Subscribe

Month: March 2025

New Fulfilment Centres in Spain and Italy

Posted on by David Priestman

CIRRO Fulfillment, a global e-commerce fulfillment provider, is strengthening its European network with two new state-of-the-art fulfilment centres in Spain and Italy. The Madrid facility has been operational since January, while the lease for the Novara (Lombardy) site was finalized in March. This expansion enhances CIRRO’s ability to offer faster, more efficient fulfilment solutions while reinforcing its commitment to sustainability in the e-commerce sector.

The 10,312 sqm Spanish facility, located in Villaverde just 17 km from Madrid Airport, is BREEAM Excellent-certified. Strategically positioned, it provides easy access to Avda. de Andalucía, M-40, M-45, and A-42, as well as public transport, ensuring seamless connectivity. With advanced logistics infrastructure and direct links to key transport routes, the facility enables efficient nationwide distribution and expanded coverage across Spain and the broader Iberian region.

In Italy, CIRRO’s new fulfilment centre occupies 12,312 sqm within a LEED Gold-certified logistics complex in San Pietro Mosezzo, Novara, near Milan. Strategically positioned for optimal distribution, the facility offers direct access to the A4 and A26 highways, enabling fast transportation across one of Italy’s most dynamic economic regions. It also includes 12 loading docks, designed to handle high-volume logistics with speed and efficiency while maintaining a strong focus on sustainability.

Charles Lu, Head of Business Development Europe at CIRRO Fulfillment, stated, “In 2023, Southern Europe saw remarkable growth, with a 14% increase in turnover, reaching €166 billion and becoming the second-largest market in Europe. Our new fulfillment centers in Spain and Italy further strengthen our European warehousing network, enabling faster deliveries, enhanced connectivity, and more sustainable operations. By leveraging state-of-the-art infrastructure and strategic locations, we continue to empower e-commerce businesses to scale efficiently and meet evolving market demands.”

This expansion marks a significant milestone in CIRRO Fulfillment’s mission to provide innovative, sustainable, and efficient fulfillment solutions across Europe and beyond.

similar news

New Fulfilment Centre Opened by CIRRO

 

Industry Urges Supply Chain Resilience After Heathrow Closure

Posted on by Will Priestman

The recent closure of Heathrow Airport has sparked renewed urgency around resilience and supply chain risk management, prompting organisations to take a hard look at just how dependent they are on single transportation hubs. In an era where resilience is no longer optional, the disruption underscored how even a brief shutdown at a major logistics node can ripple across global networks—halting the movement of goods, delaying critical shipments, and challenging operational continuity.

More than ever, businesses are reassessing the structure, resilience and vulnerabilities of their supply chains. Heathrow, as a vital gateway for international freight and passenger traffic, has once again highlighted the dangers of over-concentration. The message is clear: without diversified routing, flexible infrastructure, and real-time visibility, supply chains remain one disruption away from gridlock.

Heiko Schwarz, Global Supply Chain Risk Advisor at Sphera, commented:

“While there are still many open questions surrounding the fire itself and how its impacts were so severe, from a supply chain perspective, this disruption should serve as a real-world stress test. Once the dust settles, businesses will be looking at how reliant they are on singular critical infrastructure hubs, whether it’s Heathrow, LAX, or Doha. No one can predict these kinds of events, but they can prepare what their response would look like.

“Whether it’s this fire, the Icelandic ash cloud in 2010, or the Suez Canal blockage in 2021, these incidents underscore the need for end-to-end visibility, scenario planning, and supply chain diversification. Organizations that understand the interconnected nature of their supply chains, maintain viable alternative routes, and invest in resilience will be far better placed to keep operations running when the unexpected strikes.”

From our perspective as a logistics business, the disruption hit close to home. After visiting Chicago for ProMAT 2025, our colleague Ian Wright joined many travellers stranded following cancellation to all Heathrow-bound flights – just one example of how a localised infrastructure failure can ripple across global routes.

As we reported last week, the fire at a nearby power station caused a major outage, forcing Heathrow to cancel all flights and remain shut until midnight. While the passenger impact was widely covered, we highlighted that the real and lasting implications for UK supply chains were largely overlooked in mainstream reporting.

This incident is a clear reminder that supply chain resilience can’t remain theoretical. Businesses must invest in contingency planning, alternative routing, and real-time visibility to protect operations against these increasingly frequent disruptions.

