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The weekly newspaper for air cargo professionals No. 1,024

25 March 2019

The thoroughbreds of air cargo

Real horsepower in the hold

Modernisation is the word at Lufthansa Cargo

ufthansa Cargo will press ahead with fleet and infrastructure modernisation, having posted its second-best result in the airline’s history in

2018. Revenue was up €189 million to €2.7 billion and profits measured as adjusted EBIT increased €5 million to €268 million. Yield per transported tonne of cargo was up 7%, while the volume of goods carried increased 1%. Capacity rose 5.3%, which reduced load factors by 3.2 percentage points

to 65.9%. Peter Gerber, CEO and chairman of the executive board of Lufthansa Cargo says: “Our employees have shown full commitment and done an amazing job for our customers. The result gives us additional momentum for new investments in the future.” Dr Martin Schmitt, board member for finance and human resources adds: “We managed to increase our revenue per unit and lower our unit costs last year. We will use the profit to modernise our means of production, which will further enhance our cost

Pages 8-9

INSIDE ACS OPENS SHANGHAI OFFICE

AIR Charter Service has invested in Asian operations with the opening of an office in Shanghai, China on 1 March ... PAGE 2

CARNIVAL TIME FOR VIRGIN

efficiency.” Lufthansa Cargo will modernise fleet and sell capacity on four brand-new Boeing 777 Freighters, and infrastructure at the Frankfurt logistics centre will be upgraded. Gerber says Lufthansa Cargo will drive digitisation and is the first cargo airline to offer customers completely paperless booking and handling for standard cargo. He says: “With our new, fully digital PreCheck process, we will now significantly accelerate and simplify handling processes for our

customers. And we will also continue to roll out the eDGD electronic dangerous goods declaration so that even more customers and shippers will be able to benefit from this digital solution.” Looking ahead, Gerber says: “The current year, unlike 2018, is again characterised by the weakness typical of the logistics market in the early months of the year. Given low global economic growth, this is currently being exacerbated by reports of Brexit and trade disputes. This means we will again face challenges in 2019, but we remain upbeat about the quarters ahead.”

VIRGIN Atlantic Cargo will fly to South America for the first time with services between London Heathrow and Sao Paulo Guarulhos in 2020 ... PAGE 3 PUT AUTO INTO AUTOMATION

OLIVER Kingham, founder and managing director of UK-based LLM Handling, is an evangelist for the potential of automation processes to move the ... PAGE 4

Inspector general to audit Boeing 737 MAX certification THE US Department of Transport’s secretary, Elaine Chao has asked the inspector general to conduct a formal audit of the ongoing certification process for the Boeing 737 MAX 8. The 737 MAX has been grounded around the world following the Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET302 crash on Sunday 10 March, which came down while attempting to return to Addis Ababa shortly after take-off. Flight ET302 was the second crash involving a 737 MAX after the Lion Air Flight 610 crash in

Jakarta, Indonesia on 29 October last year. In a referral memo, Chao says: “Safety is the top priority of the Department, and all of us are saddened by the fatalities resulting from the recent accidents involving two Boeing 737-MAX 8 aircraft in Indonesia and Ethiopia. As you know, Boeing requested an amended type certification for this aircraft in January 2012, and the Federal Aviation Administration issued the certification in March 2017.”

Data from the flight and cockpit recorders of flight ET302 have been transferred to the Ethiopian Accident Investigation Bureau by France’s Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety, who the media are reporting have found similar flight angles before both the Ethiopian Airlines crash and the Lion Air crash. The Ethiopian Accident Investigation Bureau says it intends to release a preliminary report within 30 days.

BIG BOOK FOR A BIG AIRCRAFT

THIS is a hefty book: mind you, it’s a hefty subject. If there is one name that epitomises heavy lift airfreight, then Antonov is that name ... PAGE 10

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Old News

TNT’s flying silverware races to trophy deadline

10 April 2006

uick work by TNT Air Freight ensured that the A1 Grand Prix trophy and medals arrived in time to be presented to the winners, Team France, at the Shanghai International Circuit racetrack earlier this month (April). The urgent 10,000-mile (16,093km) transcontinental journey from the US to China via the UK was made necessary by the decision by A1 Grand Prix officials to send the gold and silver trophy from the Mazda Raceway at Laguna Seca in Monterey, California, where the penultimate race of the series was held, to Britain for vital engraving work before it went to Shanghai, the site of the final race.

ACW WEEK IN NUMBERS

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percent increase in volume of goods carried by Lufthansa Cargo in their second best ever year of operation.

days Dimerco turned round an urgent request to deliver two helicopters from Tennessee to Guangdong in China, via South Korea.

March, the planned date of the UK’s departure from the European Union, though this may be delayed until 30 June. Theresa May promises no more extensions.

stations in Envirotainer’s network that carry the temperature controlled RAP e2 air cargo container.

airlines LHR checks on seven noise and emission metrics

ir Charter Service has invested in Asian operations with the opening of an office in Shanghai, China on 1 March. Amos Chan, a graduate in aviation and aeronautics from RMIT University in Australia will head up Shanghai operations. Speaking at the opening of the office, APAC regional director Stephen Fernandez said that Shanghai was a “natural choice” for ACS’s second office in mainland China. He says: “The city is the largest in the country, as well as the richest, and is a major business hub for many industries. It houses China’s main stock exchange and has the world’s largest port, so we believe that there is a large market for our passenger and cargo aircraft charter services here.” Fernandez adds: “We have been doing business with clients from Shanghai and the surrounding region for many years and are looking forward to building closer relationships with them, as well as welcoming new customers on board.”

Speaking about putting Chan in charge, who joined ACS five years ago from Hong Kong Air Cargo, Fernandez says: “I am confident that Amos is the right man for the job and I’m looking forward to the progression of the new office under his leadership.”

