Handling Network Summer 2018

summer 2018 summer Vol XXVI

The Irish Magazine for the Materials Handling, Warehousing & Logistics Sectors

Combilift opens Ireland’s largest Industrial manufacturing plant Featuring: - News - Industry Insights - Product Launches - CV Show Review - Case Studies - Supply Chain - Plus IFOY 2018 Award Winners Announced!

“TOGETHER, WE CAN HANDLE ANY JOB.”

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contents summer 2018

The Irish Magazine for the Materials Handling, Warehousing & Logistics Sectors

Volume XXVI Issue 2

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16 Published by:

Fleet Publications, D’Alton Street,

Claremorris, Co. Mayo, Ireland F12 E7P2

Editor:

Jarlath Sweeney – jarlath@fleet.ie

Contributors:

Rob Van Dieten, Paul White, Howard Knott,

HSA, IEA

Advertising:

Mary Morrissey

Administration:

Denise Owens

Design & Layout: Crackerjack Design House Contact Details: Telephone: 00353 94 9372826 Email: handlingnetwork@fleet.ie

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News

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Insights

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Product

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Cover Story

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CV Show

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IFOY Awards 2018

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Advice

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Case Studies

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Supply Chain

WHO GETS HANDLING NETWORK? Handling Network - the magazine of the Irish Handling & Distribution Industry - is produced bi-monthly by specialists in the materials handling sector, with contributions by experts on topics of special interest to its readership.

Handling Network is distributed on controlled circulation; addressed to key personnel in Ireland’s top companies and organisations. Recipients include Company Directors, Purchasing Managers, Warehouse & Logistics Managers, Plant & Production Engineers, Transport Managers, Safety Officers and other relevant personnel.

Areas covered include forklift trucks, warehouse logistics, racking, storage & distribution, commercial vehicles, plant & equipment finance, lifting gear, loading bay and conveyor systems...together with information on health and safety issues.

Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information contained in Handling Network, the publishers cannot accept responsibility for the veracity of claims made by advertisers, manufacturers or contributors or for opinions expressed.

Copyright for all material contained in this magazine remains with the publishers.

www.handling-network.com

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summer 2018

news

Intensifying ‘try-before-youbuy’ trend causing concern It looks like courier companies will be under even more pressure as a new report highlights the hidden dangers of online shopping with a number of high profile retailers introducing try-now-pay-later options for customers. The trend is threatening to overwhelm retailers with a huge surge of intentional returns that may undermine profits. Brightpearl’s study reveals the try-before-you-buy trend will have a major impact on both purchase behaviour and, of course, returns.

According to the report, the majority of consumers (76%) would ‘definitely’ or ‘maybe’ purchase more items if offered a try-before-you-buy option, with shoppers ordering on average three extra items each month, only to return them without ever paying a penny.

Of major concern is that 87% would return up to seven purchases – with research showing that 85% of consumers expect retailers to provide returns for free. The report also reveals that more than 40% of retailers have seen a marked increase in ‘intentional returns’ over the past twelve months, when customers deliberately over-order multiple items knowing returns are free or cheap.

In addition, more than half (51%)

agreed that their margins are being strongly impacted by the process of handling and packaging returns and 72% believe they will be squeezed even further as the try-before-you-buy trend intensifies. The survey also reveals that 17% of global retailers have already adopted the try-before-you-buy model.

By 2019, more than a quarter will offer this type of service to customers.

The study also revealed that a staggering 69% of retailers are not deploying any technology solutions to process returns. This is despite the complexity of managing returns, with the average returned purchase passing through seven people before it’s listed for resale.

Commenting on the findings, Derek O’Carroll, CEO of Brightpearl said: “For consumers, try-before-you-buy is a positive trend, removing another barrier to purchase. The good news for retailers is that this will almost certainly lead to an uplift in sales. Our study indicates that shoppers want the option to order items such as clothes online but only pay once they decide to keep them, so it’s something that all retailers will need

to consider to remain competitive.

However, this trend could spell disaster for retail business owners if they do not prepare by having the right framework and solutions in place to manage returns. And, they’ll need to do so quickly as the trend becomes more widely adopted over the next year. “ “Consumers will buy more, but retailers must be ready for a potential flood of returns. With shoppers indicating that they could return an extra three items a month on average, it could spell an unmanageable tsunami of returns for some merchants.”

Brightpearl’s study also revealed that beyond an expectation for free returns, shoppers also want their returns to be processed faster. In addition, a majority within all age groups believe that a time frame of three to five days is acceptable for processing returns.

However, it currently takes an average of six days for consumers to receive reimbursement on returning items.

Top order for Moffett E-Series from Topps Tiles Interest and demand for Hiab Moffett’s electric truck mounted forklift is increasing as Topps Tiles, the UK’s leading tile specialist has ordered 7 zero-emission Moffett E-series.

“The Moffett E-Series truck mounted forklifts, which is the world’s first lithium-ion powered truck mounted forklift, offers silent and emission free deliveries for urban night-time deliveries. Our customers can expand their business window and contribute towards environmental savings with electric Moffetts. When developing the E-Series, we wanted to ensure that this

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solution generates efficiency in our customers’ logistics as well as improves the carbon footprint,” explained Barry McGrane, Director, Sales & Product Business Management, Truck Mounted Forklifts, Hiab.

“The experience we have from the Moffett E-Series is very positive. We want to enhance our fleet to include more of this type of emission-free and silent equipment.

This also offers us the opportunity to deliver stock outside of store trading hours more effectively,” added Doug

Bingham, Head of Supply Chain at Topps Tiles.

Topps Tiles decided also to include Hiab ProCare maintenance contract for the agreement. The delivery of the equipment, 14 units in all, to include 7 standard versions, will start during the second quarter of 2018.

summer 2018

Overall Confidence in Logistics & Supply Chain Sector on the up The 3rd Annual Irish Logistics & Supply Chain Confidence Index has been released by commercial property specialists CBRE in association with Freight Transport Association Ireland and undertaken by specialist research agency Analytiqa. This latest survey researched confidence and expectations in the Irish logistics sector of the economy, with more than 50 senior decision makers from across the logistics and shipping sectors in Ireland participating.

Respondents included CEOs, Managing Directors and senior management of some of the largest logistics providers, firms and buyers in the State.

Some of the key findings of this year’s survey included: n The Index for 2018 shows an overall confidence score of 63.3 - up from 60.4 in 2017, but still below the 72.7 figure reported in 2016, demonstrating the extent to which issues such as Brexit are exercising minds in this sector of the economy. n Interestingly, there has been a significant divergence of confidence between the two sets of respondents, logistics operators and shippers. Last year, shippers were marginally more confident (61.2) than logistics operators (59.7). This year, confidence amongst logistics operators increase to 75.4 and shippers reduce to a 50.0 measure. n Despite a positive economic outlook, the deterioration in shippers’ confidence year-on-year is perhaps not surprising, considering that the prices of raw materials and inputs are increasing at a faster rate than it is possible to pass on to customers in the current environment. n When asked how confident they are about business conditions over the next 12 months, 28% of respondents say that conditions will be ‘somewhat more difficult’, which is down 12% on last year. 10% of respondents say that conditions are likely to be ‘much more difficult’ next year. However, 28% of respondents expect business conditions to be the same as last year while 30% expect conditions to be ‘somewhat more favourable’ over the next 12 months.

Only 4% of respondents are expecting business conditions to be ‘much more

favourable’ over the next 12 months. n Encouraging to note that 85% of respondents said they expected turnover in their organisation to increase over the next year, a 5% improvement yearon-year. 46% of respondents expect a relatively modest increase of between 2% and 5% in turnover over the next 12-month period, with 17% anticipating an increase of between 5% and 8% in turnover in the period. 11% of respondents forecast an even higher increase in year-on-year turnover of between 8% and 10%, while another 11% expect turnover in their business to increase by more than 10% over the next 12 months. 7% of respondents expect turnover to deteriorate in 2018 although no respondents are expecting turnover to decline by more than 5% in the period. n 60% of respondents expect increased profitability over the next 12 months - up from 57% in 2017. n Despite the significant challenges across supply chains, 52% of respondents intend to increase their logistics-related headcount to some extent over the next 12-month period (up from 46% last year) with the largest cohort (34%) expecting to increase their headcount by between 2% and 5% yearon-year. That said, 12% of respondents expect to see a reduction in headcount over the next 12 months (up from 6% last year) with most of these expecting to reduce headcount by between 2% and 5%. n When asked about their change in attitude towards the Eircode system in the last 12 months, compared to their opinion at the same time last year, the majority of respondents (66%) said there had been no change in their attitude.

