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IFOY Award 2024 Winners Announced

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Jungheinrich, RAVAS EUROPE, SAFELOG with Mercedes, SSI Schäfer and STILL have been announced as winners of the IFOY Award 2024.

The International Intralogistics and Forklift Truck of the Year (IFOY) Award recognises the best intralogistics products and solutions of the year. With the spin-off award IFOY Start-up of the Year, the Award organisation honours innovative technologies and new developments by founders. The test methodology is regarded as a seal of quality for innovations and newly developed products and solutions. The decision is based on the three-stage audit, consisting of the IFOY test protocol comprising around 80 criteria, the scientific IFOY Innovation Check and the jury test. The decisive factor is that the nominees are not compared with each other, but with their competitors on the market. The IFOY Award is chosen annually by an independent jury of international trade journalists, including Peter MacLeod of Logistics Business, the UK’s only representative on the jury.

Brightpick, Brightpick Autopicker – Start-up of the Year

The IFOY Spin-off Award “Start-up of the Year” goes to Brightpick for the autonomous, mobile picking robot Brightpick Autopicker. The international jury selected the AI-based 2-in-1 robot as the best new development in this market segment.

The Autopicker from Brightpick, a start-up founded in Bratislava in 2021, is the world’s first autonomous mobile picking robot. Brightpick worked closely with its sister company Photoneo on its development. Same founders, similar technology: 3D vision, robotics, AI and software for a functioning warehouse execution system. Autopicker installations with a total of 70 devices can now be found in the USA (headquarters), Germany, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.

What’s new about this type of picking: the Autopicker pulls the source tote from the standard rack, which does not require rollers or rails. As the robot moves on to the next storage location, it picks the target tote like a human picker, while taking the picked tote to the next storage location. There must therefore always be an empty space available in which the bin can be placed. The autopicker works with a trolley that picks and consolidates orders independently – without any human intervention.

In technical terms, Autopicker uses a patented design with two bins for this process to pull storage bins (storage tote) from the shelf, pick the items using a robotic gripper arm and place them in an order tote. The big difference to other fulfilment robots is that the autopicker does not have to go to central picking stations. Another advantage is its versatility, as it can be used not only for picking in the rack aisle, but also for other tasks such as pallet picking, warehouse replenishment, dynamic storage, order consolidation, temporary storage and shipping. And if human dexterity is required for picking, for example, the autopicker can also be used for normal goods-to-person picking.

The robots can also reliably pick a wide range of products, including chilled and non-chilled food, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, packaged goods, cosmetics, electronics and textiles in plastic packaging. The entire autopicker fleet and the fulfilment process in the warehouse are orchestrated and optimised by the Brightpick intuition software.

IFOY Verdict

The fact that picking takes place while a robot is moving from one location to another without the robot having to return to a “base station” is new and revolutionary. Although an exact measurement during the live assessment at Test Days was not possible, a higher throughput rate and thus a considerable time saving could be confirmed. This leads to a reduction in the number of robots required, which has a positive effect on the return on investment and noticeably reduces picking costs. According to Brightpick, the savings in labour costs are significantly higher than with traditional goods-to-person stations, with higher throughput, easier installation and lower costs. The company claims that picking costs have been halved.

Click here for the original test report, IFOY Innovation Check and pictures

Jungheinrich, EJC 112i – Warehouse Truck Highlifter of the Year

The IFOY Award 2024 in the “Warehouse Truck Highlifter” category goes to the EJC 112i from Jungheinrich. The international jury voted the compact highlifter the best new product in this category.
With its compact design and outstanding performance, the EJC 112i sets a new standard in the entry-level segment and clearly stands out from the competition. Especially in small warehouses with narrow aisles, the high residual capacity enables optimum space utilisation. Together with the small turning radius and user-friendly operation, it is clear why the EJC 112i makes day-to-day work easier for every operator.

The EJC 112i is more than just a further development of its predecessor, but offers an even more compact and manoeuvrable solution thanks to the integrated lithium-ion battery. When designing the truck, Jungheinrich paid particular attention to the high energy density of lithium-ion technology, which stores the same amount of energy in significantly smaller modules. This not only saves space, but also opens up new possibilities in terms of truck size. The result is immediately apparent: the EJC 112i has a smaller L2 size, offers a good view of the fork and has a low overall height. The impressively small turning circle makes manoeuvring effortless, even in tight spaces.

To compensate for the shorter length and lower weight of the lithium-ion battery, the truck has been completely redesigned. The mast profiles have been widened in the side view and the steering arms have been reinforced. The entire chassis is balanced to ensure optimum force equalisation. The result is immediately noticeable when the load is lifted. At the maximum 1,200 kg, the EJC 112i does not move and effortlessly lifts up to 2,900 mm. Up to 3,800 mm, the truck picks up 830 kg and at the maximum lift height of 4,700 mm, 650 kg still remains, all with a load distance of 600 mm.

The increased residual capacity of the EJC 112i optimises space utilisation and minimises floor space requirements, as heavier loads can be stored in higher racks. The IFOY test confirms that the EJC 112i offers the best performance in its class, with exceptionally high lifting and lowering speeds and efficient performance. Thanks to the more powerful pump motor and a better balance between pump power and lift cylinder, the new truck lifts significantly faster than its predecessor and well above the average in this class.

The driving and acceleration speeds have remained almost the same. In the most powerful setting, P3, the EJC 112i achieves a comfortable, even speed of 6.05 km/h with and without a load. The battery capacity and the power of the charger can be adapted to the individual operating conditions and specific energy requirements. The built-in charger can also be easily charged at any socket.

IFOY Verdict

The EJC 112i performed impressively in the IFOY audit, proving its position as the new benchmark in the entry-level pedestrian stacker segment. At the heart of the design in the range is the integrated lithium-ion battery, resulting in an even more compact and manoeuvrable truck with unparalleled residual capacity and outstanding performance. The truck offers noticeably good stability and operates comfortably and predictably.

Click here for the original test report, IFOY Innovation Check and pictures

SAFELOG, mobile transport robots in the Mercedes Factory 46 – Integrated Customer Solution of the Year

The IFOY Award 2024 in the “Integrated Customer Solution” category goes to SAFELOG for its use in the Mercedes Factory 46. The jury selected the future vision of the Mercedes-Benz production system, which was developed and implemented in close cooperation between SAFELOG and the car manufacturer, as the best customer solution of the year.

