STREAMLINING YOUR LOGISTICS
Optimization through automation
The road to a carbon-neutral future
EDITION 01 – 2023 WWW.DISTRILOG.BE
Acquisition The Rocker Logistics
Dear Member of the Distrilog Family, Dear member of the Distrilog family, As is widely known, our industry, transport and logistics has a significant impact on greenhouse gas emissions, especially CO². Year after year, Distrilog is committed to reducing its carbon footprint. Last year, we further invested in LED lighting in our warehouses, solar panels on our roofs, Bio-LNG trucks, purchase of our first 2 electric vehicles, eco-driving for our drivers, … Nevertheless, the fact remains that energy that is not consumed, is the best. Thus, every day our transport planning works strongly on the load factor of our vehicles. The set standard is daily 95% load factor or more. If this is lower, the planning has to be reviewed. Having said that, sustainability involves more than our carbon footprint. To map this out, Distrilog is undertaking a strategic exercise together with Encon in spring 2024. Besides the wellbeing of our employees, further digitalisation (e.g. ECMR) etc.,
automation is one of the future pillars for Distrilog, as a sustainable organisation. You can tell, we continue to invest to be a sustainable logistics and transport partner for you. Enjoy reading! PHILIP SALAERTS
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Optimisation through automation DISTRILOG GROUP NEVER STANDS STILL. OUR MANAGEMENT CONTINUOUSLY DEVELOPS POTENTIAL INNOVATIONS TO BENEFIT OUR OPERATIONS AND PROCESSES. THIS INCLUDES AUTOMATION. To illustrate this, Benjamin Van Ransbeeck works as our Continuous Improvement Manager at Distrilog Group. An automation expert and project manager, he researches all improvement opportunities that have remained untapped until now. “This could be minor changes such as fine-tuning a planning system and improved job registration. But larger automation projects are also being explored, such as the use of drones to inventorise all the full pallets in the warehouse,” Benjamin points out.
“One project we gave the green light for last year to our partner, Toyota Material Handling, is the deployment of Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) – self-driving trucks with built-in sensors – in our warehouse at Breendonk, along the A12. We started this project in 2023 with the relocation of the racks. Replacing the access points and installing the infeed conveyor soon followed. Additional conveyors were then installed on the co-pack and the loading and maintenance area for the AGVs was marked off. Recently, the first section of the buffer racks was installed near the conveyor and the flow racks were converted. Delivery of the AGVs began in early October. The full installation of 20 AGVs should be fully up and running by March 2024,” Benjamin said. We will be happy to keep you updated on the progress of this integration through the usual channels. Want to brainstorm with us or do you see an opportunity that suits your operations? Then please don’t hesitate to contact us at sales@distrilog.be The order for 12 RAE160 vehicles.
And 8 SAE160 AGVs.
Distrilog & Sustainable logistics: Working together for a carbonneutral future NOWADAYS, SUSTAINABILITY CANNOT BE IGNORED ANYMORE IN THE WORLD OF LOGISTICS AND TRANSPORT. WE UNDERESTIMATE THE IMPORTANCE OF A SMALLER ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT AT OUR PERIL. NATURALLY, DISTRILOG ACTIVELY WORKS ON SAVING THE PLANET IN BOTH THE SHORT AND LONG TERM. OUR INITIATIVES ARE NOT ALWAYS VISIBLE, BUT WE ARE WORKING ON THEM. A BRIEF OVERVIEW FOLLOWS.
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In 2023, Distrilog reduced electricity consumption by 10% compared to 2022. That’s not a bad start. And how did we do that? The energy crisis prompted us to consider points for improvement concerning electricity usage. These included turning off the overnight outdoor lighting of inactive depots and turning down the heating by one degree. We also invested actively in LED lighting. Except for our warehouse at Weversstraat 34 in Londerzeel and Cargovil in Vilvoorde, we installed LED lighting wherever possible. This provides three specific benefits: motion sensors ensure lights only switch on when someone walks down the aisle, LED lights have a much longer lifespan and consume significantly less power. We have taken even more sustainability measures at Distrilog. For the most part, our warehouse roofs have been covered with solar panels for some years now. It equates to a surface area of about 100,000 m², or the equivalent of 14 football pitches! And even here, we still have some room for improvement. The goal is to cover all possible remaining roofs of our sites and the entire roof of the headquarters with solar panels. Our intention is for our operations to be as carbon-neutral as possible. In terms of transport, Distrilog is taking big steps in the green direction. Firstly, for a number of years now, our drivers have been taking the Code 95 training with a section on “ecological and defensive driving”. Jef Kreykamp monitors these drivers within Distrilog to ensure they drive ecologically: “I use the on-board computer that reads data from the CAN bus (a small invisible computer in each truck) to monitor how each driver is driving and where there is room for
improvement. This means I can make drivers aware of their habits and then guide them in changing their driving style,” Jef said. The results of these efforts are clear: Jef and our drivers reduced fuel consumption by as much as 6% with their ecological driving behaviour! Secondly, obviously, a Distrilog fleet of 42 LNG trucks requires that we purchase LNG in large quantities. And here we turn to an ecological alternative, bioLNG. In Wallonia, biogas is purchased by Distrilog and transported via pipelines to Zeebrugge. Certain processes at this site convert the gas into bio-LNG. From Zeebrugge, the bio-LNG is sent out to various filling stations in Belgium. Although that does not necessarily end up in one of our truck gas tanks, we are assured that 10% of our LNG purchase is organic. This means we receive the required certificates that we then deliver to customers who participate in this scheme. Eventually, of course, we want to raise this to 100% at Distrilog. So, the first steps were taken towards electrification of our fleet. Early this year, two electric tractors were ordered from Volvo and are expected by the end of 2023. Each day, these will shuttle a short distance between the container terminal in Klein Willebroek and De Mouterij in Ruisbroek. So, together with De Mouterij, we will achieve our first fully carbon-neutral route! Naturally, we hope for many more in the future. Further tests are planned with electric box trucks. The long-term goal is to fully electrify our distribution department. Nevertheless, we remain committed to driving fewer kilometres. After all, every kilometre not driven is still the most ecologically neutral.