Atran Airlines takes delivery of first 737-800BCF VOLGA-DNEPR Group’s express carrier, Atran Airlines has taken delivery of its first Boeing 737-800BCF, increasing its fleet to five aircraft. The new freight has already operated its first flights from Moscow Vnukovo to Norilsk and Yakutsk carrying consumer goods for the population of the Siberian and Far Eastern parts of Russia including perishables, general cargo and e-commerce shipments. The 737-800BCF can accommodate 11 standard aviation pallets and incorporates a reconfigurable cargo handling system, which can be adjusted for various types of ULDs. Its advanced technical characteristics, together with ICAO Stage 4 noise certification make it ideal for short and medium-haul cargo operations, particularly for express and mail consignments. Dmitry Obsharov, general director of Atran Airlines says the aircraft has more technical and operational capabilities.

He says: “This allows us to offer more maindeck cargo capacity thanks to the aircraft’s extended fuselage, which is 6 metres longer and broader, increasing the solutions we can offer for the transportation of various types of shipments, including oversized freight which can be loaded through the wider maindeck cargo door.” Obsharov adds: “We are confident that

this new aircraft type we will be able to guarantee high-service quality for our customers, leveraging trade flows in the markets we serve, with a special focus on China-Russia routes and the emerging volumes of cross-border e-commerce and mail shipments. It will also help to increase aircraft utilisation within our existing network.”

ABC passes Cargo iQ audit Rhenus opens up in Canada AIRBRIDGECARGO Airlines (ABC) has passed its second audit to confirm compliance with Cargo iQ standards, following a two-day inspection of operations in Moscow, Russia. The airline was measured against a series of KPIs to guarantee its services conform to the highest industry quality standards and are visible and transparent to all Cargo iQ members and supply chain stakeholders. The audit was carried out by SGS on behalf of Cargo iQ, alongside a dedicated ABC team, confirmed no single non-conformances and a 99% compliance rating.

TURKISH Cargo has carried 186 historic artefacts owned by the Dolmabahçe and Topkapi Palaces to Tokyo, Japan to be displayed at the exhibition, “The Ottoman Empire and Tulip Culture” as part of the “Year of Turkish Culture” across Japan. Before the Istanbul-Tokyo Narita flight, the artefacts were packaged with protective materials that shielded their texture and structure before they were put into 56 high security wooden cases. Due to the nature of the operation, no other cargo was flown on the Boeing 777 Freighter flight. Artefacts included the Bed of Suleiman the Magnificent, Kaftan of Sultan Osman II and the Ceremonial Flask from the Topkapi Palace, and the Yusen Shippo Vase, Wooden Writing Table and Bamboo Mirror from the Dolmabahçe Palace, which were gifted to Sultan Abdulhamid II by Emperor Meiji of Japan. The 186 items, which weighed around eight tonnes are being displayed at the National Art Center in Tokyo until 20 May, then at the National Museum of Modern Art in Kyoto between 14 June and 28 July.

ACW 25 MARCH 2019

ACS says nihao to second Chinese office

RHENUS Group has established its own network in Canada with the acquisition of Rodair. Rodair’s core business activities include international freight forwarding, project logistics, courier, warehousing and distribution, 3PL services and e-commerce solutions. One major focus lies in providing customs clearance including dedicated in-house teams in Toronto and Vancouver. Rodair’s headquarters are in Toronto, and it also has business sites in Montreal, Calgary and Vancouver.

Turkish Cargo helps Japan celebrate the Ottoman Empire

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Carnival time for Virgin Atlantic Cargo

irgin Atlantic Cargo will fly to South America for the first time with services between London Heathrow and Sao Paulo Guarulhos in 2020. A Boeing 787 Dreamliner will be operated on the daily London – Sao Paulo flight, offering considerable cargo capacity and giving customers direct access to South America’s largest import and export market. The new service aims to capitalise on the fast-growing Brazilian economy and Sao Paulo’s standing as the country’s commercial capital and a top 20 global economic city. Virgin Atlantic Cargo expects to carry regular shipments of car parts, pharmaceuticals, food and agricultural products. Dominic Kennedy, managing director of Virgin Atlantic Cargo says: “Sao Paulo is a fantastic route for our cargo customers, with high demand for both import and export capacity. Brazil is the Powerhouse of South America and we are excited to be flying to this continent for the first time.” Sao Paulo is the second new route announcement of the year, following the news that Virgin Atlantic Cargo will begin daily Heathrow – Tel Aviv flights on 25 September. Kennedy continues: “Alongside the launch of Tel Aviv services in September, this new phase of growth for Virgin Atlantic means we are giving customers more choice to two of the world’s most

Envirotainer comes to Mumbai

ENVIROTAINER has extended its network of stations supporting RKN e1 and RAP e2 e-technology containers to Mumbai, India. Mumbai, the capital of Maharashtra state and India’s most populous city, is the 32nd station in Envirotainer’s network to carry the temperature controlled RAP e2 air cargo container. Suat Toh, head of sales APAC says: “India is probably the fastest growing pharmaceutical manufacturing hub in the world and the addition of e-technology capabilities in Mumbai boosts our ability to meet our local Pharmaceutical customers’ need for secure airfreight shipments requiring temperature control. “The addition of the RKN e1 and the RAP e2 means that we now can provide all our container types from Mumbai.”

Hojland joins Saudia Cargo SAUDI Airlines Cargo has appointed Per Hojland to the position of executive director, Cargo Operations Worldwide. Hojland, a Danish national, took up his new position in Jeddah in March. He joins Saudia Cargo after having spent the past 25 years in various roles in the air cargo- and logistics industry, having worked for companies such as SAS and Spirit Air Cargo Handling, as well as logistic companies outside the aviation sector. In his new role, Per will be responsible for the management of all Saudia Cargo’s International operations including overseeing the standards and services world-wide. “Per has vast experience in the air cargo industry and within logistics and this will make him a great addition to our team. We look forward to him making a valuable contribution to our business and customer services,” said Teddy Zebitz, chief air cargo officer, Saudia Cargo. “I am proud to be joining Saudia Cargo with its strong vision for the future and I look forward to be a part of the Saudia Cargo team and contributing to its continued success,” said Hojland.

