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Tag: Transport

Collett delivers 57-metre wind farm blades

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Collett & Sons has  completed all wind turbine component deliveries to Twentyshilling Wind Farm, located approximately 4.8km south of Sanquhar, in Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland.

Appointed to undertake all planning and deliveries for the nine Vestas V117 turbines, Collett began transporting the components from King George V Dock in June 2021. Each of the components for each complete turbine, the three towers sections, three blades, nacelle, drive train and hub, would require specialist transport logistics for the 170-mile journey to site.

With Collett Consulting having already surveyed the route in detail, including undertaking a test drive of the journey from the port simulating the loaded blade components, Collett identified several necessary route modifications. Most importantly, this highlighted the access to the wind farm site itself.

Two miles from the construction site, on approach to the wind farm, the 57-metre loaded blades would be unable to facilitate the necessary left turn to access. It was proposed that the construction of a turning head at this location would provide the required clearance to allow the all 27 of the blades to safely navigate the turn.

Identifying this pinch point during the test drive allowed for the construction of a turning head at Eliock Bridge ahead of the component deliveries, this would ensure that the vehicles could safely turn around off the main road and complete the right turn on the approach to site.

Working to a two-day delivery schedule, with three deliveries per convoy, Collett called upon its specialist fleet to deliver the 81 individual components.

The Collett team employed super wing carriers to transport the blades, each of which weighed 14.9 tonnes. In addition, the use of these specialist super wing carriers allowed Collett to overcome issues of the vertical alignment from the main road to Eliock Bridge, avoiding the need for works to be undertaken on the listed structure.

For other components – such as the 25m-long bottom and 26m middle towers, with weights of 67t and 44.5t – Collett utilised specialist clamp trailers, whilst the remaining components – the top towers, nacelle, drive trains and hubs – were transported using Collett’s five- and six-axle step-frame trailers.

Working to a detailed delivery schedule, produced in line with the site construction needs, over a period of 14 weeks the Collett Team delivered each of the components from King George V Dock to the Dumfries & Galloway construction site. All components travelled under Collett escort, with police escorts in attendance for the blades, tower sections, nacelles and drive trains.

All deliveries to the 38MW Twentyshilling Wind Farm are now complete with the nine Vestas V117 140-metre tip turbines expected to be fully operational in 2022.

SNAP: automation could address staff shortages

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Around one million Britons are currently isolating with COVID-19, causing a staffing headache across many industries, including haulage and logistics. SNAP, one of Europe’s leading smart payment solutions provider for lorry drivers and fleet operators, has revealed the potentially game-changing automated technologies that could help to overcome the challenges of a diminished workforce.

Getting under the bonnet of an automated future, SNAP has conceptualised Truck Park 2049 – illustrating how new capabilities and efficiencies could be created in haulage to ease the demand on drivers.

Emma Westwood, Commercial Manager for SNAP, said: “Without knowing when the pandemic will end, or how much longer businesses will have to endure the current shortages, automation and digitisation have a bigger role to play than ever before. Doing more with less could be an ongoing battle for businesses, so by highlighting some of the exciting and progressive technologies that are being developed, we’re helping to paint a picture of how this could be achieved within the haulage industry; a sector at the heart of the British economy.”

Self-driving trucks

SNAP predicts that advances in automation will make it much easier to multitask at truck parks. Upon arrival, drivers will be able to leave their self-driving trucks. Artificial intelligence will then guide the trucks through services before parking in a designated spot, ready for the drivers to collect. This will free up drivers to eat, rest or perform other jobs, allowing them to use their time more efficiently.

With the rise in automated vehicles, SNAP expects the human driver’s role to increasingly focus on maintenance. Diagnostic machines will become an important feature of new era truck parks, providing drivers with the information and support they need to conduct minor repairs, perform upgrades and optimise their vehicles for maximum efficiency.

