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Tag: warehouse

Werma launches “new benchmark” for industrial signalling

Posted on by Keith McKinley

The new eSIGN signal tower is a breakthrough and a clear sign of Werma‘s continual technological progress: this signal tower sets new standards in terms of individuality and flexibility with full-surface signalling, robust industrial design and impressive features.

As early as 1994, Werma established a global industry standard with the launch of its KombiSIGN signal tower. And this standard has just been upgraded: the eSIGN is the next generation that will define the future of signal towers. Impressive features, supreme compatibility and an industrial design that combines functionality with style and durability.

The new eSIGN has generated a quantum leap in possibilities: full-surface signalling makes it considerably more conspicuous and optimises the signal tower’s potential. This enables all users to monitor processes even more extensively, more comprehensively, more accurately and more proactively. Werma claims the new eSIGN represents a new dimension of signalling.

The eSIGN is a shining example of a signal tower with visibly improved performance: more colours, more effects and more individuality. Thanks to the modularity of its electrical components combined with the latest LED technology, different signalling modes can be produced using multiple colours, brightness levels and light effects – from the classic traffic light display to fully customised settings. Variable fill-level displays or full-surface signals can also be generated with ease using this signal tower. This not only allows users to oversee processes, but also brings completely new possibilities.

Werma says the eSIGN is the best signal tower it has ever developed. The range of applications is as diverse as the eSIGN itself: from alarm signalling to access control, visual warnings, statuses, fill-level or fault displays right through to material stock levels and building security. It can even be used as an acoustic warning system.

Acoustic signalling is an indispensable component that supplements visual signalling in daily work processes across the globe, from production facilities to logistics, building technology or mechanical and plant engineering applications. Their aim is to ensure that processes run smoothly, to secure the safety of personnel and protect the equipment being used. With the comforting feeling that everything is running smoothly.

For this reason, the new eSIGN is equipped with a siren that can produce up to 10 different tones. These can also be configured to suit specific applications. Naturally, the siren can be combined with light effects, has variable volume options and is easy to set up.

The high technological standards and user-friendly operation of this new Werma signal tower are not at all contradictory: depending on the variant, eSIGN can be easily controlled using IO-Link or configured via USB. It can be mounted on the floor, on tubes or on walls.

The two different sizes of the eSIGN also offer maximum flexibility: 15 or 9 segments, with or without siren, standard 24V version with configuration transfer via USB or using IO-Link technology.

The robust industrial design also delivers what it promises: the high IP66/IP69k protection class ensures improved resistance to typical substances used in production, while the UL type 4X enclosure guarantees resistance to UV radiation and environmental influences.

Werma says the custom modes, acoustic signals, free selection of light effects and robust industrial design mean the new eSIGN is simply always the right choice.

Furnolic picks Prologis Park Ryton for net zero DC

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Prologis, the developer and owner of logistics parks, has agreed a lease with global e-commerce business, Furnolic Co. Ltd, the UK subsidiary of Ziel Group, for the latest unit at Prologis Park Ryton in Warwickshire.

The 10-year lease for the 148,461 sq ft (13,800 sq m) unit is Furnolic’s first physical site in the UK. The Chinese e-commerce business, which also trades under the name Songmics, Vasagle and Feandrea, specialises in homeware, furniture and pet furniture and is one of the largest global retailers on Amazon, operating across the US (Ameziel), Germany (Euziel), Japan (Zieljp), France, Spain, Italy, Canada, and Mexico.

Prologis Park Ryton is one of the most sought-after industrial and logistics locations in the UK, with current occupiers including Jaguar Land Rover, DHL and LEVC. The location has six major motorways within 14 miles of the park, along with a labour force of almost 900,000 people in a 30-minute radius. Once occupied, the new building will create 20-30 new jobs for the local area.

Tom Price, capital leasing & development director, at Prologis UK, said: “This is an important milestone for Furnolic as they secure their first location in the UK, and we are delighted to be welcoming another occupier to this prime logistics site. Furnolic is a valued global Prologis customer, and we are aiming to make the move to the new site a seamless and positive experience for the business.