SF Airlines took delivery of its 7th Boeing 767-300 Freighter on 12th March, arriving at Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport in the morning. At the end of 2018, SF’s fleet reached 50 aircraft and another three have been put into operation so far this year.

dynamic cargo markets at a time when both are enjoying increasing prosperity, driven by their thriving business and consumer communities.” In 2019, Virgin will welcome the first four of 12 Airbus A3501000s, delivering a 10-22% improvement in lower deck cargo capacity depending on the aircraft’s configuration. This year will also see Virgin moving to a new cargo terminal at Heathrow, twice the size of its existing operation, and invest in digital technologies to give customers new self-service options.

Cargolux to lease PharmaPort 360 containers

CARGOLUX Airlines International has signed a partnership agreement with Sonoco ThermoSafe for the leasing of the PharmaPort 360 temperature controlled bulk shipping container. The PharmaPort 360 are smart active containers, distinguished as the only active temperature-controlled containers in the industry that include a fully integrated FAA-approved telemetry system. They offer real-time, cloud-based data on payload and ambient temperature and key mechanical components, synchronised with GPS location. Franco Nanna, director global services at Cargolux says: “These containers go one step further in the secure and smooth transportation of sensitive commodities. Their cutting-edge features will strongly contribute to enhancing our service offering and confirm our position as leading airline for the transport of pharmaceuticals.” Christopher Day, director of global business development for Sonoco ThermoSafe’s Leasing Service division adds: “We are delighted to partner with Cargolux, the world’s first GDP certified airline, to provide one-way rentals of the best-in-class PharmaPort 360 temperature control containers. Given Cargolux’s unique global reach, this partnership further enables the pharmaceutical supply chain to cost-effectively ship PharmaPort 360s across the Americas, Africa, Europe and Asia-Pacific regions.”

CARGO throughput fell 14.4% at Hong Kong International Airport in February due to “unfavourable macroeconomic conditions”. The airport handled 274,000 tonnes in February, with imports and exports falling 10% in the first two months with traffic to and from Europe and Southeast Asia seeing the most significant decreases. HKIA combines figures for January and February due to Chinese New Year, and in the two months cargo was down 8.6% to 676,000 tonnes. TIME:MATTERS has added a second Sameday Air station in western France by adding Bordeaux to its network. Bordeaux will be served by direct flights between Frankfurt and Paris, and 50 weekly services between Paris and Bordeaux will minimise the need for road transport. Bordeaux is the seventh station connected to the Sameday Air network after Nantes, Paris, Lyon, Nice, Marseille and Toulouse. EMIRATES will add four additional weekly flights between Dubai and Cairo from 28 October. The flights will operate on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, adding to existing thrice-daily services, bringing the weekly total to 25. Emirates operates a Boeing 777-300ER on the route and the flights will add an additional 160 tonnes of cargo capacity a week to and from Cairo, adding to the 800 tonnes already provided. DELTA Air Lines has contributed $100,000 to the American Red Cross to aid the flooding relief in Midwest communities such as Nebraska. The funding will provide shelter, food and clean-up support following winter storm Ulmer. The storm brought blizzard conditions, flash flooding and a cyclone to the region, with rising water persisting in Missouri and Mississippi river areas, closing roads, isolating communities and breaching levees. BRITISH Airways will fly to Dammam in Saudi Arabia from 1 December, offering the only direct link to London. The daily flight from Heathrow Airport to King Fahd International Airport will operate via Bahrain and use a Boeing 777-200. British Airways already operates daily non-stop flights to Jeddah and Riyadh. FORMER secretary of state for transport and financial secretary to the treasury, Ruth Kelly will join the Heathrow Airport Holdings board as a non-executive director on 8 April. The former Labour Party politician, who was the member of parliament for Bolton West from 1997 to 2010, was secretary of state for transport 2007 to 2008, where she set out proposals for a third runway and sixth terminal at Heathrow.

Airbus hands over first A380 to All Nippon Airways ALL Nippon Airways has received the first of three Airbus A380s, with a ceremony being held in Toulouse, France to mark the handover on Wednesday 20 March. The aircraft will enter service on 24 May, flying between Tokyo’s Narita airport in Japan and Honolulu, Hawaii. The first A380 sports a Hawaiian Sky Blue Flying Honu-inspired livery. The second A380 will boast Hawaiian Ocean Green livery and is expected to roll out on 25 March. Thomas Enders, CEO of Airbus says: “We are confident that the aircraft will be highly successful in service with ANA and are committed to providing full support to the airline all along the way.”

ACWBITES

CARGO volumes were down 2.1% in February to 52,169 tonnes at Brussels Airport, with the national strike on 13 February having an estimated 5% impact. The airport says that had it not been for the strike, February would have been a good month. Full freighter traffic was down 13.2% to 9,799 tonnes, integrators by 12.5% to 14,958 tonnes while belly cargo was up 6.6% to 11,797 tonnes. Trucked cargo was up 13.1% to 15,614 tonnes. VIENNA Airport has welcomed the Supreme Administrative Court’s decision in favour of the third runway on 18 March. Julian Jaeger and Guenther Ofner, members of the management board at Flughafen Wien say: “An overly long process has come to a positive and incontestable decision”.

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ACW 25 MARCH 2019

NEW TECHNOLOGIES

Smart warehouses and robotic equipment complete tasks in minutes that historically can While the warehouse provides straightforward implementation, growing sophistication o

Putting the auto into automation

Paris-based Stanley Robotics is developing an automated robotic valet parking system that could have lessons for the automated warehousing sector

STAN THE ROBOT HANDLING A CAR

liver Kingham, founder and managing director of UK-based LLM Handling, is an evangelist for the potential of automation processes to move the warehousing sector forward. Founder of Load. Lift. Move. (LLM), he could hardly contain his excitement when news of a potential robotic parking scheme at London Gatwick Airport was recently unveiled to the British public. How excited was he? “Very! The pilot scheme at Gatwick to trial a fleet of valet-parking robots marks an important step change in the automotive machine handling area. While automated lifting has been around for a while – used by the likes of ThyssenKrupp, Coko and Avo - the innovation here is around the software being used to manage the process,” says Kingham. He considers that, like many other industries, technology is driving efficiency in the automated handling space. Current industry standards for anything automated are for the machine to react to its environment – using lasers, sensors and wires to detect obstacles or people. This technology being piloted takes it to the next level and actually proactively manages where the cars go. His opinion is that if consumers are willing to

