Fleet transport march 18 webfull

IRELAND'S LEADING COMMERCIAL VEHICLE MAGAZINE Inside!

It’s Electrifying!

It’s the new Mercedes-Benz eActros!

INTERVIEW: Dr. Jochen Köckler, Chairman, Managing Board Deutsche Messe PROFILE: Costello & McDermott, Ballinrobe FEATURE: Commercial Vehicle Hire PREVIEW: CeMAT 2018, Hannover, Germany LCV: New Mercedes-Benz Sprinter REVIEW: National Manufacturing & Supply Chain Conference & Exhibition 2018

MARCH 18

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Contents MARCH 18

Fleet Transport Magazine, D’Alton Street, Claremorris, Co. Mayo, Ireland. F12 E7P2 Tel: +353 (0)94 9372819/ 9372826 Fax: +353 (0)94 9373571 Email: enquiries@fleet.ie

4 News • FTAI Transport Managers Seminar • Fleet Car Safety Seminar & Demonstration • Waterford Truck & Motor Show launched • SDC Trailers’ new Sales Director • Loads of Vans at CV Show • Appointments & Obituary 8 Interview With Dr. Jochen Köckler, Deutsche Messe

Subscription Hotline: 094 93 72827 Editor: Jarlath Sweeney - editor@fleet.ie Contributors: Sean Murtagh, Paul White, Cathal Doyle, Jonathan Lawton, Donal Dempsey, Howard Knott, Jerry Kiersey, HSA, Dr. Betty Maguire, Rob Van Dieten Photography: Jarlath Sweeney, Paul White, Cathal Doyle, Rob Van Dieten, Howard Knott, Aidan Fleming Administration: Denise Owens, Paula Mullarkey Email: enquiries@fleet.ie Advertising: Mary Morrissey - mary@fleet.ie Sponsorship/Events: Orla Sweeney - orla@fleet.ie Design: Eamonn Wynne

10 Cover Introducing the eActros from MercedesBenz 12 New Fleet Of Renaults and Volvo trucks 14 Profile Costello & McDermott, Ballinrobe 16 Fleeting Shots Road transport in Argentina

40 Legal Speed Limits 42 Comment Supply Chain issues discussed

46 Opinion Upgrade of the N20

52 Report II CILT Brexit Seminar, Dundalk

22 Health Matters Hospital Bugs

54 Soapbox Brussels calling

25 Feature Commercial Vehicle Hire

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P20

Transport Barometer: Data from 17/01/2018 - 15/02/2018

Fleet Transport Official Irish Jury Member of the International Truck of the Year Award

follow us on twitter.com/fleettransport

38 Finance Support where it’s needed

50 LCV Launch Pad – New Mercedes-Benz Sprinter

20 Preview CeMAT 2018, Hannover Messe

Official Irish jury member of the International Forklift Truck Award

34 Review National Manufacturing & Supply Chain Conference & Exhibition, Dublin

47 Education Transport Courses at LIT

18 Report I Iveco broadens its horizons

Disclaimer: Fleet Transport Magazine management can accept no responsibility for the accuracy of contributed articles or statements appearing in this magazine and any views or opinions expressed are not necessarily those of Fleet Transport management, save where otherwise indicated. No responsibility for loss or distress occasioned to any person acting or refraining from acting as a result of the material in this publication can be accepted by the authors, contributors, Editors or publishers.

The Editor reserves the right to make publishing decisions on any advertisements or editorial article submitted to the magazine and to refuse publication or to edit any editorial material as seems appropriate to him. Professional legal advice should always be sought in relation to any specific matter.

33 Fuel Prices From around the globe

44 Shipping & Freight Port of Cork – making progress

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www.fleet.ie | 3

own freight and vehicle exchange.

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TimoCom – Bringing freight & vehicle space together

It all started with a need not being fulfilled by any solution at that time. In April 1997, freight forwarder Jens Thiermann was searching for a pan-European procurement platform for transport jobs, but he could not find what he was looking for – so he decided to build it himself! The result was the TimoCom Softund Hardware GmbH. After work and on the weekends, the company began developing its

What began as a bold idea back then has today turned into one of the most successful IT specialists for the European transport and logistics industry. TimoCom runs the largest transport platform in Europe; up to 750,000 international freight and vehicle offers are entered every day. The platform offers a logistics network with over 38,500 verified companies.

4 | NEWS 1

Focus on the future of road transport at FTAI Transport Manager Conference 2018

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he future of the road transport business across the country has never been more unpredictable, with the prospect of Brexit affecting decisions for those trading domestically as well as internationally. And whether a company operates one vehicle or a fleet of trucks and vans, it has never been more important that the operation remains up to date on all the issues which could have a potential effect on the future profitability of the business.

To help transport operators of all sizes ensure their professional knowledge is completely up to date, the annual Freight Transport Association of Ireland (FTAI) will be holding an exclusive one-day Conference, aimed at Transport Managers from businesses across the country.

The FTAI Transport Manager Conference 2018 will be held at The Johnstown Estate Hotel & Spa, Enfield, County Meath, on 28 March 2018 and will offer unique insights into the issues affecting those operating in logistics, as well as expert advice and guidance from leading industry speakers on topics including recruitment, compliance and Brexit.

“Ireland’s business environment is changing at a rapid rate,” explained Aidan Flynn, General Manager of FTA Ireland, “and it can be difficult to keep up with all the developments as well as maintaining efficient business operations.

the opportunity for delegates to ask questions and expand their knowledge to the benefit of their businesses.

The 2018 Transport Manager Conference will provide operators with a one-stop-shop for all the very latest news and information affecting their businesses – it’s an event that cannot be missed.”

Recruitment of new personnel into the freight and logistics sector has been a key concern for businesses across Ireland for a while, and the event will open with key addresses on apprenticeships and future skills needs from Apprenticeships Ireland, who will focus on the potential methods employers can use to attract individuals to the sector. Other speakers, include Moyagh Murdock, CEO; Road Safety Authority (RSA), the head of Brexit for Customs & Revenue and a senior representative from the Personal Injuries Assessment Board, who will focus on a wide range of topics affecting the industry, with

“No one knows what trading conditions will be like in ten years’ time, or even in one year,” continued Aidan, “and with such a rapidly changing business environment, it is vital that logistics operators keep themselves as aware as possible of all the different elements which could have an effect on their ability to work efficiently and profitably. The FTAI Transport Manager Conference has an unparalleled line up of speakers already confirmed, who will be sharing their expertise with attendees – I would urge operators of all sizes and in all business areas to attend.”

Tickets for this year’s FTAI Transport Manager Conference, sponsored by Bridgestone, Brigade, Enprova and the Harris Group are now on sale priced at €250 + VAT per delegate for FTAI Members and €300 + VAT per delegate for non-members. To book, please call 01844 7516 or book online at www.ftai. ie/events.

Once again, Fleet Transport is the official media partner for the Conference and will feature an extensive report in the March edition.

Fleet Car Safety Seminar & Demonstration Leopardstown Racecourse Pavilion, Dublin - Tuesday 17 April

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pecifying safety items in company cars and Duty of Care for fleet operators are topics at the top of the agenda for the forthcoming Fleet Car Safety Seminar & Demonstration to be held on Tuesday, 17 April at Leopardstown Pavilion, Dublin.

Following a number of addresses from leading experts, a live demonstration on today’s technology available in company-orientated cars will be presented by Universal Honda Ireland.

The half day conference hosted by Fleet Car magazine and chaired by Moyagh Murdock, CEO, Road Safety Authority, commences at 10:30 with attendee registration with the first presentation on “Specifying safety in company cars – at what cost” from Aviva Insurance.

FLEETTRANSPORT | MARCH 18

Following the Questions & Answers session, Honda will demonstrate its Sensing Technologies, which makes everyday driving safer and fitted as standard specification in the new Honda Civic range.

The event will conclude with a complimentary networking lunch.

Deirdre Sinnott, Senior Policy Inspector, Work Related Vehicle Safety, Health & Safety Authority, addresses the topic “Duty of care for fleet operators.” Discussing “Today’s Safety technology in cars can save lives,” are John Saunders, Sales & Marketing Manager at Universal Honda and Paul Brookes, a senior safety technician from Honda Motor Europe.

Among the attendees will include f leet managers and drivers, representatives from leasing companies, insurance agencies and human resource managers together with City and County Council Safety Officers.

To register for this free-to-attend conference, please contact Anne Marie Grant at Fleet Car magazine – email: events@fleet.ie or on mobile (086) 1451330.

NEWS II | 5

Fanfare launch for Waterford Truck & Motor Show 2018

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t’s full steam ahead for the 7th running of the Waterford Truck Show & Motor Show, which is set to be the biggest and best yet. Taking place over the weekend of 26-27 May 2018, this year’s event boasts an all-new venue, new att ractions including a round of the Tractor Pulling Championships, and a huge range of entertainment for all the family. Not to mention a fantastic array of trucks, trailers and vehicles of all descriptions, new, classic and vintage.

Having ‘outsourced’ last year’s event to the neighbouring county of Kilkenny, the Waterford Truck Show & Motor Show returns home for 2018, with the event taking place at the impressive facilities of the WIT Arena located on the outskirts of the city of Waterford, with easy motorway access.

Speaking at the official launch of Waterford Truck & Motor Show 2018, Emer Barry of the Show Committee announced that the RNLI will be the designated charity this year. “As a non-profit organization, we once again commit all profits from the event to charity. We are all aware of the fantastic work undertaken by the RNLI who often risk their own lives to save others.”

Pictured at the launch of the Waterford Truck & Motor Show 2018: (l-r) Back row - Anne Marie Grant, Fleet Transport Magazine; Conor Curran, Bridgestone, Nina Byrne, Topaz; John Burke, Larry Power and Mark Lonergan, Waterford Truck Show; Cathal Doyle, Fleet Transport Magazine; Shirley O’Neill, Carmel Smith and Susan Murphy, RNLI. Front Row - Emer Barry, Wateford Truck Show; Verona Murphy, IRHA; Joe Conway, Deputy Metropolitan Mayor of Waterford; John Windle, DIT; Margaret Barry, RNLI. Missing from photo Noel Brennan, Waterford Truck Show.

The 2018 event will be supported by a number of companies including Bridgestone, Topaz, Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), and Dennison

Trailers, while Fleet Transport is once again the media partner to the Show.

Cathal Doyle

SDC Trailers appoints new Sales Director

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DC Trailers, Toomebridge, Antrim and Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, has appointed David MacDonald as its new Sales Director for the UK market.

Well known in the sector, David has a wealth of experience and knowledge of the semitrailer market in Ireland and the UK, having represented Schmitz Cargobull for the past 17 years in senior sales management roles.

Enda Cushnahan, CEO of SDC Trailers,

David’s level of expertise in the industry and in particular the UK market. David’s knowledge of engineering of trailers coupled with his sales experience will ensure he brings the most premium level of service to this role.”

commented on the new appointment, “SDC is delighted to bring on board someone with

SDC Trailers was established in Northern Ireland in 1978 and has since grown to become the largest trailer manufacturer in the UK and Ireland. The company has a workforce of over 900 people and four production facilities.

LCV brands will be a big draw at the CV Show 2018

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window for many of the top convertors and bodybuilders, who provide anything from lighting and racking systems through to bespoke vehicle bodies.

Some of the biggest names in the world’s van and LCV industry have booked exhibition space at the show, including the LCV market leader, Ford, and second-most prolific CV brand, Volkswagen.

From truck, van, Pick-up and trailer manufacturers to forklift trucks, insurers, tyre companies, telematics, training providers and fuels and lubricants suppliers, the CV Show is the premier destination and one-stop-shop for everyone involved in the Commercial Vehicle world.

ight Commercial Vehicle brands will be to the fore at the UK’s biggest Commercial Vehicle event, the CV Show 2018, which takes place from 24-26 April next.

Others will include Citroën, Fiat Professional, Isuzu, Iveco, LDV, MAN, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Peugeot, Renault Pro+, SsangYong and Toyota.

While most of the manufacturers are

remaining tight-lipped about new developments, there will be a number of new model launches at the three-day event, which attracts over 20,000 visitors from the UK and Ireland’s transport, distribution and logistics sectors.

But it’s not just the new vans that will be drawing the attentions of those shopping in the LCV market, as the show is also a shop

The 2018 Show will take place once again at the NEC in Birmingham from 24-26 April and entry is free, with registration now live via the official website at www. cvshow.com www.fleet.ie

6 | NEWS III

New Light Business Line Director at Iveco

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veco has appointed Chris Read as its new Light Business Line Director, with responsibility for its awardwinning Daily light commercial range in the UK and Ireland.

Replacing Offaly native Emmet Wrafter, who has moved to Volkswagen Finance, Chris Read, 36, started out in the automotive industry as a 15-year-old, joining Vauxhall as an apprentice technician in 1997. He then spent seven years on the Aftersales and Customer Service teams before becoming the company’s youngest ever Regional Customer Care Development Manager at just 25. After working his way up the

ranks at Vauxhall he joined Ford in 2015 as Business Development Manager before moving to Iveco in 2017 as National Sales Performance Manager.

Looking ahead, Chris said: “Th is is a really exciting time for Iveco’s light business division - especially with the Daily Blue Power range winning International Van of the Year 2018. We’ve got a fantastic product range to offer, so my initial focus will be on continuing to raise brand awareness and further developing the markets for our natural power and electric offerings. I also want to continue the excellent work the team has been doing in the contract hire market, as well as focusing on bringing the benefits of Daily to small and medium enterprises (SMEs).”

