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Tag: sustainability

Customers herald Nulogy’s sustainability benefits

Posted on by David Priestman

Nulogy, a leading provider of agile supply chain solutions, has been praised by a growing number of global contract packers and manufacturers for the sustainability benefits its software is delivering.

Nulogy’s platform enables contract suppliers and leading consumer goods companies to increase their speed to market and gain much greater visibility across their global supply chain. With automated workflows and AI-driven supply chain insights, the software is ensuring users maximise efficiencies in packaging and distribution operations to deliver better service with far less waste.

Through streamlining their operations users are seeing greater efficiencies and reduced waste, enabling both themselves and their FMCG clients to meet their sustainability targets.

In the UK, Marsden Packaging, based in Blackburn, UK, specialises in primary and secondary packaging services for the food and pharmaceutical sectors and has been using Nulogy’s software to power its operations in the UK for over five years.

“At Marsden Packaging we are constantly seeking ways of achieving greater efficiency as this reduces the amount of waste we produce and makes us more sustainable,” said Michael Briggs, MD at Marsden Packaging. “Nulogy’s software has undoubtedly helped us on this journey by improving our workflows thereby making us a more efficient production unit and helping to deliver greater sustainability for clients.”

GreenSeed, a contract packer based near Chicago, Illinois, who provides external manufacturing for large and mid-sized companies by bringing premium foods to market safely, efficiently, and with less waste, is another business benefiting from Nulogy.

“As a mission-driven company, GreenSeed collaborates with like-minded partners such as Nulogy to ensure food companies have long-term success with social, environmental, and economic sustainability,” said David Gray, CEO of GreenSeed. “By working with Nulogy, we help our customers meet their goals of minimal environmental impact and greener product offerings.”

SGL Co-Packing, a leading provider of high quality and ultra-flexible contract packing and contract manufacturing services in the UK, has seen Nulogy drive improved waste recording, batch traceability as well as providing safeguards against the incorrect processing of orders.

“Nulogy has helped us as a business on multiple fronts and sustainability is an increasingly important part of this advantage,” said Gavin Withers, Director at SGL’s parent company Keswick Enterprises Group.

“From providing live access and updates during production, to ensuring easy identification and isolation of stock or the ability to check that all components are available for each bill of materials; our waste is minimised, and efficiencies maximised.”

Rootree, a Canadian brand packaging fulfilment company agrees, and is leveraging the Nulogy platform to bring innovative brand products to market more sustainably.

“Our goal is to help innovative brands bring healthier, more sustainable products to market with quality and speed,” said Phillippe St-Cyr, CEO and president, Rootree. “Partnering with Nulogy has helped us do so with greater efficiency and less waste.”

Josephine Coombe (pictured), Managing Director, Europe, Nulogy, concluded: “At Nulogy, we are committed to helping businesses reduce their impact through the efficient and effective use of technology.

“We are delighted that our platform is already generating value for so many contract packers and manufacturers, and we will continue to innovate our software to ensure our customers continue achieving their sustainability goals.”

Kite launches bale arm crates

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Kite Packaging has launched a new range of nestable and stackable bale arm crates. Essential equipment for supermarkets, the crates are expertly manufactured for ease of transportation and storage.

The bale arm extends to allow the user to hold and carry the box comfortably, a quality which is aided by the wide tray-like structure that evenly distributes the content’s weight. The box is constructed from lightweight yet durable regran polymer to ensure minimised strain when lifting in addition to withstanding heavy weights and water damage.

Simply retract the bale arm for the crates to become nestable when empty or keep it extended to stack the containers when full. The ridged design makes stacking smooth and the boxes suitable for conveniently storing a range of produce.

Although created for supermarkets, the potential applications of these crates are widespread due to the universal versatility of strong, practical and stackable containers. They would prove especially useful in warehouse environments where it is important to conserve space while having the necessary tools to safely move products across a pick and pack operation.

Kite Packaging now supplies two types of bale arm crates: a standard size and a deeper version with an impressive capacity of 20kg and 21kg respectively. A considerable volume of produce can be capably stored and transported within these boxes with the load being safely spread across the wide surface area to reliably protect both the contents and the user.

