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Tag: logistics

CEVA Logistics launches FORPATIENTS healthcare sub-brand

Posted on by David Priestman

In an expansion of its support for global healthcare and pharmaceutical customers, CEVA Logistics has launched a new sub-brand to support better patient outcomes through the company’s broad range of healthcare logistics services.

CEVA FORPATIENTS now offers healthcare and pharmaceutical companies end-to-end logistics solutions that place the patient at the centre of the supply chain. As part of the suite of solutions, the company is also introducing a new temperature-sensitive logistics product that will begin service in the second quarter of 2021.

The CEVA FORPATIENTS suite of healthcare logistics now encompasses temperature-sensitive solutions, pharma and biopharma, medical devices, consumer health, hospital and home care, as well as diagnostic and laboratory services.

Centralising its global healthcare offerings under the FORPATIENTS umbrella gives greater visibility of CEVA Logistics’ range of services to its customers and assures them of the central position of the patient. The company is also launching an advertising and social media campaign to show how logistics solutions support common medical procedures and healthcare needs.

In view of better patient outcomes, CEVA’s healthcare solutions address quality, privacy and compliance requirements, including being fully GxP and GDP compliant and meeting all national and international regulatory requirements. The company ensures these areas are managed from pick-up to delivery. Specific regulation and compliance information, as well as additional information about CEVA’s healthcare solutions can be found on the dedicated website www.cevalogisticsforpatients.com.

The new CEVA Logistics’ solution requires investment in temperature-controlled facilities around the world. With the support of its parent company, the CMA CGM Group, a world leader in shipping and logistics, CEVA has committed to operating a network of more than 40 such airfreight stations by the end of 2021. Some of the stations will also offer other services, such as contract logistics support.

In all, the stations will allow CEVA to not only service major healthcare gateways in regional markets, but also to supply more than 1,450 healthcare trade lanes globally. Through the global network, CEVA will welcome a broad range of customer shipments in conjunction with its temperature-sensitive packaging solutions, including active and passive packaging, as well as solutions for out-of-gauge goods.

As part of its product offerings, CEVA will provide leading visibility and monitoring solutions for real-time decisions through embedded location and temperature IoT devices. Information will flow into the company’s award-winning Matrix supply chain management tool, as well as its global control tower technology for 24/7 shipment monitoring. This multi-layered approach ensures shipments are maintained at required temperatures – a major concern for healthcare customers. With vaccine and medicine transport growing globally, CEVA will focus its efforts on the 2- to 8-degree Celsius spectrum of products, including certain COVID-19 vaccines, though the company is capable of supporting customers with products, including vaccines, requiring lower temperatures throughout transport.

In addition, CEVA’s approach includes lane risk assessment, performance and capability management as well as a fully integrated cold chain transportation and storage management solution. The company also provides insight on the sustainability and carbon impact of various routing, packaging and mode of transport choices.

In healthcare and pharmaceutical markets, CEVA already serves more than 500 healthcare and life science companies globally, more than 50 healthcare contract logistics operations worldwide and 20 of the top 30 medical device supply chains. The company recently hosted a webinar titled “Optimizing Healthcare Supply Chains Beyond 2021” where an expert speaker panel explored the global pharma and healthcare industry, analysing how the sector is changing and what the future may hold.

Says Niels Van Namen, executive vice president of CEVA’s Global Healthcare Sector: “Our customers supply the vaccines, medical devices, medication and other support products on which patients around the world depend. For example, diabetic patients should not have to worry about supply chain reliability for their insulin. At CEVA, we’re expanding our temperature-sensitive solutions to ensure that, no matter the logistics challenges faced, patients’ needs are met. Behind every shipment, we see a patient.”

Says Mathieu Friedberg, CEO, CEVA Logistics: “The global healthcare market has seen enormous change over the last year as a result of the pandemic that continues to affect daily life. The pandemic is also combining with the advance of technology and at-home treatment to usher in a new era of healthcare. As an agile logistics provider, CEVA will continue to offer new healthcare logistics solutions for our customers, and ultimately their patients. Today’s new FORPATIENTS sub-brand confirms our commitment as a responsive and reliable supply chain for better patient outcomes.”

