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New Warehousing in London Fast-tracked

Posted on by Keith McKinley

DP World in the UK today announces that London Gateway’s Logistics Park will fast-track the delivery of a speculative 146,000 sq ft green warehouse facility before the end of 2021 to meet the rapidly growing demand for premium warehousing space in the South East of England. This follows the letting upon completion of LG231, a 230,000 sq ft warehouse facility, to P&O Ferrymasters last year.

DP World, the leading global provider of smart logistics, has commissioned the new LG146 facility to create the space needed by businesses who want to take advantage of the logistics park being adjacent to London Gateway’s deep-water port and outstanding road and rail connections to the capital, Europe’s largest consumer market. Increasingly, retailers are expanding their operations at London Gateway to satisfy surging demand for online goods.

Oliver Treneman, Park Development Director at DP World in the UK, said: “The new facility will be ready for occupancy in the last quarter of the year and will be one of the most sustainable warehouses yet built, with a BREEAM ‘Outstanding’ classification, EPC Rating A and Planet Mark Accredited. We are using the latest sustainable technologies to drive down both the use of raw materials and carbon emissions to the minimum possible levels.”

“We aim to provide supply chain integration and our park is the largest facility of its kind in Europe. From this location, our customers can reduce transport costs, gain access to international supply chains and markets, and benefit directly from port-centric logistics. In conjunction with the nearby Port of Tilbury, London Gateway is also bidding for Freeports status which would further enhance the attractiveness of this location for companies looking to expand.”

London Gateway has almost 10 million sq ft of land with planning consent. Tapping into the rapidly expanding demand for warehousing to support e-commerce, DP World can work with customers on their building requirements of up to 1.2 million sq ft and deliver bespoke solutions via a unique 28 day planning agreement with the local council.

The new facility will be completed and ready for occupation in December.

Investment Milestone to Benefit Hemel Hempstead Logistics Park

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Prologis, a UK’s leading developer of logistics property, has reached a landmark £250 million investment milestone in Hemel Hempstead. Over the past 20 years, Prologis has been supporting the local economy and jobs market with a sustained programme of investment and growth into industrial and logistics parks in this popular location, providing much-needed modern warehousing for both large national companies and local businesses looking to grow.

This package includes £135 million at Maylands Business Park, championing 1,000 jobs, and a continued development programme at Prologis Park Hemel Hempstead, which has supported the creation of 750 new jobs. Recently, the property company has also acquired a further 11.6 acres of land to expand Prologis Park Hemel Hempstead to cope with growing demand. Work has now commenced on a 234,000 sq ft logistics facility with completion in Q3 2021.

In March last year, despite the global pandemic, Prologis also acquired a 138,000 sq. ft. industrial estate on Eastman Way from Cubic Holdings for £26 million. This site is now Prologis Park Eastman and there is currently one remaining unit of 13,065 sq ft available to lease.

As a location, Hemel Hempstead is a popular location for a diverse range of businesses. Some of the biggest names in online retail and logistics, including Hermes, Amazon, Next and Vitabiotics, all occupy Prologis buildings in Hemel Hempstead. However, the location is favoured by growing businesses too, for example, Edincare Pumps, which took out a 10-year lease for a building on Prologis Park Eastman at the end of 2020.

As a town, Hemel Hempstead’s location is well-suited for businesses looking to service the London market and further afield. The town is strategically located within two miles of the M1 junction 8 and has easy access to the M25 and North London.

Paul Weston, Prologis UK regional head, said: “Hemel Hempstead is one of our most important locations, striking a perfect balance between proximity to London and the last-mile market, and access to the motorway network and the rest of the UK.

“Over the last 20 years, we’ve underwritten our commitment to Hemel Hempstead with a sustained investment programme which has job creation and community benefits at its heart. As demand for logistics space accelerates, this important location will continue to be a key market for us and enable us to provide our customers with the space they need to deliver on their promises and realise their ambitions for growth.

“I’m delighted that we have just started work on a 234,000 square foot industrial logistics building at Prologis Park Hemel Hempstead, which will be available for occupation in the towards the end of the summer. This is one of our most successful parks in the UK and was 75% occupied before the initial buildings had even been completed.”

Andrew Davies, company director at Edincare Pumps, said: “We made the decision to move onto Prologis Park Eastman in 2020, with a view to further expanding our warehousing operations. It was certainly the right choice and has allowed us to keep growing, whilst maintaining a base in Hemel and remaining part of the area’s thriving business community.”