 

 

Electric truck transports HP products in CEE

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Since the start of June 2021, Gebrüder Weiss has been deploying an electric truck to deliver technology products for the computer and printer manufacturer HP.

Efficient and sustainable transport solutions are key concerns for the logistics provider Gebrüder Weiss, and now they are being systematically rolled out in Central and Eastern Europe as part of its overall sustainability strategy.

This is the second zero-emissions truck in the company’s fleet. Manufactured by MAN, the vehicle produces some 50 tonnes less emissions than a conventional diesel model over the course of a year. Capable of traveling up to 150km without recharging, it runs daily services to electronics wholesalers.

“By incorporating an electric truck to deliver our products, we are taking a further stride with Gebrüder Weiss towards creating a more sustainable, net zero emission supply chain. Our long-term partner Gebrüder Weiss is supporting us with its high-quality logistics expertise and laying down a marker when it comes to cutting emissions in our European operations,” says Michael Smetana, Managing Director Austria at HP.

Partners for a quarter-century

Gebrüder Weiss has been working for HP since 1996, managing numerous supply chains in Europe either as a conventional freight forwarder or a lead logistics provider. In this capacity, the company performs various services under its own brand and also coordinates third-party providers. More than a tenth of the transport services have been designed to optimise life cycles across different transport modes.

With its first electric truck, Gebrüder Weiss successfully trialled the new technology in Greater Vienna over a period of several years. Equipped with a second electric vehicle, the company is now making further advances in embedding sustainable drive technologies in its supply chains.

In addition to the fully electric models, which are charged with green electricity, the logistics professionals have a hydrogen-fuelled vehicle and several natural gas-powered trucks in service. By tapping this and other initiatives, Gebrüder Weiss is aiming to achieve climate neutrality by 2030.

Methanol-fuelled ships “less costly to build and operate”

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Methanol (CH₃OH) as a commercially and technically viable marine fuel is gaining greater traction over other alternative bunkers, including LNG, as more shipowners adopt the clean burning fuel as price spreads narrow and production ramps up.

Speaking at a virtual conference last week, Greg Dolan, CEO of the Methanol Institute, a trade body whose shipowner members include Maersk, Stena Bulk, MSC, MOL and Oldendorff Carriers, predicts that methanol production costs will fall to become more competitively priced than traditional diesel bunker and other alternative fuels.

Dolan suggested that the move to CH₃OH would also help shipowners avoid the proposed carbon tax on diesel, which could be between US$250 and $450/t of CO2.

“There’s a call by many including the world’s largest shippers for a carbon tax on diesel fuels. That would dramatically change the pricing picture for marine fuels and the only available alternative fuel options today are advanced biofuels, LNG and methanol.”

As a transitional fuel, methanol is supported by the International Maritime Organization in its recent adoption of safe handling guidelines under the IGF Code for low flashpoint fuels.

“This has been an important milestone in the growth of methanol as a marine fuel,” Dolan said. “And while LNG paved the way for methanol, methanol adoption can be a model for ammonia and hydrogen in the future.”

According to Dolan, CH₃OH production increased last year to 100Mmt, doubling production in a decade. He said production could reach 500Mmt by 2050, as predicted in a joint Methanol Institute/International Renewable Energy Agency report released earlier this year.

Little time left to wait

Commenting on those shipowners that have already announced plans to include methanol within their fuel pool, Dolan told attendees at the Maritime AMC-organised Alternative Fuels webinar that first movers, such as Maersk, understand “there is little time left to wait on potential solutions that might fulfil 100% of their 2050 goals. They know we don’t have 30 years to wait.”

Maersk announced in March that its first CH₃OH-burning vessel will launch in 2023, seven years ahead of schedule. The company also mooted an order for twelve 15,000TEU methanol-fuelled containerships.

Another advocate is Proman Stena Bulk. The joint venture between shipowner Stena Bulk and CH₃OH producer Proman is planning to build six 50,000dwt tankers with methanol dual-fuel engines for delivery in 2023.

A further three vessels owned solely by Proman, scheduled for delivery in 2022 and 2023, will be traded globally for shipping chemicals and clean petroleum products.

