MHD March 2022 by Prime Creative Media

LEADING INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY

MHD speaks with the new head of Colliers I&L business MARCH 2022

THE RIGHT STUFF

How Ozkor’s plastic pallets are changing warehousing

A VINTAGE LIFT

Toyota forklifts streamline a winery’s production

COVER STORY

WINNING TOGETHER: SUPER RETAIL GROUP AND KÖRBER SUPPLY CHAIN How a new WMS is helping the leading retailer optimise its warehouse operations

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MHD FROM THE EDITOR

MHD Supply Chain Solutions CONTACT MHD Supply Chain Solutions is published by Prime Creative Media 11-15 Buckhurst Street, South Melbourne VIC 3205 Telephone: (+61) 03 9690 8766 Website: www.primecreative.com.au

THE TEAM CEO: John Murphy Publisher: Christine Clancy Editor: Edward Cranswick Journalist: Joseph Misuraca Business Development Manager: Beth Jarvis Design Production Manager: Michelle Weston Art Director: Blake Storey Graphic Designers: Kerry Pert, Aisling McComiskey Client Success Manager: Janine Clements

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT MHD Supply Chain Solutions magazine is recognised by the Australian Supply Chain Institute, the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport Australia, the Supply Chain and Logistics Association of Australia and the Singapore Logistics and Supply Chain Management Society.

ARTICLES All articles submitted for publication become the property of the publisher. The Editor reserves the right to adjust any article to conform with the magazine format. COPYRIGHT MHD magazine is owned by Prime Creative Media. All material in MHD is copyright and no part may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means (graphic, electronic or mechanical including information and retrieval systems) without written permission of the publisher. The Editor welcomes contributions but reserves the right to accept or reject any material. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information Prime Creative Media will not accept responsibility for errors or omissions or for any consequences arising from reliance on information published. The opinions expressed in MHD are not necessarily the opinions of, or endorsed by the publisher unless otherwise stated.

OUT FROM UNDER COVID?

here appears finally to be light at the end of the tunnel as our country and industry emerge from the worst of the pandemic, notwithstanding the still-present issue of omicron. Naturally, it would be a fool that was overly optimistic in predictions of the future. Nevertheless, those MHD interviewed for this edition were cautiously optimistic about what lies ahead. Perhaps the most heartening takeaway is that – two years into the pandemic – industries have worked hard and creatively to adjust their work patterns and innovate their products and services to suit a postCOVID-19 world that is rather more resilient and future-proofed than the pre-pandemic world. One such example of product-innovation with that end in mind is the work of Microlistics, which has adapted its WMS-implementation model to an “incremental approach” that is more agile and responsive to its customers’ needs. Microlistics faced up to the challenges of its clients during COVID-19 – and in doing so have continuously refined a WMSimplementation model that will serve its customers better than ever before, regardless of how the future shapes up. Elsewhere in this issue, you’ll read of plastic-pallet producer Ozkor and its work implementing plastic pallets – over traditional timber pallets – to optimise a customer’s distribution operation, while simultaneously reducing environmental waste and achieving longerterm cost savings. And be sure to check out this edition’s Cover Story on the impressive work Körber Supply Chain did with Super Retail Group to implement a unified WMS that was commensurate with the modern needs of the leading retailer. With effective mitigation measures and management of the pandemic, the industry is clearly geared up to tackle whatever lies ahead. And, as always, MHD is here to convey key insights from industry leaders at the top of their game.

Edward Cranswick Editor edward.cranswick@primecreative.com.au

MHD Supply Chain

MHD MARCH 2022 | 3

ELECTRIC

LI F T R A N

MARCH 2022

ISSUE #13 VOLUME 52

THIS ISSUE COVER STORY

16 Super Retail Group targets future growth with Körber Supply Chain

SUPPLY CHAIN 23 Microlistics WMS delivering ROI on day one 38 Omicron, resilience, and innovation

COVER STORY

MATERIALS HANDLING 26 Conquest on success through reliability 31 Toyota forklifts boost winemaking operation 35 Combilift on optimising warehouses 40 Plastic pallets for efficient handling

WAREHOUSING 20 More capacity in a smaller footprint

Before you invest in upgrading the infrastructure of your warehouse, find out how Combilift can increase your storage by up to 50%.

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LEADING INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY

MARCH 2022

MHD speaks with the new head of Colliers I&L business

THE RIGHT STUFF

06 Industry News

How Ozkor’s plastic pallets are changing warehousing

A VINTAGE LIFT

Toyota forklifts streamline a winery’s production

28 Colliers Property Focus 44 Prological’s Logical Outlook

COVER STORY

WINNING TOGETHER: SUPER RETAIL GROUP AND KÖRBER SUPPLY CHAIN

46 SCLAA 49 Product Showcase 50 People on the Move

How a new WMS is helping the leading retailer optimise its warehouse operations

04/02/2022 11:50:23

ON THE COVER Iconic Aussie retailer Super Retail Group is optimising its omnichannel offering with a new Körber WMS. MHD MARCH 2022 | 5

MHD NEWS

Combilift named timber trade supplier of the year

olzkurier, the leading Austrian publication for the timber sector, has named Combilift as its Timber Trade Supplier of the Year for 2022. The company’s continual product development, its impressive growth in the Austrian market and a policy of always putting the customer centre stage were some of the reasons cited by the editorial panel for choosing Combilift. Combilift delivered its first truck to Austria in 2003, when one of the original C-Series multidirectional models was bought by a customer from the timber sector. Since 2018, Gregor Kramar has held the position of Combilift’s Austrian Country Manager and has overseen the steady growth of the dealer network and the expansion of the customer base. For the last few years Combilift’s

incoming orders have recorded doubledigit growth rates in German-speaking countries and sales of more than €4 million were generated in Austria last year. “Although the majority of our customers come from the timber sector, we are also seeing significant growth in other markets, for example in the steel industry and in aluminum, modular and window construction,” Gregor says. “Austria is a demanding market and customers have very high expectations when it comes to product quality and service, which we can fulfil thanks to our wide, ever growing range and our reputation for putting the customer first.” “We are delighted with this award, which recognises the position that Combilift now enjoys in this region,

which is home to some of the world’s leading companies in the timber industry,” Gregor says. “So, many thanks go to the editors of Holzkurier and of course our ever growing band of satisfied customers.”

The Combilift Aisle-Master.

Government boosts hydrogen supply chain projects

he federal government is expanding Australia’s clean hydrogen export industry via a new initiative involving overseas investment in Australian hydrogen supply chains. The initiative is the Australian Clean Hydrogen Trade Program (ACHTP) which is worth $150 million. It will support Australian-based hydrogen supply chain projects. This will involve securing public or private sector investments from overseas. It will firstly be exporting clean hydrogen to Japan under the JapanAustralia Partnership on Decarbonisation through Technology scheme. Prime Minister Scott Morrison says the ACHTP will help Australia keep to its commitment to reduce emissions by cooperating with other countries to lower the cost of clean energy technologies. “It is critical that we work closely with our international partners such as Japan 6 | MHD MARCH 2022

to deliver on Australia’s low emissions objectives,” the PM says. “Clean hydrogen is central to both Australia’s and Japan’s plans to achieve net zero emissions while growing our economies and jobs.” The ACHTP will support projects to develop export supply chains as well as allow clean hydrogen and derivative clean hydrogen-based compounds such as ammonia to be commercialised. Clean hydrogen is a top priority technology for the Coalition. It is outlined in the Government’s Long Term Emissions Reduction Plan and Technology Investment Roadmap. Angus Taylor, Minister for Industry, Energy and Emissions Reduction says Australia is creating new economic and employment opportunities while achieving the goal of net-zero emissions. “Establishing clean hydrogen supply chains will facilitate investment into Australia and will create jobs for

Australians, many in our regional areas,” Angus says. He adds the federal government is “providing an innovative and economically viable solution to producing clean hydrogen not only for Australia” but “also for [its] international partners.” The ACHTP will be funded over five years. These funds will come from the more than $565 million that has been committed towards low emissions technology international partnerships as presented in the 2021-2022 Budget. Clean hydrogen could provide direct support to 16,000 jobs by 2050. An additional 13,000 jobs could come from the newly-made related renewable energy infrastructure, the government says. Australia’s hydrogen production for export and domestic use could generate more than $50 billion in additional GDP by 2050.

Online Groceries Fresh & Fast 10 times the orders, 5 times the SKUs in a smaller footprint.

For RedMart, Singapore’s largest online grocery retailer, order fulfilment speed, reliability, accuracy, and productivity are key in delivering on customer promises, especially during the pandemic, when online visitors increased 11-fold. Optimising capabilities through leading-edge logistics automation from Dematic, RedMart’s online fulfilment centre features robotic shuttles, ergonomic pick stations, intelligent conveying, and high-rate despatch sortation – all across five temperature zones and managed by sophisticated software, making grocery fulfilment easy, accurate, efficient and safe. Read more and see it in action at www.dematic.com/redmart

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MHD NEWS

Gavin Bishop heading Colliers national industrial team

Gavin Bishop, Managing Director I&L for Colliers.

ndustrial expert Gavin Bishop will take the helm of Colliers’ national industrial business after being promoted to Managing Director. As Managing Director, Gavin will

oversee the growth of Colliers’ national industrial business and continue his leadership of the company’s national Industrial Capital Markets team. Malcom Tyson, Colliers’ Chief Executive Officer for Australia says Gavin will step into the role of Managing Director from his current position as Head of the Industrial Capital Markets team and leading the company’s New South Wales industrial business. “As the leader of these key markets for many years, Gavin has played a significant role in the growth of our Industrial business and been responsible for building teams that are recognised across the industry for their expertise and service excellence,” he says.

Gavin takes the reins from Malcolm, who was appointed as Colliers’ Chief Executive Officer for Australia in 2021. “Gavin has been with Colliers for more than 21 years and is a longstanding member of our Australian senior leadership team. He is a respected industry leader who has been involved in some of the largest deals across Australia including the GIC/ Australand Portfolio, Altis Portfolios, Qantas Investment & Land Portfolio, JP Morgan Portfolio, McPhee Portfolio and the Greenlit Brands Portfolio. “Working closely with our industrial experts across each market, Gavin will leverage this experience to maximise the potential of property for our valued industrial clients across Australia.”

Trade Window teams up with Mastercard

rade Window is collaborating with Mastercard to boost cash flow for Australasian businesses through integrated crossborder payments solutions. Trade Window provides digital solutions for exporters, importers, freight forwarders and customs brokers, and says the partnership moves to increase trust across the supply chain. Digitisation has brought physical supply chains and financial supply chains closer together. Trade Window’s digital trade platform ‘Cube’ is designed to improve trust between trading partners and support eventbased payment triggers, enabling earlier payment options and better reconciliation. AJ Smith, TradeWindow CEO, says that the partnership with Mastercard is an exciting step for the NZX listed software company. “Our aim is to make cross border trade easier for exporters, and also 8 | MHD MARCH 2022

support the acceleration of global trade,” he says. “Working with a trusted global technology leader like Mastercard, TradeWindow is advancing a secure and robust payment and trade finance offering on our platform that will help our customers to grow their export, import and trade-related businesses.” Claire Thompson, Executive Vice President, Global Trade, Mastercard Enterprise Partnerships says Mastercard is powering the digital economy, providing organisations large and small with the tools they need to run and grow their business. “By combining our payments technology with TradeWindow, our collaboration aims to remove barriers to cross-border trade, simplifying payment processes and empowering Australasian businesses with integrated and automated solutions that help them to pay and get paid more easily,” she says.