“The attractiveness of Prologis Park Ryton, and the Midlands in general, as a location for logistics facilities, is clear. Companies of all shapes and sizes are recognising the value that the area holds as a means of expanding or further strengthening their e-commerce and delivery operations.”

Tong Wang, director at Furnolic, said: “We are very happy to be working with Prologis to set up our first logistics site in UK, which will provide better service to our customers in the UK, as well as in Europe. It is of great significance for us to expand our business in the European and global markets.”

Like every Prologis warehouse constructed in the UK for the past 13 years, DC8 at Prologis Park Ryton is net zero carbon in construction (based on the UKGBC net zero carbon framework).

Through a partnership with Planet Mark and climate action charity, Cool Earth, Prologis has measured and reduced the building’s whole life carbon footprint and mitigated five times the unavoidable embodied carbon emissions (carbon associated with the construction of the building) by protecting vital areas of rainforest.

As a result, DC8 is protecting 107 acres of rainforest canopy in the Peruvian Amazon, locking in almost 35,000 tonnes of carbon, protecting 24,000 trees, and supporting 652 indigenous people who are empowered to protect the rainforest.

Prologis is also constructing a further 330,770 sq ft (30,700 sq m) unit at Prologis Park Ryton, which is the last remaining plot. This unit is available to let and will be completed in August 2022.

GEODIS expands e-commerce activities in Belgium

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Leading global transport and logistics services provider GEODIS has established a new sorting centre in Schoten, near Antwerp, as well as a new office located within the airport of Liege. The first will facilitate the expansion of one of its largest international e-Commerce customers into the Belgian market. The second is intended to reinforce GEODIS’ e-Commerce footprint in Europe.

In Schoten, the new 6,300 sq m sorting centre will host between 100 to 150 express trucks per day. In order to process up to 20,000 parcels daily (140,000 per week) and ensure the fastest-possible delivery times, the facility will operate 24/7.

At Grâce-Hollogne, near Liege, the new GEODIS office is in the heart of the airport; the seventh-largest for air freight in Europe, renowned for its expertise in e-commerce. The strategic location of the new office, within the Amsterdam-Paris-Frankfurt golden triangle, will provide a connection between the Asian and North American continents and GEODIS’ European multimodal distribution network.

“For our customers, this means access to more than 250 million consumers in less than a day by road, also via barge connections from Liege to Antwerp, Rotterdam and on to the Rhine; as well as through air and rail connectivity with China from Zhengzhou, Yiwu and Chengdu,” said Mark van den Assem, Managing Director of GEODIS for Benelux.

“Investing in the expansion of our e-commerce logistics activities is an essential part of our growth strategy,” confirmed Thomas Kraus, GEODIS President & CEO North, East and Central Europe. “The world is seeing an unprecedented growth of e-commerce volumes, at a time of capacity constraints in the global transport market. GEODIS is underlining its ability to provide both, capacity through its own controlled network and logistics competence on the ground; this significantly strengthens our position in Belgium.”

Guide to retrofitting warehouse software

Posted on by Keith McKinley

In intralogistics, the term “retrofit” refers to the modernisation of machines, equipment, and software systems, writes Karoline Poderschnig*, IT Project Manager at SSI Schaefer. It is a cost-effective alternative to buying new, ensures sustainable operation, and goes hand in hand with increased system efficiency. But what exactly does it mean when a software system in a warehouse is modernised? What impacts on ongoing operation can be expected?

In the best-case scenario, none. The approach should always be determined in close cooperation with the customer and their individual requirements. Usually, this not only involves modernising the existing system, but also upgrading the processes and/or software systems used. This means that in addition to the existing general conditions, new challenges also arise that must be considered in the analysis, planning, and implementation.

Two approaches can be followed here: transition in several process steps where partial adaptations are carried out during the transition and downtimes can be more easily compensated for, and the big bang transition. A big bang adoption is the immediate transition to a new software generation, during which all old systems are changed over to the new, fully functional system on a specific date.

The focus of the release upgrade is always on smooth running without impacting ongoing operation. All necessary measures need to be taken during the transition so that orders can still be processed in the usual timeframe without delay: in other words, goods delivered at the right location, at the right time, in the right quantity, and in the right quality.

