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Tag: logistics

Kite introduces recyclable edge protectors

Posted on by Keith McKinley

The external edges, corners and sides of items such as furniture or frames are at high risk of damage if not properly protected before shipping. These outer most areas are the most susceptible to impact, making edge protectors essential packaging equipment for businesses sending out potentially fragile objects.

Historically, polystyrene has been the only available cushioning product for sharp edges such as these, yet Kite Packaging has recently introduced a range of 100% recycled solid board alternatives that can also be recycled after use.

Each product is made from compressed, recycled cardboard to create a highly dense and durable material. Hence, these edge protectors are as effective as they are sustainable by adding reliable reinforcement to vulnerable areas.

Use the standard style for straight edges, the innovative yet simple locked corner design for pointed corners and the curved variety for rounded edges. Each style has unique features to adapt it to the varying properties of the object being packaged.

Tables, mirrors and large picture frames, for example, will all require one or a combination of these protectors. As they are typically high value products too, it is of even greater importance that they do not suffer and scratches or scrapes that could result in returns; damaging your business’s finances and carbon footprint.

Logistics network conference sees record attendance

Posted on by Keith McKinley

The Cooperative Logistics Network’s 2nd Virtual Meeting, held on 15th and 16th November 2021, has successfully concluded. The Virtual Meeting registered a record attendance, with more than 140 delegates taking part in the two-day online event. The Cooperative Logistics Network hosted around 5,000 videoconferences that allowed members to talk one-to-one with their partners, promote their companies, create long-term partnerships and expand the scope of their operations.

The impeccable organisation and the efficacy of their previous event ensured an even greater attendance for this year’s meeting. Every delegate got to schedule up to 30 one-to-one videoconferences with their partners to obtain international project opportunities remotely. The latest version of the meeting platform created by The Coop’s IT team made for an uninterrupted conferencing experience. Additionally, The Coop team was always there to help the members in case of any sudden technical hitches.

The event also included an online workshop where Andrea Martin, The Coop’s FreightViewer Coordinator introduced the delegates to all the newest features of The Cooperative’s member-exclusive quote generation platform. FreightViewer allows the agents to leverage the digital transformation in this sector for speeding up their work processes, integrate new initiatives, satisfy customer expectations and adapt to the changes in market demands and business scenarios.

“It was a well-organised Virtual Meeting and was seamless,” stated one of the Coop members in Chennai, India. “I could attend 29 meetings and I had excellent meetings with everyone. Apart from talking business, it was social and affectionate as well.”

Furthermore, this year, the Coop afforded a special opportunity for the delegates to engage in informal chitchats with the network partners during the coffee breaks. Agents had the option of accessing a room with up to five random partners and carrying on casual conversations. The Coop created this to foster the bonding among the network partners.

“The main focus of our event was to establish a good working relationship between members that is based on mutual trust,” said Antonio Torres, President and Founder of the Cooperative Logistics Network. “The fact that we have achieved a record attendance this year surely attests to the productivity of the event. I am confident that the meeting has more than fulfilled its objective of creating a synergistic relationship among the network members. Hopefully next year the situation will be conducive for an in-person meeting when we can once again come together under one roof to continue with the networking.”

Guide to retrofitting warehouse software

Posted on by Keith McKinley

In intralogistics, the term “retrofit” refers to the modernisation of machines, equipment, and software systems, writes Karoline Poderschnig*, IT Project Manager at SSI Schaefer. It is a cost-effective alternative to buying new, ensures sustainable operation, and goes hand in hand with increased system efficiency. But what exactly does it mean when a software system in a warehouse is modernised? What impacts on ongoing operation can be expected?

In the best-case scenario, none. The approach should always be determined in close cooperation with the customer and their individual requirements. Usually, this not only involves modernising the existing system, but also upgrading the processes and/or software systems used. This means that in addition to the existing general conditions, new challenges also arise that must be considered in the analysis, planning, and implementation.

Two approaches can be followed here: transition in several process steps where partial adaptations are carried out during the transition and downtimes can be more easily compensated for, and the big bang transition. A big bang adoption is the immediate transition to a new software generation, during which all old systems are changed over to the new, fully functional system on a specific date.

