17 June, 2026

Elis Invests in Major Fleet Expansion Programme

Posted on 17 June, 202617 June, 2026 by Will Priestman

Companies operating in the textile services sector rely on extensive transport networks to collect, process and redistribute essential items such as workwear, linen, mats and washroom products. Elis, which supplies and maintains workwear, linen, floor mats and washroom solutions for businesses across a range of sectors, is supporting its logistics operation with a major fleet investment programme. The company is introducing 140 new DAF rigids, supplied by Ford & Slater and built in partnership with Tiger Trailers, which is also providing a third double-deck trailer for the fleet.

The rollout will take place over two years, with 53 rigid bodywork solutions entering service in 2026 and a further 87 arriving in 2027. Spanning 7.5-tonne, 12-tonne and 18-tonne vehicle categories in a range of body lengths, the new vehicles will enhance fleet flexibility and support the efficient collection and delivery of products across Elis’ UK network.

Peter Kelly, Group Compliance and Fleet Manager at Elis says:

This is our second year working with Tiger after the first two trailers and a trial rigid they supplied previously, and we continue to be very pleased with the end products. Tom and the team listen to our requirements, and we are proud to welcome these ongoing Tiger vehicles to our fleet. Thanks also goes to Stuart and his colleagues at Ford & Slater for continuing to look after us as our choice of chassis dealer.

Elis have switched from DAF XB to flagship DAF XD 260 FA chassis from Q2 of 2026 onwards to not only obtain a 3-star rating for DVS, but to equip the drivers with the latest technology and safety features available to date.

Customised to meet their unique requirements as the end user, the Tiger-built rigid bodywork solutions for Elis include a high-impact side rave for protecting bodywork when operating in tight environments, Anchorfix in the side panels to mitigate internal load securing damage, a new design of heavy-duty tail-lift from Dhollandia with a power closure and steel platform, and a ‘Tiger Tale’ sloping rear body for aerodynamics and fuel efficiency.

The rigids’ specification also includes BackWatch’s rear radar detection system as part of London Direct Vision Standard compliance, Durite’s innovative Red Halo warning light which casts an arc of red light at the rear to protect users and pedestrians, and a wet-lay floor in conjunction with an internal sanitiser system, for transport of damp hospital items.

Stuart Morley, National Account Manager at Ford & Slater comments:

These large quantities of Elis rigids we’re collaborating with Tiger on this year and next are part of the larger partnership we have with the manufacturer, working together to deliver tailored solutions for a variety of end users. We’re delighted that our mutual long-term customer Elis has chosen the DAF XD 260 FA model for the next phase of its fleet expansion. Thank you to Peter at Elis and Thomas at Tiger for your ongoing trust in Ford & Slater.

Elis’ latest trailer manufactured by Tiger is an additional double deck straight-frame, with a full-length moving deck finished with the same non-slip flooring as the lower deck. The primary load transported is cages of 1700mm in height, secured by LoadLok tracks, and designed to be removeable from the upper deck while the tail-lift is in the up position.

The moving deck is powered by Tiger’s hydraulic four-ram direct drive system, while Tiger’s solenoid safety system warns against low or inconsistent power supply, to enhance operator safety.

Thomas Stott, Key Account Director at Tiger Trailers remarks:

We’re grateful for and proud of our ongoing partnership with both Ford & Slater and with Elis, one of the leaders in their sector. It’s always a pleasure to collaborate closely with their respective teams who are passionate about having the best-suited vehicles in place for busy daily operations often in urban areas.

Tiger arranged the contract hire for the additional double deck trailer deal through its own in-house finance division, meaning that the manufacturer is responsible for maintaining these vehicles, while PACCAR Financial UK funded the DAF chassis.

Elis’ operations span workwear, hospitality, and healthcare, and the rigid trucks along with the trailer sport various eye-catching liveries depicting the sectors involved.

To date, Tiger has already supplied around 150 rigid bodywork solutions through Ford & Slater DAF to a range of end users including Elis.

New Fulfilment Centre in the Netherlands

Posted on 17 June, 202617 June, 2026 by David Priestman

ecommerce logistics specialists Cainiao is expanding its European logistics footprint with a new high-efficiency supply chain fulfilment centre in the Netherlands, reinforcing its cross-border and local fulfillment capabilities across the region. The new site is designed to support both B2B distribution and B2C order fulfillment, helping merchants and consumers across Europe benefit from more efficient logistics services.