Anita Gajadhar, Managing Director Proman Marketing, Logistics and Shipping, said: “For us, methanol is a proven fuel capable of meeting the shipping industry’s carbon reduction targets. When you look at the long-term pricing, it is competitive when compared to alternatives, like MGO. It is easy to bunker, it is safe to bunker, and it is widely available as bunker in 122 ports.”

Gajadhar claimed that methanol is currently being traded at a price lower than LNG in some ports, and is less to bunker than biofuel, currently traded at US$1,200/t or more.

“Methanol is actually going to be a little bit cheaper than some of the biofuels that are available in the market today…. In terms of CAPEX, it is also a lot cheaper to modify vessels for methanol than it is for LNG,” she said.

Lower build costs

Methanol-fuelled newbuilds also cost less than a LNG-burning ship, according to engine builders MAN Energy Solutions and Wärtsilä.

Kjeld Aabo, Director New Technologies two-stroke promotion, MAN Energy Solutions, told attendees that a 54,300m3 capacity product tanker running a methanol-fuelled engine would add about 10% to the newbuild price. The same vessel running on LNG would cost 22% more than a conventional HFO-burning ship.

The engine builder, which first unveiled and tested a CH₃OH dual-fuel engine in 2016 and has a current orderbook of 23 ME-LGIM engines, said methanol combustion emits 8% less CO2 than an HFO Tier II engine.

SOx emissions are reduced by 97% and NOx up to 60%. And since the methanol molecule contains no carbon-carbon bonds, it does not produce particulate matter or soot when burned resulting in smokeless operation

“I really believe there will be a big market for methanol in the future and the technology on the engine side is there,” said Aabo.

Toni Stojcevski, General Manager, Project Sales & Development, Wärtsilä, agreed but warned “if we are going to be compliant in 2050, with a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, then we need to prepare and start executing today.”

While Wärtsilä introduced a CH₃OH engine in in 2013, Stojcevski revealed that the engine builder expects to have an ammonia-fuelled engine operating next year and a pure hydrogen engine in 2025. The company also plans to launch a new methanol-burning engine based on its proven W32 series in late 2023. This will be available for newbuilds and retrofit.

Closing the webinar Dolan said: “Methanol engines are available. The fuel is available. The infrastructure is there and it’s affordable. We can act now.”

Kite achieves carbon neutrality

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Kite Packaging has been committed to protecting the environment since its founding in 2001. Stocking specialist enviro-products, establishing a Compliance Scheme to help companies to fund their recycling of plastic waste in the UK, and launching a Plastic Reduction Campaign in 2019, achieving carbon neutrality was the natural next step.

Inherent within Kite’s business model is the idea of wanting clients to be successful. By using less packaging, reducing costs and elevating their environmental consciousness, the business will naturally benefit. Shopping with a carbon neutral supplier strongly supports this approach toward growth.

As a largescale logistics operation, Kite had two main carbon contributors: fuel and energy. Firstly, the company offsets its truck fuel at source, bringing its carbon footprint in this category to zero. As an ISO14001 accredited company, energy consumption was already being strategically reduced, though to achieve carbon neutrality it initiated a move toward renewable tariffs utilising wind, wave or solar energy.

Carbon Neutral Britain verified this achievement in 2021 and neutralised the carbon that was not offset at source using Verified Carbon Credits.

Constant growth and development is at the heart of Kite’s culture; the upcoming movement into a new state-of-the-art site will make the business capable of championing further eco-friendly initiatives with uncapped creativity.

The building will be entirely carbon neutral through solar technology, with the potential to be carbon negative.

IFCO makes senior appointment

Posted on by Keith McKinley

IFCO, a leading provider of Reusable Plastic Containers (RPCs) for fresh food packaging, has appointed Iñigo Canalejo as Vice President, ESG (Environmental, Social & Governance) as of 1st August 2021.

IFCO is strongly committed to its ESG strategy and to making the world’s fresh grocery supply chain sustainable. IFCO´s business model is built on the principles of the circular economy with a strong focus on sustainability and has recently had its European line of Lift Lock RPCs awarded Cradle to Cradle Certified at the Silver level.

By leveraging the environmental benefits of its business model, where RPCs are being re-used up to 120 times, washed, sanitised and then at the end of their life cycle, granulated in order to produce new crates, IFCO enables significant CO2, water and energy savings as well as reductions in solid and food waste when compared to single-use packaging.