Renault Bank Ireland has new Managing Director

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le x Z hu rk i n ha s been appointed Managing Director for Renault Bank in Ireland, based in Dundrum. He joined the Renault-Nissan Alliance in 2007 in the USA working for Nissan Motor Acceptance Corporation (NMAC) and then moved to Group Renault as Area Sales and Marketing Manager in the UK.

Russia to manage independent markets development and operations in the Eurasia region. In 2014, Alex took his next assignment within Renault Group moving to the RCI Bank and Services HQ in France where he was responsible for the Nissan global partnership management.

Renault Bank in Ireland provides fi nancing services to Renault Group’s 28 dealerships around the country.

From Britain, he then moved to Renault

Obituary: Dougie Hughes

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rish Motorsport mourns the passing of Dougie Hughes, one of its longest serving ambassadors.

Aged 84, Dougie from Palmerstown, Dublin, was well known all over Ireland and beyond having competed in various motorsport categories and provided commentary on rallies at the start line and at the fi nish ramp for many decades. He achieved a record breaking 65-year presence with the microphone on hand at rally podiums throughout the country.

His Fiat Doblò Cargo van was highly visible as it was covered with motorsport related stickers - and probably the signature of multi-MotoGP Champion Valentino Rossi was his proudest autograph.

Away from the motorsport scene, Dougie was an avid Arsenal FC supporter and pin-badge collector. On his coffi n was an Arsenal scarf, embellished with a selection from his hundreds of badges, collected and given to him from his many friends.

An absolute gentleman, his enthusiasm and love for the sport was appreciated, such was the huge number of people paying their respects at his funeral service in St. Mary’s Church of Ireland, Crumlin, Dublin. Through social media channels, all attendees were encouraged to wear rally jackets, which they duly obliged. Another

FLEETTRANSPORT | MARCH 18

poignant scene was the beautifully turned out rally cars as part of the funeral cortège with Citroën’s World Rally Championship driver, Craig Breen driving a MK2 Ford Escort, indicating the high esteem Dougie was held in within the motorsport community.

In recent years, he curtailed his activities to care for his wife Lily along with his daughters Lorraine, Wendy, Hazel, Glenda and son Trevor, to whom we offer our deepest sympathy and condolences.

We will never see the likes of him again: May he Rest in Peace.

8 | INTERVIEW

Hannover Messe & CeMAT 2018 (23-27 April) team up to take Industry 4.0 to next level

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he digital era of integrating industry, energy and logistics is upon us, with traditional boundaries between industries breaking down, as productivity continues to rise and new business models are established. From 23-27 April 2018, Hannover Messe and CeMAT have come together to showcase the so-called Industry 4.0 to the next level. Together they provide a platform for digitised production, integrated energy systems and intelligent logistics solutions, which are radically changing the way we live, work and do business.

In every smart factory scenario of the future, the starring roles will be played by two main factors: people and machinery. However, in order for them to achieve top performance, the power of digital integration will need to be leveraged to the fullest. “The integration of automation technology, IT platforms and machine learning will take Industry 4.0 to the next level,” commented Dr. Jochen Köckler (pictured), Chairman of the Managing Board at Deutsche Messe at the CeMAT 2018 Press Preview at the Hannover Messe, in early February. “With ‘Integrated Industry – Connect & Collaborate’ as its lead theme, Hannover Messe 2018 will enable visitors from all around the world to experience the completely new forms of business, work and collaboration that are being made possible by our increasingly connected, digitally networked industrial landscape. They will witness fi rst-hand the benefits of integrated industry: enhanced productivity, future-proof jobs and exciting new business models.”

Machine learning, IT platforms & integrated industrial robots “The industrial landscape is changing fast.

Factory technology is becoming ever more efficient, industrial IT platforms are readily available on the market, and more and more industrial subcontractors are digitally integrated into their customer’s value chains.

And now, with machine learning, machines and robots are increasingly able to make autonomous decisions. Hannover Messe is the place to go to experience the rapid rise of Industry 4.0 and its benefits fi rst-hand,” added Dr. Köckler.

FLEETTRANSPORT | MARCH 18

technologies as part of the ongoing quest to boost efficiency and flexibility, delivering lower costs. “At CeMAT visitors will be able to experience the convergence of production and logistics for themselves. Given the lightning pace of integration between logistics and production processes, we will be offering visitors from all around the world an unprecedentedly comprehensive overview of current and emerging solutions for the future of logistics.”

“The world’s leading manufacturers of automation technology, big-name robotics providers and global IT and software corporations will all be there, making the show an absolute global hotspot for Industry 4.0.”

The rapid rise of integration in production and logistics “Digitisation is already a critical success factor in logistics, where one of the main challenges lies in managing complex processes and making them more efficient.”

This is certainly true of the interface between logistics and online retail. “The customer is king and expects the world and wants it right now,” is how Dr. Köckler described the challenge facing online retail – a sector where automated processes are still the exception rather than the rule. The future of the sector depends on innovative logistics processes that can handle increasingly complex supply chains. The required logistics environment starts with automated warehouses, where all processes are managed by soft ware and where robots work around the clock, moving autonomously through the halls delivering goods to the right place, at the right time and in the right quantities.

Similar things are happening in manufacturing, where production and logistics processes are becoming ever more closely integrated through intelligent

“Everyone’s talking about the mobility transition, but the fact is, our power grids are simply not yet ready for the widespread use of electric vehicles,” explained Dr. Köckler.

“The problem, according to the energy sector, is that electric mobility will result in much higher load peaks than are currently the norm. Moreover, eMobility won’t be able to deliver on its eco-friendly and sustainability promise unless the power it uses comes from renewable sources. Energy companies and municipal utilities around the world are embracing the electric mobility megatrend and its challenges and are starting to build the necessary infrastructure. Initiatives here include providing comprehensive charging station coverage, upgrading power distribution networks and building electrical “super highways”. All of which comes down to digital integration – the challenge of intelligently interconnecting renewable energy sources, energy storage facilities and electric vehicles so that they all work together as a coordinated, seamlessly integrated system. “The solutions needed to create power grids that can make electric mobility feasible will all be on show at Hannover Messe,” he stressed.

“The digitisation of industry, energy and logistics is moving ahead at pace,” he added.

“And the consequences of this development are not limited to individual industries or markets. They are affecting our society as a whole and indeed the entire global economy and the very nature of work. The opportunities are many, and if you want to seize them and be part of the future, then you can’t afford to miss Hannover Messe.

CeMAT at Hannover Messe is the only trade show that provides the big picture on digitisation and the integration of industry, energy and logistics.”

With: Jarlath Sweeney - editor@fleet.ie

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10 | COVER

Mercedes-Benz eActros: have to be sorted out to meet these customers’ exact daily requirements.

“Daimler Trucks is synonymous with innovation leadership, allied to a realistic and pragmatic attitude. This is particularly true when it comes to electric mobility. We now want to work together with our customers to move swiftly forward with the development of our Mercedes-Benz eActros to the point where it becomes a viable proposition in tough everyday operations - both technically and commercially. We are beginning this process by creating an innovation fleet and will be supporting its testing in the day-to day logistics environment of our customers. This will enable us to establish just what remains to be done, in terms of technical matters, infrastructure and service, to make our Mercedes-Benz eActros competitive”, explained Martin Daum, the Daimler AG Board Member responsible for Daimler Trucks & Buses.

Instant acceleration was impressive on the inaugural test drive

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Truck has evolved into eActros. Within 18 months of premiering the first heavy-duty all-electric eTruck dedicated to urban distribution in concept form, dedicated to urban distribution, Mercedes-Benz through parent company Daimler Trucks has launched the production version at its global HQ in Stuttgart, Germany.

There has been much hype in the mainstream media about recent developments in this zero-emission HGV sector, particularly from across the Atlantic. But in deference to this eActros is real, here and now. To prove the point even further, a fleet of ten units will roll out to selected customers in Germany and Switzerland, following overwhelming feedback from visitors to the IAA CV Show 2016 in Hannover, where the eTruck debuted. In Germany alone, over 150 serious enquiries from interested operators were recorded. These ten electric trucks fully kitted out with required bodywork and ancillaries are configured to 18 and 26 tonnes (25+1) GVW. Before the roll out begins, a number of technical and infrastructural issues

These customers all distribute goods by road via Central Distribution Centres or inter-city hubs, but work within differing sectors ranging from delivering groceries to transporting building supplies or raw materials.

According to their exact specification requests, the eActros rigids come fitted with refrigerated box bodies, fuel tankers or curtainsiders, supplied by project partners Schmitz Cargobull. In addition, the driver crews on each company are currently undergoing special training to get the best performance and range distance out of the trucks. “We are now passing both two-and three-axle variants of our heavy-duty electric truck, the Mercedes-Benz eActros, into the hands of customers. Initially the focus will be on inner-city goods transport and delivery services – the ranges required here are well within the scope of our Mercedes-Benz eActros”, added Stefan Buchner, Head of Mercedes-Benz Trucks.

“We have developed a vehicle that has been configured from the outset for electric mobility. Compared with our prototype, quite a few technical changes have been made: the power supply is now ensured by eleven battery packs in all – and wherever possible we have used already proven components that are ready, or very close to ready, for use in series production.”

The field test customer panel will put these vehicles into its daily

Daimler Trucks invests heavily to remain ahead

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aving recorded its best financial a number of objectives to keep its Daum, Head of Daimler’s Truck & briefing in Stuttgart. “Prospects are good for be significantly higher than in the good past

year since 2015, Daimler’s Truck division has number one global status according to Martin Bus Divisions at the company’s annual press 2018, with unit sales and earnings expected to year we experienced,” he said.

To remain dominant on the top step of the CV forward in technology leadership with €500m and automated driving for trucks. Obviously, non-mainstream automotive entries into this arena, everything we do, we focus on our customers. In we are continually investing in innovations. This year of the IAA Commercial Vehicles Show in

sales podium, significant investment is to be put directed towards electric mobility, connectivity Daimler is looking over its shoulder at the arrival of including Tesla, Nikola, Cummins and BYD. “In order to offer them the best products and services, will bring us sustained success also in 2018 – the Hannover – and beyond,” he said.

Despite a slow start to the year, 2017 finished sales worldwide by 13 percent to 470,000 vehicles. while the return on sales was at 6.7% up from to be achieved here. It’s below target with room

successfully for Daimler’s Truck division, increasing Total revenue was up from €33.2 to €35.7 billion, 5.9%. Martin is still not satisfied: “There is more for more.” Mr. Daum has a great insight to the

FLEETTRANSPORT | MARCH 18

COVER | 11

Electrifying heavy-duty transport

Unladen weight at 12.8 tonnes, allows for a 13.2 tonne payload (and includes the 1 tonne additional weight allowance for electric and natural gas powered vehicles in Germany).

That’s still 1.5 tonnes less carried compared to conventional diesel engined version.

operation over a period of one year, with a second batch of ten customers willing to take over for the following twelve months. The findings of this research work will find their way back into the vehicles through telematics, accessible from all parties involved.

“This will enable us to satisfy the many requests we have had from customers and to gain even more insight”, according to Stefan. “Our aim is to achieve series-production and market maturity for a range of economically competitive electric trucks for use in heavy-duty transport operations with effect from 2021,” he added.

In using synergies and expertise from the Daimler Group, the platform for the eActros is provided by the chassis frame of the standard rigid Actros. Everything else is stripped out (apart from the cab fittings) to allow for the configuration of the electric drive system, which is based on the ZF AVE 130 that has already proved its worth as a low-floor portal axle in hybrid and fuel-cell buses from the Mercedes-Benz family.

Mounted higher than the Citaro bus for example, it facilitates a higher ground clearance to over 200mm.

“The drive system comprises two electric motors located close to the rear-axle wheel hubs. These three-phase asynchronous motors are liquidcooled and operate with a nominal voltage of 400 volts. They generate an output of 125 kW each, with maximum torque of 485 Nm each. The gearing ratios convert this into 11 000 Nm each, resulting in driving

performance on a par with that of a diesel truck. The energy for a range of up to 200 km is provided by two lithium-ion batteries with an output of 240 kWh,” explained Martin Zeilinger, Head of Advanced Engineering at Daimler Truck & Bus. “The batteries are accommodated in eleven packs all in all: three of these are located in the frame area, the other eight are to be found underneath. For safety reasons, the battery packs are protected by steel housings. In the event of a collision, the mountings give way and deform, so diverting the energy past the batteries without damaging them. The high-voltage batteries do not just supply energy to the drive system, but to the vehicle as a whole. Ancillary components such as the air compressor for the braking system, the power steering pump, the compressor for the cab air-conditioning system and, where relevant, the refrigerated body, are also all electrically powered,” he added, during the post conference workshops.

The battery pack can be fully recharged within three to eleven hours, subject to the charging capacity from the electrical system. The two standard (12V) Low Voltage (LV) batteries fitted are charged from the High Voltage batteries via a DC-DC convertor, ensuring that all relevant vehicle functions such as lights, indicators, brakes, air suspension and cab systems remain operational in the event of network failure.

