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Tag: Transport

Visitor registration opens for IMHX

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Visitor registration is now open for IMHX 2022, which returns 6 – 8 September to the NEC, Birmingham as the UK’s flagship event for those involved in managing, maintaining, and optimising the operations that keep supply chains moving.

The free-to-attend event, which last took place in 2019 ahead of the global Covid-19 pandemic, will bring together world-class suppliers to showcase intralogistics and supply chain solutions across three days of interactive demonstrations, exciting new product announcements and immersive experiences – each designed to help companies stay ahead of the shifting landscape of logistics and supply chain processes.

As technology continues to play a crucial role in shaping the future of supply chains, IMHX 2022 will not only provide a fascinating opportunity to discover artificial intelligence, robotics, and automated handling systems throughout the event, but it will also use cutting-edge technology solutions to create a more exciting event experience for visitors.

The Sustainability Zone, which is a brand-new addition for 2022 and is delivered by SEC Group and sponsored by Cranfield University, Crown Lift Trucks and Intelligent Energy, will harmonise a physical and virtual experience through the power of augmented reality. This ground-breaking feature will enable visitors to fully immerse themselves in the existing solutions that can be adopted as sustainability continues to be a key focus across supply chain operations.

IMHX 2022 group director, Rob Fisher, commented: “While the power of technology has enabled us to stay connected over the last three years, we are really delighted to be able to safely welcome our community back to IMHX this year for a face-to-face event.

“Once again, we look forward to working with UK Materials Handling Association to provide an essential opportunity for professionals to source supply chain solutions, discover the very latest in technological advancements and gain actionable insights that will enable them to create stronger, more sustainable operations today that will stand the test of tomorrow’s challenges.”

In addition to the full exhibition floor which includes names such as Whittan Group, Knapp, Combilift, Geek+, Cesab, Zebra Technologies and Swisslog, IMHX 2022 will host a multi-track series of educational seminars, talks and workshops, with each covering key industry themes and trends. The full agenda, which is supported by Cranfield University as the official Academic Partner, is set to be released soon and will feature some of the industry’s most influential, innovative and pioneering minds as conference speakers.

Fisher further commented: “The main conference at IMHX 2022 will focus specifically on sustainability, while the Logistics Solutions agenda will dive into how advancements in technology and product design are driving key efficiency gains.

“As new supply chain challenges continue to emerge amidst the demands of an ever-growing population, both the conference and exhibition at IMHX will provide the ultimate opportunity for this important industry to prepare and protect their operations.”

UK ports “could face backlogs until 2025”

Posted on by Keith McKinley

It could take five years for UK ports to get back to pre-pandemic freight levels, with rising costs, bottlenecks, driver shortages and Brexit delaying recovery. In 2022, there could be even more disruption due to labour disputes and logistics issues, costing British businesses millions. According to research published by Asset Alliance Group, port delays have already caused 1 in 5 companies to lose potential business.

With almost 40 million tonnes of cargo handled in the first three quarters of last year, London is the busiest port in the country, followed by Grimsby & Immingham in Lincolnshire, handling 36.8 million tonnes. The Port of Felixstowe (pictured) is actually Britain’s largest and busiest, but it had the most cancellations of any European port in the last half of 2021, putting it in seventh place.

Due to supply chain issues, the country currently has the highest shipping costs on the continent – three of the 10 busiest ports in the UK are also the most expensive in Europe. The average cost of sending a 20ft container from the world’s busiest port in Shanghai to the UK is 24% higher than any other port on the continent. Liverpool, Southampton and London cost more per journey than the European average of £6,409, at £9,112, £8,306 and £7,900 respectively.

Bottlenecks and delays

Port bottlenecks and increased stockpiling are still widespread, and 75% of companies in the container logistics industry plan to rethink their logistics strategy for 2022. One of the biggest challenges this year for more than half of those surveyed is finding slots on vessels. The HGV driver shortage is another major blocker. Haulage shortages at the country’s busiest ports cause delays of up to 10 days.

Fortunately, it looks like the driver shortage is slowly improving. With a gap of around 45,000 drivers, 27,144 HGV vocational tests were taken at the end of last year – a 54% increase on the year before.

Businesses can do a few things to plan around delays and bottlenecks this year:

  • Investigate backup transportation: Some companies are looking at emergency transportation backup, like air, rail or road, to avoid potential lost sales or delays.
  • Use alternative routes: Not all ports are equally congested, and rerouting could be a successful strategy, provided there are enough drivers to access alternative ports.
  • Source from alternative suppliers: With most companies reviewing their sustainability policies and looking to domestic sourcing, alternative suppliers could eliminate the need to use ports.

