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Tag: containers

Cargo Owners Encouraged to Shift to Rail

Posted on by David Priestman

DP World has launched a new programme in the UK to help cargo owners reduce their carbon emissions by shifting from road to rail freight.

The Modal Shift Programme, which is being trialled at DP World’s Southampton Logistics Hub, offers customers a financial incentive to move their imported goods off the road and onto rail, cutting carbon emissions and air pollutants – the programme could prevent as much as 30,000 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide being emitted per year. The financial incentive will be paid for by a relatively small charge on all import laden containers coming through DP World Southampton.

Under the scheme, customers whose import-laden containers are moved by rail to a railhead within 140 miles of DP World Southampton will receive a £70 incentive. Containers that are moved by rail to a railhead more than 140 miles from DP World Southampton will be reimbursed the £10 fee on each container.

John Trenchard, UK Commercial & Supply Chain Director at DP World, said: “DP World will help mitigate the impacts of climate change by becoming a net zero logistics organisation by 2050 and continue to support our customers on their own decarbonisation journeys. We invite supply chain partners to review if rail can play a bigger role in their UK supply chains.

“Southampton has traditionally moved more containers by rail more than any other UK terminal. Over the last few years however, there has been a gradual decline in rail share – a consequence of the wider nationwide challenges facing rail freight at present. Through the Modal Shift Programme we aim to increase the rail share up towards 40% by the end of 2025 – supporting the UK Government’s ambition to drive the modal shift from road freight to more environmentally sustainable alternatives like rail.”

DP World was named ‘Sustainability Company of the Year’ at Multimodal 2023 thanks, in part, to the Modal Shift Programme. The company was also recognised for delivering a 55% reduction in net carbon emissions from its fleet and installations at Southampton in 2022 after transitioning to Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) and its £12m investment at London Gateway in the first all-electric fleet of straddle carriers to go into commercial operation at a port anywhere in the world.

In addition to its UK hubs at Southampton and London Gateway, DP World’s offer includes logistics, forwarding and European transport capabilities, all of which are being integrated into the company’s global network. Operating in 78 countries, DP World now handles 10 per cent of world trade.

More than just Containers on Container Ships

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Even if container ships are optimized to handle containers in particular, there are nevertheless good opportunities to ship so-called breakbulk cargo far beyond the limitations of what can fit in a container. Not least on board the very largest container ships offering direct liner service between the Port of Gothenburg and ports in Asia and North America every week.

“We notice that more and more people are discovering the possibility. It’s nice to see that we can expand our customer base and thus also allow them to take advantage of our liner network and see that it is perfectly possible to load and unload almost anything on a container ship,” says Marco Cicola, responsible for breakbulk segment at the shipping company MSC Sweden.

The opportunities using container vessels are numerous. Depending on the size of the ship, cargo can be up to 40 meters in length and up to 12 meters in width. The largest ships that sail directly between Gothenburg and Asia each week are close to 60 meters wide and can load breakbulk cargo of around 40 meters in length. The cranes on the land side at APM Terminals Gothenburg are able to handle cargo of up to 100 tons.

This means that large and heavy breakbulk cargo in the form of e.g., transformers, construction machinery, large inputs for the steel industry are not only possible, but also actual examples of breakbulk cargo shipped to and from the Port of Gothenburg on container ships.

At the Port of Gothenburg and through the various terminals within the port area, there are plenty of possibilities to load and unload breakbulk cargo. The most common approach is to roll the goods on or off the ships at the port’s RO/RO terminals, however this is not the only option, as Richard Mellgren, Senior Business Development Manager at Gothenburg Port Authority explains:

“It is becoming increasingly common to ship breakbulk cargo on container vessels, and it is a good complement for container shipping lines. For project cargo customers, this means that they gain access to an overall broader range of options at the port – especially when it comes to direct calls to Asia and North America. Due to the specialist nature of project cargo, each breakbulk and out-of-gauge shipment is considered on a case-by-case basis, tailoring the solutions around the customers’ unique requirements and using our global service network to deliver their cargo anywhere in the world.”

Marco Cicola concludes: “As customers begin to focus more intently on sustainability, transport solutions at sea are becoming increasingly interesting, even for project loads. Moving transport from land to sea is a good way for customers to reduce their carbon footprint, and it can also prove cost-effective, so they are more and more open to new solutions that make this possible.”

Facts: Breakbulk with MSC in the Port of Gothenburg:
Departures: 1/w to and from Asia + 1/w to and from North America + 1/w to and from Antwerp.
Destinations in Asia on direct service: Singapore, Shanghai, Dalian, Xingang, Busan, Ningbo. Destinations in North America: New York, Philadelphia, Norfolk, Jacksonville.
Other destinations: Worldwide with transshipment in Antwerp.
Load dimensions: Max 40 x 12 meters.
Load weight: Up to 100 tons.

