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Category: Latest News

Schoeller Allibert Launches JumboNest

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Schoeller Allibert has launched JumboNest – a heavy-duty rigid pallet container. Designed and manufactured by Schoeller Allibert, a European market leader in the production of recyclable, reusable and returnable transit packaging (RTP), JumboNest has been launched in response to the specific needs of the food manufacturing sector, and with a clear focus towards the needs of meat and poultry processors. JumboNest is hygienic, fully stackable and created to maximise freight storage.

Nick James, Sales Director at Schoeller Allibert UK, commented: “With JumboNest, we have created a heavy-duty bulk container for today’s highly challenged food sector that offers demonstrable benefits over existing solutions. It potentially provides a huge cost benefit to the food processor through the reduction of food spoilage and waste in the supply chain.

“A key challenge when transporting meat and poultry is its short shelf life and ensuring it remains chilled or frozen. JumboNest can withstand temperatures from -7°C to +40°C and has conical sidewalls to improve cold air circulation when containers are stacked and flanked. This reduces the amount of energy needed to store temperature-critical meat produce, minimising the environmental impact in transit and also ensuring product quality is maintained.”

Featuring a reinforced base, laden JumboNest containers can be stacked six-high in storage and three-high in transit, enabling 78 to be transported at any one time. The containers are nestable when empty, improving vehicle fill by around 250% and generating a 75% reduction in the cost of return logistics, when compared with standard straight-walled containers.

JumboNest is constructed from a single-shot mould of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic, enhancing both strength and rigidity, while its smooth surface, easy-grab handles and no ‘awkward-to-reach’ areas create an ideal storage solution for the meat processing sector where hygiene is paramount.

The packaging can also be specified with RFID and the Internet of Things (IoT) capabilities to enhance traceability and food safety.

In its debut year, it has received a Red Dot Industrial Design Award and was highly commended at the UK Packaging Awards 2020 for ‘Supply Chain Solution of the Year’; testimony to its fundamental cost-benefit advantages for food manufacturers and processors.

James commented: “For our new JumboNest design to be recognised by industry leaders so soon after launching highlights the dedication that has gone into its development. RTP is often the unsung hero of the supply chain, but there are real-time benefits for the manufacturers and retailers that rely on it.”

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New Managers join Interroll team to Strengthen Innovation

Posted on by Keith McKinley

New managers with a strategic innovation focus have recently joined the Interroll team. The company also established its Innovation Projects and Development Center (IPDC) in 2019, which sits at the heart of its innovation process.

New Interroll Head of IPDC Dr. Christopher Matheisen took over responsibility in August 2020. For more than 10 years he has worked in various research and development (R & D) roles. His professional career comprises being cofounder and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of a successful start-up in the field of sensorics, and then serving as R&D Platform Manager for autonomous driving at Saint-Gobain Sekurit (Automotive). He has proven competencies in project, resource, and budget management as well as interdisciplinary technical knowledge in electronics, mechanics, and software.

New Interroll Head of Intellectual Property (IP) Stephan Kohlhof  assumed his position in mid-August 2020. An engineer in mechatronics, he has worked for more than 10 years as a German and European patent attorney. Before his appointment at Interroll, he was Head of IP Team Elevator Technologies at the JUVE 2019 award winning in-house IP department of Thyssenkrupp.

Matheisen and Kohlhof report to Dr. Christian Ripperda, Vice President System Innovation at Interroll. Ripperda was appointed innovation lead at the beginning of 2020.

“We are pleased that with Dr. Matheisen and Mr. Kohlhof, two renowned experts will contribute to further strengthening Interroll’s ability to innovate. Our innovation capacities play a key role in enabling our customers with products and solutions that offer quality, speed, and easiness, and strengthen our position as a thought leader within our industry,” says Ripperda.

CEO Paul Zumbühl stepped down as Interroll’s CEO earlier this year.

Interroll reported improved profits in the first half of this year, despite a slow-down in the number of orders.

LTS Global Solutions Completes Management buy-out

Posted on by Keith McKinley

LTS Global Solutions has completed a successful management buy-out (MBO), setting the business on route to grow by more than 40% in the next five years.