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MHD NEWS

Investors buy almost $16b worth of assets: CBRE

he highest-ever annual investment sales in Australia were recorded last year with investors buying almost $16 billion worth of income-generating industrial and logistics assets, according to new research by CBRE. The occupier take-up has hit 4.2 million sqm and has driven the vacancy rate to a record-low of 1.3 per cent. National midpoint yields for super prime grade assets were also documented as the lowest ever at 4.50 per cent. Occupiers have absorbed 4,200,000 sqm of floorspace. This is up from 2020’s benchmark of 3,300,000 sqm and has driven the national vacancy rate to a new record-low of 1.3 per cent. “Demand from investors and occupiers alike drove Australia’s industrial and logistics sector to new heights in 2021, with records smashed on a host of key metrics,” Sass J-Baleh, CBRE’s Head of Industrial and Logistics Research Australia says. “Given investment sale transaction volumes had only ever surpassed $5 billion three times before, and peaked at $7.2 billion, the result of $16 billion in 2021 is ground-breaking and demonstrates the strong demand for Australian industrial and logistics assets from local, regional and global investors.” During 2021, over $10 million income-producing assets were sold in Australia for $15.9 billion. This is just over three times the 10-year average annual transaction volume of $4.2 billion, and more than double the previous record of $7.2 billion which was set in 2016. “Institutional investment appetite continues to favour I&L due to high quality covenants in those institutionalgrade assets and confidence in the ability to collect income, with multiple domestic and offshore capital sources competing to elevate capital allocation to the strongest performing sector,” Sass says. Melbourne had the highest occupier take-up of Australia’s five major cities

Occupier take-up has hit 4.2 million sqm and has driven the vacancy rate to a record-low of 1.3 per cent.

with 2,000,000 sqm of floorspace. This is roughly half of the national total. Occupier take-up of space in 2021 was up by almost 900,000 sqm compared to the previous record set in 2020. The figure of 4,200,000 sqm is about double the 10-year average of 2,400,000 sqm. “The national average vacancy rate has been trending down over the past three years and is now at a record low,” Sass says. “We expect vacancy to remain stable throughout 2022, and that leasing transactions will remain in line with or below the long-term average, as a shortage of available supply continues to shape the market. “Although the forecast new supply for 2022 matches the 10-year average for occupier take-up, the shortfall in recent years has generated significant pent-up demand for space.” The vacancy rate fell nationally from 2.2 per cent to 1.3 per cent during 2021 following 1,800,000 sqm of floorspace going online, with a further 2,700,000 sqm forecast for 2022. Australia’s e-commerce penetration rate continues to rise. It now accounts for 14.3 per cent of total spending with groups involved in ecommerce accounting for 19 per cent of the 800,000 sqm of take-up space in 2021.

Perth led the way on both average net face rents which increased significantly, and midpoint yields which contracted in all five major cities. It had a 5.6 per cent rental increase and 115 basis points yield fall year-on-year. Super prime average rents grew by 4.4 per cent year-on-year during 2021. Prime rents grew by 7.7 per cent and secondary rents by a record 12.0 per cent. Midpoint super prime yields across Australia now sits at 4.50 per cent, compressing 56 basis points throughout the year. It now sits at a record 40 basis points lower than the office sector of 4.90 per cent as of the fourth quarter in 2021. “Lockdowns in the second half of 2021 continued to accelerate the major growth trends for industrial and logistics, as more consumers took their shopping online,” Sass says. “The transport, postal and warehousing sector finished 2021 as the most-active sector, followed by a wholesale and retail traders, that cross-section accounting for 69 per cent of the Q4 leasing activity. “We expect rents to grow at an everstronger rate in 2022, in excess of five per cent [year-on-year],” Sass says. MHD MARCH 2022 | 11

MHD NEWS

Five retail trends to shape customer experience in 2022

anhattan Associates predicts five key technology trends that will impact Australian and New Zealand retailers and supply chains this year. Raghav Sibal, Manhattan Associates’ Managing Director for Australia and New Zealand, says the retail landscape is significantly challenged today. “With supply chain issues impacting on stock levels, increasing volumes of returns and increased customer expectations in relation to online deliveries – local brands will have a hard time in satisfying customers in 2022,” he says. “As a result, retailers will find that they quickly need to adopt new systems and approaches that help meet the consumer demand for a seamless and more personalised shopping experience today and into the future.” 1. S USTAINABLE E-COMMERCE DELIVERY TO BECOME A BIGGER ISSUE Due to the ongoing impact of the pandemic, home delivery is now the preferred purchasing option for the majority of Australian online shoppers. However, consumers are not prepared to just accept the convenience of delivery at the cost of the environment, with research showing that 60 per cent of Australian consumers are open to receiving goods at a later date if it meant that it was delivered more sustainably. Consumer research also shows that over half (60 per cent) of Australians often receive their online order in multiple shipments, and 81 per cent of them said that they think this is an inefficient and unsustainable way of delivering goods. In fact, the same number (81 percent) also said they would prefer to receive their order at a later date if it meant that it would arrive in one consolidated delivery. “As online shopping delivery rates and the corresponding impact on the environment continue to rise, retailers and 3PLs will need to make sustainability a bigger priority,” Raghav says. “Those retailers who 12 | MHD MARCH 2022

Manhattan Associates has identified five key technology trends that will affect supply chain in 2022..

don’t make sustainability a core part of their business will likely find that down the track they lose out on this potential competitive advantage and drive environmentally aware consumers to other retailers.” 2. R ETURNS MANAGEMENT WILL INCREASINGLY IMPACT CONSUMERS’ PERCEPTION OF RETAIL BRANDS While e-commerce has served as a lifeline for retailers over the past year, the ever-increasing volume of returns is posing significant challenges, including impacting consumer perceptions of a retail brand. The returns process can regularly make or break the overall brand experience and savvy retailers

are increasingly viewing the return process as an opportunity to further engage with customers, providing as it does, an additional touchpoint to enhance the overall customer experience. “In 2022, retailers will need to have greater visibility and more intelligence around their inventory, regardless of where it is currently residing in their network,” he adds. “Smarter frontend omnichannel systems capable of efficiently dealing with customer enquiries and greater insight into data around transportation processes will be the key areas for brands looking to solve the challenges presented by the growing returns trend.”

MHD NEWS 3. T HE WAR FOR TALENT WILL PUT PRESSURE ON SUPPLY CHAIN OPERATIONS Given the extent to which a positive or negative customer service interaction can have on a shopper’s perception of a retail brand, the war for talent and need to retain high performing staff will create additional business pressures in 2022. In such an environment, organisations need to focus on selling themselves as an employer of choice and create and promote initiatives that set their business apart in a competitive hiring field. Given the need to retain IP in a challenging hiring market, more employers are focusing on career planning and succession internally to ensure adequate support and training for workers to move up the ladder. Many supply chain and retail organisations are also offering financial support for further tertiary education studies or providing retention bonuses to ensure continuity. ICRO-FULFILMENT WILL 4. M HELP DRIVE SUPPLY CHAIN

EFFICIENCIES AND COST SAVINGS “As e-commerce and ‘store to door’ delivery continues to grow, many retailers are struggling to turn a profit from online sales,” Raghav says. “The challenges of the last two years didn’t just fast-track e-commerce uptake, they also accelerated advances in technology, pushed businesses to revaluate traditional models, and forced many to rethink relationships between retailers, disruptive startups and automation; setting the scene for a radical shake up of fulfilment strategies in 2022.” One of these fulfilment strategies, and one of the most cost-effective trends retailers and supply chains are adopting is micro-fulfilment. Micro-fulfilment involves moving out of large singular DCs to smaller and more local and convenient hubs. By expediting the fulfilment process, micro-fulfilment gives brands the opportunity to get goods to their customers quickly ; whilst also providing convenient collection point for consumers. With the adoption of this kind of smart fulfilment method, retailers can get

their goods to consumers faster, cheaper and more efficiently. 5. V ISIBILITY AND FORWARD PLANNING WILL HELP FUTUREPROOF RETAIL AND SUPPLY CHAIN OPERATIONS With supply chain issues leading to stock level challenges for many retailers, the last thing any business wants is to run out of stock – or worse, to later find out that the stock they needed was in the warehouse the whole time. “To mitigate this, operational visibility and forward planning remain fundamental to retail and supply chain continuity and efficiency. To gain these insights, solutions like a Warehouse Management System (WMS), which integrate all sales and distribution channels into one place are required. With innovations like a WMS, retailers have absolute transparency around their goods and are able to review the rules of stock allocation, temporarily giving priority to in-store stock over warehouse stock, thus, freeing up any trapped inventory confined within closed stores,” he says.

JLL Australia CEO retires

n 25 January it was announced that Stephen Conry, CEO of JLL Australia & New Zealand, would retire from the firm after 40 years, including 13 years as CEO. “I thought it the right time, on the anniversary today of 40 years with the firm, to announce my intention to retire from JLL in coming months after the transition to a new CEO,” Stephen said. “The Australian business is positioned well, after a very successful 2021, and with an impressive national leadership team whose commitment, energy and collaboration is inspirational. “It has been a very fulfilling career journey – full of challenges, opportunities and great people. Property is an industry that I have been passionate about since 1982 when I started at JLL as a trainee property valuer,” he said. In 2019, Stephen was appointed

After 13 years at the helm, JLL Australia & New Zealand CEO Stephen Conry is retiring.

MHD MARCH 2022 | 13

MHD NEWS a Member of the Order of Australia (AM), in recognition of his service to the commercial property sector. Over the last two years Stephen also helped navigate the property industry through the challenges of the COVID-19 environment in his role as National President of the Property Council of Australia from 2019-2021. Anthony Couse, Asia Pacific CEO, JLL, was effusive in his praise for Stephen’s work. “I congratulate Stephen on reaching this significant milestone of 40 years at JLL,” Anthony said. “During his tenure as CEO, Stephen has helped make our Australia business what it is today: the largest commercial property services firm in the country, with a talented and committed workforce and an

impressive cohort of leaders. His focus on clients, and strategic investments in people and technology, have delivered impressive growth, setting us up for continued success.” “While I will be sad to see Stephen leave the firm, I am grateful for the immense contribution he’s made to JLL over the years. I look forward to working with him and the Australia leadership team to ensure a smooth transition to a new CEO. We have a great depth of talent, and the business has strong momentum coming out of 2021 to continue delivering impressive growth.” Conry’s successor has not yet been named. JLL will undertake a thorough process in the coming weeks before appointing a new CEO. Conry joined the firm in 1982

as a trainee, working his way up to Director in 1989. He was appointed Managing Director for Queensland in 1996 and has served in various national business leadership roles before being named Australia CEO and joining JLL’s Asia Pacific Executive Board in 2009. He added New Zealand to his responsibilities in 2018. Beyond his role at JLL, Conry has served on various business and community boards, including the Property Council of Australia since 2014, and as the National President from 2019 to 2021. He is a Fellow of the Australian Property Institute; a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors; and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Australia Post finalises leadership team

Paul Graham, Group CEO and Managing Director of Australia Post.

aul Graham, Group Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director for Australia Post, says he has finalised his new leadership team following his first four months in the job. Paul says he has listened to feedback from customers and stakeholders

14 | MHD MARCH 2022

from across the network, as well as team members, who are all ready to take Australia Post to the next level. “We are on a journey to becoming a modern mail, e-commerce, digital services and retail business, and the new team will make that happen, along with our dedicated 64,000strong team,” Paul says. “My new team will be able to better position Australia Post to enhance experiences for its customers – wherever they are in the country, and every time they need our help – including through our Post Offices, customer care, delivery network and digital channels.” The Executive Team will be comprised of: • Paul Graham, Group Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director (joined Australia Post in September 2021) • Rod Barnes, Executive General Manager Network Operations (January 2016) • Rodney Boys, Group Chief Financial Officer (May 2019) • Sue Davies, Executive General Manager People & Culture

(February 2015) • T anny Mangos, Executive General Manager Community, Sustainability & Stakeholder Engagement (December 2021) • Catriona Noble, Executive General Manager Retail (January 2022) • Gary Starr, Executive General Manager Customer & Commercial (January 2016) • Leonie Valentine, Executive General Manager Customer Experience & Digital (January 2022) The following functions and leaders will also report directly to the Group Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director: Amber Collins (Chief Marketing Officer), Ben Franzi (Group General Manager, Strategy and Simplification) and Nick Macdonald (Group General Counsel and Corporate Secretary). Australia Post says the new structure shows its commitment to delivering for its stakeholders, with a team that is well placed with the right skills and strategy to ensure the organisation fully meet customers’ expectations now and into the future.