However, 30% of respondents said they were more positively disposed towards the Eircode system than they were 12 months ago (up from 20% last year). Just 4% of respondents describe themselves as more negative towards Eircode than they were 12 months ago. n 82% reported growth in ecommerce activity of up to 5% over the last 12 months. 7% of respondents reported growth of between 6% and 10%, whilst the remaining 11% saw growth of between 10% and 15%.

news n 49% of respondents said their Ecommerce activity has the island of Ireland as its basis, with the UK accounting for a further 20%. The remaining share of activity is segmented quite evenly between the European Union (16%) and the rest of the World (15%). n When asked how their companies would accommodate further growth in Ecommerce in 2018, 44% of respondents said that they would do this by improving technology in their organisations. A further 22% said they would do so by better collaboration between customers and service providers while 22% also stated that investment in warehousing and / or fleet operations would be required. 9% said that they would have to recruit additional resources to accommodate Ecommerce growth. n 2017 was characterised by shortages of modern industrial and logistics stock to satisfy demand across the island of Ireland, which in turn fuelled rental growth and impacted negatively on take-up volumes. 71% of respondents to this survey expect an increase in demand for logistics property in 2018 (up from 56% last year), with logistics operators once again considerably more bullish than shipper’s in this respect, mirroring trends in surveys in 2016 and 2017. 93% of respondents from the logistics industry expect to see an increase in demand for logistics properties in 2018 (up from 77% last year) compared to only 43% of shippers. n Overall, 23% of respondents nominated ‘Brexit uncertainty’ as one of the biggest challenges facing their business in 2018. Other concerns that ranked highly in this year’s survey included ‘a shortage of drivers and other key skilled employees’ as well as ‘economic conditions’ and ‘increasing employee wage pressures’.

•When asked to identify key opportunities for their business over the next 12 months, ‘achieving market growth internationally’ has increased in importance relative to the 2017 survey, with 22% of respondents now identifying this as a key area for the year ahead. ‘Offering value added services to customers’ and ‘capitalising on domestic market growth’ are also among the leading opportunities identified by respondents. www.handling-network.com

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summer 2018

insights

Joint Automated Warehouse Solution from GEODIS & DELTA DRONE After almost two years of development, and more than 1,000 flight hours in prototype mode across three pilot warehouses, the completely automatic warehouse inventory solution using drones, perfected by GEODIS and DELTA DRONE, will be operational at the end of 2018.

The main advantages of this solution are the productivity gains generated by performing the inventories outside warehouse operating hours, greater safety at work for the site’s employees, who no longer have to carry out this tedious and sometimes risky task and a greater reliability of the inventory.

In the prototyping phase, multiple tests were carried out in real operating conditions in order to meet the specific constraints of warehouses, such as low light or the impact that the plastic film covering pallets has on image capturing, which required special adaptations to the cameras embedded in the drones.

This phase ended in 2017 with the development of a complete “plug and play” solution that can be easily moved from one warehouse to another without requiring that any prior changes be made to the warehouse. This solution also adapts to all types of Warehouse Management Systems (WMS). Based on these extremely positive results,

Scott Read – New Head of Intralogistics at Siemens UK & Ireland GEODIS and DELTA DRONE are now working on producing a system that can be manufactured, focusing their attention on the solution’s design and the final choice of the best components. The aim is to move to the industrial production stage at the end of the year. Initially, GEODIS will be the exclusive user of this solution in its own warehouses.

The solution designed by the GEODIS and DELTA DRONE engineering teams is unique. It combines a ground-based robot equipped with a battery that provides the energy needed to navigate a warehouse and allows freedom from autonomy constraints, and a quadcopter drone equipped with four high-definition cameras. This set, equipped with indoor geolocation technology, operates autonomously during the hours the site is closed.

From an IT point of view, the solution enables the counting and reporting of data in real time, the processing of data, and its restitution in the warehouse’s information system. The tests conducted during this initial development phase show that the solution enables inventory to be managed reliably with rates close to 100%.

Scott Read has been appointed as the new Head of Intralogistics at Siemens UK & Ireland, reflecting the fast-paced growth within the sector.

Previously Key Account Manager at Siemens, Scott’s appointment will see him responsible for the development and implementation of the business strategy to drive further growth within the sector.

In addition, Scott, who has been at Siemens for seven years, will also work in close collaboration with other Siemens teams across both digital factory and process and drives divisions present within the logistics industry.

Commenting on his appointment Scott said: “At a time when the logistics sector is enjoying continued growth, I am delighted to have been appointed to head up the Siemens UK & Ireland Logistics team. As the sector further embraces digitalisation, understanding the specific challenges customers face will be key to unlocking its true potential. I look forward to working closely with customers and partners to deliver Siemens technology-based services and software to increase productivity, efficiency and flexibility.”

Efficient control using joystick from UniCarrier

*Enhances ergonomics in its counterbalance trucks

UniCarriers is installing new control functions on its counterbalance trucks with an ergonomic redesign. The TX will be the first model available with the time-tested Ergologic joystick from this month. This joystick complements the existing control options - fingertip controls, mono lever controls and mechanical levers - to provide a fourth

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alternative for hydraulic control.

Ergologic is designed to the highest ergonomic standards and will be offered on all vehicles in the Counter Balance portfolio in the future. Drivers can use the joystick to operate all hydraulic functions of the forklift with minimal effort.

Your lightweight lifting partner has arrived.

Calor’s lightweight LPG cylinder is a versatile energy solution for every situation. Unlike diesel, it gives lower emissions and is perfect for use indoors. Unlike electricity, it’s perfect for use outdoors, where even steep gradients won’t hold it back. It’s lightweight, easy to change and available for direct delivery so you have a constant supply.

Call now for a consultation 1850 812 450 or visit calorgas.ie

summer 2018

product

Flexible Load Carriers for Various Applications At Intralogistics Europe 2018 in Paris, Cabka-IPS, the specialist for plastic load carriers, presented a selection of items from its comprehensive product range, including its collapsible large load carrier CabCube 2.0, among other things. Further highlights were its proven and universally usable large format pallet box, the Eco P3 plastic pallet with its distinctive wing design, and the Retail E5.2 pallet, which simplifies food distribution tasks.

The CabCube 2.0 is a collapsible large load container used by suppliers to deliver goods to production lines or warehouses. The container is robust and durable due to its injection-molded production process. It is tailored to transport large-volume, yet lightweight components for just-in-time deliveries.

The CabCube 2.0 consists of three parts: a pallet, a cover and a collapsible

ring. The flat, fully sealed surface of the pallet enables neat placement of a variety of goods, eliminating the need for costly floor panels. For the food industry, agriculture, waste management, and industrial production, Cabka-IPS has developed a large variant of the universally applicable pallet box. Its capacity is 1,400 litres. The container, which is made from impact-resistant, chemical-resistant, and food grade HDPE, is available with perforated or closed walls.

Also on display in Paris was the Eco P3 pallet, developed specifically for the chemical industry. Thanks to its wing design with the top extending beyond the runners and feet of the pallet, it offers an extra large support surface

Cabka at Intralogistics Europe 2018: large variety of transport solutions made of plastic

and optimally supports the transport of bags, so more can be transported even on smaller conveyors. Visitors also discovered more about the Retail E5.2 picking pallet, that it is light, nestable, and durable. It fulfills all requirements of the food distribution industry and offers the perfect alternative to customary wooden pallets.

BUBL Bag will now trade as BUBL Packaging

Following strong sales growth and the introduction of new product lines, BUBL Bag, one of the leading makers of inflatable and reusable protective packaging is to trade from now on as BUBL Packaging.

BUBL Packaging was formally launched at the recent Internet Retailing Expo/eDelivery Expo at the NEC in Birmingham. Its products

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replace cardboard boxes, padded envelopes, void fill and bubble wrap, with the packing process taking much less time than traditional packaging. In addition, they take up very little space and can be reused many times, so they are much more cost effective than traditional packaging. All material used is recyclable.