Read More…

Heathrow Airport Closes after Power Station Fire

Freezer and Cold Room Doors Available

Posted on by David Priestman

Hörmann UK has announced that it has expanded the ‘Construction Project’ range of doors to include insulated hinged and sliding doors for cold rooms and freezers. Suitable for cold rooms at temperatures as low as 0°C and for freezers at –28°C the doors are ideal for use in cold storage facilities, supermarkets and in the food processing industry.

The cold storage doors HID-80 (hinged) and HIS-80 (sliding) are manufactured with an 80mm thick door leaf that is foamed with polyurethane (PU), with both doors featuring bespoke sealing technology to prevent energy loss. Whilst the new freezer doors, HID-120 (hinged) and HIS-120 (sliding), are manufactured with a 120mm foamed with PU door leaf, offering impressive insulation. Both freezer door variants are fitted with an integrated, self-regulating frame heating feature preventing the sealing around the door frame from freezing while minimising energy consumption. This extends the life of the seal and ensures that the doors can be opened easily at any time, with all the door seals being easily removed and replaced in case of maintenance.

Both the cold storage doors and the sliding freezer doors are manually operated, being fitted with extra-large rollers to ensure easy handling with little force required and are available with either a wall or bottom guide. They can also be combined with Hörmann double-action doors, meaning that whilst the sliding door is open during the storage or removal of goods, the double-action door keeps the cold air in the cold room/freezer, reducing energy consumption.

Cold Room Doors

All doors are delivered to site having undergone a large amount of pre-fabrication, meaning that they can be quickly and easily fitted in front of the wall opening within a thermo-block frame.

The hinged doors are available up to a maximum size of 1100mm × 2300mm, whilst the maximum size for the sliding doors is 4000mm × 2800mm. They are available in two hardwearing, surface finishes – stainless steel with a polished or a matt circular textured finish, or in galvanised stainless steel in Grey White (RAL 9002). RAL colours of choice are available as an option.

similar news

Smart Door Controls

 

Freight Association Seeks Solutions to Uninsured Cargo

Posted on by David Priestman

Steve Parker, director general of the British International Freight Association (BIFA) joined Marcus Baker, global head of marine, cargo and logistics at Marsh to deliver the opening address at the Cargo Insurance London conference.

Addressing the reasons behind, and problems caused, by under or uninsured cargoes, Parker and Baker focused on the amount of cargo premium available globally, and explored whether there is an opportunity that the insurance market is currently missing. Both agreed that the insurance sector needs to simplify the process for clients in regards to both placement and claims for cargo insurance, so that everyone can win.

Parker said: “During the 50 years I have been in this industry, one of the things that has always surprised me, is the amount of freight that moves globally without insurance.” He added, “BIFA is contacted regularly by the trade association’s members when something untoward has happened to a consignment. Most often it is one of our small to mid-sized corporate members, which might not have the resources to incorporate an insurance offer into the freight cost. Typically, they say that the process is too complicated and long-winded for what is a small return.

“The majority of BIFA’s 1800 corporate members have fewer than 10 staff. BIFA stands ready to work with the insurance sector to address this issue and make the process to obtain transit insurance less cumbersome. We need a system that makes it easy for insurance cover to be included in the freight rate offered and the customer has to opt out rather than opt in. BIFA wants to see cargo insurance become the norm, not the exception.”

Uninsured Cargo

Both presenters agreed that everyone benefits if the use of cargo insurance can be increased. Parker concluded: “The trader gets the cover they need. Our member has the comfort of knowing in the event of an issue, that the goods are insured. The insurance industry receives more business.”

similar news

Future of International Freight Forwarding is Transformation

 

 

Autonomous Pallet-Moving Robot Debuts

Posted on by David Priestman

Ocado Intelligent Automation (OIA), part of Ocado Group, has introduced Porter AMR, a pallet-moving autonomous mobile robot (AMR) that navigates warehouses to automate several warehouse workflows such as cross-docking, bulk-item picking, putaway, and pallet movement.

OIA’s patented system-directed software intelligently orchestrates each Porter autonomous pallet-moving robot – or a whole fleet of them – to reduce travel times and avoid warehouse congestion. Ocado’s Fulfillment Execution System (FES) groups orders to maximize case picking, optimize route plans and reduce steps between picks. Meanwhile, machine learning prioritizes and plans pallet stacking intelligently to avoid product damage.

