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Tag: Transport

Schenker electric vehicles cover 1.5 million km

Posted on by Keith McKinley

DB Schenker is focusing on green supply chains of the future and has already completed more than 1.5 million km with electrically powered trucks in its European land transport network. The logistics company is thus scaling up its efforts to shift its urban collect and delivery fleet completely to electric drives by 2030.

Dr. Volker Wissing, Federal Minister of Digital and Transport, said at the recent DB Schenker Sustainable Logistics Forum in Berlin: “To achieve our climate change targets, we urgently need to decarbonise the road haulage sector. Electric drivetrains can already deploy their inherent strength, especially in cities and on the last mile. They make an important contribution to sustainably reducing emissions from transport.”

Dr. Levin Holle, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Schenker AG said: “DB Schenker has already achieved good progress towards better climate protection in all major business units. We want DB Schenker, just like the entire DB Group, to be CO2-neutral by 2040. That’s a long way ahead of us, which is why we are now taking decisive action.”

Jochen Thewes, CEO of Schenker AG added: “DB Schenker is looking to join forces with shippers and freight forwarders to advance CO2-free land transport further. We are making advanced investments in green supply chains despite high costs to protect our climate. Our appeal is to customers: The offer is there, now the demand and willingness to pay for clean transport must also pick up.”

DB Schenker deployed its first two electric trucks in Berlin back in 2017. To date, the e-fleet in Europe’s largest land transport network has grown to 79 vehicles. With series-produced e-trucks from all major manufacturers in its groupage network, DB Schenker is able to make CO2-free general cargo deliveries from more than 60 locations across Europe. In 24 European cities, a total of more than 60 cargo bikes are used in urban transport.

DB Schenker organised the Sustainable Logistics Forum as a discussion platform for shippers and carriers to mark the 150th anniversary of the company’s founding. In this way, DB Schenker is once again sending a signal to the industry in its anniversary year to further intensify joint efforts for environmentally friendly transport and logistics solutions.

 

Logistics Hall of Fame appoints new jurors

Posted on by Keith McKinley

The Logistics Hall of Fame has announced the appointment of six new jury members for the start of the new voting phase in 2022. Logistics Business has once again been honoured by the appointment of its News Editor, Peter MacLeod, to the jury panel.

For the first time, the following jurors will cast their vote in 2022:

  • Prof. Dr Christian Grotemeier, Professor of Mobility Management and Business Administration at RheinMain University of Applied Sciences, Germany
  • Prof. Dr Julia Hartmann, Professor of Sustainability Management at the EBS University of Economics and Law, Oestrich-Winkel, Germany
  • Maj-Britt Pohlmann, Director Operational Excellence FIEGE Group, Germany
  • Martin Schwemmer, Managing Director of Bundesvereinigung Logistik e.V., Germany
  • Oliver Luksic, Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister for Digital Affairs and Transport, Germany
  • Peter MacLeod, Logistics Business News Editor, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

In total, more than 70 jury members from numerous countries will vote on who will enter the Logistics Hall of Fame at the end of 2022 and who will be allowed to carry the “TRATON Logistics Leader of the Year” award in the future. The jurors come from business, media, associations and politics or are active as scientists. Both awards are presented at the annual gala reception at the end of the year in Berlin.

 

Freightline’s multilingual team enhances service

Posted on by David Priestman

With 11 different languages spoken amongst its team, logistics specialist Freightline has been helping its clients ensure language barriers don’t get in the way when shipping goods across Europe and beyond.

The majority of Freightline’s employees are multilingual, with 80% of staff speaking at least two languages including Ukrainian, Spanish, Mandarin and Czech.

Language barriers can be a significant challenge for logistics companies, especially for businesses like Freightline which operate across a variety of different countries.

“Being multilingual makes it easier to break down language barriers to understand our clients, to read documents of all kinds and to find information more quickly,” says Rafal Poplawski, Logistics Co-ordinator at Freightline.

Not being able to understand someone can lead to breakdowns of communication which can have long-term effects including delivery errors and delays – particularly risky for time-critical deliveries.

Speaking the language of its international customers has many benefits for Freightline, including a much simpler and speedier process through bypassing a translator.