The products inflate to provide a secure, air-filled pocket that offers maximum protection for valuable or fragile goods, so transit damage, which accounts for around 7% of all product shipments on average, and a much higher percentage in some categories, is dramatically reduced.

Two new product lines have been added since the original BUBL Bag: n BUBLPods provide advanced protection for high – value products ranging from mobile phones and laptops to replacement windows, artwork and televisions.

The air - filled tubes can be customised for specific product variants.

n

BUBLCases are perfect for transporting valuable technical and audio - visual equipment. The robust design is ideal for heavy duty, multi-trip use.

The company has also created BUBL Tec to utilise the technology behind the packaging system and enable customisation of its protective packaging to develop bespoke solutions.

summer 2018

cover story

€50m Combilift & Aisle-Master Manufacturing Facility Officially Opened New Combilift Factory

assistance of artificial lighting. Lighting is provided through 1100 LED light with individual PIR sensors. Solar panels supply 185 kW of energy with a 1 MW Biomass plant fuelled by recycled wood (pallets etc) to heat the spraying boots and assembly area.

110,000 litres of rain water is harvested for use throughout the facility. Certified to international quality and safety management standards, the new headquarters and manufacturing facility has been awarded ISO 9001 international quality management system, ISO 14001 Environment Management and OHSAS 18001 Occupational Health and Safety Assessment Series.

Official Opening Established in 1998, Combilift currently exports 98% of its products to 85 countries through its 250-strong international dealer network. Company founders Robert Moffett (Technical Director) and Martin McVicar (Managing Director) have come a long way over the two decades.

Back then, 18 examples of its innovative all-wheel drive, side loading, multi-directional forklifts were made and sold in County town, with further room for its first year, the majority to overseas expansion. Incorporating the latest customers. Currently, there are over manufacturing processes with a major 40,000 Combilift and associated Aislefocus on sustainability, the new factory Master materials handling products will enable Combilift to double its in operation worldwide. More than output in a single shift across all 50 truckloads of finished products are production lines. Currently, four 90 dispatched to 85 countries each week. metre long moving assembly lines Spare parts are also shipped across the produce a finished truck every 15 world from Monaghan to the dealer minutes. network.

Thirty percent of its roof panels are Combilift’s product portfolio has covered in skylights enabling staff to expanded substantially with cuswork in natural daylight without the It was like one of the most successful events from ‘The Gathering’ all over again. Visitors, comprising of dealers, sales representatives, financial and trade media, all flocked from far and wide to Annaloagh, County Monaghan to celebrate the official opening of Combilift’s new €50m facility, Ireland’s largest manufacturing plant under one roof.

The new 46,500 sq.m (500,000 sq.ft) purpose-built ‘L-shape’ factory, covering 11-acres of roof space is constructed on a 100-acre site, prominently located just outside the

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tomisation being a cornerstone of the company’s policy and success according to Martin McVicar: “As a company, Combilift has always focused on a number of niche market segments and has a proven track record of launching one to two new products annually. In the first 10 years Combilift

First Combilift sold in Ireland

concentrated on the long load material handling sector. The Combilift multi-directional forklift revolutionised the handling of long materials as it allowed customers to handle long products in less space more safely. Between 2008 and 2018, Combilift diversified its product ranged by developing a number of innovative space saving warehouse and heavy load handling products; the Aisle Master articulated truck and the Straddle Carrier (Combi-SC) respectively. Combilift entered the pedestrian forklift market with the introduction a number of unique products (Combi-WR and Combi-CS) in the last 5 years, which benefit from its patented multi-positional operator tiller arm technology.

Martin sees a growing demand

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cover story

for pedestrian trucks, driven by safety concerns where customers and/ or employees are in the vicinity of operating forklifts: “It is Combilift’s intention to significantly expand its pedestrian forklift range as can be seen with the launch of the high lift capacity Combilift Powered Pallet Truck (CombiPPT).” Further sales growth potential is achievable with the Straddle Carrier applications as they are a more cost effective for heavy duty operations.

Since 1998 Combilift has been manufacturing customised products tailored to suit client requirements.

“The flexibility in our new facility means that Combilift can continue to accommodate any customer request for a customised material handling solution,” explained Martin: “Customer requirements are our standard. The new factory enables us to double production and remain focused on the needs of our customers and dealers. We have become much more than a forklift manufacturer and are transforming the transport and logistics sector with our innovative, space-spacing products.”

The Combilift approach is one of listening to its global network of customers. “We work closely with our customers and dealers to identify solutions that best match their individual specific needs. Combilift invests 7% of its annual turnover (revenue) in Research and Development (R & D) to enhance its customisation capability. We are intensifying the collaboration with our customers in the warehouse and material handling sectors.

The intention is to maximise return on revenue (ROI).”

Combilift is also investing in its workforce, adding a con-

“Combilift is an incredible home-grown siderable number of Monaghan success story. When the high-level employment company was founded 20 years ago, opportunities, for skilled it had three employees, a brilliant technicians, design concept, and the ambition to make it engineers, logistics a reality. We need more home-grown and supply chain companies like Combilift if we are to specialists and those achieve our vision for a prosperous with mechanical and future for communities living in electrical mechatronics counties all across the country. skills. “The investment Combilift is playing a significant role in in people will enable the Monaghan’s success, and I would Combilift to meet like to congratulate Robert Moffett and its ambitious growth Aisle Master CS Martin Mc Vicar, their leadership team plans,” added Martin. and staff, and everyone at the Combilift “We have employed on their achievements to date and wish an additional 230 people since we them every success for the future.” announced our plans for this factory in Local TD., Heather Humphreys, 2015. The combination of this state of Minister for Business, Enterprise & the art production plant and a skilled Innovation pointed to the positive workforce will allow us to double production within the next 5 years.” Present workforce numbers are above 500.

Another side to Combilift is that it offers a free logistic and warehouse design service. Combi-Connect allows the customer to see the benefit a Combilift product will bring to their business.

“Our engineers Production line system proactively design, plan and produce solutions impact of Combilift on the Border in collaboration with our customers by Region: “As one of the most significant offering material flow analysis and 3D employers in Monaghan, the positive animations. We work with customers to impact that Combilift has on the produce warehouse designs to visualise county, the Border Region and Ireland the capacity potential as well as the cannot be under-estimated. Perhaps optimum flow of materials on their above all, the company is living proof site,” mentioned Martin. that you don’t have to be in a big city Speaking at the official opening to achieve global success. As Minister, An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said: I am focused on ensuring we have the right conditions in place to encourage job creation right across country, so supporting ambitious companies like Combilift is hugely important. I am delighted that the Government, through Enterprise Ireland, has part-funded the manufacturing facility, which paves the way for this exciting business to double its output and create new jobs in the region. Today is a wonderful day for Monaghan and Ireland.”

Production in progress

Text & Photos: Jarlath Sweeney

www.handling-network.com

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review

CV Show 2018

New Moffett M5 NX truck mounted forklift The new Moffett M5 NX truck mounted forklift, the latest model form the NX series of next-generation machines, was premiered at the Commercial Vehicle Show at the NEC in Birmingham on April 24 last.

The Moffett M5 NX is the ideal machine for medium to heavy-duty tasks, with an efficient power to weight ratio. “The M5 NX is the newest addition to our NX range of truck mounted forklifts, featuring improved operator safety and comfort, easier maintenance and enhanced styling, all combined with the great performance and trusted reliability that is expected from a Moffett,” explained Keith Quigley, Senior Vice President, Truck Mounted Forklifts, Hiab at the event.

The M5 NX is light enough to be carried on almost any truck or trailer, yet it can lift up to 2,500kg, giving it a highly efficient power to weight ratio. It is available with the option of the Lift Assist system, enabling it to safely unload from one side, which gives it supreme flexibility in confined spaces and situations where a normal front-loading forklift simply could not operate. So, whether there is a need to unload in busy streets, congested urban environments, or simply on a building site, the M5 NX is capable of delivering a wide range of products, from building supplies and industrial gasses, to animal feeds and turf, quickly and safely.

“We constantly strive to improve our products, based on customer feedback, and we have developed some great new features for the M5 NX as a result,” added Nigel Brook, Product Business Manager, Truck Mounted Forklifts, Hiab.

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With Moffett, safety always comes first. “With Ground Start as standard, the operator can mount and dismount the machine from the ground, and the M5 NX can be dismounted from the truck in less than 60 seconds,” continues Brook.