Finally, a major strategic exercise on sustainable business operations is planned in the first quarter of 2024 in collaboration with ENCON. (ENCON is an independent agency that collaborates with companies to find innovative and creative solutions for a sustainable transition.) Sustainability is tackled in the broadest sense based on our long-term sustainable business operations and future CSRD reporting. Our objectives go beyond carbon reduction. We also focus on Distrilog’s financial health, staff sustainability (retention, reducing workplace accidents, etc.), automation and digitisation, our warehouses, and so on. During the strategic exercise, we will also seek input from you. After all, you are one of our key stakeholders. The integrated strategy resulting from the exercise will guide our policies and be incorporated in our CSRD reporting from 2026 onwards. In brief, Distrilog continues to invest in making all facets of its services more sustainable.
Kom Op Tegen Kanker 2023 : A great success ! DURING THE ASCENSION WEEKEND OF 2023, 8 OF OUR EMPLOYEES GAVE THE BEST OF THEMSELVES ON THEIR BIKES TO COMPLETE THE 1000 KILOMETRES FOR KOM OP TEGEN KANKER. PHILIP, ROBERT-JAN, MICHAËL, JO-NATHAN, KORNEEL, RUBEN, KURT & BRENT DID NOT SPARE THEIR LEGS AND CYCLED 125 KILOMETRES EACH FROM HOST CITY MECHELEN TO A SO-CALLED ‘AFTERNOON CITY’, TO SUPPORT THE GREAT INITIATIVE. When the decision was taken within Distrilog to participate in the bike ride for KOTK, there were immediately many candidates to reel off this large number of kilometres. However, since not everyone can naturally cycle 125 kilometres, this was preceded by a successful training session in and around Evergem (Ghent). On 18 May the starting gun was fired in the city of Mechelen. In different packs, each with their own pace, they cycled to different afternoon cities to eat and change cyclists if necessary. This formula was applied for 4 days, without a single drop of rain!
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In the end, all our 8 cyclists achieved their goal and the final finish line was passed with conviction. The success of this first edition for Distrilog was not without consequences: it was decided to participate again in 2024, and with 2 teams! In addition, those who do not cycle also have the opportunity to run for Distrilog in this year’s 100-kilometre run of Kom Op Tegen Kanker, which will take place in March. Finally, our thanks go to Primagaz, Bahlsen and all our other sponsors of the event, as well as the supporters who stood along the road to cheer us on during this ordeal.
Distrilog acquires De Rocker Logistics At the end of July this year, De Rocker Logistics based in Zele became part of the Distrilog Group. As a specialist in refrigerated transport and logistics in the Benelux, they transport, store and distribute food under climate-controlled conditions. De Rocker Logistics employs 30 staff, including 10 drivers, 8 office workers, and 12 warehouse workers.
The work on integrating De Rocker Logistics into our Distrilog family will continue in the coming months. For example, they recently switched over to TAS, Distrilog’s transport management system. So now, their planning is fully integrated. The first quarter of 2024 will see the transition to CAL, our Warehouse Management System. This ensures even more efficient work in the future.
Our market position is bolstered by both the location of the new 15,000 m² warehouse and De Rocker Logistics’ operations.
As part of our sustainable logistics, this newspaper was printed on recycled paper. However, we can offer you the option to receive this magazine in digital form in the future. Interested? Then please provide us with your contact details and we will add you to our mailing list. marketing@distrilog.be
DISTRILOG GROUP · KONINGIN ASTRIDLAAN 14 · B-2830 WILLEBROEK (BREENDONK) · T +32 3 860 00 86 · SALES@DISTRILOG.BE · WWW.DISTRILOG.BE