Stanley and Asda launch powered stair climber

Posted on by Keith McKinley

To help further improve the efficiency of its grocery home shopping service, Asda has become the first UK supermarket to introduce a powered stair climber, in collaboration with materials handling specialist, Stanley.

Following a successful trial of Stanley’s ultra-lightweight stair climber, Asda has introduced 270 machines as part of its urban delivery fleet. These will work alongside conventional trollies and reduce the need for manual handling when making deliveries to properties with stairs.

Weighing 13.5kg with the capacity to carry up to 85kg, the stair climber’s caterpillar tracks enable Asda colleagues to deliver groceries safely and quickly to customers living in flats and properties where access is difficult. This is expected to result in a reduction in time spent at the doorstep, while improving the overall customer experience and reducing the risk of manual handling injuries.

Asda has invested in its fleet and delivery vans due to the growth in demand for its home shopping service, which has seen the supermarket increase capacity from 400,000 to 850,000 slots per week since the start of the pandemic.

Simon Gregg, Vice President of Online Grocery at Asda, said: “We know that our drivers are making an increasing number of deliveries in urban areas where many customers live in flats and apartments, which often require access up several flights of stairs. Through collaboration with Stanley, we have been able to create a powered stair climber that suits the needs of our drivers and growing online operation, which in turn will see us reduce time at the doorstep and improve the customer experience.”

Commenting on the contract with Asda, which includes a bi-annual service and certification programme over five years, Graham Sharp, Stanley’s Managing Director, said: “Increasing home delivery capacity whilst reducing the risk of injury to personnel are two areas of focus for ‘last mile’ grocery teams. We are delighted that Asda has recognised the proven benefits of improving delivery times and colleague safety through the use of specially designed, lightweight powered stair climbers and in doing so, has become the first UK supermarket to introduce these machines.”

 

Vehicle dismantler appoints Palletways as logistics partner

Posted on by David Priestman

SCB Vehicle Dismantlers in Edinburgh has put the brakes on the search for a logistics partner after appointing Palletways Edinburgh, which is part of Palletways UK.

SCB required a logistics partner to make scheduled collections of car parts and accessories from its Edinburgh depot and deliver to car garages and private customers. Palletways Edinburgh will handle daily collections and provide a next-day/economy service to customers in the UK and take responsibility for SCB’s international shipping requirements.

Palletways’ industry-leading IT systems, reputation for offering first-class customer service and competitive pricing were deciding factors in the hire. Peter Irvine, operations manager at SCB, said: “We needed a carrier that could provide an economy and next-day delivery service, which we knew Palletways Edinburgh could handle.

“Its IT systems particularly impressed us, especially the Track and Trace facility and ETA updates. Providing a two-hour window means our customers don’t have to wait in all day for their delivery, plus we receive an SMS notification once the consignment reaches its delivery point. This visibility is unrivalled and adds further value to the customer experience.”

Martyn Ryrie, SCB’s customer support manager, added: “The service we receive from Palletways Edinburgh is head-and-shoulders above anything we’ve received before. The level of detail it provides reduces our costs, improves our efficiency and helps us deliver first-class service to our customers.”

Vanda Roberts, general manager at Palletways Edinburgh, added: “Our commitment to customer service combined with the transparency of our ETA technology has resulted in our appointment. The ETA function helps us provide exceptional customer service excellence and the delivery time certainty sets us aside from competitors.”

Palletways offers a range of Premium services for both domestic and international delivery. Domestic is typically delivered within 24-hours. With its economy service, domestic consignments are typically delivered within 48 hours and international deliveries made within 72-96 hours, depending on the location.

SCB Vehicle Dismantlers provides salvage and breaking vehicles, spare parts and accessories from a vast range of vehicle manufacturers and models and sells to the auto industry and private customers from its site at Newbridge, Edinburgh. In association with the Northern Salvage Automobile Auctions (NSAA), SCB also holds a weekly online auction, selling a variety of salvage vehicles to the public and trade.

IAG Cargo celebrates 10th anniversary

Posted on by Keith McKinley

This month (April 2021), IAG Cargo, the cargo division of International Airlines Group (IAG), celebrates its 10th anniversary – marking a decade of transporting vital shipments safely and efficiently for customers across the world.