“The bonnet has been redesigned to give extra visibility, and together with the new LED lights and beacon, interlocking seat belt, a larger enclosure, and new pedal positions, these features give maximum safety and comfort to the operator.

And the redesigned bonnet and rear doors make access for daily maintenance checks incredibly easy and fast.”

A wide range of options and attachments allow the M5 NX to be specifically customised to suit differing needs. They include varied lift heights, four-way steering, a choice of forks, and various tyre options.

Moffett offers a wide range of flexible maintenance solutions under the ProCare programme, ranging from scheduled preventative care, to full repair and maintenance-as-required contracts. Its global service network means that fully-trained Moffett technicians are always available to keep your equipment up and running using genuine Moffett parts, to ensure it retains the reliability and performance designed into it.

Packed with improvements both inside and out, the new Moffett NX series of truck mounted forklifts offers enhanced safety, durability, quality, and improved versatility and performance.

They unload trucks quickly and safely, and enable operators to get the maximum payload on their vehicle. No matter what the application, there is a Moffett to meet every need.

Manitou stretches out at CV Show In Hall 5, show visitors had the opportunity to see, feel and touch a selection of products from French materials handling company Manitou.

The Manitou Truck Mounted Masted

(TMM) is a new concept machine based on two decades of experience in the field. It’s lightweight and is also available as a 4 way version for handling long loads in restricted areas.

The simplicity of the TMT – Truck Mounted Telescope is its key selling point and helps to increase productivity with the telescopic boom. Available in three specifications – Rough Terrain (4-way), Industrial and Poultry, there is a machine to suit all needs.

Manitou also has a range of industrial electric forklifts with load capacities from 1,500 kg to 8,000 kg. Other power options include diesel and gas with a choice of lift capacities. Launched at the NEC was the company’s new EP 15 Hand Pallet Truck.

Eamon Bolger, who heads up MEB Equipment, Manitou distributors for the UK & Ireland was on hand to demonstrate the new products to show visitors.

Penny Hydraulics has got it all configured Configuration from the Penny Hydraulics Group – a new online tool making vehicle mounted lifting equipment simple. The free-to-use module accessible from the company website facilitates users to specify vehicle mounted lifting equipment from an extensive range of cranes and hydraulic vehicle lifts.

How does it work? An intuitive step by step process guides the user through a number of options and

summer 2018

review

questions, before suggesting one, or a number of suitable cranes or hydraulic vehicle lifts to suit the vehicle model and required application. The user is presented with dimensional drawings, specification information, product imagery and a brochure - useful pre-purchase information which may all be downloaded directly from the configurator in PDF format. At this stage, the user can also opt to receive a rapid quotation or request an on-site demonstration.

and width options.

SHS also offers a wide selection of Veltruk aluminium hand (sack) truck products, suitable for use in any work environment. These durable and lightweight trucks are designed for efficient transportation. Whether it’s food distribution, warehouse operations or goods delivery to homes and businesses, SHS has a sack truck that meets your needs.

Flexi (Narrow Aisle) The Flexi range of articulated forklift trucks from Narrow Aisle Ltd is the ideal choice for road transport specialists which also provide

SHS Handling Solutions Safe handling is a key concern in every industrial and commercial environment. SHS Handling Solutions specialise in equipping business premises with a select range of materials handling equipment, which has been designed to improve overall workplace safety, reducing the risk of injuries and helping boost productivity and operator comfort. It supplies

businesses with Chinese built Liftek static and mobile materials handling equipment that includes scissor lift tables, trolleys, and trucks, as well as heavy duty lifts available in several lifting capacity, wheel diameter, height,

warehousing and storage facilities. And Narrow Aisle highlighted a number of products from the Flexi range on its stand. On display was the Flexi AC 1200 - the most popular articulated warehouse truck in Europe.

Easy to operate and popular with lift truck drivers, the Flexi AC 1200 increases usable storage space by between 25 and 50 percent, and because – like all models in the Flexi range – it is able to load and unload trucks and deliver pallets directly to the racking in a single operation, it eliminates the need to operate a counterbalanced machine outside and a reach truck inside the store which slashes forklift fleet costs.

Also presented at the CV Show was the Flexi Easi-Change - a new intelligent forklift truck battery

charging and management system that further improves lift truck fleet efficiency for users of battery-powered Flexi articulated trucks.

Toyota Materials Handling On stand 3A64, Toyota showcased a selection of trucks which are suited to supporting the distribution sectors.

Toyota’s range of innovative solutions will help to improve the efficiency of operations. On stand there was a ‘quiet zone’ featuring the BT Lifter Silent hand pallet truck and the BT Levio LWE130 powered pallet truck. The BT Lifter Silent Hand Pallet truck has been designed to operate at less than 60db and the BT Levio LWE130 powered pallet truck operates at 62db. Due to their low noise levels, they are suitable for use in quiet operations or noise sensitive areas such as residential areas or out of hours deliveries.

Jon Buckley, Commercial Director at Toyota Material Handling UK, commented at the event: “The transport and distribution industry is an important sector for Toyota.

As members of the Road Haulage Association we have developed a good understanding of the industry and how we can help our customers to improve their operation. We understand that the needs of this industry are changing and deliveries are increasingly required out of business hours. The BT Lifter Silent and the LWE130 were developed with these requirements in mind and we are proud to feature these on our stand at the event.”

Text & Photos: Jarlath Sweeney

www.handling-network.com

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The Original.

Linde Hydrostatic Drive

Linde Material Handling Excellence at work

Ahead Through Precision Linde’s launch of the first hydrostatic transmission in 1958 marked a milestone in the history of forklift engineering. Many features have been enhanced and optimised in the meantime. However, one thing that hasn’t changed is the leading international position held by Linde hydrostatic drive.

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Seamless Seamlessacceleration accelerationand andreversing, reversing,pinpoint pinpointaccuracy accuracywhen when positioning, positioning,virtually virtuallymaintenance-free: maintenance-free:the thedifference differenceisis compelling. compelling.The Thetruck truckresponds respondssmoothly smoothlyand andinstantly instantlyto to every everycommand commandwith withmasterful masterfulprecision. precision.This Thisisisexpressed expressedinin the theexceptional exceptionalefficiency, efficiency,safety, safety,reliability reliabilityand andeconomy economy with withwhich whichloads loadsare aremoved; moved;performance performancethat thatensures ensuresyour your business businessgoals goalsare arerealised. realised.

Linde LindeMaterial MaterialHandling Handling(Ireland) (Ireland)Ltd. Ltd.welcomes welcomesyou youto toan an exciting excitingnew newwave waveofofsupply supplychain chainsolutions: solutions:combining combining proven provennationwide nationwidelocal localcustomer customersupport supportwith withthe theresources resources ofofaaglobal globalleader, leader,we weset setnew newstandards standardsfor forproductivity, productivity, safety, safety,cost-efficiency cost-efficiencyand andcustomer customersatisfaction. satisfaction.

Now Nowall allour ourcustomers customerscan canexploit exploitLinde’s Linde’sworldwide worldwide expertise expertiseininengine enginepowered poweredand andelectric electriccounterbalance counterbalance trucks, trucks,as aswell wellas asour ourcomprehensive comprehensiverange rangeofofwarehouse warehouse equipment. equipment.

For Foraccess accessto tothe thebest besthandling handlingsolutions solutionsto to match matchyour yourindividual individualbusiness businessrequirements requirements call call01 01456 4566626 6626or orvisit visitwww.linde-mh.ie www.linde-mh.ie

summer 2018

awards

After a series of test trials the election of the International Forklift & Intralogistics Award (IFOY) 2018 was as difficult as ever, such was the high quality of entries. “It was the toughest and closest decision made since the IFOY Awards were established. The IFOY audit has shown that all finalists are far ahead of their competitors in terms of quality, innovation and practicability, not only on paper yet also in practice,” emphasized Anita Würmser, Chairwoman of the IFOY jury at the celebration.