Funding for this project was partly through two German Government Ministries under the Concept ELV2 programme and will run until at lease mid-2020.

global market Daimler sells to, having spent eight years heading up the North American division, with some time at the MercedesBenz Wörth plant earlier in his career. “We work systematically on the implementation of our long term strategy. In everything we do, we focus on our customers. In order to offer them the best products and services, we are continually investing in innovations.”

heavy-duty truck (based on the Mercedes-Benz Antos family) has been driven electronically connected and partially automated mode in a platoon with trucks from other Japanese brands last year. “In India, our BharatBenz brand launched five years ago now commands 9.1% market share, with 60,000 units made in India for India plus 40,000 units for export markets.”

Over the next two years Daimler Trucks will invest €1.3 billion each year on R&D across all of its truck brands worldwide. That’s €800m outside of the electrification/connectivity technologies already set aside. Alongside the Mercedes-Benz eActros development, its sister brand FUSO recently introduced the production version of the eCanter electric 7.5 tonne truck. Meanwhile the Super Great

Back in 2016, three connected and autonomously driving Actros tractor-units and trailers drove from Stuttgart to Rotterdam as part of the European Truck Platooning Challenge. More recently, last autumn Mercedes-Benz trialed four Arocs tractor-units which carried out the automated cleaning of an airfield in conjunction with each other and by remote control. This year Daimler Trucks

Text & Photos: Jarlath Sweeney - editor@fleet.ie

North America will continue its autonomous programme, undertaking real time field tests with transport company customers. Martin is taking special pride in the development of the eActros, having overseen the rapid progress of the project. “It was like a start-up company, with many highly skilled and highly motivated people involved.”

“Europe’s number one goes electric,” declared Stefan Buchner, Head of Mercedes-Benz Trucks. He is targeting a bump up in Actros production figures by 10,000 units between now and 2021 to when the eActros goes on sale, such is the pre-order intent. Whatever about the concepts and prototypes taking all of the limelight recently, Daimler has arrived with the real thing that provides real performance figures for the customers to digest fairly. www.fleet.ie

12 | NEW FLEET

First Renault T-High for Caffrey International Transport

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rish-based international hauliers appreciate the Renault Range T High with its complete flat floor interior.

Ashbourne, County Meath-based European logistics specialist Caffrey International Transport has recently purchased this Renault T480 from Setanta Vehicle Sales, Dublin.

This 4x2 tractor-unit joins a number of other Renault Range T models in Caff rey’s impressive fleet of over 100 trucks, all dressed up in Caff rey’s eye catching livery. It is well equipped with an abundance of mod cons and driver accessories, according to Harry Nash, Managing Director at Setanta Vehicle Sales, who concluded the deal with Brian Caff rey, MD., at Caff rey International Transport.

Another fine Renault C430 for Farrellys

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ictured at the handover of a new Renault Range C430 8x4 to Farrelly Haulage Ltd., Castletown, Navan is Gavin Farrelly, the company’s Transport Manager and Jim Toner, Sales Executive at Setanta Vehicle Sales (Dublin), who did the deal.

The family-run construction/heavy haul transport and plant hire fi rm now operates two Renault C430 8x4 tippers in its growing fleet. The latest addition is specified with a lightweight Gleeson Tarmac body with top light bar. Company driver Robbie Horan is behind the wheel.

McGuire Haulage adds Renault Range C to growing fleet

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ictured is one of two new Renault Range C440 6x2 tag-axle tractor units fitted with in-house factory tipping gear for McGuire Haulage, Callan, County Kilkenny. The new trucks, supplied

by Renault Trucks’ approved distributor, Setanta Vehicle Sales Ltd, will be used on sand and gravel carriage and muck shifting operations.

The truck was sold by Dublin dealer Setanta Vehicle Sales.

Established in 1998 by Martin McGuire, the company is now one of Ireland’s prominent construction hauliers, working on projects of all types and sizes, providing services that include bulk excavation, demolition, site clearance and transportation.

More recent sales by Irish Commercials Naas

A

new Volvo FH 460 6x2 tractor-unit with Globetrotter Cab and I-Shift transmission was specified by Christy Bates and Mick Mooney, founding Directors of CBM Transport Ltd., who took delivery of same from Irish Commercials, Volvo Truck dealers, Naas.

The stand-out livery and decals were done

by Sign FX. Both Christy and Mick have built up a wealth of experience in the logistics industry, spanning two decades. CBM Transport, operating out of Johnston Logistics facility in Rathcoole, Dublin, has grown significantly over the last few years, starting with a small fleet of four tractor-units to an impressive fourteen. As a service partner with one of Ireland’s leading logistics companies, it offers its services in Ireland, UK and Europe.

around the Midlands. The long-established family run business has invested in upgrading its fleet with the purchase of a new Volvo FMX 8x4 supplied by Irish Commercials Naas.

It came fitted with an Imer L&T concrete mixer body from Midland Truck Mixers Parts Ltd., Bunsallagh, Croghan, County Offaly.

From its Glasson, Athlone headquarters, Spollen Concrete is a well-known name

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FLEETTRANSPORT | MARCH 18

Text: Jarlath Sweeney - editor@fleet.ie

14 | PROFILE

Costello & McDermott – 50 years plus of service excellence

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hen Costello & McDermott Ltd’s David McDermott and Sean Higgins were presented with the Fleet Transport Award for Regional Transport Operator of the Year 2018, it marked fifty plus years of service excellence from the Ballinrobe, County Mayo-based company, while also acknowledging the successful changeover from the founding family generation to the next.

When Costello & McDermott Ltd was established by Peter Costello and Eamon McDermott back in the sixties, they identified a gap in the market, taking to the road with two Ford Thames vans.

Their grandfathers were brothers who worked locally as stonecutters. The two cousins started their working lives as salesmen for the Ballinrobe Bread Company (BBC). While delivering the bread and talking with customers, they discovered a growing need for broader offerings in the frozen food business, especially ice cream. With a hunger for work and career success, the desire to look after their customers was paramount, a philosophy that remains instilled in every aspect of the company’s

Peter Costello and Eamon McDermott FLEETTRANSPORT | MARCH 18

daily operations to this day. Today more than 60 staff are employed and a 25 strong fleet of vans and trucks sport the distinctive blue and white Costello & McDermott livery.

Nowadays the company is at the forefront of food sales and distribution in the west of Ireland. Distributing to both the food services and retail trades throughout the region, Costello & McDermott Ltd has built up an excellent reputation for top class service, reliability and professionalism. It sources and supplies a comprehensive range of quality ambient, chilled and frozen products to the catering trade and retail outlets. “We are always striving to enhance our product portfolio and are constantly adding new lines to keep up with the latest food innovations and culinary trends,” explained David McDermott, son of one of the company founders, Eamon.

Distribution contracts with three large multinational companies (HB, Birds Eye and Aryzta (Cuisine de France) for the West and Mid-West area form the backbone of its business. Over the years the product range provided has diversified greatly, and not only includes frozen retail products, but a complete range of catering products, frozen, chilled, dry goods, baking supplies, packaging and janitorial supplies.

In recent times its services have also expanded to include distribution, storage and logistics offerings.

Each night around 72 frozen pallets are cross-docked as well as 50 chilled fruit and vegetable combinations. “In addition to all of this, the most important element of our business, which is our customer base, has grown and diversified with us. Our customers now include shops, restaurants, hotels, cafés, delis, fast food outlets, hospitals, nursing homes, schools, contract caterers, child care centres and many others. We naturally still retain our ethos of putting the customer first and always doing our utmost to ensure that the customer is looked after. It is on this ethos that our success is built and it is because of this that we have gained the trust of so many loyal customers,” emphasized David.

PROFILE | 15 While Peter and Eamon remain very hands-on in the business and continue to offer mentorship and advice, the reins have been handed on to the next generation and the company is now under the stewardship of Gwen Costello, Daniel McDermott, Martin Joyce and David MacDermott.

In order to keep on top of their game, the management team at Costello & McDermott Ltd are sharply aware that increasing operating and running costs affect the bottom line and viability of the company. Recent challenges include rising insurance premiums and the ever-changing price of fuel. On these current challenges, David is looking ahead to further threats. “Among the challenges to our business is the cost of fleet insurance as our policy has risen by seventy percent over the last five years, while our claims record has dropped by thirty percent over the same period. Other issues are the uncertainty of brands moving to Central Distribution, which would affect our business model. Another key area of uncertainty is around Brexit as we import fifty percent of our products from the UK and a significant portion of the remainder are transported via the UK.” Among these challenges lie risks of which David is well aware: “The potential risk from operating at a regional level is the difficulty in keeping up the delivery schedule to customers. as they might not be getting the same delivery service as the same brand of store in O’Connell Street.

[The store] in Dublin will have a 7-day a week delivery service because of its location compared to a similar branded store in Clifden, where we provide a 3-day a week delivery. Another key risk is where a customer has a presence throughout the country, they will need a supplier to cover them on a national basis.”

Costello & McDermott Ltd operates a mixed fleet of vehicles specified to meet the needs of route demands and schedules. “As we own all our vehicles and as we deliver fresh, frozen and ambient products, we usually design the body of the trucks ourselves to suit the route the truck is on and the products carried. We run a mixed fleet including Scania, Mercedes-Benz and DAF rigids, and get service and parts from the main dealers in our area. We always check through the marketplace for the best vehicles with the best fuel efficiency,” added David. Subcontractors are not involved.

Text: Jarlath Sweeney - editor@fleet.ie

Management and staff at Costello & McDermott

Regarding legislation matters, David recognises the benefits of the Driver CPC and the workings of the Road Safety Authority (RSA).

“Without a doubt, we have seen the benefit of the Drivers CPC courses as we can see drivers are taking more responsibility for their tachograph hours and taking their driving breaks correctly. We can also see the benefit in reduced diesel consumption as drivers are more conscious of remaining in the green rev band and doing their walk-around checks before setting off in their trucks.”

“The RSA has changed the transport industry in a good way as it has improved the condition of vehicles on our roads which also has helped to make the roads a much safer place. With regular roadside checks for tachograph and vehicle maintenance, it drives home the point to employers and employees that one should have everything up to scratch. The RSA also provides help to employers through their website to assist with the correct procedures to put in place to become compliant. Being compliant with the RSA for Costello & McDermott is as important as servicing our customers, as we would not be able to keep our service going if we have one of our vehicles off the road due to non-compliance.”

With a company ethos of putting the customer first and with its client base growing, the success of Costello & McDermott’s business is based on the reliability of its service and the quality and range of its products.

Long may it continue!

www.fleet.ie

16 | FLEETING SHOTS

TRUCKS IN ACTION IN ARGENTINA, SOUTH AMERICA

Iveco Eurocargo 6x4 Ford Cargo 1722 MAN - KTM Factory Team Mercedes-Benz Arocs 6x4 - Peugeot Factory Team

MAZ Crew Cab 6x4 Dakar Service truck Mercedes-Benz LS 1634

Renault Midlum M180 Fire tender Renault Premium Long Distance

Volkswagen 15.160 Scania 114.360

FLEETTRANSPORT | MARCH 18

Photos: Jarlath Sweeney - editor@fleet.ie

18 | REPORT I

Sustainability and broader application reach is Iveco’s goal for 2018

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veco is looking to 2018 sales activities with the theme of sustainability, and focusing on promoting its commercial vehicle products on various applications within the road transport sectors.

For the past seven years, Iveco’s parent company CNH Industrial has been deemed as industry leader in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices, as the Italian company has made progress with its natural gas and electric commercial vehicles. Regarding applications, Iveco recently introduced the new X-Way range, based on the multi award winning Stralis truck model and specified for various operations such as construction refuse collection, municipal, utilities, and home deliveries.

2018 could be the year of change within the commercial vehicle fleet parc. The recently published Shell Rimula 2017 Truck Buyers’ Survey (UK) revealed that three in ten operators are planning to consider alternative fuels – any fuel other than diesel – as part of their vehicle purchasing in 2018. Interest in natural gas and electric powered commercials is growing; particularly as a greater infrastructure is in place for refilling and recharging around the country. Iveco, with its Daily Natural Power (CNG) and electric versions, has been acknowledged as industry leader in the LCV sector, as is the case with its new Stralis 480 hp Natural Power (NP) tractor unit. The Eurocargo NP is also available at 12-16 tonnes GVW. “Until now, diesel has been the ‘one size fits all’ fuel for everyone in road transport. Tomorrow, the right choice of fuel will depend very much on what you actually do. The Shell Rimula survey also reports that of those considering alternative fuels in 2018, seven in ten buyers are putting Natural Gas at the top of their list. New truck buyers are talking and thinking about alternative fuels. We’ve had more and more serious enquiries from major operators to get into gas-powered vehicles, and in 2018, we see alternative fuels moving firmly into the mainstream,” said Stuart Webster, Managing Director, Iveco UK & Ireland at a special trade press briefing in West Berskhire, England. “Also on the alternative front, we’ve championed electric as the right way forward for shorter distances, lower weight applications, and vans in particular. We can supply the latest Daily Electric straight away,” he added.

Stuart referred to the possibility of the gross vehicle weight for standard 3.5 tonne electric vans increasing to 4.25 tonnes later this year, which Martin Flach, Director, Alternative Fuels, Iveco UK & ROI also alluded to in his presentation. “Alternative fuels and drivelines are here now and they’re here to stay,” he reiterated. “Low emission zones in city environments dictated by city authorities, plus the move for greener and more sustainable business strengthens the cause for alternative power sources for road transport vehicles, as it is seen as one of the prime sources of harmful emissions at all hotspots.”