The focus of the release upgrade is always on smooth running without impacting ongoing operation. All necessary measures need to be taken during the transition so that orders can still be processed in the usual timeframe without delay: in other words, goods delivered at the right location, at the right time, in the right quantity, and in the right quality.

This requires a software solution is that is integrated seamlessly and is future-oriented to meet the challenges of the warehouse. WAMAS is a modular, standardised intralogistics software solution that schedules, controls, optimises, and monitors all logistics processes and functions of a manual, semi-automated, or fully automated warehouse. It can be customised and integrated seamlessly into the IT landscape thanks to its open interface architecture, and the high degree of innovation and scalability provide the highest possible investment protection for sustainable goods management.

Gradual transition to the new software version

Implementing a modern software solution like WAMAS into the ongoing operations of a logistics company poses an enormous challenge and requires, first and foremost, a meticulous analysis of the actual situation and an accurate picture of the target situation. The solution must be thoroughly integrated into the IT landscape. The modular structure and open interface architecture of WAMAS allows for extremely easy connection to ERP, transport systems, or components from third-party suppliers.

The functional specification is an important tool in the extensive project planning and simulation, in which the necessary migration steps are defined in addition to the specifications. A transition in defined steps enables each subtask completed as well as the partial adaptations to the new system to be evaluated. This approach even offers the security of being able to roll one step back if necessary. Potential downtimes can be countered with clearly defined emergency scenarios. These include pre-picking, partial retrieval, and manual storage, for example. Personnel can also be introduced to new processes or dialogs and the documentation regarding software realisation is updated step by step up until implementation is successful.

From one day to the next: the big bang

A big bang adaptation is the immediate transition to a new intralogistics software solution on a specific day. This type of migration is considered to be the most challenging retrofit decision and requires the entire project team to have complete faith in the migration and in the stability of the software solution. Ultimately, the new system must be able to handle the entire volume of orders and data right from the start. Time for out of hours bug fixing is extremely limited and the execution of the ramp-up phase requires maximum focus.

The advantages of a big bang are the fast go-live and the avoidance of several warehouse management systems being in use in parallel for ERP. This approach requires significantly more resources and coordination in advance, as all processes must be converted at the same time. Intensive preparation and collaboration with the customer is just as essential as highly professional project management.

For SSI Schaefer experts, thorough communication with the customer that is built on trust and the provision of a competent team that undertakes project management with unrestricted transparency is the top priority. Experience shows that regular and open communication between SSI Schaefer and the customer as well as a joint understanding of the objective and advantages of the retrofit lead to the greatest possible acceptance, and subsequently to the desired successful outcome.

The success of a project depends heavily upon successful collaboration with the customer.

Quick, reliable, uninterrupted: the big bang at LANDI

For around two decades now, LANDI Schweiz AG has been putting its faith in the expertise of SSI Schaefer. The national purchasing, logistics, and marketing organisation for the 270 LANDI outlets stores, picks, and ships the comprehensive assortment of agricultural and food products from the central warehouse in Dotzingen using almost all intralogistics methods – from manual to fully automated systems.

In 2003, SSI Schaefer installed its WAMAS version 3 warehouse management system at LANDI. Seventeen years later, a completely new software generation, WAMAS version 5, replaced the tried-and-tested and highly valued, but now outdated system in order to optimise logistics tasks in the warehouse and gain a sustainable footing.

Total confidence in the standardised and individually adapted customer processes in WAMAS, professional project management, and the accompanying quality assurance measures facilitated the successful big bang release update – a successful migration that skipped two software generations. Immediate transition to the new version was quick, smooth, and did not significantly affect ongoing operation. This not only ensured supply reliability for the LANDI stores, but also fulfilled all quality requirements at the same time – and for the future.

CLICK HERE to read more information about the project with LANDI.

  • * Karoline Poderschnig holds a degree in Industrial Management from the FH Joanneum University of Applied Sciences in Kapfenberg and can already look back on more than 10 years of professional experience in project management and program management in the infrastructure, automotive, semiconductor, and software technology fields. The expert with IPMA Level C and Financial Business Management (University of Graz) certification has been with SSI Schaefer since 2018.

