Handling Network Autumn 2019

autumn 2019 autumn Vol XXVIIIV

The Irish Magazine for the Materials Handling, Warehousing & Logistics Sectors

New Flexi VNAs at IMHX 2019

REVIEWS: MULTIMODAL 2019 CQMS 2019

PREVIEW: IMHX 2019

TRANSPORT www.fleet.ie

Engaging Connectivity

AWARDS 2020

Networking is an investment in your business!

DIARY DATE THURSDAY

10

OCTOBER

Attend the Fleet Transport Awards & Networking Event and Yield great results for years to come... your road to success

Thursday 10 October 2019, Citywest Hotel, Dublin

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contents autumn 2019

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The Irish Magazine for the Materials Handling, Warehousing & Logistics Sectors

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Volume XXVIIV Issue 3

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News

6

Interview

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Review I - Multimodal

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Preview: IMHX ‘19

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Review II - CQMS ’19

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Case Study

20

Logistics

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Supply Chain

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Published by:

Fleet Publications, D’Alton Street,

Claremorris, Co. Mayo, Ireland F12 E7P2

Editor:

Jarlath Sweeney – jarlath@fleet.ie

Contributors:

Johanna Parsons, Paul White, Howard Knott,

Rob Van Dieten

Advertising:

Mary Morrissey

Administration:

Denise Owens

Design & Layout: Crackerjack Design House Contact Details: Telephone: 00353 94 9372826

Email: handlingnetwork@fleet.ie

WHO GETS HANDLING NETWORK? Handling Network - the magazine of the Irish Handling & Distribution Industry - is produced bi-monthly by specialists in the materials handling sector, with contributions by experts on topics of special interest to its readership.

Handling Network is distributed on controlled circulation; addressed to key personnel in Ireland’s top companies and organisations. Recipients include Company Directors, Purchasing Managers, Warehouse & Logistics Managers, Plant & Production Engineers, Transport Managers, Safety Officers and other relevant personnel.

Areas covered include forklift trucks, warehouse logistics, racking, storage & distribution, commercial vehicles, plant & equipment finance, lifting gear, loading bay and conveyor systems...together with information on health and safety issues.

Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information contained in Handling Network, the publishers cannot accept responsibility for the veracity of claims made by advertisers, manufacturers or contributors or for opinions expressed.

Copyright for all material contained in this magazine remains with the publishers.

www.handling-network.com

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autumn 2019

news I

Meet someone new at IMHX 2019

Among the 400+ intralogistics solutions providers showcasing its products at IMHX 2019, there will be a significant number of companies exhibiting for the first time, bringing with them never-before-seen innovations in supply chain technology.

According to IMHX 2019 Event Director, Rob Fisher, the high number of first time exhibitors reflects the increasing emphasis placed on logistics and supply chains within the modern business environment. “Of course, visitors to IMHX will meet some of the biggest and best known global suppliers of intralogistics solutions, but they will also be able to see some of the interesting developments that are being offered by a host of companies with which they may be less familiar – all under one roof.”

Exhibitors making their IMHX debut at this year’s event include many robotics specialists, loading bay experts, forklift truck suppliers and automated handling solutions providers. This impressive list includes:

n Forklift manufacturer BYD will unveil a new generation of lithium-ion powered lift trucks that offer multi-shift performance without battery changes; n Campisa will highlight its range of low maintenance and highly cost-efficient loading bay doors and dock levellers; n Swiss materials handling specialist WRH Global will premier a mobile sortation system that has been designed to be ideal for e-commerce companies; n SITMA will present an innovative product packaging solution for e-logistics; n Swiss-Swedish giant, ABB, will have a strong presence and will demonstrate examples from its extensive range of robotics and automation technology; n JCB will highlight the JCB 30-19E the first electric-powered model in its multi-award winning Teletruk telescopic lift truck range; n 6 River Systems will show its flexible and scalable warehouse automation solutions that are powered by collaborative robots and artificial intelligence; n RAX will exhibit its range of highly innovative automation solutions for picking small items with wide SKU ranges; n Geek+ will highlight a collection of intelligent robot-based logistics solutions.