The Birmingham-headquartered provider of logistics, transport and shipping services, LTS Global Solutions was established in 1999 as a transport operator. The company has since grown to become a total service provider offering global supply chain solutions – specifically in the specialisms of ocean, air and rail services, third party logistics (3PL) and fulfilment solutions. The company currently employs 60 people at its Midlands hub and plans to create at least six new jobs next year, when it anticipates taking on additional premises to handle new incoming contracts. By 2022 the business hopes to have found larger, state-of-the-art premises to enable it to cope with anticipated demand for its services.

The MBO, which was completed in mid-November 2020, will enable LTS Global Solutions to focus on areas of growth such as import/export and e-fulfillment, which is becoming even more important as a result of the current Covid-19 outbreak.

Leading the MBO team is current managing director Dave Hands and Mirza Baig, LTS’s director of international services. Commenting on the business’s growth plans, Dave Hands said: “Our business has always been known for its impeccable customer service, reliability and knowledge of global logistics. This deal will enable us to bring in new thinking and further investment to realise our ambitious growth plans.

“Our key markets are construction, retail and manufacturing, where we provide a wide range of added-value logistics services. This is where we differentiate ourselves from our competitors – providing customers with more than just transport services, rather complete, business critical logistics solutions.”

With Brexit imminent, LTS sees significant growth in the area of global logistics over the next few years. The company already operates a seamless worldwide 3PL operation for customers, thanks to its well-established network of trusted international partners. In the UK, LTS is a member of The Pallet Network, a partnership that guarantees cost-efficient nationwide distribution coverage and the ability to provide a total logistics service for businesses using e-commerce.

LTS Global Solutions currently has an annual turnover of £8m. Over the past three years the business has grown steadily, but sees great opportunities for growth post-Covid, aiming to achieve sales of £11.5m by 2025.

The MBO team was advised by national law firm Backhouse Jones with due diligence being undertaken by accountants Moore and Smalley.

Click here for more 3PL news.

New Diesel ‘Smart’ Forklift Trucks

Posted on by David Priestman

Hyundai Material Handling has introduced its new 9V diesel ‘smart’ forklift trucks.The new range boasts a lot of ‘smart’ features, while complying with European Stage V emission levels, and offering best standard warranty in the industry.

In their mission of ‘Moving you Further’, Hyundai’s engineers have aimed for a ground-breaking level of customer satisfaction by delivering maximum fuel efficiency, enhanced productivity, extra safety features, improved uptime, whilst maintaining great driver comfort. These new generation forklifts, ranging from the 2.5 to 3.5 ton lifting capacity (Diesel 9V series), to the 3.5 to 5 ton (Diesel 9VB/VC series) machines, have become a perfect example of this approach. They represent trucks that by far exceed the market requirements by delivering smart features on all important criteria while complying with the European stage V emission levels.

Major topics like fuel efficiency, productivity, safety, convenience and improved uptime are key in this new forklift range. To support these ‘smart’ features, Hyundai Material Handling comes up with the best standard warranty in the industry. In addition to the forklift standard warranty of 2 years/3000 hours, the new Hyundai powertrain benefits from an additional 1000 hours, giving the powertrain a warranty of 2 years/4000 hours.

Commenting on the new diesel forklift trucks series Christopher Thompson, Head of Sales Western Europe for Material Handling, said: “Our new Stage V ‘Packed with Smartness’-range of diesel forklifts demonstrates Hyundai’s commitment to continuous product development in response to the needs of our European customers.

“Our new stage V engines offer significant improvements in fuel efficiency along with easy maintenance, resulting in lower operating costs. However, this is not the end of the story. We also took this opportunity to develop new and enhanced features which have a positive impact on driver comfort, safety and performance. Add to this the best standard warranty in the industry and you know that Hyundai Material Handling is a reliable ‘go to’ partner”.

Christopher Thompson was appointed Head of Sales earlier this year

 

 

“The Forklifts and their Secret Superpowers” by Emer Conlon and Combilift

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Collaboration between forklift manufacturer Combilift and award-winning Irish author Emer Conlon has resulted in “The Forklifts and their Secret Superpowers”, an exciting new children’s book has been launched just in time for Christmas, which depicts the main Combilift products as cartoon characters. Innovation has been a hallmark of Combilift and this has now been extended to capture children’s imaginations.