Kent sees record growth in logistics

Posted on by Keith McKinley

According to data sourced from the Office for National Statistics, the logistics and distribution sector across the Kent and Medway region of the UK has grown by 60.6% since 2016, with 2,000 jobs created over the same period and 3,600 businesses now operating in the sector.

Gravesham, Dartford, Medway, Maidstone and Swale are performing above the national average in terms of sector size, contributing to an industry that has seen a 48.1% increase in GVA countywide since 2000. That figure, as of 2018, stood at an estimated £2.3bn per year.

Gavin Cleary, CEO of Locate in Kent, explains there are several factors at play including the availability of lower cost industrial and commercial spaces on brownfield sites, increased housing development across the county and the strategic location of Kent and Medway as a gateway between London and Europe.

“Franzosini & Butti, Coyote Logistics UK Limited, TNT Express Limited and Amazon UK are some of the large operators that have chosen Kent & Medway since 2015, confirming our region as a prime location for logistics for nearly every sector,” said Cleary. “And we’re seeing no sign of that easing as the UK emerges from the pandemic with continued strong demand. We have a number of exciting new sites coming through between now and the end of 2023, with a significant number already pre-let.”

One of the biggest drivers for this success has been the rise of e-commerce and the continued shift towards online retail, with the Covid-19 pandemic only serving to accelerate that trend. And with prime locations in the sector’s Golden Triangle along the M1 corridor in the East Midlands at saturation point, Kent and Medway is one of the areas benefitting as couriers and distributors look elsewhere.

Companies working in the sector have also highlighted driver welfare and environmental concerns as important factors that are helping to increase the competitiveness of Kent and Medway as a key hub for the logistics and distribution sector.

Neil Cursons, Managing Director of Kent firm George Cursons which launched its new frozen foods processing and distribution plant for the UK hotel and catering trade at Manston, Thanet, in October, said: “Kent is a fantastic location for business. With its proximity to London and the Channel Ports and the sector’s drive to be more sustainable, the county has great potential to grow further in the logistics and distribution space.

“Dover is one of the main arrival points for frozen fish, but rather than those shipments going up north to be processed we chose to keep it here, saving on transport and cutting pollution. That’s the opportunity we saw in wanting to open this facility.

“We are looking at how we can expand on this further to help us meet regional demand. Our belief is that local is better. We can tap into existing supply chains and build from there.”

The following schemes are expected to launch by 2023, adding an estimated 12.5 million sq ft (1.16 million sq m) of additional space for the logistics and transportation sector, with Mid and North Kent the areas to benefit.

  • 3.92 million sq ft (365,000 sq m) of logistics and manufacturing space at J4/M20 with Panattoni securing permission to transform the former Aylesford Newsprint Site.
  • 5.2 million sq ft (483,000 sq m) of logistics, manufacturing, and energy production at the former Kingsnorth Power Station in Medway
  • 500,000 sq ft (46,500 sq m) of warehouse and office space at Woodcut Farm in Maidstone, located off Junction 8 of the M20
  • 800,000 sq ft (74,500 sq m) of warehouse and office space at Kingstanding in Tunbridge Wells
  • 450,000 sq ft (42,000 sq m) of warehouse space at Powerhouse in Dartford
  • 100,000 sq ft (9,250 sq m) of speculative warehouses at Goodmans in Dartford
  • Enhanced production corridors, including Innovation Park Medway which once complete, will provide over one million sq ft (93,000 sq m) of space for high-value technology, advanced manufacturing, engineering, and knowledge-intensive businesses

Locate in Kent is the inward investment agency for Kent and Medway. Its aim is to encourage and support more businesses to set up and expand in the county. It offers a bespoke support to investors including market insights, property searches, advice on financial support available, and connections to local partners, suppliers and business networks.

Smart tools for workforce management

Posted on by Keith McKinley

The latest workforce management technology can be an important tool in boosting staff morale and retention. Logistics Business magazine editor Paul Hamblin talks to a major provider.

Recent­ research for human capital management specialists UKG reveals 87% of UK employees are being propelled into the future of work by accelerating digital transformation projects. Tellingly, the research claimed that 86% of these workers are enjoying the benefits of these new innovations, calling for organisations to recognise this adjustment and respond accordingly.