entrust their vehicles to a droid booked via an app, then the opportunities for warehouse solutions are almost limitless. He says: “Consumers are increasingly demonstrating their willingness to hand over tasks and processes to a digital environment – online banking and online shopping are both clear evidence of this. “In this case, consumer demand will drive innovation in the automotive space, which will inevitably lead to more cost-effective solutions – and that’s one of the main reasons it hasn’t happened yet in warehouses. As costs come down, this will change and the opportunities will be huge.” In the future, warehouse management could be done almost entirely by robots. Some may have concerns about this. What KINGHAM does Kingham say to

those concerns? He says: “Change often raises concerns – some are more valid than others. However, this change is inevitable and the companies that look to work with these changes and embrace them are the most likely to benefit from them. “Robotics for automation has existed for decades but mixing this technology with the Internet of Things (IoT) has the potential to revolutionise the industry beyond all recognition. The truth is that we’ll eventually expect all devices to be connected to the internet and every company will need to either own or rent an IoT platform to remain relevant. “Robots have been helping companies make materials and products since the 1960s and currently account for around 65% of processes within welding and

painting. It won’t happen overnight – just like it didn’t in the car industry – but it will happen. It’s just a matter of time.” He created LLM Handling to be an independent handling equipment supplier. “We thoroughly and rigorously test all handling equipment we supply to our customers. This is key to our success to ensure we use our expertise to satisfy our customers with excellent value and service on all our product ranges. We constantly review and add to our product range to ensure we are ahead of the market to fulfil our customer’s needs. “I’ve worked in the industry for over 15 years, and identified a clear need for the warehousing equipment industry and mechanical handling industry to work much more in sync. Having an excellent understanding of warehousing from construction, to setup through to fully functioning I was looking for a company supplying market leading products with excellent service and backup support. No one was really offering this – and so I decided to start a company to do exactly that!” he says. Among products available from his company is an pneumatic lift table EZ loader, an automatic pallet positioner designed to raise and lower pallets of up to 1.8 tonne.

Eyesee autonomous inventory-taking drone wins innovation award yesee, developed by French-based Hardis Group, was presented as a pre-production version at a leading tech show in Las Vegas. The purpose of the equipment is to carry out logistic inventories using a drone to avoid the use of cherry pickers. It was presented at CES Unveiled Las Vegas 2018. The Eyesee solution automates logistics inventories with the help of a drone and a tablet application has been recognised as an Innovation Award Honouree at CES 2018. Over the last 18 months, the solution has been tested in the warehouses of FM Logistic and

ACW 25 MARCH 2019

Squadrone System, a company specialising in unmanned drones, to develop a model specifically designed for logistics inventories. In warehouses, inventories require significant human and material resources. They involve renting cherry pickers and stopping operations to allow operators to scan all the components which make up the stock, one by one: pallets, boxes, items. Bearing these constraints in mind, Hardis Group designed Eyesee to be a comprehensive drone inventory solution, including a drone capable of unmanned flight and equipped with a system to automatically capture and identify barcode data, a business appli-

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cation for tablets to automatically monitor flights and captured data, along with a back office application using Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud computing for administration, configuration and simple integration with all the WMS and ERP on the market. The principle is simple: at the entrance to each aisle, the operator drops off the drone, which starts the inventory which is, according to Eyesee, five times faster when compared to inventories carried out with cherry pickers and reduces the risks and the difficulties involved in inventories, says the company.

WAREHOUSE AUTOMATION

ally can take hours or even days—such as inventory, stocking, and packaging. cation of robotics promises that even delivery will be automated in the near future. Celebi automates at Istanbul Airport IN line with the opening of Istanbul Airport in April, Turkish ground handler Celebi has spoken of the automation it has invested in for its brand new warehouse at the airport. A spokesperson says the warehouse will consist of three separate sections for import, export and domestic cargo transition area. The warehouse, with all these sections under one roof will consist of an area of 10,940 sq m Upgraded forklifts, ULD/palette storage areas and various custom-made rooms for special cargos are on three-levels with an 82-positioned ETV system storage area will give managers the opportunity to prepare each pallet/ULD and store them until loading, saving space and increasing service quality even further. “Another innovation at Istanbul Airport will be the VNA forklifts. With advanced forklifts and narrowed shelf ranges, we will see a number of positive effects, from efficient use of space to increasing forklift productivity and capacity during peak hours. Along with all this, we will be using a new system called CargoCEL to increase the quality of our work and save us valuable time. Last but not least, we will have 322 moving CCTV system with HD cameras to have surveillance over the inside, outside and all entrances to the warehouse,” said the spokesperson.

RFID Auto-ID technology and sensor showcase at Automate

he Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, Europe´s largest application-oriented research organisation, will showcase a combination of RFID Auto-ID technology and sensors at the 2019 Automate exhibition and conference in Chicago in April. This solution combines wireless identification

and condition monitoring - two key functionalities of automated IoT solutions. Smart automation processes require the unique identification of products, workpieces, carriers and tools. Wireless RFID Auto-ID communication technology is considered best, as it allows those processes to be carried out auto-

DR FRANK DEICKE of objects can also play a significant role. Researchers at Fraunhofer IPMS have combined both functionalities to acquire temperature, humidity, and other data, creating wireless sensor systems without batteries. “Thanks to a flexible interface concept, we are able to integrate analogue and digital sensors. This means that any sensor can be equipped according to the requirements of each customer,” explains Dr Frank Deicke, head of the Fraunhofer IPMS development team. “In addition, we offer a software solution, the so-called ROAD server, as middleware. The OPC-UA based ROAD server enables manufacturer-independent, standard-compliant communication for industrial automation. This allows readers and identification- or sensor-transponders produced by different manufacturers and operating across the various frequency ranges (LF, HF, UHF and NFC) to be uniformly addressed.” RFID continues to make an even greater contribution to the automation of logistical processes. According to Dr Deicke, condition monitoring to RFID can extend capabilities of such systems. “Automatic monitoring of packaging to see if it is intact, or the monitoring of temperatures of goods such as pharmaceuticals or food are just two examples for that. RFID sensors are maintenance free, have a virtually unlimited service life, and can be installed in hard-to-reach or inaccessible places.”