MHD COVER STORY

SUPER RETAIL GROUP TARGETS FUTURE GROWTH WITH KÖRBER SUPPLY CHAIN

Super Retail Group will roll out Körber’s WMS across its entire fulfilment operation, which includes six distribution centres in Australia and New Zealand.

Iconic Aussie retailer Super Retail Group is optimising its omni-channel offering by deploying Körber Supply Chain’s K.Motion Warehouse Management System across its entire logistics and fulfilment network. MHD sits down with Patrick Fountain, General Manager – Supply Chain Planning & Strategy at the leading retailer to find out more.

he ongoing disruption to our lives over the past two years has spurred people around the world to learn new skills, take up new hobbies and explore new passions. At home in Australia, Super Retail Group is at the heart of this pursuit. Home to well-known household brands including rebel, Macpac, BCF and

16 | MHD MARCH 2022

Supercheap Auto, Super Retail Group is one of the largest retailers in Australia. Founded in the 1970s, the ASXlisted retailer’s vision is to inspire people to live their passion. Through its broad portfolio of car parts and accessories, sporting and fitness goods, camping and outdoor equipment, and outdoor clothing – there’s

something for everyone. Well-positioned across all the major retail growth segments of the pandemic, Super Retail Group reported record growth over the past two years due to unprecedented consumer demand in the Group’s lifestyle and leisure categories. In its FY21 results announcements in August last year, Super Retail

MHD COVER STORY Group reported 22 per cent year-on-year growth in sales across the Group, reaching a record $3.4b. In online sales, the Group reported 43 per cent year-on-year growth and announced that online sales now represented 12 per cent of total sales. Click & Collect sales also grew more than 50 per cent and the Group completed more than 1.5 million home-delivery orders. Having gone through a significant period of expansion and acquisitions over the past 30 years, Super Retail Group is now focused on establishing a stable foundation to support further growth. “We’ve had a long history of expansion and now our strategy is very much focused on our core brands and getting the Group to work well together by establishing some really good core processes,” Patrick Fountain, General Manager – Supply Chain Planning & Strategy at Super Retail Group says. Prior to partnering with Körber Supply Chain, Super Retail Group was operating several disjointed legacy Warehouse Management Systems across its broad brand portfolio. “We had a number of different systems that were working on legacy hardware. At the same time, we were pumping through an immense volume of orders, particularly around December peak period. We recognised this was huge risk for us. If we can’t get our product to the store or customer quickly, our customers will just go elsewhere,” Patrick says. After a near three-year tender process, which was heavily impacted by COVID, the leading retailer has selected Körber Supply Chain’s K.Motion Warehouse Advantage Warehouse Management System as the future foundation of its omni-channel operations. Super Retail Group will roll out Körber’s WMS across its entire fulfilment operation, which includes six distribution centres in Australia and New Zealand. The distribution centres currently service more than 670 stores and store an impressive 24,870 Stock Keeping Units (SKUs). The WMS deployment is expected to be complete by FY23. “There’s just no way that you could run a business at our scale and our complexity on paper. So, a huge driving factor in our decision to invest in a WMS was the risk factor. We needed a system that could scale up and be as stable in December as it is in April or May,” Patrick explains. Through the tender process, Patrick says once the team got deeper into the numbers, they realised the incredible importance of WMS. “Through the journey with Körber, we started to understand how the capability in this space had moved on and how the WMS

“

There’s just no way that you could run a business at our scale and our complexity on paper. So, a huge driving factor in our decision to invest in a WMS was the risk factor. We needed a system that could scale and be as stable in December as it is in April or May.

”

was central to us setting ourselves up as a true omni-channel retailer,” he says. Historically, the majority of Super Retail Group home delivery business was fulfilled through its store network. However, as the Group continues to experience growth in online, there are limitations to operating this way and the retailer has plans to build a more complementary hybrid solution which best leverages the strength of its stores and distribution centre network in fulfilling home delivery orders. “We need our DCs to be as good at fulfilling home delivery orders as they are at replenishing stores so they can help in supporting the future growth. This new WMS and particularly some of the task interleaving functionality is really the leapfrog in this strategy,” Patrick says.

CLOUD-FIRST CAPABILITIES Having a system Super Retail Group could rely on was a crucial part of replacing its legacy systems, and as a result cloud-first was non-negotiable. For Super Retail Group, Körber’s flexible upgrade path was a real point of difference.

Super Retail Group operators at work.

MHD MARCH 2022 | 17

MHD COVER STORY “Many WMS providers offer a forced upgrade monthly or fortnightly, but Körber’s WMS features an optional upgrade, and this was something that we were very impressed with. Of course, it’s important to have an upgrade path, but knowing that we have the choice is helpful for us given the nature of our operation and intense peak periods we experience,” Patrick says. Another reason for cloud capabilities was in ensuring that Super Retail Group could focus on the core of their business. “We want to worry about the things we need to worry about. We don’t need to have these immense internal capabilities in technical areas when it’s not a point of difference for us. We instead have confidence in the Körber cloud offering to take care of the technical side and

Gary Patni, Project Manager at Körber Supply Chain. ensure that we have stability, security and high performance,” Patrick says.

A BOLD NEW PARTNERSHIP

Super Retail Group selected Körber Supply Chain’s K.Motion Warehouse Advantage Warehouse Management System as the future foundation of its omni-channel operations.

18 | MHD MARCH 2022

The Körber-Super Retail Group partnership has been three years in the making, and for Patrick, the relationship goes from strength to strength. “Throughout the entire process, we really felt like Körber valued our business and they genuinely wanted to understand our operation. From the start of the tender process, all the way through to the design sessions, they’ve always been focused on us, what we need to do, what our challenges are and how they can help us. They are really customer-orientated, and their sales-approach puts us at the centre of everything,” Patrick says. During the pandemic, Patrick recalls that the Körber team were quick to check in with Super Retail Group and ask how they could help, regardless of the outcome of the tender. “It’s been a great relationship from the get-go,” Patrick says. Körber’s K.Motion Warehouse Advantage Enterprise WMS was recently named in 2021 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Warehouse Management Systems as a leader and Patrick says one of the things he was most impressed by with Körber was how proactive and hungry for success the team were. “They are out to establish things and they’ve got a great product offering to do it,” he says. While the decision to select a new WMS provider was a difficult one, one

MHD COVER STORY

Patrick Fountain, General Manager Supply Chain Strategy at Super Retail Group. of the key differentiators for Super Retail Group was the opportunity to explore Körber’s larger portfolio of services. Furthermore, Patrick was impressed with the global Körber team and the opportunity to lean on experts from across the world. “We’re really excited to explore our partnership further with Körber, particularly with some of the automation tech in their portfolio. We have a lot of areas in the business where automation could be a good fit and this first step with the new WMS will put us in a great position to strengthen our partnership further across different products and workstreams,” he says. As demand shows no signs of slowing down, this new investment in Körber’s WMS will ensure the Group is wellplaced to capitalise on future growth. As Australians around the nation continue to pursue their passions, Super Retail Group is strengthening its operation to provide its growing customer base with a true omni-channel experience. “For us, it’s about leveraging the strengths of each of our assets and using them for what they’re good for. The new WMS gives us ownership, visibility, and control of our entire operation. We will be able to make better decisions to fulfil orders as we face increasing demand from our customers throughout the nation,” Patrick says. Jamie Sterling, Director, International Sales & Operations (APAC) at Körber Supply Chain Software says Super Retail Group is a great example of a

“

We want to worry about the things we need to worry about. We don’t need to have these immense internal capabilities in technical areas when it’s not a point of difference for us. We instead have confidence in the Körber cloud offering to take care of the technical side and ensure that we have stability, security and high performance.

”

retailer pivoting its operation to make the most of the increasing demand for true omni-channel retail offerings. “Super Retail Group has an impressive vision for the future and a key part of its commitment to its customers is to provide a full omni-channel experience. Körber’s K.Motion Warehouse Advantage WMS will ensure that the leading retailer is well-positioned to continue to capitalise on the growth and opportunities in the retail landscape in Australia through efficient and accurate fulfilment across its entire distribution and store network,” he says. Nishan Wijemanne, Managing Director APAC at Körber Supply Chain Software says Körber is delighted to partner with Super Retail Group and have K.Motion Warehouse Advantage form the backbone of their distribution operations. “Crucially, our WMS allows Super Retail Group to take ownership of their own solution, being able to adapt it to quickly respond to market trends rather than having to wait for external assistance. This allows them to remain nimble and agile while enhancing efficiency and productivity. With Super Retail Group’s impressive growth over the past 12 months, we are looking forward to seeing the company improving overall business operations and most importantly customer service with our WMS. We are also very excited about exploring further opportunities across our broad portfolio to help Super Retail Group service growth in the coming years,” he concludes. ■

Darren Wedding, Chief Supply Chain Officer, Super Retail Group.

MHD MARCH 2022 | 19

MHD WAREHOUSING

AutoStore compact piece picking solution from Dematic.

MORE CAPACITY IN A SMALLER FOOTPRINT Dematic has helped to optimise a Siemens small parts warehouse – boosting capacity while saving on space.

he Siemens plant for Combination Technology, Siemens WKC, is a leader in switchgear construction for machine tools and production machines in Europe. At the facility in Chemnitz, Germany, Siemens manufactures advanced electrical equipment as well as assemblies and devices for machine and plant manufacturers worldwide, including projects in the logistics and automotive industries. The factory plans more than 1,270,000 material items per year for the production of its applications. However, its previous manual shelf storage system for small parts had reached its capacity limits, so Siemens WKC was looking for a more efficient solution, deciding to switch to a goods-to-person small item picking solution featuring an AutoStore™ system provided by Dematic. The compact piece picking solution improves the use of warehouse space while automating picking and material flow for production. It features an AutoStore™ system with

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more than 45,000 bins for storing parts. In addition to time and cost savings, the Dematic solution provide Siemens with increased capacity, higher storage density and a reduced error rate for assembling components. “Previously, our warehouse operated with a manual modular racking storage system,” says Carsten Sambo, Head of InboundLogistics at Siemens WKC. “This now automates the entire material flow to always ensure a very good production supply that flexibly fits into the work processes at Siemens.” Around 46,000 switchgears and customised electronic components for the global market are manufactured annually at Siemens WKC. Over the years, the volume and throughput in the warehouse have increased significantly. This made it necessary to reorganise the entire warehouse management: “Until then, we were still working with a manual modular rack warehouse,” reports Carsten. “However, the former manual warehouse was no longer meeting current requirements.”

AUTOMATION OF THE PRODUCTION WAREHOUSE WITH AUTOSTORE Siemens initiated the search for a new solution: “Our goal was to make planning and production as efficient as possible. At the same time, the lead time was to be reduced and, of course, the costs were to be lowered,” explains Carsten. The new storage systems, including the conveyor technology, needed to be installed on the same floor space in the existing building and during ongoing operations. “We already had very good experience with an AutoStore storage system at a Siemens plant in Bad Neustadt (EWN),” says Carsten. It accommodates up to four times more stock than the previous manual system. After only a short introductory phase, the Siemens WKC also achieved improved picking performance with 75 retrievals per hour (previously only 30 retrievals per hour). With the help of the system, this performance will increase by at least another 15 per cent. As a global distribution partner for AutoStore, Dematic was brought in for its extensive experience and expertise.