“Older vehicles will have restricted usage in cities with high levels of air pollution,” Martin stated. He mentioned that by 2019 at least twelve urban regions/cities will have legislation with a CV policy measure, including greater London, Leeds, Birmingham, Nottingham, Derby and Southampton with reference to HGV bus and van access. Sheffield and Middlesbrough are to follow in 2020.

FLEETTRANSPORT | MARCH 18

In highlighting the merits of its latest Daily Blue Power electric van range (which now extends to 5.0 tonnes GVW), Martin outlined the major fleet customers across Europe for the Daily Electric which includes Austrian Post, Metro (Italy), Ruter (Norway) and FCC in Spain.

On the gross weight subject, Martin’s take is that whether it’s battery or gas power, the packs or tanks are heavy – “so loss of payload,” he said.

“By extending the standard driving licence limit for a 3.5 tonne vehicle to 4.25 tonnes, this adds 350-400 kgs of payload, which makes perfect sense for the legislators to move on this.”

From an Irish context, Emerald Truck & Van, the Iveco distributor along with its dealer network recorded a strong market share increase in a declining market in all sectors. As Frank Scanlon, Operations Director put it, repeating a famous line from a senior politician: “A lot done, a lot more to do.” Iveco in Ireland recorded an almost 80% increase in light commercial vehicle unit sales while the heavy duty truck range improved its presence by 18%. Its bus chassis supply business, based on the Daily, almost doubled its sales during 2017, advised Frank.

“My impressions or outlook for 2018 is for it to remain slightly unstable, as 2017 has been. Until the full effect of Brexit is known along with a stabilisation of Sterling, then any optimism for 2018 could be misplaced.

The growth in foreign imports is alarming but to be expected based on where the UK currency is and we have to re-adjust our sights into welcoming any of these new Iveco (in our case) customers in to the Iveco family in Ireland. We are now doing business on used vehicles which we are sourcing from Iveco in the UK,” he said.

“Regarding new products, we will have the Daily Blue Power, International Van of the Year 2018 and will also have the new Iveco X-Way range.

Also, we will be continuing to develop our sales in this market with our Trakker construction product.”

X-Way is Iveco’s specialist range configured with 2, 3 and 4-axle chassis – rigid or tractor unit. Its target markets? Waste management – hook loaders, for building – brick n’ block, mixers, for bulk carriage – powders, grains and feeds. A choice of Cursor 9, 11 and 13 (litre) engines come with three different transmissions, Allison automatic, ZF automated or manual gearboxes. “X-Way is optimised to meet the needs of all specialist operators. The breadth of the X-Way product range does not focus on tippers and construction alone, it covers a far wider variety of applications,” concluded Stuart.

Text: Rob Van Dieten - rob@fleet.ie

20 | PREVIEW

CeMAT 2018 at Hannover Messe to showcase 1

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rom 2018 onwards, the Deutsche Messe’s CeMAT trade exhibition for intralogistics and supply chain management is to be organised jointly with Hannover Messe every two years. The inaugural collaborated event will be held at the Hannover Exhibition Centre on 23-27 April. A complete overview of the intralogistics industry is how Brock McCormack, Press spokesman for Research & Technology at Deutsche Messe described the event.

“The CeMAT Show in Hannover covers every area of logistics. Its scope includes energy-saving forklifts and industrial trucks, sophisticated, fully automated handling systems, hoists and aerial working platforms, ingenious rack and warehousing systems, the latest in control systems, logistics IT and everything in between,” explained Brigitte Mahnken, Deutsche Messe.

“Other key highlights include cranes and lifting equipment, access platforms, Auto ID systems, robotic logistics solutions and packaging technology.”

Logistics Solutions forums arranged to take place during the event will highlight best practice from various elements of the sector.

“Together with Hannover Messe, we are crafting a unique knowledge platform for the digitisation of the supply chain, featuring numerous best-practice solutions and innovations like nowhere else in the world,” explained Dr. Jochen Köckler, Managing Board member at Deutsche Messe.

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FLEETTRANSPORT | MARCH 18

In the build up to CeMAT at Hannover Messe, the co-organisers held a special preview, with around forty exhibitors informing trade press of what visitors expect to see and hear about at the forthcoming event.

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1. Bossard SmartBin technology is a product that Bossard has been constantly evolving since 1999. The weighing scale on the storage bin now has an illuminated labelling system to facilitate stock control and can detect if the wrong item is placed in same.

2. Clarke (Europe) The S-series is the new range of 2-3.5 tonne (IC-Diesel/Gas power) forklifts from Clarke, due for launch at CeMAT. “Smart, safe, strong are the KPIs of the new models. Also debuting is the new lightweight WP1012 Pallet truck with quick recharge.

3. Fraunhofer From supermarkets to production lines, Fraunhofer has the storage box or pick from storage bin to suit all requirements. The battery powered data unit is interchangeable and has a battery life from 1 year to 18 months depending on whatever is a fast or slow moving item.

4. Fronius From its Austria HQ’s, Fronius advises and supports operators of forklift trucks to bring the most cost-effective drive technology to their fleets, and to implement tailor made complete systems, whether it is lead batteries, lithium-ion or fuel cell powered machines that they operate.

5. GNB GNB is the world’s second largest producer of lead acid batteries. The Exide Technology company has production facilities in Europe and the USA employing over 10,000 people.

For CeMAT 2018, GNB will launch a revolutionary new battery system.

6. Jungheinrich Torsten Koenig, Product Sales & Price Manager at Jungheinrich AG stated that the German company will have the biggest stand at CeMAT which will highlight all aspects of what products and services it provides, with 6

e

PREVIEW | 21

Intralogistics & Supply Chain Management warehouse design a specialty.

7. Knapp A new shuttle system or an evolution of its existing range is what Knapp will showcase at the combined show which brings together production and logistics in one drive forward as described by Wolfgang Skrabitz and Martina Marbert.

8. Rexroth (Bosch Group) Th ree main elements of its business will be demonstrated including the digitalisation of analogue interfaces in hydraulics, while its torque control demo decouples forklifts’ driving strategy. Its new EDG valve block translates IT commands into movement sequences for customised warehouse processes.

9. Siemens Another native German company that boasts a major presence at the Hannover Messe is using the slogan ‘Digital Enterprise – Implement Now.’ “The digital transformation taking place in the manufacturing industry is gaining momentum,” stated Clarissa Haller, Communications Head.

12. Toyota Materials Handling The Toyota Group’s Materials Handling division is to take its quality-led philosophy and credentials to CeMAT. “Th ink: Like: Toyota” is its theme, sharing commitment to improving the overall efficiencies of logistics operations.

13. Viastore Dr. Matt hias Schweizer, Director, Group Marketing explained about Viadot, Viastore’s Warehouse Management System, which comes with “guaranteed success.” Software to save on warehouse energy has been developed and will be introduced at the Hannover Messe.

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IFOY 2018 finalists assessed

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ury members from 18 nations came together at Hannover Messe at the beginning of February to evaluate the nominated trucks and solutions from BYD, Jungheinrich, Liebherr, Still, Gebr.

Schulte, Wegard and Witron for the International Forklift & Intralogistics Awards 2018 (IFOY).

10. STILL neXXt fleet is a new fleet management programme that completely oversees the productivity and performance of its customers’ fleet in real-time and is available to the owner/operator 24/7 through a dedicated web portal. A free 30-day trial is offered as an attractive introduction into the various systems and platforms.

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11. TEAM WMS – Warehouse Management Systems using well-proven technology Oracle, covers many devices. Michael Baranowski, (MD) and Brigitte Hobusch (Marketing) will be on hand to explain the product portfolio offered by the Paderborn company.

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Text & Photos: Jarlath Sweeney - editor@fleet.ie

The twelve nominated devices and components from the manufacturers were subjected to an extensive intralogistics test programme at the official IFOY 2018 Test Days.

Over the course of a week, the testers lifted, drove, measured, stored and discussed the contenders in the jury sessions. More than 100 guests from 18 nations, including various test teams, as well as more than 30 jurors and accredited consultants f rom i ndustr y, logistics services, media (including Fleet Transport/ Handling Net work) a nd science travelled to Hannover to follow the tests live. wwww.fleet.ie

22 | HEALTH MATTERS

Hospital Bugs

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any patients resist admission to hospital, on the fairly rational grounds of “That’s where a lot of people die.” That viewpoint particularly applies to the elderly, and one must have a certain amount of sympathy with them.

Apart from the initial cause which requires the admission to hospital, another factor must be taken into account – that of the secondary illness which the patient may acquire after admission.

Since hospital infection was recognised as an actual entity in the mid-1800s, it was apparent that it must be controlled – this meant finding out the cause, the possible carriers (was it the patients or the doctors?) and some means of stopping it in its tracks.

Hospitals were known to be places where one’s chances of coming out alive were slim – the mortality rate for surgical cases was three to five times higher than those which had been operated on at home.

Hospital gangrene as it was called (septicaemia) heralded death, with almost every patient who had been operated upon suffering this fate.

Eventually the medical profession got a handle on the problem, and with a mixture of strict cleanliness and disinfecting, and avoidance of cross contamination – keeping infected patients apart from others - sterilising every object that needed to be used for the patient - the hospitals became relatively safe for the general public again. This required eternal vigilance, and the solid hard work of many of the nursing staff who were tireless and somewhat draconian in their pursuit of cleanliness and sterility.

usually only available in a hospital type setting – for a few hours anyway. Day surgery was introduced. Efforts were made to operate on patients under local anaesthetic, thereby reducing hospital stay.

Community based clinical centres were created - this was an effort to assemble many different forms of medical and related expertise under the one roof in order to facilitate the patient. The idea was that the patient would see their local doctor who would then refer the patient to physiotherapy, or podiatry, or the oculist, or the occasional visiting consultant from one of the hospitals. All these services were to be offered on the same premises, with minimal delay and disruption to the patient. It was a nice concept.

Ideally if this worked well, it would cut short the patient’s long odyssey from medical pillar to post and prevent the moderate illness developing into a major one necessitating hospital admission. Then ‘events’ happened. The financial crash, a sudden increase in the country’s population - the first increase for one hundred and fi ft y years. Less money available – also less doctors and nurses. Th is stalled matters for some time.

In spite of all this, the hospitals have still worked well. They are aware of and have tackled hospital infections. They still deal with the challenges put to them. The patients will come out of hospital in less time than their parents would have for a similar procedure, but in better overall health. The quicker turnover of patients in a hospital means a more efficient system, with less time to get the hospital bug.

They aimed for an aseptic environment – no microbes at all – a very high ambition and probably almost impossible. Then came antimicrobial medications and after that antibiotics. These were truly the ‘magic bullets’ that killed most of the infections that they came in contact with. Surgeons could breathe again. The hard work needed to keep the hospitals aseptic lessened, people were not as willing to clean up as intensely as previously, and anyway with antibiotics available there seemed to be less need. Nobody was going to die of hospital gangrene in the twentieth century.

Unhappily, this reversed in the later years of the 1900s. A previously mild infection - Staphylococcus Aureus – began to invade hospital wounds. It is now so ubiquitous that it has become resistant to almost all known antibiotics. Many hospitals harboured this nasty microbe.

Healthcare staff became unwitting carriers, and passed it on to their patients. Post surgical patients were suffering from a modern form of “hospital gangrene.” In order to deal with this problem everyone had to think again. Why were patients admitted to hospitals in the first place? Could their stay be shortened? Could they be discharged earlier after surgery? Could the local General Practitioner do more and avoid hospital admissions? Or, at least reduce them?

Modern medicine has improved the diagnosis and treatment of almost all esoteric illnesses as well as the ordinary ones. It has also become extremely expensive. Every patient is rightly entitled to the best available treatment for major illness regardless of cost. This is FLEETTRANSPORT | MARCH 18

• NEW & USED SHUNTER TRUCKS IN STOCK • SHORT / LONG TERM HIRE • SERVICE & PARTS

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Text: Dr. Betty Maguire - contributor@fleet.ie

EDUCATION | 25

Transport Courses at Limerick Institute of Technology BEng in Road Transport Technology & Management Level 7 This programme combines technological, business and management skills specifically related to the automotive and transport industry.

Students will be exposed to concepts and ideas that will allow them to develop the necessary competencies to launch a career in the transport industry.

Job Categories: • Dealership Management in Automobile & Heavy Commercial Vehicle Sector • Fleet Manager • Transport Manager in Logistics Sector • Transport Operations Management, Diagnostic Technician.

For further details log on to: www.cao.lit.ie And on Twitter @MechAuto LIT @Mechanical_LIT

Transportation technology has been identified by Government as a key issue in maintaining and enhancing the competitiveness of our economy in the decades ahead. Th is programme allows students to gain the necessary skills to become managers in today’s automotive industry.

BEng in Road Transport Technology & Management (LC286) Programme Level: 7 Duration: 3 years Location: LIT Moylish Campus CAO Points: See course website for up to date points required Minimum Entry Requirements - Leaving Certificate: A minimum of 5 O6/H7 grades in Leaving Certificate subjects, including Mathematics and English or Irish.

Level 6 Craft Certificate (Trade), National/Higher Certificate: Candidates who hold a Senior Trade Certificate and/or National Craft Certificate or holders of a National/ Higher Certificate (Level 6) in Engineering or Technology may be considered for admission to Year 2 or 3 of these programmes.