“Porter from OIA automates low-value, manual tasks and fosters a more productive workplace by supporting associates, increasing case picking rates, and automating the movement of high volumes of inventory,” said Jeff Larson, Director of Solutions Design for Ocado Mobile Robot System at OIA. “Companies in third-party logistics, retail, e-commerce, distribution, and healthcare can maximize warehouse productivity and scale operations up or down easily without depending on manual forklifts and expensive certified forklift drivers.”

Automates Point-to-Point Movement of Pallets and Cages

Porter picks, moves and places pallets directly from the floor with precision, even when they are aligned back-to-back. It recognizes its surroundings to safely handle and transport heavy loads autonomously and can be configured to handle cages, increasing flexibility and expanding fulfillment capabilities.

Porter AMR features:

• An onboard touchscreen with live front-camera view, enabling associates to safely maneuver Porter in manual mode.
• A 3,300-pound (1,500 kilograms) payload capacity to transport densely packed pallets.
• The ability to transport one pallet or two roll cages on a single trip.
• Dynamic task-switching software that seamlessly transitions Porter between inventory movement and case-picking tasks as operational needs evolve.
• Advanced built-in sensors to detect, recognize and handle any open or closed standard pallet types, including Commonwealth Handling Equipment Pool (CHEP), Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) and European Pallet Association e.V.(EPAL) pallets.
• A slim, counterbalance-free design with a tight turning radius to operate in pallet lanes as narrow as 51 inches (1.3 meters) wide.

Streamline Warehouse Operations with Robust Integrations

Porter integrates with existing wall-to-wall fulfillment platforms, Warehouse Execution Systems (WES), Warehouse Control Systems (WCS) and Warehouse Management Systems (WMS), to seamlessly prioritize tasks with minimal disruption and increase warehouse productivity. These systems can collaborate to:
• Pick and pass complex orders across multiple robots.
• Automate inbound and outbound pallet movement from Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (AS/RS) from OIA or other Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs).
• Connect to robotic arms to deliver or pick pallets from palletizing and depalletizing areas.

Intelligent Navigation Supports Warehouse Safety

Porter’s advanced vision system enables it to navigate safely and autonomously without requiring infrastructure changes or manual intervention. Moving at speeds of up to 4.5 miles per hour, the AMR dynamically adjusts its speed when detecting people or equipment in the area, ensuring workplace safety. Porter intelligently parallel parks itself in aisles to reduce congestion, keeping operations seamless for both robots and human associates.

Porter AMR is a component of the Ocado Mobile Robot System (OMRS), an advanced fulfillment system for intelligent workflow orchestration.

Similar News…

Gebhardt to Provide Ocado Storage and Retrieval System in DACH

 

Warehouse Fulfillment Operations Intelligence

Posted on by David Priestman

Locus Robotics, a global supplier of mobile warehouse automation, announces ‘LocusINTELLIGENCE’, a powerful, AI-driven business intelligence software layer within the LocusONE™ platform. Designed to provide real-time decision-making, continuous optimization, and deep operational insights, LocusINTELLIGENCE enables fulfillment operations to achieve unmatched flexibility, throughput, and efficiency.

Locus showcased a range of next-generation AI advancements developed through LocusLABS , the dedicated R&D division of Locus Robotics, at LogiMAT in Germany and ProMat in Chicago.

“At Locus Robotics, we are not just deploying robots — we’re delivering intelligence,” said Rick Faulk, CEO of Locus Robotics. “Our investment in AI, software, and next-generation automation technologies sets us apart as the leader in warehouse efficiency and fulfillment innovation. Through LocusINTELLIGENCE and LocusLABS, we are continuously developing solutions that allow our customers to maximize throughput, scale with confidence, and adapt to the evolving logistics landscape.”

The AI Powerhouse

LocusINTELLIGENCE is the advanced AI and analytics engine that powers the LocusONE™ platform, leverages machine learning, predictive analytics, and real-time operational data, LocusINTELLIGENCE continuously adapts and optimizes fulfillment operations at scale.

