Linde takes pride in 2021 awards

In reflecting on its seven awards received in 2021 and more than 80 accolades picked up over the last three decades, intralogistics specialist Linde Material Handling (MH) recognises this achievement as the result of its ongoing innovative strength and wealth of ideas produced for the benefit of its customers.

All the prizes that have been awarded to the company since the mid-1980s can now be seen in a dedicated “Awards” section on the corporate website, assigned to the categories of Brand, Product/Innovation, Design and Communication.

For almost 120 years, the name Linde (Material Handling) has stood for reliable technology, intelligent solutions and innovative products that offer users measurable added value. “Our entire workforce is committed to the success of our customers who benefit from our team’s great passion and innovative strength,” said Stefan Prokosch, SVP Brand Management Linde Material Handling.

“That’s why the Linde brand and our technical concepts, vehicle design and communication have won countless awards. We are particularly proud of these accolades because they are proof that our customers appreciate our commitment to offering the highest possible level of efficiency, safety, ergonomics and sustainability. With the new Award section on our homepage, we are making this success transparent for all visitors.”

2021 – another award-winning year

One of the most coveted awards in the material handling industry in Germany once again went to Linde MH in 2021. On behalf of the VerkehrsRundschau magazine, an independent market research institute surveyed a representative number of purchasing decision-makers from the transport and logistics sectors about the best-known brands.

Right back in 2002, when Springer Fachmedien München GmbH and the publishing house Heinrich Vogel offered the Image Award for the first time in the category “Forklift trucks, Handling and Warehouse Technology”, Linde MH won the coveted prize. Since then, the competition in this category has been held at different intervals. The constant, however, is the goods handling specialist, who has always emerged as the winner since then.

The VerkehrsRundschau editorial team commented on the latest results as follows: “When it comes to forklift trucks, pallet trucks, order pickers and so on, no manufacturer is as well regarded as Linde Material Handling.”

Linde MH also continued its successes of recent years in the 2021 readers’ poll carried out by publishing house ETM. For the 10th time, the company won the “Best Brands” award offered by the publications trans aktuell, lastauto omnibus, FERNFAHRER and eurotransport.de, which recognises innovative products and services from the transport and logistics industry. But it was not only in terms of brand image that Linde MH was able to impress customers and experts.

In the “materialfluss PRODUCT OF THE YEAR 2021” readers’ poll, the automated Linde R-MATIC reach truck took first place in the Industrial Trucks category. Moreover, the access authorisation system “Linde Safety Guard: Door Control” emerged victorious in the Identification Technology category. The competition, which was launched in 2020, is decided via online voting.

A large number of awards have been received over the past few decades. The various types fill a large glass showcase in the reception area of Linde MH’s headquarters in Aschaffenburg. Among them is the Business Superbrands Award, which is given by Superbrands Germany, the world’s largest brand evaluation organisation, who has listed Linde MH as one of the top companies in its industry since 2020.

Other prizes have been awarded in honour of innovations. One example is the “Best Practice Innovations” award from Logistra magazine, which belongs to the Huss publishing house. In this instance, an award was given in 2014 for the practical viability and innovative concept of the company’s fuel cell technology, and another was awarded in 2020 for Linde’s latest IC counterbalance trucks.

In the same year, the judges of the Fork Lift Truck Association (FTLA) were impressed by the ergonomic steering wheel of the Linde N20 C low-lift order picker and presented it with the coveted “Award for Excellence” in the “Ergonomics” category.

Increasingly, assistance and personal protection systems are becoming the focus of awards. One example is the “interactive warning vest for the protection of persons in in-warehouse traffic”. This solution, which is unique in the industry, received the 2021 Industry Award, presented by WirtschaftsWoche and DEKRA, in the category “Safety at Work”.

And the list of successes still does not end there: “interairport Europe 2019 Excellence Award”, “Öko Globe” and “MM Logistik Award” are further examples.