Singapore Port Group’s Container Throughput

Posted on by Keith McKinley

PSA International Pte Ltd (PSA) handled container throughput volumes of 90.9 million Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) at its port projects around the world for the year ending 31 December 2022. The Group’s volume decreased by 0.7% over 2021, with flagship PSA Singapore contributing 37.0 million TEUs (-0.7%) and PSA terminals outside Singapore handling 53.9 million TEUs (-0.7%).

Mr Tan Chong Meng, Group CEO of PSA, shared, “The world experienced another challenging year in 2022 and although most countries were emerging from the global pandemic, many continued to suffer from the negative aftershocks which were compounded by the war in Ukraine, higher energy prices, global inflation and supply chain disruptions.

“Despite the challenges, I was heartened by the ability of our management, staff and unions to adapt and to honour promises to our customers across PSA’s ports, cargo solutions, marine and digital businesses – they showed their grit, resilience and an abiding commitment to excellence. Just as importantly, I am deeply grateful for the continued support of our customers and partners as we worked closely together to keep cargo moving and trade flowing.

“Going into 2023, the world is experiencing deep transitions towards new realities and while these times of change can be uneasy, PSA stands steady against the headwinds that may come our way as we continue to build on our core business of ports and – coupled with the acquisition of BDP International last year – widen our focus in enabling more agile, resilient and sustainable supply chains. We will partner closely alongside our customers, partners and stakeholders to future-proof our journey ahead, and continue in our mission to be a supply chain orchestrator, realise an Internet of Logistics and bring about more sustainable global trade.”

Port group

PSA International (PSA) is a leading port group and trusted partner to cargo stakeholders. With flagship operations in Singapore and Antwerp, PSA’s global network encompasses 160 locations in 42 countries around the world. The Group’s portfolio comprises over 60 deepsea, rail and inland terminals, as well as affiliated businesses in supply chain management, logistics, marine and digital services. Drawing on the deep expertise and experience from a diverse global team, PSA actively collaborates with its customers and partners to deliver world-class port services alongside, develop innovative cargo solutions and co-create an Internet of Logistics.

Supply Chain Industry Fears for 2023

Posted on by David Priestman

Container xChange has released a Container LogTech predictions report for 2023, which highlights important global trends that the shipping and supply chain industry will witness in 2023. The report draws attention to some of the most pertinent issues that industry will witness this year thereby helping professionals to prepare better for navigation.

“The overall outlook for the year 2023 remains gloomy. Europe is hit hard with an all-time high inflation; China struggles to cope with the virus and the US continues to witness hinterland transportation challenges and labour unrest. Most of these challenges will stay in 2023. Consumer confidence will pick up, but it really depends on whether we witness more disruptions in the coming times.” said Christian Roeloffs, cofounder and CEO, Container xChange, an online container logistics platform.

Most of the experts surveyed foresee that inflation and recession will have a greater impact this year and will be the biggest driver of disruptions.

‘‘Due to inflation increasing, there’ll be more unrest in the labour market which will certainly lead to more strikes, specifically in Europe, the UK and North America. And as we have seen before, strikes result in slow operations within the port which can exacerbate supply issues.’’ said Aamir S. Mir, Chief Operating Officer (COO), Caspian Container Company SA as part of the interviews.

Talking of rates, the report further predicts that the Long-term shipping contract rates will see an uptick in 2023, though gradually. This slow increase applies to all modes of transport. With negotiations going on to bring contract rates in line with spot rates, a reset is expected. On the other hand, until there is a balance reached between supply and demand, forwarders will favour short-term contracts until the rates stabilize. “Freight forwarders will employ a ‘wait and see’ approach before making any long-term air cargo capacity commitments particularly.” the report claims.

Trucking rates for both dry and reefer cargos will continue to drop in 2023. Freight tonnage will continue to contract as market conditions and volumes return to pre-pandemic numbers.
The unresolved worker strikes of 2022 will spill over in 2023. Furthermore, the chances of new strikes coming up are high due to inflation-related rise in prices putting pressure on workers’ disposable incomes. Labor dissatisfaction might grow in European and North American economies. In that case, it will cause disruptions in global supply chains.

‘‘Two, almost three exceptional years for carriers are definitely coming to an end. They will have to adapt back to lower margins due to a different supply and demand balance. Many customers, forced into high-cost contracts during the up-cycle, will come for revenge in the down cycle. And regulatory pressures, following excessive profits might appear on top of that, be it through bodies like FMC, EU or China’s MOC, as they each reviewing alliance exemptions, new taxation regulations, or precedence cases from several complaints raised by shippers at different institutions.’’ said Ruben Huber, Founder and Director, OceanX.

The report further covers the growing expectation of 3PL (third party logistics) market to solidify in 2023. Reportedly, it’s projected to reach $1,789.74 billion by 2027. Another key trend on the list is around the digital transformation of the industry. In the years to come, the adoption of digital technologies in shipping will focus on vessel schedules, intuitive booking interfaces, instant slot booking, and capacity confirmations. In this regard, the industry’s major concern will be on having systems interact directly via automating the Data-Analysis-Decision-Action cycle.