Through a third-party Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) IFCO is able to scientifically quantify these savings and share them with its European and North American customers to demonstrate its commitment to sustainability.

“Over the past years we have achieved great progress in delivering against our sustainability agenda with one highlight being Cradle to Cradle Certified at the Silver level,” says Michael Pooley, CEO at IFCO. “This reinforces our leading role in the industry, successfully applying the model of the circular economy for many years.

“I am delighted to welcome Iñigo Canalejo in our team. He brings many years of experience in successfully leading ESG programmes in the industry and will help us to position IFCO at the forefront of supply chain sustainability.”

In his former role, Canalejo led the sustainability function in the EMEA region at Brambles, a global supply chain solutions company, whilst also contributing to the design of the Global Sustainability Strategy and its implementation. He also led Brambles’ strategy for negotiating the commercial and operational changes caused by Brexit and has extensive experience in managing government relations.

Canalejo will directly report to IFCO CEO Michael Pooley, reflecting the importance of the role. Achieving IFCO’s challenging ESG goals and making the fresh food supply chain sustainable requires focus and execution speed. He will also chair the IFCO ESG Committee, which includes members of IFCO’s advisory board, the CEO and CFO. This committee will oversee all ESG strategy and activities for the company.

“I am very much looking forward to joining IFCO, working together with my new team on the company’s growing ESG commitment and focus,” added Canalejo. “We have a very busy agenda ahead of us to reach our ambitious sustainable goals and make every step of our customers’ supply chains more sustainable.”

BayWa r.e. expands with new logistics centre

Posted on by Keith McKinley

BayWa r.e. is consolidating its position in the solar wholesale business with the opening of a new logistics centre in Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône near Marseille, France. The French warehouse is the fourth new opening in Europe since the start of the year, following the opening of warehouses in Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Poland.

The warehouse has an area of 5,840 sq m and is strategically located near the Fos-sur-Mer seaport in Marseille. Around 10,000 ships are handled there every year and more than 80 million tonnes of goods are transhipped.

“The new logistics centre has been strategically positioned near the port of Marseille, taking into consideration the location of our sister companies in Spain and Italy as part of this decision,” explained Christian Greven, Head of Operations, BayWa r.e. Solar Systems S.à.r.l. “The opening is consistent with our expansion plans and strengthens BayWa r.e.’s network in Europe following the opening of warehouses in Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Poland this year.”

The warehouse will prepare and deliver product orders throughout southern France. Its convenient location makes it possible to supply customers within 24 hours and to offer them comprehensive product availability thanks to the large storage capacity.

“From 2022 onwards, we will be able to receive goods from Asia directly via the port of Marseille, which will save a considerable amount of time,” added Julien Chirol, Head of Operations, BayWa r.e. Solar Systems SAS.

The building also houses offices, and a training centre for the novotegra product range will be set up by the end of the summer. In the first phase of development, four employees were hired, and six more are to follow within the next 18 months.

Frank Jessel, Global Director of Solar Trade, added: “We are always seeking ways to improve our logistic and warehousing capabilities to better serve our customers, and we’re delighted to be expanding our team and strengthening our offering in the French region as part of this commitment. Currently, our French solar distribution business team consists of 25 employees, with more to follow soon.”

Freightliner secures funding for emissions tool

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Freightliner, in partnership with a consortium of specialist suppliers, has successfully secured government funding to develop a Rail Freight Energy and Emissions Calculator (REEC) that will be deployed on the existing NR+ platform used for rail- freight planning.

The project is one of 30 winners in the latest round of the First of a Kind (FOAK) competition announced recently by the Transport Secretary. Already the safest and greenest mode of ground-freight transportation, the competition has been aimed at making railways even cleaner and greener.

The NR+ platform, developed by University of Hull, is the first digital platform that fully captures the UK rail network capability from a freight operator’s perspective, including data on loading gauge, permitted weight and electrification constraints. It will be augmented with route gradient and line speed data, together with high-accuracy train performance modelling, to deliver a low-cost intelligent emissions calculation and mapping solution.

