practices. This year’s edition stood out, addressing automation challenges and environmental concerns and the impact of eCommerce shipments on the planet. It emphasized the need for collective action to reduce emissions and improve packaging sustainability.

Focusing on the crucial role of corrugated materials, leading Federation FEFCO highlighted the ongoing review of the new European PPWR (Packaging & Packaging Waste Regulation). The event featured an engaging discussion on the vital role of automation, attended by key retailers ORWO net, Avantor, and GXO, the world’s largest pure-play contract logistics provider.

In a groundbreaking move, CMC unveiled four new technologies and introduced the revolutionary concept of Packtomation. This innovative approach combines right-sized packaging with smart technology, automating the entire fulfillment process from inbound to outbound. The showcased technologies include the new CartonWrap Duo, a machine capable to pack items in right-sized boxes or corrugated envelopes on demand, CMC Genesys Combo that streamlines single and multi-line orders automatically and without pre-consolidation, the Wave Line, a new input channel for packaging machines that couples corrugated just-in- time and CMC Nexus, the all-in-one HRC system.

Francesco Ponti, CEO of CMC Packaging Automation, said: “The company reaffirmed its commitment to designing integrated solutions to stay ahead of the times, supporting clients in a highly competitive landscape. CMC aims to become the sole supplier for its clients, delivering customized solutions adaptable in both greenfield and brownfield environments.”

CMC Packtomation concept promises a significant leap forward in the world of eCommerce logistics. The solutions presented at CID24 will be featured at upcoming industry events, including MODEX in Atlanta and LogiMAT in Stuttgart.

Luigi Russo, CMC General Manager commented “These trade shows provide ideal platforms for in-depth discussions on the applications of our innovations and fostering collaboration with fellow industry players. Through these interactions, we aim to strengthen partnerships and maximize the benefits derived from our cutting-edge technology.”

CMC’s dedication to innovation underscores its leadership position, offering solutions that align with global sustainability goals while ensuring operational excellence for its clients.

Freight Forwarder Names New MD

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Thomas Kuehn has joined independent freight forwarder Unsworth, as managing director of its UK business, with current managing director, Richard Hogg becoming chief executive officer of the Unsworth group, and Charles Hogg leading the company’s client solutions team as commercial director.

Kuehn, pictured, joins from World Transport Agency (WTA), where he had been MD for almost a decade, in a year that will see Unsworth celebrate the golden jubilee of its formation in 1974.

With a strong track record in developing independent freight forwarding businesses, he also spent ten years at JE Bernard as global key account director and was a director at Kuehne+Nagel.

Kuehn said “My vision for the future of freight forwarding aligns perfectly with Unsworth’s demonstrable investment in technological innovation and business processes, proven commitment to client satisfaction and the promotion of a culture of continuous improvement.

“Technology has been a huge enabler of the company’s growth, and will continue to be so. In my new role, I see a tremendous opportunity to further leverage data and technological solutions to better serve our customers; and differentiate us from our competition.”

Unsworth group CEO Richard Hogg added: “In a landmark year for the company, this appointment is part of our ongoing strategy to strengthen our senior management team and capabilities to ensure that we can meet our expansion goals in the UK and overseas.”

London Super-Hub Fully Operational

Posted on by David Priestman

Ziegler UK are delighted to announce the successful transition into its new super-hub at DP World’s London Gateway Logistics Park. With a sprawling 365,000 square feet of cutting-edge warehouse space, plus state-of-the-art office space and a strategic location, the move marks a significant milestone in Ziegler’s journey to reshape the landscape of multimodal freight logistics, offering a holistic and technologically advanced environment for optimal operations.

Building on strong relations with the Port and DP World, Ziegler‘s proximity to key transportation hubs enhances ability to coordinate road, air, and ocean freight movements with unprecedented efficiency, further solidifying our status as a dominant force in the industry. The expansion ensures swift and efficient transportation of goods throughout the country, overcoming any logistical challenges faced at the previous London Gateway premises.

An advanced inventory management system provides real-time visibility into inventory levels, empowering clients to optimise their operations, eliminate disruptions, and ensure a seamless flow of goods. With 55,000 pallet racking spaces, an optimised loading dock, and 37 docking bays, the landmark move heralds a new era for the company and raises the bar for efficiency in freight and logistics.