Alongside job creation and investment, Prologis’ developments in Hemel Hempstead have helped to protect over 12,000 acres of rainforest, through the company’s partnership with climate change charity, Cool Earth. Local land has also been redeveloped into a Pocket Park for the community on Buncefield Lane and footpaths have been created linking Prologis Park Maylands to local amenities. By working alongside the Box Moor Trust, Prologis has acquired a plot of land and is maintaining and enhancing habitats, as well as promoting biodiversity.

Prologis is also a member of Hemel Hempstead Business Ambassadors (HHBA) and works with other local businesses and individuals to help the area attract further investment and create a more successful economy for everyone.

Jean McLeish, chair of the board of the Hemel Hempstead Business Ambassadors, said: “As a long-term investor, Prologis continues to provide outstanding facilities, across all its developments in Hemel Hempstead. This increasing investment in Hemel Hempstead is providing space for both large businesses, growing or relocating, and equally importantly small businesses looking to expand and plan for future growth. Their commitment to the environment and to local community projects supports the vision of Hemel Hempstead as the perfect place to live, work and do business.”

 

ELOshield Selected by Mondi Ascania for Improved On-Site Safety

Posted on by David Priestman

Mondi Ascania, has made the decision to further reduce any risks of accidents by fitting ELOKON’s ELOshield assistance system on its fleet of Toyota forklift trucks.

At Mondi’s manufacturing facility in Germany, four 50m long production lines operate around the clock, with the fabrics coming off the conveyor belts on large bales. Whilst the production process is to a large extent automated, other operations such as taking the bales to the packaging and storage areas, preparation for despatch and quality management involve the use of forklifts and manual labour.

Excellent safety track record

There has not yet been a single serious accident involving collisions between personnel and vehicles on site, thanks to Mondi’s stringent implementation of occupational health and safety measures. The forklifts circulate mainly in a relatively confined area of just 300m² between the packing stations, so there is little room to manoeuvre. Add to this very limited visibility and a constant stream of pedestrian traffic between the halls and this makes for a challenging environment for the truck drivers.

Maik Roemhold, SHE Coordinator at Mondi said: “We are proud of our excellent track record so far, but we were aware that unless we constantly review and enhance our safety measures it was possibly only a matter of time before an accident occurred when 25 trucks and 120 employees are working closely together. This is why we commissioned a demo of ELOshield on-site, which proved that the system’s ability to send visual, acoustic and haptic warning signals would add an extra layer of safety for our workforce.”

Radio technology protects the workforce

ELOshield automatically recognises when a person enters the danger zone of an operating forklift truck, by means of two modules which communicate with each other via radio signals. The forklift module is installed in a clearly visible position in the driver’s cab whilst the personal module, around the size of a smartphone, is worn by the pedestrian.

Constant transmission of radio signals measures the distance between the two modules in real time, and if this falls below a certain threshold the system triggers alarms. The driver receives visual and acoustic notification that a person is within the danger zone of the vehicle and the pedestrian is alerted by means of vibration and acoustic alarms, which also coincide with the truck being automatically brought to a standstill.

Happy employees, satisfied management

“Our employees really like this system”, said Roemhold. “They feel safe and protected when they move around the production lines. Initially some of them had to get used to the trucks slowing down automatically and thought that this could impact on productivity, but this was just perceived, and our analyses proved that this was not the case at all. Installation went very smoothly and the ELOKON technicians were quick to react with solutions to any feedback we had, such as slightly repositioning the antennas to improve the trucks’ steering.”

Compatible with all OEM products

ELOshield was installed on a number of the Toyota models, and going forward Mondi plans to fit all its new trucks with this system. In common with all of ELOKON’s safety and assistance systems, it is  compatible with any forklift brand as the radio signals can be adapted to be received by any truck, and it can also be retrofitted to existing fleets.

ELOshield won a gold award at the annual “Engineering Awards in Manufacturing” event at the ProMat trade show in Chicago.

Flexible Rental Model for Voice Tech

Posted on by David Priestman

Logistics companies around the world are facing tougher requirements each and every day. The global pandemic in particular has underlined how intralogistics processes are having to become faster and faster while at the same time keeping costs to a minimum. Voice solutions like Lydia® have proven to be the most successful option in this agile and demanding environment. However, despite offering a swift return on investment, introducing voice-assisted systems means making investments upfront, and this is something that companies often look to scale back during uncertain times. In a bid to markedly reduce this investment risk, EPG launched a flexible rental model for its Lydia® Voice system at the start of the year. The Lydia® Subscription makes it easy for companies to venture into the world of voice-controlled warehouse operations.