Automation wrapped up

MANY businesses are still hand wrapping pallets prior to delivery to or collection from otherwise fully automated warehouses. This can be an inefficient process, leading to an increased cost in damaged goods, and posing risks to employees’ health. Musculoskeletal problems and back pain are common, with costs of work-related injury amounting to $20 billion. UK-based Samson Nano supplies a Queen’s Award-winning semi-automatic pallet wrapper, launched in 2013, that has positively impacted hundreds of businesses across the country, says the company. With the Samson Nano, all risks from hand wrapping are eliminated, with the added benefit of the machine being capex free. The unique costing system means that businesses receive the machine free of charge, whilst only paying the fixed price per wrapped pallet. All servicing, maintenance and repair costs are the responsibility of Samson Nano technicians.

matically. It is increasingly being used in modern production environments to autonomously control logistics or production processes, and to make detection, tracking and distribution processes simpler, faster, and cheaper. Although identification is extremely important when it comes to automation, monitoring the condition

Industrial applications need the right energy solution rom electrically-driven forklift trucks to humanoid robots, it is extremely important to have the right power supply. The energy provided must be high-power and reliable. Lithium-ion batteries are considerably more efficient and powerful than the lead acid batteries that are still widely used today. For example, with 100 watt hours per kilogramme, they have three times the energy density of a lead battery. As well as tailor-made battery solutions, the

Power division at VARTA Storage now offers the EasyPack Industrial standardised ready-to-use lithium-ion battery packs designed for use in the “industrial/ robotics” area. Customers receive a battery solution that can be used immediately. No external battery

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management system is needed. The battery is available with a 24-volt voltage. Two further sizes are being planned, with the result that all industrial applications can be covered – from forklift trucks to logistics robots to pallet trucks in the warehouse. “Developing a separate, individual battery solution involves an expensive and lengthy process. It can easily take a year, and costs add up to six-figure sums” says Gordon Clements, general manager from VARTA Storage.

ACW 25 MARCH 2019

NEW TECHNOLOGIES

THERE was a time when a warehouse was a dumb asset. Now, w asset in the supply chain. The warehouse has gone from a plac

No longer a big box

GEODIS organises its first hackathon IN November 2018, GEODIS held its first hackathon in Paris in collaboration with BeMyApp, a digital transformation and developer relations agency. GEODIS welcomed talented IT and selected dataviz professionals together with experts in artificial intelligence during an intense one-day working session under the motto “Smart Warehouse: participate in the creation of the warehouse of tomorrow... today”. Startups or individuals were invited to provide innovative solutions to two challenges: - how to model relevant information to warehouse managers in order to optimise stocks thanks to 2D or 3D; and how to predict variations in activities in order to optimise human and material resources in a warehouse. Winners were selected according to both quantitative performance and qualitative input and strategic assessment of their solutions by a

ACW 25 MARCH 2019

panel of GEODIS judges. “Innovation lies at the very heart of GEODIS’ strategy,” says Laurent Parat, president and CEO of GEODIS Western Europe, Middle East and Africa. “In today’s fast-paced and changing environment data is key. “That is why we believe that experts and talented startups can bring new visions to our Group and we look forward to partnering with those whose projects will bring concrete solutions that will allow us to offer a true competitive advantage for the ultimate benefit of our clients.” The word hackathon is a compound of the words hack, as in “clever programmer” and marathon, which implies endurance. This event, also known as a codefest, is a coding gathering of computer programmers brought together to find new solutions to company challenges over a short period of time.

he humble warehouse is the unlikely foundation of the worldwide explosion in e-Commerce as well as the bedrock of Just-in-Time parts supply. No longer a mere storage location for surplus stock, the warehouse, or its modern grand cousin, the Regional Distribution Centre (RDC), are at the centre of much of modern airfreight. Whether it is on the airfield, adjoining the airport or at a distant logistics park, the warehouse plays its part in ensuring modern supply managers can sleep at night. Modern distribution centres line main thoroughfares and bypasses around the world. Often constructed on greenfield sites, they act as nodes and hubs for much of the world’s freight distribution activity.

Focus on costs

With margins in many areas of the supply chain cut to the bone, operators of these warehouses seek automation as one of the most effective ways to boost ROI by reducing labour demands, enhancing accuracy and improving efficiency. The belief is that warehouse automation is one of the last areas where long-term costs can be significantly reduced in the supply chain. One field of opinion is that warehouse automation is about software applications. In contrast, others point to the implementation of automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/ RS). In truth, warehouse automation is about bringing on-board and automating a range of operations. This can be automatic data capture

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or software systems or AS/RS or a range of other applications. However, despite the shiny applications and architect drawings, some surveys suggest that 90% of warehouses worldwide today remain entirely manual or have implemented only lowlevel automation into their operations. And while the average business executive may look at a period of four to five years before realising a ROI figure, the payoff is generally worth the wait for those who make smart, strategic investments in warehouse automation. In human terms, the key driver to automation is about the end of repetitive tasks that are process-orientated and prone to error. In business terms, automation is about driving labour out of the warehouse. Daily nuisances for managers from human staff are manual documentation errors, picking and stocking errors, shipping and receiving errors as well as theft and damage prevention. Picking is a repetitive and time-consuming process. Modular shelving systems united with warehouse robotics make it possible to automate the picking process, removing the likelihood of introducing human error into the process. Barcode labels and scanning can keep track of which items are moving in and out of the facility, where specific items are stored to speed up the picking and stocking process and inventory management. Warehouses save dramatic amounts of manhours by automating these documentation processes with barcode labels, rack labels, warehouse signs and the hardware necessary to read these signs and labels.

WAREHOUSE AUTOMATION

Now, with warehouse automation, it can become the smartest a place of storage to an enabler of commerce.

er just B x

Modular solutions for automated pallet conveyance

Self-guided forklifts and pallet carts, known collectively as automated guided vehicles (AGVs), follow digital paths through the warehouse to load and unload ULDs, boxes, and other containers. These can be retro-fitted in an existing warehouse without a complete overhaul to the layout and overall system, gradually replacing human-operated machines with automated equipment. In a 2014 report, “From Cost Center to Growth Center: Warehousing 2018,” Motorola notes that 41% of warehouse facilities are still reliant on pen-and-paper methods for cycle counts. This results in errors related to data entry and transcription, as well as inconsistent inventory processing and, in some cases, disruptions to overall operations. Back-office automation is related to inventory automation.