Recognition of needs technology

Smarter still, automatic recognition of needs technology – combining analytics and data tracking – will notify truck parks of the services required for each driver; for example, charging, engine maintenance, cleaning, or driver rest. This will create a tailored experience for each driver that streamlines each visit.

Westwood continued: “We are already witnessing the rapid acceleration of automation technologies. Rather than replacing human jobs, we believe that these developments will assist in the efficient delivery of work and reduce the time and resources required for operational tasks, thus allowing staff members to optimise their workloads. This will help to ease the pressure caused by staff shortages. In the haulage industry specifically, this will assist in securing and speeding up supply chains and aiding the smooth running of all the businesses we serve.”

SNAP Account’s smart payment system for truck parks is just one example of automated technology that is already making a difference to the haulage industry by allowing fleet operators to digitally manage their businesses more efficiently, safely and effectively.

Westwood added: “Now is the perfect time to look ahead and see how automated technologies can be harnessed to assist businesses in their day-to-day operations and with their long-term growth plans. Truck Park 2049 encapsulates what an automated future could look like and how it could benefit fleets and drivers.”

Webinar: How To Navigate The New Logistics Landscape

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Buying habits have changed, and it’s time delivery caught up. These days, the third party you engage to drop off your products represents your company. Increasingly, we’re seeing consumers say goodbye to brands they love due to poor customer service at the last mile.

So, partnering with Honeywell, FarEye is holding a webinar entitled How to Navigate the New Logistics Landscape on 26th January at 3.00pm GMT with an expert panel who will bring you up to speed on transport and logistics in 2022. It’s free to attend, and can help you align your online and last-mile experiences.

Topics being covered include:

  • The current logistical landscape
  • Emerging transport technologies
  • How data can be leveraged to improve delivery
  • What tools you can use to enhance the last-mile experience

In 2021, eCommerce transactions increased by 30%. It’s not hard to see why – for the past two years, we’ve embraced buying everything online. Today, we expect companies to spend the same amount of investment on the back end as they do on the front. But to achieve this, their delivery must be as seamless as their website.

Up to 66% of millennials think all purchases should have a one-hour delivery option. And 55% of all consumers say that three late deliveries would prevent them from using a service provider again. The fact is, if your final stage of the customer experience is letting the side down, you’ll lose customers.

That’s why in this webinar, we’re asking industry heavyweights to comment on the challenges of transport and logistics right now. They’ll provide answers like leveraging big data, data science and data analytics to refine the delivery process.

The panel includes speakers from Honeywell and FarEye, all helping us to solve problems such as customer expectations, driver retention and poor asset utilisation.

You can watch them, and host John Bradshaw, Vertical Marketing Manager at Honeywell, set the new world to rights by following THIS LINK to sign up for free.

Attendees can ask questions and use the information provided to kick-start their ambitions for 2022. What’s more, you’ll be able to counter the change in customer expectations, and gain the tools to exceed them. Sign up today and tap into the insights of industry leaders.

FarEye is a low-code, Intelligent Delivery Management Platform, enabling enterprises to orchestrate, track, and optimise their logistics operations. FarEye’s native SaaS products provide real time visibility across transportation networks and logistics orchestration for the execution of deliveries across the first, mid and last mile.

CLICK HERE  to register for the free webinar – How To Navigate The New Logistics Landscape

Transporeon acquires SupplyStack and Nexogen

Posted on by Keith McKinley

With the acquisition of  SupplyStack and Nexogen, Transporeon customers profit once more from the fact that the services of the Transport Management Platform can be consumed in a modular way.

Transporeon continues to follow a growth strategy that embeds new functionalities directly in its network. The company thereby provides easy-to-consume capabilities, optimising transport flows and complementing respective in-house IT capabilities delivered by ERP and TMS systems for an ever more sustainable, cost and time-sensitive economy.