Witron Logistik + Informatik GmbH, Parkstein, Germany, triumphed in the premium class of “Integrated Warehouse Solutions” for its Migros Distribution Center Suhr AG in Switzerland. The new RX 20 from

IFOY Awards Finalists 2018 LIEBHERR MK 140 Tower Crane WINNER! Category: Cranes & Lifting Appliances

Jungheinrich, Liebherr, Still, Wegard & Witron win IFOY Awards 2018 Hamburg-based Still GmbH was voted best forklift truck of the year. This year, two vehicles shared the “Warehouse Truck of the Year” title, for the first time in IFOY history. Crossing the finish line together were the ECE 225 from Jungheinrich AG and the Wegard Trail from the Hamburg startup Wegard GmbH. Jungheinrich won a second IFOY Award in the “Special of the Year” category with the cross-technology SLH300 battery charger for industrial trucks. In the crane category, the MK 140 tower crane from Liebherr-Werk Biberach GmbH was honoured.

The IFOY Awards were decided by an expert jury comprising of sector technical experts and trade journal editors from aound the world including

Jarlath Sweeney, representing Fleet Transport & Handling Network. (See the following pages for full details on the finalists).

“Due to its specialised expertise it is regarded as the most important innovation award in intralogistics. The decision is based on the IFOY audit.

The devices and solutions are subjected to individually tailored driving or function tests, including the IFOY test protocol comprising around 80 criteria and the scientific IFOY Innovation Check. In addition, jurors and their advisory teams assess the finalists personally before voting. Above all, it is crucial that the nominees are compared not with each other, yet with their competing devices on the market,” concluded Anita.

Massive yet compact, the Liebherr MK 140 is a unique tower crane with two operating modes - a trolley boom and lifting arm, thereby offering unequalled flexibility.

In trolley mode, the boom is multi-adjustable so that the crane can move the load continuously within a radius of up to 65 metres. It’s compactness is demonstrated [The turning radius of the ballast lies within the ram

and the maximum ram pressure is 48 tonnes] through its tight turning radius of only 11.51m, impressive for a 5-axle rigid, when compared to that of the Volkswagen Golf at 11.1 metres. Operated by one person, there are five different driving modes (road control, all-wheel drive, scraper handlebars, reduced inclination), making manoeuvring easy. It can be operational in just over 30 minutes and ready for road again in less time.

During assembly, the crane can be rotated 360o and is electrically powered. Two wind sensors are on board to prevent any danger. Costing around €1.4 million, Liebherr has sold over 100 units this year. Powering the units is Liebherr’s own 544 hp 6-cylinder diesel (Stage 4).

BYD ECB 50 C Category: Counter Balanced Truck

Crane & Lifting Appliance - LIEBHERR

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Having previously won an IFOY Award with the 3.5 tonne version, BYD, the Chinese forklift, commercial vehicle and battery manufacturer has entered this heavier duty 5-tonne version of its all-electric forklift truck.

summer 2018

awards STILL RX 20 WINNER! Category: Counter Balanced Truck

Counter Balance Truck - BYD ECB 50 C

Offering the lowest TCO-Total Cost of Ownership, according to BYD, the ECB 50 C provides a green and affordable alternative to the traditional combustion market.

The lithium-ion battery pack can be fully charged in just 2.5 hours with the appropriate 300-amp charger. A service life of eight years or 10,000 hours is offered and on average the single operation time limit is 6.5 hours, even in the most productive H mode.

Launched recently in China, customer orders have opened across Europe.

The shape of the ECB 50 keeps with tradition, built strong and sturdy.

Counter balanced trucks are the second largest market segment after pedestrian-controlled pallet trucks and although the 5-tonne market is smaller, it is becoming more significant, especially with advances in lithium-ion battery technologies.

RX 20 is one of 13 variants of the completely revised electric forklift range from STILL. More compact, precise and ergonomic, the line-up comes equipped with intelligent assistance systems.

The series is designed for loads from 1.4 to 2.0 tonnes with the centre of gravity at 500 mm. High performance and reliability is delivered by a completely new electric drive

three-wheelers can be up to 29 mm narrower than that of their predecessors. For the standard 48 volt electric forklift can now be equipped with 625 Ah lithium-ion batteries. Entry height has been reduced (by about 60 mm), achieved by taking away the step with noise levels reduced to add to driver comfort.

Jungheinrich SLH 300 WINNER! Category: Special Customer benefits to the fore at Jungheinrich in developing a dual charging battery-charging system.

With the SLH 300 combi chargers, the German company offers a unique platform with chargers in 24V/48V and 80V and capacities from 15 to 320A for both conventional lead-acid batteries and lithium-ion batteries.

A special module is installed on the battery to communicate with the charger via DC-BUS technology. No additional cable is necessary as the communication is undertaken through the power cable of the battery. Sensors are also installed on the battery to monitor temperature and electrolyte levels.

Once the battery is connected to the charger, it detects the battery, its capacity and its voltage. If not detected, the charging process cannot be started and a message appears on the display. A consistent current of 300 amps is available throughout the entire charging range, which is essential for

Counter Balance Truck STILL RX20

module that incorporates two enclosed, maintenance-free three-phase AC traction motors with active cooling and a new generation of inverters.

The user can choose between energy efficiency and maximum handling capacity at the touch of a button.

In the case of four-wheelers, a combo-swivel axle makes it easy to drive in narrow aisles while the aisle width of the

Special of the Year - JUNGHEINRICH BATTERY CHARGER SLH300

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awards news the intermediate charging of lithium-ion batteries, as rapid charging of up to 85% is guaranteed.

The SLH 300 combi charger is ideal for companies that use a mixed battery fleet, or will maybe switch to lithium-ion technology in the future.

Main advantages include a one-charger system, with touch screen/push button engagement, that’s well built and easy to operate.

Schulte Lagertechnik MULTLIPlus Category: Special Increasing storage density by more than 30 percent in the warehouse through an innovative racking system will prove beneficial to operators. The secret of the MULTIPlus system from Gebr. Schulte lies in the construction of the shelves in combination with the lateral frames. The profile of the shelf is deeper inside and thinner compared to conventional shelving.

As most shelves on the market are 40 mm in thickness, the Schulte version has a thickness of only 25 mm, and comes with a load capacity of 150 kg.

Various design variants are now available with the MULTLIPlus range consisting of four types of shelving with load capacities of 85/150/250 and 330 kg and thicknesses of 25/40 mm plus the fact they can be used to set up a four-storey storage system.

Schulte Lagertechnik’s core of the system consists of a triple curved and pressed profile for the shelf, which results in increased stiffness, increased load capacity and a profile with low overall height.

STILL EASY Drive Category: Special

A steering wheel with a difference and a move away from the conventional handlebar type control system as used before

by STILL. At a presentation event, STILL demonstrated its new EASY Drive steering wheel with integrated control and display on its new OPX series order picker (also nominated for IFOY ’18).

EASY Drive is as it says - easy to use, that is height adjustable with a diagonal setting in order for the centrally located display to be seen at all times. In addition, the new steering wheel is raised together with the platform and a simple press of the Blue Q button; the display also shows the remaining operating time, ensuring efficient working hours. The innovative rocker switches integrated in the outer reaches of the steering facilitates vast control and platform raising, without the need to take one’s hands off the steering wheel. Horizontal order pickers reach sales figures of more than 20,000 units per year so STILL sees an opportunity to compete stronger with the market leader in the segment.

“The robust and modular design of the EASY Drive steering wheel from STILL undoubtedly increases the reliability of the operative concept,” commented the jury panel spokesperson.

Jungheinrich ECE 225 with easyPILOT Follow Special of the Year WINNER! STILL EASY DRIVE Category: Warehouse Truck When it comes to being the market leader in order pickers, the Jungheinrich ECE tops the bill. Back in 2015, the German brand launched the remote-control system, which is said to increase productivity by over

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easyPilot Follow

30%, and now with easyPILOT Follow goes one-step further. This semi-automatic solution allows the ECE to automatically follow its operator.

The remote control unit can be carried by the operator while the desired stopping point for the pallets or roll cages can be easily selected with a single push of a button, and the position can be easily changed during the picking process.

Linked to UWB radio technology, 100% reliable connection is guaranteed between the order picker and the forklift truck, regardless of any obstacles. Safety is ensured by two scanners/sensors on the front of the forklift, with one of them also handling the navigation. Like similar products, employees are relieved of the workload during order picking, instead of driving the vehicle repeatedly, in order to focus on the order picking process.

Jungheinrich EZS 7280 Category: Warehouse Truck Jungheinrich’s heavy-duty tow tractor boasts a pulling power of 28 tonnes and with a turning circle of 2.8m, is highly manoeuvrable. The German materials handing solutions provider sees the EZS 7280 tug attracting interest from ports, airports and the automotive manufacturing sector.