During the conversion and modernisation of an assembly hall to produce the E- and GLC-Class series at the Sindelfingen site, the focus was on the networking and transparency of all intralogistics supply processes as well as the necessary data acquisition and evaluation. To this end, new technical solutions were jointly developed, and standards implemented. Pick-by-light systems and around 350 AGVs from SAFELOG are used for subsystems such as picking baskets of goods and transporting them to the assembly lines to be supplied. This involved a total distance of 15 km. SAFELOG also supplies the car manufacturer with its entire system in Europe and the USA, which adds up to a total of 3500 AGVs. The family-owned company SAFELOG, with around 260 employees, is not only known for its mobile robotics expertise, but also for its philosophy of “German equipment at a Chinese price”.

The solution nominated for an IFOY Award is the final stage of years of collaboration between Mercedes-Benz and SAFELOG. The main asset is that the AGVs communicate with each other as a swarm. At Factory 46, where the new E-Class is produced, Mercedes-Benz is responsible for the software, while SAFELOG is responsible for the hardware and project implementation. At Mercedes-Benz, Factory 46 stands for the consistent further development of digitalisation and transformation in the automotive industry. Downtimes and cycle times are critical factors in the automotive industry. When a vehicle has to be delivered every 90 seconds, perfection and standards are required. In addition, the AGVs have to drive in such a way that everyone working in the plant interacts harmoniously with the AGVs and there are no panic or uncertainty reactions. To achieve this, the entire hall is networked via statistical pattern recognition using artificial intelligence (AI). The data generated here can be used to predict disruptions in the near future – we are talking about minutes here.

As a digital twin, the real-time monitoring system developed by Mercedes-Benz monitors the location and status of the AGVs to the second. It collects data and displays the information graphically, making the store floor digital and transparent. In the event of faults, an alarm is sent to a maintenance terminal. The IoT data from the AGV LIVE driverless transport system is made available as data products for cross-domain data analyses. In this way, they make a supply chain contribution to the data-driven company.

IFOY Verdict

The use of SAFELOG AGVs at Mercedes-Benz may not be highly innovative, but it offers considerable customer benefits in a highly complex environment. This starts with the low price and the simple and robust implementation and extends to the software ecosystem developed together with Mercedes and an availability of 99.7 to 99.9%. In practice, this means 40 hours less downtime. The cost of one hour of downtime in the automotive industry is estimated at between one and 1.5 million euros. The fact that Mercedes develops and maintains the software and the master control system itself enables the OEM to act independently of licenses and to be as flexible as possible in the event of errors, desired changes and adjustments.

Click here for the original test report, IFOY Innovation Check and pictures

RAVAS EUROPE, iCP Carriage Plate Scale with Weighing in Motion Technology – IFOY Special of the Year

The IFOY Award 2024 in the “Special of the Year” category goes to RAVAS EUROPE for its intelligent fork carriage scale, iCP for short, with Weighing-in-Motion technology. The international jury selected the fork carriage weighing system for calibrated weighing during transportation as the best new development in this segment.

While forklift truck drivers previously had to stop the truck for a few seconds to determine the weight of the load on the forks, the iCP fork carriage scale with Weighing-in-Motion technology from RAVAS enables calibrated weighing during transportation. Without stops, without interrupting work and therefore at lower costs. In addition, drivers can continue to use all attachments, such as rotators and clamps, as usual.

RAVAS has used an existing weighing system as the basis for the new fork carriage weighing system. The intelligence lies in a smart box and intelligent algorithms, which were newly developed by the manufacturer. These algorithms consider the driving speed, the inclination of the mast and any unevenness in the floor. The measurement starts automatically when the pallet is lifted. The weight of the pallet is determined during transportation. The technology combines high-quality, certified sensors with fast electronics and customised software that connects the sensors.

An additional advantage for the driver is that a weighing display – as is still present on the IFOY demo stacker – is no longer required and therefore the view of the working environment is not unnecessarily obstructed. To determine the weight accurately, the truck should preferably drive at a constant speed and on a level floor. A special feature of the Weighing-in-Motion technology is that reliable measurements are generated even on uneven floors, as the software eliminates interfering effects.

There are other reliable systems on the market that dynamically determine the weight of a load, but the RAVAS system is the only system certified by the OIML. This means that Legal for Trade customers can bill based on weight. The OIML is the international organisation for legal metrology and only requires occasional zeroing of the system.

Weighing on the move reduces labour costs and ensures that loads remain within the specified weight limits. This also prevents damage to equipment or goods. If required, the data is forwarded to an ERP or WMS system in real time. The data provides an up-to-date insight into stock levels and can be used, for example, to optimise warehouse management or other systems.

IFOY Verdict

The importance of accurate data in logistics is high and continues to increase. The RAVAS iCP Weighing-in-Motion technology makes work more pleasant for the forklift driver and provides reliable measurements. The need to stop is eliminated. This leads to considerable time and cost savings. Safety is also increased as unnecessary movements and manual handling are avoided. Comparable solutions on the market cannot offer calibration.

Click here for the original test report, IFOY Innovation Check and pictures

SSI SCHÄFER, SSI Piece Picking – Stationary Robot of the Year

The IFOY Award 2024 in the “Stationary Robot” category goes to the fully automated SSI Piece Picking module from SSI SCHAEFER. The international jury selected the piece picking system as the best new development in this segment.

Centrifugal forces due to the rotational movements of an articulated arm robot are a thing of the past with the piece picking system developed by SSI SCHAEFER. Instead, a miniature gantry robot moves the gripper of the piece-picking cell to any position on the source and target containers. With the articulated arm robot, the gripper had a limited operating range and it was no longer possible to gently deposit sensitive goods. The main aim of the new development was to avoid container changeover times. While manual pickers can handle up to 350 picks per hour, the automated solution can handle around 1,200 picks per hour – around four times as many. In three-shift operation, an amortisation period of less than one year is therefore not really surprising.

The focus of the development was not only on the robot itself, but also on the holistic view of the technology, including feeding, removal and safety technology. The robot takes care of everything: fewer interfaces, less communication and no need for an operator. SSI SCHAEFER has also found solutions for typical sources of error, such as problems with gripping or incorrect depositing of products, which are then ejected. A double pick is also detected and put back “on the fly”. In addition, a patented pick point identification system is integrated to ensure that a gripper does not cover a barcode.

As the robot has three target containers available, sequencing is also somewhat more flexible. There is always one position to pick from and at least one position to place in. The source containers can have up to four subdivisions, which means that four products can be offered in one source container.

For the gripping process itself, there is a 2D and a 3D camera whose two images are superimposed. The suction cup itself can also bend or grip sideways in two stages. The weighing tolerance of the system is five grams per 35 kilograms. The parts are moved at a speed of two meters per second.

The SSI piece picking cell is manufactured in Kamen and delivered to the customer in a compact 20-foot container. A first system has already been delivered to the Irish pharmaceutical distributor Uniphar, and an identical cell will follow. Eight piece-picking robots based on articulated arm technology are already in use in Canada. The project is being driven forward by the three SSI SCHAEFER locations in Giebelstadt, Graz and Kamen. SSI SCHAEFER is also offering the robot cell to other general contractors.