This requires a software solution is that is integrated seamlessly and is future-oriented to meet the challenges of the warehouse. WAMAS is a modular, standardised intralogistics software solution that schedules, controls, optimises, and monitors all logistics processes and functions of a manual, semi-automated, or fully automated warehouse. It can be customised and integrated seamlessly into the IT landscape thanks to its open interface architecture, and the high degree of innovation and scalability provide the highest possible investment protection for sustainable goods management.

Gradual transition to the new software version

Implementing a modern software solution like WAMAS into the ongoing operations of a logistics company poses an enormous challenge and requires, first and foremost, a meticulous analysis of the actual situation and an accurate picture of the target situation. The solution must be thoroughly integrated into the IT landscape. The modular structure and open interface architecture of WAMAS allows for extremely easy connection to ERP, transport systems, or components from third-party suppliers.

The functional specification is an important tool in the extensive project planning and simulation, in which the necessary migration steps are defined in addition to the specifications. A transition in defined steps enables each subtask completed as well as the partial adaptations to the new system to be evaluated. This approach even offers the security of being able to roll one step back if necessary. Potential downtimes can be countered with clearly defined emergency scenarios. These include pre-picking, partial retrieval, and manual storage, for example. Personnel can also be introduced to new processes or dialogs and the documentation regarding software realisation is updated step by step up until implementation is successful.

From one day to the next: the big bang

A big bang adaptation is the immediate transition to a new intralogistics software solution on a specific day. This type of migration is considered to be the most challenging retrofit decision and requires the entire project team to have complete faith in the migration and in the stability of the software solution. Ultimately, the new system must be able to handle the entire volume of orders and data right from the start. Time for out of hours bug fixing is extremely limited and the execution of the ramp-up phase requires maximum focus.

The advantages of a big bang are the fast go-live and the avoidance of several warehouse management systems being in use in parallel for ERP. This approach requires significantly more resources and coordination in advance, as all processes must be converted at the same time. Intensive preparation and collaboration with the customer is just as essential as highly professional project management.

For SSI Schaefer experts, thorough communication with the customer that is built on trust and the provision of a competent team that undertakes project management with unrestricted transparency is the top priority. Experience shows that regular and open communication between SSI Schaefer and the customer as well as a joint understanding of the objective and advantages of the retrofit lead to the greatest possible acceptance, and subsequently to the desired successful outcome.

The success of a project depends heavily upon successful collaboration with the customer.

Quick, reliable, uninterrupted: the big bang at LANDI

For around two decades now, LANDI Schweiz AG has been putting its faith in the expertise of SSI Schaefer. The national purchasing, logistics, and marketing organisation for the 270 LANDI outlets stores, picks, and ships the comprehensive assortment of agricultural and food products from the central warehouse in Dotzingen using almost all intralogistics methods – from manual to fully automated systems.

In 2003, SSI Schaefer installed its WAMAS version 3 warehouse management system at LANDI. Seventeen years later, a completely new software generation, WAMAS version 5, replaced the tried-and-tested and highly valued, but now outdated system in order to optimise logistics tasks in the warehouse and gain a sustainable footing.

Total confidence in the standardised and individually adapted customer processes in WAMAS, professional project management, and the accompanying quality assurance measures facilitated the successful big bang release update – a successful migration that skipped two software generations. Immediate transition to the new version was quick, smooth, and did not significantly affect ongoing operation. This not only ensured supply reliability for the LANDI stores, but also fulfilled all quality requirements at the same time – and for the future.

CLICK HERE to read more information about the project with LANDI.

  • * Karoline Poderschnig holds a degree in Industrial Management from the FH Joanneum University of Applied Sciences in Kapfenberg and can already look back on more than 10 years of professional experience in project management and program management in the infrastructure, automotive, semiconductor, and software technology fields. The expert with IPMA Level C and Financial Business Management (University of Graz) certification has been with SSI Schaefer since 2018.