The combination of a children’s book and one of the largest indigenous companies in Ireland may not seem a likely fit, but according to Emer Conlon this is a novel way to communicate with existing and potential customers, as well as being involved in the education of the next generation. “I also wanted to use it as a marketing tool for the adults and so I used the USPs of the actual forklifts and turned them into the superpowers of the characters. That way both adults and children would get something from the book. “Martin McVicar (Combilift MD) really liked the idea – especially the educational aspect for children and as a result, CombiKids was created. So Combilift is ‘Lifting Innovation’ and now CombiKids is ‘Lifting Imaginations’”

“The aim was to achieve a balance between Combilift branding and creating a story, filled with drama and excitement featuring endearing characters that children would fall in love with. The Combilift adventure is a real page turner and the book also has a couple of ‘baddies’ – but these are of course not Combilift trucks!” For further enjoyment, there is an activity section at the back which includes something for all age groups such as one-off activities (join the dots and a word search puzzle) and activities that can be completed again and again (a Maze, Spot the Difference and a Map of the World). These add to the engagement and interaction that children will get from the book.

The CombiKids book highlights overcoming difficulties, the importance of friendship and that bullying is unacceptable. Needless to say, the hero is always a Combilift truck who “saves the day”. Also as the forklift trucks are all different shapes and sizes, there is a focus on the importance of being accepting of others’ differences, no matter what they look like or what shape or size they are.

Martin explains, “We believe it is very important to be involved with the education of the next generation and to that end we already have a number of programs including apprenticeships, tours, etc. However, our new CombiKids initiative will involve even younger children as they would ‘buy-into’ the Combilift brand by creating an association with it. This will encourage future engineers and other budding talent, as well as motivating children to read. It is a great way to highlight Combilift to a wider community that may not be overly familiar with it”.

Combilift was amongst the winners of the 2020 Red Dot Design Award thsi year  for it’s Combi-CBE4 model – the world’s first compact counterbalance design electric powered multidirectional forklift with its patented traction on all wheels. For the full story click here

 

Vanderlande delivers innovative AIRTRAX Pocket to de Bijenkorf

Posted on by David Priestman

Vanderlande has installed its advanced AIRTRAX Pocket for de Bijenkorf at its Tilburg warehouse, the first large-scale system of its kind in The Netherlands.

The omni-channel solution is now fully operational. The Pocket sorter supports three areas on site: B2C orders; B2B store orders storing ‘fast movers’ and ecommerce returns in the storage area. It will be operated on de Bijenkorf’s behalf by Ingram Micro Commerce & Lifecycle Services, a leading provider of supply chain solutions. De Bijenkorf – meaning “the beehive” – is the most renowned chain of high-end premium department stores of the Netherlands.

Through its retail and e-commerce stores, the company sells luxury clothing, fashion accessories, cosmetics and perfume, as well as furniture and home accessories. One of the drivers behind de Bijenkorf’s decision to move to a central warehouse in Tilburg was that its older facilities were no longer fit for purpose.

The new 32,159m2 warehouse will supply seven national stores, as well as e-commerce orders from Germany, Luxemburg, Belgium, The Netherlands, France and Austria. To support its activities, de Bijenkorf required a cutting-edge automated solution that offered a sortation capacity of up to 8,000 items per hour and could handle both e-commerce multi-item and retail orders.

Vanderlande’s AIRTRAX Pocket is an innovative and reliable solution for transporting, sequencing and storing goods. There are approximately 48,000 pockets within the Tilburg system and the solution offers de Bijenkorf a loading capacity of 8,000 pockets per hour. The Pocket sorter will allow de Bijenkorf to handle around 95% of its 210,000 SKUs.

“In seeing the operation live, I am highly impressed by the Vanderlande AIRTRAX Pocket,” says Maxim Hurkmans, Business Unit Director, Ingram Micro. “We knew that the solution would become an integral part of our omni-channel warehouse because of its ability to reduce lead and transportation times and improve our stock handling.”