MHD WAREHOUSING Siemens commissioned Dematic as a system integrator to implement the AutoStore solution and connect it using Dematic conveyor technology for automation that optimises the material flow for production supply. A major advantage of this unit load picking solution is that it requires very little space. Siemens can now use the space it has reclaimed for storing larger material items, such as enclosures for switchgears.

Carsten Sambo (left) examines the AutoStore system.

CAPACITY SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED The conveyor system implemented by Dematic has two levels. In the goods receiving area, incoming parcels are first scanned and transported to the upper level via a lift to decant stations, where inventory totes are loaded with product and conveyed to the automatic small parts store. The totes move into the AutoStore system where the mobile robots can then take the inventory and store it. The compact AutoStore system itself occupies an area of only 760 square metres. It contains a total of more than 45,000 bins, which are divided into different compartments to hold several different products on one container. When a request comes from production, the picking process starts — the product for the order is collected by one of 34 mobile robots which travel on top of the AutoStore system. They pick the boxes from the grid and bring them to the port, where operators carry out their picking activities without interruption. Previously, operators had to travel long distances to pick the individual items. With the new picking system, the same number of employees

can now handle more orders in less time. “The system is highly efficient and with significantly fewer errors in the picking process,” says Carsten.

EQUIPPED FOR THE FUTURE The AutoStore system can store up to four times more stock in the same footprint than conventional storage systems. “The cube-storage system is a self-supporting aluminium grid whose modular structure allows containers to be stacked closely next to and on top of each other. Furthermore, it is organised in a decentralised manner — if a robot breaks down, the system continues to run,” explains Carsten, adding, “We have daily call-offs of more than 7,000 different picking positions. To be able to access the required goods quickly in the morning, we have programmed a forecast function for stock removal or night shift transfer.” Overnight, the demand for the next day is checked. The

determined materials are transferred from the lowest levels of the AutoStore system to the upper area of the grid. “This ensures that the required containers can be accessed quickly with the start of the early shift.” In the end, as Carsten sums up the project, “We are now well prepared for the future, with scalability already taken into account during the planning stage. We’ve been able to increase the storage and picking capacities as well as make the entire warehouse management more efficient.” The fact that the production supply was maintained without interruptions during installation was a personal highlight for the Siemens project manager. ■

CUSTOMER BENEFITS

• Four times more stock in the same floor space • No more unproductive walking routes • Lower error rate • Decentralised organisation of robots minimises downtime • Modular design allows for easy expandability • Forecasting function and night shift reallocation allows faster access to the required goods

TECHNICAL DATA

Parts are bundled at five picking stations for further processing in production.

• 8 Transfer Stations • AutoStore® footprint: 760 square metres • 45,000 bins • 34 robots • 5 picking ports

MHD MARCH 2022 | 21

You can’t rely on everything. But you can always rely on Conquest. Despite our best planning, things can go wrong in the workplace, such as spills or equipment breakdown. But when they do go wrong, it’s great to know you can always rely on Conquest. Because the last thing you need is downtime disrupting your productivity.

Reliable floor cleaning equipment. Reliable people. Reliable service.

For an industrial floor cleaning solution you can rely on, scan the QR code or call 1800 826 789

Sweepers and Scrubbers

Behind you all the way

MHD SUPPLY CHAIN Incremental roadmaps to WMS implementation mean lower barriers to entry, and quicker returns on investment.

ROI ON DAY ONE

MHD talks to Samuel Dawson, Business Development Manager at Microlistics, about how incremental roadmaps for WMS implementation show the path to the future.

n its face, the notion of an “incremental roadmap” for implementation of a WMS system doesn’t sound like a radical proposition, but – as Samuel Dawson, Business Development Manager at Microlistics explains – it actually is. This is because both the design and architecture of traditional WMS systems are geared towards large organisations, and the providers often have large service consultants at their disposal to implement a new WMS all at once, he notes. “The traditional business model for a WMS company works off two streams of revenue: provision of the software itself, plus service consulting,” Samuel says. “There is a built-in incentive, given how many service staff many WMS providers have, to keep them out there and consulting and not sitting on the bench. The goal for such companies, therefore, is to prefer selling bigger projects. Instead, they opt to do

long wholesale implementations, with complete implementation and strategy worked out in advance. This means that the buyer won’t see actual results until six to 12 months after the project begins. This isn’t to say that the outcome is necessarily the wrong one for those buying such software and services – but it isn’t agile enough for businesses that have immediate problems in need of immediate resolution.” The limitations of this long-term approach came into sharp relief with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. This crisis shook up how distribution and logistical operations worked – most notably with a rapid shift to e-commerce and the attendant need for smaller, more individualised order fulfillment instead of larger shipments of the same items to retail stores. But is also imposed geographical limitations on the ability of consultants to move around and engage with businesses on the ground.

Samuel Dawson, Business Development Manager for Microlistics.

Furthermore, Samuel says, in a climate of economic and business uncertainty, many organisations no longer had the resources to spend big on a major WMS implementation absent a tangible near-time returnon-investment (ROI). MHD MARCH 2022 | 23

MHD SUPPLY CHAIN “The issue that arose with traditional WMS architecture is that everything needed to be done before anything could be done,” he says. “Warehouses can’t be split into pieces any more than you could split a rubber band into pieces and expect it to work effectively.” So, how does Microlistics – and its latest WMS update, released late last year – address these hurdles? “Our approach allows companies to build from lower-level essential functions to higher- and higher-levels of complexity as and when necessary,” Samuel says. “Our WMS solutions are still split into industry specific verticals – for instance 3PL and retail, among others – but in terms of addressing immediate needs, our Microlistics Express can be deployed in as few as 30 days. It comes preconfigured with best practice workflows designed to maximise the accuracy and efficiency of warehouse operations. But the real beauty of it is that it is still the same platform as that for 3PL, retail, and the other verticals, meaning it can serve as the springboard for future growth and extended functionality as warehouse management needs grow in complexity.” What this has meant in practice during the pandemic is that major retailers and convenience stores have been able to quickly transition to online service and fulfilment with Microlistics Express, and then branch out into more specific and complex functions without having to start the whole process over again. “With Microlistics, companies can start with the low-hanging fruit, and then strategically pick the add-on functionalities as they need them,” Samuel says. “This is what we mean when we speak of an ‘incremental roadmap’. You don’t have to chart out your entire journey ahead of time in a top-down manner. Rather, you can implement the basics, assess the performance, demonstrate your ROI within your organisation, and then build up to the next stage.” In other words, it’s a move from conceptualising WMS implementation in vertical terms to thinking of it in horizontal terms. The basics of WMS that cut cross all potential customer requirements – 3PL, retail, cold storage, et cetera – can be dealt with and then more specialised functionalities are built on top of that groundwork. Whereas with the legacy approach to WMS implementations traditionally

“

With Microlistics, companies can start with the lowhanging fruit, and then strategically pick the add-on functionalities as they need them. This is what we mean when we speak of an ‘incremental roadmap’. You don’t have to chart out your entire journey ahead of time in a top-down manner.

”

everything has been done in one large sixto twelve-month stroke. One significant benefit to such an approach is it significantly lowers barriers to entry for smaller businesses that wish to implement WMS but lack the spending power to undertake a longterm implementation that doesn’t quickly realise an ROI. But even for larger organisations, the incremental approach means that it’s easier to make the internal case for WMS expenditures because the initial cost is comparatively modest, the implementation is swift, and the benefits considerably more immediate. It also avoids concerns that unnecessarily complex and sophisticated solutions are being sold to an organisation that doesn’t need them. “I think some bigger businesses were anticipating that the pandemic conditions would be a flash-in-the-pan, and that they could wait till it’s over before resuming their traditional large-scale WMS implementations,” Samuel notes. “However, my impression is that there’s a growing realisation that the post-COVID normal will not be the same as the preCOVID normal. Either way, shifting to an incremental approach is a sound way of reducing risk.” A further benefit of the incremental approach is that it’s able to engage workers at a lower level. The pandemic has certainly induced organisations to value and pay more attention to their supply chain business units, but even within those supply chain units the incremental process allows Microlistics consultants to work more directly with those workers affected by the implementation. “A multi-phased approach such as we offer customers imposes more discipline, insofar as it focuses attention on what is actually needed by those warehouse workers who are facing a problem right now,” Samuel says. “We’ve found that you get more buy-in, more emotional investment, and more useful information from the workers on the ground. This grassroots approach empowers workers by involving them more in decisionmaking and roadmap development, and a better end-result. Rather than a feeling of corporate higher-ups making a decision and having the results trickle down to the base, the operators on the ground – who are after all the people that keep an organisation running smoothly – now have a voice.” ■

24 | MHD MARCH 2022

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MHD MATERIALS HANDLING

BUILDING SUCCESS THROUGH RELIABILITY Conquest Equipment breaks down the pillars of a reliable cleaning service – and why warehouse managers need the right products and service in a time of disruption and change.

amily owned and operated, Conquest has worked as a service provider for industrial cleaning equipment in warehouses, manufacturing facilities and the like for more than 40 years. The business was born out of an identified gap in the market: seeing companies stuck waiting around for spare parts from overseas, not using the right equipment, or not knowing how to operate them most efficiently. Conquest’s commitment to their tagline “behind you all the way” has worked to put a stop to that, producing what it says is the most flexible and supportive offering available on the market.

RELIABLE PRODUCTS For Conquest, flexibility begins with equipment availability, and it works with five different supply partners across Europe and the United States. Michael Mathews, Managing Director Conquest Equipment, says sourcing the right equipment for specific warehouse needs is essential,

Conquest has worked hard to attract the right people to support its customers.

but the reliability of that equipment is the cornerstone of industrial cleaning solutions. With more warehouses pivoting to automation, the importance of reliable cleaning solutions remains constant. “Cleanliness is incredibly important in automated warehouses,” he says. “The machines are sensitive to debris on the floor, which will slow them down or stop them altogether. A dusty environment interferes with sensors, leading to productivity downfalls.” Traditionally, a warehouse floor would just require a dry-sweep, but the importance of automated machines running smoothly means more companies are requiring a scrub to eliminate debris and dust. “That final level of cleanliness has lifted over the past five to ten years,” Michael adds. “We work closely with our supply partners in the development of technology and innovation to develop fit-forpurpose products for the Australian market. Our partners are also across international trends and

Michael Mathews, Managing Director of Conquest Equipment. we have exclusive access to these technologies in the local market.” The range of equipment can also be customised to suit specific environments or individual business needs. “Accessories such as specialist scrubbing pads for different floor surfaces, added safety features, or different servicing support options to ensure that the machine continues to run smoothly is an added benefit to our offer,” he says.

RELIABLE PEOPLE Conquest has worked hard to attract the right people to help support its growth. Michael says a focus of the last few years has been strengthening the company’s service network as it has expanded from Victoria to across the country. “It’s critical to get the best service support near where our customers are,” he says. “The team has people with the skills from a technical point of view to solve problems 26 | MHD MARCH 2022

MHD MATERIALS HANDLING and be behind the customer. Without the knowledge, we wouldn’t be able to deliver on what we promise. “Particularly with our product team we have longevity with years of service. Industry knowledge increases over a long period of time, which helps us understand our customers’ perspectives. We are a locally-based organisation and pride ourselves on understanding and adapting to the customer’s needs.”

