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Tag: road transport

Tiger supplies 250 semi-trailers to Zenith

Posted on by David Priestman

The relationship between Zenith Trailer Rentals and Tiger Trailers continues to strengthen following the Cheshire manufacturer’s supply of an additional 250 semi-trailers of differing types during 2022 which, when joined by the initial orders placed for 2023, will take the size of the Tiger Trailers fleet that Zenith operates to over 500 vehicles.

Tiger’s supply of trailers to Zenith commenced during 2021, with 100 tandem axle box vans plus 60 tri-axle curtainsiders finished in the livery of the nationwide joinery and furniture end user.

During 2022, Tiger manufactured a significant further volume of trailers for Zenith, comprising an additional 150 unbranded tri-axle single-deck curtainsiders and 100 curtainsided double-deck step-frame trailers with wraparound curtains for operational versatility, some of which carry the branding of a major pet retailer.

The double deck trailers’ bolted decks can be set to any of three positions, prioritising the upper or lower deck, or splitting them 50:50, thus making them ideal for pallet networks, amongst other environments. Their roofs slope downwards at the front for aerodynamic and fuel-saving purposes, and the trailers’ bespoke load-securing specification includes the fitment of kites, with straps incorporated at the rear to enable the tying back of the curtains. The double-deck trailers will predominantly operate out of Zenith’s Carrington depot to the west of Manchester.

The partnership between the two companies is set to continue strongly, with Zenith having placed its first Tiger Trailers orders for 2023. Earlier on in 2022, Tiger Trailers’ production lines passed a milestone and the manufacturer’s 10,000th trailer was built for Zenith.

Close relationship with TigerTrailers

Phil Rodman, Managing Director of Zenith Trailer Rentals, says: “We have developed a close and valued working relationship with Tiger Trailers over the last two years and are very pleased with the quality of the trailers manufactured in time and in full manner. The Tiger Trailers assets were built to our exact requirements and form an important part of our sizeable and versatile rental fleet of over 50,000 heavy commercial vehicles, and we look forward to continuing to grow our relationship with Tiger throughout 2023 and beyond.”

Part of the company’s Commercial division, Zenith Trailer Rentals, the trading name of Contract Vehicle Rentals Limited, has a 22% share of the UK articulated trailer hire market. Headquartered in Leeds and employing over 1,250 people, Zenith’s vision is to decarbonise the UK vehicle parc by eliminating tailpipe emissions. The Group has also joined the EV100 global initiative to tackle the electric transport transition, reduce air pollution and combat climate change.

Darren Holland, Sales Director at Tiger Trailers, comments: “We are proud to be supporting Zenith in manufacturing a diverse range of articulated trailers for their fleet, tailored to the required specifications. Tiger’s efficient production practices and continuous investment enable us to build large quantities of trailers to relatively expedient lead times. It’s a pleasure to work closely with Phil and the wider Zenith team and we look forward to continuing to support them over the coming months and years.”

Tiger Trailers is one of the UK’s leading semi-trailer and rigid bodywork manufacturers and operates from a state-of-the-art factory complex including a customer showroom. The company builds the full range of products including moving double decks, temperature-controlled trailers, flatbeds and demounts. The manufacturer’s CSR and ESG initiatives from solar panels and car chargers to tree planting are complemented by the Tiger Safety Team and the road safety programme it delivers to schools.

 

JJX Logistics adds IVECO rigid to fleet

Posted on by David Priestman

JJX Logistics has added a striking new IVECO S-WAY 6×2 (AS260S46Y/P) rigid to its fleet to boost its operational capabilities in urban areas.

JJX Logistics is a specialist in time-critical logistics throughout the UK and Europe. Transporting a wide range of cargos for over 25 years, JJX Logistics is also licensed to carry all nine classes of hazardous materials and is TAPA certified for high-value assets.

With the need to accommodate a wide variety of cargo types in urban areas JJX has specced up and built the ultimate IVECO S-WAY rigid capable of carrying up to 15 tonnes.

