contract logistics Archives

New Cross-dock Facility for Conforama Poland

Posted on 8 February, 20237 August, 2025 by David Priestman

A French home furnishings retailer is benefitting from a new facility for its cross-dock consolidation of supplies from Eastern Europe, operated by long-term logistics distribution partner GEODIS.

Conforama has partnered with GEODIS for both consolidation and distribution services to optimize and organize the delivery of its products manufactured and assembled at twenty sites in Poland, Romania, and Slovakia, before being distributed to its 167 retail outlets throughout France.

Operations that for Conforama have been carried out for the past eight years at the Wroclaw site have been transferred to a new location in Pietrzykowice in the southwestern region of Lower Silesia. The new 51,000 square meters (sqm) facility answers all Conforama’s needs. It also offers a possibility to extend the space by a further 17,000 sqm.

The site offers many advantages for Conforama, especially direct access to road networks for delivery to stores in France, and a modern construction with benefits in terms of energy savings and safe working conditions. Operationally, the facility has a greater storage capacity, more loading/unloading ramps and docks and the flexibility to better manage seasonal peaks in demand.

The Supply Chain Director of Conforama, François-Xavier Forestier is pleased with the move, “We are confident that the cross-docking operation in Poland will efficiently process products from multiple suppliers, consolidating them into loads for our individual outlets. The advantages of effective inventory management through GEODIS’ IT capabilities will also be beneficial to us.”

Cross-dock advantages

“We would like to thank our client Conforama for the trust he has placed in us, which has resulted in the signing of a new long-term contract,” says Olivier Royer GEODIS Road Transport CEO. “The implementation of this solution for Conforama has been possible thanks to the collaboration between the developer MountPark and GEODIS teams at Pietrzykowice whose work is proving once again our commitment and capacity to deliver the most appropriate solution in order to help our customers to grow their activities.”

GEODIS is a leading global logistics provider acknowledged for its expertise across all aspects of the supply chain. As a growth partner to its clients, GEODIS specializes in five lines of business: Supply Chain Optimization, Freight Forwarding, Contract Logistics, Distribution & Express, and Road Transport. With a global network spanning nearly 170 countries and more than 44,000 employees, GEODIS is ranked no. 7 in its sector across the world. In 2021, GEODIS generated €10.9 billion in revenue.

Hellmann Logistics Expands in North Germany

Posted on 26 January, 20237 August, 2025 by David Priestman

Hellmann Worldwide Logistics has opened a new branch in Neumuenster. From the site located 50 km north of Hamburg, road activities in Schleswig-Holstein are to be further expanded. The aim is to develop the company’s own network in the strategically important region between Hamburg and the Danish border and to establish further general cargo lines. At the same time, the logistics company wants to further enter the Scandinavian region through strategic expansion in the north. With the opening of the new location, Hellmann is also responding to the increased demand for storage facilities available at short notice between the Port of Hamburg and Scandinavia.

Both the location and the technically state-of-the-art 4,500 m² logistics facility offer long-term and strategic advantages for the distribution network. Thus, the new branch also has the corresponding growth capacities to meet the needs of both existing and new customers. At the same time, the location will be integrated into the general cargo network called NG.network, which was successfully launched under the new brand on January 1, 2023. As the largest network partner and as a shareholder, Hellmann is now represented in the cooperation with 17 branches and, together with NG.network, is significantly driving the further development of the joint Germany-wide network.

“The decision to open our own branch in Neumuenster was made for various reasons: The region in the triangle of Neumuenster, Crivitz near Schwerin and Hamburg offers a lot of potential, especially with regard to the food industry as well as renewable energies, which we want to use even more in the future. By selecting this location, we are strengthening the network and thus also our capacity and service quality,” says Jonathan Adeoye, COO Road Germany & West Europe, Hellmann Worldwide Logistics.

Since its foundation over 150 years ago, Hellmann Worldwide Logistics has developed into one of the largest international logistics providers in the world. With more than 12,300 employees, the company is active in 60 countries and generated sales of around EUR 4 billion in 2021.The range of services includes classic forwarding services by truck, rail, air and sea freight, as well as a comprehensive range of CEP services, contract logistics, industry and IT solutions.