Through its maintenance free 80V/500A lithium-ion battery pack, three non-stop shifts are possible. There are two driving modes available, and depending on the application, the user

summer 2018

awards STILL OPX-L16 Category: Warehouse Truck

Warehouse Truck Category JUNGHEIRICH SHUNTER

can choose between a setting for long distance traction or a more instant powerful mode.

For trailer coupling, visibility is good through the rear window and mirrors. Precise positioning is by means of two large push buttons on the rear of the chassis. As soon as the button is pressed, a bright working light shines.

The automatic packing brake, hill assist ensures safe operation. Inside the two-seater heated cab, the steering column can be adjusted while the driver has the benefit of cruise control.

If the windscreen is damaged, it can be replaced quickly by loosening a few screws. Top speed is 25 kp/h and it can climb 10% gradients when loaded.

Structurally, it is well built.

In replacing the successful CX 20 series, STILL’s new OPX series aims to increase overall efficiency and reduce picking fatigue. Nine different models are available with this new order picker range. Driver comforts were under consideration as vibrations have been reduced and the workplace can be individually adapted to meet the needs of the operator. As well as height and steering column adjustments, the seat back can be altered to suit.

For high corner stability, the 4-wheel suspension is available on almost all models.

Some versions come with a 5-wheel chassis.

Fitted with the newly developed EASY Drive multi-functional steering wheels, the powerful low maintenance 23V/3kW AC motor gives the truck the desired power for high performance with low energy consumption and long maintenance intervals. Up to 50% in energy consumption has been achieved compared to the outgoing series. With battery capacities up to 620 Ah, multi-shift operations are achievable.

Wegard Trail - WINNER! Category: Warehouse Truck

The simplicity of the system developed by Wegard in collaboration with the University of Hamburg attracted much interest from the IFOY adjudication panel. Together the two partners came up with an electronic steering system for track accuracy for trailers in a tugger train concept.

Due to its modular axis system, the system can be connected to all current and future trailers with a transport capacity of up to 1,000 kg per trailer.

The axle operates completely autonomously and communication with the

Warehouse Truck Category WEGARD TRAIL

towing vehicle is not required. Another advantage of the electronic system is that it requires less maintenance-prone components.

The Wegard Trail allows almost all trailers to follow the tugger with impressive accuracy, thanks to the simplicity of the connection without any data cable.

The next generation will facilitate turns/curves of up to 90 degrees and allows backwards and sideway movements via a tablet, for easy loading and unloading. Orders are already in the book from manufacturers of tugger trains, which augers well for the start-up proposition.

Warehouse Truck Category STILL REMOTE www.handling-network.com

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awards news

Integrated Warehouse olutions Keller&Kalmbach

Jungheinrich/Keller & Kalmbach Category: Integrated Warehouse Solutions A long-standing business relationship between German wholesaler Keller & Kalmbach and Jungheinrich’s project management division continues to bear fruit. In the past decade both companies have worked together in designing and implementing a number of warehouse extensions to accommodate business expansion. As Keller & Kalmbach doubled its storage capacity, its entire system performance was also ramped up. While the new construction and equipment fitting process were underway, at no time was on-going operations disrupted. Founded in Munich in 1878 as a wholesaler for screws and blacksmithing supplies, today Keller & Kalmbach specialises in connection and fastening technology.

Jungheinrich successfully planned, designed, developed and implemented the increased storage space from 10,000m2 to 18,500m2 combining more efficient pallet placement and workstations through a more ergonomically orientated order picking system to reduce operator workload. They are no longer required to lift loads of more than 15 kg at any one time. The High

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Bay Warehouse (HBW) extends from five to ten aisles with a further 37,450 pallet storage spaces provided.

Witron/Migrolino AG - WINNER! Category: Integrated Warehouse Solutions Supermarket and convenience store company Migrolino AG, which supplies over 900 retail outlets across Switzerland, has availed of the services of Witron, a global first systems integrator.

Together they have successfully

achieved cross-channel synergies, unifying different distribution channels – logistics to include dry, fresh, temperature-sensitive products, over 3,000 products in all. Here-to-fore the 300 24/7 convenience store operation was run through a different system to that of the 600 main larger outlets, so it was Witron’s task to merge both logistics programmes in order to increase efficiencies and reduce daily running costs.

During the planning process, it was discovered that up to 118,000 items needed to be picked from the warehouse on a peak day and that an increase in volume from 9 to 20 million picks per year needed to be prepared for in the mid to short term. Peaks and troughs through seasonal demands had to be catered for also.

Streamlining the connectivity between the Witron customers’ IT functionalities and mechanical elements was the key to the successful integral end-to-end networking of different distribution channels, clients, products and temperature ranges. Witron used its own Warehouse Management System 4.0 to control a number of modules which includes Order Picking Machinery, Dynamic Picking Systems and Automated Tote Systems as well as a fully automatic dispatch buffer. All orders are supplied from an automated pallet high-bay warehouse.

Integrated Warehouse Solutions Migrolino, WITRON, Manelle, Zusammenführung

summer 2018

advice

Lift Truck awareness helps to reduce costs and maintenance As demand grows in a materials handling operation and loads become more varied, the risk of damage to trucks, loads and infrastructure can increase, resulting in extra costs, additional maintenance and more downtime. “Many operations are being tasked to handle more loads, faster. Quite often the loads are heavier and need to go higher than before,” explained Daniel McNeil, Application Solutions Manager for Hyster Europe. “To manage this, lift truck operators need to be trained to operate accurately and efficiently, but purchasers also need to specify suitable lift trucks for their application with features that support strong driver awareness as standard. Certain add-ons may also help.”

Six ways that Hyster can help enhance operator awareness: Driver awareness as standard All trucks should be built to provide good driver awareness. The Hyster Fortens forklift truck series, for example, is built with an innovative operator compartment design that offers good visibility, assisting drivers with elevated awareness of their environment. With low whole-body vibration, reduced ear noise levels and conveniently located, intuitive controls, drivers can experience greater comfort and ease of operation, all of which can contribute to better awareness and accurate truck control.

Object detection system In operations with high volumes of traffic or pedestrians, Hyster object

detection solutions can provide support for the driver in identifying nearby hazards, in turn potentially avoiding costly damage. The system uses ultrasound to detect obstacles in 3 pre-set zones and warns the driver with an acoustic signal and visual proximity indication. Two side-facing sensors are used when the truck moves from a stationary position, and if an object is detected the truck will be prevented from moving forwards unless the driver presses the override button. Two rear facing sensors are used when the machine is travelling in reverse and can be used to reduce reverse speed automatically on detection of an object.

Roof detection system For “in/out” operations, where lift trucks are moving from exterior areas into buildings, such as a warehouse or indoor manufacturing area, a roof detection system can prove helpful.

Using radar, the system detects when the truck is underneath a ceiling. When this occurs, the truck can be limited to operate at a pre-selected speed, helping to protect infrastructure, such as indoor flooring, from damage.

Overload detection system Handling loads with variable or unknown weights can be a challenge in some operations. The load overload detection feature helps support drivers so that they can adjust their operation according to the load. This reduces wear on the truck, and resulting maintenance, while maintaining good load stability during handling.

The special overload detection system can be integrated with Hyster

forklift trucks, as well as pallet and warehouse trucks, to provide an indicator of weight and stability of a load. It offers continuous weight and stability measurements, but importantly alerts the operator when the truck is approaching, or has reached, overload conditions. This is done visually, via a clear message on the LCD display and a series of green, amber and red lights, and audibly, with a buzzer alarm.

To further support efficient operation, the Hyster solutions team can combine the weighing system with speed limitation technology. With either roof sensing speed limitation, or RFID speed limitation located in the warehouse floor, applications can automatically restrict the speed of the trucks when loads reach a certain weight.

This can in turn help minimise damage to the truck, load or warehouse infrastructure.

Pedestrian awareness lights “Our added awareness solutions don’t just exist to support lift truck operators,” added Daniel. “We also have options that exist to help improve awareness of trucks by those working in the same area. This can be as simple as having a hi-vis seatbelt for the driver, or something more advanced, such as pedestrian awareness lights.”