Rail-freight operators and customers will be able to calculate precise energy and emissions estimates for their routes, easily model the performance limitations of different traction options and varying train loads, or compare rail freight with other transport modes to determine the effects of modal shift on overall emissions.

“Freightliner is excited to be a key partner in this pioneering rail-freight project with University of Hull, Aether, Carrickarory and University of Derby,” said Freightliner UK Rail Managing Director Tim Shakerley. “There are significant economic and environmental benefits generated by rail freight, and the development of the Rail Freight Energy and Emissions Calculator can support an increased modal shift from road to rail, ensuring that rail freight is well positioned to deliver even greater economic benefits and the decarbonisation of the UK economy.”

With 44% of the UK network currently electrified and no more than 80% likely to be electrified in the next few decades, REEC can also be used to analyse the freight impact of different electrification plans, options, and alternatives. Freight operators are actively pursuing ways to decarbonise diesel trains, which is not just a matter of switching to lower carbon energy sources but also operating more efficiently – for example, by operating longer trains that are more energy and emissions efficient. However, a detailed energy and emissions calculator, that can simply and easily evaluate all the permutation of performance requirements, efficiency improvements and mitigation measures is not currently available.

The lead organisation, University of Hull, has successfully developed the NR+ platform and demonstrated its ability to combine big data and analytics to deliver scalable rail applications. The energy and emissions calculations will be led by consultants from Aether and Carrickarory, who have worked with Department for Transport and Rail Safety Standards Board on rail emissions understanding and reduction, and an expert from the University of Derby.

Amar Ramudhin, Director of the Logistics Institute, said: “Building on our innovative NR+ platform, our energy and emissions calculator will provide much more precise emissions data. This will allow DfT and Network Rail to align their investment on rail electrification to areas with higher emissions and lead to opportunities to plan routes that are lower in carbon emissions, contribution to the UK’s commitment to providing a more reliable, efficient, and greener railway, as well as the University of Hull’s commitment to accelerating a net zero future.”

Public heavily in favour of sustainable e-commerce

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Two-thirds of UK consumers now believe the Government should crack down on online delivery CO2 emissions and force online retailers to invest in more sustainable options, a new survey has found.

Seven out of 10 consumers also believe a trustmark could help to ensure CO2 emissions on deliveries are made available to the public. A trustmark could either showcase whether an online retailer is actively reducing or compensating emissions, or could ultimately calculate the emissions per parcel.

Separate research from the World Economic Forum shows delivery emissions could be reduced by as much as 30% by 2030 if the public and private sector works together to prioritise the issue.

The survey, commissioned by e-commerce shipping platform Sendcloud, found a whopping 62% would even opt for alternatives to home delivery if a retailer provided emissions information at checkout, such as choosing to pick-up at a parcel locker compared to home delivery.

Retailers can easily meet this demand by offering a sustainable option alongside existing delivery options and highlighting it with a special icon. A next step could be to pre-select the green delivery option, as previous research shows that the amount of consumers that choose green delivery triples when it is chosen by default.

Luckily retailers don’t have to foot the bill alone, as 8 out of 10 consumers are willing to pay extra for green delivery options.

46% would be open to paying £1 or more on every parcel ordered, representing a significant investment in green delivery from the 2.8 billion UK parcels shipped during the 2019/2020 fiscal year.

“Consumers want more sustainable delivery options, but they also want to see the full effects of their purchases on the environment,” says Rob van den Heuvel, CEO and co-founder at Sendcloud. “Even though governmental action can help to accelerate the greenification of deliveries, there is still a lot retailers and consumers can do themselves.

“Providing information about CO2 emissions and/or pre-ticking the most sustainable choice as the default encourages consumers to choose the most sustainable delivery option at checkout. Even something as simple as a sustainability icon or compensating emissions by planting trees can go a long way in persuading consumers to go green.

“Retailers can do their own part now by communicating clearly to their customers and promoting the impact of their efforts. Retailers need to consciously encourage consumers by giving them the choice to go green and choose clean.”

Linde publishes 2020 Sustainability Report

Posted on by David Priestman

The Aschaffenburg, Germany-based intralogistics specialist Linde Material Handling (Linde MH) has released its sustainability report for 2020. It takes stock of major social, ecological and economic aspects of the company’s activities and sets out specific targets for the future. Sustainability is firmly anchored in the company’s corporate strategy. Going forward, regular updates will continue to be published to document the progress being made.