Transporeon acquires SupplyStack

Following the acquisition of ocean visibility and multimodal planning specialist Logit One in December 2021, Transporeon now further expands its capabilities in handling multimodal and part load transports by adding the services of SupplyStack to its Transport Management Platform.

Transporeon’s customers are now getting access to a comprehensive multimodal and part load planning and execution framework, supporting automation and optimisation of transport flows. Shippers and forwarders will be able to further automate their transport planning, assignment and execution.

After an integration period, SupplyStack customers will also obtain access to Transporeon’s carrier network, platform services, freight procurement and rate management as well as spot assignment, freight settlement and audit offerings.

In addition, they will profit from the integration of Transporeon’s Sixfold Real-Time Visibility (RTV) services into daily operations. This way, they no longer have to use visibility as a separate feature. Instead, RTV becomes an enterprise-wide capability that drives customer service, efficiency and lays the foundation for more sustainable transport execution.

“There is an increasing demand in the supply chain to improve transparency and reduce costs, while at the same time making freight transport more sustainable,” commented Stephan Sieber, CEO of Transporeon. “Adding multimodal and part load transport planning and execution capabilities to our platform through the acquisition of SupplyStack will provide our customers with the degree of flexibility necessary to achieve this goal.”

Nick Poels, Founder and CEO of SupplyStack, added: “Although powerful alone, we believe we are stronger together. This acquisition marks an important milestone in our mission to change the way freight is moved. Combining SupplyStack’s Transport Management solutions with Transporeon’s network will enable our customers to profit from our services – on global supply chains with a mix of modes as well as on domestic operations.

“We therefore are happy to become part of the Transporeon family, where our customers from different industries can manage their logistics operations following a true network approach.”

Transporeon acquires Nexogen

To support operators in optimally dispatching fleets, Transporeon is taking over AI road transport planning specialist Nexogen. The Software as a Service (SaaS) company helps carriers and asset owners improve utilisation by optimising matches between orders and trucks, drivers and itineraries. This way, Nexogen reduces overall freight transportation costs, empty runs and waiting times.

Already today, Transporeon offers comprehensive carrier services ranging from Market Intelligence, RTV on Ocean, Air and Road-transport, to autonomous freight procurement and document management. With the acquisition of Nexogen, the company enlarges its carrier service portfolio even further by introducing the AI Planner and the AI Operator.

The Nexogen AI planner connects to existing Transport Management Systems (TMS) and supports optimal asset utilisation by matching orders to trucks and drivers based on data. The AI planner’s engine plans ahead, also taking into account spot market data to ensure the highest level of fleet utilisation.

The Nexogen AI Operator helps to manage fleets more efficiently based on telematics and real-time insights. Offering a most efficient itinerary planning tool, it also provides dispatchers with real-time insights on shipment execution. The AI Operator uses its access to primary data sets, such as remaining hours of service and fuel consumption, to calculate tunnel, ferry, parking and gas station route planning as well as accurate ETAs – always in compliance with EU regulations.

Nexogen carriers will be able to receive spot transport offers directly from Transporeon, thereby obtaining access to additional loads. In addition, they will profit from the option to find subcontractors for non-matching shipments on the Transporeon platform.

With up to 30% inefficiencies in European road transport, driver shortages, and increasing sustainability targets, carriers and shippers need to work more efficiently, by reducing both empty runs and unprofitable waiting times.

Stephan Sieber, CEO of Transporeon, commented: “The integration of Nexogen into our Transport Management Platform will help carriers improve their asset utilisation and manage complexity. This is important with regard to the upcoming EU mobility package. While the new framework guarantees fair competition across the market and protects drivers through clear rules, it adds further regulation to logistics operations. Intelligent solutions are needed to successfully operate under this framework. Nexogen’s AI powered services will assist fleet operators to consider all necessary information and rules when planning a transport.”