“De Bijenkorf has strong growth ambitions and is looking to move into different territories. To do so and to remain competitive, highly automated solutions such as the AIRTRAX Pocket are essential. Not only is the system performing effectively, but Vanderlande worked closely with us at all times during the installation process and has been a truly professional partner,” adds Joeri de Vaan, Senior Manager Operations, Ingram Micro.

“Innovations such as the AIRTRAX Pocket showcase our ambition to stay at the forefront of technology in the warehousing sector,” says Vanderlande’s Executive Vice President Warehousing and Parcel, Terry Verkuijlen. “We are proud to have partnered with Ingram Micro on this latest development, and now that the Pocket sorter is live, the warehouse can continue to deliver a first-class shopping experience to its customers.”

A Global Event

Posted on by Keith McKinley

This time last year we looked at the 12 months ahead in optimistic mood, visualising the further advance of digital transformation supported by sustainable solutions. The good vibes were tempered by the nervousness that, although a Brexit transition deal had been agreed, the final deal was yet to be done. Right on both counts, perhaps, but definitely not in the way we thought, writes Paul Hamblin, Editor.

Logistics has put itself front and centre in the European public imagination in 2020, driven by ecommerce adoption as perhaps the principal mass change (acceleration is a better word, maybe) of habit caused by the COVID pandemic. I think back in April we all hoped – and probably believed – that by now Europe would have navigated a path out of the crisis. Instead, we’ve become used to living our working lives through our laptop screens, seeking ever-inventive ways to maintain established business relationships as well as to harvest new ones.

Great news – Logistics Business is here to help with that. We have a brand-new global event planned for the last week in February 2021 that we are all very excited about – a fullon
logistics exhibition, with six halls, exhibitor stands, panel discussions and, above all, an outstanding networking or lead generation opportunity.

And it’s all online. No travel or hotel costs, no social distancing regulations. Put simply, it’s our way of keeping the global industry connected using the best technology we can find, as we await the return of those face-to-face contact opportunities. As Europe’s best known English-language logistics journal, we feel a duty to keep everyone talking as usefully as we possibly can, particularly at a time when Europe’s roads and borders are more restricted than we are used to.

You can choose from any of six halls to exhibit your stand: Forklift and AGV Technology, Automation Handling Systems, Packaging and Pallets, Software and Computing, Transport Services and Equipment and Warehouse Equipment. Here’s another cool bit: this isn’t a stand that you assemble and then dismantle on February 25th – you can just keep it in place for a full second run of the
show planned for September 2021. Panel discussions and seminars are set to be an important addition to the main exhibitor halls. Led by Yours Truly, industry experts and veterans will discuss a plethora of themes to inform your future decision making in compact, bitesize online formats that you’ll be able to return to at your leisure.

If you have ideas for discussions, be it digital transformation, supply chain optimisation, workforce empowerment, sustainable packaging or something else altogether, or you’d like to take part in one of the panel discussions, or indeed if you’d like to nominate a panel member for our seminars, please don’t hesitate to get in touch today via our special Logistics Business Virtual Exhibition contact show@logisticsbusiness.com. Turn to page 6 for more details on this groundbreaking event.

Meanwhile, I hope you find plenty to inform and entertain you within the pages of our November 2020 issue. It’s packed with cutting-edge news, innovation and opinion from across the European logistics sphere.

Agility Announces Solar Projects to Provide Clean Power

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Agility, a global logistics provider, announced solar projects in Dubai and Jordan that will eventually cut the company’s carbon footprint in the region by 5%.

At Agility’s regional headquarters in Dubai, the solar photovoltaic (PV) plant involves installation of 17,500 panels at three sites with the capacity to generate nearly 8 mega-watts of power at peak. Installation will include a 5.45 MW system at two sites in the Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA), and a 2.6 MW system at the Dubai Investment Park. Once complete, Agility’s solar PV system will generate enough electricity to cover 60% of the energy requirements at the sites and save an estimated 8,838 tons of CO2 each year, roughly equivalent to the emissions generated by trucking 18,000 fully-loaded containers from Dubai to Abu Dhabi.

In Jordan, the solar photovoltaic plant will encompass 1,945 panels at Agility’s warehouse in Aqaba, with a capacity of 788 kilo-watt peak. The solar plant will generate enough electricity to cover 100% of the energy requirements and save an estimated 900 tons of CO2 each year.