Lydia® Subscription gives clients access to the Lydia® voice solution, which can be used for a variety of voice-controlled applications in intralogistics, production, maintenance and quality assurance. The all-in-one package covers software usage, including all the required voice-application licences and integration into the overarching warehouse management or ERP system.
Users also gain access to comprehensive software support via a hotline, along with regular licence release upgrades. The bundle also come with the Voxter® Elite + voice client, including batteries, charger and maintenance services. Voxter® Scan +, the mobile handheld scanner, can also be included in the rental package if advanced data collection is required. Companies looking to work with voice-compatible mobile devices from other manufacturers have the option of limiting the rental model to just the software as the voice solution is hardware-independent, ensuring users can enjoy maximum flexibility. Lydia®-branded hygiene items, such as headsets, gloves or voicewear, need to be purchased separately for hygiene reasons.

Lydia® Subscription service – Optimising processes under a rental agreement

“The logistics sector operates in a dynamic market environment. Conditions are constantly changing – and the coronavirus pandemic is but one example. That is why logistics companies need to demonstrate maximum flexibility and agility. The Lydia® Subscription service provides a seamless and cost-efficient way for companies to begin optimising their logistics chain and gain access to cutting-edge voice technology. The rental model makes it easy for companies to calculate the total costs they will face,” explains Tim Just, CEO of Voice Solutions at EPG. For many companies, (software) rental models represent an appealing alternative to purchasing the products outright since they can avoid substantial outlays and prevent resources from being tied up for long periods of time. “Flexible subscription models do not require any overall capital expenditures, and therefore do not tie up capital within a company’s fixed assets. Companies therefore not only enjoy tax benefits, but also see a swifter return on investment,” Just says.

During the term of the contract, the system can be flexibly expanded for additional voice users at any time. Once the contact ends, so too does the company’s right to use the software and hardware. The customer can then decide whether to return the system or extend the rental agreement.

“We’re delighted to have come up with a way for companies to leverage major improvements in quality and performance in their picking operations within an incredibly short space of time – even during these challenging times,” Just explains.

Remote WMS Implementation Facilitates Timely Expansion

Posted on by David Priestman

Luxury and collectable online watch retailer, Watch Gang, is clocking up record shipments thanks to its investment in a new advanced, cloud-based WMS. The fast growing e-commerce retailer is handling thousands of closed tab shipments and subscription orders in days – rather than weeks – since its move to a new 10,000 sq.ft warehouse in Los Angeles included onboarding functionally rich and highly configurable SnapFulfil.

And the entire process was managed remotely, overcoming all the Covid-19 restrictions from travel to social distancing, saving both valuable time and money. SnapFulfil’s Remote Implementation (RI) program provides tailored virtual support, including regular online training and status meetings, to ensure new client teams can easily access and rigorously test the system in real time and advance – so meeting strict Go Live deadlines.

Watch Gang’s SVP Operations, Sam Christian, said: “The SnapFulfil team’s attention to detail is first rate and very personalised and you would never guess RI is a relatively new concept. It seems like they’ve been doing it all their working lives, it’s so slick and efficient. I can’t believe they’ll ever see the need to do on-site implementation again.

“When most things passed through the new WMS after Go Live, incremental volume went through the roof and without SnapFulfil I’d have manually been processing those orders weeks later. Quite frankly I would never have caught up. “Their WMS is everything we were hoping for; it manages and solves our specific issues and problems very well and tells us exactly what is where and the right quantities. For example, there’s been a perfect count on SKUs from day one and not a miss-shipment since.”

SnapFulfil’s RI is a formal, approved document that guides both project execution and control and from the outset makes all stakeholders and personnel aware of the key milestones to be achieved and signed off along the way.

SnapFulfil’s Project Manager, Charles Thompson, added: “RI has really come into its own over the past 12 months as the pandemic has turned the idea of business as usual on its head. At SnapFulfil we have always been disruptors in a traditional space and this has worked in our favour as the flexibility, scalability and ease of use of our WMS has meant that a rapidly expanding business like Watch Gang has been able to pivot and meet demand for its luxury watches with a superior customer fulfilment experience without delay.”

Logistics Tech Business sees Record-breaking Year

Posted on by Keith McKinley

fulfilmentcrowd, a logistics provider to Bear Grylls’ ecommerce shop, is forecasting revenues of £12m this financial year, driven by the explosion of online retail over the last 12 months. This represents a 58 per cent rise on the £7.6m achieved in 2019 – marking the best year to date for the Chorley-based business.

Founded in 1984, fulfilmentcrowd provides tailored order fulfilment services and technology to more than 400 UK and international online retailers. With 102 staff across 11 UK and global centres, including the UK, Germany, the Netherlands and the US, the firm manages more than 120,000 sq. ft. of warehouse space, processing more than 50,000 items per week.