Nexogen CEO András Kovács added: “Our mission is to use data for leveraging the potential of logistics through intelligent, automated planning and optimisation. Adding Nexogen’s capabilities to Transporeon’s large portfolio of carrier services will allow us to drive digitisation, thereby improving efficiencies and reducing CO2 emissions in each freight transport. We therefore are pleased to become part of the Transporeon ecosystem and its vast community counting more than 130,000 carriers.”

Supply chain crisis drives consumers to buy locally

Posted on by Keith McKinley

As the global supply chain crisis continues to disrupt the retail industry, consumers are being forced to change their shopping habits and buy local (within their own countries) for speed and availability, new global research from SOTI has found.

Consumers are feeling the effects of supply chain issues first-hand, with over half (57%) of global consumers (58% UK) saying they have recently experienced one or more items not being available, have had to purchase alternatives when preferred products were not available, or have had to go to different retailers to find items in stock. Worse still, over one third of shoppers (35% global/38% UK) said items they wanted to purchase have not been available at all.

Compounding these supply issues, more than a third (34% global/30% UK) said they feel delivery times have been slower than usual and more than half (53% global and UK) said that shipping/delivery time is the most frustrating aspect of ordering online.

Unwilling to compromise on speed and availability, consumers are now paying special attention to the purchasing journey. More than a third (36% global and UK) said that if delivery or pick up of an item takes longer than two days, they will look elsewhere. Meanwhile, with deliveries from outside their own country now taking longer to arrive, more than half of consumers (52% global/60% UK) have changed their habits, saying they are now less likely to order an item that requires shipping from overseas than they were a year ago.

As part of the From Clicks to Ships: Navigating the Global Supply Chain Crisis 2022 Report, SOTI surveyed 10,000 consumers across the UK, US, Canada, Mexico, Germany, Sweden, France and Australia to understand how consumers are responding to the supply chain crisis, as well as their expectations of brands and retailers to cope with it.

It’s clear from the findings that consumers are unwilling to give retailers any leeway. When asked about their expectations and intentions:

  • Over two-thirds (68% global and UK) agreed that they now expect to know where their order is throughout the delivery process at all times
  • More than half (61% global/60% UK) agree they are continuing to shop with brands that can deliver goods the fastest
  • More than half (52% global and UK) agree they would be more likely to shop from a retailer’s store if multiple return points were offered
  • Over one third (35% global and UK) agreed that knowing who a retailer’s delivery partner is has resulted in them not completing an order with that retailer

The onus is now on retailers to adapt to these behaviours and match up with consumer preferences.

“Brands and retailers are having to rethink how they approach customer relationships and go-to-market strategies in response to this state of flux,” explains Sarah Edge, Director of Sales, UK and Ireland at SOTI. “It’s imperative they have the right data at their fingertips to cater to these changing consumer preferences. The brands that have the flexibility that allows them to provide the best possible customer experience, no matter how or where customers shop, will be the most resilient.”

Looking to the future, when asked if they would consider using any of the following alternative delivery options in 2022, 63% (global and UK) said they would consider in-store delivery/collection (“click and collect”/buy online and pick up in-store) and half (50% global/46% UK) would consider delivery to a designated drop-off point.

Consumers are also open to even more significant changes in the way they receive their goods as technology advances. Almost half (46% global/45% UK) said they would consider either autonomous vehicles to deliver larger packages to their home or other convenient location, or delivery drones to deliver small packages (43% global/39% UK).

“Having the right mobile technology will help retailers to improve both their communications and customer experience across all their channels. Ensuring they have mobile-enabled operational intelligence, will give brands and retailers the ability to diagnose problems quickly and adapt fast to meet ever-changing consumer needs and preferences. The only certainty is uncertainty in this current retail environment. But, by ensuring their consumers have choice and flexibility, brands and retailers, as well as their logistics partners, can prepare themselves for all eventualities,” concludes Edge.