IFOY Verdict

The piece-picking ensemble, which made a solid and high-quality impression in the IFOY audit, is suitable for a wide range of applications: cubic, cylindrical, tube-shaped or blister packs. In container format, the system is very compact, can be put into operation at the customer’s premises within a day and pays for itself within one to two years. The gantry robot with suction cups offers maximum flexibility and can handle delicate goods carefully by placing them as close as possible to the base of the container or to goods already in the target container.

Click here for the original test report, IFOY Innovation Check and pictures

STILL, EXV iGo – Mobile Robot of the Year

In the Mobile Robot category, the IFOY 2024 jury awarded the EXV iGo from STILL. The series-based automated pallet truck is the perfect door opener to the world of automated warehouse processes.
First of all, it should be made clear that the EXV iGo automated pallet truck from STILL for production supply and the pre-storage zone, which is manufactured in Chatellerault, France, is a series-production truck and not a project truck. Production follows the standard series processes of the Hamburg-based premium intralogistics company, and the truck already complies with the EN ISO 3691-4 safety standard for industrial trucks. In addition, STILL’s standard service technicians are 100% qualified for this truck following an iGo training course – without the need for robotics experts.

The plan is to build around 1000 EXV iGo units per year. The delivery time is around 15 weeks, the project realisation time from three months upwards. To ensure scalability, great importance was attached to intuitive operation and a user-friendly interface. For simple commissioning, the iGo easy tool was developed to create projects and display logistical flows. Instead of the large iGo Systems control system, iGo Easy now provides the customer with a limited interface whose scope can be easily clicked together and subsequently modified. Expert knowledge is no longer required to quickly install projects with limited complexity. STILL has integrated a simple interface into a complex system, allowing larger projects to pick up where smaller ones leave off.

In addition to commissioning, another focus is service, including maintenance and repair. The Hamburg-based company has gone to great lengths to make the truck service-ready. All trucks have a digital twin on the servers of Kion, STILL’s parent company, and the service technician can find every spare part in his truck the next day.

Technical details: The EXV iGo has a high residual load capacity of up to 1600 kg, can lift goods up to 3.8 m and reaches speeds of up to 7.2 km/h. Despite its design as a stand-alone device for repetitive transport tasks as well as storage and retrieval, the EXV iGo should also impress with process reliability and precision in mixed operation. The machine’s multi-level safety system protects man, machine and load with safety scanners, sensors, visual and acoustic warning devices and emergency stop switches to stop the vehicle immediately if necessary. Dual operation is also easily possible. The vehicle is powered by lithium-ion batteries that can be automatically recharged via contacts. The EXV iGo had to undergo the so-called break-and-bumper test, in which obstacles are placed in its path. It drove straight ahead and negotiated bends flawlessly.

IFOY Verdict

The fast commissioning in combination with a new, intuitive, web-based user interface makes the series-based mobile robot a smart door opener to the world of automated warehouse processes. Automation is quick and easy, and users also benefit from the fact that the EXV iGo can be configured, maintained and repaired via the STILL service network. The EXV iGo offers a successful and smart introduction to automated intralogistics processes, particularly for SMEs.

Click here for the original test report, IFOY Innovation Check and pictures

The IFOY Award, which is sponsored by the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection, is supported by the Materials Handling and Intralogistics Association and the Robotics + Automation Association within the VDMA. IFOY partners are Messe Dortmund and the world’s leading forklift attachment manufacturer Cascade. The pallet partner of the IFOY Award is CHEP, world market leader in the pooling of pallets and containers. The logistics partner is LTG. The event partner is the HERMES.Wirtschafts.Forum.

www.ifoy.org

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IFOY FINALIST FOCUS: Extension of Hase Safety Gloves’ automated warehouse by STILL

 

Mezzanine Specialist given King’s Enterprise Innovation Award

Posted on by Will Priestman

The King’s Awards for Enterprise are the only awards to have the imprimatur of the monarch. Hi-Level Mezzanines, (who design and installs mezzanine floors for top brands including Amazon, Ocado, Tesco, ASOS, Next and DPD) won an Innovation award, with extremely tough competition – across the whole of the UK, only 59 awards for innovation were granted this year.

“The King’s Awards for Enterprise in Innovation celebrates the success of exciting and innovative businesses which are leading the way with pioneering products or services,” the Department for Business said.

The firm’s King’s Award for Enterprise win recognises its “outstanding business performance and commercial success” following the invention of a piece of high-performance engineering software called IQD (Intelligent Quote Designsuite).

A £1 million innovation

IQD evaluates multiple mezzanine design options for Hi-Level Mezzanines’ clients, selects the best option, simulates a design and calculates a quotation – all within a matter of minutes. It has also been expanded to become an integral part of every stage of the firm’s operations.

It has transformed customer service by delivering fast quotes, creating 2D and 3D models, tracking live projects and planning installations so they hit every project deadline, while Hi-Level Mezzanines’ turnover has doubled in the past five years. IQD is the result of ten years of innovation and more than £1 million investment.

Extremely proud

Angus Whiteman, Managing Director, said: “Hi-Level Mezzanines is honoured to accept The King’s Award for Enterprise in the category of Innovation. This accolade is a distinguished acknowledgment of our steadfast commitment to continuous development, and we are extremely proud to have been selected among such esteemed competition.”

Mr Whiteman, who has been invited to a reception with the King at Windsor Castle in the summer, added: “The award acknowledges the exceptional contributions made by our remarkable team whose diligence, expertise and unwavering efforts have been instrumental in propelling us to this remarkable milestone. For over three decades our business has been based in Hampshire and we take immense pride in our ability to contribute to both our local community and the wider manufacturing, warehousing and logistics industries.

“As we celebrate this fantastic achievement we reaffirm our dedication to the principles of innovation that serve as the cornerstone of our business. Looking ahead, we strive to continue our pursuit of excellence, driving us toward even greater accomplishments in the future.”

The award also recognises Hi-Level Mezzanines as a beacon of good practice through its support of local and national charities, its value engineering to minimise use of steel to reduce environmental impact, its donation of 1,000 trees to Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust and its status as an Employee Owned Trust, securing the future of the business and generating a deeper level of pride, ownership and commitment among employees.

Installing a mezzanine gives a business extra space, from beer storage for a brewery to room for the latest automation at an Amazon warehouse. Hi-Level Mezzanines has secured more than 300 projects over the past year alone, as forward-looking logistics, retail and manufacturing clients install mezzanines to make the most of their existing vertical space and avoid the costs and inconvenience of moving premises as they grow.