IMHX 2019 takes place at the NEC, Birmingham, on 24 – 27 September 2019. Visitors are encouraged to pre-register. To secure a free visitor pass that allows access to all areas of the show on any of the opening dates, visit www.imhx.net Meanwhile popular television presenter and journalist, Naga (Munchetty), will announce the winners of this year’s Logistics Awards at a gala evening taking place on Thursday 26 September during IMHX 2019.

Naga Munchetty is currently one of the main presenters for BBC Breakfast and is an occasional host of BBC Newsnight.

Over 600 senior professionals from leading retailers, manufacturers and logistics operations are expected to attend The Logistics Awards dinner, which will be held at the VOX Conference Centre, Resorts World at the NEC Birmingham.

The Logistics Awards 2019 will feature 13 award categories including the Environmental Award, Technology Transformation Award and - new for 2019 - a Wellbeing Initiative prize.

“The Logistics Awards recognise intralogistics and supply chain excellence and will be an important part of IMHX, ” added Rob.

MAW Engineering to specialise in walking floor trailers, truck bodies & home delivery vans A start-up manufacturing company with strong foundations has been established in Toome, County Antrim with former SDC Trailers Managing Director, Mark Cuskeran entering into a joint venture with William Stobart, who previously headed up the Eddie Stobart transport empire.

Mark’s new venture - MAW Engineering Limited - which will create a number of new jobs in the Toome area - will specialise in the manufacture of walking floor trailers, truck bodies and home delivery vans. The company has already made a significant investment by building a 50,000 square feet factory on a six-acre site in Creagh Industrial Estate.

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According to Mark, the new company will be responsive to a gap in the market, and will allow both himself and William Stobart to bring their significant experience in manufacturing, transport and logistics to the table. And despite the uncertainty ahead of Brexit, he remains confident about the future. “I’m hugely excited about this new venture, which is in a market that I know well,” he said.

“We are building a state-of-the-art factory which is ideally situated to cover our customer base. William and I have decades of experience across the sector, and there is a highly skilled and well educated workforce in the area, so we’re very much looking forward to

taking this venture forward.”

William Stobart, who achieved fame through the television programme about his former company, echoed Mark’s optimism and said: “I’ve dealt with Mark for 20 years in this business and know his experience, contacts and business style make him an ideal person to take this venture forward. It’s fantastic to be involved in an entirely new venture like MAW Engineering, and I’m certain we can build a business we can be proud of and which can provide a much-needed economic boost to the area.”

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Moffett Automated Storage – Optimising Warehousing

Another generation of the Moffett family is continuing the innovation and engineering pedigree with Sam Moffett heading up Moffett Automated Storage (MAS) that brings huge benefits to storage and warehousing operations.

Over the past two years, Sam and his team has developed specialist software and hardware providing advanced logistics solutions for efficient pallet handling with remote controlled shuttles, conveyors, lifts and automated material movement systems.

“We develop systems individually to suit customer’s requirements and the solutions we have developed to date are based on our own management system; which have been tried

and tested with proven efficiency,” explained Sam. Centred towards providing speedy throughput, pallet storage and movement savings can be achieved throughout the operation from increasing racking and storage, reducing physical labour and workforce thereby ensuring less repair and maintenance requirements. Fully traceable and trackable, the MAS packages include warehouse design programmes with over 55% increase in storage space, exampled

by Sam, transforming a conventional 3,600 pallet racked warehouse to 5,500 pallets under the MAS Pallet Racking Superstructure. Bespoke optimisations include the installation of order picking and packing stations, and VTUs (vertical transfer units) and the systems available have full ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) integration. On-line support and

back-up is provided from the original consultation to after purchase back-up.