“I had a time-critical air charter collection from Portugal and the driver was Polish. By communicating directly with the drivers in their own language, the process was much faster and more convenient than asking for translation,” says Martina Cunderlikova, European Operations Team Leader at Freightline.

Freightline specialises in urgent time-critical deliveries which heavily rely on clear communication between the different parties involved. With smooth processes critical for on-time deliveries, commanding almost a dozen foreign languages gives Freightline a clear advantage for its day-to-day operations.

“Communication with our carriers and clients in Poland is definitely easier because we are multilingual,” adds Kamil Potrec, European Operations Coordinator at Freightline.

 

Primark’s trailer fleet hits the road in record time

Posted on by David Priestman

When its previous 3PL partnership came to an end, leading international retailer, Primark, faced the challenge of specifying, procuring, and commissioning an all-new fleet of tractors and trailers on the road within just a few months to maintain the efficiency of its supply chain – and Tiger Trailers rose to this challenge in partnership with Wincanton, and wrapping support from Finch Signs.

As part of the tender process, the 3PL contract for Primark was won by Wincanton, the largest road transport provider in the UK, while Tiger Trailers was able to design, manufacture and release 40 articulated box van trailers for Primark within just three months – an impressive move against the current global backdrop of long lead times and supply chain challenges.

Primark’s Network Transport Manager, Ant Franks, lead the project and secured the mobilisation of the company’s all-new trailer fleet, working closely with Tiger Trailers’ Business Development Director, Stephen Pollock.

Franks comments: “We are pleased to partner with Tiger Trailers and Wincanton to support our significant UK logistics operation. Working together, we maintained service throughout our UK network while bringing in this new fleet in a timely manner, in difficult market conditions, to allow a seamless transition in providers. Thanks to everyone at Tiger, Wincanton and Finch who helped to make this happen.”

To enable Primark’s first batch of new trailers to get to work by February 2022, just a few months after its first contact with Tiger, the Cheshire-based manufacturer’s production teams and lines worked tirelessly, helped by its nightshift operation which has now been running for over a year. The livery was applied by Finch Signs, a business local to Primark’s Islip distribution centre.

Pollock says: “It’s been an absolute pleasure to work closely with Ant and the teams at Primark and Wincanton in delivering their expediently required assets in record time. We’re proud of the forty initial box vans Tiger has manufactured and we’re excited about continuing to support Primark for many years to come, starting with the next batches of trailers ordered for later this year and into 2023. Thanks again to Primark for choosing Tiger after recognising our customer-led ethos, efficient production capabilities, and attractive lead times.”

The international retailer’s new straight-frame box vans are comprised twin and tri-axle guises and are fitted with tail-lifts incorporating hinged rear and side ramps, various LED lights to enhance safety, and Michelin X Line Energy tyres with environmental, fuel efficiency and fleet management aims in mind.

Following Primark’s initial order of forty Tiger Trailers box vans, the retailer has placed orders for over forty additional trailers, scheduled for manufacture during Q4 2022 into Q1 2023, which include over a dozen retail moving deck double decks and a number of specialist trailers such as LSTs.

Primark currently serves its UK store network from two distribution centres and a number of out bases, with its newest depot based in Islip, Northamptonshire, which has 1.1 million sq ft of space and is where Primark’s new Tiger trailer fleet and tractors are a familiar sight, including the ten environmentally friendly Iveco Stralis NP 460 bio-liquified natural gas trucks it operates, with Primark Cares liveries.

 

Seabourne Logistics extends South African footprint

Posted on by Keith McKinley

From the automotive industry to the agricultural community, new road freight and fast delivery options are now available thanks to Seabourne Logistics, which opened a branch in Mbombela, formerly known as Nelspruit, in Mpumalanga.

The Nelspruit branch was officially launched in February 2022. It is anticipated to move to new flagship premises soon that will include warehousing space, according to Seabourne Logistics Director Garry Harris (pictured). Harris is a former Nelspruit resident who lived in the community for 19 years and attended Lowveld High School: “It is so great to be able to open a Seabourne Logistics office in my hometown, and I look forward to connecting with old friends again.”

He adds: “We are really extending our reach and scope in the region with some unique value-added services. A lot of companies offer air freight, which has become much more costly due to the recent surge in fuel prices. Our road-freight option is a unique differentiator for us.”