Added to this is the large number of accumulated design awards: Over the years, Linde MH has won as many as 10 “reddot” and 12 “iF Product Design” awards. Linde MH received its first iF Design Award in 1985 for the legendary 351 series forklift model in the henceforth typical Porsche industrial design.

In 2018, the roadster version of the Linde E20 R to E35 R electric forklift range was honoured with the prestigious French industrial design award Observeur du Design, which is presented annually by the design association Agence pour la promotion de la création industrielle (APCI). The German Design Award followed in 2019, presented in recognition of the exceptional forklift model designed without an A-pillar, which offers even better visibility of the driving area and load.

Last, but not least, Linde MH proved its creativity in terms of communication and marketing and was found to be worthy of a corresponding award. In particular, the StaplerCup, a championship in which forklift drivers can demonstrate their skills and promote occupational safety, has earned the company numerous prizes over the years – including the “Best of Business (BoB)”, “ECON”, “DPRG”, “Galaxy” and “PR Report Award Gold” awards.

SAFELOG earns Bavarian award

Due to the COVID pandemic the past two years have been very challenging, not only for SAFELOG but for companies worldwide. SAFELOG GmbH was therefore all the more pleased to receive the ‘Bayerns Best 50’ award from the Bavarian State Ministry for Economic Affairs, State Development and Energy.

Disrupted supply chains, hygiene regulations, an unpredictable order situation and a shortage of resources are just some of the challenges that have had to be overcome during the pandemic. A jury of experts from the auditing firm Baker Tilly GmbH & Co. KG identified candidates who had dealt with the crisis in an impressive way from among some 8,000 medium-sized companies in Bavaria. Together with 49 other medium-sized companies, SAFELOG impressed the jury with its effective crisis management.

A decisive factor in winning this award was SAFELOG’s sustained corporate success as well as its continued growth both in terms of sales revenue and number of employees over the past five years. Despite the volatile situation, the company increased sales in the pandemic year 2020 by 12% compared to the same period in the previous year. The management considers the quick reaction to the challenges of the crisis to be the main reason for the company’s continued successful growth.

The company did not fall into a state of shock, but consistently stuck to its planned strategy under difficult conditions. The focus was on the development of new AGV models and the further optimisation of the company’s own software modules.

“This award confirms our view that you can emerge stronger from a crisis,” commented Michael Wolter, the company’s founder. “We are very proud to be among Bavaria’s best medium-sized companies thanks to the dedication of our employees and our consistent adherence to COVID rules – this is a clear sign that hard work and dedication are rewarded and that they are also noticed outside the company.”

About the awards

Entrepreneurs who seek out new opportunities for growth and employment and exploit them consistently are the backbone of the economy. They live entrepreneurship, take responsibility, and create the jobs that form the basis for the high standard of living in Bavaria.

To recognise this achievement, the Bavarian State Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy honoured the 50 fastest-growing SMEs with the BAYERNS BEST 50 award. The prize is awarded to particularly fast-growing SMEs that have been able to increase the number of their employees and their sales above average in recent years. In addition, the “Bavarian Entrepreneur of the Year” is awarded from among the BAYERNS BEST 50. The selection criteria in this case are the economic success of their company and their active role in the business.

In-company training is also central to entrepreneurial growth and sustainable economic success. At the same time, it is an expression of the entrepreneur’s social responsibility. For this reason, the Bavarian State Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy is awarding a special prize to two companies for outstanding commitment to in-company training.

Particularly in times of the COVID pandemic and its negative effects, the focus was on entrepreneurial role models who can serve as orientation for small and medium-sized businesses in a difficult environment.

PSI Logistics receives “Top Employer” accolade

The “Top Employer Medium-Sized Businesses 2022” study – published on 27th November 2021 by the business magazine Focus-Business – ranks PSI Logistics GmbH among the 4,000 best employers in Germany in the current industry ranking.

The top list was compiled by the research partner FactField GmbH on behalf of FOCUS. Using a high-quality methodology, the research institute determined top employers of medium-sized companies 2022 for around 40 industries. The survey was based on responses to a Germany-wide online survey as well as existing online reviews of employers with an average rating of at least 3.5 stars.