Initially, the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) storage sectors are MAS’ target audience that can include multi-temp operations. “With logistics, it’s all about throughput, price per pallet and service. We reduce those yearly overheads and increase the pallet per square metre. This allows more products in a more confined space,” he added. “We at Moffett Automated Storage appreciate the difficulties that the retail sector come up against from the consumers every day. From tractability to shelf life.

For example, from the early hours, the warehouse is at its busiest with operatives rushing to get products out.

With our solution we can have the warehouse pre-organised for the peak periods allowing for quicker, safer and more accurate picks in a more controlled environment,” concluded Sam.

Plenty to see from Combilift & Aisle Master at IMHX 2019 With an impressive fifteen exhibits at this year’s IMHX at the NEC, Birmingham visitors to the four Combilift and Aisle Master stands will be spoilt for choice. Some of the company’s larger products such as the Combi-SC Straddle Carrier will be on show in the outdoor area, and the stands just inside the entrance to Hall 18 will feature a wide variety of customised, innovative handling solutions that are hallmarks of this Monagahan based manufacturer.

Two new products are making their UK show debuts: the award winning Combi-PPT powered pallet truck and the Combi-CSS Container Slip-Sheet.

Company Managing Director & CEO Martin McVicar commented on the planned line-up: “We have an even larger stand space than at the last event which allows us to showcase our ever growing range and we will be sticking to our very successful IMHX formula – a mix of new products, live demos and entertainment!”

The Combi-CSS was designed for quicker and easier mechanised loading of long products into containers. It is a 30,000 kg capacity low free-standing platform with a dual-directional motor-driven pulling mechanism, on which a steel sheet rests. A full load can be prepared on the sheet which is then guided into the container and a 20’ container can be loaded in just three minutes. When fully loaded, a hydraulic rear barrier gate swings across the container opening and is locked in place. This holds the material within the container while the metal sheet is slipped out from underneath it.

The Combi-PPT, which won the Safety Category of the FLTA Awards for Excellence 2019, is a high performance pedestrian operated powered pallet truck, with capacities from 3,000kg up to 16,000kg. It enables very large and bulky products to be manoeuvred with ease in confined spaces, ensuring maximum safety when working in areas where other personnel are present,

in production plants for example. It features Combilift’s unique, patented multi-position tiller arm that is used in all the company’s pedestrian models.

This incorporates tiller and operator offset position with the touch of a button, allowing for excellent visibility and reducing crush risk to the operator.

Also on display will be small pedestrian stacker trucks, variants of the original multidirectional C-Series, stand-on narrow aisle forklifts, the heavy duty XL range, Combi-CB counterbalance design 4-way models and Aisle Master articulated forklifts. www.handling-network.com

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interview

Success of e-mobility to be decided by the Supply Chain

“Electromobility is a revolution that will fundamentally change the supply chain,” stated Sanjiv Takyar, Head of Innovation, Solutioning & Strategic Marketing at CHEP. One of the major challenges is the transportation of lithium-ion batteries.

Why does logistics have such a big influence on electromobility?

The challenges start with the series production of electric vehicles (e-cars). Batteries represent around 30 percent of an e-car’s content.

Even if a manufacturer locates its battery pack assembly close to every production line, the battery cell components mainly come from Asia.

The Institute of Automotive Economics at the University of Economics and Environment in Geislingen, Germany estimates that 80% of battery cell manufacturing takes place in China. Only if supply chains meet the challenge of differing national dangerous goods requirements, can automobile manufacturers lay the foundations for stable serial production of electric vehicles.

It is certain that the switch to electromobility will make the transport of lithium-ion batteries a core issue for the automotive industry.

However, it is by no means certain that lithium-ion is the battery of the future. Is it true that research is already underway into safe solid batteries that will replace liquid cells such as lithium-ions?

That is correct. There is currently research activity in alternatives such as sodium ion cells or magnesium sulphur cells, but no manufacturer can wait until these so-called ‘super batteries’ are suitable for mass production. The advantages of lithium-ion batteries are simply too good to ignore - high energy density, good load characteristics, and minimal memory effect. I therefore expect that this technology will continue to play an important role as the basis for electric cars for several decades.