Neil Pickering, Industry and Content Manager EMEA for UKG, says that choosing the right digital solution to support your HR department will not only help to control costs and boost productivity, but can also work to enhance employee engagement and drive true cultural change.

Historically, workforce management from a business perspective is about driving efficiency, cost control and productivity and also about ensuring compliance. Pickering argues that while those factors are still a core part of the jigsaw, they can also serve an important need, by giving some very welcome control to employees – which in turn benefits the employer. Happy staff are staff who will stay, and it only takes a brief glance at recent news headlines to see how vital a stable workforce is to efficient, effective supply chains.

“It’s about improving lives for businesses, by boosting productivity and efficiency, but it’s also about employees, giving them autonomy and choice,” he explains. “We call it being Life Aware. By considering employee needs, perhaps by giving them more control, it will affect positively how you attract and retain those people. This is where our future is. So our technology is not just at the service of the organisation but at the service of people, too.”

It sounds great in theory – but what does giving staff more control look like in practice? “Self-service, easy-to-use apps enable staff to arrange shift swaps at short notice, or to arrange holidays; these apps can also proactively suggest and help arrange training needs, for instance. A manager’s time is freed from the paperwork to focus on productivity,” he suggests.

Such self-service actions are possible because the technology is always ensuring that an organisation’s resources are being used as effectively as possible, that the right number of staff are in the right place at the right time (both temporary and full-time accounted for) with forensic forecasts based on precise historical data ensuring that rotas and schedules are accurate, up-to-date and efficiently resourced. It is also – ­and this is another important factor in staff morale scores – making sure that staff are paid the right amount at the right time, with overtime accurately measured.

UKG’s view is that employers have begun to consider how to attract people other than by just paying more money. It has coined a term for it: Life-Work Technology. “We work with over 50,000 customers globally,” says Neil Pickering. “Our software has to be flexible enough to cope with local needs, local legislations, there is no one-size solution because every organisation’s need is different.”

UKG is a new name for a seasoned business, comprising 43-year-old workforce management specialists Kronos and HR delivery experts Ultimate Software, who merged in April 2020. “It’s the perfect marriage,” reports Pickering, “Very little customer overlap, about 5,000-6,000 employees each, two US-founded businesses with a strong global footprint.”

The logistics industry – from ports to 3PLs to warehouses – has led the way in adopting innovative workforce management processes, he relates. “It’s the backbone of the supply chain and it is the logistics sector that businesses have had to turn to change business models.”

His message is that digital transformation is about people processes as well as a piece of technology. His advice? “Engage openly with your chosen supplier. Make sure both parties agree on what you’re endeavouring to do. In UKG’s case, we have a lot of experience, so we’ve usually got pretty good advice on what will work and what won’t.”

Whatever the circumstances, there’s no time to waste. “You can’t wait for digital transformation to come to you,” he urges. “If you haven’t started the journey soon, it will be too late.”

Timber pallet sector tackling ‘severe’ challenges

Posted on by David Priestman

The packaging and pallet sector is battling major ongoing pressure as the result of Covid, Brexit and other factors, according to the Timber Packaging and Pallet Confederation (TIMCON).

Delegates at the organisation’s GM, which was held in person in Manchester at the end of October 2021, heard how industry-specific and wider general influences were impacting heavily on the supply and demand of wood and products such as pallets and packaging.

TIMCON President John Dye said while the annual increase in demand related to Christmas has started, there remains a shortage of used pallets in the UK – with recycling and biomass diverting some stocks away from the market – coupled with strong demand for reconditioned pallets in the EU market. Brexit continues to have an impact on the business with additional administrative, time and cost burdens for goods crossing between the UK and the EU.

In general, several interlinked crises in related industries were deepening the issues, he added. These include the ongoing global imbalance of container locations around the world, which has pushed the price of shipping to new highs; the difficulty in logistics, haulage and related industries in recruiting and retaining staff; and continued pressure on supplies due to a post-lockdown rebound in demand for timber in several markets, including China and the US.