It joins a 510hp IVECO S-WAY tractor unit on the fleet which managing director John Joseph Donovan was so impressed with he has ordered a range-topping 570hp model for long-haul routes from the UK to Italy as part of a new international contract.

The IVECO S-WAY 6x2p is equipped with a rear lift axle which reduces tyre wear on return trips and improves manoeuvrability.

Additionally, rear air suspension has been specified which further improves the ride and handling and adds extra peace of mind when the truck is carrying sensitive cargoes. The Driver Comfort Plus package further optimises driver comfort with door roller blinds, automatic air conditioning and high comfort seats.

JJX specs truck-mounted forklift

To ensure the truck is self-sufficient when loading and unloading at customer sites, a Palfinger forklift has been mounted on the rear of the Fred Smith and Son-built curtain-sided body. This companion vehicle can lift up to two tonnes and is able to load and unload cargo from the back of this IVECO S-WAY. A full Direct Vision system has also been installed to ensure the truck can operate within the busy confines of London.

This IVECO S-WAY rigid is equipped with a 460hp Cursor 11 diesel engine that delivers strong performance and economy with the help of the optional Aero Plus pack that incorporates a roof spoiler and front cab corner fins.

All JJX Logistics trucks can find themselves travelling into Europe at the drop of a hat, so the IVECO S-WAY infotainment system hosting navigation for the whole of Europe, Russia, Turkey, and Ukraine is invaluable.

The distinctive blue and white JJX Logistics livery enhances the design of the IVECO S-WAY. Highlights trim the bold grille, and vibrant splashes of colour follow the natural contours of the Italian-designed bodywork. This stylish livery applied by Baker Ward Stickers Ltd took three weeks to come to fruition, a design that was further enhanced by the addition of a Premium Style Pack which includes aluminium air intakes, a pneumatic horn, an external sun visor, and eye-catching coloured finishes inside the cab.

Commenting on the continued addition of new IVECO S-WAYs onto its fleet managing director John Joseph Donovan said: “We eagerly awaited the truck to come down the supply chain, but now it’s here we are over the moon with it!”

JJX’s IVECO S-WAY Rigid is expected to cover 80,000 – 100,000 miles each year and represents a key asset for JJX Logistics.

Gist trials electric HGVs

Posted on by David Priestman

Logistics specialist Gist has launched an extensive trial in the UK of DAF’s LF Electric fridge truck, supported by key supplier, dealer Ford & Slater Limited, and DAF Trucks UK.

The vehicle will be based at Gist Hemel for the duration of the trial and is one of two 100% fully electric vehicles Gist is trialling as it continues to seek alternatives to reduce its carbon emissions and explore diesel alternatives. The second, the DAF CF power motive unit, is being trialled on routes from its operation in Thatcham.

DAF, through Ford & Slater, which supplies the majority of Gist’s trucks, has provided the 19-tonne rigid and 4 x 2 HGV unit for trials. Gist will use the vehicles across a number of routes, including transporting frozen products.

Gist moving to diesel alternatives

Kate Brown, Gist’s Director of Communications and Sustainability, said: “Moving to diesel alternatives for ambient HGV vehicles has its challenges, but finding suitable, sustainable alternatives for refrigerated transportation units adds another layer of complexity. That’s why we’re delighted to work with DAF to trial its 100% fully electric refrigerated rigid and unit. Our fleet is largely made up of refrigerated vehicles and as we continue to work on reducing our carbon emissions and creating a greener, cleaner environment we hope these trials will demonstrate that using electricity is a viable alternative.”

Laurence Drake, Managing Director of DAF Trucks, adds: “As a company, we are committed to developing transport solutions for our customers that can help them deliver on their environmental and sustainability objectives. Having launched our range of zero emission CF and LF Electric trucks last year it is fantastic to see operators using them in regular operation. Working alongside likeminded partners, such as Gist, is really helping to drive the transport industry forward.”

In addition, Gist is also trialling the Volta Zero, a fully electric rigid. In partnership with Marks & Spencer and Volta Trucks, Gist is using the vehicle to support Volta’s product development by providing operational data and feedback.

