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A vision to disrupt. Cohesio Group on leadership, innovation and challenging the status quo.
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inside JUNE/JULY 2019 Electric forklifts DHL profile Vertical warehousing The importance of ERP
CYBER RESILIENCE WHY LOGISTICS SHOULD BE A STEP AHEAD
In this issue This issue June/July 2019 March 2016
human rights Leading the way The infamous ransomware attack on A.P. Moller-Maersk, the world’s largest shipping organisation, affected almost 80 ports and terminals around the world. This included major ports in New York, Rotterdam as well as locally in Australia. The attack cost the company around $400 million and the affects were felt far and wide. Logistics, by its very nature, is exposed to significant risks when it comes to cyber security. As the industry digitises information, blockchain and cloud-based processes and has a heavily dispersed mobile workforce, this can create a perfect opportunity for hackers to compromise data. In this month’s cover story, Michelle Price, CEO of AustCyber argues that the logistics industry is best-placed to embrace cyber security and lead the way when it comes to cyber resilience. Michelle claims that as logistics has been forced to innovate at a much faster rate than other industries it has developed a higher understanding of the importance of resilience. She believes that no other industry understands the challenges and complexities of a global supply chain like logistics. For Proving profitable growth at the cutting Michelle, this grasp and understanding of ed Proving profitable growth at the cutthese risks will enable the logistics sector to ting edProving profitable growth at the demonstrate best practice in cyber security. cutting edProving profitable growth at Read more on page 12. the cutting edProving profitable growth at the cutting edProving profitable growth at the cutting edProving profitable growth at the cutting edProving profitable growth at the cutting edProving profitable growth at the cutting edProving profitable growth at the cutting edProving profitable Melanie Stark | Editorgrowth at the cutting edProving profitable growth at the cutting edProving profitable growth at the cutting edProving profitable growth at the cutting edProving profitable growth at the cutting edProving profitable growth at the cutting.
behindthecover
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28
40 Contents COVER STORY
30 Making a mark
12 A new mindset for cyber security
Michelle Price, CEO at AustCyber says that the logistics industry is set to offer other industries examples of what good cyber security practice looks like.
FEATURES
contents
16 Setting the pace 04 Bulletinboard
Martin Broglia, Managing Director at NORD Drivesystems shares the story of NORD’s developments in Australia.
33 Cleanliness is key
A clean working environment can help prevent airborne contaminant issues and workplace injuries according to Lucas Paris at Karcher Australia.
34 Automation creates innovation Tru-test of quality. Capture & 42 Data
Chains Saul Resnick, CEO at DHL Supply Chain offers Pilot Pen’s automatedSupply warehouse has allowed the Factory Materials 24 06 Mercury Awards Sustainable his insight on Australia’s unique geography, company to diversify its offering.supply chains. delivery Awards and why logistics needsHandling to utilise 2010free Mercury Spiral conveyor 35 solves launched. 44 Forklifts & Lifting technology as a way to attract new talent. Local talent heat problems. Humbled and Exalted Six newhandling overhead cranes Moving into the materials sector can be Cart dollies for simple –18 2009 Mercury Award for Ferrocut. A logistics visionary a steep learning curve. Jack Peters at Vin Rowe handling tasks. winners. Airfreight reduces Nishan Wijemanne, CEO at Cohesio Group tells the talks through what he learnedsystem at Zowell’s factory in Double pallet dispenser. handling costs. story of the technology solutions provider start up. China. 14 Training
Palletising robot. Hybrid forklift. Bell’s Transport benefits 20 Heartbeat a business 36 Smart printing from Skills for of Growth 32 Warehousing & Storage 49 Handling Hazardous program. David Taylor, Director at Business Hub argues Matthew Mooyman, Product Manager at insignia Goods Record picking that any business who is growing should consider offers a solution to improving barcode accuracy. productivity. Gloves for handling 16 Information an ERP system. hazardous substances. Automated storage. Technology - Supply Hand-held eyewash. Chains Storage success. 22 Faster fulfilment Information driven. Dematic has introduced a new robotic picking 05 From the Editor module to improve efficiency in the warehouse. 06 Industry News 10 Global News 24 Emissions-free materials handling 38 Australian Logistics Council velit augait, nullaorem Linde Materials Handling reveals its highest 40 Property focus volorpero dolortie capacity electric forklift truck offering. 41 Women in Industry faccum dipsum zzriu 42 People on the move 26 Code-breaker
Regular Run
mercuryawards
Darryl Blackeby at ifm efector says 2D barcodes offer significant benefits in track and trace.
MANAGING DIRECTOR: John Murphy PUBLISHER: Christine Clancy MANAGING DIRECTOR: John Murphy ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER: Martin Sinclair e martin.sinclair@primecreative.com.au GROUP MANAGING EDITOR: Sarah Baker e sarah.baker@primecreative.com.au EDITORIAL CO-ORDINATOR: Ben Hagemann t 02 8484 0884 e ben.hagemann@primecreative.com.au EDITOR: Melanie Stark e melanie.stark@primecreative.com.au PRODUCTION CO-ORDINATOR: Ziba Mahabat t 02 8484 0625 e ziba.mahabat@primecreative.com.au DESIGN PRODUCTION MANAGER: Michelle Weston e michelle.weston@primecreative.com.au KEY ACCOUNT MANAGER: Tim Richards t 02 8484 0829 e tim.richards@primecreative.com.au BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER: Anastasia Bios e anastasia.bios@primecreative.com.au PRIME CREATIVE MEDIA PRIME CREATIVE MEDIA Tower 2, Level 3, 475 Victoria Avenue, Chatswood, NSW 2067 Australia Locked Bag 4700, Chatswood Delivery Centre, NSW 2067, Australia 11-15 Buckhurst St, South Melbourne, VIC 3205 Tel: (03) 9690 8766 Fax: (03) 9682 0044 ABN 80 132 719 861 ISSN 0004-976X www.primecreative.com.au Tel: (02) 8484 0888 Fax: (02) 8484 0633 ABN 80 132 719 861 ISSN 0004-976X www.primecreative.com.au Suite 3.03, Level 3, 1-9 Chandos Street, St Leonards, NSW 2065 Tel: (03) 9439 7227 © Copyright Prime Creative Media, 2016 © Copyright Prime Creative Media, 2017 All rights reserved. No part of the publication may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means without the written permission of the publisher. All rights reserved. No part of the publication may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means without the written permission of the Publisher.
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Industry News
Coles partners with Ocado to introduce robot-driven grocery platform Coles has announced it has entered into an exclusive services agreement with British supermarket chain Ocado to bring its online grocery platform, automated single pick fulfilment technology and home delivery solution to Australia prior to the end of the 2023 financial year. Under the agreement, Ocado will partner with Coles in Australia to launch an end-toend online grocery shopping solution. To ensure successful implementation of the project, Ocado has committed to a dedicated team to be based in Australia, both during the construction phase and then permanently for the ongoing maintenance of the facilities. “Ocado is singularly focused on online grocery shopping, and as a result, has become the leading solution provider in the world. We are delighted to be partnering with them to make life easier for Coles’ customers here in Australia. Ocado’s ongoing investment and retail partnerships around the world will help us continue to improve our offer into the future,” Steven Cain, CEO, Coles said.
Ocado will partner with Coles to launch an end-to-end online grocery shopping solution.
DB Schenker opens new facility in Perth DB Schenker Perth held the official opening
and which deserve excellent handling to ensure it
of their new cold store in Perth helping to
arrives in the best condition to all regions of the
extend their Perishables logistics footprint
world. The passion and dedication of our staff in
within Australia. DB Schenker have had a continuous presence in Western Australia since the mid-1960s and the company, has invested in this facility at their High Wycombe site. The site at High Wycombe is located both near to the airport and the harbour at Fremantle. The cold store boasts over 500 square metres of floor space with a large ante room, two chillers and a freezer. There is capacity to store product up to four pallets high and the site has an unbroken cold chain to maintain product integrity. “We are thrilled to offer our services to the ever growing local and international perishables customers in Western Australia who are looking for a world class facility to manage their goods
6 | Logistics&MaterialsHandling June/July 2019
DB Schenker has invested in its site at High Wycombe.
this facility will assist us to achieve exemplary service to our customers,” Ron Koehler, CEO of DB Schenker Australia said.
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HARNESSING 50 YEARS EXPERIENCE IN SERVICING THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR, VIN ROWE NOW EXTENDS ITS SERVICES TO THE LOGISTICS SECTOR WITH AN EXCITING NEW RANGE OF ELECTRIC MATERIALS HANDLING SOLUTIONS.
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Industry News
Toll signs software deal with Kontainers Toll Group has signed a three-year software contract with Kontainers, the UK-based Enterprise software company, to power its global digital client-facing platforms. The new agreement will see Toll introduce Kontainers’ flagship product, Enterprise, to its global forwarding operations. According to Kontainers, the online portal will enable Toll to better service and support the needs of its customers – particularly small-to-medium enterprises – by facilitating online pricing and quotes, bookings, shipment management, and real-time analytics. “The addition of Enterprise to our digital capabilities will allow our clients to instantly obtain quotes for, and book shipments with Toll at the click of the mouse. “We are excited to be collaborating with Kontainers on this digital solution,as part of our commitment to investing in best-in-class systems to simplify and enhance our customer experience,” Thomas Knudsen, Toll Global Forwarding President said. The product’s rapid deployment time and
The agreement will see Toll introduce Kontainers digital capabilities to its global forwarding operations.
proven track record with other large shipping brands were highlighted as important elements of the partnership. “Kontainers is delighted to earn the trust of a Top 20 Global Freight Forwarder and provide what has now become a critical software
layer. We are delighted to be working with Toll Group and look forward to being a part of their impressive digital acceleration plans in the years ahead and help serve their customers even better than they are today”, Graham Parker, CEO at Kontainers said.