Front and rear spotlights are automatically activated when the truck moves. They project a blue beam onto the floor, helping to alert pedestrians of an approaching truck and its direction of travel. Red zoning lights can also be used on either side of the truck to indicate the required distance that pedestrians should keep from the truck.

These lights can provide extra visibility when pedestrians and lift trucks are required to operate in the same space, such as racking where trucks move in and out of aisles frequently, warehouses with blind intersections or high noise environments.

“When it comes to improving efficiency, applications should always start by coupling the right lift truck with a correctly trained and skilled operator.

However, added awareness systems can allow trucks to be customised to both operational and driver needs, which in some applications can help to reduce damage, maintenance requirements and costs.”

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case study I

Diamond Logistics and pi-top: Growing Together

fill our warehouses was very cumbersome and took up a lot of our time.

We needed a solution that could help us beat this challenge and effectively manage the process of sourcing and signing new customers so we could spend time offering the services we were really good at, while still nurturing the longer term leads. Stowga has really helped us to fulfil this goal.”

pi-top With the explosion of e-commerce, demand for warehouse space has soared and the boom shows no sign of slowing down. In 2016, logistics take-up in the UK hit record levels with 29.3 million sq ft. of space acquired and a record £2.7 billion invested into single-asset logistics units, according to CBRE. Whilst most aspects of the logistics sector are continuing to become more agile and responsive, retailers are still constrained in one key area: their warehouse leases. In a market where the ability to scale up and down ‘on demand’ is becoming critical to retail success, an inability to flex their lease is causing retailers unnecessary headaches.

Warehousing as a service, coined

by Stowga, is a new solution that is helping retailers and organisations to optimise their supply chain and make profitable use of any surplus space they have by offering it to other organisations who need more space.

Two companies that have been using this service model are Diamond Logistics and pi-top, and they’ve both grown thanks to it.

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Diamond Logistics Diamond Logistics provides end-to-end fulfilment solutions for organisations, offering warehouses, carriers and customers services relating to picking and dispatching goods for its customers.

One of the primary challenges faced by Diamond Logistics and others in the industry was finding customers to fill their warehouse space. The lead generation process was often very manual, taking a few months before a prospective customer decided they wanted to move out of their existing warehouse. This is partly down to the inflexibility of the current warehousing model where organisations are tied into long leases, but also the nature of the industry. Often, it can take up to 6 months from initial contact to negotiate paperwork and legals.

Hon Leung, Managing Director at Diamond Logistics, comments, “The process for finding new customers to

pi-top sells affordable computing platforms for schools that allow them to experiment with coding and electronics. Its hardware is powered

by Raspberry-Pi, a customisable embedded computer and was founded in 2014 after raising money on Indiegogo.

As pi-top began to grow it was clear that a flexible warehouse was going to be needed to hold the products coming directly from the factory in Shenzhen, China, which could sometimes take up to six weeks to reach Europe.

Paul Callaghan, Chief Operating Officer, at pi-top, comments, “We knew we needed a warehouse in the UK, but we didn’t have a huge amount of knowledge about the costs and availability of warehouses. One thing we did know was that we didn’t have a working solution that we could scale from our operation base in Shenzhen, which is why we got in touch with Stowga. We wanted to work with someone who knew the market and could help guide us through the process to find the best option for our business, something they were absolutely able to do for us.”

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case study I

The solution “I was already aware of the benefits of Stowga, so when we were looking for a UK warehouse to distribute from, I wasn’t hesitant to get in touch,” Paul Callaghan explains, “The team recommended several warehouses that would be a good fit for us and we were able to quickly establish the best options for cost, space and quality, and that happened to be Diamond Logistics.”

Sanjeev Jeyakumar, Chief Commercial Officer at Stowga, put Diamond Logistics and pi-top in touch after pairing the two companies using their innovative algorithm and database of warehouses. A match that might have never happened had the two of them carried out their research in a traditional manner. Once matched, the transaction was simple for the companies to confirm using an industry standard service-level agreement (SLA).

“By digitising the process of finding warehousing services, Stowga was able to screen pi-top’s requirement against thousands of warehouses and use our software to match them with the most relevant sites within seconds. The result was significant cost and time savings - and the most appropriate match for the services required.”

Hon Leung, Managing Director at Diamond Logistics, continues: “The process was extremely simple and Stowga guided us through the entire journey. A meeting was quickly set up between ourselves and pi-top, which established whether our warehouse

would be suitable. Once this was confirmed, it was only a matter of sorting paperwork and SLAs. It was one of the quickest customer relationships we have managed, taking only four weeks from contact to move in date.”

Benefits and future plans Stowga has been a huge cost and time saving for both pi-top and Diamond Logistics, with the process of identifying, contacting, and signing new customers for Diamond Logistics, moving from a few months to a few weeks.

The partnership with pi-top and Stowga has also allowed Diamond Logistics to grow and increase their own business capacity. “The partnership has allowed us to grow alongside all of our customers, including pi-top.

Our original warehouse reached nearly 90% capacity fairly quickly thanks to pi-top’s

growth, so in November 2017 we moved to a new warehouse which has improved our offering and allowed us to offer an even higher standard of service to our customers. The new 5500 sq. ft. warehouse allows for a dedicated pick and pack section where 500-1000 picks are done daily.”

Paul Callaghan also commented on the relationship: “The introduction to Diamond Logistics has given us an all in one solution which has allowed us to focus on our core business and what we care about while still fulfilling our customers’ needs. And we were really impressed with how slick the interaction with Stowga has been in order to get to this point. The solution is great for Startups who need to grow and be educated on the logistics industry in order to maximise on connections with warehouse providers.

Thanks to Stowga, we have been able to accelerate our growth process and avoid navigating through complex and business limiting warehouse leases.”

Text: Rob Van Dieten

M

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case study II

Counterpoint continues to achieve 10% year-on-year growth. Here’s how Originally known as Britvic Licensed Wholesale Ltd., Counterpoint Ireland (Counterpoint) was formed in 2013.

A 2017 acquisition saw the company expand its portfolio beyond soft drinks and packaged beers.

Since then, the company has doubled in size, adding staff and customers. It has amassed €80 million in revenues and has 4,000 client accounts on its books.

This is the story of its success with the help of market vertical software.

With the new system, Counterpoint now has a sophisticated central source for data collation and can generate reports at the click of a button. It relies on the system’s data both at a strategic level - to forecast future sales, identify top performing accounts and products and at an operational level - to manage stock, monitor promotional activity and account segmentation for pricing and sales.

New business model When operating as Britvic, the business’ processes were relatively simple, but when they became Counterpoint, the system in place couldn’t manage complex structures and accounts. Simply, it was more suited to a manufacturer than a wholesaling company. A new, more flexible software solution was required that could improve operations and business processes.

Multiple drinks brands, pricing and promotions The variability of pricing, discounts, promotions, and consumer purchasing combine to make drinks a particularly complex industry. Counterpoint made the decision to purchase an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system that could help it manage finance, manufacturing, operations and reporting. It chose Belfast-based software company, Gaina, as provider and strategic partner. The software’s flexibility, particularly around pricing, bonds and duty, appealed to Counterpoint - as did the fact it was specifically geared towards its market vertical.

“The Gaina solution enables us to have access to consolidated data with other systems and tools feeding into it,” explained Niamh Duffy, Customer Care Manager, Counterpoint. “The team are excellent at what they do, they always know what to do and always have the answer to help us meet our business requirements.”

Drinking in data The previous way of generating reports had required Counterpoint to manually input and export data. It was cumbersome, inefficient and needlessly complicated.

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“The customer care team’s focus is around building relationships and supporting the sales team to develop business within the accounts,’” added Niamh Duy, Customer Care Manager, Counterpoint. “Our system is so straightforward to use and has a wealth of data and automation that allows them to process orders more efficiently and with less errors.”

Acquisition made easy

“Instant access to reports means we can spend more time analysing them to make decisions about future business strategy,” said Declan Morgan, General Manager, Counterpoint. “Some of our newly acquired companies can’t believe the level of information they have access to.”

Order makers, not order takers In Counterpoint, the marketing and customer care teams are closely integrated with sales to ensure customers are always offered the right products, at the right time. Flexibility, personalisation and efficiency are the service differentiators that drive good customer experience for Counterpoint. Key to offering this level of service is intelligent software that can capture orders, and collate and analyse stakeholder data, resulting in enhanced customer interactions.