“With sites located close to all the major ports – Manchester, central to Liverpool and Grimsby /Immingham; Ipswich covering London and Felixstowe; Newmains supporting Scotland; and our new office in Belfast covering Northern Ireland – we are situated ideally to support those who choose shipping via port or air for their freight movement,” says Brian Kempson, Sales Director, Truck and Trailer Sales, Asset Alliance Group.

DHL pledges €7bn to reduce emissions

Posted on by David Priestman

Deutsche Post DHL Group (DPDHL), a leading global brand in the logistics industry, has joined ABB’s Energy Efficiency Movement to reinforce its commitment in reducing its carbon footprint. This is an important step in DPDHL’s initiative to lead the logistics industry towards a greener and more sustainable future, with a commitment to invest €7bn by 2030 to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.

Launched in March 2021 by ABB, the #energyefficiencymovement is a multi-stakeholder initiative to raise awareness and initiate action to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions to combat climate change. Companies are invited to join the movement and make a public pledge as a way of inspiring others to take action.

The two companies have also signed a Memorandum of Understanding to support each other in the execution of their own sustainability strategies. DPDHL and ABB will cooperate on projects to reduce ABB’s carbon footprint in its logistics facilities as well as the transportation of goods. The two companies will also work together to help make DPDHL logistics and office facilities more energy efficient, with a primary focus on heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems where high efficiency electric motors and variable speed drives can achieve major reductions in energy use.

“A commitment to sustainability is an integral part of our strategy and a key element of DPDHL’s mission. Joining the Energy Efficiency Movement further fosters a dialogue with like-minded companies with the shared goal of making the world greener, and we are more than happy to be a part of this platform,” said Tim Scharwath, CEO of Global Forwarding, Freight. “Additionally, our partnership with ABB will further push the shared green agenda by engaging together in innovative solutions to reach net zero emissions.”

“We welcome DPDHL to the movement and appreciate their public commitment,” said Tarak Mehta, President of ABB Motion. “We also look forward to partnering with them on projects that will help us both adopt technologies that are critical to achieving a low carbon future.”

As part of its sustainability strategy 2030, ABB has set itself the ambitious target of helping customers to reduce their annual CO2 emissions by more than 100 megatons by 2030. This is equivalent to the annual emissions of 30 million combustion-engine cars.  In its own operations, ABB will lead by example by achieving carbon neutrality by 2030.

 

 

FedEx Express extends reach of e-commerce proposition

Posted on by Keith McKinley

FedEx Express has now made its international, day-definite e-commerce service available to customers in 24 European countries with connections to 47 markets worldwide.

After a successful 10-market launch in 2021 (UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Poland, Austria, Sweden, Belgium and the Netherlands), FedEx International Connect Plus (FICP), is now available in an additional 14 countries: Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Norway, Romania, Slovenia and Switzerland.

Now connecting almost 99% of the world’s GDP, services such as FICP enable e-commerce sellers to grow their business in Europe and abroad. Those businesses will be able to ship their products to online shoppers in Europe in 1-3 days, North America in 3-4 days, Asia-Pacific and the rest of the world in 3-5 days at attractive rates, improving their competitiveness in the market.

Wouter Roels, Senior Vice President Marketing International, FedEx Express Europe, said: “Worldwide e-commerce sales are expected to exceed $5tr in 2022 and grow to over $7tr in 2025, creating many opportunities for European businesses. With the latest extension of FICP to growth markets in eastern and northern Europe, FedEx Express is supporting businesses on their growth journeys by connecting them to more customers in global and intra-European markets.”

”The launch of FedEx International Connect Plus in Ireland is an exciting development for e-commerce businesses who want to reach global online shoppers with speed and efficiency,” said Brian DeCair, Vice President Operations Ireland and UK North, FedEx Express. ‘’Cross-border e-commerce is growing faster than domestic e-commerce and businesses are increasingly seeking more diversified, cost-effective solutions in order to meet consumers’ evolving needs and this new cross-border service, balancing speed with attractive prices, delivers just that.”

Through the COVID-19 pandemic, the retail landscape has transformed with growth in both domestic and cross border e-commerce sales. Consumer research in 40 countries worldwide shows that, in 2020, 37% of e-commerce shoppers bought more cross border due to the pandemic. Furthermore, 28% agreed or strongly agreed that, in the future, they will buy more online from retailers based abroad.