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What exactly will happen when e-cars are built on a grand scale?

Shipping costs will increase exponentially, as will the risks.

Despite their undeniable advantages, lithium-ion batteries have one major handicap: transport is dangerous.

They can overheat therefore catch fire or explode, which can shut down an entire supply chain, not to mention a loss of image and trust.

You have founded a Battery in Focus Group. What is it all about?

The Battery in Focus Group is a group of experts from across the entire industry who are committed to sustainable, safe and scalable ways of transporting lithium-ion batteries. We are open to anyone who would like to play an active role in discussing and shaping this topic.

Which packaging is suitable for lithium-ion batteries while being sustainable, reliable and scalable?

How can the risks of transporting lithium-ion batteries be reduced?

Packaging solutions must initially be UN-certified and meet all requirements for shipping lithium-ion batteries set out in the “Recommendation on the Transport of Dangerous Goods Model Regulations”. Anyone transporting dangerous goods across borders, continents and oceans must also comply with complex regulations that are constantly changing. We therefore consider efficient standardised solutions to be the best choice and have adapted our existing plastic folding large containers, the EuroBin and the IsoBin for the transport of lithium-ion batteries accordingly. Specifically, we have equipped both containers with a new over-fit lid, an inner liner bag and robust banding straps to achieve the necessary approvals.

The footprint of the Eurobin is optimised for standard truck dimensions and road transportation whereas the IsoBin is optimised for sea containers. In each case the space utilisation is maximised.

Many shippers rely on one-way packaging because of its lower costs?

This is a widespread misconception.

Reusable, returnable packaging is more efficient and sustainable and therefore significantly reduces the CO2 footprint.

We have transported more goods to more people in more places than anyone else in the world, and in my experience, disposable packaging for lithium-ion batteries is not the solution.

One-way packaging has significant safety risk and produces many hidden costs for transport use, partial damage, recycling and storage. Therefore it becomes inefficient and has a higher a total cost of ownership when compared with reusable solutions.

Such hidden or fictitious costs usually play a minor role in the selection of transport solutions. Direct costs and scalability count for more.

A core problem is that the key elements by which supply chain solutions are assessed today no longer meet the requirements. Many companies do not consider the costs of potential risks in their solution selection. I believe this must and will change, because no business can afford to ignore the environment or accept the image risks associated with an incident of an exploding battery.

Why should electromobility change this?

The automotive industry is undergoing the greatest change in its history. This shift will produce winners and losers. The shift in propulsion technology from internal combustion engines to electric drives currently focuses solely on engine production.

In reality, there is much more at stake.

The market is being redistributed and the decisive factors by which cars are bought today are no longer relevant.

The buyers of the future are buying green. This will put the established OEMs under severe pressure to make not only the product, but also marketing, sales, production and above all their supply chains scalable, environmentally friendly, safe and efficient.

We believe that it is not the cheapest but the best supply chain that wins.

Text: Rob Van Dieten

Whatever your business

TOYOTA – TRUSTED BUSINESS PARTNER. Toyota Material Handling Ireland now brings to the market the complete range of Toyota counterbalanced forklift trucks and BT warehouse equipment, supported by services and added value solutions offering the customer a one stop shop for all your material handling needs. From hand trucks, pallet trucks, order pickers and reach trucks to gas, diesel and electric counterbalance trucks, we offer you the widest product range in the business, making Toyota Material Handling the ideal partner for your business, whatever it is. www.toyota-forklifts.ie

www.toyota-forklifts.ie or Toyota Material Handling Ireland at Toyota Ireland, Killeen Road, Dublin 12. Tel: 01 4190200.

autumn 2019

review I

Usually held at the NEC, Birmingham each year, the Multimodal exhibition is one of the premiere events in the European freight transport, logistics and supply chain sectors. The 2019 Show was held from 18-20 June last with the 2020 event pencilled in for 16-19 June next year. In the meantime, the organisers will host the Supply Chain & Logistics Seminar & Expo in Belgium from 24-26 September. www.multimodal.org

Analytiqa www.analytiqa.com Seeking research and new business opportunities? Well, Analytiqua supports client’s commercial and strategic objectives through relevant reports and actionable insights.