The company has 25 staff based in Petersfield, Hampshire, and has been operating for 33 years.

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Winners of BIFA Freight Service Awards

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Suzi Perry hosted a crowd of over 550 at the British International Freight Association’s 2023 Freight Service Awards, which took place at the Brewery in London. The ‘Queen of the Pit Lane’ revealed nine winning companies and two winning individuals in the 11 categories of the awards, which celebrated its 35th anniversary this year.

In the Air Cargo Services category, which was sponsored by IAG Cargo, deugro (UK) Ltd triumphed over fellow finalists cargo-partner Ltd, Hogg Global Logistics Ltd, and Killick Martin & Company Ltd.

Winner of the Ocean Services Award, sponsored by Port Express, was Woodland Global, which overcame strong challenges from fellow finalists F.S. Mackenzie Ltd, Hemisphere Freight Services Ltd, and World Cargo Logistics Ltd.

Hemisphere Freight Services took first place in the Project Forwarding category, sponsored by Macbeth Insurance Brokers, ahead of fellow finalists Brunel Shipping & Liner Services Ltd, Peters & May Limited, and Ucargo LLP, which was highly commended by the judges.

In the Specialist Services category, sponsored by Thyme IT, the winner was Seafast Logistics Ltd, whilst the other finalists included Cardinal Global Logistics, Metro Shipping Ltd, and Ucargo LLP.

Kerry Logistics (UK) Ltd was revealed as the winner of the Supply Chain Management category, sponsored by BoxTop Technologies, seeing off strong competition from fellow finalists Atlantic Pacific Global Logistics Ltd, Ligentia UK Ltd, Noatum Logistics UK Ltd, and Uniserve Holdings Limited.

Scooping first place in the brand new Sustainable Logistics & the Environment Award category, sponsored by American Airlines Cargo was Woodland Group Ltd, which overcame excellent entries from fellow finalists, Maersk Logistics and Services UK Ltd (which was highly commended by the judges), Metro Shipping Ltd, DHL Global Forwarding, and Geodis FF United Kingdom Ltd.

Hogg Global Logistics Ltd took the category name quite literally to win the Extra Mile Award, sponsored by Descartes, ahead of the entries from fellow finalists Cardinal Global Logistics, Cargo Overseas Limited, and Kranlee Logistics Ltd.

Victorious against fellow finalists DHL Global Forwarding, Kranlee Logistics Ltd, Uniserve Holdings Limited, and Unsworth UK, OIA Global Ltd triumphed in the Staff Development category, which was sponsored by Albacore Systems.

In the European Logistics category, which was sponsored by TT Club, the winner was Atlantic Pacific Global Logistics Ltd, with the other finalists being Baxter Freight Ltd, Brunel European Ltd, Espace Europe Ltd, and Uniserve Holdings Limited.

Winner of the Apprentice of the Year category, which was sponsored for the first time by Menzies LLP was Cameron Smith (Ligentia), who beat off strong competition from Jacob Swift (Avocet Clearance) who was highly commended by the judges; Samuel Barrett (Charles Kendall Freight); Leanne Read (Neon Freight); Kieran Elkin (Dachser); and Richard Smith (Ziegler UK).

Meanwhile, Christopher Carter from Peterson (United Kingdom) Ltd impressed the judges with his commitment to the industry to win the Young Freight Forwarder of the Year category, which is sponsored by Virgin Atlantic Cargo. Fellow finalists were Amelia Mulhern (Kuehne+Nagel); Emily Howard (Westbound Logistics); Georgia Gibson (cargo-partner), who was highly commended by the judges; Michael Shiels (DHL Global Forwarding) and Nicola Hall (Edge Worldwide Logistics).

Whilst congratulating all the companies and individuals that won each category, BIFA Director General, Steve Parker acknowledged all 29 freight forwarding companies that made the finalists shortlist in the nine service categories, as well as the 12 people who were finalists for the two individual categories.

Parker said: “Once again, BIFA was delighted with the number and range of entries received and it was great to meet in person to celebrate excellence across the freight forwarding industry, with awards that are now in their 35th year, and justifiably regarded as the most prestigious in the sector. I would also like to recognise the support and contribution of all the sponsors to the running of the competition this year. Representatives from the category sponsors gave their time to carry out judging and the selection of winners for each award.”

Award for Transforming Road Safety

Posted on by David Priestman

VisionTrack, the global provider of AI video telematics and connected fleet data, has scooped a Gold Stevie® Award in the Transportation category at the International Business Awards®. The company has been recognised for transforming road safety following the launch earlier this year of AI post-analysis software, NARA.

NARA represents a huge step forward for AI video telematics as it uses ground-breaking computer vision models with sensor fusion to assess footage. The AI-powered post-analysis tool is changing how collisions, near misses and driving events are reviewed and monitored by automatically analysing vehicle camera footage, without the need for human involvement. It is part of VisionTrack’s commitment to developing sophisticated AI solutions that target fleet risk, road safety and insurance improvements.

Using NARA, fleets can make best use of video telematics insight to better protect road users and help prevent collisions. Advanced object recognition takes advantage of deep learning algorithms to identify vehicles, cyclists, pedestrians and road signs/traffic lights, taking seconds to distinguish between collisions, near misses, and false positives. The software also includes Occupant Safety Rating that uses a range of parameters to calculate the probability of injury and immediately identify if a driver needs assistance.

Discussing the VisionTrack entry, one judge commented: “NARA is an innovative approach to leveraging AI and machine learning in the transportation sector. The software addresses critical challenges in fleet safety and operational efficiency, demonstrating transformative potential in road safety, driver protection, risk mitigation, and claim management. The solution provides tangible value to its users and has significant potential for wide-scale adoption in the transportation industry, making it an impactful contribution to road safety and fleet management.”

Simon Marsh, CEO of VisionTrack said: “Our cloud-based NARA software is a true game changer in the world of video telematics as it is helping fleets to save time, costs and most importantly lives, by providing proactive risk intervention and accurate incident validation. This latest international award recognises our success in developing AI innovation and underlines our position at the forefront of the video telematics sector.”

The International Business Awards are a business awards program. All individuals and organizations worldwide – public and private, for-profit and non-profit, large and small – are eligible to submit nominations. The 2023 IBAs received entries from organisations in 61 nations and territories. Winners will be celebrated during a gala banquet at the Cavalieri Waldorf Astoria Hotel, in Rome, Italy on Friday, 13th October.

IFOY finalists have been selected

Posted on by Keith McKinley

The IFOY organisation has announced the finalists for the IFOY AWARD 2023. Among a total of 39 applicants, 23 intralogistics providers from seven countries made it to the finals with 25 products and solutions, including seven start-ups. They will compete in the IFOY audit at the end of March, which will again take place in Dortmund in 2023 as part of the TEST CAMP INTRALOGISTICS.