CLICK HERE to read the full report

STILL raises standards with new truck series

Posted on by David Priestman

With the new LXT 120-350 and LXW 20-30 series, STILL says it has not only modernised and expanded its product portfolio of electrically powered tractors and platform trucks but has also raised the safety standard of these trucks to a new level.

In particular, the unique Descent Speed Regulation (DSR) assistance system, a load- and inclination-dependent speed regulation system, provides extra safety and increased handling performance when driving on ramps.

Electric tow tractors and platform trucks have become an indispensable part of the modern working world. Shipyards, car manufacturers, international airports and railway stations, logistics companies, freight forwarders and countless production plants around the world have relied on the qualities of STILL’s tow tractors and platform trucks for many years. Now the Hamburg-based intralogistics provider has once again expanded its vehicle portfolio and geared it up for the future.

The new LXT 120-350 electric tow tractors with towing capacities of between 12 and 35 tonnes and the LXW 20-30 electric platform truck (payloads of two and three tonnes on the load area, towing capacities of six tonnes) offer a wide range of modular equipment options and impress with their performance. Extensive tests in different industries at sometimes very harsh locations have proven that efficiency and top performance can be perfectly combined with these new vehicles.

The STILL engineers are particularly proud of the Descent Speed Regulation (DSR) assistance system they developed. “An absolute world first,” emphasise the two STILL experts Alexander Claus, product manager for tractors, and Janos Poppe, product trainer for tractors. “This unique system not only supports the driver in driving safely on ramps, but also increases the handling performance. With trailer loads of up to 35 tonnes, the drivers always move in accordance with the situation – and at the same time as quickly as possible,” says Poppe.

Depending on the version, the DSR detects the exact inclination on sloping ramps for this purpose, takes the current load weight into account and automatically adjusts the speed to the respective conditions by intervening in the oil bath multiple-disc system. In the basic version, which is installed in all vehicles, the speed is limited manually to a predefined speed via a switch when driving down a slope.

In the optionally available ECO version, the system shows the gradient on the display and automatically limits the speed to a predefined value. In the premium version of the DSR, the automatic speed reduction depends on the gradient and additionally on the towed load. The trailer load is determined by measuring the torque on the drive motors.

“This very innovative method of determining the load, in which we measure the trailer load virtually at the trailer coupling, is so far the only one of its kind in the world and is only used on STILL trucks,” reports Claus, not without pride.

Uncompromised technical equipment

The STILL developers have also come up with something for the other technical components of the new trucks. For example, all the trucks have hydraulic multi-disc brakes on both axles, which enable a particularly high-performance and precise braking process, are wear-free and operate almost completely silently. In addition, the regenerative braking of the electric drive allows energy to be recovered during the braking process. The parking brake is also electric and engages automatically.

The vehicles of the LXT/LXW series are driven by two 10.5kW motors on the rear axle. The 80V three-phase motors are encapsulated and maintenance-free. The intelligent motor control ensures agile driving behaviour and the speed-controlled drive means that there is no loss of speed, even when driving uphill for long periods. The maximum speed of the LXT vehicles without load is 25km/h, the LXW reaches up to 23km/h. The towing tractors and platform trucks can be charged quickly and easily without opening the bonnet thanks to the quick-charge socket or on-board charger.

The new cab is generously designed and offers even tall drivers plenty of headroom and a very spacious footwell. A wide range of seat adjustments ensures a comfortable workplace and offers every driver the right position for fatigue-free work. The driver’s cab itself is mounted on rubber buffers and is therefore vibration-damped and decoupled from the chassis.

The chassis, which is equally damped by extra-long coil springs, offers additional driving comfort and allows first-class road holding. Thanks to the STILL Easy Control colour display, the drivers always have all the important information at a glance – for example the steering wheel position, direction of travel, driving programme, speed, angle of inclination, load display or loading status. The new steering wheel with optional knob allows easy and ergonomic operation of the fully hydraulic steering. Its haptic surface provides a good grip.