 

Tech firms team up over route optimisation

Posted on by David Priestman

UK business technology solutions integrator The Barcode Warehouse and The Algorithm People have partnered up to deliver their Transport and Logistics customers added value services and solutions, with an integrated approach to implementing route optimisation, efficiency, and decarbonisation strategies.

After identifying clear complementary services, the two businesses have joined forces to expand the market for The Algorithm People’s flagship ‘My Transport Planner’ software and providing a go-to hardware and Managed Services partner to its customers via The Barcode Warehouse.

The Barcode Warehouse, which has recently opened a multi-million-pound Innovation & Customer Experience Centre in the Midlands, had been searching the market for an industry-relevant decarbonisation solution to showcase within its new centre; and My Transport Planner stood out.

Kevan Mutton, MD at The Barcode Warehouse, commented: “It is important to us that our Innovation and customer experience centre has a focus on sustainability and decarbonisation. So, when we started working with The Algorithm People, the synergy was immediately obvious.  We are pleased to be able to formally announce this partnership and now, proactively, and hands-on be able to support our customers on their decarbonisation journeys; helping them become more efficient and reduce fuel costs, especially at a time when the rising costs are hurting so many businesses.”

Route optimisation for peak efficiency

My Transport Planner is a route optimisation platform, that enables fleets to operate at peak efficiency, while also – reducing costs and carbon emissions. The Algorithm People’s My Transport Planner is built on a powerful suite of optimisation algorithms that are able to identify opportunities for introducing zero-emissions vehicles across an operation to assist transport and logistics organisations in planning and managing their roadmap to decarbonisation.

Colin Ferguson, CEO at The Algorithm People, added: “The Barcode Warehouse is an integral supplier to the transport and logistics sector, and we are delighted to have secured this partnership with the company. Our optimisation algorithms are able to release significant productivity improvements for customers and we are excited to integrate this with The Barcode Warehouse’ class-leading solutions.”

The Barcode Warehouse, which has been operating for 35 years, says it focuses on bringing together the best-in-class hardware, software, and services; to create tailormade solutions to address real business challenges. Both organisations stress the importance of ensuring hardware, software and services are considered when looking to technology to reduce fuel costs, improve efficiency and to decarbonise.

Network, not Supply Chain

Posted on by David Priestman

Are transport sector network orthodoxies in the process of being supplanted by a tech-driven collaborative model? Paul Hamblin spoke to Transporeon CEO, Stephan Sieber.

Germany’s Transporeon has been a standard-bearer in the great migration to digital over the past decade or so, building impressive numbers with its connectivity and market intelligence cloud-based software. Indeed, carriers signed up to the platform in autumn 2022 are just shy of 150k, shippers number 1.4K, all racking up some 220K transactions per day. We’re talking the Transport sector, remember, which has been notoriously slow to take to digital potential and still likes to play its cards close to its chest, with carriers eyeing their competitors warily as they riffle through their ancient spreadsheets. Indeed, in a significant 2021 German-government sponsored survey reviewing digital adoption across a range of sectors, the transport sector ranked last.

For Stephan Sieber, who was appointed CEO by the founders in 2019, this traditional reluctance to share information offers the next great leap forward in solving challenges for the industry. “We’re a tech company, we believe in digital and we believe that it’s now ready for Prime Time,” he announces confidently. For Transporeon has grown to be something much more than a connectivity software provider in different silos – it’s now about joining the dots between them to create a whole new world of collaborative success. “The digital effort has traditionally focused on what happens within organisations, rather then between them,” he observes. “We are looking to explore those gaps and fill them to the mutual benefit of all parties.” For that, read shippers, forwarders, carriers and load recipients.

Collaboration Network

For Sieber, the answer is not more software – it’s about adopting the platform mentality. “We have a transport management platform that empowers and optimises a world in motion, including match-making, process execution and transaction costs,” he asserts. “We started as a successful connectivity enabler, but that’s no longer enough. Collaboration is at the heart of everything we do. We are now at a point where we are doing much more than recording, we can create a system where the platform can predict and dictate the right scenarios to benefit its participants.”