Shippit signs deal with Cotton On Shippit has announced a series of new partnerships including a major contract with the Cotton On Group. The logistics platform, which powers the
Shippit will empower the last mile delivery experience for Cotton On.
8 | Logistics&MaterialsHandling June/July 2019
critical last mile delivery experience for retailers, has signed Cotton On as a key client. The global deal will account for a substantial lift in online transactions powered by the
platform across its portfolio of retail brands including Cotton On, Cotton On Body, Cotton On Kids, Factorie and Supre, managed from the Group’s new state-of-the-art warehouse in Avalon, Victoria. “We know that shipping is one of the biggest pain-points holding online retailers back, particularly when it comes to providing outstanding customer experiences. The reality is that this sore point only worsens and creates greater inefficiencies for retailers as they scale. With the rise of the on-demand economy, while customers expect flexible, convenient and affordable delivery options, the market is still playing catch-up,” Rob Hango-Zada, CEO and co-founder at Shippit said. “We are proud to back an Australian business as we scale our service globally. Shippit’s awardwinning technology is exactly what we need to ensure we optimise our delivery operations. We are really excited about what lies ahead in this partnership,” Brendan Sweeney, General Manager of eCommerce at the Cotton On Group said.
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Global News
Jungheinrich opens spare parts centre in Singapore
Jungheinrich customers all over Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand will benefit from the increased spare parts availability.
Jungheinrich is expanding its spare parts logistics capacities in Southeast Asia. With the opening of a spare parts centre in Singapore. The new facility has enabled the company to reduce delivery times of replacement parts by up to five days. According to the company, Jungheinrich customers all over Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand will benefit from the increased spare parts availability. This will enable Jungheinrich to also satisfy particularly urgent customer requests in the APAC region by providing round-the-clock access to spare parts. “Through the implementation of the new DC, customers in Singapore can receive available parts on the day of order placement. Formerly, a higher number of parts have been shipped from our central spare parts centre in Germany with a lead time of around five days,” Claudia Odwald, Consultant Logistics Network, 10 | Logistics&MaterialsHandling June/July 2019
Jungheinrich Service & Parts said. Customers in Malaysia will also profit from lead times being reduced by three to five days and the new DC offers a 90 per cent availaibility of spare parts for the Australia market. “The new spare parts centre in Singapore will strengthen our position as the market leader in terms of spare parts availability by now also covering Southeast Asia and the Pacific area,” Stefan Brehm, Vice President of After Sales at Jungheinrich said. “By bridging up to seven time zones, we will be able to react faster to the requests of our customers. For Jungheinrich customers, this represents minimal downtime and maximum productivity,” Stefan says. In addition to the customer service aspect, environmental considerations at Jungheinrich also played an important role. Through the additional optimisation of the region’s transport
network, CO2 emissions will be reduced by 75 per cent. Furthermore, the spare parts centre is a perfect example of efficient and intelligent warehouse management thanks to its modern lift rackings and lithium-ion powered forklift trucks. “Air freight shipments will be significantly reduced in the new logistics set-up. The new DC is supplied via sea freight from Germany so air freight shipments to Singapore will be decreased significantly due to the higher availability of spare parts in the regional dc. In addition, transport to Malaysia will be conducted via road freight from Singapore in most cases and the distance to Singapore, Thailand and Australia for air freight shipments is much shorter than Germany,” Claudia says. The DC will also be equipped with automated and space-saving racking and will use efficient Li-ion trucks supplied by Jungheinrich. logisticsmagazine.com.au
Cover No sector understands the breadth and depth of global supply chains like logistics.
A new mindset for cyber security Michelle Price, CEO of AustCyber says that the conversation around cyber security shouldn’t be about fear and anxiety, but opportunity and economic growth.
F
ormer FBI Director Robert Mueller famously said that he was convinced that there are only two types of companies: those that have been hacked and those that will be. Cyber security has never been more important and news of organisations falling victim to some kind of data breach or compromise is in the media almost daily. Attacks such as the NotPetya Ransomware Attack in 2017, which significantly damaged global shipping giant Maersk, demonstrate the ramifications of not taking cyber security seriously are. According to a statement released by Maersk the total cost for dealing with the attack was almost $400 million AUD and operations were impacted in four different countries with operational issues lasting a number of weeks. Similarly, the WannaCry attack in May 2017 cost the NHS in Britain almost $200 million AUD with 19,000 appointments lost. For Michelle Price, CEO at AustCyber, cyber security presents Australia with an opportunity to flourish in an ever increasingly digital world. The Australian Cyber Security Growth Network (AustCyber) is the industry-led Cyber Security Growth Centre, one of the centres under the Australian Government’s Industry 12 | Logistics&MaterialsHandling June/July 2019
Growth Centres Initiative. AustCyber works with organisations across the economy to ensure that Australia is a global industry leader. “Our mission is to grow Australia’s cyber security sector, we want to help Australian businesses to grow their business but also to make sure that they are best-placed to make Australia a chosen place for global organisations to do business,” Michelle says. For Michelle, it’s as much about growing jobs and the local economy as it is about resilience. “Our work is often around spreading awareness among businesses about why cyber security is important from an economic development point of view,” she says.
Resilience and logistics Michelle believes that some of the best examples of organisations grasping cyber security and its importance can be found in the logistics sector. “There are some great examples in the logistics and materials handling sector but also for those companies who are yet to implement cyber security, they are very well placed in this sector to do so,” she says. No sector understands the depth and breadth of global supply chains as well as
Michelle Price, CEO at AustCyber.
logistics, Michelle says. “They can understand it a lot quicker than many organisations as it’s usually already at the centre of their infrastructure. Resilience is key to any successful logistics organisation so logistics organisations usually just get it from the get-go.” Logistics organisations have been forced to
Cover
stay ahead of the curve with regard to digital transformation. “The likes of Toll, AusPost and Linfox have all had to engage with data and use it as a point of difference in their offering, in many ways this industry is more advanced than others in its understanding and ability to leverage the benefits of cyber security,” Michelle says.
Breach or compromise? While there is a lot of fear and anxiety around cyber attacks Michelle believes it is important to distinguish between a data breach and a data compromise. “A breach is when someone has access to data but has not taken or changed anything. A compromise is when something has been taken or has changed,” Michelle explains. A breach can happen in many different ways, but according to Michelle it is often not the organisation that realises there has been a breach. “Usually it’s a customer or supplier, or in some cases the government, that informs an organisation that there has been a breach
“Our mission is to grow Australia’s cyber security sector. We want to help Australian businesses to grow their business but also to make sure that they are bestplaced to make Australia a chosen place for global organisations to do business.” Michelle Price, CEO at AustCyber
of data. In fact, the average time from when a breach happens to when it is discovered is 208 days.” There are serious ramifications for organisations that do not build resilience around cyber security. “If you take the example of Maersk and the losses they experienced after the attack – if that was an Australian organisation they would be done. There’s the reputational damage, not just to
consumers but also to suppliers, the hit to the share price, the list goes on,” she says. However, according to Michelle it’s not just financial risk. As organisations move more towards automation there could also be human lives at risk. “There can be many unintended consequences if a hacker compromises data or changes something and people do not know. Trains derailing, trucks driving into trees, these are real risks,” she says.
The average time from when an organisation has been breached to when it is discovered is 208 days. logisticsmagazine.com.au | 13
Cover Michelle Price believes the greatest successes in cyber security happen when a local provider is selected.
Cyber security as an opportunity As far as Michelle is concerned, if organisations don’t engage soon then they will miss out. “This is about every organisation, every entity. If you pay bills online, or if you manage a huge global supply chain you are still at risk,” she explains. It’s not just about IT professionals, but everyone plays a role. AustCyber is working with the VET sector to ensure that every trade job in the country has an understanding of what cyber security is and what their role and responsibility is in making Australia resilient. It’s also about upskilling the current workforce, and Michelle and her team at AustCyber are working hard to get the message out that cyber security is meaningful and an opportunity. For Michelle, Australia is very well-placed to grasp the opportunities presented to engage global business. Although Australia is a very trusted and trusting country when it comes to cyber security and this presents some issues. “In a social context, Australia is very trusting. In romance and fraud scams Australia is among the top ten nations in the world that are affected. In some ways, we can be naïve in social contexts, which gives malicious attackers an opportunity to get access into organisations in straightforward, low cost ways – that is, we often make it too easy for attackers to get in,” Michelle says. There is also a sense that as Australia is so far away from the rest of the world, it’s not something that is happening here, but according to Michelle this is not the case. 14 | Logistics&MaterialsHandling June/July 2019
Another important factor for local organisations selecting a cyber security provider is that they should look to engage an Australian-based organisation. “If organisations look overseas for a cyber security provider they don’t always understand the nuances of our culture and also the complexity of our geography,” Michelle says. For Michelle, the greatest successes in cyber security implementation is when an organisation engages a local provider. For her, picking up a solution from elsewhere and trying to implement it here in Australia often leads to complications and issues that could otherwise have been avoided. A local provider
Cyber security is not just about IT professionals, every job plays a role in cyber resilience.
understands local contexts and issues plus they are in the same time zone when something goes wrong. Late last year, AustCyber published a Cyber Security Industry Roadmap to help connect organisations and also demonstrate the role that cyber security plays in enabling growth opportunities. “At present, Australia’s cyber security as a sector is comparatively small, however it is forecast to triple revenue over the coming decade due to increased demand. I truly believe that case studies for what good looks like will come out of the logistics industry and I look forward to engaging with this industry,” Michelle says.
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Profile
Setting the pace Logistics & Materials Handling sits down with Saul Resnick, CEO at DHL Supply Chain Australia & New Zealand to discuss culture, strategy and the misnomer of free delivery.