Industrial park in Hanover breaks ground

Posted on by Keith McKinley

With a symbolic turf-cutting act, construction work has begun for an industrial park that Garbe Industrial Real Estate GmbH is developing in Hanover-Langenhagen. A state-of-the-art property with a total hall area of 15,500 sq m is being built in the immediate vicinity of the international airport. Completion is planned for May 2022. The investment volume amounts to €18m.

Small- and medium-sized enterprises in particular are to be addressed with the project development. “They impress with their innovative strength and form the backbone of the German economy,” says Adrian Zellner, Member of the Executive Board and Head of Business Development at Garbe Industrial Real Estate. The Hamburg-based company has designed a new type of building for this target group: the Garbe IndustrialQuarter. The format is being implemented for the first time in Langenhagen.

The IndustrialQuarter is primarily characterised by a resource-saving construction method and an area key that can be flexibly tailored to the needs of the tenants. The property planned in Langenhagen consists of four hall sections of up to 4,200 sq m, which can be divided into units starting at around 1,800 sq m. Each unit includes office and social areas that total almost 1,000 sq m.

In addition, each unit has ramps and floor-level sectional doors for loading and unloading trucks. “These small sizes make the Garbe IndustrialQuarter especially interesting for start-ups and expanding companies in the areas of last-mile logistics, wholesale, e-commerce and light industrial,” emphasises Zellner.

LIST Bau Nordhorn was commissioned with the construction as general contractor. “We look forward to working with Garbe again and building a modern logistics centre within the next seven months. A lot of work has gone into the design of the facade, which visually stands out from the familiar look of a logistics hall with wooden elements and a strip of light,” reports Jens Schulte, Hamburg site manager at LIST Bau Nordhorn.

The property in Langenhagen is being built without any fixed rental commitments. “We are currently in talks with a number of potential tenants. Demand is big. This is not only due to the new type of building, but also to the excellent location,” explains Adrian Zellner. The IndustrialQuarter is being built on a 32,000 sq m plot of land in the “Am Pferdemarkt” industrial park.

It is only 1km from the A 352 motorway. It connects the location with the airport, the A2 Dortmund-Berlin and the A7 Kassel-Hamburg motorways. The industrial park is connected to public transport. The closest bus stop is 100m away and the Langenhagen-Pferdemarkt S-Bahn station is 800m away.

The new building will be erected on a brownfield. “In order to create new settlement potential, we had the existing building demolished and have comprehensively revitalised the area,” says Zellner.

The IndustrialQuarter is developed in such a way that it meets recognised ESG criteria. A photovoltaic system is installed on the roof to generate renewable energy. Skylight domes and a ribbon of windows extending around the entire building ensure more daylight inside the hall and reduce electricity consumption. The facade is partly designed with wooden elements.

Garbe Industrial Real Estate is aiming for certification according to the gold standard of the German Sustainable Building Council for the property.

Inside the warehouse with retailer Sisi & Seb

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Carley Bassett, managing director of luxury children’s brand Sisi & Seb, shares how her team managed demand during the pandemic and the benefits of outsourcing fulfilment to Diamond Logistics.

What trends are you seeing in the luxury children’s products market? How do you expect the market to change in the next few years?

People really love unisex products and items that have longevity so they often buy gender neutral clothing. I find parents want items that will last, are different and good quality, but at a fair price. Now more than ever sustainability is key and I think (and hope) that this will continue in the next few years.

How have you overcome the challenges of Brexit and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic? 

I am definitely still dealing with them, a lot of stress, worry and wine in equal measures to get through both! 2020 was a tough and unpredictable year, we saw a huge demand for online shopping. It was difficult to plan 2021 off the back of that.

Has the pandemic changed how you operate? If so, how?

I was lucky to have moved into fulfilment prior to the pandemic, therefore still able to dispatch orders. We saw huge demand and had to move quickly to put new systems in place and to recruit a bigger team. The first lockdown was crazy. Thankfully I had Diamond, but I was doing the marketing, accounting, social media and customer service by myself. We have grown quickly and now have two members of staff, an amazing warehouse and a fantastic accountant for which I am so grateful.

We know how important packaging and the un-boxing experience is in 2021. How has Diamond supported you in your un-boxing ambitions?