The range of questions reflects, among other things, the attractiveness of the employer and working environment, working conditions and career prospects. The final ranking of the companies is based on a score calculated from the two factors rating average and number of ratings (from both data sources).

Around 950,000 companies and 4,000,000 employee evaluations were analysed. The top list is broken down by industry and contains a total of around 4,000 excellent medium-sized companies. With a good overall rating, PSI Logistics was awarded the title “Top Medium-Sized Employer 2022”. For the fourth time in a row, this ranks the Berlin software company among the best employers in Germany in the evaluation of employees, applicants and the analysts of the research institute.

Prologis receives sustainability honour

Prologis, a global leader in logistics real estate, has been recognised by HRH The Prince of Wales for its enduring commitment to building a sustainable future.

His Royal Highness, The Prince of Wales, through his Sustainable Markets Initiative (SMI), has launched the Terra Carta Seal which recognises private sector companies who are leading their peers in creating genuinely sustainable markets. The award is being given to just 45 companies in the world – companies that have distinguished themselves as being leaders in sustainability innovation.

Prologis has for decades demonstrated its commitment to sustainable building practices and cutting-edge innovation and technology. The world’s largest builder and operator of logistics real estate, the company has stated its goal of achieving green certification for all new developments and redevelopments globally.

“We are honoured to be part of this prestigious initiative that puts nature, people and the planet at the heart of global value creation,” said Ben Bannatyne, President of Prologis Europe. “We share in this with our own vision for enduring excellence in real estate, building lasting relationships and a better environment for our customers, employees and the communities that we are part of.”

“We’re pleased to join His Royal Highness, The Prince of Wales, and the Sustainable Markets Initiative’s work to help shape a more sustainable future for all,” said Prologis co-founder and CEO Hamid R. Moghadam. “This is something we have long practiced at Prologis. It is simply doing our part to create a better, cleaner world for this generation and for generations to come.”

His Royal Highness, The Prince of Wales, said: “The Terra Carta Seal recognises those organisations which have made a serious commitment to a future that is much more sustainable, and puts Nature, People and the Planet at the heart of the economy. We all need to make changes if we are to preserve the planet for our children and grandchildren and these businesses have pledged to make it easier for us all to do so.”

A leader in green building

As part of Prologis‘ efforts to reduce carbon emissions and meet its science-based targets, the company has committed to achieving 100% carbon-neutral construction globally by 2025 and is partnering with its customers to decarbonise their operations. Additionally, the company is on track to reach its goal of 400MW of solar capacity on its buildings by 2025. The company is also an industry leader in issuing green bonds to fund investments in sustainable buildings and renewable energy projects across the globe.

Further, Prologis regularly conducts a comprehensive materiality assessment to inform its understanding of the impact of its operations on the environment, the economy and society. This assessment engages a variety of stakeholders, including employees, customers, non-profit organisations and suppliers to capture a spectrum of internal and external viewpoints.

Combilift wins family business award

Combilift has been recognised as the overall winner of the Energia Family Business of the Year 2021.

Energia, the largest supplier of 100% Green Energy in Ireland, recently hosted its bi-annual awards ceremony virtually, with 19 awards being presented to Irish family businesses. The awards celebrate generations of families who work together and this year’s ceremony focussed on honouring businesses who have demonstrated outstanding leadership and resilience throughout the Covid-19 pandemic while continuing to thrive and grow.

Around 200 family business entries were submitted for consideration by the judging panel. Criteria for success was a business which has drawn on its family values to build a successful company, one which acts as a great ambassador for the sector and makes a significant contribution to society and the wider economy.

Combilift was nominated for two categories, Innovative Family Business Award and Manufacturing & Engineering Family Business of the Year. As the company claimed gold in both of these, it was  therefore eligible for the top award, the Energia Family Business of the Year 2021.