D
HL Supply Chain, part of the Deutsche Post DHL Group, boasts around 155,000 employees in more than 50 countries. Since first arriving in Australia in 1972, DHL Supply Chain has been consistently growing and developing its footprint locally. Most recently with contract wins from Panasonic, Decathlon as well as recently a major contract with Chemist Warehouse – which will see DHL manage the supply chain for fast-moving consumer goods products and for front-of-store products going into more than 400 Chemist Warehouse pharmacies nationally. Bringing a wealth of experience from the US and Europe, DHL Supply Chain’s global commitment and expertise to major logistics markets is what Saul Resnick, CEO, DHL Supply Chain Australia & New Zealand believes keeps DHL on top. “We’ve had fantastic growth – I remember when we had 800 employees in Australia now we have ~3600 and a further 570 in New Zealand,” Saul says. DHL’s growth is showing no signs of slowing down. “Just this morning, we turned the first sod at one of our new sites in Melbourne. We also have another two large facilities opening in Sydney soon. All of this means new customers, new opportunities for employment and also for our people to develop and grow,” Saul says.
Bulk beginnings Saul started his career in logistics when he was working for a shipping and trade finance company in his home country of South Africa. This company acquired a bulk handling business and he was tasked with running the business. “I was thrown into the deep end and I absolutely loved it,” he recalls. When he arrived in Australia 14 years ago, Saul had an open mind about what sector he would move into. But before long he found himself back in the logistics sector with a role at Exel logistics. For Saul, the Australian culture really resonated with his own personal values. “I was learning the Australian market and economy but also the culture. I found that the local culture here was absolutely to my liking. I found the level of engagement from the store person up to 16 | Logistics&MaterialsHandling June/July 2019
Saul Resnick believes many of DHL’s employees feel connected to the global brands that they serve.
management was like nothing I had experienced before. There was a greater level of equivalence between all employees and management and I enjoyed that junior people within the business could communicate in a frank and candid manner,” Saul said. Shortly after Saul started at Exel Logistics, the business was acquired by DHL and Saul has stayed with and developed through the business since.
One group strategy DHL Supply Chain was recently recognised as a top employer in eight different countries. For Saul, much of the success of DHL can be attributed to its employees truly understanding the direction and strategy of the organisation. “Across the business people understand what the overall strategy is and also, they understand their role in making it come to life,” Saul says. The one group strategy for DHL is to focus, connect and grow and within these underlying values is the need to consider staff,
customers and shareholders as well as the environment, Saul says. “Our group CEO is prone to say culture eats strategy for breakfast and I really believe this. No matter who you are or what role you have you should be treated on how you deliver and how you behave,” he says. According to Saul, for organisations like DHL, the less said about the logistics provider the better. “We work behind the scenes to facilitate supply chains worldwide. DHL provides customer-centric and often very complex logistics solutions, from warehousing to transport, real estate management to e-fulfillment among others. If our name is not heard, then it usually means we are doing a good job. And every employee is involved in that success,” he says.
Unique geography Though DHL is a global organisation, its holding company is in Europe and according to Saul, many of DHL Supply Chain Australia’s customers are surprised at how different
Profile
the geography is in Australia. “There is no first-time visitor who isn’t surprised when we overlay a map of Europe with Australia and you see London to Moscow is the equivalent distance of Sydney to Perth or the East Coast to West Coast in the United States,” Saul says. In addition, the majority of the population in Australia is within short distances of each other, for example 70 per cent of Australia’s population is between Brisbane and Melbourne. “When you say to a customer you want to move product from Sydney to Perth and you don’t want a satellite facility in Perth then you can expect a four to five-day transit time, you can certainly see the surprise in their eyes,” Saul says.
Talent and skills Moreover, the logistics and supply chain sector struggles to attract new talent. “The days of someone joining a business at 21 and working until they are 65 are few and far between,” Saul says. People are now looking for more change in their roles and according to Saul it is about finding ways to allow people to work in different areas of the business so that they can find their passion.
“We have a successful graduate program, which has bought in a lot of great talent and many of those graduates are now rising through our ranks. Technology is a very important aspect of what we do, so our employees are driven by the changes and developments in this space,” Saul says. As for the truck drivers, DHL focus on safety and the health and wellbeing of our drivers above all else. “We create a quality environment for them to work in and make sure that they are fairly rewarded and see a good future for themselves. We take our Chain of Responsibility laws very seriously, and see that as part of being an employer of choice,” Saul says. Saul takes a lot of pride in working for DHL and comments on how many employees feel connected to the global organisations that they serve. “Our people take great ownership in the large-scale projects we are involved in, they feel a part of the process and are greatly recognised for all the hard work they do,” Saul says. Australia also has high labour costs in comparison to Europe or North America. “Transport costs can also be high and generally the freight will travel mostly in one direction,” Saul says. With all these challenges in mind, Saul
believes that it’s about educating the customer. For DHL, the first step in bringing a new customer to the Australian market would be to inform them of these unique challenges and work with them to find a solution. “We work with our customers to find a solution and also to make sure we are using the right kind of technology and automation so that we can be cost effective. We ask ourselves are we using the most efficient means of transport and storage to enable the most cost-effective delivery solution without compromising on quality,” Saul says. When it comes to the concept of free delivery, Saul believes this is a misnomer. “Nothing is for free, the reality is that it costs money to put a driver and truck on the road in a safe environment,” he says. For Saul, the conversation shouldn’t be about free delivery, it should be based on what is required. “People should be asking themselves– is it critical? Does it really need to be delivered next day? And if not, then maybe it’s okay to wait for it,” he says. Third-party logistics providers are geared to meet increased consumer demands, but free delivery could create an element of the market which is an unsustainable race to the bottom, Saul says.
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logisticsmagazine.com.au | 17
Profile
A logistics visionary A fresh face in the logistics industry, Cohesio Group has been going from strength to strength since its initial inception in 2014. The organisation’s CEO details their rise to success.
N
ishan Wijemanne, CEO of Cohesio Group decided that the logistics industry needed an influx of innovation and this vision drove him to create Cohesio Group – a solutions-driven technology provider. Nishan, who is originally from Christchurch in New Zealand first came to Australia in search of a new opportunity after working for Telecom New Zealand. Though at this time he was not familiar with the logistics industry, he was offered an opportunity at Dematic. “I flew down to Sydney for an interview that lasted five hours and shortly afterwards I was offered a job in a sales capacity for Dematic in Brisbane, to build the region. It was an extensive learning curve for me, to understand the logistics industry, but I really loved it,” Nishan says. In 18 -24 months Nishan had grown his region to a four million dollar portfolio and in recognition of his success he was offered a role in Melbourne soon after he was running the Southern Region Sales team and then he moved into an ANZ role. “Dematic is a great company, I had so much opportunity and really enjoyed working with the process improvement technology on offer at that time and also creating a high-performing team,” Nishan says. However, as his role developed further at Dematic and after a few executive changes, Nishan approached the then CEO to discuss his vision for the future of automation and logistics. “I really wanted to be at the cusp of technological innovation, I wanted to think about a longer-term strategy and also to look at how to go to market to mid-tier organisations that needed to replace manual processes and outdated tech with new tech. I also wanted to offer scalable solutions,” Nishan says.
Breaking down barriers For Nishan, automation and robotics should not just be for the huge businesses, there should be a cost-to-serve model or a monthly model to break the barrier to entry for the smaller organisations along with nimble 18 | Logistics&MaterialsHandling June/July 2019
Nishan Wijemanne attributes much of the success of Cohesio to his team.
solutions for the 3PL space. With this in mind, Nishan decided it was time to put that vision to the test and to form his own team, to create a solutions-driven and a partnership-centric organisation. “I knew I needed a strong core to start off with: my best sales guy, my best tech guy and a guy with strong workflow implementation skills. So, I approached Yiau Hwei Chan as my tech specialist, Rizan Mawzoon as my sales specialist and Ravi Nath to pull it all together. The four of us formed the founding team for Cohesio,” Nishan says. The original thought process behind Cohesio was to tap into the thousands of organisations out there who were priced out by the big automation providers. If Cohesio was to just get a few of these then they would be able to develop a profitable, value adding business, Nishan says. “Honestly when I pitched to Yiau Hwei and Rizan initially, it was on a napkin over lunch and we had the simple strategy to become a $3 to $4 million enterprise over the first five years,” Nishan says. However, this isn’t how things turned out. Cohesio Group’s first customer was The Reject Shop. “In our first month, we landed a quarter of a million dollar project from The Reject Shop and at that time there were only two of us in the business,’ Nishan says.
This momentum didn’t slow down, with Cohesio taking Kmart as its second client and in its entire five years Nishan is proud to report that the company has not lost one client and he is proud to say that Cohesio has rapidly grown into the largest player in their domain. Cohesio first started in the voice technology sector. “When we first started out, the industry at large needed a change and an influx of innovation. There was a prevalent gap in the market for innovative tech solutions as well as an overall proposition. The industry had providers that offered traditional barcode scanning solutions and voice-based picking the old way, but the technology available was only affordable and adopted by large enterprise customers and the process was very long and costly to integrate, plus voice technology was not applied beyond picking operations such as inventory management and inspection and maintenance,” Nishan says. Cohesio wanted to introduce a model that would not exclude the smaller organisations based on their size, output or SKUs. “The larger providers and innovative solutions in this space were not diversifying their business, they were just working on a retention strategy rather than a growth one,” Nishan says. A central aspect of Nishan’s vision is the importance of building strong and meaningful partnerships.
Profile
“We established partnerships with both Honeywell and Zebra Technologies very early on. These partnerships are now far and wide. What people would maybe traditionally see as competitors we see as opportunity,” Nishan says. Cohesio Group believes in strong partnerships with industry suppliers as well customers and treated them at a level playing field. For Nishan, this has reduced the traditional boundaries that exist between various layers of relationships that businesses have and he believes that this kind of mindset has allowed Cohesio to acquire customers like Kmart and The Reject Shop in its first quarter of operation. The company now has a number of global partnerships in place. Including Geek+ in China and Voiteq, a Körber Logistics company throughout North America and Europe.