In both locations, the high-efficiency solar PV panels are designed to optimize energy generation in hot desert climates. The panel systems incorporate robotic cleaning and are waterproofed.

“Globally, Agility’s goal is to reduce its carbon footprint by 25% by 2050. Our investment in these solar projects is a huge step in the right direction and will cut the company’s global emissions by 3%. We are hopeful that it encourages other companies in the region to do the same. We know that greening operations is good for business and good for the planet,” says Elias Monem, CEO Middle East & Africa, Agility GIL.

The project is consistent with the goals of the UAE’s Shams Solar Policy, a local initiative for distributed solar plants in the United Arab Emirates.

In both Dubai and Jordan, Clenergize Solar Consultants was appointed as the project advisors to handle the engineering specifications, tendering, contract management, design reviews and project management.

Earlier this month Agility reported that contract Logistics was continuing to experience strong growth (12.7% net revenue growth), mainly in the MEA Region in their Q3 financial perfromance update. For more information click here

New Quarter Pallet Lifter

Posted on by David Priestman

The Danish manufacturer of material handling equipment, Logitrans A/S, has released a new quarter pallet lifter (pictured above) called the DLQ200. It had a a capacity of 200 kg. Due to the one long fork, it is possible for you to handle two quarter pallets at the same time. This can increase efficiency and productivity.

Another feature is that the double quarter pallet lifter also helps the user reach the second quarter pallet at the far end of the EUR pallet. The situation where you normally need to move the EUR pallet and pick the quarter pallet from the other side. Also here, your workflow will be more efficient.

“Our new double quarter pallet lifter, DLQ200, is an indispensable and very efficient partner, when you need to lift two quarter pallets to/from an EUR pallet – and transport them to the requested locations in e.g. supermarkets, storage and packing areas, and gas stations”, says Gitte Kirkegaard, CEO at Logitrans A/S. “If you need to handle and transport one quarter pallet only, we also have solutions for this”.

DLQ200 is very manoeuvrable, and can operate everywhere, also in confined areas. The handle has ergonomically correct gripping angles, which ensures a relaxed hold. The wheels ensure a comfortable and noiseless transport – and they are gentle to the fine floor and flagstone layer in your workplace.

SICK Extends Light Beam System Product Portfolio

Posted on by David Priestman

Producer of sensors and sensor solutions for industrial automation applications company SICK has extended the range of its deTem 4 A/P multiple light beam system to eight metres, the longest ever available for an active/passive safety device, suitable for applications up to SIL3 / PLe.

The extra-rugged and compact SICK deTem 4 A/P safety light beam system offers wide flexibility to install safe access protection with entry/exit monitoring  in storage, material handling and logistics environments. With sender and receiver integrated into the active device, SICK deTem 4 A/P minimises wiring and helps achieve compact machine designs. With integrated muting functions there is no need for an external module and additional wiring effort.

With real-time diagnostics accessible by smartphone through Near Field Communication, and also via IO-Link, the SICK deTem 4 A/P is a smart system that enables operators to respond quickly to machine downtime. Engineers can access a range of diagnostic status and process data to manage maintenance interventions effectively.

Dr Martin Kidman, safety specialist with SICK UK explains: “The SICK deTem4 Active/Passive light beam system offers operators fingertip diagnostics to respond quickly to stoppages in common access protection applications such as warehousing, palletising or packaging machinery.  You can find out straight away what caused a lockout just by using the easy-to-use status display on your smartphone.

“The SICK deTem4 A/P offers all the functionality you would expect from a high-performance SICK safety light beam system, and more. Its slim housing and active/passive functionality lend themselves to machine layouts where space is limited. With IP65 and IP67 protection ratings, an operating temperature range of -30oC to +55oC, the deTem4 is ready for harsh industrial environments.”

Guided by the SICK Safety Assistant smartphone App, and with integral dip switches and automatic range adjustment, in-situ configuration and commissioning are quick and simple and there is no need to use a PC.

Earlier this year SICK announced it had established a new web-based platform, SICK IntegrationSpace, to be the home for its growing data-based digital software and services portfolio.

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