More space for stock

ased on its successful Modular Conveyor Platform (MCP), Interroll is now introducing a modular platform for driven pallet conveyance onto the market. The Modular Pallet Conveyor Platform (MPP) system makes use of a number of components, including technical products that have been tried and tested hundreds of thousands of times by users. The new conveyor platform is an ideal addition to the Interroll Pallet & Carton Flow storage system. Reliable and efficient pallet handling is becoming increasingly important in modern goods flows. In many cases, this hinges primarily on keeping the transport times between goods receipt and goods dispatch, or between storage, production and commissioning facilities in a business to a minimum and ensuring that these transport processes are highly efficient by means of automation—and keeping planning processes streamlined, assembly requirements low and expansion options flexible.

Ideal for automated pallet transport

Automating a modern warehouse can have unexpected benefits. While a traditional stacking and shelving layout can require 3m aisles to accommodate forklifts, wire-guided vehicles allow for cutting aisle widths to just 1.5m, freeing up additional storage space. Products can be grouped according to velocity by putting fast-moving products closer to shipping lanes. Barcode labels generally provide a means for tracking goods and inventory assets, providing a foundation for automation.

Interroll’s new solution for system integrators and plant constructors offers all this and more. The MPP is an exceptionally versatile pallet conveyor system, distinguished by its highly flexible modular design. In conjunction with Interroll’s tried-and-tested Pallet & Carton Flow storage system, the new pallet conveying platform is an ideal foundation on which to build comprehensive pallet storage and conveying solutions of any type and for any application. Unlike the flow storage system, in which pallets are buffered

obotics and warehouse automation company GreyOrange has launched its latest modular sortation system, designed for modern distribution and logistics centres serving courier and express companies. Designed for versatility, portability and sortation efficiency, the new GreyOrange Flexo modular sortation system fits well in most warehouses thanks to its fluidic layouts, requiring minimal additional infrastructure, says the company. This high performance system, capable of operating 24/7, reduces cost per shipment and dependency on additional labour during peaks. The AI-enabled robotics system can be easily scaled to handle large peaks and reduced during non-peak hours to minimise operating costs. Flexo components are designed to allow for fast implementation in as short as 15 days due to its simple design, modularity and

standardisation. Samay Kohli, CEO and co-founder, GreyOrange said: “Our new robotics systems offer the type of flexible automation, as opposed to rigid automation, that modern warehouses need to operate with agility in a complex environment. “GreyMatter, our AI-enabled Warehouse Execution Platform, unlocks new levels of productivity. Flexo is cost-efficient and makes the system more investment-friendly. Capacity can be increased with the addition of Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) as the business grows.” These robots perform high-speed sortation, similar to a fixed conveyor sorter conventional sorting systems, with added advantages such as the ability to add sorting capacity during peak periods. Its plug-and-play modular components can be added at any time without incurring downtime. Designed with no single point of failure, Flexo can handle up to 12,000 parcels per hour sorting items up to 15 kg.

in intermediate storage areas on inclined belts due to the force of gravity, the MPP is a driven conveying system for pallets. Depending on the application scenario, the drive is powered by gear or drum motors, which even enables the creation of zero-pressure-accumulation conveyors.

Simple planning, flexible design

The fully modular system can be planned and arranged extremely simply and conveniently using Interroll’s popular Layouter tool. The MPP consists of chain or roller conveyors, as well as additional modules such as transfers and turntables. Unique modules for special functions are also available on request. The modules are optimally coordinated and fully preassembled on delivery in order to make installation as easy as possible. Additionally, the system can be modified or expanded incredibly easily and cost-effectively at a later date. Depending on the conveyor design and the chosen modules, pallets weighing up to 1,200 kg can be transported at a top speed of 0.5 metres per second. The elements in the system are guaranteed to function perfectly within a temperature range of -28 to +40° C, meaning that the MPP can also be used in low-temperature applications. Depending on the control system used, the system can be designed differently—for different weights,

with a variable speed or with an integrated positioning function, for instance. Pallet inspection stations can also be installed along the conveyor upon request. These enable the dimensions, weight, intactness or suitability of the pallets on the conveyor to be checked. Optionally, further inspections can be carried out: for example, in order to guarantee that only complete pallets with intact goods are transported on the conveyor. In all of this, however, Interroll has placed great importance on optimum workplace safety and a healthy work environment. The new MPP was extensively tested and subjected to extreme endurance tests and load tests before being introduced onto the market. It complies with all applicable safety regulations and generates a noise level of just 68 dB(A) during operation.

GreyOrange adds Flexo sortation Geek+ debuts latest automation

hinese robotics maker Geek+ Robotics (Beijing Geekplus Technology) revealed its latest material handling automation solution comprised of moving robot, self-driving forklift and mechanical arms in Shanghai in September 2018. “Either Industry 4.0 or Made in China 2025, the essence is the same,” said Yong Zheng, CEO of Geek+ Robotics, “Not only the assorted intelligent equipment should be required in the intelligent factory, but also a powerful integrated control & scheduling system, which is able to schedule and co-ordinate each procedure of in-warehouse work flow so as to make sure every single equipment work in harmony. The ultimate mission of Geek+ is to develop a truly complete and highly flexible automation solution for intralogistics with the thorough integration of hardware technology and software solution.” Geek+ planned that the debut would show-

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case how a series of automatic industrial equipment could collaborate with each other to cover each step of basic procedures in intelligent factory and warehouse locations which involve the integration of robot and automated forklift, material handling by moving robots, stacking and unstacking. Geek+ also showcased its automated forklift which uses SLAM navigation and is capable of automated storage and retrieval. Sensors detect the position of the goods on the shelves, and pinpoint pallet slots accurately.