“The audit of the IFOY finalists promises a spectacular setting this year. With their selection, the jury has lined up the best of the best in intralogistics. They show where the journey of intralogistics is heading in the future: classic warehouse technology is becoming increasingly sophisticated, quick commerce, robotics and AI are making their way into logistics, and innovative details are making warehouse life more efficient, easier and more productive,” emphasises Anita Würmser, Chairperson of the IFOY jury. She expects a tough discussion in the jury sessions for the seven winner trophies, which will be awarded in summer in Dortmund.

Intralogistics specialists AGILOX, Combilift, Continental, Crown, DS AUTOMOTION, HIKROBOT, IdentPro, Jungheinrich, Kemaro, Libiao Robotics, Mobile Easykey, NIMMSTA, Raymond, STILL, Volume Lagersysteme, and Youibot Robotics want to win one of the trophies.

Among the startups, the finalists are 1MRobotics, Chemovator (Loady), ff Fördersysteme, HUNIC, Predimo, Sentics and sereact.

Five warehouse trucks nominated

The jury sent a total of five manually operated warehouse trucks to the finals, three in the highlifter category and two in the lowlifters.

The Aisle-Master OP from Irish forklift specialist Combilift, with a lift height of 12.1 meters and a load capacity of two tonnes, combines the advantages of a narrow-aisle forklift and an order picker. The forklift shows its strength in the high-performance segment as well as in narrow aisles, for rack delivery and bulk order picking. The combi device can also be used as a conventional forklift truck with rubber tyres for indoor and outdoor applications, such as loading and unloading trucks.

The brand new SP 1500 from US supplier Crown wins an IFOY nomination even before its official market launch. The completely redesigned order picker with a reach height of 11.2 meters and load capacities of up to 1.25 tonnes has been optimised in terms of all-round visibility, performance and speeds. With its ergonomic operator area and numerous innovative details, it is aimed not only at traditional order picking but above all at the requirements of retail and e-commerce.

Two final places can be secured by the Hamburg intralogistics specialist STILL. The further developed PXV vertical order picker from STILL convinced the jury with its gripping height of 14.5 meters. Equipped with numerous safety and comfort features, a person on the 1.5 tonne highlifter can reliably pick loads in both wide and narrow aisles thanks to its compact and variable vehicle dimensions.

The jury also gave the green light to the manoeuvrable pedestrian pallet truck EHX 16 from STILL. With a load capacity of 1.6 tonnes, the lowlifter is particularly suitable for truck transport and last-mile applications. Advantageously, the lift truck features a unique tiller head with integrated display for intuitive handling. With an integrated lithium-ion battery, the shorter dimension means there is more room.

In the final of the lowlifter category also is US manufacturer Raymond with its 8910 End Rider Pallet Truck. The rugged 3.63-tonne capacity pallet truck was designed with a focus on energy efficiency and can be tailored to a variety of applications, including cold storage, wharves, loading and unloading, or long trips to handling centres. It also promises numerous options for better ergonomics and more productivity.

Four nominations for AGVs and AMRs

The bandwidth of IFOY applicants is traditionally large and very international in the field of automated guided vehicles (AGVs), which for some years now have not only come from the intralogistics sector. This time, four suppliers made it to the finals.

The new AGILOX ODM – short for omnidirectional dolly mover – from Austrian supplier AGILOX is an intelligent logistics robot for small load carriers weighing up to 300 kilograms. It does not require any additional infrastructure or navigation aids, can turn while stationary and allows parallel driving. The first vehicle is implemented in less than twelve hours, each additional one in just 15 minutes. The core target group is the pharmaceutical and electronics industries.

The AMR IL 1200 from Continental Automotive Technologies is designed for use in warehouses or logistics centres as well as production logistics with heavy pallets, such as those found in the automotive and metalworking industries. With its integrated lifting system and various body options, the AMR IL 1200 transports pallets weighing up to 1.2 tonnes at a speed of two meters per second.

The F4-1000C Forklift Mobile Robot from Chinese manufacturer HIKROBOT, with a load capacity of one tonne, is an alternative to conventional warehouse forklifts and, with its positioning accuracy, is particularly suitable for 24/7 use in extremely narrow aisles and for material handling in the automotive, manufacturing and consumer electronics industries. Under the control of the in-house Robotic Control System (RCS), the F4-1000C works in tandem with other vehicles.

Also from China is the Automatic Trolley AT100 of Youibot Robotics, consisting of the brand-new AT100 AMR assistance picking robot and the YOUIFleet fleet management system. The intuitive combination of AMR and batch picking trolley for loads up to 100 kilograms manages a speed of 1.5 meters per second and was developed specifically for sorting and picking tasks in existing infrastructures as well as for workflows of retailers and 3PLs.

Three Intralogistics Robots in the final

The three automated warehouse systems in the Intralogistics Robot category offer a strong starting field.

The automated, ultra-compact and scalable PowerCube compact warehouse system from Hamburg-based intralogistics company Jungheinrich adapts to almost any infrastructure and container dimensions. It can be used 24/7 across all industries and promises four times the storage density of shelf racking at room heights of up to 12 metres. The powerful lithium-ion shuttles can simultaneously pick up two 50-kilogram containers and load on the fly.

In the Airrob container handling robotic system from Chinese manufacturer Libiao Robotics, the robots can “climb” up the shelves and store, pick, sort and move plastic containers weighing up to 35 kilograms. The simple and cost-effective solution is particularly suitable for micro-fulfilment centres or warehouses on a production line. Airrob focuses on e-commerce, footwear, apparel, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and production parts storage.

Volume DIVE from Volume Lagersysteme is a sophisticated robotics-based storage and picking system for heights up to 14 meters. The robot can pick and deliver totes at any position without a lifter. Standard euro containers are stored as well as beverage crates, which may also be used outside the system. Although DIVE was developed for quick commerce, it is also an alternative to energy-intensive miniload applications. Throughput can be scaled up to 4,000 containers per hour. In the smallest version, Volume DIVE takes up only 16 square meters.

Three nominations for Intralogistics Software

The jury nominated a total of three solutions in the Intralogistics Software category.

The Industrial Truck Key Performance Indicator (FFZ-KPI) developed by Mobile Easykey, as a component of the software, enables the determination of a manufacturer-neutral fleet efficiency of the intralogistics fleet with only one key figure and a visual traffic light system. The basis of the FFZ-KPI is the OEE key figure for the overall equipment effectiveness of immobile equipment. The FFZ-KPI adds further calculation parameters to the OEE, making the key figure for moving equipment calculable for the first time.