Candidates applying as mature applicants may apply directly to the admissions office at LIT. The Modules: Year 1: Automobile Engineering & Vehicle Technology 1, Mechanical Engineering Science, Introduction to Mechanical Engineering Math’s, Automobile Electrics & Electronics 1, Engineering Computing, Motor Retail Management, Computer Aided Drawing.

Year 2: Automobile Engineering & Vehicle Technology 2, Automobile Electrics & Electronics 2, Vehicle Science, Computing Automotive, Motor Retail Management, Automotive Engineering Mathematics.

Year 3: Heavy Vehicle Technology & Mechanics, Global Logistics Management, Road Transport & Fleet Operations, Marketing in the Automotive & Road Transport Sector, Mathematics for Transport Management, Final Year Project.

Graduate Options - Further Studies: Successful graduates may continue onto a Level 8 B.Sc. (Hons) in Process & Engineering Management (A8286) or other suitable engineering courses in LIT. www.fleet.ie

26 | FEATURE

Commercial

A valued option for roa

>>>>>> > O

wning one’s own equipment is something that’s deeply ingrained in the Irish mind-set. While it might feel like a never-ending struggle to get through the years of monthly repayments, we do so in the knowledge that once the final instalment is made the truck, trailer, bus, coach or car is ours. This can allow capital to finance other equipment and have two vehicles earning with only one monthly repayment, and so the business grows.

However, that may be changing as younger people seem to have a greater acceptance that it is better to have a new car every three or five years and have the choice or freedom to walk away. While this is fine on a personal finance level, has thinking changed over the years in relation to the transport industry? Are companies opting to rent or hire long term or are we staying true to type and continuing to reinvest in capital equipment?

Long term rental and contract hire is the norm for many countries, and not just for vehicles as it can extend to tyres and other ancillary equipment. Even in Ireland it’s not unusual to contract for some parts of the business, for example back room services such as office photocopiers.

Does this mean we are getting used to the idea of borrowing someone else’s assets to use in our business? We asked a number of people with differing viewpoints to gauge the current thinking on the subject. One of those was leading vehicle rental specialists Northgate Vehicle Hire.

Northgate Vehicle Hire has been supplying vehicles in Ireland for over 17 years, and as expected argues a strong case for contract hire.

Northgate works with leading vehicle manufacturers and that alone saves time and headaches. You specify what vehicles and equipment are required and Northgate will deliver the goods (vehicles). One issue of concern operators often voice with contract rental is the fixed durations of hire agreements. Northgate is aware of this concern and can offer “fi xed term van hire of 12 to 36 months, completely flexible van hire, or a mixture of both.” In addition, with Northgate’s ‘We Buy You Rent’ scheme, it will buy the vehicles allowing you to release capital into the business - you then hire new vehicles from Northgate.

There are significant advantages to not operating your own vehicles, especially if transport is not the core activity of the business. If the only reason you operate vehicles is to deliver or collect, finished or raw materials then the time and effort spent on transport could be more

FLEETTRANSPORT | MARCH 18

productive if diverted elsewhere. If transport is the core activity, then having a set amount to pay per month means there are no surprises.

Having to only account for drivers and fuel costs enables better budgeting and financial planning. Another advantage is that contract hire can cater for the peaks and troughs by increasing or decreasing the size of the fleet at short notice, keeping costs more in-line with productivity.

Having an appropriate maintenance schedule in place should prevent the majority of breakdowns and will help to ensure legal compliance with Commercial Vehicle Roadworthiness (CVR) regulations.

However, as the average age of a fleet increases so does the potential for breakdowns, and so does the costs of maintaining the fleet. Opting to run a new fleet of vehicles on contract hire, reduces the potential for breakdowns, while the costs, including premises and staff associated with maintenance are no longer a concern. If a breakdown does occur, depending on your choice of hire partner and terms of the agreement, they will arrange to repair or replace as soon as possible. It’s reasonable to expect any reputable company to have depots or facilities in the major locations throughout Ireland, meaning the issue should be resolved with the minimum delay. Importantly this can be extended to ancillary equipment such as tail-lifts, refrigeration units, and even tyres.

With the goalposts in transport constantly moving, contract rental can allow an amount of freedom to alter or adapt to new operating conditions. Pressure may come from current customers to change vehicles to more environmentally friendly units. This need could also arise when submitting new tenders, and contract hire can allow a company to diversify and tender for what would normally be a capital intensive sector such as refuse collection. It may allow companies to tender for contracts that require significant investment but are seasonal

FEATURE | 27

Vehicle Hire

ad transport operators or short duration.

There are specialist companies which cater for all manner of vehicle hire and one of the best known is Walker Vehicle Hire, which has built up vast experience in the sector and in particular servicing the waste transport industry. For any company the investment in Rear End Loaders (REL) is a significant investment, and one not to be taken lightly. Therefore contract hire is the sensible way forward especially if there is a chance a contract may terminate early or is not renewed.

While there is usually a strong market for the resale of used RELs it is not always the case, and either way moving the vehicle on becomes the hirer’s problem

Enterprise Rent-A-Car opens Four new Branches across Ireland

>>>>>>> As part of its continued investment and increased business growth in Ireland, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, recently opened four new strategically located branches around the country. The additional depot expansion marks the company’s 21st anniversary in Ireland.

In the past months, Enterprise has opened new branches and relocated others in: Blackpool, Cork (additional new office), Finglas, Dublin (additional new office), Drogheda, County Louth (relocated to higher profi le ‘Main Street’ location), Letterkenny, County Donegal (relocated to higher profi le ‘High Street’ location)

It is interesting to note that while Walker contracts out its tyre services to Bridgestone Ireland. Dave McCormack, MD at Walker Vehicle Rentals, explained why: “Tyres are a significant cost for any transport company and assessing those costs is a difficult, tedious, and time consuming process, especially to ensure accuracy.” In addition to Walker, Bridgestone currently manages the tyres for other large vehicle rental companies in Ireland including National Truck Rental and Cork Rent A Van.

Speaking about the company’s recent expansion, George O’Connor, Managing Director, Enterprise Rent-A-Car Ireland, said: “We celebrated our 20th anniversary in Ireland just last year, so we are delighted that our growth story is continuing into our 21st year in Ireland with these recent openings. It really underlines our investment in the business in Ireland and highlights how car and van rental is becoming a very cost-effective and convenient solution for more and more people. Increasing numbers of customers who have an occasional need for a vehicle are delighted with the flexibility that rental can provide.”

Pictured at Enterprise Rent-A-Car’s new Drogheda branch, from left to right, are: Craig Mc Keown, Management Trainee; Carol O’Neill, Management Assistant; Shauna Vize, Branch Manager; and Patrick Corless, Management Trainee

Managing Director at Cork Rent-A-Van, John Seaman has a lifetime in the hire business, and has noticed the level of enquiries have increased for short term hire. John said he finds that there is also more interest in longer term contract. However, he warned against renting to customers just for the sake of increasing business, stating it’s important to get a few months rental in advance for the longer term deals.

Another long established name with over 37 years’ experience in the contract hire business is Commercial Fleet Truck Rental. The company can cater for daily spot hire of everything from small car derived vans

www.fleet.ie

28 | FEATURE

>>>>>> > to heavy tractor-units and with its contract hire plan ‘Fleet-Link’ it covers terms from one to five years. “In terms of our daily rental fleet the requirements of customers have change in the last number of years.

We are seeing a greater requirement for more flexibility in unit size and format,” added John.

operators towards not wanting to be the owner of the equipment.

Although trailers are regularly spot hired, many operators choose to buy, believing that with a reasonable level of maintenance a standard curtainsider or box-van can last for many years, and continue to earn the same rate for the work as a new hired or leased trailer. A new initiative from Hireco Trailer Rentals is increasing in popularity with a wide range of operators, with the company having diversified from straight vehicle rentals to now include vehicle maintenance, secure parking and a new Rental Purchase plan. What makes this particularly interesting to many operators is that Hireco can provide a rental purchase agreement on new or used trailers of all types including box-vans, curtainsiders, skeletal, and fridges. Hireco’s Helen Flynn explained: “Operators have been quick to take up the rental purchase initiative which has led to a significant increase in trailer sales supported by Hireco’s Rental Purchase plan.” The equipment is also supported with Hireco’s maintenance programme which includes body repair.

Within the industry, being flexible and willing to adapt is increasingly important and Fleet Plan Vehicle Hire is a company which has demonstrated its ability to meet customer’s needs. Fleet Plan is contracted to one of the largest retail distribution groups in Ireland.

This customer required a fleet of vehicles readily available with their exact specification for make, model, horsepower, axle configuration and temperature control. They did not wish to spend the significant time and resources that running a transport fleet requires, such as looking after road tax and servicing. Fleet Plan Hire takes care all these as well as other elements including fridges and tyres. When the customer required some drawbar trailers for their rigid trucks, Fleet Plan arranged this with contract hire company TIP Trailers Rentals.

With years of expertise in the industry, TIP offers a broad range of services covering all of Europe through an extensive service network.

TIP’s Mike Murphy is in no doubt that the simplicity of contract rental alone is what attracts many to TIP Trailers Rentals. “For an operator to have an inclusive rate which covers maintenance, keeps everything compliant, roadworthy, and off the balance sheet is [what makes contract rental] so straightforward,” he said. Again, Mike noted the influence of the increased enforcement of vehicle standards as a factor moving

FLEETTRANSPORT | MARCH 18

While the majority of rental companies can provide almost any type of commercials, there are some vehicles that are just not feasible to keep in the yard, waiting for a customer - one such example are bespoke low-loaders or machine trailers. Nevertheless, there are dealers which can facilitate and Ashbourne Truck Centre in County Meath is one such company. As a main distributor for the Faymonville

FEATURE | 29 and Schmitz Cargobull (Tipper) brands, Ashbourne Truck Centre can make arrangements for operators in this sector that have precise requirements. “Some customers will hire to see if a particular strand of work is worth doing, or they are unsure if it will last. We can also help out with a low-loader for one off movements - though we find that people will then come back with exact specifications for exactly what they want and purchase outright,” according to Ashbourne Truck Centre’s Sarah Mooney.

It’s a similar situation with PC Commercials in Baldoyle, Dublin 13.

PC can hire out commercial vehicles to suit a wide variety of business needs – from specialist vehicles, flat bed and tipper trucks with cranes.

So, whether it’s distribution or construction, utility services or plant hire, PC Commercials has the vehicle to support every business, offering the option to hire ready to work commercial vehicles and or forklift trucks to meet seasonal demands, replacement vehicle needs or long term commitments.

Operating in Ireland since 1997, Enterprise Rent-A-Car is known for its extensive branch network, everyday low rates and outstanding customer service. At present, Enterprise employs more than 200 staff in its 25 branches nationwide. Recently the company opened four new branches in towns and cities across Ireland as part of its continued investment in the country. (See separate story).

>>>>>>> The contract hire sector has moved to help its customers with one of the difficult issues with vehicle hire - insurance. While most hirers require the renter to arrange or transfer their own insurance cover, companies such as Go Rentals in Naas can arrange cover for many of its clients. As you would expect there are some terms and conditions though nothing unreasonable, and being able to offer the facility can help customers as some private policies may not readily transfer to commercial vehicles.

George O’Connor, Managing Director, Enterprise Rent-A-Car Ireland, commenting on the investment said: “We will continue to invest in communities across Ireland to provide residents and businesses greater access to mobility. Our van rental activity has also seen a significant uplift in business recently. Aside from the usual house-moving customers, we are seeing an increasing number of companies who are using our vans for occasional spikes in business when they do not have enough capacity from their own fleets.”

So, while the long-term rental and contract hire market is performing strongly, are there any downsides? In reality, there are not too many, though much depends on the particular demands of your business as to whether contract rental will work for you. The one major downside is that you will not own an asset at the end of the term be it one, three or five years. Though that begs the question - would you want to own it, and what would owning it do for the business? Would it be better to return the vehicles, take out new replacement units, and let someone else deal with the possibilities of a major component failure, or the second-hand market collapsing sending the residual value of your three-year-old truck, trailer or bus through the floor.

Europcar is another leading company that can arrange insurance cover for clients. While it has always hired out commercial vehicles, on realising a significant increase in its van and 4x4 business the company decided to establish a separate Commercial Vehicle Division to cater for this sector.

Europcar Ireland Sales Manager Van & Truck Division is Brian Gilna and he explained that across its 18 locations nationwide, it is finding that leasing space and rental space are merging, so this makes for a very competitive market. Usually a competitive marketplace translates to being good news for the customer.

On the subject of alternative power or fuels, Brian noted: “There is some interest in electric vans but at the moment there is little choice, with short driving ranges and vehicles being price prohibitive.”Th is viewpoint was supported by many of the companies dealing in light commercial hire that we spoke with.