In the next New Technolgies section, we look at Road Services of the Future. April 29 2019 issue ACW 25 MARCH 2019

EQUINE TRANSPORT

Cargolux is a thoroughbred operator

ransporting equines has always been a strong business area for Cargolux Airlines International, and grew substantially in 2018. The number of horses transported by Cargolux surged by 30% in 2018 from 2,000 in 2017 to 2,600. Horses make up 50% of the total live animal shipments at Cargolux, according to Marc Roveri, head of global customer services and Christian Theis, manager global product management. They say the 30% growth is “a reflection of our renowned expertise in the field”. The main transport routes cover North America, Europe and the Middle East, with demand linked to seasonality and equestrian events. Roveri and Theis comment: “The animals are generally thoroughbreds and are considered as highly valuable athletes that require utmost care during transport.” The major of equines fly on scheduled services, with Cargolux’s global network offering a wide range of connections though sometimes they travel on charter flights.

They say: “We do occasionally handle requests for special charters; last August, Cargolux provided a charter flight to transport horses to the Asian Games in Jakarta, a destination that is not covered by our scheduled services.” These special and valuable animals need to be transported with

the utmost care. Cargolux’s home base in Luxembourg includes an EU-certified veterinary station that can accommodate up to 49 horses and is divided into imports and exports to avoid cross contamination. The equines are held in purpose-built pens in a contained and noise-protected area with adjustable temperature and lighting conditions. The live animal lounge is 80 metres from the apron, with the short distance being described as a “USP” for Cargolux’s hub. Roveri and Theis say: “To ensure maximum comfort during the flight, Cargolux uses state-of-the-art horse stalls with a double layer pallet base to provide increased stability and reduce the motion feeling, greatly reducing the stress for the animals. These stalls are designed to accommodate up to three horses each.” Ensuring the animals are not stressed when up in the air is very important. Cargolux’s fleet of Boeing 747-400s and 747-8s have perfect ventilation and temperature control systems to duplicate natural environments, with four distinct climate zones that can be controlled individually. Roveri and Theis say: “Animal grooms can travel on the upper deck with direct access to the main deck to care for the animals during the flight on the main deck. The long range of the aircraft eliminates unnecessary fuelling stops, shortening the travel times considerably.” Transporting equines is always interesting and challenging, with proper preparation required to safeguard the welfare of the animals and provide them with a safe and comfortable journey. Roveri and Theis say: “Our CV alive teams work tirelessly on improving and optimising live animal transport to always offer the best possible service.”

Flying first-class with

EMIRATES SkyCargo is continuing to provide equines with a firstclass service, with almost 2,000 horses using the Emirates Equine product. The number of horses flying with Emirates SkyCargo increased 20% compared to 2017, taking advantage of the airline’s extensive network spanning six continents and almost 40 destinations around the world. Emirates SkyCargo says horses get transported across the world and demand is spread all over. The airline adds: “Of course we do witness seasonal peaks to certain destinations. For example, during the Dubai racing season which extends from about December to March, we see quite a few champion horses arriving at or departing from Dubai.” Normally the equine guests fly on scheduled services though sometimes they get to go on charter flights. Emirates SkyCargo tells Air Cargo Week: “When there are major equestrian championships, we see a demand for chartered flights for the horses.

ACW 25 MARCH 2019

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EQUINE TRANSPORT

Intradco puts decades of experience to good use

ast year proved to be another busy year for Chapman Freeborn’s animal transport company Intradco Global, says director Charlie McMullen. Intradco helped transport 2,500-3,000 horses in 2018, which McMullen says is similar to the usual average with the Middle East proving a consistently busy market. Around 85% of the horses globally travel on scheduled services though due to Intradco’s service model being geared up for more complex movements, its ratio is around 60% charter 40% scheduled service. When transporting the equines, McMullen says there is very little difference between most wide-body aircraft, though the noise and take off/landing elevation can vary in smaller charter aircraft used for short-haul services. McMullen says: “The key element that makes the most significant difference is the quality and design of the horse stall (ULD) that is used for each type of horses, and the expertise of the flying groom(s) to keep a safe and stress-free environment for the horses.” With more than three decades of experience, Intradco has been able to innovate different types of equipment ranging from loading ramps and specialist stalls for AN-12s and IL-76s through to HMA/HML/HMR horse stalls for Boeing 777-200s, 747-400s and 747-8s. McMullen says: “Due to the global nature of our business, our equipment is always transportable by air, so for all models we have collapsible versions that can be transported empty. We also have a variety of livestock ULDs and loading apparatus that are

designed for enhancing cost efficiency in global livestock transport by air.” Moving equines requires a lot of planning, but Intradco has five basic processes: firstly provide an accurate loading plan

from trucks through to stall; ensure all documentation is ready so there are no unnecessary delays getting further clearances; stalls have to be pre-checked and ready in the correct configuration; handling agents need to be aware of timing and equipment; and there needs to be quick communication between all stakeholders. It also results in some interesting requests, such as sending a horse on behalf of a president using the country’s military fleet, which required Intradco to make a bespoke loading plan for the non-commercial aircraft. Intradco was also required to transport over 110 horses within three days from a country and airport with no previous horse exports by air, meaning extra time to design a fail-safe plan. Transporting equines is certainly not a dull industry, with McMullen commenting: “Some flat racing movements can have a really great atmosphere, when you are carrying the favourite for a high stakes race. We have had an aircraft flying with only two horses to a race, and a combined insurance value of over €56 million.”

Emirates SkyCargo

Some of our notable achievements have been the World Equestrian Games and the Longines Global Champions Tour.” Emirates SkyCargo has been transporting premium horses since 2002 and developed a range of facilities and expertise to maximise comfort for the horses. The safety and comfort of the animals is of primary importance, ensuring the horses are not fatigued by the journey and are ready to hit the ground running after arrival. Dubai World Central features a dedicated horse lounge including a permanent ramp to ensure horses are comfortable and not inconvenienced when moving from their transport vehicles to the horse stalls in the aircraft. It is one of the few global locations to host such a facility. The airline says: “In addition our fleet of modern Boeing 777 freighters also helps maintain the best in-flight conditions for our equine champions. We also use customised horse stalls for transport and work with dedicated specialist companies such as Janah Management to ensure we’re providing optimal care for the horses on our flight.” All of this ensures that Emirates SkyCargo can tackle very large projects, such as the largest commercial air charter for horses for a sporting event in September 2018. For the FEI World Equestrian Games Tryon 2018, 500 horses were flown from Liege, Belgium to Greenville-Spartanburg, USA and back. The airline had to fly 19 freighter flights with each flight carrying 50-60 horses. In total, 220 horse stalls and 227 grooms accompanied the horses on the flight. Emirates SkyCargo also flew over 50 tonnes of horse feed and 240 tonnes of additional equipment for the horses. Emirates SkyCargo says: “We dedicated two freighter aircraft to this project, which was one of the most logistically complicated Equine charter operations we have ever undertaken.”