Aware that any network grows in value the more participants it can attract, Transporeon has grown organically and via confident acquisition to upgrade and expand its offering to an entire suite of transport management modules. All are agnostic in terms of connecting to existing software packages that members may already have. The list includes Freight Procurement and Rate Management, Freight Matching (including the vital facility to sub-contract), Dock Scheduling and Yard Management, as well as Settlement modules. All are backed up by Real Time Tracking and Visibility, adding real heft to Sieber’s claim that sustainability, a core requirement of his members, is “at the heart of everything we do.”

He likens the selection to your domestic fridge. “You have a number of ingredients in there, and you can make any number of tasty dishes according to your own preference and tastes.”

Cut empty miles

For Dan Burgess, Head of Primary Logistics at UK supermarket giant Tesco, Transporeon’s platform is already answering questions. “The capability removes ambiguity for drivers and transport teams, it improves our resource allocation and gives us more accurate KPIs. There is real insight into how we can provide more sustainable solutions. Cutting out empty miles is no longer a nice-to-have, it’s an absolute must-have.”

There are some tempting alternatives to the traditional orthodoxies in all this. Are we moving from a supply ‘chain’ model to a supply ‘network’ model? Will we be talking about demand-chain management, rather than supply chain management? We watch closely.

How will inflation impact road freight transport?

Posted on by David Priestman

The road freight transportation market emerged from the pandemic with strength, but things have not been “business as usual” ever since. Today, the sector is having to deal with a new set of challenges, spearheaded by inflation and an anticipated recession heading towards the end of 2022, which all signal a further rise in costs and threaten the well-being of carriers.

Economic outlook on Europe

As the latest data from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union (EU), indicate, inflation is rising in all European countries, reaching a record high annual rate of 9.9% in the Eurozone this September, compared to 9.1% back in August 2022, and weighing on costs and demand. Germany experienced one of the steepest increases with a rate of 10.9%, higher than the other major European economies of Italy (9.4%), Spain (9%), and France (6.2%). All in all, more than half of the eurozone’s 19 countries recorded double-digit levels of inflation in September 2022, Eurostat’s data shows.

The highest contribution to the annual euro area inflation came from the energy sector. In September 2022, energy prices rose 40.8%, up from 38.6% the previous month, according to an estimate by Eurostat. And what about fuel, the transportation sector’s biggest headache? According to the EC’s weekly oil price bulletin, the EUR27 weighted average automotive diesel oil came close to 2,000 euros as of November 7, 2022, compared to the 1,500 euros level that was reached at the beginning of January 2022, which is an increase by 33.3%. Diesel prices have been elevated since March 2022, when the EUR27 weighted average reached its peak, but have otherwise somewhat stabilised.

Recession in Q4/2022

The data mentioned previously amount to a pessimistic outlook on the EU’s economy in the nearest future. According to the EC’s Autumn 2022 Economic Forecast, published on November 11, 2022, most EU countries and the eurozone are heading to an economic recession in the last quarter of 2022, with inflation still set to peak at the end of this year; the contraction of economy is expected to continue into the first quarter of 2023, before starting to ease.

“Real GDP growth in the EU surprised on the upside in the first half of 2022, as consumers vigorously resumed spending, particularly on services, following the easing of COVID-19 containment measures. The expansion continued in the third quarter, though at a considerably weaker pace,” Brussels explains. “Amid elevated uncertainty, high energy price pressures, erosion of households’ purchasing power, a weaker external environment and tighter financing conditions are expected to tip the EU, the euro area and most Member States into recession in the last quarter of the year.”

According to the EC’s revised forecast, inflation will average at 9.3% in the EU and 8.5% in the euro area. And although it is expected to decline in 2023, inflation will remain high at 7.0% in the EU and 6.1% in the euro area next year. Adding to the noise, Brussels says that the economic outlook remains surrounded by „an exceptional degree of uncertainty,” as the war in Ukraine continues and the potential for further disruptions remains. “The largest threat comes from adverse developments on the gas market and the risk of shortages, especially in the winter of 2023-24,” the EC states. “Beyond gas supply, the EU remains directly and indirectly exposed to further shocks to other commodity markets reverberating from geopolitical tensions.”