Services include overnight and economy, courier, and next-day delivery options. A delivery service is also available from Johannesburg to Komatipoort before 12:00. In addition, there is a 48-hour delivery service from Komatipoort to Cape Town, George, East London, Port Elizabeth and vice versa via the road network.

“What continues to give us the leading edge is that we establish long-term relationships with our clients, which allows us to become trusted advisors and business partners. This is largely due to our business values, which include trust, reliability, and flexibility, all based on ensuring a personal service to cater for all client needs,” says Harris.

Zenda Stoffberg, newly appointed Branch Manager, had the following to say: “I feel privileged to have been afforded this opportunity, as there is something different about Seabourne Logistics. It strives for excellence, is very professional, and goes the extra mile for its clients. They are kind and friendly and welcomed me with open arms, and I do indeed feel part of the family. The work ethic is incredible. Seabourne Logistics is well organised, technology-driven, and has excellent communications. It is certainly the best CSD department I have ever worked with.”

Husband-and-wife team Garry and Ezelle Harris set up the business in 2002. After establishing a significant footprint in the automotive industry and other niche sectors such as wine and pharmaceuticals, they sold a 70% stake in the business to the Seabourne Group in 2009. Seabourne Logistics will expand on the group’s global platform and further extend the synergies between the different in-country businesses.

Seabourne Logistics operates globally in South Africa, France, the UK, and The Netherlands. Its logistics and supply chain solutions include warehousing, distribution, courier, clearing and forwarding and air, sea, and rail freight, in addition to specialised solutions for specific requirements.

Domestic services offered by Seabourne Logistics are Early Bird, Overnight Express, Overnight Road, Budget Air Freight, Economy Road, Same Day, Specialised Loads, and National Distribution.

 

Joan Aitken appointed Chair of Transaid

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Transaid has appointed former Traffic Commissioner for Scotland, Joan Aitken OBE FCILT, as Chair of its board of trustees. Joan has been a long-time supporter of the international development organisation and has taken part in two Transaid fundraising cycle challenges, visited projects in Uganda and Zambia, and been a trustee since March 2019.

She takes over from Jo Godsmark, Chief Operating Officer of BigChange, after six years as Chair and eight years on the board. During her tenure Transaid has significantly grown its programmes and fundraising income, and is currently involved in projects within nine countries across sub-Saharan Africa.

Joan was first introduced to Transaid at an industry event where Transaid was the beneficiary charity. Following conversations with the senior team, she jumped on her bike in 2017 and cycled with a team of 40 riders who collectively raised more than £200,000 during the Cycle South Africa fundraiser.

Commenting on her appointment, she says: “Transaid is the most incredible organisation and has earned a very special place in my heart. I’ve been privileged to have visited two projects in Zambia, one focused on access to healthcare and the other on road safety; plus I contributed to the driver training activities in Uganda, which cemented my understanding of Transaid’s life-saving work.

“To be appointed Chair is an honour and responsibility. I am excited by the opportunity to work even more closely with the wonderful Transaid team, which has demonstrated such incredible versatility during the challenges of the last two years.”

Jo, who will ride in Transaid’s Cycle Malawi event this October alongside Joan, says: “I’m hugely proud of what we have achieved as an organisation over the last six years, and particularly how we have increased the diversity of the board, with representation from countries where Transaid is working. When you have a team as highly regarded within the development sector as Transaid, being Chair is more of a privilege than anything else.

“This is a unique organisation and not one you can walk away from; I’m honoured to have been invited to join Transaid’s team of ambassadors and I couldn’t be handing over the reins as Chair to anyone better qualified than Joan.”

Joan is a Scottish solicitor by profession. She retired in 2019 after a varied career which ranged from local government, private practice, tribunal chairing, UK public appointments and the Senior Civil Service. In 2003 her long standing interest in the role of transport and her regulatory experience came together when she became one of the Traffic Commissioners for Great Britain as the Commissioner for Scotland. In 2019 she was awarded the OBE for services to transport in Scotland and for road safety.