Dachser www.dachser.co.uk A brand name in logistics that is becoming more familiar in Ireland following the acquisition of Johnston Logistics, which will now be known as Dachser Ireland.

Bullet Express www.bulletexpress.co.uk For over 25 years, Glasgow headquartered Bullet Express has provided overnight pallet dispatches from the UK to Ireland, 365 days a week.

Gatwick Group www.gatwickgroup.com Need heavy lifting around the London region? Then make a call to the Gatwick Group, specialist lifting and transport solutions provider that are fully equipped whatever the major task.

CakeBoxx Technologies www.cakeboxx-technologies.com The potential of the CakeBoxx’s ‘two-piece’ cargo shipping containers is enormous. With a unique deck and lid design, the CakeBoxx containers come in different sizes.

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Grip Systems www.grip-systems.com Making packaging more efficient for operators, buyers (and the planet) is what Grip Systems is about. Visitors were literally captured by its automatic pallet wrap system.

autumn 2019

review I Pallite www.pallite.co.uk cont...

Unique in its source of materials, design and manufacture, the cardboard-based Pallite product range is 100% recyclable and can carry heavy loads.

Hornby www.hornby.com Model railway enthusiasts were pleased to discover that Hornby’s latest collection includes a Harry Potter Special Edition. Hornby was established in 1901.

Port of Bilbao www.bilbaoport.eus Offering the best connection to Britain/Ireland and the European continent, the Spanish port offers 11 weekly sailings. It is now Brexit proof with its own Border inspection portals.

Malcolm Logistics www.malcolmgroup.co.uk A regular exhibitor at Multimodal is this Glasgow headquartered logistics, construction and maintenance provider offering service throughout the UK. Malcolm Rail was formed in 2001.

Southgate Packaging www.southgate.eu.com Key products exhibited were its X-FILL and H-PAD void fill systems as well as examples from its Pacplan Technik bespoke packing benches and logistics carts.

Normandy Gateway www.logistique-seine-normandie.com Under this banner a number of Northern France’s ports were promoted – Caen, Ouistreham and Cherbourg, with Dieppe, Le Havre, Rouen and Paris included as prominent logistical hubs. The French connections!

Transaid www.transaid.org The international transport related development charity identifies funds and implements local infrastructure solutions to improve basic services in African countries. www.handling-network.com

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autumn 2019

review II

Some people and businesses at Multimodal 2019

The 12th annual Multimodal show at Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre, in its 3-day format has established a steady formula of stands, with many of the largest ones taken by Ports and Shipping Lines.

At seminar rooms at the back of Hall 4 where presentations were made helped to make the life of the freight shipper easier and more profitable, while other key element of the event was the opportunity for visitors to network and catch up at the event Dinner.

The 2019 show contained all of these elements but was, perhaps, quieter than previous ones, possibly suffering the ‘Brexit effect’ or possibly as a result of the hosts moving the event away from its regular Springtime dates. Another reason, maybe was that the event came a couple of weeks after the Transport Logistic Exhibition in Munich, which had attracted over 2,300 exhibitors from all over the

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world.

Handling Network met with Meredith Hall of Megalift who exhibited his trailer mounted container lifting devices that drew a steady stream of interested viewers. The Megalift’s lifting arms are mounted on an extendable container trailer supplied by Dennison enabling containers of up to 45ft. to be hoisted from trailer to ground, trailer to trailer or trailer to rail wagon in two minutes and in most ground conditions. Since its launch in 2018 the award winning Megalift has successfully sold in Irish and, following participation in the recent Munich event, international markets.