IAG Cargo was created in 2011 following the merger of British Airways World Cargo and Iberia Cargo, bringing together two distinct brands focused on providing a quality services for their customers to unlock the full potential of their networks. Since then, IAG Cargo’s mission – to be ‘always moving’ – has led it to become one of the largest cargo operators in the world, serving key sectors of the global economy including ecommerce, tech, manufacturing, automotive, pharmaceutical and aerospace.

In total, in the last decade it is estimated that IAG  has served nearly 14,000 freight forwarders, operated 950,000 flights, transporting millions of tonnes of cargo and flown to over 450 destinations worldwide using 30 models of aircraft.  Today, the business is trusted by some of the world’s best-known brands to transport their precious cargo, from ancient artefacts for The British Museum, endangered animals for BornFree, vaccine shipments for Biological E to airplane parts for Boeing.

Today IAG  operates in 60 countries, across 5 continents and employs more than 2,250 professionals worldwide. The business has grown significantly in its first 10 years – integrating Vueling in 2013, Aer Lingus in 2015 and Level in 2016 to expand its network; invested in new facilities to increase capacity and developed innovative and specialist product offerings in areas like pharmaceutical, live animals and high security shipments.

John Cheetham, Chief Commercial Officer at IAG, said: “This is a major milestone for IAG Cargo. It’s been exciting to see the business grow and transform into one of the largest cargo carriers in the world today.

“We’ve built a strong relationship with our customers across the world to understand their needs and adapted our products, as well as launched new products and routes to support them. We’re very proud of our ‘always moving’ spirit to provide some of the most flexible options for customers, helping them get their freight across the world 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. We look forward to continuing to expand our offering in the years to come.”

Efficient belt change on overland conveyor

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Beumer Group supplied a complex complete system composed of several belt conveyors to one of the leading cement manufacturers in Thailand, for transporting limestone from the quarry to the blending bed. After approx. four years, the belt of the almost 3.5km-long overland conveyor had to be replaced quickly and efficiently.

Instead of exchanging the single belt sections one after the other during long operation stops, Beumer Group relied on a process, that allows the new belt to be inserted into the system and the old belt to be pulled out only in one go. This results in substantial time saving for the customer and avoids unplanned system failures.

The goals for many building materials companies including TPI Polene Public Company Ltd. are being able to compete with the leading cement manufacturers and to position themselves for profitable construction projects. At this regard, the third-largest cement manufacturer in Thailand needs systems that run reliably and can be adapted to the increasing requirements of the market. “TPI commissioned us in 2013 with the installation of a complex conveying system for transporting limestone from the quarry to the blending bed,” says Alexander Unruh, project manager for conveying and loading technology at Beumer Group.

The Beumer team designed an economically complete system made of several belt conveyors. In addition, the system provider supplied a system control (PLC), transfer stations and filter systems as well as foreign material separators. The system is dimensioned for a conveying capacity of 2,200 tonnes per hour. The core of the conveying system for limestone consists of two belt conveyors leading downwards, which are run in regenerative mode and are followed by a troughed belt conveyor with horizontal curves.

“The material is transported from the crusher discharge conveyor to the first two troughed belt conveyors,” explains Unruh. “Afterwards, the material transported is transferred via an acceleration belt conveyor to an overland conveyor with a centre distance of 3,464m at a speed of 4m/s. The conveyor is equipped with vertical and horizontal curves and achieves a speed of 4.5m/s. Three following conveyors transport the material to the blending bed.

In order to remove the material from the blending bed and to feed the primary hopper of the raw mills, Beumer Group supplied further belt conveying systems with an overall length of 989m. The Beumer team was able to build and install all the conveyors in only 11 months. The commissioning phase of three months was followed by the performance tests. Finally, the system provider handed over the complete system to the customer. “That was in 2015, but the project was not yet terminated for Beumer Group,” emphasises Unruh.

Trouble-free operation

The Beumer technicians not only accompanied and supervised the installation and the commissioning. The standard scope of supply also included an intensive training of the operation and maintenance personnel – tasks which are performed by the extensive Beumer customer support team. More than 1,000 employees worldwide now work for this business segment.