She continues her involvement with transport through chairing the Glasgow City Region’s Bus Partnership Steering Group. She sits on the Scottish Board of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine and on the College’s Lay Group. Always one to volunteer, her current activities include being a simulated patient for Edinburgh’s School of Medicine, the virtuous activity of litter picking and learning to drive a canal barge.

She becomes the fourth industry figurehead to serve as Chair of Transaid. Prior to Jo, Graeme McFaull was Chair between 2010 and 2016, taking over from John Harvey CBE who had held the role since Transaid’s inception.

LogiMAT 2022: “Expectations greatly exceeded”

Posted on by Keith McKinley

LogiMAT 2022 has scored a big win in the post-pandemic era, re-emerging with a broad slate of exhibitors and a highly engaged visitor base. High-profile business deals and partnerships coupled with in-depth networking opportunities underscore the reputation of the International Trade Show for Intralogistics Solutions and Process Management as a leading communications hub where industry leaders come to do business.

As LogiMAT 2022 drew to a close last week in Stuttgart, it demonstrated there was stability across all leading indicators in the trade show business. The international trade show for the intralogistics industry was able to build on the success of its previous events with numbers edging back up toward pre-pandemic levels.

“A successful reboot after a nearly 40-month Covid-induced interruption,” notes Exhibition Director Michael Ruchty of EUROEXPO Messe- und Kongress-GmbH in Munich, which organises LogiMAT. “Adjusted for the pandemic-related restrictions, the results across the board show a continuation of the LogiMAT success story.”

“Smart – Sustainable – Safe” was the theme of this year’s three-day event, bringing together 1,571 registered exhibitors from 39 countries, including 393 first-time exhibitors and 74 big-name vendors from overseas – all showcasing their latest products, systems, and solutions for reliable automation and digital transformation. A wide range of new products, including some never before exhibited anywhere in the world, provided powerful inspiration for smart, forward-looking intralogistics processes. The Messe Stuttgart convention centre was once again completely booked this year, with exhibitors spread across 125,000+ square meters in all 10 exhibit halls.

After a pandemic shutdown of two-and-a-half years, 50,000 industry professionals seized the opportunity to explore and directly compare the latest technologies and their integration into intelligent, future-proof systems – live and in person. At peak times on the second day of the event, 3,000 industry professionals streamed through the turnstiles at the entrance within 10 minutes.

More than a quarter of the visitors work for large companies with 1,000 to 9,999 employees. Broken down by industry, 58.8% of visitors came from the manufacturing sector, 12.4% from wholesale, and another 4.3% from retail. Some 6.9% of visitors work in freight forwarding, with most (52.8%) holding a position of responsibility for purchasing decisions at their company. For them, LogiMAT is the primary platform for information on the latest solutions for efficient intralogistics.

Among all visitors, 55.1% came to learn about innovations and trends, while 27.7% wanted to make new business connections. There was particular interest in innovations in the product domains of material handling and warehousing technology (55.8%), industrial trucks (38.3%), and AGV/AMR technology (18.3%).

Some 36.5% of the industry professionals who came to Stuttgart also had specific investment projects in mind. The high number of sales contracts, business deals, and partnership initiatives signed at LogiMAT underscore the character of LogiMAT as a hub for information, education, and communication where people come to do business. A full 5.2% of the visiting industry professionals awarded a contract during the show, while 31.7% plan to do so immediately afterward. This naturally resonated well with exhibitors, all of whom emphasise the quality and sophistication of the contacts they made.

Some 38.5% of visitors travelled more than 300km to attend LogiMAT. The high level of interest among international industry professionals and exhibitors remained stable. Data gathered by the independent Basel-based market research institute Wissler & Partner shows that one in five event attendees came to Stuttgart from outside Germany. Of these international guests, 73.8% came from other EU countries, 7.9% from non-EU countries, and 8.3% from Asia, the Americas, and other areas overseas.

“We’re extremely pleased with the numbers for LogiMAT 2022 and how it unfolded,” concludes Ruchty. “LogiMAT 2022 continues online through the LogiMAT.digital platform. The 14 stimulating presentations from the high-quality accompanying program in the LogiMAT Arena spanning all three days will be streamed on LogiMAT.digital in the coming weeks.”

The organisers confirmed that LogiMAT 2023 will take place in Stuttgart on April 25th-27th, 2023.