• AI-Powered Decision-Making – Dynamically manages task allocation, workflow optimization, and multi-robot coordination to efficiently align fulfillment priorities with real-time demand.
• Scalable & Adaptive Performance – Enables LocusONE™ to seamlessly adjust to fluctuating order volumes, seasonal spikes, and labour constraints, ensuring warehouses always operate at peak efficiency.
• Real-Time Operational Insights – Gives operators deep visibility into throughput, worker performance, and predictive maintenance, enabling proactive, data-driven decisions.
• Seamless WMS & ERP Integration – Works natively within existing warehouse management systems, allowing for rapid deployment and immediate productivity gains.

Through LocusINTELLIGENCE, LocusONE™ delivers an even more powerful, AI-enhanced orchestration platform, providing warehouses with an intelligent automation ecosystem that continuously learns, adapts, and improves.

Warehouse intelligence

LocusLABS, the dedicated R&D division of Locus Robotics, is at the forefront of AI innovation, continuously advancing warehouse automation capabilities. At LogiMAT and ProMat 2025, Locus unveiled several AI-driven breakthroughs, including:

• AI Object Detection & Avoidance – Advanced perception AI enables Locus robots to intelligently recognize and react to warehouse assets, ensuring seamless, real-time navigation and workflow optimization.
• System-Directed Labour Optimization – AI-driven optimization engine that intelligently directs associates to the next best task, increasing productivity and fulfillment speed.
• AI-Powered Simulation & Workflow Optimization – Adding the ability to test and refine warehouse layouts, workflows, and robotic interactions before implementation.
• RFID-Based Inventory Accuracy – Integrating RFID technology to deliver greater accuracy for next-level real-time order validation and inventory tracking.
• Large-Item & Non-Conveyable Automation – Flexible large-item conveyance, picking, and putaway, enabling automation beyond traditional, fixed conveyor-based workflows.
• Humanoid Collaboration with Reflex Robotics –Locus and Reflex Robotics are exploring the potential for humanoids to augment existing warehouse automation workflows such as induction, putaway and more.

similar news

Fulfillment Experience Insights Dashboard

 

Heathrow Airport Closes after Power Station Fire

Posted on by David Priestman

The recent events at Heathrow Airport have once again underscored the vulnerability of the UK’s logistics network to unexpected disruptions. As one of the country’s busiest transport hubs, any interruption to operations — particularly on the scale caused by a major power outage — has immediate and far-reaching effects. While passenger inconvenience has dominated headlines, the real and lasting impact on freight and supply chains deserves equal attention.

After the pandemic and Brexit, the British International Freight Association says it thought that there was a better understanding of the critical importance of efficient international supply chains. If the initial mainstream media coverage of the incident at Heathrow is anything to go by, clearly that is not the case, with little mention in the news of the huge disruption to UK supply chains.

The fire at a nearby power station which caused a significant power outage across Heathrow airport has resulted in major disruption with all flights cancelled. The airport is to remain shut until midnight.

PML Seafrigo, whose facilities are unaffected by the fire, is extending an offer to those whose  freight is impacted by the situation, providing a collection service from alternative UK airports where imported  goods have been unexpectedly rerouted. In addition, PML Seafrigo is able to ensure the seamless movement of exported goods to alternative London airports, specifically London Gatwick or Stansted, subject to space and availability.

As expected, most reporting has focused on the immediate impact on flights, terminals and passengers. Regrettably, cargo has been largely overlooked, and the impact will be significant on both import and export movements. Supply chains work based on a consistent flow of goods and this has been severely interrupted – for exports the immediate concern will be that airline sheds will fill up rapidly and be unable to accept fresh freight deliveries, which will then affect other parties. For imports, freight will not arrive at or be diverted from its original final destination.

BIFA says that a big concern for its members is that most cargo is carried in the bellyholds of passenger aircraft and when flights to and from LHR are restored there will be a considerable influx in demand by passengers for seats to continue their journeys. Potentially this will restrict the capacity to move cargo.

Read Similar…

Navigating the Supply Chain Maze

Maximising AI Success in Supply Chain with Clean Data

Posted on by David Priestman

Clean data can maximise supply chain success, writes Mark Holmes, Senior Advisor for Supply Chain at InterSystems.

Artificial intelligence (AI), from traditional machine learning to recent generative AI, holds immense potential to revolutionise global supply chains by enabling adaptive decision-making. The approach refines predictions to meet evolving consumer demands, enhancing demand forecasting, streamlining fulfilment despite supply disruptions, and unlocking a range of innovative possibilities.