Brittany Ferries Freight Sales Manager UK & Ireland, Steve Aldred, mentioned its strong focus on services from Britain but particularly that from Cork sailing direct to Northern Spain.

He explained that the reason that a high proportion of units travelling on these services are driver accompanied is that crossing times are ideally suited to meet drivers’ hours regulations, enabling them to take reduced weekly rest periods on board while the vehicle is still on the move.

This rest period regime only works when crossings include more than 24 hours at-sea time. He said that the company is satisfied

with the volumes being secured for the Cork/Santander sailings and has built up trust from hauliers despite having some disruption to sailings due to storms and to the need to shift the vessel Connemara to a Roscoff route for a period recently, to cover for Pont Aven following an engine room fire aboard that vessel. On the day after Multimodal, Brittany Ferries announced the charter of a sister-ship to the Connemara for a year running from November 2019. The extra ship is

intended to give the line the capacity to avoid disruptions such as those experienced in recent months.

Stena Line’s stand featured prominently the e-Flexer Cruise Ferries currently under construction in China. David Holderness, the Freight Commercial Manager for Irish Sea South confirmed that it plans to introduce the first of the new fleet onto the Dublin-Holyhead route early in 2020. The new vessel will displace Superfast X and will add another 4,000 lane metres daily onto the service. In preparation for the new vessel and also in response to the significant increase in carryings of unaccompanied trailers, considerable work has now been completed at Salt Island in Holyhead providing a lot more space close to the vessel and enabling much faster

autumn 2019

review II

discharge and loading. He was also confident that the return of the Stena Europe to the Rosslare/Fishguard route in early July will bring a new standard of service to that route. Both the Fishguard and Cherbourg routes out of Rosslare are now showing steady traffic growth, something that David feels will increase further when the New Ross bridge and the Enniscorthy by-pass are completed within the next couple of months.

Thinking of Cherbourg, I went across to the Normandy Gateway stand and met old friends Jerome Chauvet and Laurent Nativelle whose firm, Ports de Normandie includes Caen, Ouistreham and Dieppe. They work closely with the HAROPA Group of ports including Le Havre, Rouen and Paris in seeing to build traffic through

the region’s ports to European and deep-sea locations including container, ferry and bulk traffics. Many interesting projects are under development, one of which could see greatly enhanced ferry/rail connections running from the quay at Cherbourg to destinations, south and east.

A big talking point with the Irish contingent at the show was the announcement the previous week

by BG Freight and the Port of Waterford of a weekly feeder container service calling to Rotterdam, Liverpool and Waterford. This is expected to reduce pressure on sailings ex-Dublin and reduce the road miles involved in shipment of dairy and pharma products from the South-East. The schedule rotation should enable the lines concerned to provide sufficient empty boxes to meet demand.

A substantial shipper of such cargoes out of Waterford is Samskip and its Ireland Sales Manager, Valerie Linehan informed visitors of the Samskip’s Ireland/Rotterdam links but also the rapidly growing Samskip service network now stretching from north of the Arctic Circle to Turkey in the south and to Iceland in the west with links to locations throughout the globe.

At the seminars, Blockchain was the buzz-word. With statements emerging such as the one that 160.000 trees are cut down each year to make the paper needed to produce traditional trucking transit notes, (CMR’s), the use of electronic CMR’s as part of a Blockchain distributed ledger could eliminate all of this use. One speaker at an FTA Forum stated that the big personnel requirement in international haulage was not drivers, but data analysts. He also thought that the day of the mega-trailer was in-sight.