Next steps More recently, Nishan and his team have been exploring ways in which robotics can transform logistics operations, specifically focussing on AMR (Autonomous Mobile Robots). Three years ago we got to a great place in terms of financial and team stability and Cohesio became not just an tech integrator but also a software development house with a team that helped us build our own IP. It was then that I started to detach myself from the day to day and started to look at other ways to innovate,” Nishan says. Nishan started to visit the US to look at what was happening in the logistics space over there. “There is so much innovation in the US, I spent a lot of time over there to try and see
what opportunities there were for collaboration. But people were very quick to say that the Australian market was too small and too far away,” Nishan says. However, what Nishan says they failed to realise is that Australia has one of the highest costs of labour in the world, meaning that it was the perfect market to move towards this type of lower-cost automation. “After the US visit I came across Geek+ and engaged them in Beijing and we recently deployed our first-ever AMR operation for a major player here in Australia,” Nishan says. A focus for Cohesio will be to ensure that organisations don’t see robotics as too expensive. “We are trying to be creative to show them that there isn’t a barrier to entry anymore. If you are big or small we have an offering for you. We work with customers with $20-30 million turnover and also $400-500 million,” he explains. For Nishan a major differentiator for Cohesio is that the solutions that they create are flexible, agile and scalable. “We don’t walk away, we work together with our business partners to come up with a compelling solution whatever the size of the business,” Nishan says. The first deployment of the Cohesio and Geek+ solution went live in December in Melbourne, and already the organisation are experiencing impressive efficiency gains. “The company went from 25 pickers to three – that’s a significant labour saving,” Nishan says. Since then, Cohesio is engaged on numerous other implementation projects. Nishan and the Cohesio team worked closely with these companies to show that it’s not
Cohesio offer technology solutions that are scalable, flexible and agile.
about machines replacing humans but about upskilling and utilising skills elsewhere in the business. “One of the key messages on this project was that this technology is to be embraced alongside humans. And it needs to be embraced for organisations to really grow. It’s not about cutting jobs, it’s about shipping faster and increased efficiency,” he says. Another technology that Nishan thinks will be able to offer cost-effective solutions for the logistics industry is Android voice. “Traditional voice picking software is run on proprietary hardware, but with Android it can be run on any device which allows an opportunity for a monthly model or a Software-as-a-Service model.” The Go-To-Market here is unique to Cohesio’s development of ignito, an Android integration platform, which is a game changer for enabling scalable and cost-effective voice based workflows.
Shared success Nishan attributes much of the success of Cohesio to the team he has worked hard to create. “It’s a bit like a band and I’m the frontman, people pat me on the back but really it’s the entire team that make things happen,” Nishan says. He has spent a lot of time building a highly capable team of professionals. “Our team is the most experienced and best of breed when it comes to enterprise mobility and related technologies,” Nishan says. This is illustrated further with the recent appointment of Darren O’Conner as Head of Operations. Nishan first met Darren on Cohesio’s first project as at this time Darren was Chief Information Officer at The Reject Shop. “Darren is a giant in the industry with a massive footprint marked by his wealth of knowledge, humble personality and innovative problem-solving skills. He adds an element of stability to internal processes and has already made clear his intentions to begin refining some of our key processes,” Nishan says. Cohesio has spent a lot of time creating a collaborative environment and fun culture which nurtures creation and innovation. “We give our team the launch pad to create their own success and identity,” Nishan says. This environment has now led to people approaching Cohesio for opportunities globally. “It’s great to get people handing us their CV because they see us an employer of choice and Cohesio as a company that they can truly engage in innovative technologies and solutions,” Nishan says. logisticsmagazine.com.au | 19
Software
Heartbeat of a business Logistics & Materials Handling speaks with David Taylor, Director at BusinessHub to find out why an ERP system is a crucial part of growth.
“T
ypically, we meet a lot of businesses who are expanding, they want to move into the next phase of their business. But they recognise that they have issues with inventory,” David says. If a business starts to struggle with managing increased invoicing and inventory, it can run the risk of missing orders, losing customers and reversing that growth. “Usually when businesses are growing, they start to realise they are running into problems. They often miss out on orders because they don’t have the stock. Or the opposite problem is that they are holding too much stock which holds up cash flow,” David says. Many organisations run into problems when they fail to accurately forecast sales. According to David they often end up with old and outdated stock which may never sell. “The first step is to start with foreword forecasting. Optimising supply chain and inventory could be the difference between a business thriving or folding.
20 | Logistics&MaterialsHandling June/July 2019
“Usually when businesses are growing, they start to realise they are running into problems. They often miss out on orders because they don’t have the stock. Or the opposite problem is that they are holding too much stock which holds up cash flow.” David Taylor, Director at BusinessHub
Businesses need to work out what they should be ordering and when they should be making these orders.” Optimising supply chain and inventory management could mean the difference between your business thriving or folding. One issue is that usually organisations buy
by container or pallet load but then they sell in boxes. “An ERP system can work out all of those formulas with ease so you can have a higher accuracy of the movement of your stock,” David says. As a business develops, they may open new distribution centres or locations to accommodate stock requirements, but this can lead to more issues. “A company may be based in Melbourne but they ship to Adelaide, Sydney or Brisbane. When an ERP system is implemented, organisations have total transparency over where the stock is. If an organisation is low in stock in Newcastle but have stock of the same product in Brisbane it might not be the smartest move to order more stock,” David says. Having the ability to check live stock levels across all locations allows organisations to exercise economies of scale. “Consolidation of spending can offer great competitive advantages,” David says. For many organisations, live visibility and traceability of stock is a necessity. “In the medical industry, they have to ensure certain stock is sanitised, or even in the food industry there is a lot of sensitive batch stock with expiring ingredients – so the stakes are very high if you get the forecasting wrong,” David says. Similarly, in high value organisations, such as the automotive industry, ordering parts that may never sell can cause serious financial risk. For David, MYOB Advanced becomes the core part of the business and organisations can then attach any other solutions they use to the software. “An organisation may use a container
Software
fill optimiser or schedule solutions provider, whatever they need they can extract data from MYOB Advanced to feed these other platforms and make them work smarter,” he says. Additionally, for organisations operating in the e-commerce area, the MYOB platform can be fully connected to their chosen platform and provide live stock information so that orders can be accurately fulfilled. “We see our clients pick up the platform very quickly. It takes about two to three months for them to get entirely up to speed and then in about six months they are really confident with the product,” David says. BusinessHub’s main aim is to empower their clients to optimise their processes and the MYOB Advanced product enables this. “We enable our customers to get familiar with the platform, and for them to drive its application. We want our customers to be confident in the product and to know that it does the core solutions very well,” David says. “It really is the heartbeat of a business and I would urge any organisation that is growing and recognises they have an issue with inventory management now, or further down the road to look into the benefits of the MYOB
Optimising processes through ERP solutions is becoming more and more common.
Advanced cloud-based solution,” David says. Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems are becoming more and more common. A study from Queensland University of Technology found that more than 60 per cent of Fortune 500 companies had adopted an ERP system as
early as 2000. The MYOB Advanced platform is a complete solution, featuring inventory and order management, profits and pricing models, customer management and offers customers full control over their logistics cycle.
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Innovation
Faster fulfilment As logistics continues to embrace robotics, solutions-provider Dematic has introduced a new robotic picking module to improve accuracy and productivity. Pas Tomasiello, Senior Director of Integrated Systems for Dematic Australia and New Zealand presents the solution.
R
obotics have been part of the supply chain for a while now, already widely used to store, retrieve and transport cartons and pallets, but what is newer to the industry is piece picking robotics. Advances in technology and rising operational costs have led to businesses looking at the option of robotic piece picking as a way to improve efficiency in the warehouse and keep up with the rising demand of e-commerce.
The effect of e-commerce on supply chain The growth of e-commerce is changing distribution centres (DCs) and having a profound effect on customer expectations, with an increase in customer demand and more small or single product orders. Warehouses now hold more SKUs than ever, in a wide variety of shapes, size and weight, meaning that robotics need to be more flexible than in the past and able to handle these items without slowing down operations. Dematic has introduced its Robotic Piece Picking Module, which is designed to improve accuracy and productivity during the last touch of the fulfilment process — the point
DCs are facing increased pressure to find reliable, qualified and available labour.
Robotics play a huge role in keeping up with the rising demand of e-commerce.
where items of varying sizes and shapes are processed by hand. Traditionally, the last touch has been a manual process, due to robotics previously not being able to pick smaller or single product orders, but the Robotic Piece Picking Module completes the automation of the fulfilment
chain. The module selects, grips, lifts and places individual items of varying sizes into containers or bins to complete a shipment. It delivers pick rates of 600–1,200 items per hour ensuring on time delivery of a wide variety of SKUs, such as personal care items, cosmetics, packaged food, office supplies and a variety of other package types, shapes and fragility.