Q3 performance and what to expect

The average price for a load in Europe has long reached record-breaking levels, but the unrolling of the European Commission’s (EC) Mobility Package, the continuously rising inflation, and the ongoing geopolitical tensions, followed by an energetic crisis, have all sent out a ripple effect to local economies, potentially increasing the already rising costs of transportation in Europe further by up to 10% in the upcoming few months.

“The outlook for the end of 2022 is for inflation to continue to persist in most economies and fuel price to remain elevated, so it is quite likely that road freight rates will remain high as they are currently. Results from Q4 – the busiest period for the road freight transport – will allow to see the situation on the market better, however, given the current circumstances, rates may potentially increase further by up to 10%,” says Andrejs Petrovs, Sales and Business Development Director at Girteka Europe West.

“Due to the broader effects of high inflation and a probable recession in Europe in the upcoming months, we should expect to see a further decrease in consumer demand, which could result in a slowing road freight volume growth and thus, help ease the push on rates as available capacity meets fewer loads. We will be able to see the situation more clearly in the Q1 of 2023,” he adds.

Road freight rates on the rise

According to a jointly prepared report by IRU, Ti, and Upply, discussing the Q3 2022 for the industry, despite lower consumer spending, average European road freight rates rose again in Q3, with the main factors behind this trend indicated as diesel prices, driver shortages and drought in certain regions in Europe. The report sees prices softening only towards the end of the quarter: “The contract market’s increase was 80% of last quarter whilst the spot market grew at just half the rate it did in Q2, suggesting the upwards pressure on rates is easing.”

Indexes for the contract and spot market, as provided by the Ti, Upply and IRU Benchmark, both reached new all-time highs, although the rate of acceleration has slowed down. Contract rates reached 127.9 index points, up by 19.6 points year on year. In the spot market, rates hit 142.6 points, up by 26.4 points year on year. Carrier costs significantly increased in Q2 of this year due to the war in Ukraine and the ensuing oil price rise, the report notes. But the slower rate of acceleration in both spot and contract markets in Q3 when compared to the previous quarter, indicate that “the market has adjusted to higher costs whilst higher production costs and lower consumer spending power have started to ease the upward demand-side pressure on rates.”

Supply-side pressure

Prices rose in Q3 also due to supply-side pressures. High diesel prices have created a more costly environment for carriers operating in the European road freight sector. Diesel costs amount to one third of the total operating costs in the road freight transport sector, “but given the increase, they may now account for 50% of costs,” the report states. Furthermore, driver shortage, already pushing up labour costs, is expected to continue to grow further until the end of 2022, with an estimated 40% rise in unfilled truck driver positions in Europe.

Another worrying aspect are signs of falling consumption and production across Europe, particularly in the continent’s biggest economies such as the UK, France, and Germany. “Low order books, high energy prices and gas supply uncertainty are deterring production expansion in the coming months. Falling consumption and production is accompanied by high inventory levels across Europe, with warehouses already full and prepared for the peak period we can expect demand for imported retail goods to be low in Q4,” the report describes. All in all, the European road freight growth is set to slow down dramatically, expanding by a meagre 1.1% in the next year, as data from Ti indicates.

 

Cenntro offers Logistar 200 vehicle with tail lift

Posted on by David Priestman

Cenntro Automotive Europe is introducing a tail lift variant for its Logistar 200 electric utility vehicle on the European market. The vertical lift, which has been specially manufactured for the Logistar 200, offers a payload capacity of 500kg and is therefore particularly suitable for urban delivery and distribution operations.

The high-performance single-deck lift is equipped with a single-section, light aluminium panel and is operated using a hydraulic cylinder, which electrically raises and lowers the platform using chains and guide pulleys. It is possible to easily open and close the 1,600mm aluminium platform manually to save energy in order to achieve the greatest possible efficiency. There is a side door in the middle, which is 900mm wide, and it provides additional loading and unloading opportunities for the box body, which measures 8.77 cu m (L x W x H interior dimensions: 2537 x 1729 x 2000mm).