Labels partnership success for in-moulds

Posted on by David Priestman

Leading barcode labels and security specialist, inotec, is celebrating the company’s long-term partnership with Georg Utz. This successful collaboration has resulted in the production of over 40 million in-mould labels for plastic totes, crates, pallets and dollies.

The significant investment between inotec and Georg Utz began in 2008 and has enabled the in-mould labelling process to become fully automated within the production of new totes and crates. This delivers substantial time and cost savings compared to applying adhesive labels after manufacturing. The Diobond labels are applied during the moulding process of polyethene, polystyrene, polypropylene and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) products.

The barcode labels are moulded onto the totes and crates during production as a permanent and durable asset identification solution. Using inotec’s state of the art printing, full-colour logos, barcodes and even radio-frequency identification (RFID) enabled inlays can be injection moulded into the wall of a container.

Due to its unique and patented manufacturing process, inotec’s RFID chips can also be in-moulded directly to totes and crates with no interlayer to destroy the contact between the box plastic and the label. In tests, up to 300 boxes were read at one time within seconds.

Durable and contamination free

The durability of the in-mould technology not only makes the labels extremely hardwearing, but also resistant to high-pressure cleaning, chemicals, acids and solvents.

The bond between the in-mould label and the crate becomes permanent, offering a smooth edgeless surface. This eliminates the possibility of any contamination happening behind the label. Coupled with its durability and resistance to industrial cleaning, inotec’s in-mould label technology is ideal for the food and pharmaceutical industries along with other highly hygienic environments.

Without the need for adhesives, the in-mould labels are highly resistant to heat and UV light as well as being waterproof. David Stocker, sales director, inotec UK explains:
“Changing the labelling process from adhesive labels to in-mould labels has many benefits for companies like Georg Utz.

“Moving to in-mould labelling technology means labels can be inserted during the moulding process. This removes the extra step that the traditional method adhesive labels create, as they can only be applied after the moulding process. In addition to this, newly moulded totes need to be stored and cooled before they can have the adhesive labels applied. In-mould labelling eliminates this extra storage stage and the need for secondary handling. This not only saves time but also creates significant cost savings for companies like Georg Utz who are producing in mass volumes.”

General Manager, Russell Evans, at Georg Utz concludes:
“In-mould labelling is a major innovation in our industry. It allows us to offer much higher specification, reliable barcodes and the digital printing of logos with unlimited colours at a very high print resolution. The images are incredibly clear and robust.

“We are aware that to continue to grow we must constantly innovate in line with our customers’ needs and having partners like inotec is integral to our future development.”

Established in 1999, inotec UK is a wholly owned subsidiary of inotec GmbH. It is a provider of warehouse finishing solutions including durable barcode labels, in-mould labels, internal and external line marking, RFID solutions and warehouse signage.

inotec specialises in providing bespoke solutions for a variety of environments from ambient to cold stores. The company offers a complete service, working with clients throughout the process from design to installation to achieve solutions that work the first time and every time.

inotec GmbH is Europe’s premier specialist barcode and Auto ID label company with a wealth of experience in providing quality label and identification solutions. Using the world’s most consistent and accurate printing processes, the company guarantees secure and readable labels at all times. With its unique testing laboratory and expert technical knowledge, inotec GmbH has been introducing pioneering new products and long-lasting warehouse identification solutions for more than 30 years.

Plastic – an advantage in winter conditions

Posted on by David Priestman

Construction work in cold, ice and snow – the winter months are a great challenge for the building and civil engineering sector. Advances in technology as well as the development of new materials and products mean that construction sites can now run smoothly almost without interruptions, even during the winter months.

With more than 60 years of know-how in plastics processing, the Craemer Group is actively contributing to this trend with its range of high-quality products made from injection moulding. For the construction sector, the family-owned company offers a robust range of pallets, boxes and containers made of pure polyethylene (PE). All products are easy to handle, load and fill, empty and clean.

Craemer, a leading manufacturer of durable and sustainable load carriers and containers made of robust plastic, benefits from decades of experience and its own modern technical centre at the group’s headquarters in Herzebrock-Clarholz, Germany. In this centre, research and development, design and tool making are closely interconnected – together they form the cradle for innovations.

This is the hub where new products are developed and already existing products are further improved, while practical trials are performed to determine their suitability for use, various areas of application and different framework conditions. This is also the place where cross-site teams deal with interdisciplinary approaches and sustainable solutions, using alternative materials and combinations of plastic and metal.

International presence – interdisciplinary expertise

Thanks to its international presence, a network of sales partners and close customer contacts, Craemer says it is able to anticipate and pick up market requirements and trends at an early stage. This permits the group to quickly develop solutions and implement them in innovative products and processes across various sectors of industry. In the plastics business area, this comprises pallets and pallet boxes, skips, tubs and buckets, bins and universal containers for the building and civil engineering sector.