The company has secured the warehouse on a 10-year lease. The facility, recently completed by a local property developer, spans 26,000 square meters and includes both warehouse and office space. Its location offers convenient access to the Port of Rotterdam and key transport links across inland Europe, making it well positioned to serve regional distribution needs.

This will be Cainiao’s second warehouse facility in the Netherlands. It is also part of a broader acceleration of the company’s warehouse expansion across Europe. In April, Cainiao launched four new overseas warehouses in Daventry in the UK, Paris in France, Madrid in Spain, and Rokitno in Poland, reflecting continued investment in regional logistics capacity.

The expansion comes as demand for global warehousing and fulfilment services continues to grow. Cainiao is actively building out its European warehouse network to help global merchants improve delivery efficiency and better serve customers across the continent. By increasing localized infrastructure, the company aims to support faster and more reliable cross-border operations at scale.

“Europe is one of our key strategic markets, and we are continuing to build out a stronger warehouse network to support merchants across the region,” said Sun Beibei, Deputy General Manager of Cainiao Global Supply Chain. “What merchants need today is not just storage space, but a supply chain infrastructure that can respond quickly, flexibly and efficiently to changing business demands. Warehouses are becoming much more than storage facilities.”

The new Dutch fulfilment centre will also feature more than 100 of Cainiao’s self-developed climbing robots. These robots are designed to automate storage and retrieval tasks within the warehouse, helping improve productivity and operational consistency.
“As we scale our warehouse network, automation becomes essential to smarter operations,” Sun said. “Robotics allows us to improve throughput, reduce operational friction and build a more scalable fulfillment model for the long term.”

“Climbing robots are particularly valuable because they combine ground movement, vertical climbing, and bin transport and retrieval in one system. That makes them a practical solution for improving efficiency while also making better use of warehouse space.”

Looking ahead, Cainiao will continue to make robotics and automation a central pillar of its long-term strategy as it expands its international logistics footprint and builds a more efficient, scalable, and resilient global supply chain network. Cainiao’s global supply chain network now operates more than 50 warehouses across 18 countries and regions, serving industries including automotive parts, home goods, appliances, and furniture.

WMS and Voice at New Fresh Food Facility

Posted on 17 June, 202618 June, 2026 by David Priestman

Swiss food discount retailer Denner has successfully gone live with the LFS Warehouse Management System and LYDIA Voice, the voice-directed picking solution from EPG (Ehrhardt Partner Group), at its new fresh food distribution centre in Mägenwil. A key distinguishing feature of the project was Denner’s ability to carry out the implementation largely independently. Thanks to many years of experience with LFS and LYDIA Voice, combined with close support from EPG, the company was able to efficiently and seamlessly transfer the established processes from its six existing sites in Schmitten, Frauenfeld, Lyss, Dietlikon, and an adjacent warehouse in Mägenwil to the new facility.

“Our long-standing and trusted partnership with EPG is an excellent example of sustain-able knowledge transfer,” explains Micha Burkhardt, Head of Business Applications Sales & Logistics at Denner.

During our first joint projects, the EPG team invested heavily in training and supporting our key users, enabling us to build extensive expertise in operating LFS and LYDIA Voice over the years. As a result, we were able to handle the commissioning, user training, and first-level support for the new fresh food facility largely on our own. Throughout the project, EPG primarily acted as a sparring partner for solution design and quality assurance, helping ensure a successful implementation.

The temperature-controlled warehouse in Mägenwil is already the sixth Denner site running EPG solutions. From this facility, Denner supplies approximately 250 stores with fresh products while meeting strict refrigeration and hygiene requirements. More than 700 products are stored across approximately 10,000 square meters of warehouse space at temperatures ranging from 2°C to 5°C. One of the primary objectives of the new facility was to significantly reduce transportation distances and further strengthen regional fresh food logistics. As a result, several thousand transportation kilometers can now be eliminated annually.

LFS manages all warehouse processes, from goods receipt and order picking to ship-ping, while ensuring strict compliance with the FIFO principle. Maintaining an uninter-rupted cold chain is another critical requirement. The operation relies on conventional material handling equipment, including order pickers, reach trucks, and counterbalance forklifts. For voice-directed picking, Denner uses LYDIA Voice on Zebra TC22 mobile devices paired with Bluetooth headsets. Employees currently work with the system in German, French, and English.