The box body entirely consists of 100% recyclable, thermoplastic composite materials and is ultra-light, so ensuring that it is possible to make full use of the Logistar 200’s maximum payload capacity and range. The walls of the box body, which have been specially developed for Cenntro, are made from a 20mm thick, highly resistant composite material, while the front wall and roof are 25mm thick. The lightweight base is self-supporting, is made of a 30mm thick recyclable composite material and has an anti-slip coating.

Compact Cenntro Logistar

The operating unit is waterproof and attached to the outside of the vehicle frame; a remote control system with a spiral cable is affixed to the interior of the body by means of magnets. The box body is also equipped with powerful LED interior lighting, anti-roll stops and platform lighting as well as a third brake light.

The Logistar 200 is 4.77m long and 1.64m wide in its chassis version and therefore has more compact dimensions than traditional delivery vans and transport vehicles – and this provides manoeuvrability benefits in inner-city areas. The electric utility vehicle has a range of between 188 and 264km when carrying a full payload of 1,045kg (WLTP combined/city range).

Thanks to the new design with the vertical lift, it is now possible to transport trolleys or Euro pallets containing general cargo without any problems on last mile deliveries. At the same time, the tail lift makes it easier to transfer goods to cargo bikes such as the Antric One. Six trolleys, which can be accommodated on three Antric One bikes, fit into the new “Logistar 200 box body with lift” and this further optimises the sustainable delivery of goods during the last mile. The Logistar 200 in the new lift version and the electric cargo bike from Antric complement each other perfectly for use at urban distribution centres.

Both the Logistar 200 and the Metro N1-13 models can still be delivered in 2022, for as long as stocks last.

Electric vans “could be worked harder”

Posted on by David Priestman

Petrol and diesel-powered light commercial vehicles (LCVs) are being worked more than twice as hard as electric vans within the same customer fleets, despite the average daily mileage being well within the range of an electric LCV.

Detailed analysis of more than 85,000 vehicle records by Michelin Connected Fleet’s data science team found the average internal combustion-engined (ICE) van travels 63 miles per day, compared with just 28 miles for an electric LCV.

Michelin Connected Fleet also found that 59% of electric vehicles (EVs) are being plugged in when the state of charge is greater than 50% – which negatively impacts driver productivity, particularly given half of charging events occur during the daytime. This overcharging is also putting lithium-ion batteries through unnecessary charging cycles which could cause them to deteriorate faster, negatively impacting range and residuals.

Alberto De Monte, Business Segment Director for EV and OEM at Michelin Connected Fleet, says: “Range anxiety is clearly impacting the fleet market’s confidence in electric vans, resulting in EVs being overcharged, and under-worked.

“In most applications the EVs you buy today have the range to do the job of a petrol or diesel-powered van in and around cities, but they’re being deployed on the lightest duty work – whilst ICE assets are being worked harder, which is less efficient and increases emissions.”

Electric vans overcharged

Michelin Connected Fleet’s analysis has also revealed that van drivers charged batteries to 90% or more in 76% of the charging events it studied – in comparison with car drivers who hit 90% or more in only 58% of instances.

De Monte adds: “We know lithium-ion batteries perform best when the state of charge is maintained between 20 to 80%, and the general advice is to only charge the battery fully if you need that additional range for a particularly long journey.

“What we’re seeing points to more guidance being needed for fleets to ensure they are maximising the benefits which transitioning to EVs offer; and not storing up issues which could impact performance and residuals down the line.”

Michelin Connected Fleet offers a dedicated electric vehicle fleet management service called MoveElectric, designed to help businesses of all sizes to lower fleet CO2 emissions, reduce operating costs, and to integrate EVs for the most efficient last mile delivery strategy.

MoveElectric brings easy-to-use tools to help fleets plan, grow and master all aspects of EV fleet management, from identifying routes to achieving EV roll-out. It forms part of a comprehensive fleet management solution to help connect vehicles, optimise performance, and gain greater visibility across an entire fleet based upon informed data-driven choices.