The construction industry also benefits from Craemer’s many years of interdisciplinary experience and expertise with a wide range of materials, as well as from continuous investments in new technologies.

The construction industry is one of the most crucial economic drivers. Due to many upstream and downstream branches of industry, numerous application fields and fast processes typical for construction sites, this sector is characterised by a high turnover of materials and a large amount of transport. Robust, handy and durable items for transport and storage are therefore indispensable for ensuring smoothly running processes.

Plastic: hard-wearing and durable

As a developer and manufacturer of high-quality plastic containers for storage and transport, Craemer knows the requirements of the industry and has optimised its product range for construction works to match these. Whether sun, rain, ice or snow, in freezing and hot temperatures: With the robust and durable Craemer portfolio, the construction industry is always well prepared for every season.

Plastic products from Craemer, i. e. pallets and containers made of high-quality polyethylene (PE), are absolutely weatherproof and break-resistant – even after years of intensive use.

Compared to other materials, plastic also offers many advantages for outdoor use. Craemer has bundled these advantages in the PE portfolio for building and civil engineering. The relevant products impress with their high resistance and durability as well as their long service life – thanks to single-mould production and their stable construction. Due to the thick-walled products, the entire portfolio is highly shockproof and impact-resistant. The low weight makes daily handling considerably easier. And what’s more: the seamless manufacturing process and the smooth surfaces of the plastic products ensure easy emptying, cleaning and drying.

Craemer’s ready mortar skip

Craemer says its ready mortar skip (FMK) is the number 1 in construction. Specially developed for transporting ready mortar, this skip is incomparably impact-resistant and optimised for the tough everyday work on building sites. Massive wear ribs prevent the floor from chafing. The robust D-SMK skip for thin-bed and silo mortar is the ideal complement to the ready mortar skip.

Just like the FMK, the D-SMK has sturdy brackets and handles and a high load-bearing capacity. Provided that it is properly used and regularly maintained, the TÜV certifies a safe service life of five years for both craneable skips.

In addition to the classic FMK ready mortar skip and the D-SMK mortar tub, Craemer also offers mortar boxes, construction buckets, pallet boxes, storage containers such as stack & nest boxes and stack & nest containers for space-saving transport, universal containers for safe storage or round containers for mixing and blending with different capacities for the construction industry. Beyond that, there are various pallets for light or heavy loads.

Suitable for use in coldest winter

All products can be used for different trades and convince through high wall thickness and breaking resistance. They are all temperature-resistant from Arctic chill of up to -30°C to scorching heat of +40°C, with short-term heat resistance of up to +90°C, so that they can be used in every season. Due to their extreme temperature resistance, they remain dimensionally stable and reliable – day in, day out… in any weather.

Dedicated fields for prints on the products provide space for individually stamped logos, lettering or numbering. In addition to the standard colours, they are also available in special colours on request.

Craemer’s weather-resistant construction portfolio has been tried and tested for safety and durability. On top of economical aspects, the plastic products are also sustainable thanks to their recyclability.

Food logistics must evolve in 2023

Posted on by David Priestman

Paul Empson, GM of bakery and food equipment company Bakers Basco, shares his reflections and predictions for the year ahead – and why the environmental fight against plastic waste must be a top priority.

From rising inflation to soaring energy and fuel prices, 2022 has been challenging for almost every business operating in the food and logistics industry; the crunch being felt by all parties across the supply chain – from source to shelf to shoppers.

Supply chain issues continue to dominate the news agenda – the latest pointing to a shortage of eggs in the run up to Christmas as the poultry industry grapples with spiralling costs and a bout of bird flu. If there’s one word to sum up the biggest challenge of 2022, it’s cost. It’s an issue faced by all corners of the food industry, including the baking sector.

In 2022, the baking industry has faced formidable challenges related to the supply chain, workforce development, rising inflation and costs of flour and energy – all compounded by the conflict in Ukraine and the continued fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic. Has the industry overcome it? Not fully – but yes, in the sense that they have continued and continue to operate and provide daily bread to homes across the country.

But as with everything, it comes at a cost – a cost to the bakers, the supermarkets and the suppliers working behind the scenes to manage efficient logistics to transport the goods.

Food logistics industry predictions

At the beginning of the year, I made three predictions for the food logistics industry: that plastic prices would plateau, that more HGV drivers would enter the pool; and that the government would clamp down on illegal recycling as part of its commitment to build towards a greener future, and reach net zero by 2050.

Encouragingly, the material costs and availability of virgin material has improved slightly during the latter stages of the year, which has eased the plastic supply chain to a degree. Uncertainty has relaxed to some extent which has been a great relief for those producing and procuring plastic trays. On the HGV driver front, various actions have been taken to try and address the shortage and its impact on supply chains – with recent reports stating that the number of HGV drivers is stabilising. Two out of three ain’t bad, right?