Asked about several elements of the delivery process, consumers indicated satisfaction levels for delivery speed were lowest. In addition, 71% of consumers would pick an online retailer that offers flexible delivery options over one that doesn’t.

The service comes with the reliability of FedEx’s international, day-definite delivery, coupled with FedEx’s customs clearance expertise and tracking capabilities. E-commerce sellers can also send out notifications and shoppers have the flexibility to change the day and location of deliveries via FedEx Delivery Manager, providing them with visibility, more control and convenience over their online orders.

End-to-end services deliver resilience in beleaguered market

Posted on by Keith McKinley

With supply chain disruption remaining a consistent problem for shippers around the world, GEODIS has introduced a fully integrated and customised logistics service designed to withstand the unpredictability of today’s global trade environment. Flexibility is key to achieving consistent reliability and GEODIS is pulling its various resources and experience together in its end-to-end services offering.

At its core, GEODIS End-to-End Services has simplicity – to move customers goods from origin to destination with control and complete visibility. Through real-time data intelligence comes the ability to monitor milestones, anticipate delays and manage exceptions at an early stage, maintaining proactive control throughout the shipment’s journey along the supply chain.

“Throughout the recent months when disruption resulting from pandemic lockdowns, variable spikes in demand, transport capacity shortages, congestion at ports and other hubs and geopolitical upheaval, GEODIS developed alternatives to ensure that the delivery of customers’ goods was maintained,” says Eric Martin-Neuville, Executive Vice President, Freight Forwarding. “This flexibility and innovative philosophy are now engrained in the service offered by GEODIS End-to-End Services. Devising contingencies, solving potential blockages caused by disruption and optimising our customer’s business logistically, are at the heart of GEODIS End-to-End Services.”

The service combines the existing functionality of Origin Services, Carrier Contract Management, Destination Services, Visibility, Customs Clearance Services, and the critical over-sight of the Control Tower. What is new is the co-ordination of these functions via a digital ecosystem connecting customers’ logistics data with real-time information on the status of shipments. This enables the mining of insights to reinforce and support flexible decision-making at critical junctures and guide their implementation by each GEODIS operational function. A team of dedicated experts analyses the data and provides recommendations to optimise the supply chain whatever the external disruptive circumstances.

Joseph Fordney is Senior Vice President of Global Business Development of GEODIS’ Freight Forwarding activity: “We serve as a strategic partner to our customers to turn their supply chains from a cost centre into a strategic asset,” he says. “GEODIS End-to-End Services will achieve this by creating resilience while striving to continuously optimise, helping our customers proactively overcome the challenges they are increasingly facing, and to grow their businesses.”

 

Asset Alliance Group funds trackways for ground protection specialist

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Asset Alliance Group has financed 2,000 portable aluminium trackway panels worth more than £2m for Davis Trackhire, after first securing a deal to supply two new Scania drawbar outfits.

The ground protection specialist based in Newmains, Scotland, first approached Asset Alliance Group about extending its 10-strong truck fleet with three new vehicles and agreed a five-year full-service finance hire agreement.

When the team realised Asset Alliance Group also provides competitive and flexible finance for all capital expenditure, they asked them to fund new investment in their stock of aluminium trackway panels which are used to create access over soft ground in various industries including events, film and television and construction.

Co-owner at Davis Trackhire, Blake Davis, says: “We had been aware of Asset Alliance Group because of their reputation in trucks and trailers, but we didn’t know they could also help fund new track for us. They’ve been able to provide excellent rates for the trucks and the panels, and the team have been so easy to work with. The whole process has been seamless.”

Each new Scania is mounted with a 3.5m flatbed body built by PMH Coachbuilders, together with a Palfinger crane and subframe to enable loading and unloading in any location. It operates with an SDC tri-axle flatbed trailer with the full combination purpose-designed to transport 3m-long aluminium trackway panels nationwide.

The trucks feature a striking livery applied by CubeWraps using 3M IJ180mC film for a metallic paint-like effect and finished with overlaid reflective logos for 24/7 visibility.

Each vehicle will operate Monday to Friday and will likely cover 500-600km per week. With driver comfort in mind, a crew welfare pod has been mounted behind each cab featuring a toilet, shower, bunk beds, fridge, microwave and coffee machine.

Founded in 2010, Davis Trackhire is a UK-wide company owned and operated by Blake Davis and his brother Travis. It has one depot in Newmains and another in Retford, which together hold stock of 10,000 heavy duty trackway panels.

Transaid launches Hadrian’s Cycleway Challenge

Posted on by Keith McKinley

International development organisation Transaid is calling on cyclists from across the transport and logistics industry to saddle up for Hadrian’s Cycleway this Autumn, as it prepares for a team of up to 40 riders to tackle the 157-mile route across a stunning World Heritage Site.