Diamond really understands my desire to have eco-friendly packaging and where we can, no plastic. Our packaging is all cardboard/paper and recyclable. We also gift wrap, as we realised people weren’t able to do so themselves during the pandemic.

How has Diamond Logistics supported your growth and the safe delivery of your products? 

They have been amazing quite frankly. It is such a fast-paced environment with e-commerce but Mandy Watkins-Smith, managing director at Diamond Logistics Bristol, and her team are always so fast to respond to queries and process customer returns quickly and efficiently. I have been able to put faith in them and grow the areas of the business that I need to. I am able to rest in the knowledge they are dealing with the logistics efficiently and with utmost care and attention.

What should retailers think about when choosing a fulfilment partner? What have been the benefits of partnering with Diamond?

As with anything you have to get along with the team and make sure you’re a good fit. Customer experience is key, as is making sure orders are processed in a timely manner. We are all human and mistakes can happen so you have to work with a fulfilment partner which is transparent and vice versa. I really feel like Diamond has helped me grow my business in the time I have been with them, and it’s been a leap in the right direction for us.

Reflecting on the last year, what advice would you give to an emerging retailer of children’s products?

First and foremost make sure you prioritise a professional quality service over a lower price (particularly with accountants and fulfilment centres). Transparency is key in all that you do, whether that is with your customers or the professionals you partner with. eCommerce is super hard, competitive (particularly in this field) and ever changing so keep going and make sure you give yourself the credit you deserve. Sometimes it feels like you haven’t achieved anything but every little step is a move forward!

DSV opens doors at Leics. hub

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Just 10 months after commencement on site, DSV is celebrating the practical completion of a 522,000 sq ft industrial facility and offices. The scheme – designed, constructed and partially fitted out by Winvic Construction Ltd during the pandemic – is located at the 238-acre Mercia Park in north-west Leicestershire.

The plot comprises three buildings – totalling 522,000 sq ft – and contains:

  • 104 dock levellers:
  • A 358,000 sq ft steel-framed warehouse containing three mezzanine floors and two single-storey hub offices totalling 4,360 sq ft
  • A 112,000 sq ft cross-dock terminal
  • A 35,660 sq ft three-storey office building

The large stand-alone office building was designed and executed to meet DSV’s global standard with high-spec fitted office spaces found within the warehouse buildings. The prominent design features to the main office include a glass lift, wood-panelled walls in an oak finish and a feature staircase. The external works package included 381,700 sq ft yard space plus car parking for 406 vehicles, and the programme contained all drainage, retaining wall, and hard and soft landscaping works.

Surinder Dubro, Managing Director, in DSV, commented: “We commissioned the project in September to construct a building in the heart of England to accommodate all three divisions of DSV. The main shared user warehouse facility operated by our DSV Solutions Division will provide logistics services for two existing platforms clients and will ensure both seasonal capacity and growth can be accommodated.

“The facility will also be fitted out with DSV Factory Fulfilment automation. This plug and play system will allow clients to enter an automated tote bin and grid system where robots pick the goods and deliver direct to the packing teams.”

This UK £2.5m DSV investment is one of six initial systems being installed in Europe with an initial investment of over £20m with more to come across the globe and is a clear strategy to ensure DSV delivers operational excellence.

Local Management, Marc Coleman, Louis Ataria and Sarah Pritchett shall be welcoming their teams from two existing locations to the new site from mid-October, which shall bring new job opportunities to the local area of Mercia Park.

Vice President, Jesper Hansen, added: “This is a huge enhancement to our portfolio, the state-of-the-art facility is ideally situated to operate as the key main hub for our distribution network, servicing the entire country. The location complements our already established infrastructure across Europe, adding significantly to our continuously developing DSV groupage network.”

The project has been designed and constructed in accordance with the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) under the 2018 framework to achieve excellence in respect of water and energy efficiency. To name a few initiatives, rainwater harvesting will be used for flushing toilets to reduce consumption of potable water, sustainable drainage systems have been implemented as well as solar photovoltaics for electrical power contribution.