Dye said: “While the pallet and packaging industry is fully operational, ongoing challenges for logistics-focused industries in general and our sector specifically, is placing intense pressure on our members. We are continuing to monitor the situation and communicating with other industries and the government to ensure keep the supply chain updated.”

TIMCON recently wrote to MPs including Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng, asking for urgent assistance to address staff shortages; and to reinstate both the mothballed Renewable Heat Initiative to allow the industry to invest in kilns and the subsidy for red diesel. The organisation has also engaged fully with the recent Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and Packaging Waste Regulations (PWR) consultation processes.

Also at the meeting, TIMCON launched its annual UK Wood Pallets & Packaging Market survey for 2020, which it publishes jointly with the Forestry Commission. The latest study showed a 1.5% growth in reuse of wooden pallets, to a total of 49 million; while, despite the pandemic, production of new pallets remained similar to the previous year, at a total of 44.9m.

“Who would have ever imagined that in a year that saw our supply chains being decimated and the main customer of our products, the construction sector, shutting down for four to five months, the wooden pallet and packaging sector has actually ended up manufacturing the same quantity of pallets as 2019,” said Dye. “After this incredibly difficult time this is a really positive outcome. And we are pleased to see further growth in the recovery, repair and reuse of pallets; this is part of a welcome trend that further still improves our sector’s unrivalled environmental credentials.”

TIMCON gave the meeting an update on projects including the production of a document on safe pallet stacking heights, further engagement with government, and its communications activity.

It also reported on extremely high membership retention (98%) and the addition of seven new members during the past year, which Dye said is evidence of the industry’s desire for strong representation in the face of multiple challenges in the market.

BSI launches significant global intelligence report

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Today (16th November 2021), BSI, the business improvement and standards company and leading global provider of supply chain intelligence, unveiled its annual Supply Chain Risk Insights Report – the new report lands at a time when supply chains are dominating discussion both in boardrooms and households.

The report identifies the trends and associated risks impacting global supply chains over the coming year and highlights five key themes to enable organisations to achieve resilience:

  • Supplier transparency as a key decider of business success
  • A shifting Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) regulatory environment
  • A holistic understanding of ‘pain points’
  • Adapting to ‘convergences’ of business challenges
  • Identifying opportunities in emerging trends

Crime, climate and a convergence of threats emerge as dominant risks to the global supply chain. The report, which is powered by analysis of the global data in BSI’s proprietary web-based intelligence system, Connect Screen, provides valuable insight into the significance of these threats while offering analysis and practical guidance to organisations on best practices to mitigate and counter risks.

Susan Taylor Martin, BSI Chief Executive, said: “The past few years have put a spotlight on global supply chains and reinforced their crucial role in our day-to-day life. Because of this unprecedented moment, the supply chain is about to have a make-or-break year and needs to be right at the top of the C-suite agenda. It’s clear that the importance of supply chains will only increase as we head into 2022, and the steps organisations take now will ultimately determine their success or failure.”

Harold Pradal, BSI Chief Commercial Officer, said: “Supply chain threats will remain one of the most serious issues global businesses will face in 2022. Widespread product shortages and scarcely qualified operators, including lorry drivers, are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the ongoing global supply chain crisis.

“With manufacturers and freight companies already spending much effort to address these issues, organisations along the supply chain increasingly fall vulnerable to a convergence of additional threats. Those include more frequent and damaging natural disasters and more opportunistic criminal cartels. Unless these threats are addressed holistically and quickly by supply chain leaders, consumers are likely to see current challenges continue and worsen over time.”

Jim Yarbrough, BSI’s Global Intelligence Program Manager, added: “As we continue to manage a multitude of challenges, including COVID, climate change and natural disasters, we have seen the convergence of impacts on organisations and the global community, illustrating the broad-brush consequences of disruptions and threats to our supply chains and the importance of not underestimating their complexities.

“To protect the integrity of this vital part of our global way of life, business leaders must stay ahead of the latest trends that threaten to disrupt it. We’ve published a supply chain risk report every year since 2013, but there has never been a more vital time for business leaders and decision-makers to take note.”