Piece picking robotics helps overcome industry challenges DCs are facing increased pressure to find reliable, qualified and available labour. Piece picking is labour-intensive, repetitive work and often places workers in uncomfortable environments, so the supply chain can face real challenges when it comes to finding enough long-term staff to keep up with order demands. Robotics offerings, such as Dematic’s Robotic Piece Picking Module, help warehouse managers streamline processes through advanced technology and software that operate 24/7 with extraordinary accuracy, drilling down labour costs and improving fulfilment efficiency. The key to success is in identifying the system solution that meets the
22 | Logistics&MaterialsHandling June/July 2019
Innovation Traditionally, the last touch has been a manual process, due to robotics previously not being able to pick smaller or single product orders, but the Robotic Piece Picking Module completes the automation of the fulfilment chain. unique needs of a customer’s application. The Dematic Robotic Piece Picking Module is part of a suite of automated solutions built around process improvements, robotic technology, vision and software within the Dematic Robotics Centre of Excellence. Robotic piece picking technology is evolving
The Dematic Robotic Piece Picking Module is part of a suite of automated solutions.
at a rapid pace, and beyond reviewing the technical aspects of the various components, you also need to consider the flexibility, scalability, and modularity of a completely integrated system that is right for your facility. By investing in the development of featurerich modules using advanced technologies,
businesses can overcome the toughest logistics challenges. Piece picking robotics increase efficiency and accuracy within the warehouse and will help supply chain businesses be better positioned when it comes to implementing robotic advances in the future.
logisticsmagazine.com.au | 23
Warehousing
Emission-free materials handling Organisations who are looking to go emission-free have struggled to find an electric forklift that could lift up to eight tonnes. Until now.
O
rganisations from across the globe are working hard to implement initiatives and strategies to help make the world a greener place by reducing emissions. The clean energy revolution is impacting every sector. Apple hit its 100 percent renewables target for its own operations in April of last year and businesses all around the world are embracing renewable and clean energy to power towards a low-carbon future. Sweden has committed to eliminating fossil fuels from electricity generation by 2040. Similarly, Germany has set an ambitious target to get 65 per cent of its electricity from renewables by 2030. At home in Australia the Government has committed to reduce emissions from 2005 levels by 26-28 per cent by 2030 as well as grow 20 per cent renewable sources by 2030. In the logistics arena, Toll recently created Australia’s first carbon-neutral warehouse with Nike in Melbourne’s Altona North. The entire building has achieved a carbon neutral certification under the National Carbon Offset Standard. This was closely followed by DHL’s New South Wales warehouse attaining the same certification
Linde prides itself on its innovative and high technology equipment.
one week later. Under DHL’s environmental protection program the business has committed to get to zero logistics-related emissions by 2050. In the intralogistics sector, there is a clear
trend towards electric forklifts. One business that is driving innovation to help its customers achieve their goal of emission-free logistics is Linde Material Handling. Linde Material Handling is moving toward innovative emission-free technologies in every area of materials handling. Offering a wide-range of electric forklift trucks for loads weighing between one tonne and even as far up to eight tonne, there is an emission-free solution for virtually any application.
Electric power for heavy loads
George Pappas, Senior Director, Service and Sales believes Linde is a global leader in electric trucks.
24 | Logistics&MaterialsHandling June/July 2019
Linde’s offering in the emissions-free space is advanced in that they can provide trucks that can carry a load capacity of up to eight tonnes. Daniel Tamatea, Account Development Manager recently led the first sale of this truck in Australia. “I worked with a customer who had a directive of removing fossil fuels on site wherever possible, they came to me and said – “We want the biggest electric unit you can provide.’ They were shocked to learn that we could offer up to eight tonne capacity,” Daniel says. After learning about Linde’s offering in
Warehousing
to match the weight load and lift speed of the fossil fuel equivalent. According to George, a common issue with electric forklifts is that if they are required for an entire shift, often an organisation is forced to buy two because of long charge times. However, with the offering this is not an issue as their electric forklifts operate what George refers to as an 80 per cent duty cycle capacity. “One of our key design focuses was for our customers to be able to run a full shift on a single charge,” George says.
Tailer-made trucks
Linde’s offering in the emissions space can carry up to eight tonnes.
this space, Daniel’s customer was quick to order a full electric forklift solution from the forklift company. “There are very few competitors in this space that make an eighttonne unit,” Daniel says. The customer took a selection of electric forklifts from Linde but the E80’s capacity really took them by surprise. “It was the most suitable truck on the market that allowed them to meet the directive of emission free materials handling,” Daniel says. In addition to the heavy load capacity as a forklift truck, the E80 also has towing capabilities. “This is extremely uncommon for a forklift to have this capability. We work with the Linde World software to work out what weight they can tow and what gradient and speed the truck needs to be limited to,” Daniel says.
Driving technology and innovation Linde Material Handling prides itself on its innovation and high technology equipment developed to better serve its customers. “One of our organisational fields of action is to develop new products using advanced power technologies,” George Pappas, Senior Director, Service and Sales. For George, one of Linde’s main goals is to be a global leader in this space and the journey to being able to provide such a high load capacity truck has been a long and rewarding one. “We started with a much smaller capacity truck in the 1.6 tonne to 2.5, then we quickly
“We have designed these trucks from the ground up. We have made sure that they have the same performance characteristics as a gas or diesel truck.” George Pappas, Senior Director, Service and Sales at Linde
developed a 3.5 to five tonne version. Last year we launched the six to eight tonne version,” George recalls. One of Linde’s main points of difference is that in the development of their electric offerings, they did not simply retrofit existing forklift trucks. “We have designed these trucks from the ground up. We have made sure that they have the same performance characteristics as a gas or diesel truck. They provide the same capacity, speed and general throughput capabilities,” George says. In comparison to when an existing truck is retrofitted with electric features, the performance characteristics are much higher, George says. This allows the Linde range
Linde offers customers the opportunity to customise each particular model to suit whatever their requirements may be, Daniel says. “From 1.6 tonne to eight tonne the customer can have the same control configurations for the entire range. This means that an operator can move from one machine to another and feel familiar driving and operating the truck,” he says. While the E80 is a considerable investment for a business, according to Daniel if an organisation has reducing emissions and the environment as a core value then this solution is necessary. “It is a big investment and it is part of our Performance Plus range. But any business that is prioritising reducing their carbon footprint doesn’t really have a choice. If they need to lift up to eight tonnes then this truck is the right choice,” Daniel says.
No compromise on safety When dealing with loads weighing up to 8,000 kilograms, safety is of the upmost importance. “With this truck, no expense has been spared on its safety features,” George says. All of the trucks are fitted with the Linde’s safety management system so that the company can have full eyes on their fleet. The protective roof of the E60-E80 electric forklift trucks combine with the cab’s frame to form a large protective zone for the driver. The cabs have great visibility while handling loads, and the automatic parking brake guarantees the ultimate in safety even when working on ramps. The truck is also extremely quiet, reaching a low of 12 to 14 decibels, this allows the operator to concentrate on their activity. The material handling industry has long been a pioneer in electro mobility and according to George the E80 is a fine example of achieving the same high vehicle availability as with combustion engine powered vehicles with an emission-free electric solution. logisticsmagazine.com.au | 25
Technology
Code-breaker Contamination of product can cause serious issues for a brand’s reputation as well as regulatory challenges. Darryl Blackeby at ifm efector presents a track and trace solution.
M
ost major supermarkets now require all suppliers to ensure all supplied products can be traced across the entire supply chain. Contamination, defects, recalls or even tampering can sometimes happen. Having the ability to monitor and check in with the product as it moves around a warehouse, or production line, can meet these requirements and eliminate these risks. Real-time visibility and accurate information of product whereabouts and contents in logistics is one of the key ways to control inventory and to keep suppliers and customers confident that there product is safe and of the quality required. The ability to identify and recall products before they reach consumers in a not-fitfor purpose state can be crucial to a business and its reputation. Managing and confirming inventory at multiple points across its journey offers a number of benefits. It helps protect customers and give them peace of mind that their product consistently complies with legal and quality requirements. One common way that organisations keep track of their product is by using barcodes. Barcodes are machine readable symbols that store identifying data about a package or item. These symbols are then read by a scanner and they are decoded, recorded and processed for a variety of uses. In recent years, different forms of barcodes have been developed, most recently the 2D (two-dimensional) barcode has advanced the market as part of Industry 4.0. “Industry 4.0 is all about information, if we can provide information to a central control system then we can make a decision based on that data,” Darryl Blackeby, Product Sales Manager, ifm efector says. A 2D barcode is usually a square or rectangular pattern. It is able to encode large amounts of data. A further added benefit is if one of more cells are damaged, the code is still readable. A QR code is an example of 2D barcode and as Darryl explains it offers more than just product identity. “Take a food plant for example, all product
26 | Logistics&MaterialsHandling June/July 2019
ifm’s multi-code reader has a USB port for additional application.
needs to be labelled correctly and if something is misidentified it could be detrimental if someone has an allergy and it has the wrong label on it,” Darryl says. For Darryl, product identification at multiple points across a process is more and more common. “There are a number of benefits to having this kind of information – you can decide where a product goes next on a line, you can check which components were used in a particular product or batch, you can control the flow of products or you can ensure that the correct product is in the correct packaging,” he says. Ifm efector, a sensor, networking and control
systems provider has developed a barcode reader that offers the ability to read 1D and 2D barcodes in one reader. The O2I500 multi-code readers boast an extremely simple set up process. “It’s very user friendly, it does not require a programmer or IT professional to get it up and running. It has what we refer to as a one-button teach which makes it very easy to configure,” Darryl explains. The ifm-designed Teach App software allows the user to configure the basic sensor settings using a smartphone app. “The reader reliably detects 1D and 2D codes, and the teach button allows the reader to process a new code very quickly,” Darryl says. This means that if a small changeover of stock is required, a user does not need to involve complex computers or IT professionals they can simply reprogram the reader with their smart phone. “You can re-teach it. If a user has the app on their smart phone they can reprogram it in a matter of seconds,” Darryl says. The award-winning Vision Assistant software is available to configure the multi-code reader for more complex applications, and a USB port is integrated for additional
For Darryl Blackeby, product identification at multiple points is more common.