With the vehicle software ARCOS, the Austrian supplier DS AUTOMOTION enables devices to be used either as Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV) or Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR). With the help of so-called “plannable autonomy”, the advantages of both technologies are combined. The user can use autonomous functions specifically where they bring advantages and prevent them where the disadvantages predominate.

The Warehouse Execution System from IdentPro promises up to 30% higher productivity. It uses IoT sensors on the vehicles to make all warehouse processes visible in the digital twin in real time (RTLS). The digitisation solution, which can be used indoors and outdoors, achieves centimetre-precise localisation (+/-10 cm) of goods and vehicles, collaborative use of autonomous and manned industrial trucks, and smart distribution of driving orders.

Three Specials of the Year in the final

Three products are competing in the Special of the Year category.

The Light Tags of NIMMSTA are a new pick-by-light approach that promises up to 80% more efficiency without integration effort. The intelligence is in the Industrial Smart Watch, which the worker wears on his body. In the NIMMSTA app, a storage location is assigned once to each light tag, to which it is simply attached with an adhesive strip. When the worker approaches, the Smart Watch and Light Tag light up in the same colour and pattern.

The world’s first fully autonomous K900 dry-cleaning robot from Swiss supplier Kemaro can save 70% of cleaning costs, which amounts to more than US$37,000 per year in a logistics company covering around 10,000 square meters. The compact robots with integrated dust extraction system navigate with the help of lidar and 3-D sensors and clean even the toughest industrial dirt. Their specialty is large indoor spaces.

Stacking, scanning and transferring results to any WMS in one can be done by addedVIEW fork camera with barcode scanning function of Jungheinrich. The digital full HD fork tine camera with integrated image processing software for barcode scanning detects whether the correct or incorrect barcode is located in front of the tine, even at great heights, as it passes by. An acknowledgement button near the steering wheel eliminates the need for hand scanners and makes unnecessary unstacking of incorrect goods a thing of the past.

Seven start-ups in the final

In the usual broad-based start-up category, the jury sent seven finalists into the final.

The Israeli tech company 1MRobotics gets the green light with its nano fulfilment centre of the same name for the last mile in omnichannel retailing. The modular robotic darkstores are delivered worldwide in standard containers and are ready for immediate use. The business model is based on operational costs. Well-known companies are already relying on the technology.

The young German start-up ff Fördersysteme solves a ubiquitous storage problem with its patented 3D conveyor and drive system. The 3D chain adapts to the space and not vice versa. Whether it’s curves, ramps, elevators or inclines, different tasks can be solved in one track, eliminating the need for modular conveyor systems and saving space, but also opening up architectural possibilities. An application would be curved escalators, for example.

A return on investment (ROI) of six months is promised by AI software for autonomous pick-and-place robotics sereact of the supplier sereact. Picking processes that have already been trained in simulation can thus be transferred to new, unknown scenarios and integrated into existing warehouse management systems within one day without robot programming or time-consuming teach-in.

Munich-based startup Sentics enters the final IFOY round with the first optical, AI-based real-time localisation system ORTLS for industrial applications. Infrastructure sensors, which only need to be installed once in the industrial environment, detect and localise objects such as forklifts, people or machines and make this information available to fleet managers, as well as autonomous transport vehicles.

ComputerMyoGraphie by Predimo is a final tool for evaluating workplaces in terms of ergonomics and process efficiency. With the help of cloud-based software and 17 IoT sensors over clothing, a digital human twin can be used to visualise which muscles and joints are actually under strain at work. This makes it possible to indicate physical overload as a key performance indicator and determine an ROI for ergonomics.

With its software-as-a-service solution Loady, the start-up Chemovator (Loady) is entering the race for an IFOY AWARD. Loady provides standardised requirements for loading and unloading at industrial sites and serves as a central pre-product database. Equipment to be brought along, documents or processes on site are managed in a structured data model and serve as a source for all logistics partners. Free text fields or Excel files for logistics tenders, cleaning requirements and pre-products are no longer necessary.

An IFOY nomination also goes to the passive exoskeleton SoftExo Lift from HUNIC. The extremely lightweight yet effective body-mounted lifting and carrying aid uses a spring principle to support the leg and back muscles when lifting and carrying loads by up to 21%, relieving the body of up to 50% of the load and positively influencing ergonomic posture.

IFOY Nominees at TEST CAMP INTRALOGISTICS

The innovations of the IFOY finalists will be available for self-testing by visitors at TEST CAMP INTRALOGISTICS on March 29 and 30. The hands-on testing event for innovations and new developments enables decision-makers from industry, trade and the service sector to extensively self-test selected innovations on 10,000 square meters of hall space. In addition to the IFOY finalists, a total of over 50 innovations and 1,000 participants are expected at this year’s CAMP.

Due to its expertise, the IFOY AWARD is considered the definitive innovation award in intralogistics. The selection is preceded by an extensive audit with nomination and test cycles. The equipment and solutions nominated for the final undergo the IFOY test and the scientific innovation check individually at Messe Dortmund. In addition, jurors and their teams of advisors from industry travel to assess the finalists themselves.

The coveted trophies will be awarded in the summer. Until then, the results will remain a secret – both for the finalists and for the public.

 

Linde Motion Detection assistance system wins industry award

Posted on by David Priestman

This year’s winner of MM Maschinenmarkt’s “Best of Industry Award” in the Warehouse Equipment category is not a vehicle, but an assistance system. The “Linde Motion Detection” solution from intralogistics specialist Linde Material Handling protects pedestrians by registering movement behind a stationary forklift and preventing it from starting up. In this way, both operational safety and a productive operating process are taken into account, so that forklift drivers, warehouse staff and fleet operators all benefit at the end of the day.

From the time the competition was launched in 2016, there have never been more contestants participating in the “Best of Industry Award”. A total of 190 entries in 24 categories were received by MM Maschinenmarkt, a trade journal that is part of the Vogel Communications Group based in Würzburg. This year, the winners were decided exclusively by online voting, which ran for five months. During this period almost 20,000 votes were cast. Innovations and further developed solutions that were launched on the market between June 2021 and March 2022 qualified for submission.

Assistance system prevents truck from moving

“The fact that accidents, some of them serious, occur time and again in in-house transport is a truism,” said Bernd Maienschein, specialist editor of MM Logistik, at the online awards ceremony on 12th December. “Linde Motion Detection focuses in particular on movement behind the truck. When the system detects movement, it automatically prevents the truck from reversing and warns the driver via the display. Optionally, this warning can also be given acoustically.

“The vehicle can only be driven once the hazardous situation has been resolved and the accelerator pedal has been actively returned to its initial position. This safety measure triggered by Linde Motion Detection results in fewer accidents and – not to be overlooked – higher productivity in terms of the work equipment,” the editor adds.

