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Day: 4 December 2025

How to Keep Fleets on the Road

Posted on by Will Priestman

To keep fleet vehicles moving and minimize costly downtime, fleet managers rely heavily on efficient logistics and dependable parts supply. Supply chain delays, global disruptions, and parts shortages can quickly turn routine maintenance into major operational setbacks, sidelining vehicles for days or even weeks. By using strong inventory strategies, predictive analytics, and reliable supplier partnerships, fleets can forecast demand, ensure fast repairs, and maintain on-time delivery performance.

The Cost of Fleet Downtime

Parts shortages significantly strain logistics operations by driving up expenses and limiting vehicle availability. Repair costs and upfitting have risen more than 20% since 2020 due to aging equipment, delayed shipments, higher labour rates, and costlier raw materials. Technicians often search local shops or repurpose parts from other vehicles, underscoring the need for better inventory planning.

One missed part delivery can cause service interruptions, shipment delays, and customer dissatisfaction. Direct losses include out-of-service vehicles, extended labour, rush shipping, and lost revenue. Indirect impacts include reduced logistics reliability and weakened business relationships.

Proactive Inventory Management

Logistics teams can prevent disruptions by shifting from reactive repairs to proactive inventory management. Modern inventory management systems (IMS) automate the tracking of spare parts, alert teams when stock runs low, and help forecast seasonal fluctuations. Key features include low-stock notifications, automated restock reminders, repair-frequency analysis, and purchasing-workflow integration. By improving visibility and eliminating manual errors, IMS tools reduce repair delays and help technicians respond quickly to maintenance needs.

Predictive Analytics for Parts Forecasting

Predictive analytics powered by telematics and historical repair data helps managers anticipate component failures and order parts in advance. By monitoring vehicle sensors and driver behaviour, fleets can:

  • Predict when components are likely to fail
  • Order critical parts early to avoid supply chain delays
  • Allocate inventory efficiently across service locations

This approach reduces emergency sourcing costs and unnecessary stockpiling. Fleets using predictive analytics report up to 15% improved vehicle uptime, better fuel efficiency, and reduced technician hours.

Tracking parts usage and repair patterns also highlights frequently used components and common points of failure. Many fleets build onboard emergency kits based on usage data so drivers can complete minor repairs in the field.

Strengthening Supplier Partnerships

Reliable supplier relationships are essential for maintaining consistent parts availability. Fleet managers should evaluate suppliers based on delivery consistency, flexibility, and quality. Diversifying vendors -using secondary or regional suppliers – helps cover spikes in demand and reduces vulnerability when supply chain disruptions arise. Transparent communication also strengthens forecasting accuracy and negotiation power.

Digital marketplaces expand sourcing options even further by allowing fast access to multiple vendors, including any auto parts seller capable of filling urgent gaps. Predictive insights give fleet managers lead time to secure alternative suppliers and negotiate favourable terms when traditional pipelines face delays.

Real-World Outcomes

Integrating IMS tools, predictive analytics, and diversified supplier networks offers measurable benefits, including:

Reliable parts supply is no longer just a maintenance function – it’s a strategic imperative for logistics leaders dedicated to efficiency, cost control, and uninterrupted fleet operations.

Drylock Builds Next-Gen Green Warehouse

Posted on by David Priestman

Drylock Technologies, global supplier of sustainable hygiene products, is strengthening its operational infrastructure and expanding its logistics capabilities, with the construction of a new automated high-density warehouse at its production site in Hrádek nad Nisou, Czech Republic.


This initiative marks the second major collaboration between Drylock and Körber, reinforcing a strategic partnership built on trust and focused both on innovation and sustainability.


The new distribution centre for finished goods is the result of a clockwork tailor-made design, combining high-density storage with high-performance. The compact solution minimizes the building footprint while providing additional storage capacity of more than 28,000 pallet locations.


As the solution architect, Körber is responsible for the coordination of engineering efforts and overseeing the seamless integration of structural components, automation and software systems.


For Drylock, an Ecovadis Platinum company, this project represents more than just infrastructure – it is another step towards the future of a sustainable supply chain. Aligned with this vision, the new warehouse incorporates eco-responsible materials and technologies, as it will be built using low-emission steel, and it will be equipped with state-of-the-art energy-efficient systems – all in all, reflecting the commitment to minimizing its environmental impact.


“This facility is designed to be sustainable in every sense—environmentally, operationally, and strategically,” says Ruben Benoot, Group Supply Chain Director at Drylock Technologies. “We are proud to once again partner with Körber to turn this vision into reality.”


Beyond sustainability, the new project delivers tangible operational benefits. It enables faster, more flexible inbound and outbound processes, optimizes logistics, and enhances workplace safety and ergonomics. At the same time, it strengthens reliability, ensuring every product reaches customers with the highest standards of quality, speed, and care.


“Our continued collaboration with Drylock is a reflection of our shared ambition to shape the future of supply chains through innovative and sustainable solutions, based on long-term partnerships with our customers” adds Paola Elizalde, VP Marketing & Sales EMEA at Körber Supply Chain, business area Automation.


Hydrogen Fuel Cells Power BMW AGVs

Posted on by David Priestman

Hydrogen fuel cells developed by Intelligent Energy, fuel cell manufacturers, are at the core of a new fleet of 130 Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) commissioned by BMW for its advanced vehicle assembly plant in Leipzig, Germany.

The German plant is BMW’s test bed for pioneering manufacturing automation and employs AGVs extensively in intralogistics – the movement of materials and components throughout the factory.
Developed in collaboration with Austrian autonomous vehicle specialist DS Automotion, the new AGVs are the first to be designed from the ground up around Intelligent Energy’s proprietary IE-POWER™ fuel cell system.