“We support our customers from the first project meeting up to the running system, but we also make sure that the system runs safely in the long term,” says Beumer expert Unruh. After four years in continuous operation, the risk of a failure increased due to the replacement state of wear of the belt.

The conventional belt change method would mean for the service technicians to replace the belt by changing every belt section separately. Depending on the belt coil, this could imply eight to 18 belt sections. “Of course this would be very time consuming if the employees perform this work in one go,” says Unruh.

During this time, the complete system is stopped. Therefore, the cement manufacturer suggested to replace the single belt sections gradually, enabling to arrange the downtimes such to affect the working flow as little as possible. Nevertheless, the total downtime of the conveyor would still be very high and the risk of a failure would persist. “A belt change on a conveyor of this length is always critical,” knows Unruh.

Conveyor belt change only in one go

In order to keep downtime to a minimum, the Beumer technicians suggested a new concept that allows them to replace the entire belt at once. “During this process, the single belt coils are joint to form a long belt next to the conveying system and are then connected to the old belt,” explains Unruh. “The existing drive technology and further auxiliary means are used to insert the new belt into the system, while the old one is pulled out at the same time.”

The Beumer technicians examined the conveyor in advance to find a suitable place for the new belt. It is important that the location is directly at the system, that it is easily accessible and that the employees have enough space to prepare the belt, because the connection of the belt ends usually implies their vulcanisation; this requires space for the preparation, but also for the materials required.

“The belt sections were stored outside and protected against UV-rays by a special film. The belt connections were carried out in an air-conditioned tent,” says Unruh. “Why air-conditioned?”, repeats Unruh. Vulcanisation can be made more difficult by environmental conditions such as the nature of the terrain, but above all by the weather. Snow, freeze and ice or rain may imply a forced break for the employees because the process requires not only a lot of heat but also time. I wouldn’t plan a belt change during a Monsoon in India for example.”

Based on the preparations and on their complex experience, the Beumer team was able to estimate the total downtime during the belt change. The work itself was carried out by the service personnel of the customer. The supervisor of the belt supplier was on site to supervise the workmanship.

Less downtime, less costs

“If we consider only the costs, the conventional process is less expensive,” describes Beumer expert Unruh. “However, the new process scores with its significantly reduced downtimes.” This makes it profitable exactly when you consider the total cost arising for the customer in case of a downtime – for example, in case of conveying systems with a length of a few kilometres, as at TPI Polene Public Company Ltd. “And as we can change the belt only in one go, the user benefits from considerably higher safety: the risk of unplanned downtime is almost non-existent,” says Unruh.

 

 

 

Covid-19: orders down by almost a quarter

Posted on by Keith McKinley

The Covid-19 pandemic placed a heavy burden on manufacturers and importers of consumer goods over the past 12 months. On the one hand, sales fell due to temporary store closures. On the other hand, companies suffered from high freight prices, overflowing warehouses, capacity bottlenecks in sea freight and delayed deliveries.

This is the conclusion reached by SCM experts from software company Setlog in an annual review of the Corona pandemic. The company backs up its results with numbers. For the balance sheet, the company evaluated the data from March 2020 to March 2021 of around 100 brands that use Setlog’s SCM software OSCA.

Because of the Covid 19 pandemic, the analysed companies ordered about a quarter fewer goods during the studied timeframe – in some cases, it was even more than 30% less. For the current year, companies ordered another 9% less on average. According to Setlog, the volume of goods delivered fell by around one-fifth in the period analysed.

Companies also struggled with problems in the transport sector. Lead times increased by an average of 10 to 14 days, depending on the industry. Transportation time took almost seven days longer on average, and products were five days late arriving at the warehouse. The most delays were recorded at the end of summer and beginning of autumn 2020 – and then again during Chinese New Year in February 2021.

“Unfortunately, the hoped-for improvements in terms of sea freight capacities and available empty containers in Asia after Chinese New Year did not materialise,” emphasizes Setlog board member Ralf Duester. Unfortunately, the situation has only improved slightly and there is no end in sight. In some Asian and European ports, containers are still in short supply.