“We are delighted that the Linde assistance system was chosen as a winner and see this as confirmation that we are on the right track with our efforts to improve safety in in-house material flow,” Fabian Zimmermann, Product Manager Safety, commented enthusiastically on the award. “This recognition from customers and industry experts motivates us to continue on our chosen path. It makes it clear just how crucially important the topic of safety is to operations. Many thanks to everyone who voted for Linde Motion Detection.”

 

LHoF presents new humanitarian award

Posted on by David Priestman

Starting in 2023, the Logistics Hall of Fame will present a new international award: the Lynn C. Fritz Medal for Excellence in Humanitarian Logistics. The medal will annually recognise humanitarian organisations and their partners for outstanding logistics projects. The Hall of Fame organisation made the announcement at its traditional gala reception with around 200 guests from politics, business and academia on 29th November in Berlin.

The initiator and sponsor of the medal is the Fritz Institute in San Francisco (USA). The award is named after Lynn C. Fritz (pictured), the founder and CEO of the institute. The 80-year-old US businessman transferred industrial logistics strategies to humanitarian organisations in the 1990s. He was inducted into the Logistics Hall of Fame in 2021 as the “advocate of logistics for humanitarian organisations”.

“The award is intended to motivate humanitarian organisations to permanently improve their supply chains and to highlight the key role of professional supply chain management in the success of aid projects,” the businessman said in announcing the award.

With the medal, the Logistics Hall of Fame and the sponsor also want to emphasise and the impact of superior logistics performance within the sector and encourage innovative approaches to strengthen disaster response.

International jury for humanitarian award

Who wins the award is decided by an international jury made up of representatives from business, science, politics, associations and the media. The jury is chaired by Thilo Jörgl, Managing Partner of the Logistics Hall of Fame organisation. An Expert Council of recognised specialists in the field of humanitarian logistics decides which of the submitted applications will be presented to the jury members for selection. Key evaluation criteria include efficiency, innovation, sustainability and exemplary character for the field of humanitarian logistics.

The start of the online application process at www.logisticshalloffame.net is March 2023. Each aid organisation can apply with its own project. Joint projects involving several organisations and their partners are also eligible. The completed logistics project must not be older than three years.

The Logistics Hall of Fame, which is under the patronage of German Transport Minister Dr. Volker Wissing, will present a total of three awards in Berlin at the end of 2023: In addition to the traditional induction of the new member into the Hall of Fame, the organisation will present the Lynn C. Fritz Medal and the TRATON Logistics Leader of the Year Award to current pacesetters in logistics.

The pallet pioneers

Eleven boards, nine wooden blocks, 78 nails – and a logistics milestone is complete. The Euro pallet once cut the loading time of freight cars or trucks by up to 90%. It set the standard for logistics centres. It can be repaired with low material and energy costs and is fully recyclable at the end of its life cycle.

The invention of the pallet assumes a similar significance for logistics specialists as the container. Who invented it and its predecessors is not easy to answer, because the history of the pallet’s development is long. As far back as ancient Egypt, people used skids to transport heavy goods. The US Army used pallets as early as the First World War. Or the Clark Equipment Company, which, when it built the first forklift in the U.S. in 1917, used simple skids as load carriers.

However, Carl Clark did not file a patent application for this early pallet until 1939. In 1924, Howard T. Hallowell filed a patent application for a “lift truck platform.” Throughout the 1930s, new variations of the pallet continued to appear on the American market, and patents for various pallets also exist in Europe.

First patent

The first transport pallet dates from 7th November, 1939, when George Raymond Sr and his associate William House were granted a patent for a hydraulic lift truck and the accompanying wooden transport pallet. It paved the way for the Euro pallet and global pallet pooling systems.

As early as 1922, Raymond acquired a foundry called Lyon Iron Works in New York State and formed it into The Raymond Corporation, now a subsidiary of Toyota Industries. There, with his inventive spirit coupled with a desire to understand and solve customers’ challenges, Raymond laid the foundation for a company that would later shape an entire industry. His transport pallet was designed so that the forks of the lift truck could travel under the pallet from two sides.

Before Steve Raymond, the founder’s grandson, retired, he was actively involved with The Raymond Corporation in various capacities, including past president of the Raymond Solutions and Support Center. He is proud of his grandfather’s invention: “Everything in logistics starts with the pallet,” he says.

Numerous pallet inventions were not patented until the late 1940s, such as Robert Braun’s four-way pallet, patented in 1945, and a one-way pallet by US supply officer Norman Cahners, who received the patent in 1949.

DIN certification

In 2004, the Euro pallet also received DIN EN 13698-1. This states that it is a rigid horizontal platform of low height “capable of being handled by forklift trucks, pallet trucks or other suitable equipment and serving as a base for grouping goods and loads for stacking, storage and handling or transport”.

Mother of the Euro pallet is the UIC: The birth of the Euro pallet was largely related to the idea of standardisation. In the 1950s, railroad companies began to transport more and more goods on pallets and the pallet spread rapidly. However, the lack of standards led to real chaos in cross-border transport. To counteract this, in 1961 the Union Internationale des Chemins de fer (UIC) worked out the contract for a standardised, exchangeable pallet within the framework of a working group with changing players, which was subsequently signed by the European railroad companies.

From then on, they undertook to comply with the standard (UIC-standard 435-2 ff.), to manufacture and to repair Euro pallets. In addition, they agreed to the monitoring and the guarantee of a trouble-free exchange in an EPP (European Pallet Pool). The success of the Euro pallet with the dimensions 800mm x 1200mm x 144mm was resounding: there is hardly any storage or transport system today which is not adapted to the dimensions of the Euro pallet.

Open exchange pool

The open exchange pool for Euro pallets works like this: A loaded pallet is exchanged for an identical empty Euro pallet at the destination. The regulations for the production and repair of Euro pallets are extensive in this respect, right down to the position of the individual nails. The exchange of Euro pallets is not automatic, nor is it common practice in all countries.

In the mid-1970s, the Gütegemeinschaft Paletten, now the National Committee of EPAL, took over part of the distribution and quality assurance of the Euro pallet. Together, the UIC and the European Pallet Association (EPAL) e.V., founded in 1991, promoted the dissemination and quality assurance of the Euro pallet in the following years.

In 2013, UIC and EPAL separated. Since then, both organisations have been competitors in the open Euro pallet exchange pool with different trademarks: UIC/EUR on the corner blocks of UIC Euro pallets and EPAL/EPAL on the blocks of EPAL Euro pallets. EPAL, with its 14 National Committees (members of the umbrella organisation) and three representatives, is active in more than 30 countries worldwide.