Combilift’s CEO and co-founder Martin McVicar commented: “Combilift are thrilled to receive both category awards and of course the overall Family Business award. We’d like to thank the sponsors of our awards, Energia and also NSIA, and the jury for recognising our company and its achievements with these prestigious accolades. This means so much to our team here in Combilift and their families, we are all very proud, and will celebrate accordingly!”

 

Deadline approaches for IFOY entries

The application period for the IFOY AWARD 2022 is entering the finishing phase. Suppliers of products and solutions can apply only this week. The application portal at www.ifoy.org is open until 30th October, 2021. In addition to forklifts, warehouse technology and special vehicles, automated guided vehicle (AGVs), shuttles, robots, cargo bikes, drones, cranes, software and apps as well as successfully implemented, integrated warehouse solutions are also eligible for application.

Furthermore, outstanding technical details or components, such as ergonomic innovations, safety solutions or automation components, are also awarded. In the “Start-up of the Year” category, newly-founded companies with innovative prototypes or functional developments can apply for an IFOY AWARD.

Due to its expertise, the IFOY AWARD is considered the most important innovation award in intralogistics. The election by an international jury selected from internationally renowned trade journalists and the leading logistics media – including Logistics Business as the sole UK media representative – is preceded by an extensive audit with nomination and test cycles. The equipment and solutions nominated for the final undergo individually tailored driving or functional tests, including the test protocol comprising around 80 criteria and the scientific IFOY Innovation Check, on the occasion of the IFOY TEST DAYS from 18th – 23rd March, 2022 at the Messe Dortmund exhibition centre.

In addition, jurors and their teams of advisors from the business world will travel to examine the finalists themselves before casting their vote. As part of IFOY TEST DAYS, TEST CAMP Intralogistics will be held again in 2022, admitting B2B trade visitors interested in innovation. The number of participants is limited.

Applications can only be submitted online HERE.

ELA Awards finalists announced

The European Logistics Association (ELA) has announced the six finalists projects of the 2021 ELA Awards competition. They have been selected by an international jury of 18 comprising  high-level practitioners in logistics from sectors including retail, industry, consulting, service providers and the academic world.

Austrian Post (A): Emission-Free Delivery by Austrian Post and the Project “Green Graz” 2021. The integrated corporate and sustainability strategy, the project Green Graz, and the CO2 neutral delivery initiative.

dm-drogerie markt GmbH + Co. KG (D): Innovative retail logistics at dm | Integrative. Intelligent. Automated. Reduction in overall logistics expenditure of over €7m p.a., lighter workload for store employees of more than 50,000 hours p.a., reduction in the weight lifted in manual picking of more than 50,000 tonnes p.a., decrease in transport volume of roughly 1.8 million truck kilometres p.a., increasing capacity by implementing new technology in the DC world.

Superdry with Invar Systems and Hikrobot (UK): Warehouse Operations: Superdry with Hikrobot and Invar Systems. In the first application for Hikrobot in the UK, Superdry is leveraging the flexibility of intelligent mini-robot carriers to transform order picking. Using this technology has enabled the team to meet the required pace with demand during peak periods that traditionally would place a heavy burden on manual picking processes, especially when labour resources are tight – a challenge many businesses in retail face. Together both teams developed a method of delivering a warehouse solution to enable the business to succeed to meet ever changing demands. The solution is innovative and optimises the use of space whilst increasing throughput and reducing potential health and safety issues.

Mango (Punto Fa, S.L) (ES): The development of a global and more sustainable supply chain in the fashion industry. A new supply chain model in order to achieve better adaptation to the new reality, increasing efficiency throughout the supply chain, reducing the impact on the environment, whereas continuing to guarantee an optimal level of service for its customers.

Migros-Genossenschafts-Bund (CH): Logistic data marketplace – The beginning of the digital age of logistics for Migros. The overall goal is to break up information silos in different kind of supply chains. Each participant within a supply chain needs to have transparency about the flow of goods in some kind of way. Automation within a DC requires granular information about logistic objects, like pallets or boxes. Industry partners wants to know when to prepare for production. Consumers are interested in track and trace data. The marketplace for logistics data provides a solution for all this needs in a standardised way.