A key advantage of the voice solution is that it requires no voice training. Employees can begin working productively with LYDIA Voice immediately, regardless of language, dia-lect, or accent. This provides a high degree of operational flexibility, particularly when onboarding new employees or temporary workers.

The complete go-live was successfully completed in less than two weeks. However, the collaboration between the two partners is far from over. Denner is currently constructing another new distribution center in Aclens for ambient products, which is scheduled to go into operation in 2027.

Storage Capacity for Healthcare Logistics

Posted on 17 June, 2026 by David Priestman

Movianto, part of Yusen Logistics and specializing in pharmaceutical and healthcare logistics, has significantly expanded its facility in Aalst, Belgium. Temperature-controlled pallet storage capacity has nearly doubled from 14,000 to 25,000. The newly extended site, which is now fully operational, increases space for pharmaceutical and medical products across ambient (15–25°C), refrigerated (2–8°C), frozen (–20°C), and ultra-cold (–80°C) temperature ranges. The expansion addresses growing demand for specialized healthcare supply chain services even amid a challenging economic climate.

“Despite broader economic headwinds, demand for our specialized healthcare solutions continues to grow,” said Bruno Jacques, Deputy Managing Director of Yusen Logistics (Europe) and CEO of Yusen Logistics Healthcare.

“This growth is driven by two factors: our strong pharmaceutical focus, which allows customers to choose services ranging from storage to full order to cash solutions, and a growing preference for integrated supply chain models that combine warehousing with international freight forwarding by rail, air and ocean.”

These integrated capabilities, long established within Movianto, have been further strengthened since the company became part of Yusen Logistics last year. The expansion supports Yusen Logistics’ strategy to build global, industry focused supply chain solutions, with pharmaceutical and healthcare logistics positioned as one of its core verticals alongside aerospace, automotive, food, retail and technology.

The expanded Aalst site went live this month following inspection by the relevant authorities. The multi user warehouse complies with EU Good Distribution Practice (GDP) requirements for medicinal products and meets the stringent security standards of TAPA, alongside ISO quality certifications. “This is one of the most demanding certification frameworks in the industry,” said Leen Michiels, Site Manager, Movianto in Aalst.

“It goes well beyond standard ISO 9001 requirements and includes measures such as video surveillance, full perimeter fencing and controlled access.”

The expansion also strengthens Movianto’s specialist service offering and supports workforce growth at the Aalst site. Dedicated new areas have been added for hazardous goods and narcotics, responding to rising customer demand, while the local team will increase from around 100 to 150 employees. The hazardous goods zone provides 576 pallet positions within a controlled 15–25°C environment and is equipped with in rack sprinklers on every level.

Bonded Transit Hub

Bruno Jacques added: “Like our Belgian site in Houdeng Goegnies, Aalst is playing an increasingly important role in international healthcare supply chains. Non European customers use Belgium as a strategic gateway to Europe, while the site also serves as a transit hub for global logistics flows—allowing customers to route goods efficiently to both EU and non EU destinations.”
Licensed as a bonded warehouse, the Aalst site allows goods in transit to be stored duty free and provides customs clearance for EU imports and exports. The expansion also enables customers to combine additional storage capacity with specialist services, including clinical trial logistics and GMP licensed activities such as secondary packaging and country specific adaptations, including leaflet changes.

Sustainability Built into Daily Operations

To support efficient and environmentally responsible operations, Movianto’s Aalst site integrates a range of sustainability measures into both the original facility and its expansion. A rooftop photovoltaic system will supply around 50% of the site’s projected electricity demand, up from 30% previously. Heating and cooling of the ambient warehouse are provided by a heat pump. The cool warehouse is using natural CO₂ as refrigerant, which is non toxic and non flammable. Energy consumption is further reduced through high efficiency LED lights and motion-activated lighting, while rainwater harvesting supports non potable uses such as toilet flushing. To minimize land sealing, all parking areas are surfaced with permeable paving, allowing rainwater to drain naturally.

The Aalst expansion underscores Movianto’s long term commitment to pharmaceutical logistics in Belgium and Yusen Logistics’ strategy to build integrated, compliant healthcare supply chain solutions worldwide.

Bonded Transit Hub

Sustainability Built into Daily Operations

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