At the heart of Ziegler’s operations is a dedicated team of experienced professionals committed to delivering exceptional customer service. Focused on customer satisfaction and peace of mind, Ziegler ensures clients receive unwavering support throughout their shipments’ journey, whether by road, air, or ocean.

This expansion also ignites a recruitment drive that promises to enrich the local community. As Ziegler expands its footprint in freight transportation and logistics, a variety of job opportunities across different areas of the business will be created, empowering the local workforce and bolstering the community’s economic landscape. Whether it’s providing training for warehouse operations or fostering professional growth in administrative roles, Ziegler aims to create a workplace where employees can thrive and build fulfilling careers.

Movu Orchestrates Dynamic Warehouse Robotics

Posted on by David Priestman

stow Group, a global market leader in the development, manufacture and implementation of advanced warehouse solutions and automated storage systems, is putting its new Movu Robotics brand in the spotlight at LogiMAT 2024.

On booth 3B67 (in hall 3) Movu will feature a dynamic technology showcase of its state-of-the art robotics sub-systems. This ensemble of seamlessly integrated solutions will demonstrate how automation and robotics is not only accessible but is possible in all kinds of warehouses, so that no warehouse is left behind.

For the first time ever, Movu will be presenting an end-to-end material flow live at LogiMAT and demonstrating how Movu’s automated subsystems can work together as a fully integrated solution.

The flow starts with the Movu escala, an innovative Shuttle solution which provides dense automated storage and retrieval for bins. Robot carriers move bins in all three dimensions within escala, every point of which is connected by a sophisticated rail track. The robots move along the rails in two dimensions throughout a level of the system and they can move between levels via ramps, in a similar way to a car driving to the next level of a multi-storey car park. This eliminates the need for maintenance-intensive conveyors, lifts, service aisle access and sequencers.

The bins are automatically delivered from inside the escala to a goods-to-person workstation, where the seamlessly integrated Movu eligo picking arm robot automatically piece-picks from a bin to place individual items into mixed SKU bins on a pallet placed on a Movu ifollow Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR).

Combining advanced software with intelligent grippers and machine learning, eligo, the latest member of the Movu product family, ensures reliable and high-performing throughput. The intelligent grippers ensure an accuracy greater than 99% and reduces the number of manual ‘touches’ required for order fulfilment or replenishment. Able to achieve 600 picks per hour, depending on the specific implementation, eligo can pick goods up to 2 kg and with dimensions of 1 cm minimum to a maximum of 30 cm. Being completely product agnostic gives it the flexibility to handle changing product mixes.

When the pallet is ready, the ifollow AMR transports it autonomously to the Movu atlas pallet shuttle sub-system. ifollow’s slimline design allows it to fit where other mobile robots will not and they can operate in cold stores, working in temperatures down to -25°C, moving to an ambient environment without any condensation. A customisable top lifter allows a variety of tasks to be performed and this versatile mobile robot can also support collaborative order picking operations.

The pallet carried on the ifollow is received at the highly efficient Movu atlas pallet shuttle sub-system, which is based on stow racking. Here, an atlas shuttle, which is a self-powered pallet carrier, moves it to a storage location. The atlas sub-system provides a high density, multi-pallet position deep Automated Storage and Retrieval System (AS/RS), which can also work in coldstores. With no need for lift truck aisles, storage capacity is maximised, and manual handling is replaced leading to a reduction in both personnel risk and picking errors.

Visitors will be able to see how Movu software coordinates and monitors the shuttles and mobile robots, ensuring a smooth flow of materials with realtime visibility of the system.

This unique performance demonstrates how Movu goes beyond a single robotics product to offer cutting-edge sub-systems in a symphony of seamlessly integrated solutions, which is not a futuristic concept but a practical, accessible reality. Movu’s goal is to upgrade the world´s warehouses through the power of easier automation. This creates a democratisation of automation to ensure that – irrespective of its size, shape, or use – no warehouse is left behind.

Stefan Pieters, CEO of Movu Robotics commented: “We are proud to present for first time ever an integrated end-to-end showcase with all Movu solutions. Following our brand launch in September last year, we are excited to see at LogiMAT all our products coming together in one place. Visitors will experience live our interpretation of ‘Easier Automation’ and how it helps to increase efficiency and improve profitability. Our experts will also be on hand to discuss how our solutions, which have improved efficiency for customers in a variety of sectors, can serve your requirements.”