O’Logistique – Group Casino, (F): Changing the face of e-commerce logistics, when a leading French Food retailer meets the top British online grocery player. Disrupting the French grocery e-commerce market by developing the fastest-growing logistic company, based on the state-of-the-art technology developed by Groupe Casino’s partner, Ocado.

The award ceremony will take place online on 9th November 2021 and has following programme (tbc):

14:00 – 14:30: Keynote presentation

14:30 – 16:30: Presentation of the ELA Award finalists’ projects

16:45 – 17:00: ELA Awards Ceremony

17:00 – 18:00: round table + conclusion

The ELA Awards has become one of the most prestigious and important European logistics competitions and it is much sought after by companies throughout Europe. Its recognition of outstanding performance is highly valued by both previous winners and would-be winners alike.

Fritz inducted into Logistics Hall of Fame

US entrepreneur Lynn C. Fritz has been inducted into the international Logistics Hall of Fame. The TRATON Logistics Leader of the Year Award has been given to Prof. Dr. Michael Feindt

Born in San Francisco in 1942, Fritz is considered the founder of logistics for humanitarian organisations. In order to help those affected faster and better in a crisis, he founded the Fritz Institute named after him in 2001 with his own funds, had software developed for non-governmental organisations that could be used free of charge, and established contacts with the leaders of numerous aid organisations in order to implement new concepts and institutionalised learning.

“Lynn C. Fritz has provided proof of how logistical strategies work for fast and effective disaster relief- a topic that is more topical than ever due to climate change,” said Anita Würmser, Executive Chairperson of the Logistics Hall of Fame jury, explaining the decision of the expert jury, which includes 70 well-known personalities from business, science, politics and the media in 13 nations.

“With his induction into the Logistics Hall of Fame, the international jury recognises his efforts to consistently support effective frontline humanitarian operations with strong competencies and a systematic approach in the background. The main pillars are effective processes, professionally trained logistics staff and the use of IT. Numerous initiatives in the field of humanitarian logistics are based on the far-sighted pioneering work of Lynn C. Fritz.”

Experts in the field of logistics for humanitarian organisations highlight several of Fritz’s achievements. After selling his logistics company Fritz Companies Inc. to UPS, the Californian used his money to have the free, web-based logistics software HELIOS developed at the Fritz Institute. The tool is available as a free global standard for humanitarian organisations and enables up-to-the minute tracking of food, non-food items, in-kind and cash donations, as well as financial information about goods in the supply chain.

Experts from the Institute had spent around 3,000 hours interviewing Red Cross and Red Crescent staff to develop the software. The reason: Fritz had recognised that methods and tools from business cannot be transferred one-to-one to the supply chains of aid organisations.

The entrepreneur also pushed for initiatives to systematically train logistics personnel and evaluate humanitarian missions with the help of key figures. Fritz also founded the first association for humanitarian aid workers in the USA and established a consortium of companies that provide logistics experts and donate money when needed.

Lynn C. Fritz will be officially inducted into the Logistics Hall of Fame at a gala reception on November 25th, 2021 in the Erich Klausener Hall of the BMVI in Berlin.

Feindt is Leader of the Year

The TRATON Logistics Leader of the Year Award will also be presented at the reception. This year the award goes to Prof. Dr. Michael Feindt, founder of the software company Blue Yonder, for which he now works as a strategic consultant. The scientist is considered an expert in data-driven software development, learning effects through data analysis and the development of new algorithms and tools in Big Data environments. In 2002, he founded a company to transfer his inventions in the field of predictive analytics from science to business. His idea: predictions in pricing and replenishment can be improved if they are made with the help of artificial intelligence.