The group will depart Whitehaven on 16 September and pedal to South Shields over two full days of cycling, with funds raised being used to support Transaid’s life-saving work in sub-Saharan Africa, where it is focused on improving road safety and increasing access to healthcare for rural communities.

Launching this latest UK challenge, Florence Bearman, Transaid’s Head of Fundraising, says: “Hadrian’s Cycleway is set to be one of the most stunning rides we’ve ever undertaken in the UK, with a chance to see the famous wall itself, along with Roman forts, museums, quaint villages and stunning market towns.

“As is customary with our challenges, it will also be a great opportunity to network with colleagues from across the industry, both during the ride and in a series of team meals – culminating in a celebratory dinner on the third and final night.”

The route comprises a mixture of on-road and traffic-free sections, running primarily on country lanes and quiet roads, interspersed with sections of traffic-free path, promenade and riverside path. As most of the route is either on minor roads or well surfaced off-road tracks most bikes are suitable, although full slick or racing bike tyres are best avoided.

Bearman adds: “If you’ve always wanted to take on a coast-to-coast challenge, this ride should be perfect. It’s suitable for cyclists of all abilities, provided you are reasonably saddle fit and have completed some basic training.”

The coastal sections at either end of the route are relatively flat, and there are only a few steep, short hills in the central section. Riders will climb approximately 300m over 65 miles of cycling on the first day in the saddle, and 900m over 85 miles on the second day’s riding.

Transaid is welcoming entries from individuals and teams, with demand expected to be high. There is a registration fee of £99 with participants asked to raise a minimum sponsorship of £1,400 to take part.

The package includes three nights’ accommodation with meals, refreshment stops on riding days, luggage transfer and access to support vehicles along the route.

For more information about the challenge, and to sign up, please contact Florence Bearman on +44 (0)7875 284 211, or email florence@transaid.org.

Last September, a team of 30 riders completed the 170-mile ‘Way of the Roses’ challenge with Transaid, cycling from Morecambe to Bridlington, raising more than £45,000 in the process.

 

Technology changing last-mile delivery sector

Posted on by David Priestman

COVID-19 has accelerated the use of technology across almost every industry and sector, with businesses adapting to digital and remote approaches on a wide range of their traditional processes. One area of logistics which has benefitted from this influx of technology is the last-mile delivery sector and specifically the way it engages self-employment.

Historically, self-employment has always brought up connotations of stressful admin, particularly around tax and finance, which have dissuaded many people from this type of employment. With many last-mile delivery firms heavily relying on self-employed drivers to get parcels out to individuals, this created an ongoing workforce issue which is only being exacerbated by the steady rise in ecommerce.

In a recent survey commissioned by UK self-employment technology specialist, Wise, 22% of people explained one of the barriers holding them back from self-employment is the sheer amount of admin you are required to complete. Within delivery and logistics firms, lots of this relates to onboarding and the documentation needed not only to get started, but to confirm your employment status and compliance status – traditionally, onboarding a new self-employed driver with all of the required paperwork could take as long as three hours.

Now, Wise is tackling these issues around self-employment within UK logistics by creating a revolutionary digital platform that is helping both the delivery firms and their subcontractors to save time, money and stress. Currently working with over 250 UK logistics companies, its digital system helps these firms to streamline their recruitment and onboarding processes whilst also providing vital support on both legal and compliance matters.

Tom Hills, Chief Operating Officer at Wise, said: “As a country, we understand now more than ever how important a role self-employed drivers are playing within the UK supply chain, getting goods around the nation and to our doorsteps. With our innovative platform, we’re delighted to be able to play a part in improving the self-employment experience for these subcontractors and the delivery firms which engage them.”

 

Mulgrew orders bespoke curtainsiders from Tiger

Posted on by David Priestman

One of Ireland’s leading operators, Mulgrew Haulage, has switched to Tiger Trailers for its latest curtainsider fleet order in a procurement move influenced heavily by the manufacturer’s ability to build bespoke trailers to exacting specifications.

Mulgrew, known for its specialism in the drinks industry, has so far welcomed over 50 of its 200-strong order of Tiger-built curtainsiders which will, once delivered, take the operator’s already sizeable fleet to around 1,000 trailers, with the latest curtainsiders therefore representing around one-fifth. The trailers are operated by a fleet of over 200 truck tractor units, predominantly Scania, and Mulgrew offers its customers over 150,000 sq ft of warehousing space. Its sites include two in County Down – the Holm Factory, Dromore, and Culcavy – along with Dublin, Deeside and Heysham.

