Joloda Archives

Joloda Hydraroll Launches in Japan

Posted on 31 May, 202329 July, 2025 by David Priestman

Joloda Hydraroll Ltd., material handling expert and leading provider of loading and unloading solutions, announced today the opening of its new office in Kyoto, Japan. The move is designed to strengthen customer service and support for existing blue-chip customers in Japan, while underlining the intention for growth in the Japanese market.

The Joloda Hydraroll brand has established a strong presence in Japan via its distributor network in the past 45 years. The most prominent loading and unloading solution is the skate and track system, which is synonymous in Japan with the name ‘Joloda’.

Joe Banerjee, a member of the Joloda family for more than 30 years, has been appointed General Manager of Joloda Japan K.K. He will play a key role in meeting the company’s growth goals in Japan and raising awareness for automated loading systems in automotive, FMCG, and packaging industries.

The logistics industry in Japan is facing a significant challenge as new legislation comes into effect, dubbed the ‘2024 bug’. The law limits truck drivers to a total of 960 hours of overtime during one calendar year, which represents a major reduction.

In addition to the pressure placed on logistics companies from a spiked demand for home deliveries, industry researchers and consultants predict the regulations could exacerbate the driver shortage further, with truck drivers resigning as a result of depressed wages. To prepare, companies are being encouraged to proactively adopt new labour-saving and time-saving technologies.
With the opening of its new office in Japan, Joloda Hydraroll is well-positioned to provide a high level of customer service and support, helping to ensure the logistics industry in Japan continues to meet the growing demand for transportation of goods.

Wouter Satijn, Sales Director at Joloda Hydraroll, comments: “We are committed to helping logistics companies worldwide improve their operational processes, and we recognise the importance of strengthening our global presence to achieve this. For companies in Japan affected by the new legislation, our automated systems can help speed up the loading and unloading process, reduce driver waiting times, and improve the efficiency of each journey. Opening our commercial office in Japan enables us to strengthen our commitment to both new and existing customers during this challenging time.”

Joloda Hydraroll continues to expand its global footprint, ensuring that it can provide the best service to its clients worldwide. Including its distributor network, Joloda Hydraroll is now present in more than 30 countries worldwide. The launch of Joloda Japan K.K. follows the opening of Joloda Hydraroll SAS in France in 2022.

At Joloda Hydraroll, we’re more than ‘off-the-shelf.’ We automate and innovate, making manual solutions more effective. As global leaders in loading solutions, no problem is too great – we want to bring ease, efficiency, and safety to the movement of goods. To take the strain out of warehousing and logistics, we offer the ideal solutions to overcome any existing loading challenges, regardless of shape and size. We’re here to lighten loads, no matter what. And we’ll be by your side every step of the way.

Embracing Automation to Facilitate Near-sourcing

Posted on 16 May, 202329 July, 2025 by David Priestman

Automotive Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) have led the world in creating incredibly efficient, optimised, Just-in-Time (JiT) supply chains. However, the responsibility falls on their Tier 1 suppliers to ensure products arrive on time, in the right order, in perfect condition, and in accordance with each customer’s personal specification. With the rise of near sourcing in response to inconsistent Far East supply, pressure on suppliers is set to intensify. OEMs are likely to expect smaller, incremental deliveries that further enhance efficiency, making it imperative to automate loading and unloading processes. Wouter Satijn (pictured), Sales Director, Joloda Hydraroll, explains.

Reducing risk

Global car production volumes are forecast to grow by 5.3% in 2023, with Western Europe leading the charge after three years below 10 million units. However, while supply chain pressures are easing, many OEMs still face significant delays in sourcing key components, especially semiconductors, from the Far East. The resultant uncertainty is additional pressure on the tightly integrated supply chain.

After years spent building hugely complex and extended global supply chains, a serious change is afoot. Businesses recognise the challenges associated with single sourcing, especially to far-off locations with long lead times. The value of near sourcing is gaining ground fast, providing resilience and contingency while reducing risk. For Tier 1 suppliers under incredibly tight and punitive contracts with automotive OEMs, pressure to change is coming from all sides. Not only must companies explore local providers to safeguard their own supply chains, but they must also conform to the new supply chain designs created by OEMs.