Improved visibility

‘All-round glazing’ ensures optimum visibility in the new vehicles. To this end, 23% more window surfaces were installed compared to the predecessor models. Optimised visibility in all directions increases safety and prevents physical damage. The optional reversing camera makes manoeuvring and coupling easier when reversing.

Protection against accidents and breakage of goods is also provided by the Curve Speed Control system, also available as an option, which automatically adjusts the speed during cornering and thus ensures safe cornering. The vehicles can be easily integrated into control systems such as STILL neXXt fleet, the most innovative and powerful web portal for fleet optimisation of industrial trucks, via an optional interface. All relevant information for quick analyses or optimisation measures are thus bundled in just one tool.

Other optionally available safety features include the STILL Flashlight, Safety Light 4Plus, FleetManager and the intelligent acoustic warning signal, the volume of which is always 10dB higher than the ambient volume. With this system, passers-by and other drivers or operators are always warned of the vehicle at the right volume, without creating an unnecessarily high noise level for the driver and the person being warned.

2022 predictions for food logistics

Posted on by Keith McKinley

2021 was arguably even more unprecedented than 2020 with multiple supply chain issues driving the news agenda for the food logistics industry over the past 12 months. But what does all of this mean as we move forward into 2022? Paul Empson, general manager of Bakers Basco, shares his reflections and predictions for the year ahead.

If we thought 2020 was unprecedented, what can we say about 2021? The continuation of the Covid-19 pandemic, Brexit fallout wreaking havoc on the borders, COP26 shining a spotlight on serious environmental issues… there was no shortage of issues to talk about in 2021. There were, however, plenty of shortages driving these conversations.

Many business leaders entered 2021 with a sense of optimism as they prepared to navigate the road to recovery after the preceding year like no other. But that optimism quickly faded as the year threw up one curveball after another – notably the national HGV driver shortage, subsequent restraints on supplies of food and material supplies, and a renewed focus on climate change and the impact on the environment. So, what does all of this mean for 2022? Here are my three predictions I’d like to see become a reality – and how we can get there.

1 – Plastic prices to plateau

The price of plastic material per tonne first started to rise back at the beginning of 2021, leaving many suppliers battling in a volatile market. Common belief was that the cost would drop again a few months later but it didn’t – it went the opposite way, to an unprecedented value not seen before (up 55%). Not only had the price gone up, it was also in short supply. If we can’t get hold of plastic, we can’t produce the bread baskets and other returnable transit packaging (RTP) used across the industry to deliver food and other goods to supermarkets across the UK. Getting materials made forward planning very difficult, having a huge impact on the supply chain.

Encouragingly, as 2021 drew to a close, the supply of plastic has improved, but the price is yet to come down. Yes, we can get the plastic material now, but we’re paying through the nose for it – which will ultimately affect the price of the end product that sits on the supermarket shelves. Let’s hope by the end of 2022, the plastic materials issue has settled and returned to a normal level buying place – for the benefit of all parties.

2 – More HGV drivers enter the pool

The HGV driver issue is one that can’t be resolved overnight. It’s an ongoing issue and it’s not going away. While recent stats suggest it’s on the road to recovery, there’s a bigger issue at play – the industry has a retention problem that requires much work to keep young drivers on the road. A huge part of that is the culture of today’s modern world. The demands of the new consumer and their fast-paced lives is dictating the 24/7, 365 days delivery schedules which, in turn, is leaning heavily on drivers and forcing the shift patterns currently out there.

There’s good money to be earned being a driver, but it falls on both the industry and the government to start campaigning on the positives of being an HGV driver. For too long the focus has been on the negatives, like long hours and busy roads. But if the money and awareness was there, younger people would want to do it. Having an HGV licence means you’ve always got something you can always go back to if something else doesn’t work out and you can earn a decent pay packet from it. And we need these drivers to help maintain the high level of speed and convenience of the 21st century consumer.

With more backing from the government and raising awareness of the positives when it comes to driver recruitment, we should be back in a sensible place by the end of 2022.