Tiger Trailers has always had, since its formation in 2014, a strong customer-focussed ethos, and prides itself on manufacturing a full product range of trailers and rigid bodywork to the precise requirements of its diverse end users. Tiger’s sales and engineering teams collaborated closely with Paul Mulgrew to build an initial prototype trailer before its production lines turned into a sea of the customer’s equally distinctive orange livery.

Director, Paul Mulgrew, comments: “Darren and his colleagues certainly lived up to Tiger’s customer-first way of building trailers and his repeated visits to see our operations and understand our requirements first hand have resulted in new trailers that we are very happy with. It’s refreshing to work with a manufacturer that goes the extra mile in tailoring its products for each customer like this.”

Mulgrew Haulage’s new Tiger Trailers curtainsiders were designed with the customer’s operational restraints of 4650mm at the core and equip them with the maximum side aperture possible for multi-user movements, along with a very specific load restraint setup.

Ferry use comprises a significant percentage of Mulgrew’s operations and Tiger reflected this in several ways throughout its custom EN 12642 XL-rated curtainsider trailer design, from recessed and protected lighting, underrun positioning, and D-buffers to protect from damage, to heavy-duty and removeable roof cappings and tapered and plated bottoms to the corner pillars to reduce coupling impact.

Darren Holland, Sales Director of Tiger Trailers, says: “It has been a pleasure to work closely with Paul to produce a trailer to suit Mulgrew’s individual needs and the environments they operate in. Visiting the customer in Ireland multiple times enabled us to understand their requirements and ensure that Tiger met their specification 100%, building the one-off protype up front to iron out any challenges before commending building the remainder of the 200 ordered.”

Tiger Trailers is rapidly welcoming a growing number of hauliers from across the island of Ireland to its customer base and offers the full product range, from curtainsiders and box vans to double decks, temperature controlled, demounts, and rigid bodywork, along with a portfolio of services including finance, parts, and rentals.

 

WOF Summit 2022 takes place in Vienna

Posted on by David Priestman

Visit WOF Summit 2022, the most innovative and informative logistics congress, which will take place this coming May at the Marriott Hotel in Vienna. Get the most up-to-date market insights into logistics, transportation and supply chain management. Discover newly available solutions and meet with industry peers for your competitive advantage, all while supporting a good cause at the WOF Connect & Charity evening gala.

Supply Chain and Logistics are evolving as we go, and the recent global developments prove that the industry needs to prepare for the unpredictable. Oil and gas prices are skyrocketing, other commodities follow closely, inflation is at an all-time high and transport costs have risen steeply. Economic and ecological aspects now go hand in hand, more than ever before. How can Green Deal initiatives not only save the planet, but create supply chain security and ease cost pressures? Green Washing was yesterday, today only results count!

Digitalisation, if implemented in a smart way, is another competitive advantage, not only for the booming E-Commerce sector, but for all aspects in the supply chain. Join the discussion with leading industry experts about pragmatic best practices solutions that support your business even in an unpredictable global environment.

Despite all the technological developments, logistics is still a people focused business, and the whole industry is fighting for the smartest minds. The organisers of WOF Summit Vienna 2022 have teamed up with top logistics and supply chain universities in the CEE region to get insights from supply chain students on their visions and expectations from the market in order to create a roadmap for the logistics leadership of tomorrow.

At WOF Summit Vienna 2022, networking is not just having a coffee with another interesting participant, but is powered by the innovative 1to1 Meeting Scheduler for all participants. Pre-arrange your most valuable business meetings with a few clicks in the two weeks before the event, and have the best industry discussions for your personal needs.

On top of this, take part in the WOF Connect & Charity evening programme which is not only about networking, but also about connecting business with charity to help those who need it most. Let’s make a difference at WOF Summit Vienna 2022, where a portion of selected ticket proceeds, and 50% of the evening charity sponsorship package will go to Österreichischen Krebshilfe, towards helping cancer patients and their families.

Whether it is Trucking, Air and Sea Freight, Warehousing, Intermodal Solutions, E-Commerce, Last Mile Challenges or overall Digitalisation and Environmental aspects in the Supply Chain – with top speakers and up to 500 visitors, you will definitely meet the right high-profile counterpart for your business success at the WOF SUMMIT VIENNA 2022.

Do not miss your chance to be part of this essential logistics event and its stimulating programme on 4th and 5th of May 2022, at Marriott Hotel, Vienna.

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