Supply chain redesign

Suppliers have fine-tuned production processes to ensure products arrive at the OEM on time and 100% quality controlled. The problems arise when the goods are loaded from the supplier’s warehouse and unloaded at the OEM. Unloading and loading processes are still predominantly manual at many facilities. Companies rely on labour and forklift trucks, winches and ropes to move heavy and potentially dangerous items from the truck to the shop floor. The problem is that this process is both time-consuming – potentially jeopardising delivery schedules – and high risk. From colour-specific bodywork to custom-designed entertainment systems, product damage leads to production delays that can cost £10,000s to the OEM. This results in conflict between the companies as blame is apportioned and potentially significant fines applied to the supplier.

The shift towards near sourcing will exacerbate these issues. Supply chain redesign will lead OEMs towards smaller, incremental deliveries, creating more risk and pressure for suppliers. It is now vital to move away from manual processes and embrace faster, more efficient, safe and controlled unloading and loading.

Improving control

Automated loading radically reduces the risk associated with product damage, eradicating reliance on forklifts and avoiding human error. Plus, automated loading systems are significantly faster and more efficient: manual processes that currently take more than half an hour can be achieved in two or three minutes. With the certainty that drivers will not be left waiting for hours outside the facility, suppliers can also reduce the contingency required in their delivery schedules.

Better control, certainty, and a reduced risk of product damage during the loading and unloading of trucks will enable OEMs and suppliers to confidently embark upon a new supply chain model. They can embrace the value of near sourcing and incremental delivery, improving agility in an uncertain marketplace.

Joloda Hydraroll Exhibiting at LogiMAT

Posted on 4 April, 202329 July, 2025 by David Priestman

Joloda Hydraroll is a world leader in loading and unloading solutions. At LogiMAT 2023, the team will be showcasing automated scale models of Joloda Hydraroll’s complete range of loading and unloading systems, including:
• Moving floor conveyor system
• Slipchain pallet loading system
• Trailerskate system

Automated loading systems are built to speed up a standard process that happens in every production and warehousing location, enabling the complete loading procedure to be de-manned – also known as 100% end-of-line automation.

The business case for automated loading systems

Automating the unloading and loading of trucks in the warehouse leads to faster and more reliable deliveries. Typically, the forklift process of loading a full trailer is around 30-45 minutes. Joloda Hydraroll’s automated loading systems can do it in less than two minutes.

In a typical business case, a warehouse or factory might produce 928 pallets per day, shuttling 32 pallets each time across a 27 km/ 16-mile journey. To do so would require 12 HGV drivers (sharing 3 x 8-hour shifts in 24 hours), as well as three forklift drivers. By automating the loading process, thereby speeding up the turnaround time of each trailer, the company would stand to halve the number of shifts required, saving 12,350 hours of HGV driver waiting time in just one year – a reduction of 85%.

The need for forklifts is removed from the process entirely, reducing the site’s overall number of forklift driven kilometres per year by 2,642km. In addition to reducing thousands of arduous man hours and reduces the risk of an accident or damage to pallets.

Joloda Hydraroll has also acquired the specialist automotive trailer unloading/ loading MAP division of French company, Legras Industries. Legras is well-respected with an established customer base in France. It, therefore, plays an important role in strengthening the local presence and expertise of Joloda Hydraroll – which has also announced the opening of a commercial office in Paris – to better serve the French logistics market.

Joloda International Acquires Loading Automation Inc

Posted on 10 November, 202029 July, 2025 by David Priestman

The Board of Joloda International Ltd (JIL) has announced the acquisition of a majority share in Loading Automation Inc (LAI).

The acquisition represents a significant step in JIL’s ambitious growth plans, whilst fitting in with the succession plans of previous LAI shareholders.

Based in the US city of Wilmington, North Carolina, LAI have successfully distributed JIL’s products in North America for over 15 years – delivering to US customers, and helping them to increase efficiencies by streamlining their loading and unloading solutions.

LAI, has been an invaluable partner in providing expert solutions for all logistics operations through JIL’s Hydraroll products. Now, as part of JIL, they will be able to offer the full Joloda Hydraroll product range to the US market.

Continuing in his current role as President and shareholder of LAI, Brett Murill will ensure the change in ownership is a smooth transition to existing and future customers. Brett and the US team will now also benefit from additional support and investment from JIL to expand the reach of the business across the US.

JIL are a global leader in loading and unloading solutions. Their brand, Joloda Hydraroll, have been designing, manufacturing and engineering loading solutions for transport companies, system integrators and blue-chip organisations for over 50 years.

Joloda Hydraroll helps companies by lightening loads and finding efficiencies – streamlining loading systems, and moving products from production or manufacturing and onto transportation via a series of automatic and manual solutions.

For more recent acquisitions in the logistics market, click here

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