Export Consolidation to South Africa Offered

Posted on 23 January, 202331 July, 2025 by David Priestman

Growth in Dachser UK’s Air & Sea Logistics (ASL) activities continues apace with the introduction of regular consolidated freight services on the export trade to South African destinations.

With weekly departures to Durban, Cape Town and Port Elizabeth the service is designed to help optimize customers’ supply chains. Dachser ASL provides the opportunity to ship smaller, less-than-containerload (LCL) shipments on a frequent basis without the necessity of delaying supplies until a larger quantity of goods are available to fill a container. Dachser’s reputation for quality and reliability, supported by its well-established IT tracking system, enhances shippers’ visibility and control.

“Supply chain disruption in the post-pandemic international trade environment has driven a need by shippers to often react more quickly to market demand with smaller quantities of goods to be delivered seamlessly,” said Chris Radley, Air & Sea Branch Manager at Dachser Northampton. “Our consolidated, or LCL services are tailored to fulfil this developing need and the new UK to South Africa offering is already proving popular.”

The recently inaugurated Dachser export consolidation service features vessel departures with preferred ocean carrier partners from London Gateway with transit times to the South African ports of between 26 and 30 days. All handling services including customs clearance are reliably provided by experienced, dedicated Dachser teams in both the UK and South Africa. Local hubs and CFS stations convenient to both shippers and consignees are utilised and hazardous goods are also catered for.

“Dachser’s well-established and much vaunted track and trace platform is available to monitor all shipments,” emphasises Radley. “Our eLogistics platform delivers peace of mind to our customers throughout the UK and South Africa, whether they are shipping freight throughout Europe or around the world. Our own network of offices enables a degree of reassurance and reliability which now extends to UK exporters of groupage cargo to South Africa,” he concludes.

Dachser, a family-owned company headquartered in Kempten, Germany, provides transport logistics, warehousing, and customized services in two business fields: Dachser Air & Sea Logistics and Dachser Road Logistics. The latter is divided into two business lines, Dachser European Logistics and Dachser Food Logistics. Comprehensive contract logistics services and industry-specific solutions round out the company’s offerings. A seamless shipping network—both in Europe and overseas—and fully integrated IT systems provide for intelligent logistics solutions worldwide.

GXO Uses AI Solution to Boost Warehouse Efficiency

Posted on 24 June, 20227 August, 2025 by David Priestman

Körber has joined forces with GXO Logistics, Inc., a large ‘pure play’ contract logistics provider, to develop the pioneering Operator Eye – an AI-based solution that tracks error patterns and autonomously minimises downtime and human intervention in the picking process.

In 2021, GXO approached Körber for a camera-monitoring solution for the Körber K. Handle Layer Picker to help staff resolve slip-sheet and plastic wrapping errors. Drawing on GXO staff feedback, Körber developed and tested an innovative add-on solution called Operator Eye. This AI-based device uses a camera system to continuously capture errors in real time during picking and creates algorithms to learn the actions of the operator. It then applies these learnings to detect issues, adapt the operation, and make decisions about when to stop or continue — just like an autonomous car.

“Collaborating with GXO has made this project possible,” said Hans-Henrik Jensen, CEO for Körber Supply Chain DK. “They have continuous improvement and digital innovation at the top of their strategic agenda, which has enabled fast development and created value for both parties.”

One of the key benefits of Operator Eye is that it enhances the efficiency of running machinery without the operator having to change behaviour. When the Eye has learned enough from the operator, it resets the machinery automatically, improving availability and performance. Although Operator Eye was developed for the Layer Picker, it can also be built into any machinery that operators have to reset after a visual check — for example, pallet cranes, where loose plastic foil often causes stoppages.

Gavin Williams, GXO Managing Director, UK and Ireland, said, “We were delighted to work with Körber to develop Operator Eye, which is another example of our commitment to using innovative technology to make the warehouse safer, more efficient and more productive for our team members. Along with our other technologies, it makes work for our colleagues more fulfilling by freeing them to focus on adding greater value in their roles through activities such as identifying compatibility issues and troubleshooting equipment.”

GXO also uses Operator Eye’s data-capture element to scrutinise and improve operations and services to customers — for example, by identifying problematic package designs and helping suppliers revise them for faster handling.

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