The threats highlighted in the report include:

Crime: The importance of verifying, then trusting

The pandemic showed companies of all sizes from around the world the importance of adaptability, and criminal organisations were no exception. Over the past year, BSI has observed a significant number of criminal organisations trying to infiltrate the logistics supply chain, masquerading as legitimate companies working in warehousing, transportation and distribution. BSI has also noted the issue of fake carriers in an increasing number of countries. Additionally, over 2021, BSI reported that increasing unemployment closely correlated with an increase in organised crime and cargo truck hijackings in South Africa; as unemployment rates increased to 32.6% in the first half of 2021, hijacking crimes also increased by approximately 24.6%.

Similarly, drug cartels around the world are becoming more creative. BSI saw the numbers and quantities of cocaine seizures in Europe increase steadily in 2020 and 2021, and they are expected to continue to rise in 2022. Criminal organisations in Ecuador, Brazil and Colombia ship large quantities into ports in Europe. Although the ports of Antwerp in Belgium and Rotterdam in the Netherlands generally record the most and largest seizures of cocaine from Latin America, there have been notable shipments stopped in Ireland, France, Montenegro and Greece, further showcasing the cartels’ ability to diversify routes.

BSI says these issues underscore the need for organisations to ensure they undertake proper due diligence when onboarding their suppliers. Critically, an end-to-end risk assessment of a company’s supply chain will mitigate the risks inherent to partnering with separate companies from around the world.

Climate: Green-proofing the supply chain

From all corners of the globe, companies are seeking to both protect their supply chains from the effects of climate change and ensure they play their role in a greener future. Maintaining ESG compliance in evolving regulatory environments should now involve considering the impact on the entire supply chain. For example, BSI noted that this year, at least 18 companies-spanning several industries were identified as sourcing products from companies contributing to deforestation in the Amazon. This type of association has the potential to bring significant reputational damage to an organisation and could ultimately result in a drop in revenue.

Additionally, while 2021 has seen a trend of higher-than-average shipping delays rebound, disruptions to the global supply chain like Hurricane Ida in August in the US and Typhoon Chanthu in September in China, have cumulatively caused various delays of shipment volume arriving infrequently at Californian facilities. This has put renewed stress on the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, which account for about one-third of all US imports. With climate change likely to increase the frequency of natural disasters, it is against this volatile backdrop that organisations need to reassess and look beyond traditional supply chain partners, methods and technologies.

Convergence: Problems piling up

An overarching threat to supply chains is the risk that individual considerations such as business continuity, sustainability, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and security are not addressed comprehensively, and that organisations fail to acknowledge that they are interrelated. Business continuity threats can lead to security threats and vice versa.

The global shortage of semiconductors exemplifies this convergence. Taiwan holds roughly 90% of the world’s manufacturing capacity to produce semiconductor chips, an over-reliance that contributed to a global shortage of this component. In addition, factors such as droughts and COVID outbreaks in Taiwan between April and July impacted operational capacity, compounding the global shortage. This shortage also created security concerns; for example, a group of criminals attacked a truck driver’s assistant as he was transporting a high-value cargo of semiconductor chips in Hong Kong in June, stealing $650,000 worth of goods.

Convergence can be addressed by companies doubling down on collaboration, ensuring that all parts of an organisation and their partners understand the integrated threats to a supply chain and that teams work together to address them.

It’s essential that organisations have clear insight into the global supply chain landscape and how its ever-evolving dynamics will impact the future.

CLICK HERE to read the full report

Transmetrics opens Dubai HQ

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Transmetrics, a frontrunner in predictive optimisation for the logistics industry, has opened an office in Dubai, aiming to serve its global customers by expanding across the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region.

Transmetrics uses artificial intelligence (AI) technologies within a SaaS platform, pursuing a mission to dramatically improve efficiency in the logistics industry. Through a proprietary approach for analysing, modelling, and predicting various transport flows with very high accuracy, Transmetrics’ state-of-the-art AI platform developed exclusively for logistics in shipping, optimises transport planning through the power of machine learning and predictive analytics.

Combining the strengths of both humans and AI, Transmetrics says it ensures the highest operational benefits and reduces the environmental impact of logistics. The company also strives to help its customers improve their overall performance and achieve financial savings by optimising daily operations.