The global supply chain AI market is showing strong growth. According to Meticulous Research, it is expected to surge to US$58.55 billion by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 40.4% from 2024 to 2031. Yet, as more organisations implement AI across their supply chain operations, harnessing accurate, clean, and unified data remains a critical challenge. AI is only as effective as the data it processes. Inaccurate or fragmented data leads to flawed outcomes and erodes trust in AI-driven systems.

Achieving Data Quality

The good news is that regardless of where an organisation stands in its AI journey, there is still time to build the necessary data foundations, without the need for a risky rip-and-replace of legacy systems. However, ensuring data quality is not easy. Supply chain data streams originate from many disparate sources, including enterprise systems, IBP applications, suppliers, demand pattern changes, warehousing, and transportation systems. If these diverse sources are not harmonised, AI models may produce flawed outputs that prompt manual checks and redundant oversight, ultimately undermining efficiency.

Real-time data is equally critical. Supply chains involve numerous variables, from supplier availability to weather patterns, that can change rapidly. Analysing delays or disruptions in near-real time and acting swiftly on these insights can mean the difference between effectively managing an issue or missing a critical opportunity. Access to timely data is the first step toward harnessing AI for more accurate forecasts, adaptive planning, and proactive interventions.

The Role of Connective Technology

Creating the right data strategy requires modern solutions that act as a “connective tissue,” linking diverse data sources and formats. When deployed effectively, these solutions consolidate relational, non-relational, and streaming data without forcing a complete overhaul of core systems. This data unification enables immediate analysis, ensuring that AI models have a dependable, comprehensive picture of the supply chain at all times.

Beyond unification, connective technology cleans, standardises, and enriches data before any AI algorithms are applied. Such thorough preparation reduces the risk of inaccurate outputs and helps maintain confidence in AI-driven recommendations.

Evaluating Existing AI Implementations

Even as organisations begin deploying AI for use cases like demand sensing and order fulfilment, it is essential to access the right data in motion or at rest. Inconsistent or incomplete data might cause AI to overlook critical warning signs, produce skewed forecasts, or struggle to align inventory levels with real-world conditions.

Companies should regularly audit their data pipelines to pinpoint errors, such as missing entries or mismatched formats. Addressing any gaps, and ensuring the data remains fresh, can make AI models more robust and reduce long-term costs. By creating transparent feedback loops, supply chain leaders can monitor AI outcomes and measure them against established performance metrics. This approach helps determine whether refinements in data management or the AI models themselves are necessary.

From Foundational Data to Practical Results

After laying a strong data framework, organisations can more confidently progress toward advanced analytics, machine learning, and decision support tools that significantly improve supply chain efficiency. Predictive and prescriptive insights powered by both machine learning and latest genAI, can then be integrated directly into operational processes. Whether the goal is to handle demand fluctuations, optimise supplier networks, or accurately forecast inventory requirements, AI-driven analysis is most effective when powered by unified, trustworthy data.

Looking ahead, AI’s relevance in supply chain management will only grow as technologies evolve and businesses strive to stay flexible. AI can help with data availability, business insights, data-driven actions, etc. By making data integrity a priority, organisations establish a practical base for advanced solutions that yield real value. This means gathering, integrating, and using data in ways that support both present objectives and long-term growth.

Strong data practices ultimately open the door to AI-driven innovations that help supply chain leaders adapt at speed, reduce costs, and enhance customer satisfaction. With a clear focus on maintaining clean, unified information, businesses can transform daily operations and generate measurable returns.

similar news

Research Highlights Untapped Potential of AI to Boost Fleet Safety

 

Webinar: Unlock Cost Savings with AI-Powered Truck Loading

Posted on by David Priestman

With rising logistics costs, it’s crucial to maintain profitability through highly optimised operations and load planning processes. Logistics Business and Aptean are preparing a Webinar entitled ‘Automating Truck Loading to Save Costs & Drive Efficiencies’.

Join our industry experts on Tuesday 15th April at 1130 BST/UTC, for an open panel discussion where we’ll explore how you can enhance cargo placement accuracy, improve operational efficiency, and reduce transport costs by optimising space utilisation with AI-driven technology.