Just a few years after the invention of the Euro pallet, another player in the pallet business appeared in Australia. Oliver Richter (1920 – 2014) was the Trade Manager for Manufacturing and Materials Handling in the logistics company Brambles. At the time, the company was still predominantly active in the materials handling sector in Sydney with its CHEP (Commonwealth Handling Equipment Pool) brand. Richter recognised the potential of a pallet pooling system and successfully expanded the closed CHEP rental pool internationally.

Sharing pallets among multiple participants

Under CHEP’s “sharing and reusing” model, reusable pallets, crates and containers were made available for sharing among multiple participants throughout the supply chain. Through Richter’s drive and vision, CHEP also advanced pallet size standardisation and the resulting impact on packaging standardisation. He had a pallet control system developed that improved the efficient movement of goods and ensured more effective reuse of pallets and a reduction in pallet loss. Overall, these initiatives resulted in tangible productivity gains throughout the supply chain as goods moved directly from manufacturer or producer to retailer.

Prior to the EPAL, CHEP and UIC pooling and reuse schemes, companies spent significant amounts of money replacing pallets that were not returned or were of inferior quality. The circular economy of the Euro pallet contributed to an immense improvement in sustainability in logistics long before the issue of sustainability was on the public agenda.

But the end of the pallet’s story is far from written. It has created a standard for logistics. It gave rise to standard packaging, box sizes and clear heights in warehouses, truck trailer sizes or forklift dimensions. That the pallet will continue to be a driving force in the future is beyond question, but like any other load carrier, it must rise to the challenges of the times.

Pallets for tomorrow’s logistics

In addition to the sustainability factor, the pallet today is first and foremost part of the digital evolution in logistics. Research and science, pallet manufacturers and customers are working on innovative ways to make pallets an even more reliable and intelligent means of transporting and presenting goods.

Logistics is all about pallets. Making them smart means making logistics smart. The pallet of the future will no longer just sustainably transport goods but will provide important information. It will record environmental parameters and communicate with modern media. The pallet will remain a central building block in a digital logistics universe with globally networked supply chains.

GoRamp secures CEE award

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Logistics technology start-up GoRamp has been selected as the best solution for the management of logistics and supply chain in Central and Eastern Europe.

CEE Logistics & Supply Chain Management Excellence Awards organised under the auspices of Translog Connect has selected a transportation process optimisation tool developed by the Lithuanian start-up GoRamp as the best logistics Service Provider of the year. The award is annually conferred upon an innovative service that proves its effectiveness in the optimisation of customer supply chain, ensuring saving of costs and resources as well as sustainable business development.

“This award is an important recognition for us and the entire logistic technology developers’ community in the Baltics,” said Jevgenij Polonis, CEO and co-founder of GoRamp. “Our contribution to the development of supply chain innovation in Central and Eastern Europe is taken into account and appreciated. That is a strong step forward towards the GoRamp vision to digitise the logistics processes of manufacturing and trading companies, which are currently based on unadvanced and inefficient manual work and outdated methods.”

GoRamp subscription model

GoRamp has developed a tool based on a monthly subscription for logistics units of manufacturing and trading companies. The companies may choose the solutions based on their supply chain processes and challenges. The modules include planning of warehouse arrivals, management of carrier contracts, automated inspection of invoices, and integration of the different systems. According to the feedback received from customers from 19 countries, the system allows for saving up to 70% of operational work, cut waiting time by 20%, avoid downtime and fit the agreed budget.

For the awards, GoRamp presented a success story of Schoeller Allibert, one of the largest global plastic recycling companies, that operates in 50 countries. Installation of the GoRamp system resulted in warehouse effectiveness. Schoeller Allibert managed to increase the efficiency of warehouse operations by more than a third, reduce the queues of trucks by 90%, and cut the waiting time of drivers by 40%.

Translog Connect is an annual international congress of the supply chain industry aimed at discussing the progress of transport, logistics and supply chain management in Central and Eastern Europe. The summit attracts over 400 participants from more than 17 countries.

www.goramp.eu

Tive wins innovation award

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Tive, a global leader in supply chain and logistics visibility technology, has been ranked 18th in FreightWaves’ 2023 FreightTech 25 list, which recognises the most innovative and disruptive companies in the freight and transportation industry. This is the first year Tive is included on this list.

Each year, the top 25 companies are selected from the FreightTech 100 by a handpicked group of CEOs, industry leaders, and investors actively investing in the freight space.

“As relentless innovators, we are extremely proud to be recognised by FreightWaves on this impressive list of companies working to advance the freight technology space,” said Krenar Komoni, Tive CEO & Founder. “At Tive, we are constantly seeking new and innovative ways to make end-to-end supply chain visibility available to everyone in the transportation industry, and this award clearly demonstrates that our hard work is successfully advancing our mission.”

Among Tive’s recent contributions to make end-to-end supply chain visibility an affordable reality for everyone in the supply chain logistics space are the following:

  • Introduced the first single-use and multi-use 5G-ready tracker
  • Introduced the first non-lithium based 5G-ready tracker
  • Introduced Tive Tag, the thinnest, easiest-to-use label for end-to-end cold chain monitoring of temperature-sensitive shipments
  • Co-founded the Open Visibility Network—a consortium of supply chain, transportation, and logistics technology providers on a mission to optimise global supply chain efficiency via open visibility and collaboration
  • Tive trackers provide global visibility coverage, with high reliability in more than 186 countries

The FreightTech 25 companies and their ranking were determined by a hand-picked peer group of CEOs, industry leaders, and investors actively investing in the freight industry. The companies were among the FreightTech 100 companies, previously determined by a panel chosen by FreightWaves.

Technology specialist scoops award

Posted on by Keith McKinley

A specialist logistics technology firm is celebrating after picking up an award at the prestigious UK Business Tech Awards 2022. The annual UK Business Tech Awards are designed to recognise the UK’s finest tech businesses and reward the innovative and exceptional applications of technology to transform and grow businesses.

Wise provides over 250 UK last-mile delivery firms with innovative software to help them save time, stress and money when engaging a self-employed workforce. The tech company, based in Solihull, were awarded Tech Company of The Year (small) at the glamorous London event.

Sifting through hundreds of entries, the judging panel noted that Wise had ‘demonstrated innovative thought in solving an important issue’ within the logistics industry, whilst also receiving ‘excellent funding results, clearly giving confidence in the company’s long-term future’.

Dan Richards, Chief Commercial Officer at Wise, said: “We were absolutely thrilled to be a winner at this year’s UK Business Tech Awards, especially considering the incredible businesses we were competing alongside.

“As a business, we’ve been on an incredible journey over the last few years, bringing together some of the UK’s best technology talent under one roof in Solihull. Being recognised with this prestigious award is a great testament to the technology we have created over the past couple of years and the real impact this is having on self-employment within the logistics and last-mile delivery industry.”

 

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