Over the last 12 months, the firm has opened three new sites in Marton Fold, UK, Bocholt, Germany and Sandston, Virginia, USA, strengthening its international network and increasing its worldwide delivery capabilities. This includes the launch of a chilled logistics centre in Marton Fold, making cold chain fulfilment a viable and cost-effective option for UK-based ecommerce start-ups and SMEs in the food, drink, health and beauty sectors – all industries where the shelf life and quality of perishable products is greatly enhanced when stored in a temperature-controlled environment.

The firm’s operations are underpinned by the latest technology, with fulfilmentcrowd investing £1.5m a year into the research and development of its proprietary cloud-based software platform. Powered by artificial intelligence, the platform provides clients with instant marketplace integration, automated order processing and live order tracking.

Over the next 12 months, fulfilmentcrowd plans to expand its international network further by breaking into new ecommerce territories, with sites in the Middle East and Australasia already in negotiation. Due to the impact of the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement and the subsequent restrictions on certain goods being exported from the UK into the EU, the organisation also expects a sharp increase in the number of new and existing UK based clients outsourcing storage and fulfilment via its European centres in Germany and the Netherlands.

Vanessa Ashworth, Chief Marketing Officer at fulfilmentcrowd said: “We have seen extraordinary levels of demand for our solution over the last 12 months, as businesses look to adapt their core models towards eCommerce offerings. Our technology platform has been crucial in enabling us to satisfy this demand, with continual investment made in research and development to ensure we provide the highest level of fulfilment to our customers.

“As businesses continue to digitise operations, we expect this growth to accelerate over the coming months, especially with our growing international network of warehouses and the launch of specialist services like chilled fulfilment.”

fulfilmentcrowd has also demonstrated its commitment to sustainability. In 2019, the firm launched the ‘Lorax Project’, a multi-faceted initiative to become the UK’s first fully sustainable fulfilment provider by 2022. It offers clients environmentally responsible shipping, biodegradable packaging and a zero-waste policy, saving 12 tonnes of plastic waste per year and 176 tonnes in CO2 emissions.

Expansion of AGV mobile robots range

Posted on by David Priestman

ASTI Mobile Robotics is expanding its range of mobile robots with a series of vehicles for the transport and movement of light loads, called Boxmovers. These AGVs (Automatic Guided Vehicles) are ideal for manufacturing flows (such as the assembly or sub-assembly of small components), to feed the line with raw materials or finished products, and to transport auxiliary materials – all while taking into account information analysis, predictive maintenance, and improving rapid decision making.

These mobile robots are designed to automatically pick up, drop off, and deliver different types of loads such as containers, boxes, roller carts, and trays from any type of transfer station, doing so in different ways: individually, stacked, multilevel, from the ground, etc. The Boxmover line manages to maximize productivity and safety, ensuring the continuous supply of materials at the different stations, all the while improving times, managing complex processes, and supervising flow and inventory to eliminate possible human errors and reduce costs and time.

The Boxmover line has three different types of AGVs. Firstly, there is proANT-L which, thanks to its configurable lifting function, can automatically deliver packages of up to 50 kg in weight with different delivery heights, being assisted by a laser scanner. proANT-P ensures a fully autonomous supply of materials between conveyors installed at the same height, different types of boxes, and individual or stacked trays – with the same dimensions and up to 200 kg. And proANT-F was developed to transport different types of containers on carts of up to 300 kg in weight, directly picking them up from the ground.

This range is ideal for narrow spaces with different heights and for the transfer and storage of goods because it uses a cutting-edge, reliable, high-quality solution to optimize space. These AGVs move about with the help of SLAM natural navigation, which is very safe and reliable and which allows for total flexibility, dynamic route planning, easy installation, and safe and collaborative interaction with operators – without requiring changes to existing infrastructure.

Boxmovers keep track of flows and process optimization in real time through advanced smart connectivity and remote data traceability in order to simplify information analysis, predict maintenance, and improve rapid decision making.

 

New Warehousing Facilities in Saint Petersburg

Posted on by David Priestman

Ahlers, a leading provider of solutions beyond logistics, today announces a substantial investment of 13.2 million euro into building additional new warehousing facilities on their land in the Saint Petersburg area, Russia. This latest project strengthens Ahlers’ expansion strategy in Russia and CIS, adding to its existing presence in leading warehouses located in Saint Petersburg, Moscow, Chelyabinsk and Novosibirsk.

This will allow Ahlers to meet the increasing demand in a booming e-commerce market, supporting its customers with same-day deliveries, offering a successful go-to-market strategy. The new warehouse facility will serve their customers with even more quality storage, meeting the highest industry standards.