“At Linde Material Handling, we are convinced that sustainability has become a crucial factor,” says Stefan Prokosch, Senior Vice President Brand Management at Linde MH. “In this regard, we focus both on our own sustainable business practices and on the products and solutions we manufacture.”

The intralogistics company aims to be a responsible and reliable partner to its customers in helping them achieve their own sustainability goals by means of innovative technologies. The sustainability report summarises the status quo as well as company objectives for the coming years and is based on the international standards for sustainability reporting set out by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). It is initially available for download as an English version PDF on Linde MH’s website.

Linde MH has been reporting on its own activities since 2014 and has presented a comprehensive set of guidelines within its current publication: The main section, covering corporate organisation and strategy, employer profile, employees, health, safety and environment, products and supply chains, and social responsibility, is followed by a detailed appendix with tables of relevant key performance indicators. There is a clear commitment to sustainable business practices, and this goal, together with customer satisfaction and profitable growth, forms a triad within the 2027 corporate strategy.

“For us, sustainability has become a measure of success because it secures our company’s future viability,” explains Hans-Georg Connor, Director Health, Safety & Environment at Linde MH. Specific goals have been defined to achieve this, including an EcoVadis rating of at least 75 points by 2027, a 5% reduction in reportable accidents annually, certification of all company sites according to ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 by 2024, and an average illness rate of no more than 3.3% for 2021.

In its report, Linde MH recognises its employees as a cornerstone of success. Offering career opportunities and advanced training programmes as well as an environment that fosters teamwork, the international company presents itself as an attractive employer who has maintained its strong commitment to training even during the two years of the coronavirus pandemic. In the year under review, the company employed 334 apprentices training in 14 occupations all over Europe and 30 students pursuing 10 for-credit dual-course college programmes in Germany.

A further chapter is devoted to Health, Safety and Environment (HSE). It lists measures and targets designed to maintain the health of employees and prevent accidents wherever possible. The same applies to the area of environmental protection: An initial milestone is to reduce energy-related greenhouse gases by 30% by 2027, with the CO2 footprint generated in production, sales and services in 2017 serving as the basis. Some progress toward this goal has already been achieved: Around 79% of the electricity purchased in 2020 came from renewable energy sources.

The 57-page report devotes ample consideration to the contribution that Linde MH is making to greater sustainability with its products and solutions. Prokosch explains why the focus is primarily on the products’ use phase: “As we know from our life cycle assessments, this is where the greatest leverage for climate protection is to be found. And with the new generation of Linde electric forklifts, we are creating another prerequisite for achieving CO2 neutrality in the long term.”

In general, the topic of energy plays an important role for Linde MH. “We want to be energy consultants for our customers and deliver the best possible solution for every application. To enable us to do this, we have the broadest range of energy options available,” Prokosch continues. “When it comes to recycling lithium-ion batteries, a viable solution already exists. The recycling of cells remains a challenge, however – the recycling rate is still low today.” Here, the company is working closely with battery manufacturers.

With its numerous safety solutions, Linde MH also offers a holistic concept for improving safety in intralogistics. In addition to sensor- and ultra-wideband-based assistance systems, this includes safety consulting that can be used to identify and mitigate safety-critical points in operations. Last, but not least, the high product quality of the company’s industrial trucks also contributes to the responsible use of resources.

Linde Material Handling’s principles relating to supplier behaviour are becoming increasingly important. They set out the clear expectation that human rights will be respected and international social standards complied with. In particular, these include the prohibition of child labour and forced labour in accordance with the requirements of the International Labor Organization (ILO), as well as the enforcement of statutory minimum, health and safety standards.

In order to achieve the greatest possible transparency with regard to the sustainability of Linde MH’s supply chain, an EcoVadis rating or a comparable assessment is to be available for 25% of top-spend strategic suppliers by 2022, 100% of strategic and high-risk suppliers by 2023 and 100% of direct suppliers by 2025. Moreover, minimum requirements for sustainability in the supply chain are to be defined and communicated by 2023, and from 2027 they will become mandatory for all suppliers.

Click here to download the report

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