The UAE – and Dubai specifically – serves as the hub that connects the Eastern and Western worlds. Many shipments go through the Dubai port as a stopover before continuing to their Mediterranean or European destinations. As the largest port in the Middle East, it is ranked the ninth-largest container port worldwide and has incredible potential for growth. Establishing a presence here gives Transmetrics more credibility in the region and a connection to the Asian market.

The acceptance rate of innovation is also higher in this region when compared to the more rigid West, so the company will see significant opportunities for innovative growth.

“As Transmetrics revolutionises the logistics industry with our artificial intelligence solution, we are always looking for the next frontier,“ said Marc Meyer, Chief Commercial Officer at Transmetrics. “The UAE is one of the most forward-thinking regions when it comes to the digitalisation of logistics processes. The launch of this new office is part of our commitment to expand our local support and platform capabilities in the UAE and the Middle East.”

Achieving speed and efficiency in logistics

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Logistics and supply chain management is more critical than ever in a world that is increasingly becoming borderless. Achieving speed and efficiency requires timely collaboration, visibility and total control of the logistics operation.

FarEye is an Intelligent Delivery Management SaaS Platform headquartered in Chicago, US, with offices in key regions worldwide, including its European regional office in London. FarEye was founded in 2013 and received its first funding in 2014. Since, FarEye has received roughly $150m in funding across five rounds, with the last round raising $100m. The company has more than 750 employees, 150 customers (33 in EMEA), and conducts over 10 million transactions each day in over 30 countries. FarEye offers a robust network of pre-integrated last-mile carriers, including over 135 CEP in the EMEA region alone.

FarEye provides one of the strongest networks of FTL carriers in Asia, and is fast-growing in EMEA and North America. The Intelligent Management Platform is currently integrated with over 2 million networks of vehicles through telematics integrations with OEM fitted devices. The Intelligent Delivery Visibility product has been recently recognised as a challenger in the 2021 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Real-Time Transportation Visibility Platforms.

In the European market, FarEye is aiming at the growing sectors of retail, big & bulky, e-commerce, CPG, logistics & 3PL, quick-serve restaurant and grocery delivery by bringing the most effective technology solutions to all its customers. FarEye says its unique and innovative solutions, built with a robust technology framework, helps companies streamline their operations and deliver a superior customer experience in a European market that is dealing with driver shortages and a fragmented logistics market.

FarEye says it solves these challenges through its intelligent delivery platform that is flexible, configurable, and

agile. The platform is designed to provide predictive visibility and orchestration for the first, middle and final mile of the supply chain. FarEye plans and executes operations across the entire supply chain, through a single pane of glass, while providing data-driven insights to its customers that enable them to optimise their operations. All of this is conducted on a low-code interface that integrates seamlessly with its customers.

FarEye’s low-code approach provides an environment to develop applications with a quick turnaround and minimal code to shorten the “concept-to-ship” cycle. FarEye uses a microservices/API model to develop a scalable SaaS platform with a global footprint. Intelligence is brought into the platform through Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning technologies. This algorithmic approach to areas like dynamic routing and loop optimisation delivers tangible benefits to customers and their end consumers.

FarEye has supported some of the most recognisable brands across Europe over the last 12 months, fueling triple-digit growth in the last 12 months.  The company looks to duplicate this over the next 12 months as FarEye continues to expand its presence and focus into Europe.

Century Logistics appoints new MD

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Century Logistics Ltd, a leading logistics provider in the UK region of East Anglia, has appointed Stuart Ager as Managing Director. He takes over the role from founder Stephen Basey-Fisher, who started the company in Beccles 24 years ago. Basey-Fisher will become Executive Chairman and will remain an active member of the board.

Basey-Fisher said: “Stepping back from the day-to-day running of a company I feel so passionately about was never going to be an easy decision. I am confident that Stuart will take Century onto the next chapter of our ever-evolving story. During his time as Operations Director, Stuart has helped continue to grow the company whilst navigating it through the unique trading conditions of the last 18 months.”

Ager joined Century in 2017 and brings with him 20 years of experience in the logistics sector. He commented: “Over the past four years, I have seen first-hand what a great business we have, and I am determined to continue to improve Century, both for our highly valued employees and dynamic customers.”

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