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ACW 25 MARCH 2019

BOOK REVIEW

A big book about big aircraft T Wings Above The Planet Andrii Sovenko £34.99

Christopher Foyle Publishing

his is a hefty book: mind you, it’s a hefty subject. If there is one name that epitomises heavy lift airfreight, then Antonov is that name. Ukrainian aviation journalist Andrii Sovenko has used his more than 25-year career in aviation media to write this 304-page full colour book outlining the company’s history from the late-1960’s USSR to the present-day free market environment of independent Ukraine. Along the way, one name, Christopher Foyle, was so

important to the success of the Antonov brand and profile in the West. This lavishly illustrated book is full of facts, names, dates and Antonov aircraft types with much information being trawled from the archives of Aviation and Time, the magazine that employed Sovenko for a quarter of a century. The book has immediate appeal to those who love aircraft, especially cargo aircraft. While the title’s layout design is a trifle pedestrian, the content and choice of photos more than makes

up for that. Black & White photos from the 1960s and 1970s are followed by full colour from the 1980s onwards to the present day. This is a neat metaphor for how Antonov went from the end of the centrally controlled Communist atmosphere of the USSR to the 1980s commercial freedoms at the end of the USSR and its ultimate disintegration.

Foyle comes on the scene

If there is one name in the Antonov story that is as important as Oleg Antonov, it has to be airline entrepreneur and scion of the famous London bookseller family, Christopher Foyle. In a foreward to the publication, he recalls how his search in the mid 1980s for oversize capacity for his airline Air Foyle led him to seek out the AN-124 Ruslan and a potential partnership with Antonov. In 1989, he recalls the first joint-flights undertaken and pays warm tribute to Antonov’s leader at the time, general designer Piotr Balabuev. Foyle credits him with conceiving and implementing the partnership between the two companies. Two years later, the book reports that trade title Air Cargo News broke the news that Anontov Airlines would launch to conOleg K. Antonov centrate on Feb 1906 – April 1984 “heavy, out-

ACW 25 MARCH 2019

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size premium-paying freight and operating fifth-freedom international charter services.” The interest Foyle had shown in Soviet transport and the redrafting of the Soviet Union’s aviation rules meant the the future was bright, the future was capitalism for Antonov.

Poster boy for heavy lift

One aircraft sums up Antonov for many aviation enthusiasts. The AN-124 Ruslan, a product of 1980s-era Soviet military transport needs that became a poster boy for outsize aviation, has embraced the free market environment of the 21st century. Operated by Antonov Airlines and its rivals, the aircraft is covered by a 25-page section in full details. If the names AN-124 Ruslan, the AN-225 Mriya, AN-22 Antaeus and the AN-12 mean anything to you, then this is a book that should grace your aviation collection.

TRADEFINDER Airlines

Freight Forwarders

Turkey

Hong Kong

Freight Forwarders India

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GSSAs United Arab Emirates

USA

World Air Cargo Awards

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ACW 25 march 2019

11 15/03/2019 10:56

HE PRETENDS TO KNOW WHAT HE’S TALKING ABOUT

BIFA’s Young Freight Forwarders Network launch is a great success

he British International Freight Association

(BIFA), the trade association for UK freight forwarding and logistics, has seen a successful launch for its new networking group, the BIFA Young Forwarder Network (YFN). Aimed at supporting individuals that have recently joined the logistics sector, the event, which was co-hosted with Outsource, part of the Seetec Group, was timed to link with the 12th National Apprenticeship Week (NAW 2019). “The turnout for the launch event was excellent and the participants seemed genuinely keen to have the opportunity to network with their peers and learn from industry professionals,” commented Carl Hobbis, BIFA’s training development manager. Nichola Hay, director Outsource added: “Outsource is supporting BIFA to make these events happen. This is a major step forward for the industry in develop-

ing its future freight forwarding ambassadors and leaders. Through these networks, young people will improve their knowledge of the sector, as well as build their skill set and learn from others.” Hobbis added: “The idea of the YFN is to create several regional networking groups, run by young forwarders and designed to help early talent and young BIFA members develop their knowledge and professional skills, but in a more social environment. “The next event on April 11 will see the launch of the BIFA YFN regional group in the north west, during which participants will be provided with more details about the network and given an opportunity to discuss how they would like the north west regional group to work moving forward.” The event is open to all; employers, apprentices, graduates or those new to the industry and will take place at The Botanist, Alderley Edge, Cheshire.

Have you voted yet?

oting is open for the ACW World Air Cargo Awards 2019. Voting is secure, confidential and restricted to readers of Air Cargo Week and ACWDigital, plus other bona fide members of the worldwide air logistics community. All votes must be cast online using the official voting form on the website.

Categories are - Airfreight Forwarder of the Year 2019; Air Cargo Handling

Agent of the Year 2019; Air Cargo Charter Broker of the Year 2019; Airport of the Year 2019; Air Cargo GSA of the Year 2019; Air Cargo Industry Customer Care Award 2019; Air Cargo Industry Achievement Award 2019; IT for the Air Cargo Industry Award 2019; Air Cargo Industry Marketing & Promotional Campaign Award 2019; Cargo Airline of the Year 2019.

Voting closes on Tuesday 30 April, 2019

www.aircargoweek.com/awards-voting/

Past winners include:

Air Cargo Charter Broker of the Year 2015 Air Charter Service Cargo Airline of the Year 2016 Etihad Cargo

Air Cargo GSA of the Year 2017 ECS Group Cargo Airport of the Year Singapore Changi Airport

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