You’ll learn how:

Optimal planning maximises load capacity and enables efficient equipment selection
Efficient loading boosts savings, speeds up palletising, and increases warehouse throughput
Effective pallet arrangement reduces pallet usage, saving space in the warehouse and during transport
Smart loading decisions enhance vehicle safety and help prevent shipment damage

Truck Loading Webinar

Whether it’s trailers, containers, pallets, or any user-defined space, AI-driven tools can help you deliver maximum efficiency in truck load planning while driving significant savings.

Register your place today to avoid missing out on this eagerly awaited insight coming in April!

Watch some of our recent Webinars here.

Managing your business’s transport network can often feel like trying to solve a Rubik’s Cube blindfolded. With so many moving pieces—freight, carriers, real-time tracking, multiple modes—keeping tabs on each component without slowing down performance or blowing up costs is a major juggling act. That’s where a transport management system (TMS) comes in. You’ve likely heard the term, but may have some questions. Like what is a TMS system exactly and what does it do? Who can use it and how does it differ from other logistics systems like enterprise resource planning (ERP) and warehouse management systems (WMS)? This article will answer all your burning questions.

What Is a TMS?

A transport management system (or TMS) is a software platform specifically designed to streamline and optimise end-to-end transport and logistics operations. In simpler terms, it’s like the command centre for your entire transport network. Think of it as the behind-the-scenes powerhouse that helps you plan, execute and monitor the movement of goods—by land, air and sea.

A TMS solution gives your business a bird’s-eye view of its supply chain network, enabling you to make smarter, data-driven decisions to improve shipping efficiency and reduce costs. From carrier management and freight rate analysis to tracking shipments in real time, a TMS provides the visibility and control you need to keep goods flowing, costs low and customers satisfied, all while balancing sustainability needs.

Within a TMS, you can compare rates, organise shipments and track their journey to delivery. You might be shipping raw materials or finished goods, either way, a TMS keeps track, whether inbound or outbound, domestically or internationally.

How Does a Transport Management System Work?
By automating and improving the movement of goods, a TMS enhances business efficiency and reduces overspending. It can be broken down into a few essential functions. Here’s a quick overview of what goes on under the bonnet:

Order Management Integration: Order management integration (OMS) is the starting point of any TMS journey. This is where the software pulls in shipment details from systems like ERP, ensuring all transport activities are in sync with broader supply chain processes. This includes customer orders, purchase orders or inventory transfers, laying the groundwork for streamlined planning.

Carrier Management: A TMS manages relationships with carriers and logistics providers, offering you insights into carrier performance, cost metrics and service levels. It automates the booking of shipments, allowing you to compare and select carriers based on cost-effectiveness, reliability and speed so that each shipment is handled by the most suitable partner.

Route Planning and Optimisation: A fully integrated TMS uses advanced algorithms to identify the best routes and transport modes, considering factors like distance, historic traffic conditions, delivery timeframes and cost. The system quickly analyses data to choose the most efficient routes, select carriers, consolidate shipments and plan routes—saving you time and fuel costs.

Freight Cost and Rate Management: Freight costs are a significant part of any logistics budget. A TMS solution reconciles freight bills with the actual services provided and enables your business to manage, track and compare freight rates across carriers. This automated process reduces errors and flags discrepancies. With real-time visibility into costs, you can ensure accurate payments, saving time and reducing the financial risks associated with manual audits.

Execution and Tracking: After planning, an advanced TMS takes charge of dispatching shipments and generating the required documents. Here, you have a clear view of the movement of goods and end-to-end visibility of your shipments in transit, their estimated arrival time and details of any delays or reroutes. Your logistics team can then monitor delivery progress, anticipate delays and adapt quickly to disruptions.

Reporting and Analytics: Finally, the best TMS systems provide robust analytics and reporting capabilities, helping you identify trends by giving insight into metrics like cost per mile, carrier performance, on-time delivery rate and fuel usage. These analytics enable data-driven improvements, helping you optimise your transport network over time.

When all these components work together, a TMS system can transform your transport management into a proactive, efficient and transparent operation. It reduces costs, enhances operational efficiency and improves customer satisfaction by ensuring goods are delivered on time and as expected. With a TMS, your logistics professionals will feel prepared and ready to handle any situation.