Retail experts recognised the potential of the NeuroBayes algorithm he developed to automate operational decisions in the processes of retail companies. In 2008, managers from the Otto Group and Feindt founded the software company Blue Yonder. JDA Software bought the company in 2018. In 2020, JDA Software changed its name to Blue Yonder. In 2021, Panasonic acquired the company completely. The manufacturer of trucks and buses TRATON SE has sponsored the TRATON Logistics Leader of the Year Award since 2020.

With the TRATON Logistics Leader of the Year Award, the organisation honours those who set the pace and create the future of logistics. Entrepreneurs and managers from the transport and logistics sector are honoured who have been particularly successful in promoting their companies or who have set a trend-setting impulse. The focus is on topicality and the benefit for the company as well as innovative strength, sustainability and entrepreneurial change. The award is presented by the Logistics Hall of Fame and donated by TRATON SE.

The decisive factor for acceptance as a member of the Logistics Hall of Fame, on the other hand, is that an achievement is not only beneficial to an individual company, but has significantly and permanently advanced logistics beyond the boundaries of one’s own organisation or has become an industry standard. So far, 37 logisticians have made it into the international Logistics Hall of Fame. The Logistics Hall of Fame can be accessed free of charge at any time at www.logisticshalloffame.net and offers information and pictures about the logistics milestones and their makers.

Six winners celebrate IFOY 2021 Awards

Representatives of arculus, Cargotec, idealworks, Interroll Group, STILL and VOLUME Lagersysteme received their IFOY Awards – dubbed the “Oscar of intralogistics” – at an awards ceremony at the German Football Museum in Dortmund.

The honours were given out by laudators Thomas Westphal (Lord Mayor of Dortmund), Gordon Riske (Chairman of the Board of the VDMA Materials Handling and Intralogistics Sector Association and CEO of KION Group), Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. Michael ten Hompel (Executive Director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics IML in Dortmund), Sabine Loos (Managing Director of the Westfalenhallen Group), Jan-Dietrich Hempel (Managing Director of GARBE Industrial Real Estate) and Birgit Heitzer (Director Corporate Logistics at REWE Group).

IFOY 2021 AWARD WINNERS

  • Moffett E4-25.3NX, Cargotec
  • iw.hub, idealworks
  • Smart Pallet Mover (SPM), Interroll Group
  • arculus Fleet, arculus
  • Danfoss Project, STILL
  • Volume WAVE, VOLUME Storage Systems

 

The IFOY Award is the most important intralogistics award in the world. In 2021, 14 international companies entered 17 products and solutions in the ninth round of the award. “The winners of the IFOY Award 2021 have once again demonstrated that businesses can be innovative and forward-thinking even in persistent pandemic times and bring top products to the market that have a significant effect on the future of intralogistics,” emphasises jury chairwoman Anita Würmser.

Forklift specialist Cargotec won its first IFOY Award in the “Special Vehicle” category with the second generation of its Moffett E4-25.3NX, the world’s first fully electric truck-mounted forklift. According to the jury, the emission-free and low-noise truck is unique in its class. It has a three-wheel drive as well as numerous safety features and convinced the jury in the IFOY test, for example, with its economic efficiency and high performance.

The winner in the “Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV)” category is the BMW subsidiary idealworks with the iw.hub. Originally developed for in-house use, the autonomous mobile robot (AMR) is now freely available on the market and can be implemented very easily in just two days without any structural adjustments. The AMR, which set an example at the IFOY Test Days with its flexibility and other features, also scored points with its competitive price.

In the “Special of the Year” category, the IFOY Award got to the Smart Pallet Mover (SPM) from the Swiss Interroll Group. The new, mobile robot solution for the automation of pallet transport in the areas of production machines and order picking convinced testers and the jury not only with its high degree of innovation, but also with an outstanding cost-benefit advantage.

An IFOY Award was also won by arculus. In the category “Intralogistics Software”, the manufacturer-independent fleet management system arculus Fleet convinced the jury. The system enables the operation of AGVs from different manufacturers in one area via a VDA5050 interface and opens up new possibilities for the mixed operation of automated warehouse vehicles, which were unthinkable in practice until not long ago.