In addition, the punctuality of the ships leaves more and more to be desired: “The value of 35% for schedule adherence is as miserable as it has ever been,” reports Duester. Currently, delays across all shipping companies amount to about seven days. In order to transport goods from Asia to the North Sea ports without major delays, many shipping companies demand surcharges – such as the Equipment Imbalance Surcharge due to missing empty containers.

“The extent to which sea freight rates are burdening shippers in the pandemic is shown by individual examples that have come to our attention. Including surcharges, companies had to pay up to $10,000 for a 40-foot container at certain times on high-demand routes,” says SCM expert Duester.

For some shippers, the accident of the “Ever Given” in the Suez Canal could also become a burden. The consequences here are also higher transport costs and delivery delays. Duester expects delays to continue well into May – until the round trips are back on track.

  • Transportation costs are also dropping slower than shippers hope. Users of the SCM software OSCA found it much easier to manage day-to-day business during the pandemic than companies trying to manage their supply chains with e-mails, mailed Excel lists or the telephone. OSCA users particularly benefited from the tool when it came to:
    planning capacities,
    changing production quantities and times,
    shifting orders according to new priorities
    early booking of transport units,
    the optimal loading of transport units
    and the good use of data and rapid transfer of information in home-office arrangements.
  • One company that has been using OSCA to manage its supply chain for years is Marc O’Polo: “At the beginning of the Corona crisis, we had to make new decisions every day and, for example, change the transport mode because ports were suddenly closed,” reports Dr. Patric Spethmann, COO of the fashion brand from Bavaria.

“That’s when it was very useful that we had OSCA as software and could thus react quickly and specifically to changes in the supply chain.”

Julius Lo, Head of Procurement at Ospig from Bremen, Germany, reports a similar story. Changes in the transportation of goods from Asia, which were necessary due to capacity constraints, could be communicated in real time to all partners in the supply chain thanks to OSCA. “A few months ago, we moved air freight from China to rail. With a few clicks, all supply chain partners were informed.”

Nils Buecker, Director Purchasing, Buying, Production at the Rabe Fashion Group in Hilter, emphasises: “Regardless of whether it’s a strike, an accident, or a pandemic, anyone managing global supply chains must expect disruptions at any time. Those who can communicate with all parties in the chain via a central SCM software have a clear advantage over those companies that still manage changes via e-mail or the telephone.”

40 million sq. ft. of new UK warehouse space in 2021

Posted on by Keith McKinley

The latest research from Knight Frank shows that 40 million sq. ft. of new warehouse space in developments larger than 50,000 sq. ft. is scheduled for completion in the UK during 2021.

This compares to the 20 million sq. ft. completed last year, as long-term strategic planning of retailers in response to ecommerce growth has led to a rise in development activity. Much of this new space is already committed, with retailers and distribution companies opting to satisfy their requirements through build-to-suit solutions.

Vacant warehousing remains tight across the UK, with 46 m sq. ft. of space currently available, which represents 10 months’ worth of supply at current take up levels. However, most of that space is in secondhand units that either do not have the right specification or in the right location. Due to robust levels of take up, the level of availability, particularly of high-quality space, has diminished over the course of 2020 and this is driving development.

In 2020 online sales accounted for 27.9% of total retail sales, and with non-essential shops closed ecommerce penetration rates reached a record 36.3% in January 2021. Retailers and distribution firms have responded by rapidly upscaling their operations by expanding delivery services, and this saw warehouse take up exceed 50 million sq. ft. in 2020, compared to 34 million sq. ft. in 2019.

Even as shoppers return to the high street, the internet will play a larger role in the retail market than it did before the pandemic. Retailers need to embrace omni channel retail to remain competitive. Knight Frank analysis shows that every billion pounds of online sales requires approximately 1.36 million sq. ft. of warehouse space. Online sales rose £34 billion YoY in 2020 and is expected to grow a further £41 billion over the next four years and this growth is driving additional requirements for warehouse space.