RELIABLE SERVICE In order to fully comprehend the required solution for a customer, Conquest goes to great lengths with its assessment process. Its Intelligent Solutions Program (ISP) is designed to find the best fit for its clients. “When we have a new customer reach out to us, we start with a site evaluation to determine the exact requirements of the facility,” Michael says. “Every facility is unique and has different requirements. We go through a detailed process before we recommend what solution is right for them.” ISP reaches far beyond an initial site review, with eight steps ensuring the right piece of equipment is delivered to the right customer. Demonstrations, operator training, after sales support and guaranteed service support all combine to bring reliability to life. The strong team of technicians are ready to be despatched quickly to their clients in the case of an emergency breakdown. Conquest’s Zero Downtime Program means businesses can continue to meet WHS standards, with a same-day service bringing an experienced technician to Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney locations.

“

We work closely with our supply partners in the development of technology and innovation to develop fit-forpurpose products for the Australian market. Our partners are also across international trends and we have exclusive access to these technologies in the local market.

”

If the machine can’t be repaired on the same day, a temporary machine is delivered to the site the next day with the same or similar cleaning capability. “We don’t expect the equipment to fail because we offer the highest quality with regular servicing and maintenance to avoid that,” Michael adds. “But inevitably there can be failures due to misuse or other incidents. That’s when having that backup fleet in place can get people operating again very quickly.” Conquest can also quickly repair clients’ products. The company keeps a full range of spare parts here in Australia. Michael says this was a key offering they pursued after hearing from operators using other companies’ imported equipment that they had to wait weeks for spare parts. “We understand that Australia is a long way from where the equipment is made,” says Michael. “Waiting for spare parts from overseas is not ideal for the customer. This is where we saw a need in Australia for a local supplier like us who could hold spare parts and have our own technical team to support the equipment.” The recently launched ‘Conquest QR’ program takes customers to an easy-touse, web-based interface where they can navigate to the relevant request. With high staff turnover in many organisations, Conquest QR expedites training. “The QR codes have been amazingly received. We’re making resources available that would previously have been explained face-to-face. When a new operator comes on our web-based application has content that shows them how to use and maintain the equipment, safely and effectively.” ■

Conquest’s team of expert technicians are on hand to quickly assist customers in resolving any equipment issues.

MHD MARCH 2022 | 27

Understanding an organisation and its people’s needs at all levels is key to understanding industrial real estate at Colliers.

A NEW CHAPTER Gavin Bishop has a long string of achievements to his name after more than two decades with Colliers. Recently appointed Colliers’ new Managing Director (Industrial) & Head of Industrial Capital Markets Australia, he looks back on his career to date and forward to the opportunities that lie ahead.

avin Bishop, Managing Director (Industrial) & Head of Industrial Capital Markets Australia, is a Colliers man through-and-through. While studying at Western Sydney University in the late 1990s, Gavin was selected for Colliers’ scholarship program for promising talent. The real estate titan liked what it saw, and the organisation and Gavin never looked back – he has worked there for more than 22 years and was recently promoted to head the Colliers national industrial team. After exploring several different areas of real estate early on, he says he found his true passion within the industrial space. “I remember getting the opportunity to work as part of our South Sydney office’s industrial team – and that’s where my passion really took off,” he says. “Working as a junior operator in the strata market, I started to get my bearings on working with

28 | MHD MARCH 2022

Gavin Bishop, Managing Director, Industrial | Head of Industrial Capital Markets Australia at Colliers. investors and occupiers as well as understanding different businesses and their key drivers.” Having found his groove in industrial property, Gavin went from strength to strength working at – and eventually running – several different offices. He says he was present at a fortunate time where new industrial opportunities were springing up as new infrastructure was

developed. Perhaps the key skill he has learned along the way, he says, is the importance of great relationships – with occupiers, businesses, private investors, institutional investors, and developers. Doubtless part of his skill for relationships is that he is reluctant to tout his own achievements – instead underscoring the work of his team and his great fortune in working with talented people. But his achievements do in fact speak for themselves. His public resume notes that he and his team have sold 24 of all 34 industrial portfolios in Australia over the last six years. Among these sales were the AMP Portfolio ($105 million), the J.P. Morgan Portfolio ($250 million), the Altis Portfolio ($342.5 million), the Qantas Portfolio ($802 million), and the GIC/Australand Portfolio ($1.073 billion). This is just a small snapshot of an unusually impressive career. Compiling a full list of his career highlights would surely take several

BROUGHT TO YOU BY pages of this magazine. Gavin says that each sale and project has been meaningful for him in its own way, but he singles out the recent completion of the Qantas Portfolio in South Sydney for special attention. The way he speaks about this deal is a reminder that it’s not just a big numbers game – it’s about what the deal means for seller and buyer on a personal level. “The Qantas Portfolio was very meaningful to me,” he says. “It was one of the largest Sydney-centric portfolios to ever trade, and we sold it to LOGOS, which is a very good client of ours and with whom we’ve built a wonderful relationship over the years. “But it wasn’t just the size of the deal that really made an impression on me, it was at least as much about what it meant for Qantas. Given the impact of COVID-19 and its effect on travel, it had been a very difficult time for airlines generally – through no fault of their own. What the $802 million sale meant for Qantas was an injection for their business that allowed them to keep investing, to buy and maintain aircrafts, and to keep more people employed throughout the crisis. “Qantas is a national icon and employs and supports the livelihoods of countless hard-working Australians. To have played a small part in getting them the best deal – a deal that would really help them and their people during a difficult period – was something that really left an impression on me.”

A NEW JOURNEY Yet despite having fit several careers’ worth of achievements into only two decades, Gavin certainly has no intention of resting on his laurels. He’s squarely focused on the new opportunities that come with his new role. “I was very fortunate in being selected to replace Malcolm Tyson – now CEO of Colliers in Australia – who was an outstanding Managing Director of our industrial business,” he says. “In addition to that role, I’m also still head of industrial capital markets for the business. And I think that having the combined role will be a terrific opportunity to add a lot of value to our clients and into our national industrial team. There are some great potential synergies to be explored by working in the general brokerage market at

the same time as the national capital markets business. My goal is to really grow the business and make sure we’re very well connected in a holistic fashion so we can provide the best service to our clients on both the investment side and the general brokerage side, too.” Speaking of his vision for the business as he starts out in his new role, Gavin says that he wants Colliers to be known as the number one industrial agency business in the country. But just as importantly, he says he wants to lead and be part of a team “that everyone can be proud of”. “We have great collaboration, we have great trust, and we are very high performing,” he says. “So, I’m lucky to be leading a team that already has such a strong culture. I want to keep building on that. I want us to be known as a team where we share in everyone’s success – from the junior operators right up to the senior members. Obviously, I want us to be known as the best – but I also want us to be proud of the work we do and have fun doing it.” Needless to say, 2022 is off to a strong start for Gavin and his team. He notes that in the first quarter for 2022 there are more than $400 million in assets coming to market in Melbourne, close to $450 million in Sydney, and nearly $120 million in Brisbane. “And that’s just on the investment market side,” he adds. “We are also controlling a lot of leasing mandates, and the team is involved in selling a lot of major sites right across the country. So, we really want to connect those dots, pick up those listings, and bring

the inquiries along. I think 2022 will be a very strong year for us.”

THE NEXT GENERATION Part of ensuring the team’s long-term success is finding and encouraging the next generation of talent – because people and relationships are the essential building blocks of a strong business, Gavin says. To that end, he is big on building up those who are just starting out their careers in industrial real estate – and real estate more broadly. Having started out in the scholarship program and working to the top of the organisation, he is ideally placed to offer advice to young professionals, and so MHD asked him what advice he would give to a young Gavin from his perspective after two decades-plus at Colliers. “If I could give one piece of advice it would simply be to find a part of the business that you’re passionate about. Real estate is very diverse and looking back, although I tried a number of things early on – and those experiences gave me good grounding – ultimately many of them just weren’t for me. Once you find that passion, focus all your energy and attention on it. “Also, you must always keep in mind that real estate is a relationship business. Always treat people the way you want to be treated, work hard, and you’ll build great relationships that will stand you in good stead. And remember to have fun! I’ve had a lot of fun during my career. Every day is a new and exciting chapter. Speaking for myself, I’ve been at Colliers for more than two decades, but I’m as excited for this new phase of my career as I’ve ever been.” ■

2022 promises to be a strong year for the Colliers industrial property team.

MHD MARCH 2022 | 29

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MHD MATERIALS HANDLING

TOYOTA FORKLIFTS COME FIRST FOR CELEBRATED WINEMAKER Hunter Valley winemaker First Creek Wines has prepared for its new Vintage crop with a new fleet of Toyota forklifts.

ne of the most prodigious wine-makers in NSW has called on the exceptional reliability, safety and comfort of Toyota Material Handling Australia (TMHA) forklifts as it gears up for another summer harvest. First Creek Wines, based in the verdant Hunter Valley region, has become one of the country’s most successful contract winemaking businesses and recently took delivery of a fleet of 11 Toyota forklifts to help facilitate the massive amount of wine it produces and ships.

First Creek Wines Managing Director Greg Silkman next to his new Toyota forklifts.

Highlights such as a suspension seat, integrated dash displays, longer battery life, and safety features were key to First Creek Wines making the switch to Toyota.

First Creek Wines produces around 3000 tonnes of product, bottles roughly 1.2 million cases of wine per year, and throughout the year operates a series of warehouses 24 hours a day, five days a week. The fleet of 10 Toyota 8FBE18 3-wheel battery electric and one Toyota 8FD25 diesel forklifts needs to perform strongly and reliably to help the business achieve peak operational capacity, and First Creek Wines

Managing Director Greg Silkman says the exceptional reputation for reliability was a key factor in making the switch to TMHA. “We need reliability because a lot of the time we’re running 24 hours a day and we can’t have any breakdowns during the night, and we can’t have machines offline, and towards the end with our previous supplier we probably had one or two machines offline MHD MARCH 2022 | 31

MHD MATERIALS HANDLING all the time waiting for parts to be delivered,” Greg says. Greg notes that when the time came to order a new fleet of forklifts, trials were done with multiple manufacturers, however the performance of the Toyota machines received the most glowing praise from warehouse staff. However, it is not just the reliability, safety and comfort of the forklifts that appealed to First Creek Wines – their relationship with TMHA area sales manager Allan Peacock ensured Toyota forklifts were at the top of their list. “It’s been seamless from the time we met six or eight months ago to get the new forklifts,” Greg says. “Everything arrived on time, they’re great machines, our staff love them.” “Relationships will get you so far and product quality will get you so far, but if you’ve got a combination of both really good product and really good sales and service people,

then it just works. “You just feel like they care, which is really important. We feel like we’ve brought someone into the business who’s working with us. It’s a very important part of our business to have the forklifts running properly and no downtime.” After a demo unit was brought to First Creek Wines that impressed the warehouse staff, Allan ensured the prompt delivery of the new fleet in time for Vintage season, which typically runs from January to May. Allan made certain that all Toyota forklifts were fitted with red halo lights and blue rear spotlights, a feature that has been warmly appreciated by First Creek Wines for the greater visibility and therefore improved safety. “On the bottling line the machines are working close to the staff, so having the halo lights around, and the blue reversing light, it’s really good,” Greg says. “They’re much, much easier for the operators, they’re comfortable machines, and we’ve been really, really impressed with the safety features.” Highlights such as a suspension seat, integrated dash displays, longer battery life and safety features including the Toyota System of

Active Stability (SAS) system and the Operator Presence Sensing system have also been flagged as areas of the Toyota Advantage that compelled First Creek Wines to make the switch. Along with its own First Creek and Silkman brands, First Creek Wines also produces wine for vineyards all over the Hunter Valley region. First Creek started in 1998 with three other wine-makers, and the nowfamily-owned business employs 85 staff with three bottling lines, and is only looking to grow further with the help of TMHA. Whether it is simply bottling wine or crafting the vintage postharvest, its facility in Pokolbin has the capacity to store 7000 pallets with five forklifts working on picking and packing orders alone. With vintage season just around the corner, it is the most important time of the year for First Creek wines – a period when you need all aspects of the supply chain including material handling equipment to be working in unison to ensure the business is running at its full potential. ■ For more information freecall 1800 425 438 or visit www. toyotamaterialhandling.com.au

All Toyota Forklifts must be working perfectly for First Creek Wines’ vintage season.