Weetabix Multi-warehousing Operation Deal

Posted on by Keith McKinley

XPO, a leading provider of innovative and sustainable end-to-end logistics solutions across Europe, has been named a new logistics partner for the UK’s number one cereal brand, Weetabix.

From the 27th of January, XPO will have started to run the Weetabix multi-warehousing operation at the company’s primary site at Burton Latimer near Kettering, as well as Corby in Northamptonshire. The focus will be on improving automation across the site and driving sustainable efficiencies while delivering for Weetabix´s customers.

Around 200 of the current Weetabix workforce at the site will become part of the XPO team. XPO will also develop and adopt new in-house systems to help Weetabix improve its current operations with synergised operations. One of the most important goals will be to create an optimal operation that prioritises work satisfaction for those working across the business.

Richard Spaughton, Head of Supply Chain, Weetabix, said: “We chose XPO as they clearly share our ethos regarding sustainable efficiencies, how we value our people and prioritising the customer. We are excited to move together into the next phase of our warehouse operations with XPO.”

XPO will also manage Weetabix’s global forwarding requirements through cross-border services, customs clearance and aligned transport projects. There will be a continual focus on improving and optimising processes to give the best customer service possible.

Dan Myers, Managing Director – UK and Ireland, XPO Logistics, said: “Weetabix is an iconic brand and a company with strong people values, something we share at XPO. Together we will continue to develop the supply chain roadmap and future warehousing strategy. The future is genuinely exciting, and working with Weetabix and our team, I look forward to seeing the delivery of our ambitious plans.”

XPO’s proprietary business intelligence technology will bring new visibility to how the site operates and encourage increased proactive decision-making, which in turn will help improve efficiency.

 

Dynamic New Tech Integration Partnership

Posted on by David Priestman

Warehouse technology innovator Synergy Logistics has partnered with leading connected fulfilment solutions specialist Techdinamics, to provide customers with integrated rate shopping and transportation management capabilities.

The alliance with Ontario-based Techdinamics is around their techSHIP solution, which dovetails seamlessly with Synergy’s advanced warehouse management system (WMS) SnapFulfil. Together, they create a fully connected workflow – order, WMS, pick, pack, ship – to get orders out the door faster and correctly, but with no additional labour and lower operating costs.

TechSHIP is a powerful cloud-based application that quickly and easily integrates with multiple small parcel, Less-Than-Truckload (LTL) and Full Truckload Freight (FTL) carriers to generate shipping labels and custom documentation. It also provides lower cost or most appropriate services for customer product lines, depending on selection, ship to addresses and other preferences.

The generated label and tracking information seamlessly populate SnapFulfil, providing users with a smooth end-to-end experience. This integrated process, known as the blackbox API, grants SnapFulfil operators access to comprehensive shipping software without the need to navigate between multiple screens. With connections to over 150+ carriers, techSHIP enhances order accuracy, accelerates order processing, ensures on-time delivery, and offers competitive shipping rates.

Smitha Raphael, Chief Product & Delivery Officer for Synergy Logistics, says: “The techSHIP solution offers depth of integration, but also speed, as you can write your own, multiple management rules. It’s a quick and agile system like ours and customers can be configured and up-to-speed within 20-30 minutes for rapid efficiencies and return on investment.”

The partnership is already working well for Utah-based online beauty retailer, Younique, as the integration with techSHIP has enabled them to not only onboard previously unavailable carriers like Purolator, but via SnapFulfil’s batch functionality print labels far more efficiently and quickly for high volume orders – decreasing the cost levels on their shipping for the first time.

Reg Adams, President at Techdinamics, adds: “The partnership is a natural fit as SnapFulfil seamlessly integrates with techSHIP’s API, enabling users to stay within the WMS for order processing and label generation. Users can handle their orders in the WMS as usual and the system automatically communicates with techSHIP. This allows the full and dynamic utilisation of techSHIP’s order management rules and rate shopping capabilities.”

This strategic alignment with Techdinamics is the latest in Synergy’s rapidly expanding native integration and partnership network, which via real-time peer-to-peer transactions seeks to provide transparency across all critical business systems and sales routes – and is already 40+ companies strong across sectors like ERP, iPaaS, Marketplace, Robotics & MHE, Shipping, plus other channel partners.

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