Who Can Use TMS Software?
The good news is that TMS isn’t just for mega-sized corporations. Businesses of all sizes across a range of industries—from logistics providers and fashion brands to food and beverage organisations, manufacturers and beyond—are discovering the benefits of TMS software for their transport operations.

Small and mid-sized businesses can use TMS to stay competitive by optimising routes, tracking shipments with accuracy and improving cost management. While larger organisations can benefit from huge economies of scale, significantly reducing costs and simplifying complex supply chains. In short, whether you’re moving small parcels or large freight, a TMS provides the flexibility to support your transport needs.

So, let’s break down what types of businesses can benefit from a transport management system and who within your organisation will be using the software.

Types of Businesses That Can Benefit From TMS
Basically, a TMS can benefit any business involved in moving goods across a supply chain. It’s particularly valuable for industries such as:

Manufacturing: To coordinate the transport of raw materials and finished goods across multiple locations, manufacturers rely on TMS solutions to streamline shipping, manage carrier selection, ensure on-time, in-full (OTIF) delivery and reduce transport costs.

Retail and E-commerce: TMS facilitates complex distribution networks for fashion and retail businesses, enabling faster response times to market demands like same-day and next-day delivery—all while maintaining efficiency despite high order volumes.

Food and Beverage: Implementing a TMS system here ensures fresh, safe and timely delivery of consumables and in-demand goods with optimised route planning and visibility, while maintaining strict regulatory compliance and accurate records.

Third-Party Logistics (3PL) Providers: 3PLs and companies managing fleets or carrier networks utilize TMS to optimise routes, select cost-effective carriers and improve delivery accuracy. TMS also aids in reducing fuel consumption, providing shipment tracking and supporting multi-modal transport planning while seamlessly integrating with client systems.

Distribution and Wholesale: These businesses typically manage high volumes of goods on complex delivery schedules. Therefore, a TMS is pivotal to enhance coordination between suppliers, warehouses and customers, ensuring timely and cost-effective deliveries that adhere to retailer requirements.

 

similar news

Webinar: Digital Transformation to Optimise Transport Operations

 

Crossover Series Replaces Combustion Engine

Posted on by David Priestman

‘Get electrified with crossover technology’ is the motto under which the industrial truck specialist Clark presented the new Crossover series to the public for the first time at LogiMAT 2025 in Stuttgart. The Crossover models combine the advantages of environmentally friendly electric forklift trucks with the versatility and robustness of traditional diesel and LPG forklift trucks. Clark is thus setting new standards in material handling, especially for intensive indoor and outdoor applications. Another special feature: Clark has given product names to forklift trucks again for a long time. For example, the L25-35XE goes by the name “Raider” and the S25-35XE by “Renegade”.

The right crossover model for every application

The two new crossover series L25-35XE and S25-35XE with load capacities of 2.5 to 3.5 tons are the next logical step for Clark in its efforts to further electrify the Clark counterbalance truck product range and increase the performance of electric forklifts to such an extent that they can replace combustion engines in all areas of application.

In order to meet this requirement, the Raider and Renegade, for example, are mounted on the proven Clark chassis of IC engine-powered forklift trucks. This has the advantage that the crossover electric forklift trucks not only have the high ground clearance of IC trucks, but also the correspondingly larger and more robust tires and greater legroom for the operator. This equips the vehicles perfectly for outdoor use – especially on uneven terrain or bumps. On the other hand, the crossover trucks also achieve comparable values to combustion engines in terms of driving speed, working aisle width, turning radius and climbing ability. Thanks to water-protected components, such as the IP54 protection (dust and splash-proof) of the drive and hydraulic motor, they can be used in damp working environments or outdoors in bad weather without any problems.

The powerful emission-free lithium-ion batteries based on lithium iron phosphate technology (Li-FePO4) also ensure a powerful drive with long operating times and short charging times. Different battery capacities and chargers are available depending on the power requirement, including an onboard charger integrated into the vehicle. This enables fast and flexible recharging anytime and anywhere – indoors or outdoors. All these features make the Raider and Renegade the ideal choice for demanding indoor and outdoor applications where high efficiency is paramount.