32 | MHD MARCH 2022

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MHD Supply Chain

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MHD MATERIALS HANDLING

OPTIMISING THE WAREHOUSE FLOOR Combilift’s Managing Director Martin McVicar and Country Manager Australia Chris Littlewood explain how Combilift helps customers design and optimise their warehouses around individual needs and unique equipment requirements.

“C

ombilift manufactures forklift trucks, but the reality is that what we are really offering customers are warehouse solutions,” says Martin McVicar, Managing Director of Combilift. Martin and the Combilift team are renowned for their materials handling machines, but Martin says their real business is warehouse optimisation – because for a forklift or other materials handling machine to be effective it must be conceptualised in the context in which it is actually deployed. “It’s not enough to simply create a great machine without considering the warehouse operation that surrounds it,” he says. “That’s why for more than a decade Combilift has offered clients free warehouse design plans; because it’s no use selling a product that is great on paper and great when considered in isolation – but that doesn’t integrate seamlessly with its surroundings. It wouldn’t be good for the customer, and it wouldn’t be good for us. So, we don’t think of ourselves as just a manufacturer – we want to help customers optimise their warehouse with an effective warehouse plan that complements and makes the most of our industry-leading materials handling machines.” Although Martin and the Combilift team have been offering free warehouse designs to customers for more than a decade, he is more enthusiastic today than ever to get the word out to customers – because recent trends affecting warehouse operations make a consideration of holistic warehouse design a paramount concern. “Optimising the warehouse space has always been one of our foremost concerns,” Martin says. “But with the twin challenges of the rapid rise in e-commerce in wake of the pandemic

Martin McVicar, Managing Director of Combilift. plus the imperative of organisations reducing their carbon footprints – we think it especially important that we help our customers as much as possible with assessments of their warehouse operations and new designs for optimisation where we see challenges and opportunities.” While every warehouse is different, e-commerce and climate change are challenges that affect everyone around the globe – whether in developed or developing markets. With respect to e-commerce, Martin points out that 2019 projections for the growth of e-commerce saw it doubling in about a decade, but that with the pandemic that doubling almost occurred within one year. “That really put a lot of constraints on warehouse space, both because of the radical change in the nature of fulfilment from in-store to online and because of the necessity to reconfigure worker movement on the warehouse floor to ensure COVID-safety

compliance,” he says. “At Combilift we have a team of nine warehouse engineers that offer free warehouse plans to customers all around the world. So, we’re ready to go in terms of helping businesses meet these new challenges. And the reason we offer this service free of charge is because we’re confident that if we bring a solution to our customers, that will engender a sense of trust and respect in us for the long term. If we weren’t bringing them a solution, then it shows we weren’t bringing them value. But we’re pretty happy with our track record so far and want to extend this value-add to more and more of our customers.” Martin adds that it doesn’t matter how big or small the customer is – Combilift is ready and willing to help out everyone with their warehouse optimisation strategy. It’s a point seconded by Chris Littlewood, Country Manager Australia for Combilift. “We don’t worry about what size of warehouse we’re dealing with,” Chris MHD MARCH 2022 | 35

MHD MATERIALS HANDLING says. “We just zero-in on what the needs of our customer are. For a small area we might design a warehouse layout that is appropriate and recommend only one multidirectional forklift plus one of our Aisle Master OPs. For a larger warehouse – such as an organisation I’m working with right now – it might involve numerous machines as well as multiple varieties of machine – from multidirectional forklifts to big straddle carriers and more.” Chris notes that the key concept in any situation is that of optimising “workflow”. “We want to optimise the way materials move into the manufacturing facility, the way materials move into storage areas, the way they move onto trucks to leave the facility. In each step of the process we’re looking at the best way to optimise materials handling. At the same time, we keep an eye on the big picture – we don’t consider each aspect of a warehouse in isolation; we look at how each area works together so we can streamline the way materials flow through an entire facility.” But how does Combilift start off the process of assessing a customer’s unique warehouse needs? Martin says that it all begins “on the ground”. “When we have our first meeting with a client that’s interested in optimising their warehouse the first thing on our agenda is to suggest that we conduct a thorough walk-through of their warehouse,” he says. “We don’t start off by sitting in a meeting room and simply presenting what we intend to do. First, we want to understand their unique needs. So, we’ll walk through their warehouse, we’ll collect data, and we’ll propose some initial suggestions. But we know – and we tell the clients – that we won’t have the perfect idea on day one. It’s a collaborative process, and we’ll keep on revising our ideas with the client until we get it right. I’d say we are more like warehouse consultants than just run-of-the-mill salespeople throughout the process. Of course, we aim to make the process as smooth and seamless as possible, but with our ultimate goal of getting it right for the customer it is not unusual for us to go through three or four iterations of a layout for them to reach a final design.”

The Combilift Aisle Master OP in action. Chris Littlewood illustrates this notion by way of the work that Combilift recently did with eStore Logistics in Australia. “Combilift’s relationship with eStore Logistics started about seven years ago,” Chris says. “And as Martin says, the process started off with a walk through of their facility, understanding their business, understanding what they wanted to achieve – so we could put the right machine in place and provide the right layout for them. From there, the process continued to evolve. Five years later eStore was looking to expand their business to other locations, so for us it was a matter of going through that process again to understand their current needs as they had developed: what they wanted to achieve in their new location, what changes they might want to make in their existing locations, re-specifying their machines to that end, and gameplanning potential new layouts.” With the onset of the pandemic, Chris says, Combilift was able to adapt its process to accommodate remoteworking conditions. “Whereas prior to the pandemic we might have relied a lot more on physical drawings and on-the-ground observation, with the COVID-safety protocols in place we adapted to using more video walk-throughs and digital simulations – so that both we and eStore could visualise what we were proposing while keeping their and our staff safe. We have found digital walkthroughs and the like a highly effective means of understanding potential

pain-points and anticipating potential issues in aid of getting to the best possible solution for eStore.” Martin seconds Chris’s assessment of the efficacy of the pandemic-era digital approach and concludes by stressing the importance for Combilift of operating around the specific needs of its customers. “The sweet point for us is to truly come up with a warehouse optimisation plan that effectively operates around the existing infrastructure in place,” he says. “Especially in these COVIDtimes – with all the attendant business and economic uncertainty – we are cognisant of the fact that it’s not possible for customers to re-invent the wheel. We want to optimise their warehouses, and the use of our equipment within their warehouses, within the existing envelope of the building that is there here and now. Even with new Greenfield developments, it might seem like they look all the same – big rectangular buildings – but in fact there are myriad infrastructural and positional subtleties. And each industry has different physical warehousing constraints as well as unique overriding policy constraints. If I had one message that I’d like to communicate to customers – whether current or prospective – it would be that we will take time and put in the hard yards to ensure we get the best warehouse optimisation outcome for them. And we’re confident enough in this proposition that we’ll do it for free.” ■

36 | MHD MARCH 2022

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MHD SUPPLY CHAIN

Omicron has led to challenging conditions for container transport operators.

RESILIENCE AND INNOVATION THROUGH OMICRON The omicron variant has tested the strength of the Australian Supply Chain over the past few months. MHD uncovers how industry professionals are prioritising staff retention and using the latest technology to counter delays and disruptions.

ecently, Scott Morrison urged global business leaders and governments to tackle bottlenecks in global shipping and boost passenger flights in an effort to open international trade. Speaking of the increasing costs and inflationary pressures, the Prime Minister says critical supply chains are yet to recover from pandemic pressures. “The world needs a fast recovery, reminiscent of those in the 1980s and 1990s, not the prolonged sluggish recovery that followed the [global financial crisis] in the 2010s,” he says. “We need a greater collective focus on easing the constraints on international shipping and on the recovery of passenger flights. The lesson of these times is that supply chain resilience requires a new partnership between countries, governments and businesses.” Locally, new isolation changes were agreed to by the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee –

38 | MHD MARCH 2022

comprised of state and territory chief health officers – to keep close contacts of COVID-19 cases working in critical supply chains from having to isolate at home. Under the changes employees in the food logistics, manufacturing, transport, postal and warehousing industries will be allowed to leave quarantine to attend work if they are asymptomatic. “Workers will only be eligible to leave self-isolation if their employer determines that their absence from the workplace poses a high risk of disruption to the delivery of critical services or activities, and they are unable to work from home,” a statement from the Department of Health read. The new rules come after industry bodies called on governments to make rapid antigen tests available for the logistics sector, after some transport companies reported up to half of their staff were unable to work. Arthur Tzaneros, CEO of Australian

Container Freight Services (ACFS), one of the largest trucking companies for the country’s major ports and whose clients include Coles, Aldi, Kmart and Bunnings, says there was a 25-50 per cent shortage of drivers across the east coast during the first two weeks of January. On the sea front, The Container Transport Alliance Australia (CTAA) director says omicron has led to the hardest conditions ever for industry players. Staff shortages, terminal congestion and significant competition to secure vehicle booking slots are combining to create the difficult conditions, according to Neil Chambers from the CTAA. “Container transport operators across Australia have reported to CTAA that they are experiencing between a five per cent to 20 per cent reduction in available staff, including heavy vehicle drivers, warehouse staff, forklift drivers, container unpack crews and administration,

MHD SUPPLY CHAIN forcing industry leaders to be decisive and innovative. One strategy businesses have found successful – and somewhat necessary – is emphasising the best possible treatment of their staff,

due to COVID infections and isolation requirements,” Neil explains. “Compounding this are staff shortages at customers’ premises, as well as at international container stevedore terminals and at empty container parks across Australia, significantly delaying the movement of containers through the supply chain.” No doubt these are testing times,

avoiding turnover which would further compound disruptions to everyday operations. Recent data from shift-work platform Deputy shows shifts rostered but not worked went from 7.1 per cent to 13.4 per cent in New South Wales’ retail industry over December. Like retail, much of the workers in supply chain rely on shifts, which places pressure on a business when workers can’t work on scheduled dates. Ashik Ahmed, CEO and co-founder of Deputy, says despite government support being critical, industry needs to focus on what they can control through the unprecedented level of staff shortages. “We are seeing businesses with 700 employees having 20 to 30 staff resignations per week,” he says. “This is the time to overinvest. Businesses are thriving because of people power and a sense of community. Shift work doesn’t provide the same level of ambition for workers.” Another important approach to counter omicron disruptions has been the adoption of the latest IoT and software technology. George Harb, Regional Vice President, Business Ecosystems APAC at OpenText says you can’t futureproof disruptions, but you can control

reaction time and the ability to foresee where a point of failure may occur. “The ability to foresee comes from your data analytics,” he says. “Pulling information from suppliers, retailers or trading partners is important. Then you’re looking for trends – for example stock may be diminishing in a certain location. You pair this with information from other elements like industry news and analyst information to define what the data means.” Digital transformation allows businesses to be a part of a bigger ecosystem, to better understand exactly what’s happening with logistics operations. “The data can help form key decisions,” George says. “If you know that products are going to take longer to arrive because of upcoming shipping delays, you can trigger an order before you usually would. Having a digital supply chain allows you to adapt and make decisions quicker.” George notes that IoT takes the level of transparency to another level by matching business assets with digital assets. “You’re able to pull information from devices or shelves, monitoring what’s being picked up and what’s being returned,” he says. “It helps businesses understand production lines and capacities, identifying failures and putting in place a contingency to increase productivity.” ■

Digital transformation allows businesses to be a part of a bigger ecosystem.