The construction project consists of an A-class warehouse of 21.000 m2, corresponding to 33.000 new pallet positions on top of the 60.000 already existing positions. This adds 50% to the total Saint-Petersburg warehousing footprint in ownership of Ahlers – excluding another 5.000 extra pallet positions under the canopies and 15.000 m² outside space. Ahlers also has several external rented locations in Saint Petersburg, used for specific warehousing operations in Shushary and Utkina Zavod.

Investment into narrow aisle racking will maximize space and optimize the new warehouse for enhanced efficiency and a streamlined picking process. Plans to develop operations in Saint Petersburg were initiated by proven expertise working on the Russian market. Ahlers keeps improving infrastructure, continually improving their operations, and pursuing innovations, to better meet the needs of its customers, facing complex supply chain challenges, enabling them to focus on their core business. They can turn to Ahlers for leasing as well as 3PL services.

New High Bay Cold Storage Facility

Posted on by David Priestman

Kloosterboer, one of the leading logistics service providers in Western Europe, commissioned SSI Schaefer with the supply and construction of steelwork for an impressive deep-freeze warehouse located in Port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands. The logistics service provider offers innovative and sustainable supply chain solutions for temperature-controlled storage and distribution of food related products, such as fish, meat, fruit, fruit juice and juice concentrate, milk and potato products. SSI Schaefer has proven to be a reliable partner in past joint projects, which led to the awarded project.

A fully automatic, deep-freeze logistics center will call the City Terminal Rotterdam home – Cool Port 2. SSI Schaefer will supply about 4,100 tons of steel to erect a 6-aisle high bay warehouse with impressive dimensions too; 69 m length, 139 m width and 41 m height. The high bay warehouse consists of a silo design with the lateral walls and roof cover attached directly to the steelwork. Being a steelwork supplier, SSI Schaefer has erected numerous high bay warehouses with this type of silo design worldwide. Since Kloosterboer already did several successful projects with SSI Schaefer, it was an easy decision to award the contract to the reliable intralogistics experts.

The requirements of the British sustainability certificate BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) are adhered to during the construction. SSI Schaefer has designed the roof construction of the high bay warehouse for a future photovoltaic system for additional energy savings. The roof will be able to accommodate 2,700 solar modules.

With a storage capacity of 60,000 pallets in Cool Port 2, Kloosterboer will serve a variety of customers. The construction of the steelwork has started in fall 2020, the completion is scheduled for summer 2021. The deep-freeze warehouse will be commissioned in January 2022.

New ways to Conquer Supply Chain Complexity

Posted on by David Priestman

Körber, the global supply chain technology leader from supply chain software to materials handling automation, is taking big steps towards the future with WDT (Wirtschaftsgenossenschaft deutscher Tierärzte eG) and the first logistics center in Germany specifically designed for veterinary medicine. It stands for an expanded business model that adds sustained value for veterinary practices throughout the region. Thereby, WDT is relying on the SAP consulting and implementation expertise of Körber.

For over 100 years, WDT has been manufacturing and purchasing consumables and items for the veterinary industry. With its own high-quality products as well as medical supplies, human and wholesale products, the company is the basic supplier of veterinary practices and thus more than just a wholesaler and producer. In the future, the company will provide comprehensive logistics services via its specially founded logistics company VetLogOne GmbH and supply goods to veterinary practices, clinics and other businesses in the industry. The portfolio includes approximately 12,000 products from the areas of veterinary drugs, animal feed and articles for medical practice.

“Up to now, veterinarians regularly placed orders with 20 to 30 different suppliers. These processes are very time-consuming, prone to errors and pollute the environment. Faster ordering processes and less packaging waste are just some of the benefits we can provide through centralized logistics services as part of our expanded business model,” explains Dr. Thomas Nonnewitz, Board member responsible for supply chain at WDT.

The expanded logistics services, which include shipping, invoicing and returns management, will be available starting in 2021. To this end, WDT is investing in a new 20,000 m² logistics center in Wunstorf near Hanover, Germany. In the future, the new location will bundle all existing logistics processes and rely on SAP EWM (Extended Warehouse Management) and Körber’s SAP-based Courier, Express & Parcel (CEP) add-on.

As Thomas Gries, Chief Executive Officer of SAP Solutions at Körber Supply Chain, emphasizes: “Logistics processes are becoming increasingly complex. This makes powerful software solutions and proven partnerships all the more important. We have been working together with WDT for many years – an excellent foundation to move towards the future together and play a decisive role in establishing the expanded business model.”

The new logistics center is scheduled to go live in spring 2021. WDT plans to invest 12 million euros by 2025, including cold storage for more than 1,000 pallet locations.

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