High-performance LED lighting supported by motion sensors have been installed, reducing the total power demand whilst meeting best practice. As part of the Mercia Park site wide scheme beyond the site boundary, there is the creation of landscape buffers and large-scale planting using native woodland species, planting for wildlife habitat and wildflower buffers, roosting boxes for bats and nesting boxes for birds.

The project’s progress has been streamed throughout construction and the completed buildings with their striking striped cladding can still be seen on Winvic Live in timelapse videos.

Winvic Construction Director, Rob Bull, said: “The DSV project bucks the industrial facility trend because it comprises separate buildings for the main warehouse, cross-dock and offices, but there was no doubt that we could carefully sequence the construction and fit-out works to build them all simultaneously and within ten months. Additionally, our team led by Project Manager David Gilbert knew that the aesthetics, material quality and execution had to meet DSV’s high global design standards, and we’re as thrilled as DSV are about the exceptional finish achieved.”

ASOS unveils new Lichfield DC

Posted on by Keith McKinley

ASOS, one of the world’s leading online fashion retailers, has formally opened its state-of-the-art fulfilment centre in Lichfield, Staffordshire, with Michael Fabricant, Conservative MP for Lichfield and Cllr Doug Pullen, Conservative Leader of Lichfield District Council.

The facility at Fradley Park, which will employ 2,000 people over the next three years, is being managed by GXO Logistics, and has already recruited more than 700 people.

ASOS will invest a total of £90m in the new 437,000 sq ft fulfilment centre and will use it to serve customers in the UK and over 150 countries around the world. ASOS expects to ship over 30 million units in the site’s first year, and up to 4.5m units per week once the site is fully operational and automation is complete. The site will enable ASOS to meet increasing customer demand and support its ambitions of reaching £7bn of annual revenue within the next three to four years.

Mat Dunn, Chief Operating Officer at ASOS, said: “We are thrilled to be celebrating the opening of our brand-new warehouse in Lichfield, which will support our ambitious international growth plans and bring a significant number of jobs to the area. Our choice of Lichfield reflects the skills and talent it has to offer and we’re looking forward to becoming part of the local community in the years ahead.”

Paul Scully, Business Minister, said: “As we build back better from the pandemic, we want to level up our country with new jobs, and big investments from businesses like ASOS will play a major part in that. It’s brilliant that ASOS – a British success story – is investing in Staffordshire with the creation of a new fulfilment centre and 2,000 jobs to boot, providing a welcome boost for the local economy and people in and around Lichfield.”

Michael Fabricant, MP for Lichfield, said: “Lichfield District is ideal as a location for ASOS’ new global warehouse as it sits in the middle of the country and is well connected to our road system. But Lichfield is much more than that. It has a highly educated, well-motivated and skilled workforce so the District has attracted many hi-tech industries. In addition, it is a great place to live with lively night life combined with a historic centre. I welcome ASOS to Fradley and wish them the very best for the future.”

Councillor Doug Pullen, Leader of Lichfield District Council, added: “It’s wonderful to be able to welcome ASOS to Lichfield District – we’re delighted ASOS selected this location to support the next stage of its global growth. As well as creating local employment and supply chain opportunities, I know ASOS are keen to play an active role in our community and I look forward to working with them in the years ahead. We are ideally located for this type of facility with a skilled local workforce, excellent infrastructure and a high quality of life.”

The Fradley Park warehouse joins a growing number of global fulfilment centres for ASOS. ASOS currently operates three other fulfilment centres, in Barnsley, Berlin and Atlanta.

New classification enhances use of EPAL pallets

Posted on by David Priestman

Under what conditions can an EPAL Euro pallet no longer be exchanged? Is the quality of a Euro pallet reduced by wood splintering or residual labels? How do you know if a pallet is suitable for a high-bay racking system? What is the optimum quality for automated processes? These and many other queries are answered in the EPAL Quality Classification and Terms of Exchange. The new edition of the Quality Classification and Terms of Exchange has now been approved by the EPAL Board.

The European Pallet Association e.V. (EPAL) has revised the Quality Classification and Terms of Exchange in close collaboration with retail, hauliers, pallet service providers and repairers. The new edition of the EPAL Quality Classification still includes the distinction, commonly recognised in the market, between new EPAL Euro pallets, and class A, B and C used EPAL Euro pallets. The new group ‘Unsorted pallets’ covers pallets which are mixed by participants in the EPAL exchange pool and are exchanged one-to-one without having been previously sorted.