MHD MARCH 2022 | 39

MHD MATERIALS HANDLING

PLASTIC PALLETS FOR EFFICIENT HANDLING Travel essentials retailer Strandbags recently fit out its Sydney distribution centre with Ozkor plastic pallets. MHD finds out how plastic pallets are lifting Strandbags’ operation to new levels.

n a departure from the conventional tradition of using wooden pallets, fashion bag, luggage and travel essentials retailer Strandbags Pty Ltd has fitted its 15,000 sqm distribution centre in Sydney’s western suburb of Erskine Park with up to 6000 plastic pallets in order to store its wide range of products. This

DC services over 260 Strandbags retail stores in Australia and New Zealand and fulfils both wholesale and online orders for the recently acquired Antler Luggage brand in Australia. “This was the culmination of a two-year project and is expected to accommodate our operational requirements for years to come,”

Strandbags has fitted its 15,000 sqm distribution centre in Sydney’s western suburb of Erskine Park with up to 6000 plastic pallets.

40 | MHD MARCH 2022

says Tim Myers, Global Head of Logistics for Strandbags. “Our team have worked closely with plastic pallet manufacturer Ozkor Pty Ltd, and after many hours of testing the Expal-1140 model, including an eight-month trial period to ensure the product met the required standards, 6000 Expal-1140 pallets were phased in to synchronise with the gradual warehouse expansion over time”. When Strandbags first considered the advantages of using plastic pallets, as opposed to the timber units, it needed to consider how it would impact operational needs. The final determining factors were based on time saving efficiencies, a reduction in the need for mechanical handling resources, and OH&S issues associated with materials handling accidents. Tim explains: “On the one hand, if we used traditional timber pallets our order picking staff could not pick one up because they were too heavy and staff had to wait around for a forklift to do the lifting. The Ozpal-1140 pallets weigh only eight kilograms, which means pallets can easily be picked up and replaced in our live storage racking by our team of pickers regardless of their size or strength. Additionally, as we only load between 250-300 kg on the pallets we also didn’t need a pallet to rack with a very high safe working load.” Made from 100 per cent re-granulated polypropylene material, the Expal-1140 pallet was originally designed for export purposes as an alternative to timber, and according to Ozkor Marketing Manager Alan Morgan its popularity with Australian exporters has increased over time as more overseas customers express a preference for non – timber alternatives.

MHD MATERIALS HANDLING

The decisive factors in Strandbags opting for Ozkor plastic pallets included time-savings, reduced handling, and improved OH&S. “Concerns about meeting international quarantine regulations that comply with ISPM-15 as well as the need to heat, treat, or fumigate timber pallets has influenced many exporters to use the low cost Ozkor plastic ‘Expal-1140’ pallet,” Alan says. “Other factors such as hygiene and waste management

are also important considerations according to our customer feedback research. “This particular plastic pallet also has a residual value; overseas customers can reuse it or even resell to other exporters, thereby not only retrieving some costs but also saving on waste disposal expenses associated with cheap single-use timber pallets,” he added. While timber pallets will no doubt be with us for some time to come, there appears to be no doubt that plastic alternatives for diverse applications are becoming increasingly attractive for a growing number of industries both in Australia and overseas. This is particularly relevant when considering the shortages of wooden pallets currently being experienced throughout the Australian supply chain. ■ For further information contact: Ozkor Pty Ltd, Ph. O2 96728588: Email, info@plasticpallet.com.au, Web-site: www.plasticpallet.com.au

The reusability of Ozkor plastic pallets means cost savings and less waste disposal.

MHD MARCH 2022 | 41

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The demand for electric vehicles currently outstrips the necessary electric battery production. But that could quickly change.

THE FUTURE OF TRANSPORTATION With auto companies spending $90 billion in electric vehicle focused research and development, the transition towards more EVs in supply chain presents challenges and opportunities. Peter Jones, Managing Director and Founder of Prological, discusses the current landscape of transportation and how it affects the Australian market.

eter Jones, Managing Director and Founder of Prological, says electric, hybrid and hydrogen trucks can save a line-haul operator $200,000 every year per vehicle (based on 300,000kms/PA) in energy consumption alone. This is a bold and provocative statement, but data clearly shows the cost upside of replacing diesel with these more environmentally friendly options. The problem is benefits haven’t yet materialised. But much as the latest James Bond movie took a lot longer to land than we all expected, but did eventually turn up, so will sustainable energy options for freight and logistics.

ELECTRIC VEHICLES Peter says there’s one major problem stopping the uptake of electric vehicles. “The onset of electric powered vehicles in the supply chain is hampered by the world’s inability to produce enough batteries fast enough,” he says. “Electric car uptake is accelerating so quickly – which makes sense given it’s a popularity-winner for governments – so that’s where the mining, metals processing, and battery manufacturing resources are being steered to.” Since the first Toyota Prius was released around the world in 2000, commentary arose about what the world will do environmentally with all the used 44 | MHD MARCH 2022

batteries. Peter notes that the concerns implicit in such questions have become more quiet because batteries have lasted longer than initial predicted. Global battery manufacturers have also worked out how to recycle them. “Given the early batteries have lasted longer than expected, you’d imagine the batteries being developed today will last ever longer as technology progresses. Indeed, KIA has a seven-year warranty on its battery packs and Tesla an industry-leading eight years, at more than 70 per cent of its ‘when new’ design capability. “The demand is here for electric vehicles within supply chain, and businesses are beginning to prioritise access within their purchasing processes,” Peter says. “And yet as an Australian transport industry we’re a million miles away from being able to support that. Prological recently ran a tender for a $20 million freight task where environmental sustainability was a key criterion. We issued this to the Australian transport industry and didn’t receive anything accessible which would make a demonstrable difference to what the company is doing today – not even close.” Last November, PepsiCo CEO Ramon Laguarta surprised the electric vehicle community by announcing the imminent

delivery of the first Tesla Semi. “In 2017 Pepsi placed a reserve on 100 ‘Tractors’ (US English for ‘Prime Mover’), of which 15 were supposed to be delivered in Q4 of 2021. There have been delays. The tractors use the new 4680 battery cells, the current demand for which drastistically outstrips supply.” There’s a multitude of reasons for the adoption of electric trucks. Topping the list are the two key drivers: reductions in CO2 emissions and savings on energy costs. “Effectively, the consumable energy costs in an electric truck are around 25 per cent of those for an internal combustion engine,” Peter says. “Uptake will also help the smell and sound of our cities, so the case for Metropolitan distribution is absolutely there today. “Prological is currently designing a large warehouse with a self-sustaining energy (multi-technology) system which can support ten fully electric, metropolitan facing vehicles – as well as the facility – 24/7. That design criterion is reasonably straightforward to work with as is access to the technology to implement it. Commercially it also makes good sense. The difficulty will be getting access to the ten vehicles.” Electric rigid trucks have a strong case for implementation in metropolitan distribution but are less suited for longer

journeys. Considering the Australian interstate linehaul distances and linehaul truck sizes (B-Doubles, Super-B’s, A-Doubles etc.) and CML-HML load capabilities, electrification of this task is a long way away, he says. “The longest-range electric vehicle currently operating is the Tesla Semi, which has a range of 650 kilometres at approximately 20T. Most trucks in development have less range. So, what’s the possible solution for longhaul operations at 62.5-68T GVMs into the future?”

HYDROGEN Despite clear challenges, hydrogen powered vehicles have potential for transporting products between Australian cities and states. The problem for now is the infrastructure for storing, distributing, and refuelling remains relatively immature and expensive. However, Peter notes the success of hydrogen-powered vehicles in countries like Switzerland, where Hydrogen powered linehaul units have proven very effective. “Switzerland is in the process of taking delivery of 1600 hydrogen powered prime movers built by Hyundai,” he says. “40 have been delivered already and June 2021 marked the first time one covered 1 million kms. The balance of the 1600 strong fleet will be operational by the end of 2025. Making hydrogen is electricity-intensive but it’s almost three times more energy-dense than fossil fuels. Switzerland has almost 100 per cent renewable energy and functionally unlimited supply through their vast hydro powered grid. In Switzerland today green hydrogen is a reality. H2 Energy AG are leading the development of zero emission green hydrogen industry and have numerous projects at various levels of development in Australia as well. They also have generous support programmes for companies wanting to become involved in development within Australia. Globally, transport accounts for about 23 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions and H2 Energy believe they are a significant player in the reducing this emissions number. “In 2023, Australia will become the first country in the world to power up one of GE’s 9F hybrid gas-hydrogen turbines for grid electricity. This is happening just 15kms from Prological’s head office, here

The consumable energy costs in an electric truck are around 25 per cent of those for an internal combustion engine, says Prological’s Peter Jones. in the Illawarra. Having the world’s most cost-effective hydrogen plant will only increase the opportunity for hydrogen vehicles in the supply chain.” Predictions are that hydrogen equipment costs will decline by up to 70 percent by 2030, driven by larger market volumes and use of the equipment across several applications, Peter adds. This will mean hydrogen fuel cell power units will become viable alternatives to both diesel and full electric trucks within this timeframe.

DRIVERLESS VEHICLES No longer a scene out of The Jetsons or Back to The Future, driverless vehicles are a real opportunity for supply chain and have been for some time. Going off successful trials in Europe, Peter says autonomous trucks can work in Australia. “Autonomous vehicles could be running today between a platooning station on the outskirts of Melbourne through to Campbelltown on the southern outskirts of Sydney,” he says. “If four trucks are driven to the platooning station, immediately adjacent to the freeway, the vehicles can electronically be ‘hooked up’ and get on their way.” European trials on public roads more complex than the Hume Highway have been successful for years now. In May 2021 Californian company Tu-Simple operated a successful trial of a driverless prime mover with trailer from Nogales Arizona to Oklahoma City – a distance of 1450kms. Peter notes that driverless vehicles can improve safety and mitigate against the growing industry challenge of ageing truck drivers, while decreasing operating

costs for fuel, drivers, and equipment “Monitored computer systems also support reductions in human error risks involved in highway driving,” he says. “So, as interstate driver shortages intensify, technology can step in while both the consumer and the nation benefit from the decrease in overall supply chain costs. This technology can operate on just a few roads within Australia, but these are also our busiest freight corridors. “In short, electric trucks make sense for many metropolitan tasks today. Like electric cars, they will transition from extremely rare today to relatively common within the next few years. “Electric powered prime movers from Tesla, Nikola, Mercedes, Freightliner, Volvo, Hino, Scania and others in their current phases of development may find a place in regional linehaul and certainly within metropolitan prime mover fleets. Demand, however, will be well ahead of supply. This will be the constraint to industry uptake.” Electric powered interstate linehaul within an Australian context is a long way off at best, and certainly will not be taking over from Cummings or Detroit Diesel any time soon, Peter says. “However, hydrogen has possibilities. Switzerland has made it work at the operational level and is now developing economies of scale coupled with unsupported commercial viability. Australia has the environment to follow Switzerland’s lead and the European companies leading this work are already investing here.” ■ For more information, visit prologicalconsulting.com MHD MARCH 2022 | 45

MHD SCLAA

COVID AND COMPLIANCE Brendan White, COO of the Comply Group, sat down for a Q&A to discuss the start-up’s COVID-safety solutions and the challenges of safety-compliance in supply chain and logistics.