Unfortunately, where we continue to fall short is in the fight against plastic waste – and this must be a top priority now, in 2023 and beyond. The environment is an issue that continues to be front of everybody’s mind and it’s no different for us at Bakers Basco. Plastic waste must be reduced and we must continue investigations to maintain a healthy circular economy.

We’ve long talked about the benefits of a circular economy, promoting environmental policies to reuse and recycle, and ensuring that every product is as sustainable as possible. Plastic returnable transit packaging (RTP) like our Omega bread basket was designed from  virgin plastic as a cost-effective and environmentally-friendly solution for bakeries to deliver bread and other baked goods across the UK. It’s sturdy, reusable and it’s recycled once it reaches its 12-year life span – contributing in a positive way to the circular economy.

Impact of theft

But there’s a darker side of the plastics industry being overlooked that is preventing any progress towards a healthier circular economy – and officials are still turning a blind eye to it. The Government wants all plastic packaging to be reusable by 2025. For us and many businesses like ours, we’ve already got a reusable plastic packaging solution that we’ve been using for many years. We’re trying to contribute positively to the circular economy. Yet it’s not 100% working and that’s because people are stealing the equipment and illegally grinding up the plastic, taking it out of the circular economy. What’s more, after this process has taken place, it’s going back to legal companies in the UK – whether they know it or not.

As a business, Bakers Basco has continued to go from strength to strength on our quest to repatriate as much equipment as possible – making great strides in getting the message to businesses outside of the baking, food, logistics and recycling industries. For example, we’ve engaged with the Association of Festival Organisers (AFO) which has enabled us to secure quantities of equipment from Glastonbury (a new source for us) and connect with key individuals who have the power to support change.

We will continue to broaden our horizons in 2023 in terms of which channels we investigate, continuing this expansion to connect with areas and sectors that we previously have not. And we intend on opening up further areas in different settings to repatriate our equipment, all in line with our efforts to hammer home the message that bread baskets belong to a supply chain and that they belong to Bakers Basco and its membership.

Help save the planet

The recent COP27 has served as a reminder to us all that climate change needs to remain on the global agenda. Consumers are becoming more and more aware about how the actions they take today can build towards a better future for the planet. We ourselves have seen an increase in members of the public having greater awareness of the negative environmental impact caused by equipment ending up outside the supply chain – and informing our investigations team of misplaced equipment found where it shouldn’t be.

It shows that the message is getting through and reaching a wider audience – but we mustn’t forget that it’s an imperative for businesses and governments too to put plastic waste and waste crime back on the agenda. Cracking down on rogue carriers of waste is an area that’s very close to Bakers Basco’s heart; this is absolutely the source in which illegal recyclers are getting away with unlawfully collecting our plastic bread baskets and dollies, then selling them on to rogue recyclers and gaining huge profits – at the expense of others. We need more enforcement in the UK to catch the rogue carriers who are dealing with waste – or perceived waste – in an unlawful manner.

With the right enforcement, it will not only help curb theft and support those businesses and industries who suffer as a result of stolen or missing equipment, but it could also help to save the planet. And that’s the only trend that we really need to see happen in 2023.

 

Craemer box ideal for meat processing company

Posted on by David Priestman

Proving to be extremely robust even at high trip rates, the CB3 pallet box is a combination of pallet and box made by Craemer. A large German-Polish meat processing company discovered this plastic pallet box by chance. It left such a good impression that the company immediately placed an order with the Craemer group’s German headquarters via its representative office in Poland.

Besides being durable, these resistant boxes have to meet the highest hygiene requirements of the kebab producer: They are used to transport animal by-products which are converted into animal feed. After successful test runs, the company is now gradually replacing its entire stock of containers from a competing company whose boxes were previously used and have proven inappropriate for this demanding task.

The Craemer Group is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of durable logistics and waste disposal solutions with over 60 years of experience in plastics processing. Established in 1912 and now in its fifth generation, this family-owned company operates its headquarters in Germany as well as three other plants in Europe. As a further business field, plastics processing was added to metal processing at the end of the 1950s. Craemer initially manufactured large plastic injection-mould containers. In 1967, the Group obtained a patent for the world’s first one-piece pallet. The portfolio now comprises plastic pallets for a wide variety of requirements as well as a wide range of transport and storage containers – from stacking boxes, round containers and tubs to pallet boxes.

All Craemer products are made of high-quality polyethylene fulfilling the most stringent requirements and excel with their tried and tested quality. Since 2014, the Craemer Group has been operating a representative office in Poland named Craemer GmbH Przedstawicielstwo w Polsce. The daily business consists in the sales promotion of Craemer pallets or pallet boxes as well as plastic containers for storage and transport.

Booming exports

Established in 2008 as a German-Polish joint-venture, the kebab company produces various types of doner kebab – poultry, beef and veal, depending on the customer’s wishes. The founders have years of experience with this grilled meat dish that originally comes from Turkey and which has taken most of Europe and half of the world’s countries by storm. Approved for intra-community trade, the manufacturer also cooperates with many member countries of the European Union.