 

INFORM optimises Toyota Logistics Services’ delivery network

Posted on by David Priestman

INFORM, a leading provider of AI-based optimisation software that facilitates improved decision making, processes and resource management, has successfully completed an ambitious network optimisation project on behalf of Toyota Logistics Services, the finished vehicle logistics provider for Toyota North America.

TLS sought to further advance its mission of operational excellence and turned to INFORM to address today’s increased market and operational complexities including various contract conditions (i.e., carriers’ rates, capacity constraints, minimum/maximum viable volumes, etc.), while gaining the tools needed to better evaluate and manage its large volume of data and criteria.

INFORM’s network planning optimisation solution for TLS includes a user interface which eliminates the need for users to have programming skills, enabling TLS to quickly gain the solution’s benefits without a lengthy learning curve. The solution provides intelligent, strategic and holistic planning for the organisation’s entire outbound logistics network.

It enables information relating to locations, logistics services providers (e.g., freight forwarders) and partners (i.e., rail and truck carriers) to be recorded with the data entered into the solution for improved network stability and service quality. Using the INFORM network planning tool, TLS is able to benefit from optimised routes and modes of transportation determined in conjunction with transport volumes and with consideration to various restrictions and business rules.

INFORM’s optimisation solution enables numerous scenarios to be run based on various criteria. The network planning strategy process began with a baseline scenario, which evaluated TLS’ existing network and bid rates, and then created a scenario focused on pure cost optimisation and a limited set of restrictions, less weight on transit times, and no limit on potential changes. This then led to the creation of several competing business scenarios incorporating business requirements and restrictions along with information such as costs, Service Level Agreements, and other factors like emissions.

Next, various business rules were applied, including minimum/maximum volume, number of legs and distance between origin and destination, lead times, and volume of business being allocated to individual carriers. After this process of scenario building and discovery was completed, TLS could achieve the optimum decision making.

As a result of its network optimisation project and the related optimisation process, TLS has been able to derive many important benefits. It has realised a 3% cost reduction annually; an important accomplishment given that TLS has seen its costs increase annually by 2%, which computes to a 5% cost avoidance. TLS is also now able to check on the accuracy of its assumptions and compare them to the actual number of vehicles it is shipping month to month.

Overall, TLS can now interpret data and arrive at optimal decisions as to its best carrier partners based on their performance and related costs. TLS can issue RFPs that give them real world competitive bid information, since the organisation can now ask its partners to provide additional data as the INFORM network planning optimisation tool is able to handle a very high volume of data and calculations with relative ease. Even prior to the process beginning, TLS had maintained a very high quality of data which is required for the optimisation process to work.

Other key benefits derived from its network optimisation project include the ability to better address their sustainability goals. TLS recognises that rail has lower CO2 emissions than trucks and therefore it is striving to introduce more rail ramps to somewhat reduce truck miles. TLS is reviewing truck miles per unit and considering a ratio of rail to truck to determine carbon footprints, as well as factor in whether a carrier has a CO2-reduced fleet. The organisation is also able to promote greater cost competitiveness between rail and truck carriers.

Due to the success of its network optimisation project, TLS plans to run the optimisation process every five years.

Semtech transforms maritime asset tracking

Posted on by David Priestman

Semtech Corporation, a leading global supplier of high performance analogue and mixed-signal semiconductors and advanced algorithms, has announced that Boluda Corporación Marítima, a leading global maritime services provider, will leverage an asset tracking solution from WITRAC, a Valencia-based company offering innovative technology solutions that connect and provide visibility to the value chain.

Integrated with Semtech’s LoRa devices and the LoRaWAN standard, WITRAC’s Total Track & Trace Intelligent Platform transports cold chain assets in Boluda’s supply chain, providing citizens of the Canary Islands with the first daily transportation of cargo from the peninsula with over 350 successful voyages.

“Semtech’s LoRa devices offered a cost-effective solution for WITRAC’s Total Track & Trace Intelligent Platform. With ships transporting thousands of containers, installing a satellite modem in each container would make this type of solution economically non-viable,” said Jose Pons Ballester, co-founder and CTO of WITRAC. “Employing a network using LoRaWAN as well as leveraging the LoRa 2.4GHz band allowed us to place a WITRAC device in every single container to share real-time offshore and onshore visibility to thousands of containers – an unmatched value for our customers.”