In the “Integrated Warehouse Solutions” category, this year’s award went to STILL. The Hamburg-based intralogistics company made it to the top with its Danfoss project. For Danfoss Power Electronics’ new production warehouse, STILL had implemented a perfectly coordinated solution consisting of three automated series industrial trucks, the smart iGo insights tool and the ELOshield safety system for its Danish customer. According to the jury, the project is an impressive example how automated warehouses will be controlled, monitored and analysed in the future.

No fewer than five young companies qualified for the final round in the “Start-up of the Year” category this year with very different innovative solutions. In the end, Volume WAVE from VOLUME Lagersysteme came out on top. The world’s first fully automated pallet shuttle warehouse with individual access to each storage location convinced the jury with its fundamentally new design principle as well as its professional implementation. Scientists described the extremely space-saving solution in the IFOY Innovation Check as “impressive”.

The International Intralogistics and Forklift Truck of the Year (IFOY) Award recognises the best intralogistics products and solutions of the year. It has established itself as an indicator of cost-effectiveness and innovation and is regarded as the leading innovation award in intralogistics due to its technical expertise. The basis for the decision is the three-stage audit – consisting of the IFOY test protocol with around 80 criteria, the scientific IFOY Innovation Check and the jury test. The most important detail is that the nominees are not compared with each other, but with their competitors’ products on the market.

At the IFOY Test Days in March at the Messe Dortmund exhibition centre, all nominees went through the IFOY test series. For the second year in a row, around 100 potential buyers were also on-site at the Test Camp Intralogistics. The winners of the IFOY Award are chosen annually by an international jury of trade journalists.

The IFOY Award is sponsored by the Association for Materials Handling and Intralogistics within the VDMA. IFOY partners are Messe Dortmund and the world’s leading forklift attachment manufacturer Cascade. The IFOY Awards’s pallet partner is CHEP, the global market leader in the pooling of pallets and containers. The logistics real estate partner is GARBE, the trailer partner is Kögel and the logistics partner is LTG.

The application phase for the IFOY Award 2022 starts on 1st August, 2021.

Meili Robots wins top supply chain award

US media organisation Supply & Demand Chain Executive has selected Meili Robots as a recipient of the Top Supply Chain Projects Award for 2021.

Meili Robots says it is on a mission to elevate the traditional supply chain and logistics industry by eliminating interoperability pain points. Its universal fleet management system – Meili FMS – opens up new levels of automation in warehouses and manufacturing spaces by bridging the gap between different types and brands of robots. Its solution is easy to integrate with any ERP-type system and ensures that robots that operate in the same environment can communicate with each other and work collectively.

Thanks to tremendous growth in the robotics industry, supply chains are becoming more aware of the benefits of automation – especially in warehouses. As a result, more users are diversifying their fleets to serve different operational processes. Manufacturers currently supply their robots with their own fleet manager, which means that robots in diverse fleets cannot communicate with each other. This leads to collisions and delays in operations, which, in turn, creates an inefficient, costly, and unsafe work environment. That is why there is a need for a universal, third-party solution like Meili FMS that can tackle the pain points of interoperable robot fleets.

The Top Supply Chain Projects (formerly known as SDCE 100) spotlights successful and innovative transformation projects that deliver bottom-line value to small, medium and large enterprises across a range of supply chain functions. These projects show how supply chain solutions and service providers help their customers and clients achieve supply chain excellence and prepare their supply chains for success.

“The supply chain industry has been challenged with a host of supply chain disruptions over the last year. Yet, the winners on this list continued to re-tool and innovate,” says Marina Mayer, editor for Supply & Demand Chain Executive and Food Logistics. “Whether it be moving a customer to a cloud-based solution or implementing a more sustainable shipping option, these top supply chain projects reflect the supply chain industry’s strength and resilience to overcome disruptions and work better, smarter and more efficiently in the years ahead.”

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