The company – which boast to be one of the best producers in the industry, striving for the top position in the domestic as well as in the European market – is booming and growing fast. In western Poland, a new production facility has now been opened for processing chicken meat into kebab dishes which are then exported to the Central and Western European markets.

“Our new customer came across Craemer and their plastic pallet boxes in an astonishing way,” explains Arkadiusz Michal Wissuwa, Area Sales Manager Poland. “Another Polish meat processor, whose category 3 abattoir waste goes into animal feed, had already been using several hundred of our light grey CB3 for this purpose. This company was one of our first CB3 customers in Poland, by the way.”

Replacing unstable boxes with CB3

“This customer then systematically replaced the boxes they were using at the time with our CB3,” Arkadiusz Michal Wissuwa continues, “because the pallet boxes are returned empty from the animal feed manufacturer to the meat processing companies every time, sometimes boxes accidentally end up not with the original owner but with other producers of abattoir waste.”

This is how this kebab producer came across Craemer boxes. “They were looking for very stable and hygienic pallet boxes because the competitor’s boxes they had been using broke quickly,” Wissuwa explains. “They soon realised that the CB3 box is much better, very stable and durable, even at high trip rates.”

On the new customer’s part, the requirements concerning the boxes are also very demanding: “Filling them, transporting them over a distance of 100km and more to the next processing site, where they are emptied. The Craemer pallet boxes proved to withstand these challenges, whereas the competitor’s boxes broke quickly during usage.”

Since the market launch of the Craemer pallet box CB3 in 2017, the stable combination of pallet and box made of food-safe polyethylene has been a success. The fact that the load carrier is integral part of the container makes the logistics processes in many industries considerably easier. The CB3 box with the industrial pallet dimension of 1,200mm x 1,000mm and a height of 720mm is made in one piece with three longitudinal runners and has a capacity of 610 litres.

Thanks to its sturdy construction and features, it offers many advantages for daily operations: Additional ribs above the entry openings provide increased impact protection against forklift tines; its smooth inner surfaces ensure easy emptying, simple cleaning and good drying properties; thanks to the three robust runners the box runs smoothly on automated conveyor systems; integrated locking devices at the four corners ensure safe stacking of boxes (stacking cams); optional retrofitting with RFID transponders for tracking the transport and shipping route via radio frequency identification is possible thanks to a special retaining device; a strippled area allows easy attachment and removal of temporary stickers; various fields for prints provide space for individual hot stamping, and the space-saving three-in-two stacking permits efficient use of space during empty transport and storage.

Tried and tested in food industry

Craemer pallet boxes are mainly used in the food processing industry, especially for transporting and storing meat, as well as poultry and fish. Numerous other industries profit from the advantages of CB3, among others the waste disposal and trade sector.

The German-Polish kebab producer needed reliable transport containers in its new plant to transport abattoir waste – chicken bones from its production of grilled poultry – to an animal feed manufacturer. Category 3 waste (animal by-products; ABPs – not suitable for human consumption with the lowest risk level) is subject to high safety and hygiene requirements, even though it may only be processed as ingredient in animal feeds. Searching for a sturdy, high-quality alternative to the currently used more fragile boxes, the management finally found what they were looking for at Craemer.

Easy cleaning and drying

“The CB3 pallet box fully meets the criteria of the kebab producer and also fulfils the legally defined hygiene regulations, of course,” confirms Wissuwa, who is responsible for the sale of Craemer products in western Poland. And what is more, the material prevents chemical reactions when it gets into contact with fats and acids, which is an essential quality feature given the often very fatty animal by-products. Thanks to the smooth inner surfaces, CB3 boxes can be easily cleaned using high pressure with hot water and food-safe chemicals.

Since March 2022, the German-Polish company has been using a few dozen CB3 boxes in basalt grey, which is one of seven standard colours in addition to optional special colours. To distinguish deliveries from different companies, each pallet box was hot-printed with the word “BEST” to identify the owner.

“This imprint is appropriate: Our pallet boxes are simply the best,” says the sales expert from Craemer’s representative office in Poland. Since the CB3 pallet box has continued to prove itself as a safe and sturdy all-rounder in use, the second delivery already took place in autumn 2022. In future, the “best” solution will systematically replace the former boxes until the poultry kebab producer works exclusively with the reliable CB3.

 

Load carriers for the beverage industry

Posted on by David Priestman

In addition to hygiene and safety, durability and economy also play a significant role in producing, filling and packaging of beverages. Craemer Group, a world leader in plastic logistics solutions, has developed a new generation of sturdy, hygienic, non-slip beverage pallets. Also interesting for the beverage industry are pallet boxes from Craemer.

When it comes to hygiene and safety, processes in the beverage industry are subject to stringent requirements and legal regulations. Plastic pallets make a decisive contribution. Craemer Group, an experienced partner in beverage logistics, is a pioneer in plastics processing: Back in 1967, Craemer developed the world’s first one-piece injection-moulded plastic pallet. Sturdy, hygienic, durable, safe, hard-wearing, versatile, maintenance-free – these are the main characteristics of today’s load carriers that are made of high-quality, food-safe and recyclable polyethylene (PE).