“You can re-teach it. If a user has the app on their smart phone they can reprogram it in a matter of seconds.” Darryl Blackeby Product Sales Manager at ifm efector
Users can reprogram the barcode reader with a simple and easy-to-use program.
application storage and backup. In addition, the ifm O2I500 multi-code reader offers a four times higher resolution for reliable reading results and a ten times faster evaluation time. Several images can be captured very
quickly with different exposure time and the reader is able to recognise codes with variable characteristics or if they are deviating in colour. An added benefit for logistics providers is that the data that the reader captures can
easily be integrated into a SAP or ERP system. “Sometimes this is quite difficult to set up but the embedded agent in our multi-code readers simplifies the programming,” Darryl says. For Darryl, one of the main components of Industry 4.0 is controlling the supply chain and ensuring that everything is accounted for and compliant. The multi-code readers allow materials to be scanned at multiple points and data to be fed back to ensure that customers and consumers have the peace of mind that the product has not been contaminated or tampered with and its quality is never compromised.
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Warehousing
NORD has introduced LogiDrive which optimises processes and costs for intralogistics.
Making a mark NORD Drivesystems Australia is experiencing a surge in uptake of its logistics solutions worldwide. Managing Director, Martin Broglia comments on the latest developments at the company.
N
ORD Drivesystems is no stranger to the needs and wants of the logistics industry. Through the company’s 54-year history in drive engineering, the logistics industry worldwide has seen an uptake of NORD products due to the cost efficiency and reliability of the products. According to Martin Broglia, Managing Director of NORD Drivesystems Australia, NORD has enjoyed large success in the field of logistics and materials handling locally too. “We are pleased with our growth in market share and the feedback we have from customers in the logistics industry” Martin says. NORD has invested heavily in local production and stockholding with the company recently expanding operations to NSW. According to Martin, these tactics have paid off as customers now enjoy even wider service and shorter turnaround times.
30 | Logistics&MaterialsHandling June/July 2019
Martin also mentions that the local team has been upskilled and trained, and the technical teams are able to assist with on-site commissioning and service. “NORD has been a major player in the logistics industry for some time and has extensive experience in best in class solution for pack houses, postal hubs and airports around Australia and further afield,” Martin says. The company was recently awarded the Vanderlande Supplier Award, as part of the events of the Vanderlande Supplier Day in Germany, for their outstanding operational excellence and responsive supply chain, high innovative capability and the company’s strong competitiveness. Vanderlande Industries is one of the world’s leading prime contractors for process automation in warehouse logistics and is the global market leader for value-oriented
automation of logistic processes at airports and in the field of parcel distribution. As an expert for tailor-made drive technology, NORD DRIVESYSTEMS has been closely collaborating with Vanderlande for many years.
Simplifying stock holding To reduce the number of products and options required NORD introduced further standardisation with the introduction of LogiDrive. Different gear units and motor types, sizes, options and gear ratios often result in a large variety of drive versions – a considerable cost factor. A reduction in the number of variants can result in optimised processes and costs. The LogiDrive standardised IE4 geared motor versions are the solution for intralogistics. LogiDrive drive units consist of an IE4 synchronous motor, a two-stage helical bevel gear unit and a NORDAC LINK field
Warehousing
“NORD has been a major player in the logistics industry for some time and has extensive experience in best-in-class solutions for pack houses, postal hubs and airports around Australia and further afield.” Martin Broglia, Managing Director at NORD Drivesystems
distributor LogiDrive systems are highly efficient, and thanks to Plug & Play technology they are extremely maintenance-friendly and result in a considerable reduction of spare part stocks. The standardised geared motor variants are specially designed for intralogistics and airport technology and are particularly
suitable for reducing the number of versions. The compact design saves space and the lightweight aluminium housing enables weight savings of up to 25 per cent. LogiDrive drive units comprise an IE4 synchronous motor with rated powers of up to 5.5 kW, a 2-stage helical bevel gear unit and a frequency inverter which is installed close to the motor. The inverter is equipped with a mains switch, a key switch to isolate the drive unit from the system controller and a direction selector switch for local installation mode. AS-i and all common field bus and industrial Ethernet interfaces can be integrated. With class IE4 motor efficiency, the drives can improve efficiencies - especially when operating with partial load and speed range. This combination drives down the total cost of ownership (TCO). LogiDrive drive units from NORD are equipped with the safety functions STO and SS1 according to DIN EN 61800-5-2 and DIN EN 60204-1 and have a high overload capacity. As the system for conveyor technology has a modular structure, all drive technology components can be serviced individually, which reduces service and
Martin Broglia, Managing Director at NORD Drivesystems.
maintenance costs in intralogistics. “LogiDrive drive technology is suitable for horizontal conveyors, inclined conveyors and vertical conveyors. Thanks to extensive certification, LogiDrive systems can be installed without problems throughout the world,” Martin says.
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Safety
Cleanliness is key A safe and tidy workplace can offer significant productivity and efficiency gains. Lucas Paris, Sales and Marketing Director at Karcher Australia discusses how.
A
ccording to Safe Work Australia one of the most common causes of workplace injuries in Australia is workplace trips and falls. Safe Work Australia research also revealed that work-related injuries cost the Australian economy around $60 billion every year. A workplace environment has a heavy influence on employee productivity, performance and well-being. In the logistics industry, keeping a warehouse tidy has a number of productivity and safety benefits. “Warehouses can become messy and untidy very quickly, especially in pick and pack areas where there is pallet wrap, shrink wrap, carton boxes and so on,” Lucas Paris, Sales & Marketing Director, Karcher says. According to Lucas, people can do serious damage if they slip on some pallet wrap or even cardboard. For Lucas, a lot of the common incidents and accidents that take place in a warehouse could be avoided if the environment is regularly kept clean and tidy. “Those organisations that have the cleaning of the facilities as a priority are usually the ones who experience greater efficiency gains,” he says. Presenting a clean environment to those who work in and the public who may visit the site is a representation of the brand itself, Lucas says. “If an organisation really neglects the tidiness and therefore cleanliness of a site then it can lead to clutter, storage of unnecessary items, inaccurate inventory and blockages of aisles,” he says. A daily clean and sweep can prevent lost time due to work injuries and productivity issue, Lucas says. Additionally, there is the issue of airborne contaminants that can be found in a warehouse environment. According to the World Health Organisation, whenever people inhale airborne dust at work, they are at risk of occupational diseases. “Depending on what an organisation is moving and holding there are some serious risk around airborne contaminants,” Lucas says. Using capable cleaning machines can help reduce these risks, which Lucas says is a priority for Karcher. “If an organisation uses a sweeper with a
filter regularly it can help reduce these airborne contaminants. At Karcher we are very concerned about these risks and we want to do whatever we can to help organisations limit these. For us it’s really about minimising harm through a clean and safe environment for all workers,” Lucas says. Karcher is the world’s largest cleaning machines manufacturer. “We have machines for every application you can imagine, whether it’s the office, the warehouse or even truck washes that go up to $400,000 a machine. We have every application covered,” Lucas says. Karcher understand that each of their customers has a unique requirement when it comes to cleaning tasks and with this in mind the organisation has developed a wide range of products. From high pressure cleaners, to vacuums, to industrial floor cleaners and scrubbing machines to the vehicle cleaning machines. “We have a full range of indoor and outdoor cleaning equipment. We have suitable solutions whatever the application and whatever the size of the facility,” Lucas says. In addition, the Karcher offering gives users
visibility across their entire fleet of cleaning equipment. “Take Linfox or Toll for example, they need to have visibility of their cleaning equipment so we have a dashboard that shows the location of the device, battery life and its entire cleaning history,” Lucas says. The professional cleaning equipment can also be provided as a bespoke offering. “We have some equipment that is basically set up like a fork lift truck – it can be fitted with cameras, sensors, lights or whatever is needed,” Lucas says. For Lucas, it’s really about what the business requires. “It could be large sweepers or scrubbers but we also have entry level options for smaller organisations and smaller businesses. We can also vary the speed and controls so the user can adapt depending on the environment they are in,” he says. Karcher is also looking at other ways in which they can optimise their products using the Internet of Things. “We put seven per cent of our global turnover back into research and development. We’re certainly interested in robotics and how this technology can help our customers further,” Lucas says.
Karcher is the world’s largest cleaning machines manufacturer.
logisticsmagazine.com.au | 33
Warehousing
Automation creates innovation Pilot Pen recently automated part of its manufacturing process in Japan, leading to an innovation in its permanent marker offering.
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ilot Pen is a globally recognised Japanese pen manufacturer. A household name, Pilot Pen is renowned for its quality and has been at the forefront of design and innovation. Recently celebrating its 100th year of operation, John Johnston, Marketing Manager at Pilot Pen Australia believes that what sets Pilot apart from other pen manufacturers is its genuine desire to create a product that people will value. “From an end user perspective, Pilot Pen really cares about the user experience,” he says. All of Pilot’s products are made in Japan using the best quality ink and materials, with an emphasis on end-user satisfaction. “The focus is on being the best and ensuring that every one of our products is produced to the highest standard,” John says. In 2016, Pilot Pen announced that it was to invest more than $100 million AUD on its Japanese production plants to triple production capacity for inexpensive oil-based pens. “Pilot upgraded its buildings and facilities and introduced automated assembly equipment to boost production,” John says. Pilot’s vision was to produce 500 million pens annually by 2018, this kind of volume has allowed the business to offer quality products at affordable prices.
The marker can write on virtually any surface including glass and wood.