3 – Government clamps down on illegal recycling

COP26 was all about climate action and support. Yet there’s still a vast illegal activity going on out there which is destroying the environment. We live in a world of ‘plastic this, plastic that’ – when in fact, illegal recycling is going on right under people’s noses. Whether they don’t know about it or are choosing to ignore it, it’s a huge problem that requires government intervention – that’s the only way it will ever get to a place where there’s some sort of control.

The government needs to step up and change the rules. We have new taxes for recycling plastics but all that’s doing is penalising legitimate businesses to pay more money, when the focus should be on tackling illegal recycling. And this will form a large part of Bakers Basco’s campaign in 2022 to lobby local government and MPs to step up and take action to address this issue.

The events of the past few years have taught us as a business to be more strategic with our planning. Rather than having a scattergun approach to how to look for illegal recyclers, find gaps in the supply chain and keep track of where our baskets are going, we’ve become much more strategic. From GPS tracking technology upgrades allowing us to be more targeted with locations and areas of the supply chain with higher risk of loss, we’ve moved forward with the world – getting the same results, but doing it in a much more efficient way.

As we enter 2022, it’s a strained environment yet again. We’re not 100% sure what equipment we will need. With so much more equipment out in the field due to all of these issues combined, we can’t predict if that will come flooding back in Jan to March or whether it is out in the ether, ending up in the wrong hands. We’ll overcome it, one way or another, but we might end up paying a lot of money for it.

Will consumers continue panic buying if we enter another lockdown? Will the price of plastic come down? Will the government step up their efforts to recruit young people to become drivers? Will we finally see a crackdown on illegal activities impacting our efforts to help the environment? No one really knows the answer – but after a tough year, 2022 is the year to do anything we can to renew trust in the supply chain.

Transaid releases additional places for Cycle Malawi 2022

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Transaid has released nine places on its highly sought-after Cycle Malawi 2022 challenge, which will take place from 1 – 9 October, and is inviting riders from across the transport and logistics industry to register their interest quickly, to avoid disappointment.

Those signing up will join a group of 36 cyclists already confirmed for the event, which was sadly postponed in 2020.

The epic two-wheel adventure will take cyclists across the country commonly known as the ‘Warm Heart of Africa’, thanks to the kindness and friendliness of its people. It will mark the international development organisation’s 10th African cycle challenge and includes five days of riding – plus the ultimate opportunity to discover Malawi away from the tourist trail.

Florence Bearman, Transaid’s Head of Fundraising, explains: “Moving the dates meant some of the original group are unable to take part, so we’re opening those places and expecting demand to be very strong. After two years of limited travel for many, we believe the attraction of cycling through rural Africa is going to be huge!”

Helen Tattersall, Head of Vehicle Accessories for Brand Licensing at Michelin Lifestyle, says: “I signed up with a group of colleagues back in 2019, and I wouldn’t miss it for the world. We’ve got unfinished business in Malawi, and we can’t wait to get on our bikes. It’s going to be a fantastic opportunity to be part of something really special, with teams from across the industry coming together to raise vital funding for a very special charity.”

Over the years Transaid has delivered both access to healthcare and professional driver training programmes in Malawi, the most recent of these involving bicycle ambulances as a simple, yet highly effective, lifesaving mode of transport.

Bearman adds: “So far as New Year’s resolutions go, committing to get bike-fit is a great place to start! Southern Malawi is a truly spectacular location; and this is going to be a once in a lifetime opportunity to see great swathes of the country from the saddle.”

Riders will cover an average of 60 miles per day and the route is graded as challenging. The penultimate day’s riding includes an afternoon tackling the Zomba Plateau, a stunning table-like mountain which soars to more than 2,080m and presides over the surrounding area.