At another platform Alex von Stempel, who organises the series of “Cool Logistics” conferences each year, had a panel discussion on how to build a Roadmap to a world without food loss, through collaboration with the Supply Chain partners to curb the waste. Alex said that about one third of the world’s annual food production for human consumption, 1.3 billion tonnes, gets lost or wasted, a value lost of about one trillion USD. While there has been much talk over the years about “track and trace”

on parcels, on trailers and, more recently, containers, I suspect that the innovation demonstrated by Ian Shaw, Sales & Marketing Director of VTG Rail UK, could be real game changer. VTG has partnered in the development of a GPS tracking unit that can be attached to all rail wagons and can report the wagon’s whereabouts anywhere in Europe along with information about temperature, running condition of the wagon and any other category of information useful to VTG which owns the wagon or to the lessor of the wagon. Ian expects that the introduction of these units will greatly increase shippers’ confidence in the use of rail to move their cargoes and eliminate a significant amount of waste currently arising from inefficient use of wagons. VTG has recently taken over its competitor Nacco, and this

increases its fleet substantially and gives it an Irish company. Mr. Shaw and a number of others at the Rail Freight Group cluster of stands also mentioned the recent announcement by the Port of Teesport and long-standing customer Containerships, now part of the CMA-CGM group to operate a twice daily Teesport/Doncaster rail freight service. What was of particular interest here is that the distance from end to end is only 90 miles and that the schedule allows for a couple of stops on the way to discharge and load containers.

There was a lot more to see and people to talk with at Multimodal – we’ll just have to go back next year, but hear that it is to be held around the same timeline, alas.

Text: Howard Knott

www.handling-network.com

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360o Industry Solutions from Hyster Europe at IMHX

Hyster Europe will be showcasing its 360-degree solutions for logistics operations, including those to support the construction materials and paper supply chains at IMHX 2019 at the NEC, Birmingham, from 24-27 September.

At the event, experts from Hyster Europe, and its UK & Ireland dealer Briggs Equipment, will be on hand to discuss how to manage costs and optimise operational efficiency by matching the right Hyster trucks and solutions to application specific materials handling needs.

At the NEC, a Hyster Fortens lift truck with a 3.5 tonne capacity will

be on display, fitted with additional features to further support driver awareness. This includes Hyster object detection solutions to help support drivers in identifying nearby hazards, in turn potentially avoiding costly damage, and Hyster camera systems, which may help support visibility in certain applications, making it possible to view the immediate area surrounding a truck and the load.

Hyster Europe also offers a range of mobile weighing solutions so operators can accurately weigh loads during transport, rather than transporting each load to a static scale, saving valuable time and increasing efficiency. To further support efficient operations in the construction materials supply chain, the Hyster solutions team can combine the weighing system with speed limitation technology.

With either roof sensing speed limitation, or RFID speed limitation located in the warehouse floor, applications can automatically restrict the speed of the trucks when loads reach a certain weight. This can in turn help minimise damage to the truck, load or warehouse infrastructure.

An ideal truck model in paper handling applications is the intelligently designed Hyster J5.5XN-6 electric lift truck, which will be on display. This powerful, high capacity electric forklift provides excellent manoeuvrability in the tight confines of paper production and storage applications, alongside a low cost of operation.

The model that visitors can see has also been specially adapted to meet the needs of customers in the paper industry. It features a custom mast that includes a variable spacer to enable paper rolls to be handled using a reel clamp attachment without the shift in load centre or reduction in residual capacity that can be encountered.

New advances in motive power battery technology from EnerSys to be unveiled EnerSys will showcase the latest advances in Lithium-ion (Li-ion) and Thin Plate Pure Lead (TPPL) motive power battery technology for material handling applications at IMHX 2019. The exhibition will witness the debut of NexSys PURE batteries, which utilise a combination of advanced carbon and TPPL technology to provide reliable power without the requirements of watering, equalising and battery changing.

Through the use of both TPPL and advanced carbon, NexSys PURE batteries provide for a higher cycle life in applications requiring regular opportunity charging. The launch of NexSys PURE completes the NexSys range, which will also include NexSys iON batteries.

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The lithium-ion solution from EnerSys is engineered with large format prismatic cells and Nickel Manganese Cobalt (NMC) cell chemistry. What’s more, the batteries come equipped with an integrated battery management system (BMS) in the control module that provides protection, control and communication to the charger and truck.