“I have visited the factories in Japan, the state-of-the-art automation process is really impressive. The entire SCA Permanent Marker line is automated and allows us to deliver a high-quality product at an attractive price point,” John says. With the automation process fully developed, Pilot was able to work on the innovation of its new permanent marker offering. “We have been in this market previously, but we really wanted to offer a solution that would help businesses,” John says. A common issue with permanent markers in offices, factories and warehouses is that they are used and then left without a lid on, causing the pen to dry out. Pilot recognised a need for a higher quality, more reliable pen and developed
the SCA 100 and 400 permanent markets. The SCA 100 and 400 series feature the newly developed Controlled Surface Properties (CSP) ink. This is wear resistant and prevents the ink dispersing when it’s scratched. This allows for a long-cap off performance. The pen can be left without the lid on for 24 hours and still be used. “We knew that for industries like logistics they need a more robust and reliable pen, and with the CSP ink we were able to develop a permanent marker that will continue to deliver even if the lid is left off for long periods of time,” John says. Additionally, the SCA 100 and 400 series has a strong surface adhesion. “You can use the pen to write on pretty much anything – cartons, glass, plastic, wood, metal, paper. It will even write over grease and oil,” John says. It’s also wear resistant, which means that the ink cannot be rubbed out and according to John it will not fade from excessive heat, light, water or cold. The markers also come in vibrant colours to ensure accurate visibility. “We’ve recently upped our game in the market space, and we’re really proud of our SCA 100 and 400 series offering. We think this is a great marker for industries like logistics where speed, reliability, quality and accuracy are key,” John says.
The lid can be left off the pen for 24 hours. 34 | Logistics&MaterialsHandling June/July 2019
Forklifts
Local talent Jake Peters, Technical Engineer at Vin Rowe recently spent some time in China to learn more about the electric forklift market. Logistics & Materials Handling finds out more.
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oving from the agricultural sector to the materials handling sector was an exciting opportunity for Jake Peters, Technical Engineer at Vin Rowe. “I’ve been in the farming and agricultural business my entire life, and with Vin Rowe for many years now. But moving into the logistics and materials handling sector presents so many great opportunities,” Jake says. Vin Rowe, one of Australia’s leading agricultural machinery distributors is now moving into the materials handling sector. With the backing of more than three generations of expertise, experience and reputation, the organisation is well placed to offer solutions in this space. The Warragul-based company has now entered this sector with a joint partnership with Zowell, a Chinese manufacturer of electric materials handling equipment. Zowell has more than 15 years’ experience in the materials handling sector and has designed a suite of products that offer stable and safe operation as well as comfort. As the organisation is primarily based in China, Vin Rowe will be distributing and servicing the products here in Australia and as a result Jake has visited China to learn
The Vin Rowe team visited the Zowell manufacturing plant in China.
more about the Zowell range. “I went over to China last year and the Zowell team were so welcoming. They were very straight forward with me and explained the entire workings of the products so that I could communicate that expertise to our customers here in Australia,” Jake says. As an introduction to the product, the team at Vin Rowe decided to trial some of the Zowell products at their own location in Warragul. “We’ve been using the XPB15 to move pallets around whenever a forklift is busy. It’s great, it moves pallets just as quickly and we were really impressed with it,” Jake says. For Jake, the opportunities in the logistics industry are endless. “Nearly every business needs to move goods, I see so much possibility in the materials handling sector,” he says. The agricultural sector and the logistics sector have more in common than Jake initially anticipated. “When a tractor breaks down, they need it to be fixed there on the spot. They need it to work, it’s crucial to their overall agricultural process. It’s the same in logistics,” Jake says. Vin Rowe recognise that if Zowell products are going to be sold in Australia then they also need to be serviced in Australia. “Jake has been trained on the entire product
Jake Peters, Technical Engineer at Vin Rowe.
range that we will distribute here in Australia. Having staff locally who can service and repair products is of the utmost importance to us,” Graham Rowe, Director, Vin Rowe says. The Vin Rowe team pride themselves on their ability to offer a great service, something that they have been proud to do in the agricultural sector the past 50 years. With Vin Rowe being the only Zowell distributor in Australia, it’s important that there is a full after-sales support for their customers, Jake says. “I was trained by the lead engineer at Zowell in China and I learnt so much. I get so much support from the team in China. If I need some help I can message them and they get back to me within a few minutes. I have so much confidence in the support we are getting,” Jake says. So far the feedback has been great for the Zowell products, and Jake is excited to present the range to more logistics businesses. “The feedback we are receiving is great. Electric solutions are what people are after now and the Zowell range is a very competitive offering,” Jake says. The Zowell range is fully electric and Vin Rowe offer a series of products that includes electric counterbalance forklift trucks, electric reach trucks, electric reach stacker, electric power pallet jack, electric lift stacker and electric tugger and are suitable for a variety of applications. logisticsmagazine.com.au | 35
Technology
Smart printing Accurate labelling solutions are critical in ensuring goods are traceable and arrive safely at their required destination. Matthew Mooyman, Product Manager at insignia discusses the capabilities of enterprise device management software and how it can help.
Device management allows organisations to manage their fleet of devices.
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arcodes are fundamental within supply chain and logistics – from booking goods into a warehouse to booking them in for delivery, at customs clearance or a customer’s home, a single product is scanned multiple times throughout its supply chain journey. “At first glance, barcodes can seem like a minor part of the logistical process, but operators and organisations need information for a number of purposes. Labelling products, dispatch labels or pallet labels; a huge part of the flow and traceability of materials rely on the ability to read a barcode accurately,” says Matthew Mooyman, Product Manager (Variable Information Printing), insignia. To ensure a readable barcode it’s essential that the technology printing this information is working efficiently. Printers and computers are a key component in supply chain, logistics and warehousing
36 | Logistics&MaterialsHandling June/July 2019
practices, with warehouses and depots across the country commonly having the ability to print barcodes onsite. With the rise of Industry 4.0, logistics providers are looking at ways they can smarten these devices and access more information about device performance and usage to reduce downtime and improve accuracy. “Historically thermal label printers have just been used to generate machine and human readable imagery such as barcodes and product information onto labels. Though the way we print hasn’t changed, there are now a number of features that are built into the printer which allows users and administrators to better understand and manage printer performance,” Matthew says. Devices are becoming connective, and enterprise device management (EDM) software allows businesses to have increased visibility
over these devices to ensure they are being used to their full potential. Matthew says that by utilising device management solutions, devices like desktop printers are now providing businesses with information and data they have never had access to before, including the battery status on mobile devices, the print head status – whether an element has blown, performance information and general diagnostics. The main benefit of this type of device management is that it empowers organisations with the information to both efficiently manage their fleet of devices and ensure that all devices are running at maximum OEE. “As an example, before device management software an element could blow on the print head and thousands of unreadable barcodes or labels could be printed before someone becomes aware. As we move more towards an automated warehouse environment, the
Technology
consequences of this are huge. Products could be rejected or even sent back at the suppliers’ cost,” Matthew says. The data that device management software provides ultimately allows organisations to make educated business decisions around their hardware, spares, consumable usage and output. As more devices become connected through networks the risk of security threats to back end systems becomes greater. “With enterprise device management software, organisations can roll out security updates with ease as well as have visibility and control of all devices from one central location,” Matthew says. Additionally, the device does not need to be on a wireless network. “You can receive information through a connected device by linking the device via Bluetooth, wireless or a mobile device,” Matthew confirms. insignia is an Australian family-owned business with 50 years’ experience in labelling, coding and data capture. As a GS1 strategic alliance partner and distributor of top international thermal printing, data capture and mobility brands, insignia’s team is equipped with the knowledge to provide
To ensure a barcode is readable the technology printing this information needs to be working efficiently.
compliant barcoding and printing solutions. “We recognise that security is important to all of our customers and ensure that they are able to have consistency across their entire fleet by rolling out security updates with ease. We also recognise that reducing downtime and
ensuring labels can be accurately read is of the upmost importance to logistics providers. We work with organisations to provide ongoing support for their device management and to ensure that they make the most out of their devices,” Matthew says.