Michelin Connected Fleet will be using its attendance at the London EV Show 2022 (29th November – 1st December 2022, ExCel London) to talk to fleets about the importance of switching to EVs, and showcasing how MoveElectric can support the transition.

 

IRU calls on EC to ease Ukraine border jams

Posted on by Keith McKinley

IRU and its member associations from Ukraine and seven neighbouring countries have called on the European Commission to prioritise TIR trucks to ease lengthy border queues and boost goods transport flows between Ukraine and the EU.

Truck queues at borders between Ukraine and neighbouring European countries are regularly exceeding 40km.

Aside from putting enormous pressure on drivers who can remain stuck for days, often without basic facilities, and stretched border and customs staff, the jams are severely restricting the flow of goods across borders between Ukraine and the EU, especially agricultural products.

The IRU and its national member associations from Hungary, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia and Ukraine have written to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, asking for priority border crossing lanes for secure TIR trucks entering the EU to be coordinated with member states and established as a matter of urgency.

IRU: prioritise TIR traffic

IRU Secretary General Umberto de Pretto said: “By prioritising TIR traffic, the number of trucks that could transport freight from Ukraine to the EU can be increased two- to three-fold. This would make a huge difference to goods flows between war-ravaged Ukraine and the rest of the EU, as well as ease the burden on stretched drivers and border and customs workers.”

Customs inspects and security seals TIR transports at the point of departure, and they only reinspected by customs at the final destination. Together with electronic TIR and customs declaration information sent in advance, TIR trucks can cross borders without additional inspections while at the same time enhancing border authorities’ risk and resource management. TIR priority lanes should also manage sanitary, phytosanitary and other controls.

All EU member states, as well as Ukraine, Moldova and other Balkan countries, are parties to the UN TIR Convention. Thousands of transport operators in these countries are authorised users of TIR and use the system on a daily basis, despite the current absence of priority lanes for TIR trucks.

iru.org

Palletways celebrates Hungarian success

Posted on by David Priestman

The Palletways Group, belonging to Imperial, a DP World company, is celebrating four years since it expanded its coverage across the continent, as the launch of its network in Biatorbagy opened up export opportunities to and from Hungary.

Over the past four years, the 110+-strong team, including drivers, operational, office and member employees, have all played an important role in the transportation of 550,000 domestic and international pallet deliveries. Its fleet of 80 vehicles have moved 240,000 tonnes of consignments – the equivalent of 10,000 fully-loaded trucks – which have covered more than four million kilometres.

Situated in the western suburbs of Budapest, the network has grown considerably over the past four years. Today, it works with 14 local transport companies, up almost 30% since its launch in 2018, that provide 100% coverage across the country.

It handles the shipping requirements of more than 700 customers and it’s the logistics partner for some of the largest agricultural and construction material providers in the country. More than 50% of its volumes come from retail and processing industries.

Rob Gittins, Managing Director for Palletways UK, said: “For those UK companies who already export goods to Hungary, or those who are considering doing so, Palletways UK has the capabilities to provide an efficient service utilising our pan European network and advanced IT systems to move pallets quickly across the continent to Budapest. Hungary is just one of the strong connections across international markets that our UK customers and members can harness to support the requirements of British exporters.”

Palletways performance exceeds expectations

Luis Zubialde, CEO for the Palletways Group, added: “The performance of the Hungarian network over the past four years has exceeded expectations and it has fast become an integral part of the Palletways Group.

“The country is the 35th largest export economy in the world with a heavy emphasis on foreign trade. International services are an incredibly important and attractive part of our network operations and branching out into this new territory opened up a range of opportunities. While Germany and Italy are significant markets for Hungary due to the geographic locations, the network has enabled our members and their customers across our other networks in the UK, the Benelux and Iberia access to a larger pool of consumers and businesses.

“Our ambitious plans for further expansion into new territories remain. We’re committed to entering new territories, to open up opportunities for our members and their customers so they can ship to even more destinations across the globe.”

Founded in the UK in 1994, the Palletways Group began developing its pan-European network in 2002, starting with Italy. Today, it operates in 23 countries and currently works with more than 450 depots and over 20 hubs.

www.palletways.com

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