In the brewing and beverage industry or in the beverage wholesale trade, the following applies: When producing, filling, packaging, transporting and storing sensitive raw materials and goods, hygienic and absolutely reliable handling must be ensured. For safe (production-) technical and (intra-) logistical processes, Craemer provides load carriers made of robust plastic that are characterised by high functionality, load-bearing capacity, process reliability, cost-effectiveness and sustainability.

The innovative industry solutions are pool-compatible and can be used universally along the entire logistics chain. They guarantee safe beverage handling in automated systems, when using forklift trucks, in high racks or when storing, for example, containers with concentrates in a refrigerated environment.

Versatile in use

Whether light or heavy beverage packages, Craemer develops customised solutions for storing and transporting barrels and containers, cardboard boxes and plastic crates containing bottles or six-packs of cans. The CR plastic pallet, for example, is one of Craemer’s successful load carriers used in the beverage industry around the world. Perfect for heavy loads and all types of containers: the Euro L1 in the size of the Euro wooden pallet (load-bearing capacity in high racks 1250kg) and L3, the multi-use pallet (2000kg) with evenly closed runners, optionally available with Palgrip anti-slip plates (L3) for even better material flow. The TC Palgrip is easy to clean with completely closed top deck and smooth lower deck.

Thanks to the Palgrip anti-slip coating on the top deck, which is a standard feature, all these heavy-duty pallet models hold the load safely even in damp conditions or inclined positions. Controllable via the conventional stacker cranes, palletisers and depalletisers, they run maintenance-free and smoothly on all standard hoists and conveyors, and are suitable for roller conveyors, chain conveyors and automated high-rack warehouses.

Another novelty in the Craemer portfolio is the large-volume CB3 High pallet box. With a height of 1140mm, it provides extra protection during transport and storage in the beverage industry.

Heavy-duty pallets

Whether milk, mineral water, lemonade, juice or alcohol – each type of beverage places its own demands on the packaging and on handling the various processes. Craemer pallets permit a wide range of applications. With its external dimensions (l x w x h: 1200 x 800 x 150mm), the Euro L1 corresponds exactly to the wooden Euro pallet. Unlike wood, the one-piece PE injection-moulded pallet is extremely robust and durable – without any signs of wear or chipping. The pallet is provided with five reinforcement profiles, permitting a load-bearing capacity of 7500kg in static condition and 1250kg during transport or in high racks.

Craemer’s new L3 plastic pallet, a further development of the C3-5 pallet, is also particularly hard-wearing and durable. It is the ideal all-purpose pallet for the brewing and beverage industry. Whether for transporting and storing packages with PET or glass bottles, aluminium or steel cans, composite beverage cartons or HDPE bottles in beverage crates, foil or cardboard containers, it is suitable for all purposes. The L3 boasts a high load-bearing capacity (7500kg static load, 2000kg dynamic load, up to 2000kg in high racks) and slip resistance.

Other features: In industrial size with dimensions of 1200x1000x160mm (L x W x H), it is equipped with three welded runners, 5mm outer rims and five corrosion-protected reinforcement profiles.

Craemer says its completely closed plastic pallets of the TC series with full-surface Palgrip anti-slip deck also perfectly meet the requirements of the beverage industry. The coated top deck and smooth lower deck of the TC Palgrip are characterised by excellent cleaning properties, while the cavity- and rib-free design of the sturdy and durable hygiene pallet reliably protects against contamination or water ingress.

The load-bearing capacity in the rack can optionally be increased to up to 2000kg with the help of integrated, corrosion-protected metal reinforcement profiles. Chamfered edges on both sides of the non-welded runners allow for optimal transport with ground conveyors. The dimensionally stable TC Palgrip is available in Euro size of 1200 x 800mm with three runners (TC1) and in industrial size of 1200 x 1000mm with three (TC3) or five runners (TC3-5). The height of the TC pallets is 160mm.

All reusable pallets from Craemer have the same properties: Thanks to their high quality, they retain their shape even with intensive use and increasing number of trips – thus making them durable, sustainable and economical. In addition, the robust load carriers can withstand temperatures of -30 to +40°C, with short-term heat resistance of up to 90°C. For seamless tracking and tracing, Craemer pallets are optionally available with RFID transponders. Dedicated fields for prints provide space for individually stamped logos, lettering or numbering.

Pallet box in industrial size

The large-volume CB3 High is a versatile, pallet box for the beverage industry. With a height of 1140mm, a capacity of approx. 1000 litres and a weight of 46 or 49kg, it is suitable for particularly large quantities – with extra safety. The sturdy ribbed lower deck provides additional strength to the container floor, integrated stacking cams secure the hold. The hard-wearing, sturdily constructed CB3 High is available in industrial size with closed walls and three longitudinal runners or nine feet. Additional ribs above the entry openings provide increased impact protection against forklift tines, while the seamless construction and smooth interior walls ensure easy emptying, cleaning and drying.