Text: Paul White - paul@fleet.ie

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FUEL PRICES (WEEK 8) | 29 Country

Currency

95 Lead Free

98 Lead Free

Diesel

Albania

ALL

174.00

-

173.00

Andorra

EUR

1.108

1.173

0.972

Austria

EUR

1.210

1.358

1.154

Belarus

EUR

0.527

-

0.535

Belgium

EUR

1.424

1.502

1.374

Bosnia-Herzegovina

BAM

1.96

2.20

1.95

Bulgaria

BGN

2.13

2.41

2.15

Croatia

HRK

9.51

10.07

8.95

Czech Republic

CZK

30.32

32.44

29.26

Denmark

DKK

10.39

11.18

8.69

Estonia

EUR

1.279

1.339

1.239

Finland

EUR

1.452

1.531

1.326

France

EUR

1.495

1.552

1.399

Georgia

GEL

2.39

2.55

2.29

Germany

EUR

1.331

1.531

1.173

Greece

EUR

1.503

1.730

1.285

Hungary

HUF

359.10

-

393.30

Ireland

EUR

1.389

-

1.289

Italy

EUR

1.597

-

1.463

Kazakhstan

KZT

150.00

164.00

129.00

Latvia

EUR

1.202

1.271

1.131

Lithuania

EUR

1.227

1.282

1.130

Luxemburg

EUR

1.172

1.227

1.017

Macedonia

MKD

68.00

69.50

59.50

Moldova

MDL

19.12

18.50

16.48

Montenegro

EUR

1.250

1.320

1.110

Netherlands

EUR

1.654

1.745

1.324

Norway

NOK

15.72

16.71

14.79

Poland

PLN

4.64

4.94

4.52

Portugal

EUR

1.540

1.577

1.337

Romania

RON

5.12

5.22

5.16

Russia

RUB

41.77

-

40.24

Serbia

RSD

143.71

-

151.90

Slovakia

EUR

1.311

-

1.170

Slovenia

EUR

1.307

1.421

1.262

Spain

EUR

1.226

1.366

1.147

Sweden

SEK

14.06

14.66

13.81

Switzerland

CHF

1.538

1.640

1.620

Turkey

TRY

5.55

5.57

5.02

Ukraine

UAH

30.17

31.29

27.99

UK

GBP

1.216

1.322

1.240

USA

USD

0.547

-

0.809

www.fleet.ie

34 | REVIEW

National Manufacturing & Supply Chain Conference & Exhibition Citywest Hotel, Dublin, 31 January 2018

T

hroughout the one-day event, the Convention Centre at the Citywest Hotel was packed wallto-wall with exhibitors covering many aspects of innovation in manufacturing and supply chain sectors.

Feedback from exhibitors included the hope for next year that an extra day be added, and maybe to move some of the smaller exhibitor kiosks to the large function room upstairs.

This to allow for more free-flowing movement for the vast number of attendees, and provide more time for business to business activity.

Another area of concern that needs to be addressed is the traffic congestion on the roads leading into the Citywest Hotel venue and to ensure that additional car-parking spaces be allocated.

Running alongside the busy exhibition

area were a host of presentations from key stakeholders and experts on various topics such as Skills Training & Education, Procurement, Lean Production, Sustainability, Logistics, 3D Printing, Research & Innovation, Medtech, Finance, Environment and Health & Safety.

A number of transport related exhibitors attended, providing valuable networking opportunities.

adcbarcode Just inside the main entrance, the marketing team from adcbarcode made sure that all visitors got a branded bag with details of the company’s bar code label printing systems, handheld scanners and 3D printers.

Aisle-Master Martin Connolly got the task of undertaking many demonstration drives on the AisleMaster Very Narrow Aisle (VNA) forklift and highlighting the merits of same in tight confined areas. Also on display were CombiWR and CB models.

AWE Ltd Through its MasterMover division, the Rathcoole based materials handling provider demonstrated a number of tug solutions and industrial floor cleaning equipment through Willie Edwards and Conor Edwards.

CJ Sheerin When it comes to timber packaging, pallets and wood waste recycling, CJ Sheerin, with its depots in Laois, Mayo and Dublin, has the country well covered. Fergal Moran, originally from Ballinrobe and Cathy Fitzpatrick who also lives in the area represented the company from its West branch.

Fiat Automobiles Ireland Outside the Citywest Convention Centre, Fiat Professional had three of its LCVs on show - the Fullback Pick-up, the Talento and Ducato vans. Inside, all eyes were on the all-new Alfa Romeo Stelvio SUV from the famed Italian sports brand, which returns to Formula 1 this year.

Finol Oils For over 40 years Finol Oils has distributed top branded lubricants and related services to every aspect of automotive and mechanised industries. The company is probably best known for its Total, Elf and Fina brands. On its stand were David Chase, Stephen Bogle, Aidan Daly and Simon McGarrigle.

FLEETTRANSPORT | MARCH 18

REVIEW | 35

First Direct Logistics (FDL)/Pony Express Alan Buttimer is Operations Director at FDL and sister company Pony Express, the latter company celebrating 40 years in business in 2018. Together, both fi rms operate one of Ireland’s biggest pallet delivery providers.

FUSO Trucks/Mitsubishi Motors Ireland The distributors for FUSO trucks and Mitsubishi cars and commercials had displays both outside the Citywest Centre and at its stand indoors. Robert Montgomery and Andrew Johnson were present to advise.

Geodis Ireland Ltd Business Development Manager at Geodis, Noel Roy was accompanied by Vera Murphy to assist with enquiries on its logistical operations and services. Based in Mulhuddart, Dublin 15, the company was established here in 2002.

Gleeson Truck Bodies One area of speciality within the Gleeson Group is the steel and engineering division that manufactures steel kiosks, suitable for use in the water, electricity and gas industries.

The Tipperary company also makes all types of truck bodies.

Health & Safety Authority Brian Molloy was kept on his toes detailing the BeSMART.ie free, easy-to-use online risk assessment tool that enables businesses to prepare a workplace specific safety statement.

Workplace accidents can be prevented as a result.

Herbst Soft ware Callum Poole, Senior Business Development Manager at the Ballymount, Dublin based management soft ware provider was one of the presenters at Seminar 1, speaking on the topic ‘Computers in Manufacturing and Logistics’.

IIFA Seamus Kavanagh provided details about the Irish International Freight Association’s (IIFA) 6-week Customs Awareness & Practical SAD Competition Course, and handed out the printed version of its Brexit preparation toolkit, supported by Bank of Ireland.

Irish Exporters Association Michelle Hegarty is the Membership Development Manager. The body for Irish based companies to connect with abroad is undertaking a series of information seminars nationwide throughout the year. Details on www.irishexporters.ie

IWT International Warehousing & Transport Ltd (IWT) found the event fruitful for generating new business, according to Kieran Parrock, Business Development Manager. IWT offers its services across 5 sites, 4 in Ireland and 1 in the Netherlands. www.fleet.ie

36 | REVIEW

Jungheinrich Laura Bolger, Marketing Manager and Alan O’Connor, Systems Area Sales Manager (Munster) were on hand to explain about the German company’s materials handling equipment, warehousing and material flow engineering systems.

Lift rite Based in Maynooth, Liftrite specialises in supplying all types of lift ing gear and materials handling equipment to many sectors within the industry such as Electronic, Pharma, Food and Distribution, as explained

by Mark Dardis, Managing Director.

Linde Material Handling (Ireland) Ltd On display from the German company was the latest stainless steel pallet truck, while an 80V Electric E20 forklift was on exhibit outside. Thomas Sourke, Laura Stephens and Brian McDonnell were kept busy during the day!

Nilfisk David Jordan, Sales Manager (Ireland) for Nilfisk Ltd., has extensive knowledge of the specific needs within the manufacturing sector when it comes to vacuum solutions and floor cleaning machines.

NSAI Standing for the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI), the Government standard’s sett ing body recently appointed Dawn Lonergan as its Press Officer. She was working at the conference with Mary W hite, Manager, Standards Business Development.

Prolift Handling Ltd From its Western Industrial Estate headquarters in Dublin 12, Prolift supplies and services all forms of lifting and materials handling equipment. It is Ireland’s largest distributor of same, according to Neil Haden.

Proteus Its Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) improves systems performance by controlling all stock movements from goods in through to dispatch. Warehouse space is optimised and cost savings made – as explained by Neil Olsson.

Quality Freight Group (QFG) With offices based at Dublin Port, Belfast, Cork and a dedicated team at Ireland West Airport (Knock), plus locations at Ellesmere and Liverpool Ports, Birmingham and Hull, QFG offers a broad range of freight forwarding services. Shawn Ryan and James McDonnell were on stand.

Quitmann O’Neill Packaging and distribution is what the St. Brendan’s Road, Portumna, County Galway based company specialises in. David O’Neill, company Managing Director and Gareth Neville were back at the Citywest Hotel for another successful sales and networking event.

FLEETTRANSPORT | MARCH 18

REVIEW | 37

Rhenus Logistics The German headquartered logistics provider had Brian Bradshaw Sales & Development Manager, assisted by Tony Murphy at its stand. Lynda Barry, Customer Services Manager was present too.

Rohan Estate Management Due to the ongoing upturn in the economy, demand for warehousing is increasing and being met by Rohan Estate Management. On stand was Niall Woods, Survey Industrial Expert at Savills along with Peter Levins and Gavin Finn.

Seabridge Niall Davis, Sean Ronan, Terry Sweeney, Ann Marie Behan and Gary Cullen ensured that visitors were well informed of its Ireland to UK sailings with dedicated freight services. Seabridge has offices in Belfast, Cork, Dublin, Haydock/Manchester and London/Heathrow.

Snickers Workwear/Hultafors Group Simon Caff rey and Ray Murray are Sales Executives for Snickers Workwear. At its stand the lads organised a prize draw for two pairs of working boots.

Spaciotempo Helen Vale and Philip Tallon look after the Irish business on behalf of the Staffordshire, GB headquartered company. The temporary structures and building supplier offers a range of designs including loading canopies and retractable tunnels.

Transland Big expansion plans in the pipeline for the Ballycoolin, Dublin 15-based transport and logistics company. The former Fleet Transport Award winning fi rm is one of the founding members of PalletXpress, which offers services across Ireland, UK and Europe.

Verde LED Cork’s Energy saving lighting solutions and general energy/cost saving system provider Verde has a broad presence in the pharma, industrial, data/call centre and retail/ commercial sectors. Matt hew Branch is the Engineering Manager.

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Text & Photos: Jarlath Sweeney - edidor@fleet.ie

www.fleet.ie

38 | FINANCE

Key Areas of Financial Support

T

here are a number of key areas within fi nancial management and business control that are separate to the annual accounts and returns. Ideally these should only be box ticking exercises if the other areas are covered correctly. The key areas are: • Management Accounting and Reporting • Bank and Funding Applications • Strategic Development and Business Planning • Independent Business Reviews • Budgeting, Cash Flow Planning and Forecasting A standard format for management accounts may not be relevant to a transport operator, as taking the monthly figures from the accounts package and presenting those to a business operator does not give the insight into what sectors of the business are profitable. Which poses a few questions - Do managers have KPIs that are relevant and reviewed monthly? Is this information put into graph form so that the owners can visually see the key trends, and therefore do not have to delve into numerous pages of numbers?

The reporting format must be relevant, timely and accurate. One has to understand the numbers and review large variances from the norm. Large transport businesses can even have a format that gives profit per truck or similar breakdown if the relevant information can be processed properly.

Since the economic crash, the level of detail and work involved in the planning of and obtaining fi nance and business loans for transport fi rms is a difficult and time consuming job. Having the ability to represent a business and have all the relevant data, both current and projected, are key to gaining bank approval for funding requests. The ability to present future fi nancial plans and the relevant and importance of the provision of equipment, either replacements or additional units, in the overall profitability and cash flow planning of the business are hugely important. No one expects the accountant to be an expert on equipment used, but he/ she must understand their relevance to maintaining a bottom line and compliant operation.

FLEETTRANSPORT | MARCH 18

Accountants have the interest and an ability to think strategically relating to the development of a business. It’s not all looking in the rear view mirror but they can assess the road ahead regarding opportunities and threats, and they can bring their network of contacts in industry to bear in developing a business. They need to be able to understand operationally what the company does, fi nancially forecast different scenarios on how the business can develop and whether it should expand or contract in order to be able to be best placed for the future.

All businesses should be reviewed on an annual basis, and an accountant is an independent authority to the normal day-to-day activities in a transport fi rm. He or she is not swayed by work politics and can review the company’s strengths and weaknesses in a private and confidential manner. Very often accountants work in a bubble and may be unaware of new developments in technology, administrative best practices, business taxation, or simply what margin the business realistically should be making for the capital investment, risk and the genuine hard work put in. Accountants will critically review overhead spending and look into all facets of the business and choose what’s the best long term earning potential and sustainability for the company.

All fi nancial institutions will require budgeting, forecasting and cash flow planning in their review of capital requirements of the business and its ability to repay. Depending on the life cycle of the business (expanding, at full growth, or reducing in size), the ability to accurately forecast cash needs or cash surplus is crucial in making business decisions. Changing asset replacement strategy to fi nance over a longer period, or buy good value used equipment, all materially affect the cash requirement/surplus of the business.

Like all services, critically evaluate if these key requirements are being met and if not, seek a better service.

Text: Donal Dempsey - donal@fleet.ie

40 | LEGAL

Should Speed Limits be harmonised?

E

very Government in the European Union has, from time to time, indicated to take action to limit speeds on national roads and thereby to reduce the number of fatalities. Cleary, any change affecting the use of the road made by a national Government is likely to affect a visiting haulier, and any road transport operation whose vehicles are required to operate outside the Republic must ensure that drivers are aware of any recent changes. Th is is particularly important following the arrival of the EU Cross Border Enforcement Directive which enables the enforcement authorities in France, and some other EU Member States, to use vehicle ownership records to track down and prosecute drivers who have contravened national legislation including, of course committing the offence of speeding.