Solid and robust powerhouse for shift work

The Raider series (L25-35XE) opens the door to the crossover segment. It offers operators an environmentally friendly and solid alternative to forklift trucks with combustion engines. The vehicles are characterized by excellent all-round visibility, predictable handling and an ergonomic driver’s seat with generous foot space. The Raider therefore ensures fatigue-free working, even over long shifts. The electric drive ensures powerful acceleration thanks to immediately available maximum torque and optimum power delivery. The robust Raider reaches a maximum driving speed of 19 km/h.

Thanks to the excellent all-round view of the load and the surroundings, safe operation is guaranteed. The intelligent arrangement of the controls reduces the physical strain on the driver and enables easy operation without unnecessary arm and shoulder movements. The fully suspended comfortable seat absorbs shocks and vibrations on uneven ground. The ramp function prevents unintentional acceleration or rolling backwards on ramps and inclines.

The Raider series is equipped with a modern 4.3-inch LCD colour display that provides information on all important driving parameters. Three riding modes are available to adapt the riding characteristics to the application: H (High), S (Standard) and E (Eco). For additional safety, the L25-35XE series is equipped with the Operator Presence System (OPS). The OPS automatically switches off the hydraulic and drive functions when the operator leaves the driver’s seat. The truck can only be moved when the operator is seated and in control of the vehicle.

To adapt the Raider to different applications, Clark offers, for example, different driver’s seats, blue LED warning lights as a visual reversing warning, additional hydraulic functions for attachments, fork positioners with sideshift function.

The powerhouse for demanding customers

The Clark Renegade (S25-35XE) is designed for operators who want the benefits of the Clark S-Series – Smart. Strong. Safe. Built on the proven chassis of the S-Series IC engine-powered forklifts, the models, like the S-Series Electric, have an impressive range of safety features, customizable options and maximum comfort. They therefore offer maximum flexibility for a wide range of indoor and outdoor applications.

As a powerful yet very quiet electric forklift truck, the Renegade combines pioneering Li-ion technology with a robust, ergonomically optimized vehicle frame and tried-and-tested lift masts from our own production with 6-roller fork carriage. Its emission-free and low-noise operation makes the Renegade the ideal choice for applications in mixed areas where the focus is on quiet work processes. The vehicle achieves a sound pressure level at the driver’s ear of less than 65 dB(A). Thanks to its versatile safety functions and extensive options, the S25-35XE can be flexibly adapted to the individual requirements of a wide range of industries and applications. The complete ramp stop ensures safe use on ramps, for example if the vehicle is frequently used for truck loading. The roll-back protection activates the automatic parking brake and thus prevents the vehicle from rolling backwards.

The ergonomic driver’s workplace offers maximum comfort. The slim steering column offers the operator generous legroom, while the optimally positioned step ensures safe and comfortable entry and exit. The hydraulic levers, ergonomically mounted next to the driver’s seat with integrated direction change, enable intuitive and effortless control. The operator enjoys excellent all-round visibility. All these features reduce additional stress factors for the driver and allow safe and efficient work.

The Renegade’s Smart Display provides all important driving parameters at a glance. Among other things, it shows the battery status, error codes and operating hours in a clearly structured manner. The information is available in various languages. The driving characteristics, such as acceleration and braking behaviour, can be individually adapted to the operator’s requirements via the 5-inch colour display. When using a reversing camera, the image is transmitted directly to the colour display. This means that the driver always has an overview of the route and surroundings, even when reversing. The optional load weight display is also shown to the driver via the Smart Display. This increases safety during load handling. Long operating times and short charging cycles thanks to the advanced Li-Ion technology make the Renegade a reliable partner for companies that need a reliable and efficient solution.

The extensive optional equipment of the Renegade series includes different cabs, such as rain protection (steel roof), weather protection (steel roof and windshield), partial (steel roof, front and rear windshield) and full cabs, mini levers integrated in the armrest with direction change or mechanical levers, blue LED warning lights as a visual reversing warning, reversing camera, load weight display, Clark VMS system, USB charging port for charging mobile devices, attachments and additional safety options.

“We are delighted to launch the Raider and Renegade crossover electric forklift ranges, which not only significantly increase efficiency, but also ensure environmentally friendly and sustainable material handling,” explains Thomas Bach, Director R&D at Clark Europe. “The Raider and Renegade crossover electric forklift trucks are the perfect solution for companies that want to remain competitive in an ever-changing logistics world.”

similar news

Electrified Forklifts with Crossover-Technology

 

Subscribe

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