Charles Binks, Partner and Head of Industrial & Logistics at Knight Frank, said: “The robust forecast for online retail and increased competition for high-specification and well-located assets is driving development activity. Take-up over the past year has reduced the level of availability and Covid-19 has hampered construction, slowing the delivery of new stock to the market. Supply, particularly of high-quality space, has diminished. The level of occupier enquiries remains strong and many of the requirements logged last year have not been met. However, the availability of land or suitable sites remains a key constraint.”

Claire Williams, Research Associate at Knight Frank, said: “High levels of take up in developments larger than 50,000 sq. ft., and the chronic shortage of quality space, is encouraging both build to suit and speculative development. This is because many of the units currently available don’t offer the right space or the right locations to support the growth of online sales and B2C deliveries. There is a need for more urban warehouse space, located close to the customer, in order to replenish stock in the required timeframes.”

Competition for space will continue to drive rental growth over the next five years, as well as longer average lease lengths. The strongest annual rental growth is expected in London (3.2%), followed by the South East (2.7%) and Eastern (2.7%) regions. Returns for UK industrial and logistics over the next five years are expected to average 7% per annum, outpacing those on offer in other real estate sectors.

12 Security Camera System Best Practices

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Eagle Eye Networks, a leading cloud services security camera company, has published a White Paper authored by its CEO, Dean Drako.

Security camera systems are increasingly internet connected, driven in great part by customer demand for remote video access. The systems range from cloud-managed surveillance systems, traditional DVR/VMS/NVRs connected to the internet, and traditional systems connected to a local network which in turn is connected to the internet.

With cyber-attacks accelerating, physical security integrators and internal support staff must keep up-to-date on cyber security attack vectors which can impact the video management systems they sell and/or support. These systems require the same level of protection from cyber security vulnerabilities given to traditional IT systems.

The White Paper focuses on the best practices for internet-connected security camera systems. Many of these practices may be also applied to other physical security systems.

To download a PDF of the White Paper, please follow this link:

https://www.een.com/security-camera-system-cyber-best-practices/

Hermes extends PostTag remit

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Hermes, the consumer delivery specialist, has extended its remit with PostTag, the last mile delivery technology company, to cover its business fully end to end. It follows a successful initial 6-month partnership which has seen PostTag support Hermes in maintaining its high first-time delivery rate, despite a huge upturn in volumes as a result of the pandemic.

The new deal means that every part of the business and all Hermes’ customers will now benefit from the PostTag technology which checks, verifies and locates precise addresses, as an order is placed. This is done without any additional requirements or inputs, providing valuable and invisible support. Benefits include an increase in first time delivery rates even for hard-to-find locations.

Chris Ashworth, CIO at Hermes UK, said: “Since the start of the pandemic we have experienced a huge increase in parcel volumes and have invested in technology to help support our couriers in achieving safe and efficient deliveries. The PostTag platform is one of the steps we have taken, and we have seen over 600 million address verification enquiries using their technology. Based on this we have taken the decision to broaden their scope and deliver similar benefits across the business and for our customers sending parcels through our network.”

Paul Yewman, CEO, PostTag, said: “Hermes is just one of a number of the companies now reaping the benefits of our unique address technology. PostTag checks addresses across multiple data bases, behind the scenes, to ensure drivers get to the right delivery address, first time, without wasting time. The fact that our contract has been extended with an increased scope is testament to the success of this relationship and our solution.”

Kite introduces biodegradable shredded paper

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Kite Packaging, an employee-owned business, has recently added a wide range of innovative solutions to their ecommerce offering providing customers with sustainable alternatives, its latest being shredded paper.

Kite’s reusable, recyclable and biodegradable FSC and PEFC certified shredded paper is a sustainable void fill solution for not only protecting items but also as an added aesthetic, and is FSC and PEFC certified. Commonly used in boxes, hampers, gift bags, baskets and much more, its zig-zag shape ensures it works its way into every corner, filling small gaps and providing ultimate cushioning.

Available in kraft (produced from 100% recyclable materials) black and white, Kite’s smooth and uncoated 70-80gsm paper does not need fluffing up beforehand and is industrially dust-extracted, therefore reducing the dusty mess often associated with other alternatives. This high-quality alternative to many void fill solutions provides great cushioning for fragile products with good holding power.

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