Using a combination of LoRaWAN, Wi-Fi, BLE, and cellular connectivity options in the same hardware device, WITRAC’s Total Track & Trace Intelligent Platform provides real-time visibility and control of offshore operations. In addition to temperature monitoring, the platform’s “Perfect Route System” is able to geolocate a fleet’s vessels, allowing alerts to be set for deviations in fuel consumption, speed, routes, or miles travelled, which also permits shippers to take corrective measures en route.

The success of the platform led Boluda to implement WITRAC’s platform to monitor the location and temperature status of the fresh food and medicine on its seven container vessels traveling 700 miles from the Spanish mainland on the maritime corridor linking the Port of Cádiz to the island ports of Las Palmas and Tenerife.

“Remotely monitoring the location and temperature of assets during an entire cold chain was once viewed as a challenge. Through implementing LoRa devices and LoRaWAN, asset tracking has never been more simple and cost effective,” said Marc Pégulu, vice president of IoT product marketing and strategy for Semtech’s Wireless and Sensing Products Group. “WITRAC’s tracking solution is a valuable example of how LoRa and LoRaWAN networks can transform smart logistics to prevent loss or damage of assets no matter the distance.”

José Pons Ballester will be discussing the benefits of the Boluda “Daily Canarias” solution at the LoRaWAN World Expo taking place July 6-7, 2022, in Paris, France. CLICK HERE to register for the conference.

CLICK HERE to view the use case with more information on the collaboration here.

 

 

Swissport opens sustainable Vienna cargo centre

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Swissport has officially inaugurated a new 8,000 sq m air cargo centre near Vienna Airport – its second facility to serve air cargo customers in Vienna. The new facility is connected with Swissport’s on-airport cargo centre by a dedicated electric truck, the first of its kind in Swissport’s growing global network of air cargo centres.

Swissport continues to aggressively grow its air cargo business to participate in strong global demand for air cargo logistics and to capture additional market share. With a second cargo centre now operational in Vienna, Swissport can resolve local constraints and provide air carriers and forwarders in Vienna with additional capacity and more flexibility. The newly built 8,000 sqm facility is located in the DLH SkyLog Park in Fischamend in the immediate vicinity of Vienna Airport. Swissport is one of the first movers to the DLH SkyLog Park.

“We have invested in this state-of-the-art 8,000 sq m air cargo centre to support our growth ambitions in forwarder handling, and of course to serve existing and new airline customers with an even better product,” says Dirk Goovaerts, Swissport’s Global Cargo Chair. “We are very excited to more than double our capacity in Vienna and now have the infrastructure in place to support our vertical integration plans.”

The state-of-the-art building is set up for a superior environmental performance, featuring a 900,000kWh photovoltaic system. The system’s energy production corresponds to the annual electrical consumption of about 260 households. Swissport also relies on electric innovation on the ground: the centre in Fischamend is connected to the existing airside facility by a dedicated electric cargo shuttle. High-performance charging which is available on-site ensures that the Swissport e-truck can shuttle between the two locations without restrictions.

Henning Dieter, Head of Swissport Cargo Services Germany and Austria, comments: “We are pioneering e-mobility in air cargo handling here in Vienna together with Mercedes, Siemens, XL Forwarding & Transports and the Austrian Federal Ministry of Climate Action. The public charger available supports sustainable mobility as the dedicated Swissport e-truck shuttles air cargo between our two terminals at Vienna International.”

Swissport is working to make air cargo processes more sustainable and efficient to continue to improve its services while reducing specific CO² emissions. In 2021, Swissport handled around 70,000 tonnes of air cargo at Vienna Airport, where its capacity to support airlines and forwarders has now doubled. Within Austria, Swissport also operates a 3,500 sq m airside air cargo centre in a joint venture with Graz Airport.

With demand for global air cargo logistics already above pre-pandemic levels and persisting global capacity constraints in air and sea logistics, Swissport expects growth in air cargo handling to outperform general airport ground handling for some time. The company has made cargo a strategic priority and set ambitious goals to grow its second largest business line from 5.1 million in 2021 to over 6 million tonnes over the next couple of years.

 

 

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