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logisticsmagazine.com.au | 37
ALC Column
PROACTIVE APPROACH ON PLANNING KEY TO SUCCESS Kirk Coningham CEO, Australian Logistics Council
38 | Logistics&MaterialsHandling June/July 2019
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he recently concluded federal election campaign was notable for several reasons, but perhaps one of its more unusual aspects was the extent to which issues that have traditionally been seen as state responsibilities were directly addressed by both sides. In particular, there was a focus on “congestion busting” and specific policy announcements that were designed to tackle that problem. This included direct investments in public transport infrastructure that would have been unthinkable just a decade ago, as well as massive spending commitments to support new road infrastructure. Though such initiatives will undoubtedly be welcomed by voters, there is an extent to which this approach is locking the stable door after the horse has bolted. After all, the huge levels of congestion we are now seeing on the roads of Australia’s
major cities are, in large part, a manifestation of our long-term failure to properly plan for population growth. This is equally true of many other challenges that confront freight logistics operators every day, such as heavy vehicle bans on particular routes, noise curfews that inhibit operational flexibility and capacity constraints in our freight network engendered by a failure to properly invest in freight infrastructure. All these problems can be traced back to a single causal failure by governments at all levels and over many decades to properly incorporate freight movement into their planning policies. Freight is no less essential to the day-to-day lives of Australians than a reliable supply of potable water or electricity. Without the freight logistics industry, most Australian households could not feed or clothe themselves, much less maintain a comfortable standard of living. Regrettably, this reality is not being reflected in the way our governments deal with freight issues. Indeed, most Australian jurisdictions still do not have a dedicated minister for
ALC Column
freight. This lack of direct accountability within government for a key economic sector has obvious flow-on consequences. Too often, freight priorities run a poor second to residential priorities in planning decisions, and many of our planning systems fail to properly acknowledge the vital role of freight efficiency in establishing liveable communities. This situation must change if Australia is to successfully meet its growing freight task and satisfy the demands of consumers who increasingly expect faster delivery and lower shipping costs. With the federal election now over and a new parliament in place, this is the ideal moment for the Federal Government to demonstrate national leadership and take up a greater role in planning matters. This need not entail radical action such as seizing planning powers from the states. Rather, by using incentive payments and leveraging its existing constitutional powers, the Federal Government can drive the establishment of a consistent national approach to planning to give freight the focus it deserves. During ALC Forum 2019, held in Melbourne in early March, ALC released the third in its series of Discussion Papers on the development and implementation of a National Freight and Supply Chain Strategy, entitled Don’t Box Us In. The Forum saw both sides of politics commit to the delivery of this Strategy, and it is vital that this bipartisan commitment be built upon in the post-election environment
by tackling policy changes that have been delayed for too long. This must include a role for the Federal Government in facilitating greater national consistency in planning, which will not only make Australian cities more liveable, but will spur greater productivity, Accordingly, Don’t Box Us In highlights some practical steps that the Federal Government can take a more active role to drive better planning outcomes for freight logistics operators, and ensure that freight movement is properly embedded in our planning systems. Although planning matters are primarily a matter for state and local governments, this does not mean there is no capacity for the Commonwealth to act. Indeed, there are precents for such action. In the 1990s, the Federal Government made incentive payments to state and territory governments that undertook economic reforms as part of National Competition Policy. More recently, the Federal Government has offered incentive payments to the NSW Government and relevant local governments to support reforms that will accelerate housing supply in Western Sydney. In the lead-up to the Federal Election, the Labor Party signalled it is open to the use of incentive payments as part of its proposed COAG Economic Reform Council. Given both sides of politics acknowledge the effectiveness of incentive payments in delivering reform, ALC has suggested this approach be adopted to encourage state
and local governments to adopt freightfriendly planning practices. Further, the Constitution provides the Federal Government with the capacity to provide grants – known as ‘specific purpose payments’ – to states and territories, attaching such conditions as it sees fit. Such payments are often used by the Federal Government to invest in areas over which it has no formal constitutional authority, including health, school education and road funding initiatives. Don’t Box Us In suggests that if this mechanism can surely be used to ensure that state governments receiving funding support for transport infrastructure do not then impose restrictions on that infrastructure that inhibit efficient freight movement. This would include limiting access to roads for heavy vehicles and noise curfews. Ensuring our planning systems and the regulation of freight infrastructure promote the efficient and safe movement of freight is crucial if Australia is to remain globally competitive. The Federal Government should not be afraid to use the constitutional powers already available to it to promote that outcome, and ensure that freight movement is appropriately and consistently prioritised by governments at all levels. Doing so will finally allow Australia to get on the front foot when it comes to dealing with matters such as road congestion, will ensure customer expectations regarding rapid deliveries can continue to be met, and will make for more liveable local communities.
logisticsmagazine.com.au | 39
Property focus
Vertical warehousing As land value continues to grow at an exponential rate, will Australia embrace the multi-storey warehouse?
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ustralia’s major cities are currently experiencing a lack of supply in industrial land,. Moreover, the land that is available in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane is becoming increasingly expensive. According to Colliers International research, Sydney land values have grown by 15 per cent in the past year. While regional locations may present opportunities for occupiers to take advantage of more space and lower costs, this may not be the solution for logistics providers who have a need to get their goods to market faster than ever before. Colliers also found that there is considerable financial advantages in the location of a facility for the best networking solution across the eastern seaboard. Leaving Australia’s major cities as the most attractive location for warehousing. According to Peter Evans, National Director, Occupier Services at Colliers International multi-storey warehousing in urban area could strengthen over the next few years as it addresses both the scarcity and high cost of land. “Vertical warehouses are becoming a popular option to combat the decrease in space, especially within major cities,” he says. The rising demand for last-mile logistics space close to urban areas may lead to Australia seeing high-density industrial developments like those found in Hong Kong and Singapore. TM Insight forecasts that there will be demand for at least 300,000 square metres of warehouse space in inner Sydney in the next five years, which may mean that the vertical warehouse could be the only option. While we are yet to see the 30-storey type sheds that Asia has been implementing for years, there is already some organisations taking up the idea of a multi-level warehouse. One example is Woolworths industrial highbay in Dandenong, Victoria. Reaching 45 metres tall, the purpose-built facility is the largest industrial highbay structure in Victoria. The facility boasts over 69,000 sqm of warehouse and corporate office space. With multi-story racking systems, highspeed conveyors and sorting systems
40 | Logistics&MaterialsHandling June/July 2019
Woolworths industrial highbay in Dandenong, Victoria.
the centre provides Woolworths with the capacity to sort and distribute stock at far greater levels of accuracy and at a pace not ready available in traditional warehousing operations. Vaughan Constructions delivered the facility for Woolworths and the two organisations spent three months of planning and development. “Constructing a facility of this size and stature required the creation of unique installation techniques. Due to the sheer height of the highbay, sprinkler installation differed significantly to the majority of warehouses completed nationally,” Andrew Noble, Managing Director, Vaughan Constructions says. The facility is operational 24 hours a day and operates seven days a week and supply Woolworths stores in northern and eastern Victoria. The project cost $562 million, with more than $350 million going into automation and construction. However, the facility is expected to deliver cost savings and productivity savings of up to $50 million per year.
Andrew Noble, Managing Director, Vaughan Constructions.
The new 17-level bay facility can potentially hold 220,000 stock keeping units, compared with 6,500 in a conventional warehouse. “Vaughan is proud to partner with Woolworths to once again support supply chain expansions and operational efficiency improvements, furthering their national growth,’’ Andrew Noble, Managing Director, Vaughan Constructions.
Women in industry
Behind the wheel Women in Industry finalist Candice Lureman discusses what she loves about the logistics industry and why she is proud to be “Australia’s Deaf Trucker Girl” . Q. How long have you been in your current role? A. I have had my roadtrain (MC License) since
Candice Lureman says every day is different in logistics.
2013 and have been driving with my current employer for two and a half years.
Q. What does a standard day for you look like? A. My days are never the same. The type of truck I drive and the number of trailers I pull will depend on the freight I’m carrying, so some days I’ll be behind the wheel of a semi-trailer and others – a super B-Double. Some days are easy driving days whilst others are very strenuous and demanding – requiring me to hook up and relocate dozens of trailers in the one shift. Given I am unable to hear the truck radio, communication with allocators is done on my tablet via text message.
Q. What has been the highlight of your career so far? A. Some of my career highlights include driving a triple roadtrain during my three month stay in WA’s remote Pilbara region in 2015, my recent appointment as one of ten Brand Ambassadors for SheWear Australia out of 500 nominees. I am also hugely proud of the fact that since getting my heavy vehicle license in 2013, I have had zero incidents and zero accidents.
Q. What do you like about working in the logistics industry? A. Every day is different. Every day is interesting and every day I learn something new! I love the responsibility of being behind the wheel and looking out for other road users whilst getting the freight safely to my customers. Once in the industry, there is a huge variety of work on offer however – for many women – getting a start is still a difficult.
Q. What do you like about working at Visa? A. Because my world is silent, I spend a lot of time studying heavy vehicle procedures, methods and best practice. Many of the new
drivers come to me looking for assistance and advice on how to safely hook up equipment, reverse into tight spaces, restrain loads safely and conduct pre-starts. Helping others gives me a great deal of satisfaction.
Q. What do initiatives like the Women in Industry Awards mean to you? A. For me, attending industry awards and conferences is a great opportunity to network, connect with peers and industry leaders and gain fresh ideas on how to grow both personally and professionally. I’m very proud of being Australia’s Deaf Trucker Girl. I always head to the front row at conferences, so I don’t miss out on anything. I love tapping into the energy and enthusiasm in the room because when women get together – great things happen!
three co-founders – women who all walk the talk when it comes to workplace diversity. Female heavy vehicle drivers remain a minority in this overwhelmingly male dominated vocation. Lyndal Denny is a mature age driver who embarked on her new career at 55. Tanya Carter is just one of a handful of female indigenous truck drivers and I am Australia’s only profoundly deaf female trucker.
Q. What are you most looking forward to in your upcoming professional life? A. Ultimately, I would like to return to remote
Q. Who inspires you? A. Because I was nominated for this Award
area Australia to drive super-quads (four trailers) across the outback. I will continue my work with WiTA, and I’d also like to open up opportunities for Deaf truckers from other countries to visit Australia and experience life driving the longest on-road vehicles in the world.
by my colleagues at newly established non-profit – Women in Trucking Australia – I’d like to talk about the vision of the
For more information visit www.womeninindustry.com.au logisticsmagazine.com.au | 41
People on the move
The latest appointments in the logistics and materials handling sector.
Colliers appoints logistics expert
Kraft Heinz appoints new CEO in Australia
Qantas announces executive team changes
Kraft Heinz Australia has confirmed Simon Laroche as its new CEO. He is charged with strengthening relationships with retailers and supply chain partner.
Tino La Spina, current Chief Financial Officer will move to become Chief Executive Officer of Qantas International following the recent resignation of previous CEO Alison Webster.
New Zealand logistics business appoints new CEO
New CEO for DB Schenker in Australia and NZ
FedEx announces new President and CEO
Online Distribution, a New Zealandbased third party logistics company, has appointed Greg Managh to the role of Chief Executive Officer.
Craig Davison has been appointed as the new CEO for DB Schenker’s Australia and New Zealand cluster.
FedEx has announced that Don Colleran has been appointed president and chief executive officer of FedEx Express.
SYSPRO appoints new CEO to lead Australasia Region
Darwin Port CEO announces departure
New CEO for DHL Express Europe
Global Enterprise Resource Planning provider, SYSPRO has announced the appointment of Rob Stummer as Chief Executive Officer of SYSPRO Australasia.
Terry O’Connor has announced his resignation as CEO of Darwin Port.
Colliers International has appointed industry expert Monica Velez to head up the company’s in-house Logistics and Supply Chain Consulting service.
42 | Logistics&MaterialsHandling June/July 2019
DHL Express has appointed Alberto Nobis as its new CEO for Europe.
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