The pallet box is optionally available with one open 1” and one open 2” drain port. If necessary, markings facilitate the later drilling of the standard closed holes with integrated thread. Custom-fit lids are available as additional accessories.

 

CakeBoxx makes executive team appointment

Posted on by David Priestman

CakeBoxx Technologies has appointed digital supply chain expert James Blom to its executive team. Building on CakeBoxx Technologies’ record year-over-year growth in 2020 (200%) and 2021 (260%), Blom’s appointment follows the announcements of CakeBoxx’s new COO, James Campbell, and new CTO, Sean Tan.

With this expanded executive team, the company says it is well-positioned for 2023 to accelerate its leadership in specialised supply chain platforms and container solutions for renewable energy, defence, and critical infrastructure projects associated with autonomous transportation and automation.

“We have seen unprecedented demand across multiple industries for our specialised transportation platforms,” said Daine Eisold, Founder and CEO of CakeBoxx Technologies. “With our reputation for integrated systems engineered modular, intermodal transport and storage platforms in the wind energy and defence sectors, we are naturally gravitating toward the exciting autonomous naval, aerospace, and uncrewed vehicle systems industries to develop advanced transportation solutions for their high-value, mission-critical programmes.

“We are now being asked to reimagine container and supply chain transportation holistically. This involves everything from rearchitecting container cargo operations, intermodal facilities, transloading and warehousing, to evolving the performance of global digital supply chain platforms. By integrating advances in supply chain visibility, tracking, and real-time intelligence software for shipping and logistics with physical, unmanned, automated, robotic, and hybrid autonomous transportation systems, we can make tremendous strides in the overall utility and value of complete global supply chain assets.

“Jim Blom is an incredibly talented, multi-dimensional systems thinker and visionary. I have worked with him over the past two decades in maritime cargo security, transportation performance logistics, and supply chain visibility, relying heavily on his guidance and mentoring. After years of incubation, CakeBoxx Technologies has matured to a stage of development where Jim’s abilities can be fully incorporated and will have a profound effect on our growth.

“It was an easy decision for the Board and I to ask Jim to join our team to scale our business model and growth strategy. By adding Jim as our CRO, we will accelerate our FY22 -FY25 revenues with new shipping solutions and third-party logistics platform offerings that provide unprecedented advances in performance, automation, and artificial intelligence.”

CakeBoxx Technologies has evolved its intrinsically simple, incredibly effective two-piece shipping container design for over more than a decade, providing safe transport for numerous specialised assets of strategic importance. This includes an increasingly complex array of both out-of-gauge and in-gauge cargos, superloads such as wind turbines and gearboxes, jet engines, uncrewed systems, and sensitive communications and sensor systems. CakeBoxx solutions offer the industry’s strongest and lightest weight customised shipping decks and platforms, with or without CakeBoxx’s protective lid.

“CakeBoxx Technologies has built a strong base of government and Fortune 500 customers by developing innovative solutions to overcome some of the world’s most challenging shipping issues while also meeting the highest standards of performance, security, and sustainability,” said CakeBoxx Technologies Board member, Michael Quinn. “Jim Blom is a seasoned operations leader, and subject matter expert in the shipping, transportation, and logistics industries – his addition to the executive leadership team is a very strategic move for the company.

“His technology expertise and supply chain experience applying cloud computing, blockchain, artificial intelligence, and edge computing to address global supply chain disruption, port congestion, and last-mile logistics delivery will enable CakeBoxx Technologies to scale its revenue operations and expand the company’s growth into new marketplaces and ecosystems.”

As CRO, Blom will lead revenue operations focused on CakeBoxx’s product development, sales, and field operations, overseeing CakeBoxx’s GTM, technology partnerships, and strategic alliances.

Blom’s mandate will include growing market share in environmental sustainability, focusing on the renewable energy and regenerative food systems industries. Blom will also take on CakeBoxx’s pioneering work for Boeing and Lockheed Martin, evolving its defence and aerospace portfolio and revenues in C4ISR and the uncrewed and autonomous transportation industries.

Blom commented: “Re-imagining the modern shipping container and re-architecting intermodal and last-mile delivery supply chains helps industries accelerate attainment of their global climate and Net Zero sustainability targets. Thanks to our distinguished reputation as a tier-one systems engineering firm, we have an unprecedented opportunity to provide value. Addressing sustainability and carbon reduction initiatives has never been more important. CakeBoxx Technologies’ ability to combine adaptive automation, intelligent, connected, and high-performance systems design with SAFETY Act level security is a defining capability for shippers and 3PLs with sustainability goals.”

CakeBoxx products and advanced supply chain systems engineering services are available to companies, governments, NGOs, and other organisations worldwide seeking to transform their transportation efficiency, lower total cost of ownership, build resilience, and improve safety, security, and sustainability in their supply chain operations.

 

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