Over half of Counterpoint’s orders come through its order capture App. This tool provides the Counterpoint reps with the ability to capture, analyse, and display data, bringing more efficiency into the order taking process. The App syncs directly with Counterpoint’s main ERP system, so that the sales reps have accurate information at their fingertips and also allows them to track profits and losses on individual accounts.

In 2017, the company acquired Dundalk-based wholesaler East Coast Beverages. This acquisition enabled Counterpoint to add to its portfolio beyond soft drinks and packaged beers.

After the acquisition was announced, Counterpoint had an 8-week window in which to fully integrate East Coast Beverages in-line with Competition Authority. Customer, banking and outlet information had to be transitioned from East Coast’s systems to Counterpoint’s systems - as did warehousing, purchasing, order entry and invoicing requirements. There was also the challenge of adding and managing a wider mix of products and promotional activity, and creating new accounts for its growing number of brands.

The integration project was approached with greater clarity as a result of Counterpoint’s partnership with Gaina, and the company was well-positioned to rise to a challenge of this scale. The technology was also a useful intermediary between the two companies and the competition authority, ensuring transparency and adherence to optimal business practices throughout the process.

“The Gaina project team were an invaluable part of the acquisition project,” stated Declan Morgan, General Manager, Counterpoint. “Their professionalism, expertise and dedication meant we were able to keep our commitments to all our stakeholders as we grew through market expansion and acquisition.”

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safety

There are a range of employees whose place of work is the roadway or roadside and who are exposed to significant risk as a direct result of this. This group includes not only those engaged in road construction and/ or renewal but also those working in utilities management (electricity, communications, water, and gas), service maintenance (drains, tree and verge cutting), traffic management and vehicle recovery. In the broader context safety principles should apply to all people working on or near the road and also need to consider third parties, not only those in their vehicles (cars, trucks, buses and motorcycles) but also cyclists and pedestrians, as the most vulnerable road users.

Roadside workers can also be exposed to increased stress as a result of negative reactions from other road users. Such exposure can impact on the level of safety afforded to road workers at any given time and approaches to ensuring the health and safety of road workers should be considered in an integrated manner. There is debate and uncertainty surrounding the scale of the problem which is difficult to gauge due to lack of specific data

collection in relation to roadside working related collisions. However, there is a general consensus and recognition of the higher risk exposure associated with roadside working as opposed to other occupations. There is acceptance of the fact that deaths and serious injury at or adjacent to roadside workplaces are a major issue and huge effort is needed to reduce them as much as possible.

The level of risk will depend on the type of works to be carried out, the duration and the location – classification of the road and volumes of traffic.

It is important to recognise that there are crucial differences between road types (rural, urban and motorway) that require varying approaches in terms of safety provision. Similarly, the type of road work will influence the safety measures and approach that best fits i.e. whether the works are mobile, short, medium or long term. The type of work being progressed and the environment in which the work has to be done can vary greatly. In turn, these variations impact on the type and nature of risk present and on the steps that can be taken to minimise this risk. Different work activity types also present different driving conditions to road users which have implications for safety and are a critical consideration when planning and managing the work activity.

It is vital that workers who carry out activities of this nature are provided with safety and health

SAFETY MATTERS Working at the roadside is high risk training. This training should be risk assessment led, and should focus on work methods (deciding what safety measures to implement, how and when) as well as equipment usage, covering signage, barriers, clothing, safety inspection procedures and planning for what happens in case of an incident.

More information is provided in the European Transport Safety Council publication “PRAISE”: Preventing Road Accidents and Injuries for the Safety of Employees” available through the Health and Safety Authority website or at http://etsc.eu/wp-content/uploads/ Report-6.pdf

MATERIAL HANDLING SOLUTIONS FOR YOUR INDUSTRY Combilift is the leading supplier of customised handling solutions with guaranteed improved storage capacity, safer product handling and increased productivity.

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summer 2018

supply chain

IEA Supply Chain Series Limerick hears of further Brexit issues

The first of eight Regional Supply Chain events being organised by the Irish Exporters Association in 2018 took place at the Strand Hotel in Limerick on 23 March under the title “Securing the interests of Irish Exporters in the Mid-West”.

Simon Barry, Chief Economist at the Ulster Bank Ireland outlined the current economic environment in which Irish exporters operate, noting the very strong growth figures for the overall Irish economy and the likelihood of labour shortages emerging in certain sectors. The economic recovery has, by now, spread to all parts of the country.

Declan Sinnott, Managing Director of Rhenus Logistics Ireland spoke of the opportunities that firms such as Rhenus can bring to exporters wishing to enter new markets through use of the network of offices in all major locations. Advance planning was the key to export success as well as working with both customer and the forwarder to find the most appropriate supply chain for that product in that market. Particular care should be taken to understand and work with the culture of the customer’s marketplace.

This was a theme taken up by Mark McGuire, Business Development Manager at Kilmallock-based Irema, who spoke about the need to keep very close to customers so as to ensure that the product meets their exact needs.

Innovation in product and serious cost control are critical to success.

Jane Dempsey, Assistant Principal at the Brexit Unit in the Department

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of Agriculture provided advice to exporters that up to now, haven’t had to deal with control administrations in third countries. Following the Brexit divorce the United Kingdom will become a third country, and that will mean that for goods containing fats, gelatin or other food products, controls at borders will be in place. These could lead to significant delays in transit to final destination if the goods are for the UK market or for goods ‘land-bridging’ the UK. Significant work should be done in advance of shipment to ensure that the paperwork is available and correct. Being AEO compliant does not exempt goods with a food component from checks. Any such checks will also include checking that the pallets being used have been properly heat-treated and stamped; failure to do this would result in the entire consignment being returned to the shipper.

Carol-Ann O’Keeffe, Assistant Principal Officer, Corporate Affairs & Customs Division at Revenue encouraged exporters to look carefully at the AEO certification process. “In the new environment in which examination of goods will become much more commonplace and where Customs Authorities will require duty and other guarantees, the holder of an AEO certificate is in a much better place and derive considerable savings.”

During the Multimodal breakout session there was much focus on the issue of truck driver shortages and training. There are concerns about the potential shortage of qualified Customs

Agents and the lack of frequency of ferry services direct to France. In the absence of Brian O’Donnell from the Limerick Chamber, the organisation that is driving the development of the Mid-West sustainable Freight Forum, Howard Knott spoke about the basis for the Forum and its potential to enable the region to become a centre of excellence in Supply Chain.

Some ideas that emerged at the CORE project-See ‘Comment’ in Fleet Transport page 45. n Proctor and Gamble, along with Burwell Technologies has developed a passive, cost-effective, ultra-low energy cooling system, a pallet shaped block of ice that fits into any standard container and which, together with a blanket and software will allow the container’s contents to be kept at an ambient temperature for up to five weeks. n FloraHolland along with Itude Mobile have developed a smart digital seal that is placed inside the door of the container when cargo is loaded and is activated by a smartphone.

Throughout the journey to destination it can be interrogated about the exact location and condition of the cargo. It will alarm as soon as light enters the container or trailer. n The European Commission’s Joint research centre has, along with its US counterparts, developed a standard ISO container of composite construction.

This is much lighter than steel construction and can be enabled to act as a ‘smart container’ with inbuilt monitors and power generated by the movement of the container.

There are many more pieces of equipment under development aimed at making a better Supply Chain.

Text: Howard Knott

Networking is an investment in your business

Attend the Fleet Transport Awards & Networking Event - Thursday 11 October 2018 and yield great results for years to come ... your road to success.

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Most valued and respected Awards programme in the transport industry.

Diary Date: Fleet Transport Awards & Networking Event

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Platform for sector to celebrate best practice.

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Ideal networking opportunity.

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Over 1,000 key decision makers from the road transport industry.

11 October 2018 Citywest Hotel, Dublin

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Connects people with people, ideas and opportunities.

www.fleettransportawards.com

To book your place now at the biggest event in the Irish transport calendar, email

awards@fleet.ie or telephone +353 (0)94 9372819 A table of 10 €1,100 + vat (includes Pre-Dinner Drinks Reception, 4 course dinner and Awards presentations).

A single ticket €120 + vat (includes Pre-Dinner Drinks Reception, 4 course dinner and Awards presentations).

For further information log on to

www.fleettransportawards.com

Whatever your business

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