To register your interest in a place on the challenge, or to request a registration pack, please contact Florence Bearman, Transaid Head of Fundraising by email to florence@transaid.org

Those signing up for a place on Cycle Malawi 2022 will be asked to pay a £349 registration fee, and to commit to raising a minimum of £3,800 for Transaid. Entries are welcomed from both individuals and teams.

Logistics UK’s David Wells awarded OBE

Posted on by Keith McKinley

David Wells, Chief Executive of business group Logistics UK, has been awarded an OBE in the New Year’s Honours list, for services to transport and logistics.

Wells, 56, who has been in charge of the organisation for the past six years, has been recognised for his transformational work which has established the business group as one of the largest and most important in the UK, raising the voice and impact of the sector at a critical time to help make Brexit work and keeping Britain’s economy moving during the Brexit transition and the Covid-19 pandemic.

“I am truly honoured to receive this OBE after an unprecedented period of challenge and change for our sector,” he said.  “I have always said that our industry shows resilience unlike any other, and that has been demonstrated time and again during my time as Chief Executive.  I am indebted to all our amazing members and their staff, as well as the team at Logistics UK, for the support and commitment which they have shown to keep goods moving, despite the challenges posed by Brexit, the Covid-19 pandemic, skills shortages and other unforeseen circumstances. This award is for them too.”

Mr Wells has successfully initiated and pursued a strategy to ensure that Logistics UK represents the entire logistics sector, collaborating, challenging and championing logistics with policy makers, and speaking to the media with one voice. Under his leadership, the organisation, which represents more than 19,000 members across the whole logistics sector, and moves the goods and services critical to everyone, has dramatically raised its profile and impact with decision makers and influencers in business, politics and the media.

Driven by his leadership and influence with opinion formers, Logistics UK achieved unprecedented recognition for logistics employees as key workers at the start of the pandemic. Among a host of recent important policy wins for members, the business has successfully lobbied for higher funding for the new LGV apprenticeship standard, which will enable more people to enter the industry, as well as campaigning for the interests of the sector to be recognised in the UK/EU Trade and Co-operation Agreement (TCA).

“Thanks to the hard work and dedication of our team, and the backing of our members, I am so proud to see the recognition and influence which the logistics industry is now rightfully starting to achieve at all levels of government and in the media.  This visibility will also be key to ensuring that our industry continues to attract the brightest and best talent in the years ahead.”

Married with two sons, Wells was recently appointed as Chair of the Trustees of a Suicide Prevention charity in his hometown of Eastbourne. Supported by local churches, the organisation offers counselling and support to those in crisis or considering suicide. “The past two years have been challenging financially for most charities; however, our support base has stepped up and our workers and volunteers are meeting the ever-increasing daily demand for our life-saving support.”

Logistics UK is one of the UK’s leading business groups, representing logistics businesses which are vital to keeping the UK trading, and more than seven million people directly employed in the making, selling and moving of goods. With COVID-19, Brexit, new technology and other disruptive forces driving change in the way goods move across borders and through the supply chain, logistics has never been more important to UK plc.

Logistics UK supports, shapes and stands up for safe and efficient logistics, and is the only business group which represents the whole industry, with members from the road, rail, sea and air industries, as well as the buyers of freight services such as retailers and manufacturers whose businesses depend on the efficient movement of goods.

Logistics Business wishes to add its congratulations to David.

MSC bids €5.7bn for Bolloré’s Africa arm

Posted on by Keith McKinley

The Bolloré Group has received an offer from the MSC Group, a major player in container transport and logistics, to acquire 100% of Bolloré Africa Logistics, comprising all of the Bolloré Group’s transport and logistics activities in Africa, on the basis of an enterprise value, net of minority interests, of €5.7bn.

The Bolloré Group has granted the MSC Group an exclusivity until 31st March 2022 to enable it to conduct additional due diligence and contractual negotiations.

Completion of the sale would require the approval of regulatory and competition authorities, as well as of certain counterparties of Bolloré Africa Logistics.

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