The deployment follows a successful three-year trial in which battery-powered AGVs retrofitted with Intelligent Energy fuel cells showed greater reliability, efficiency and environmental performance.
Powered by green hydrogen, the AGVs operated for longer than their battery predecessors, and their ability to refuel in seconds eliminated lengthy charging stops. With minimal downtime, the hydrogen AGVs offered greater operational flexibility, allowing BMW to reduce the total fleet size by 20%. This was achieved while still delivering zero-emission performance – supporting BMW’s efforts to cut downtime and strengthen its sustainability strategy.

Fifty of the new AGVs have been delivered to Leipzig and are already in use. The remaining units will enter service within the next six months.


“The three-year trial with BMW is the most comprehensive case study yet for our hydrogen fuel cells in an AGV application and the results speak for themselves,” said David Fields, Head of IE-POWER Stationary and Standby Power Solutions at Intelligent Energy. “Fuel cells are well suited to material handling and intralogistics, where uptime and reliability are critical. BMW’s decision to adopt a purpose-built hydrogen fleet powered by our systems at one of the world’s most advanced car plants is a strong endorsement of their efficiency, reliability and performance.”


All Intelligent Energy’s UK-developed fuel cells feature a patented air-cooling system that delivers class-leading energy density in a compact, lightweight package. Its IE-POWER™ fuel cells can also be found in forklifts, access platforms and other warehousing and material handling machinery.

Built in 2005, and backed by €5 billion of investment, BMW Leipzig is one of the world’s most advanced car production plants. The plant employs 6,800 people and produces about 1,300 cars each day.

Dr. Stefan Fenchel, Project Lead Sustainability, BMW Group Plant Leipzig, said: “The fuel cell AGVs proved their value during the trial, particularly in overcoming the recharging downtime that limits battery systems. By removing this constraint, we now have a more flexible fleet that we have been able to reduce in size by 20 per cent – a clear gain in efficiency. This new fleet of hydrogen AGVs marks another step in BMW’s commitment to zero-emission manufacturing technologies and supports our goal of setting the benchmark for sustainable intralogistics.”

Bakery Grows Fleet with Box Van Trailers

Posted on by David Priestman

Tiger has designed, manufactured and supplied 15 tri-axle box van trailers to Allied Bakeries, further strengthening the relationship following the OEM’s supply of 36 rigid bodies to the bakery company last year. The trailers were delivered bearing the iconic blue and yellow Kingsmill 50/50 livery.


Dynamic production scheduling and efficient processes enabled Tiger to fulfil Allied’s fleet requirement at short notice, supporting the baker behind the Allinson’s, Kingsmill and Sunblest brands to maintain seamless logistical operations.

Box Van Trailers


Allied Bakeries’ were keen to build on the success of the previous order commenting, “The quality of the rigid bodies Tiger supplied last year was excellent, so we tasked them with delivering our latest fleet trailer requirement to the same standards within an expedient timescale – and the Tiger team delivered.”
With longevity a key factor in the build specification the Engineering teams at both Tiger and Allied Bakeries partnered up to work through design improvements on these trailers, with Tiger utilising 3D modelling to bring them to life for the customer.


Thomas Stott, Tiger Trailers’ Key Account Director, says:

At Tiger we’re very pleased to have supplied Allied Bakeries with trailers for the first time, following the rigid bodies we manufactured for them in 2024. They are a great group of people to collaborate with and we’re proud to have been able to build their latest fleet trailer requirement at short notice for them, fully tailored as always.

The Supply Chain of Curry

Posted on by David Priestman

New research has been undertaken looking at supply chain resilience using the world of curry. With extreme weather, cyber-attacks, tariffs, and geopolitical instability, supply chain resilience has been one of the hot topics of 2025. Now, researchers at Cranfield University have spiced things up even further by investigating the complex supply chain for one of Britain’s favourite dishes: chicken tikka masala.

Examining a ready meal version of the dinner time dish made by an SME in the UK, Cranfield’s researchers found that it involved sourcing over 20 ingredients and packaging materials with origins that can be traced back to 36 different countries, revealing an intricate supply chain with multiple potential points of failure. Read the full study here.

Kate Jones, PhD student at Cranfield University and lead author on the study, said: “The last 12 months have shown the increasing threats to global supply chains, and as a result, more businesses are showing an increased focus on resilience. While most people understand that the biggest companies will have supply chains that are global, in many cases it’s the small and medium-sized businesses that make up most of those supply chains and can be the first to suffer when things go wrong if they’re a small part of the supplier’s overall business.

“SMEs are often handling hugely complex supply chains, even for things we’d think would be simple to produce such as a ready meal. With so many moving parts it’s vital they have alternatives in place for when things do get disrupted. That resilience is key to getting these products on our shelves, and ensuring consumers can continue to enjoy their curry without worry.”

Three areas crucial to resilient supply chains

The three areas examined in the research framework are:

  • Robustness – trying to prevent problems.
  • Recovery – how to come back after a problem.
  • Reorientation – adapting and changing to improve in the future.

Using surveys, interviews and a workshop that involved people across three levels of the supply chain, researchers found that while robustness and recovery are prioritised, it’s reorientation that often receives less focus from SMEs, in part because it requires additional investment or capacity.

The researchers also reveal how, in this case study of the chicken tikka masala supply chain, power imbalances shape the ability to achieve resilience. SMEs can have limited buying power, especially when they’re dealing with far larger suppliers. During disruptions, these SMEs often find themselves disadvantaged, as large suppliers tend to favour their largest customers.

“What we’ve shown here is that while robustness and recovery are very important elements, it’s reorientation that can have the largest effect on the ability to avoid future supply chain issues,” continued Kate Jones. “But that’s where the smaller companies can struggle as it costs time, money and resource to change the way you do things – when simply getting things working again can be a big challenge.”

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