In France, the sight of two black motorcycles, parked at the side of the road with two riders similarly dressed in black, is often enough to remind a driver to check the speed, but motorists do need to know the maximum legal speed to start with. On A and B roads in France it is intended to reduce the existing maximum speed of 90 km/h to 80 km/h with the possibility that the limit on an ‘Autoroute’ will be reduced from 130 km/h to 120 km/h.

This proposal has resulted in a strong protest from the French motoring public who are prepared to drive slowly, but not that slowly, and it may, or may not, be put in place. In fact the range of speed limits in European is surprisingly varied, and a useful web address is htt p://trip.studentnews.eu. The driver of a heavy goods vehicle travelling through the EU must be aware of variations in the speed limit for the country in which he/she is driving, particularly as those variations may be slight. The responsibility of the employer is to keep the driver informed

about any change that might be introduced.

The important point to note is that the days when a driver could cross a national border, confident that he/she was leaving all offences behind, have gone since the introduction of the Cross-Border Directive.

In the UK the post-Brexit position is predictably uncertain. Currently, as a member of the EU, the UK Government has access to the Cross-Border Directive, but that access will be lost as the UK leaves the EU. The legislation cannot be re-installed unilaterally unless there is a deal with the EU, and a deal with Brussels seems improbable.

There is, in any event, a suggestion that the UK Government will deal with the perceived problem of speeding in its own way, by substantially increasing the penalties that are presently available to the Courts. Drivers of foreign registered vehicles may fi nd that they are stopped at the Ferry Port by officers from the Border Control, and cannot leave the country until their alleged offence has been adequately dealt with.

safer by driving faster than the speed limit, or even enjoy driving fast.

Traditionally drivers, regardless of age, do not react well to advice that they should drive more slowly, and yet that is precisely the advice that needs to be given. However unpopular it may be, employers should seek to encourage an understanding amongst their drivers that one of the att ributes of a good driver is not the ability to drive fast.

Quite apart from all other considerations there is the fact that a conviction for a speeding offence might result in the loss of the drivers’ CPC. Unfortunately, this issue of speed and speed limits will need constant attention for a long time to come.

The fact remains that ‘Speed Kills’, and across Europe Governments are taking various steps to reduce the number of road fatalities.

Drivers exceed the speed limit routinely to meet a ferry or to meet a deadline, but more commonly they ‘know’ (think!) that they are

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To register for the Fleet Car Safety Seminar & Demonstration, please contact Anne Marie Grant at Fleet Car magazine – email: events@fleet.ie or on mobile (086) 1451330.

FLEETTRANSPORT | MARCH 18

Text: Jonathan Lawton - jonathan@fleet.ie

2018

Transport Manager Dublin 2018 Join FTA Ireland on Wednesday 28 March at Johnstown House Hotel, Enfield for this year’s not-to-be-missed annual Transport Manager event covering key issues and topics for transport and logistics operators, including: • a session on apprenticeships and meeting the future skills needs for the logistics sector • CEO of the Road Safety Authority will update delegates on the CVORI and commercial fleet compliance • Revenue and Customs will provide an update on Brexit implications Members: €250+VAT per delegate Non-members: €300+VAT per delegate

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42 | COMMENT

Productive presentations at National Manufacturing & Supply Chain Conference and Exhibition

A

s a speaker at the National Manufacturing & Supply Chain Conference and Exhibition which took place at the Citywest in Dublin on 31 January, my talk focused on the opportunities for exporters based in Ireland to sell and ship to markets other than the UK, and for importers to source and import products from elsewhere.

Brexit was very much the dominant theme of the Supply Chain elements of the presentations that day, with the subject also taking up most conversation time with exhibitors and others attending. It is certainly scary that the Brexit negotiations schedule requires all of the “i’s” to be dotted and the “t’s” to be crossed before the end of this October, and that whatever slippage might be negotiated in the form of a “Transitional period” is likely to run only up to the end of 2020, at the latest. The conversations here are quite unlike what I have been hearing from people involved in the logistics sector who have attended meetings in Britain, where the Brexit word never seems to be mentioned.

On its stand at the Conference, Rhenus Logistics, which is an active partner in the Irish Exporters Association (IEA) Supply Chain activity, distributed copies of its simple to understand rates schedule for less than container load cargo on Asian services.

The idea here was to get visitors to look to markets further afield and to demonstrate that the Supply Chain for these markets does not have to be either expensive or very complex. Th is positivity was also reflected in conversation with Alan Wilkinson, who is Managing Director of what used to be Interocean, but is now renamed Albatrans (Irl) Ltd. Though the overall Albatrans Group is a Drinks Industry specialist, Alan’s team, in addition to making their expertise available to established and new entrant Irish fi rms in this industry, are also seeking to help firms in other sectors sett ing out on their export journey.

Th is positive approach was very much a key feature of remarks from Paschal McCarthy, formerly Chief Executive of GE Healthcare and past-President of the IEA. For him, the major thing that holds Irish people and businesses back is a lack of positivity. Th is is not only in direct respect of the business but in our whole news and conversation obsession with how bad things are in Ireland, and our daily national crisis headlined on TV and other news outlets. “With that sort of att itude prevailing, why would any company want to do business with an Irish company, still less set up a business activity here?” he stressed. With Paschal based in Cork, it is hardly surprising that he would add a rider to that sentence; “Still less outside the Greater Dublin area”.

Paschal could well have a point and maybe a bit of media positivity would enable Ireland Inc. ride out the Brexit, ongoing Trump issues and other storms. I felt, though, that his view was not entirely shared by Trevor Dumbleton and his Quality Freight team. James McDonnell, who runs the Ireland West Airport Knock Express Cargo business spoke at its stand at Citywest about the fi rm’s considerable success in building trade from that Mayo base. Its foundation was FLEETTRANSPORT | MARCH 18

From where I'm sitting - Howard Knott - howard@fleet.ie created from solid support from manufacturers throughout the region who would prefer to, to borrow a phrase, “Shop Local”.

Also optimistic was Robbie Phelan of the Transland Group. At the moment almost, all of its Palletways/PalletXpress activity runs through Britain with much of it going onward to Europe. He foresees that in a Brexit situation it could switch the non-British business onto direct services to the continent rather than land bridge. The key to doing this stems from building from volume growth and this may involve a greater degree of cooperation between competing carriers.

Interesting, by the way, that the IATA air cargo figures for 2017 have just been published and show that cargo volumes carried by European airlines grew by 11.8% - double the rate of capacity growth.

It indicates perhaps, that in the event of land bridge difficulties, switching cargo to airfreight might not be a simple option.

The conversations at Citywest went on into the late afternoon and it will be interesting to see if attendees at the Multimodal Exhibition being held at the NEC, Birmingham in May are any different.

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44 | SHIPPING & FREIGHT

Port of Cork Getting better all the time

F

ollowing on from the publication of the Port of Cork 2017 results showing a significant increase in traffic, came the announcement of a step-change in the Port’s Ro-Ro activity with a new and an improved service from Brittany Ferries and the arrival of the largest container feeder vessel to operate out of the Tivoli terminal.

Combined total traffic through the Port of Cork and Bantry Bay Port Company reached 10.3 million tonnes in 2017, an increase of 8.6% compared to 2016. Total imports increased by 6.4% while exports increased by 12.3%. The Port of Cork total container volumes through both Tivoli and Ringaskiddy Container Terminals grew by 3.7% compared to 2016 figures, with a total of 217,763 TEU’s handled in 2017. Cork has always invested significant time and investment in the development of the Cruise Liner business, both at the Cruise terminal at Cobh and the deepwater berth at Ringaskiddy. In recent years there has been significant development of facilities and activity at Bantry. Overall, 73 liners were handled in 2017 bringing over 140,000 passengers and crew into the Munster Region.

Looking to the future a significant development was the granting by An Bord Pleanála of permission for alterations in the terms of the Ringaskiddy Port Development.

Th is will enable the Port to deliver more efficient container handling facilities, while also replacing the existing terminal at Tivoli and the general cargo quays close to the City Centre.

Brittany Ferries plans to continue to operate its Cruise Ferry, Pont Aven on its seasonal Cork/Roscoff weekly service, commencing at the end of March. In January, the Line announced the charter of a sister ship to its ferry Etretat which will be running once

weekly out of Cork to Roscoff and twice weekly out of Cork to Santander. These services will be operated on a year-round basis and the additional vessel will be renamed Connemara. Her freight capacity is about 2,255 lane-metres for freight plus additional lower deck capacity for about 195 cars. She is equipped with 80 Reefer plugs spread between the main and upper decks.

Passenger capacity will be approximately 500 with cabin capacity for everyone. Like the Etretat the Connemara will operate under Brittany Ferries’ “Economie” brand.

Commenting on the development, the Port of Cork’s Commercial Manager Captain Michael McCarthy said: “The Port of Cork wholeheartedly welcomes a service we have been trying as a port to establish for some time now. We are delighted that our long-term customer, Brittany Ferries, has committed to this new service which will see an increase in tourism and freight. The option for freight carriers to bypass the UK land bridge will be seen as very att ractive, as Brexit uncertainty continues. We have no doubt that both exporters and importers will make this a viable service.” The scheduled sailing time between Cork and Santander is 25 hours.

On 23 January, BG Freight Line’s newbuild BG Diamond arrived from Rotterdam making her maiden call to Cork’s Tivoli Container Terminal. The vessel, developed

by BG Freight Line in conjunction with designers CIMC ORIC and Arkon Shipping, is one of four sister ships developed by BG Freight Line and is capable of loading up to 488 x 45ft short-sea containers. MV.BG Diamond is fitted with a wet scrubber system for exhaust gas cleaning that enables her to comply with Emission Control Area requirements operated in the English Channel and the North Sea while continuing to burn heavy fuel oil. Her overall length of 153 metres, makes the BG Diamond the maximum size vessel to turn in the river and operate at Tivoli Container Terminal.

Welcoming the new vessel, Koert Luitwieler CEO BG Freight Line said: ‘We are extremely proud that our fi rst new build, the MV BG Diamond is now deployed on our dedicated route between Rotterdam and Cork. Th is is an important mark in the long history of BG Freight Line and will enable us to trade with highly fuel efficient and environmental friendly tonnage for the next decades.”

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Text: Howard Knott - howard@fleet.ie Photo: Aidan Fleming

46 | OPINION

Differing arguments and viewpoints on M20

I

n last month’s column I wrote about people making decisions for communities and circumstances that they are sometimes far removed from in terms of where they live and their actual involvement in that area.

Now that the National Development Plan has been announced and the future of the M20, joining Limerick and Cork cities, looks somewhat safer, it is worth looking back at an exchange between the Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar and an ERSI Researcher & Professor of Economics at DCU, Edgar Morgenroth. The Taoiseach was claiming that the motorway would encourage growth between the two cities.

Both men spoke in separate interviews on the national airways on the matter. Mr. Varadkar outlined his position on RTE Radio’s News at One on Sunday, while Professor Morgenroth, gave his response on Morning Ireland on the same channel the following morning.

Having heard both pronouncements, I was saddened to think that public opinion would be formed by a small section of society.

For a moment let me recap on what both men said. There is no doubt Mr. Varadkar’s position is hugely influenced by his TDs in and between both cities. He said that the Government’s position was that it made sense, and that the new motorway would allow Limerick and Cork to grow faster than Dublin in the next ten to fi fteen years. Professor Morgenroth, on the other hand, said that the new motorway would do no such thing. His contention was that the cities need infrastructure built within rather than between them. I do not think there is a difference between either type of infrastructure in terms of the importance. Towards the end of the interview, Professor Morgenroth suggested that a new motorway would undermine the Government’s commitment to reducing the national carbon footprint.

The problem I see with the Professor’s intervention is that he brought opinions to debate level, but he should have brought further information too. I was a bit disappointed in some of the media comment afterwards. The Professor, in my opinion presented a professional opinion in a political fashion and the mainstream media bought it. We have officials, particularly in Dublin, making comments and decisions about public transport and infrastructure in general that lean in certain directions with limited questioning.

Further evidence that some experts can use their professional standing came in an interview with Pat Kenny on Newstalk in the following days. A spokesperson for Engineers Ireland was talking about the development of the motorway network when Pat pointed out the Professor’s weekend comments. He posed the question; “Are you suggesting that this eminent man does not know what he is talking about?” The interviewee hesitated and I thought he was going to be brave and say “yes”, but in deference to the integrity of his association and possibly his own position, he responded timidly: “Well in this case we don’t agree with him.”

There are many advantages in having the route completed. Purely in terms of the road haulage industry, this motorway needs to be built. Currently a delivery truck serving industry could, without FLEETTRANSPORT | MARCH 18

View from the Operators Desk by Sean Murtagh sean@fleet.ie difficulty and legally, make three round trips between Limerick and Galway, while the same vehicle would struggle to do two round trips on the slightly shorter route to Cork. Coach tour operators planning day trips for holiday makers stepping off a cruise line ship in Cobh could have more options for gett ing people to the Cliffs of Moher, for example. A quote from the CEO of Munster Rugby, while almost funny, gives a real insight to the need for the route when he said; “We prefer to hold our meetings in Portlaoise, because it is easier for our officials from both Limerick and Cork, than to travel to each other’s city.”

I am not questioning Professor Morgenroth’s credentials, but I would prefer if he presented information instead of his opinions in a more balanced fashion.

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50

New Mercedes-Benz Sprinter aims to race to the top of the large van segment

T

here was a d ist i nc t undercurrent of anticipation - a fr isson of excitement - in the air ahead of the unveiling of the all-new Mercedes-Benz Sprinter in Duisburg, Germany.