hat is the Comply Group and what solutions does it offer? Comply Group is an enterprise software-as-a-service business. We provide software solutions to large enterprises – as well as medium and small sometimes, but generally larger – with pretty complex requirements. We’ve got a range of tools at our disposal. We initially started as a QR code check-in provider – so we did start out of a COVID-related need, although my business partner and I have run businesses similar to this in the past. The Comply Group started out with QR code contact-tracing your appointments when the state government started mandating that people keep their name and number where they went for contacttracing purposes, before any of the state governments built their own check-in apps. We quickly grew to about 7000 or 8000 customers around the country – essentially using us to check in customers and stuff. And then when the state requirements mandated that people use the state government check-in apps, what we did was we lost essentially all of the small business customers, but most of the larger businesses still had their own need to capture this data. For instance, companies needed it for different purposes around managing risks and safety within the workplace, so they kept using us and – since then – we’ve expanded out into a range of areas including vaccine registers to comply with state government mandates in certain industries. We’ve got asymptomatic test tracking solutions. So, if you’re an

46 | MHD MARCH 2022

organisation with a policy around getting your staff to do rapid tests every two days or twice a week, for instance, we’ve got solutions for that. And we also do some work in PCR laboratory testing as well. It was probably two years ago that we then started broadenig our scope to encompass a range of non COVID related solutions as well – using the same kind of flexible, quick, web technology. Some of those solutions include journey tracking for long haul drivers – where there are safety requirements around notifying people where you are and when when you’ve arrived. We also do Health and Safety checklists, checklists for machinery and equipment and vehicles; so prestart checklists. We automate a lot of that using QR codes and notifications and triage dashboards. And more recently, time and attendance as well. So, you’re clocking out, you’re checking in with the QR code for COVID. But you’re also clocking on for your shift. The initial application had branched out into several new domains. What are the key drivers causing business leaders to decide on new technology rollouts in the industry right now around COVID safety? It’s probably two or three key drivers behind the rollout decisions that we’re seeing – especially in this industry and supply chain and logistics. The first one is around state government mandates. So, when you’re an organisation, especially a trucking company, for example, if you’re crossing borders, and you’ve got staff in all states of the country, keeping up with the changes that that are coming out from state governments on an individual basis is

a nightmare. And then implementing that in a business policy or process is even more challenging. For example, where a state government suddenly says truck drivers need to have three doses of vaccine. That’s when the business – the directors of the business – have a responsibility to comply with that, and so they need to know what’s happening on the ground. So they come to us and they say, ‘Can you please help us roll out a solution that makes it easy for us to understand what people are doing and to ensure they’re following the rules? That is the number one driver in my view. I think number two, is genuinely around the health and safety of people in the workplace. Aside from the usual insurance-risks considerations, it’s becoming a felt responsibility of business owners to reduce outbreaks on worksites to ensure worker-safety. We have businesses coming to us talking about testing policies, vaccine policies, social distancing, capacity management, and contact tracing within zones of their businesses so that they can bring forward the knowledge of where an outbreak is happening or where a positive case has been, for example. A lot of businesses are working hard to get on the front foot when it comes to managing outbreaks or potential outbreak-risks on-site. How have you seen the introduction of your technology improve COVIDsafety in the workplace? I guess one would be the speed with we’ve we’ve been able to roll out – so the ability to have recorded going live with 3000 staff organisation in about 24 hours on a vaccine vaccine tracking project. So the speed with which we

MHD SCLAA can just spin up a solution for these problems is probably the big one that our customers really appreciate. And then the other big one on the product side would be our contact tracing solution, which may or may not be needed for too much longer depending on where the where the pandemic goes. Essentially what we’ve been able to do with that one is having people checking into work sites in different zones using QR codes. Sometimes the government health departments take a week or two to get back to people to notify them that they were in close contact with someone who was COVID-exposed. One of our solutions allows the business to do that within about a five minute period. So you can essentially type in the phone number of the person who’s declared their positive identify, who they’ve been in the spaces with, and send those people a notification telling them to take action. That’s not something we’ve seen anyone else be able to do very easily. What are some common pitfalls to avoid when rolling out technology like this? There’s couple of big ones to look out for. One is underestimating the amount of manual process that’s required. And underestimating the privacy implications of some of the things that are starting to happen. So, for example, a large organisation that suddenly needs to check everybody’s vaccine status due to a government mandate. Once you get down into the details, you actually find that you need to start tracking medical exemptions and you need to be able to understand when those medical exemptions expire. You need to be able to quickly go and see whether someone has or hasn’t uploaded their vaccine certificate. And then if they have, sometimes people are uploading certificates that have other medical data in them – and suddenly you’re holding someone else’s private health information. Maybe it’s in an email, or maybe it’s on a desktop computer, and you start to lose track very quickly of what’s happening. So, that’s one thing we see a lot of companies working hard to keep up with – all these changing rules. But they must as it is a risk to

the business at the end of the day. So, that’s a big one: underestimating kind of how much thinking there is required around getting it right. Another big one is keeping in mind the social aspect of changes insofar as government rules are coming in that must then be imposed on and integrated effectively with your staff – which can sometimes cause a bit of tension.So we’ve been able to be relied on as a trusted third party that’s managing a process like that. So, for someone working in a warehouse, for example, suddenly their HR manager asking them for medical medical information seems quite odd. So what we’ve what we’ve been able to do is have the company essentially outsource that whole process to a third party that’s built for this purpose. So, instead of directly asking for their medical information, it’s like, ‘Hey, please upload it to this portal where they’re managing it that way. They’re managing that independently for us.’ And people find it a lot more palatable to do that, in our experience. What are some of the issues you’ve seen associated with casualised workforces in the industry? From an end user perspective, it’s a bit challenging – especially in the logistics industry where people work, but where people are often contracted to different companies, and each company has its own system. So, you end up with three different apps on your phone for checking into very different places and it gets pretty unwieldy from a sort of a COVID point of view. There’s also a risk around people working in different workplaces and just increasing the exposure sites essentially. So we say quite often that there’s no clear solution, but there has been talk around creating some sort of check in solution that’s industrywide or run by an organisation that’s across a lot of different parts of industries. So for example, there might be a healthcare workers’ checking system or there might be a transport workers’ checking system. But that’s obviously a very difficult thing to get off the ground. So, it hasn’t actually gone anywhere yet – but it’s a problem I think should and can be solved.

Where do you see some the usage of this kind of technology going in the next few years? It’s going to be an interesting insofar as a lot of organisations that will have to deal with these sorts of issues aren’t necessarily at the forefront of using this kind of technology; are being forced to use things like QR codes and check ins and using your mobile phone to check in at the door. Suddenly, that’s creating a shift in a lot of businesses to go, ‘Well hang on. Why aren’t we using this for other things?’ And that’s exactly what we we’re seeing. We had a company call up the other day and say, ‘We’re using your technology for check-ins. But actually, we want to notify the person more fully of the obligations they must meet when they check-in. All of a sudden, that company that’s a manufacturing facility previously unfamiliar with this kind of tech now has the capability to start pinging around notifications and building efficiencies into their visitor management tools. We’re seeing a lot of that happening. We’re seeing a lot of groups come to us because we’ve built something that’s really very specific that their existing software vendors didn’t have. So, they’re opening up to other options around web technology and new ways of of using tech. SCLAA has been quite supportive of the Comply Group’s work of late. From your perspective at the Comply Group, how would you characterise SCLAA’s importance to industry? I’d say it’s hugely important for disseminating information from a central place and for understanding industry trends. From our perspective, it’s also been very valuable in understanding more about how the industry works at a detailed level. In some ways we were new to the logistics industry two years ago – so we’ve been able to get a lot of support from SCLAA to understand how things work: where the different levels of organisations are and how things are interconnected in different ways and places. In short, SCLAA provide us and the industry at large with greater understanding of how the industry works, the uniqueness of it, and the importance of all its disparate components. ■ MHD MARCH 2022 | 47

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MHD PRODUCT SHOWCASE

TOYOTA LEVIO LWI160 ELECTRIC PALLET JACK The Toyota Levio LWI160 Electric Pallet Jack features a lithium-ion battery, meaning it can be charged whenever there is downtime, unlike traditional lead acid batteries which require an eight-hour charge. The LWI160 is Toyota’s first pallet mover solely designed around the modular lithium-ion battery concept – allowing for a smaller, lighter, and more energy efficient unit. Its compact nature helps the LWI160 gain better access in tight areas. In some circumstances it may be the only option available when being used in tight spaces on the back of trucks. Able to lift 1600kg up to 210mm in an aisle with of 1837mm, the LWI160 is easy and safe to operate. For more information visit www.toyotamaterialhandling.com.au

IMPROVING PICKING PRODUCTIVITY, ACCURACY, AND SAFETY WITH VISION PICKING FROM DEMATIC Dematic’s wearable vision picking technology features heads-updisplay (HUD) devices and projects information workers need right into their real-time field of view. This allows them to operate completely paperless and hands-free while carrying out order fulfilment tasks in the warehouse. The technology provides similar benefits in warehousing to voice picking systems, including greatly improved picking accuracy. This reduces the number of human errors that occur during warehouse product picking. Vision picking technology provides operators with relevant information for the duration of each task, including an image display, which helps identify and pick the correct product every time. For more information, visit www.realtimelogistics.com.au

QUICKTRON LEADS INTELLIGENT WAREHOUSE LOGISTICS REVOLUTION The state-of-the-art AGV and AMR vehicles with a complete range of products for intelligent intralogistics solutions are based on proven Quicktron technology. These mobile robots include automated solutions for the handling of shelves, mobile devices, pallets and baskets of work without an operator. In suitable projects, this new product range will be combined with Ferag products (Denisort, Deniway, Easychain and Skyfall) into fully integrated solutions. For more information, contact Philip Batty at Ferag Australia On 0434 305 906, email info-australia@ferag.com or visit www.ferag.com/en/

GEOTAB’S GO9 DEVICE Completely redesigned and enhanced, the Geotab GO9 device is optimised for the collection and analysis of near real-time vehicle data. The GO9 features a faster processor, more memory, and a gyroscope. Expanded capacity allows even more and ongoing vehicle support, including better fuel usage support, and increased electric vehicle compatibility. Using Geotab’s patented tracking algorithm, the GO9 accurately recreates vehicle trips and analyses incidents. The GO9 also offers in-vehicle alerts to instantly notify drivers of infractions and – with hardware Add-Ons – provides live coaching for a driver’s on-road performance. To find out more, visit www.geotab.com/au/vehicle-tracking-device

MHD MARCH 2022 | 49

MHD PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

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PEOPLE ON THE MOVE A monthly wrap up of the latest appointments in the supply chain, materials handling and logistics industry.

PROLOGICAL CONSULTING BOLSTERS TEAM WITH NEW RECRUIT Prological Consulting has announced the appointment of a new Analyst as the supply chain consultancy bolsters its capabilities and team after a record year of growth. A graduate from the University of Wollongong, Alexander Cetinski majored in Supply Chain Management and Marketing and has held a number of analytical roles in leading marketing agencies across Australia. Alexander also has previous experience in software development and joins the Prological team from a leading education technology provider.

PROJECT44 RECRUITS NEW VP & GM Archival Garcia has joined project44 as its new Vice President and General Manager for ANZ and SEA. Archival has a distinguished track record in sales and management in supply chain and logistics, most recently leading WMS solutions provider Microlistics into a true global player as its General Manager Commercial. In his new role, Archival will lead project44’s vision in the region, providing customers with market leading supply chain visibility, analytics and carrier integration to optimise the movement of products across supply chains.

Do you have career news to share? Email Edward Cranswick at Edward.Cranswick@primecreative.com.au to be featured.

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Articles inside

Plastic pallets for efficient handling

Product Showcase

SCLAA

Omicron, resilience, and innovation

Prological’s Logical Outlook

Industry News

Microlistics WMS delivering ROI

More capacity in a smaller footprint

Super Retail Group targets future

Combilift on optimising warehouses

Colliers Property Focus

Conquest on success through reliability