The Quality Classification offers EPAL Euro pallet users an easy way of agreeing delivery of a defined quality of used EPAL Euro pallets when buying or exchanging EPAL Euro pallets corresponding to the individual user’s specific requirements. This increases the effective deployment of used EPAL Euro pallets.

Jean-Philippe Gaussorgues, President of EPAL France and Vice President of EPAL, said: “One of the significant strengths of the EPAL Euro pallet exchange pool is the flexible use of EPAL Euro pallets of all ages and quality classes to suit the various needs of different sectors and companies. The new EPAL Quality Classification makes this even easier and even more effective.”

The EPAL Quality Classification has become more and more important in recent years. Originally drafted for the German market in 2011 by EPAL Deutschland and GS1 Germany, the EPAL Quality Classification has been adopted by many National Committees. The increasing number of user enquiries has also been a clear indicator for EPAL of the growing popularity of the Quality Classification.

EPAL has taken the opportunity provided by these enquiries from the market to make the criteria for distinguishing between the quality classes more precise and clearer and to focus more strongly on practical demands and the international use of the Quality Classification. The new edition of the Quality Classification and the Terms of Exchange will be available in more than twenty languages by the end of 2021. The Quality Classification will also be included in the new EPAL app at the start of 2022 to make it even easier to use in practice.

Roman Malicki, President of EPAL Polska and member of the EPAL Board, said: “Cross-border supply chains and the increase in digital pallet management mean the conditions for the use and exchange of EPAL Euro pallets need to be the same in every country and easily understood by all users. The new edition of the Quality Classification and Terms of Exchange approved by all EPAL national committees improves pallet exchange throughout Europe.”

The EPAL Terms of Exchange and the Quality Classification are now published in one document with a new contemporary layout. Smooth exchange of EPAL Euro pallets and certified repair of damaged EPAL Euro pallets need clear rules. The way the EPAL exchange conditions are laid out in the new edition suits these requirements even better.

Pierre Clénin, Managing Director of EPAL Suisse and member of the EPAL Board, added: “The EPAL Euro pallet exchange pool has the EPAL Terms of Exchange at its foundations. Nothing has changed in this respect with this new edition of the Quality Classification and Terms of Exchange. The EPAL Terms of Exchange alone will still apply in the future even if it is not possible to agree a specific quality class according to the EPAL Quality Classification.”

The EPAL Quality Classification and Terms of Exchange are already available to download in many languages from the EPAL website.

 

Vertical storage lift planning tool launched

Posted on by David Priestman

Vertical storage lift company Randex is claiming an industry first for its rollout of a free online service that organisations can use to generate CAD drawings and specifications for their automated handling using vertical storage.

“By sharing our vertical storage technology freely with organisations and the supply chain community in this way we are helping to democratise business planning,” says Randex director James Roberts.

Manufacturing, logistics and other supply chain users of the ‘Compact Configurator’ service tool enter key data including their building height, storage and picking needs. The tool then generates a customised CAD drawing and specification showing their vertical storage lift height and footprint, optimum storage capacity and other information. An additional, warehouse optimisation questionnaire can also be accessed HERE.

Compact Vertical Storage Lifts save up to 90% of floor space compared to standard shelving and pallet racking, says Randex, minimising the floor area while maximising storage volume, and can manage loads of up to 100 tonnes. Their load tray system enables warehouse operatives to complete up to four times more picks than in a traditional warehouse, with greater accuracy and without the need to search for goods, which are automatically presented to the picker.

The ‘Compact Twin’ also doubles any picking rate by utilising two load trays simultaneously – thought to be unique in the industry. Compact Vertical Storage Lifts can be integrated with all leading WMS and other business systems and typically pay for themselves within a year, based on Randex user feedback.

Randex is the sole UK distributor for Compact Vertical Storage Lifts, manufactured in Sweden by Weland Solutions, a member of the privately-owned, global group Weland AB.

The new vertical storage lift planning tool is available HERE.

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