And why not - when this is only the second significant overhaul of a vehicle launched in 1995, it’s a defining moment in determining the future success of the brand.

It wasn’t just the journalists and invited guests mingling with Mercedes-Benz management in the specially converted warehouse on the banks of the Rhine who were on tenterhooks, but the wider commercial vehicle world, keen to see the van that will transport the Stuttgart company into the 2020s.

Among those keeping a close watching brief will have been Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles located just 350 km up the road in Wolfsburg, whose highly regarded Crafter is set to go head-to-head with the new Sprinter.

How that battle between the erstwhile

FLEETTRANSPORT | MARCH 18

partners develops will be one of the more interesting sub-plots in the months and years ahead.

Variants Galore Unsurprisingly there will be a myriad of options to choose from - in fact more than 1,700 different variants including Panel van, Tourer, dropside, chassis, bus or traction head, a maximum load capacity of up to 17 cubic metres, maximum payload ranging from 3.0 to 5.5 tonnes, and the choice of front, rear or all-wheel drive.

Fresh looks - Outside and In We’d been given a few pointers in the run-up to the unveiling as to what the new Sprinter might look like. Suffice to say that it ticks the boxes nicely, combining the outgoing model’s muscular frontage with more recent styling cues from other models in the MercedesBenz family, for instance; the contoured headlights. Individualisation is offered by a selection of radiator grilles including one with three twin louvres. Overall, it’s a design that should stay fresh well into the future.

Against newer rivals, the interior of the outgoing model had perhaps started to show its age, however, the new Sprinter arguably redefi nes expectations of a van cabin. At least that is if you opt for one of the plusher dash layouts - there are four to choose from - with the higher end models not looking out of place in one of the brand’s higher-end passenger cars.

Notable is the addition of the all-new MBUX multimedia system, which has a HD display screen of up to 10.25 inches. The Sprinter is only the second vehicle to be equipped with this, after the new A-Class unveiled just days earlier. Ergonomically designed seats, an improved air-con system and technologies such as reversing cameras and a parking package all help to make the driver’s tasks easier, more comfortable, and safer.

Connectivity a Unique Selling Point So, what are KPI features and USPs of the new Sprinter? Connectivity features are certainly one - the new Mercedes PRO connect technology provides a selection of

LCV | 51 networked packages that will enable fleet managers to interface closely with their vehicles and drivers.

Eight separate packages will be available from launch aimed at different customer and segment needs. They include Optimised Assistance for planning and undertaking service and maintenance work, Efficient Fleet Management to maximise fleet utilisation, Improved Navigation with real-time traffic data, and Efficient Driving Style Analysis for optimising fuel consumption and wear.

Simplified Fleet Communication offers a direct connection between f leet manager and driver via a Vehicle Management Tool, while Digital Records store data of all completed tours, useful for instance when separating business from private journeys. Mobile Vehicle Access allows remote control of certain vehicle functions, while MercedesBenz Vans Interfaces allows the integration of Mercedes-Benz Vans into the existing fleet management systems of customers.

Sprinter powers from the front Perhaps the biggest development is the option of front wheel drive for the fi rst time, which gives the Sprinter access to a range of new markets. Not least the burgeoning CEP (Courier, Express, Parcel services) sector, where the FWD van - which weighs in 50kg lighter and has a loading sill 80mm

lower than the RWD version - will be in its element.

Motorhome Magic The availability of front wheel drive has enabled Mercedes-Benz Vans to target a lucrative market segment - the camper van and motorhome market. Currently dominated by Fiat’s Ducato, the availability of a chassis cowl version of the Sprinter (i.e. front only) allows motorhome converters to incorporate specialised low floor chassis.

Combined with a powerful 177 hp engine exclusively for the motorhome market, and the availability of premium quality cabins, the Sprinter looks well place to capitalise on the growing sector.

Four & Six-Cylinder diesels - Electric coming next year The arrival of an electric eSprinter in 2019 will herald the next generation of mobile propulsion. Otherwise diesel engines are largely carried over from before, with the four-cylinder 2.1 litre offering coming in power outputs of 114, 143 and 163 hp for RWD vans, and 114, 143, and 177 hp for FWD versions. There’s also a 190 hp 3.0 litre engine offered - the only 6-cylinder unit in the large van segment. All models can be had with manual or auto transmissions, with new 9-speed torque converter and 6-speed manual transmissions developed for FWD models.

Also noteworthy are the availability of glassfibre plastic springs to maximise payload, and the option of rear air-suspension which will appeal to passenger van operators.

First impressions indicate a vehicle well equipped to take on the best of the best in the large van segment. In the words of Volker Mornhinweg, Head of Mercedes-Benz Vans speaking at the launch “As an all-rounder, the new Sprinter must be more than just the sum of its parts. Once again, it redefi nes the van segment.”

Düsseldorf - Home of the Sprinter gears up for the future

S

ince 1995, the Mercedes-Benz Vans factory in Düsseldorf has seen millions of its Sprinters pass through its doors.

Churning out 700 vehicles a day, it is the largest employer in the city with 6,500 staff working there.

The former Auto Union factory, which can trace its origins back to 1889, has been assembling Mercedes-Benz buses and vans since 1962, and is very much at the centre of future Sprinter production.

In fact, all panel vans for Europe will continue to roll out from Düsseldorf, while chassis cab versions of the new Sprinter will be assembled at the Ludwigsfelde plant in Berlin. Elsewhere there are also Sprinter production facilities in Russia and Argentina as well as a new factory in Charleston in the USA.

of both models - over 250 combinations all told - with 740 robots employed in the assembly process.

One key development has been the introduction of a paperless factory over the past four years. Staff now use 700 tablets using pens with ID cards to record work done, and any problems encountered.

In the future, hand held smart devices will be employed to make updating even simpler. Mercedes-Benz Vans says that it has resulted in significant time savings, particularly reducing the amount of rework compared to the multiple paper forms required previously.

Its downtown location means expansion of the 688,000 square metre facility is restricted, therefore it has to operate at maximum efficiency.

For instance, there is only space to store one day’s production on site, and with 600 different suppliers delivering to the factory, there is no room for snags or hold-ups in the operation.

Preparing for production of the new van has meant a lot of changes, especially as for a time it will be assembled concurrent with the outgoing version. All production lines are able to make all versions Text & Photos: Cathal Doyle - cathal@fleet.ie

www.fleet.ie

52 | REPORT II

CILT All-Ireland Supply Chain - Brexit Seminar

T

he Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport (CILT) held a very successful Brexit Seminar at the Ballymascanlon Hotel, Dundalk on Wednesday, 24th January. The half-day event was run on an all-island basis with contributions from both sides of the Irish Border, and attracted over 200 attendees.

Helen Noble FCILT, President of CILT Ireland, opened the proceedings and, in the course of her address that was at times lighthearted and serious, sought to underline the legal uncertainties about anything that may appear to have been agreed in the UK/EU negotiations so far. Her main concern was that the time allowed in which to achieve the divorce was far too short. Th is led to the conclusion that all sectors of business on the island of Ireland must do everything possible to ensure that their competitiveness is optimised. Pamela Dennison, National Officer for the CILT in Northern Ireland spoke about the Brexit process from a Northern perspective, but her conclusions were similar, to wit that handling Brexit was going to be problematic and, again underlined the need for competitiveness.

Neil McDonnell, CEO of ISME spoke about Brexit and implications for small and medium sized businesses in Ireland. Using aerial photographs, he showed how so-called frictionless borders - whether those between France and Switzerland, or between two EU States - have security concerns, and incur a build-up of substantial traffic queues. He pointed out that if the UK has to operate by the WTO Rules, it will first have to join a queue of 22 countries seeking to join that organisation.

From ISME’s membership survey it emerged that for a quarter of members, more than 20% of their imports or purchases are Sterling denominated or from the UK, but for 46% of exporters to the UK, none of their sales there are traded in Sterling.

FLEETTRANSPORT | MARCH 18

Guest Speakers at the CILT Brexit Seminar

Mr. McDonnell picked up the ‘Prepare for the worst’, theme. He asked that firms consider the nature of Brexit impact on goods, services, people and money in their business.

“Firms should understand about tariffs and their likely impact, and they should factor a contingency 90-day VAT impact on cashflow planning for UK trade. However, the departure of the UK from the EU could open the way for Irish firms to succeed in securing a significant share of the circa €150 billion per annum spend on EU Foreign Aid.” Anne Lanigan, Manager, Brexit Unit at Enterprise Ireland (EI) took up the ‘prepare for Brexit’ theme, pointing out that 62% of EI clients have no Brexit plan as yet. Those clients sell about €4.5 billion a year to the eurozone, but €7 billion to the UK. For her, the big issue is the sourcing of materials and products either in the UK or through the UK. All efforts should be made to secure product from EU-based manufacturers, and where possible, to avoid agents.

Tom Minnock, is Supply Chain Operations Manager at Glanbia at Virginia, County Cavan. For them a major issue is that Northern Irish milk may be certified as being non-EU and therefore may not be available for processing and sale in the Republic of Ireland. At present 30% of its exports are to the UK and 70% to other markets. The majority of the non-UK traffic is shipped in containers via Rotterdam and the company

is seeking to further build exports to these markets. Glanbia was actively developing its IT capabilities so as to make the Supply Chain more efficient to drive down costs.

Declan Allen, Assistant Head of the School of Management at DIT, spoke about recent developments in establishing apprenticeship schemes covering operations within the Supply Chain. The first apprentices will be taken on during 2018 but he conceded that it would be many years before the numbers being trained in this way become sufficient to meet the ever-increasing needs of the Supply Chain industry.

The Conference concluded with two breakout sessions, one led by Geoff Taylor of AEB Soft ware Solutions in which he set out and discussed the findings of the survey that the company undertook on Brexit outcomes in UK, and the other led by Phonsey Croke of Croke Consulting on the Practical Customs Consequences for Traders of Brexit. His main point was that firms should not delay in making their preparations. Securing Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) status for the manufacturer and all of those involved in the Supply Chain could be a major part of the solution, but it will take a minimum of seven months to secure.

The overall feeling from the meeting was that it was a valuable session and that, at last, everyone is really getting down to Brexit.

Text: Howard Knott - howard@fleet.ie

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54 | SOAPBOX

Ignore Brussels at your peril

I

t is a long time ago since I heard the following at an Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA) meeting: “Them there tachygraphs will never catch on”. That, in the early days of our membership of the European Union (EU) (then known as the European Economic Community (ECC)), was the att itude of most members of the IRHA to the legislation that the Irish Government had signed up to. We either thought it would never come to pass, or it was so far away in the future that no one took any notice.

Probably the biggest single change was to haulage licenses. Hithertoo they had been managed in much the same as pub licenses and had to be bought on the open market . Now, however, they were to be issued subject to criteria, leading to issues that were extremely controversial. Other than that no one took a blind bit of notice of any of the rules. And the one thing you can be certain of was that the only Irish haulier consulted by the Government was CIE. In the early days of membership, the IRHA Management took no major interest in going to Brussels other than seeing it as a social outing. Our primary involvement was in managing Lastas Éireann Teo (LET) through which we issued carnets for international journeys (with Brexit, we might be issuing them again)?

The IRHA’s fi rst major interaction with the European Commission (EC) came about over the IRHA’s campaign to stop the gross overloading of trucks that was then the order of the day by operators.

Pre metric days, a twenty-two ton gross tri-axle tipper could load out to thirty five or more tons with the right body on it. It required the Association’s campaign in Brussels to make the agencies of the Irish State enforce the law. A totally disinterested Transport Minister and Government were brought to heel by the IRHA’s interaction with the Commission and required to enforce the existing legislation.

Today, bodies like the Road Safety Authority (RSA) and the Health & Safety Authority (HSA) are only too happy to enforce any rule they can fi nd that suits the occasion. That is, as long as you have a handy Republic of Ireland registration - they seem to fi nd non-Irish trucks to be irreproachable. Maybe we should have a word with the Commission about that?

Today the IRHA is recognised as one the most active national bodies in Brussels, and we have found common ground with eighteen other national associations in opposing much of what is proposed by the Commission with its Mobility Package and the Posted Workers Directive. That common ground is the only way Irish interests will be taken into account against the might of Franco/German dominance of all things EU. Major pieces of legislation for the road transport industry generally only come about over extended periods of time and to achieve change retrospectively is almost impossible.

Hitherto, the IRHA worked through the International Road Transport Union (IRU). It now lobbies on a much broader platform, obviously with our own national MEP’s, the wider membership of the EU Tran Committee, the Irish Government’s Permanent Representation and the Commission itself. All now have a clear understanding of our position on both the Mobility Package and our absolute opposition to the requirements of both the Macron Law and MiLog. The Association considers the latter two and their Belgian, Italian and Austrian mimickers to be an aff ront to what the Single Market is about.

Verona Murphy’s invitation to address the European Parliament as President of the IRHA did not come about by accident. It was the end result of having feet on the ground in Brussels and it was the fi rst time they had ever heard from an active owner driver.

Brussels is an industry and requires specialist knowledge to know your way around. Th is is why the IRHA now has its own representatives in eurotran.eu. It not only represents the IRHA on relevant committees, but also knows when and where attendance is essential.

We might not achieve all the change we want, but the IRHA has never been better known or represented in Brussels, a position that’s essential to properly meet its members’ interests.

Transport Manager Dublin 2018 28 March 2018 2018

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