In addition to showcasing its latest advanced batteries, EnerSys will reveal how companies can improve efficiency and cost savings by gaining a deeper insight into the power management of their electric material handling vehicles. A number of innovations have recently been introduced in this area, including the Wi-iQ battery monitoring device from EnerSys that

collects data via wireless sensors in each battery, the E-connect mobile app, the Truck iQ smart battery dashboard and the Xinx battery operations management system.

Power management programmes and product ranges designed by EnerSys enable logistic, operations and energy managers to drive, control and improve battery use and, consequently provide energy consumption in multiple locations via mobile apps or laptop simple and user-friendly interfaces.

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All you need is BITO at IMHX 2019 1. Small parts picking 2. Bulk storage using pallet live systems 3. General storage and order picking.

At IMHX 2019, leading storage solutions provider BITO Storage Systems will be displaying its ability to provide a comprehensive set of products and solutions in three groupings:

“IMHX gives visitors a great opportunity to see solutions for all of their needs,” said Edward Hutchison, Managing Director of BITO Storage Solutions. “By specially designing our stand to present these three groupings of products from our broad range of storage and picking solutions, visitors from key sectors including retail, man-

50 years of Pyroban at IMHX 2019 Pyroban experts will be discussing a range of explosion protection solutions at IMHX 2019 that help manage the risk of ignition found in materials handling equipment (MHE).

“We are inviting manufacturers and users of lift trucks, warehouse equipment, scrubber driers and other industrial vehicles operating in ‘ATEX’ Zones to join the celebration,” said Rob Vesty, Sales Manager for Pyroban.

Today, Pyroban helps keep people safe in a variety of manufacturing and logistics applications where potentially

explosive atmospheres may exist, including those in the food and drink, cosmetic, pharmaceutical, chemical, coatings and waste management industries, as well as the oil and gas industry. Visitors will see working examples of Pyroban equipment including system6000 for Zone 2 areas, and Gascheka used in safe areas.

Pyroban representatives will also be advising users and equipment suppliers about training, service support and annual auditing of explosion proof lift trucks and the legal requirements.

ufacturing and logistics will clearly see how we can match all of their requirements.”

Among the innovative solutions featured across the three groupings of the impressive stand will be pallet, carton and pallet live systems; shelving; bins and containers; and the LEO Locative driverless transport system.

BITO can also supply supporting products such as mezzanines, warehouse trucks, signage and guarding. A new highlight will be a demonstration of how a section of BITO’s increasingly popular multi-tier shelving is constructed.

At IMHX 2019 Dematic presents The Future of Intelligent Logistics Dematic, a leading supplier of integrated automated technology, software and services to optimise the supply chain invites visitors to step into the future of intelligent logistics on stand TL4 at IMHX 2019.

Guests to the stand will have the opportunity to gaze into the future.

Speakers from Dematic’s Robotics Centre of Excellence will venture into the realms of intelligent logistics, highlighting some of the exciting new technologies that are under development – offering a glimpse of tomorrow’s

solutions. Insights will span from AI to robotic vision systems for single item picking.

Dematic may be looking to the future, but its focus is firmly fixed on finding solutions to the daily challenges faced by logistics professionals: from gearing up productivity, reducing error rates and handling returns efficiently, to alleviating labour availability issues, providing scalable solutions and future-proofing performance.

At IMHX 2019 Dematic will take the opportunity to engage with supply chain professionals on current and future challenges, to better understand the system needs of today and tomorrow.

Visitors to the Dematic stand will also be taken on a journey of enlightenment around some of the very latest automated logistics solutions available today. These include a fully-working example of Dematic’s leading Pouch Sorter system, capable of solving the most challenging fulfilment and returns problems for retail ecommerce; an on-stand display of the ultra-dense robotic storage system, AutoStore; a live demonstration of Dematic’s Piece Picking Robots in action; and an on-screen display of the very latest Dematic iQ Warehouse Software – the intelligence behind Dematic’s high-performance automated solutions.

www.handling-network.com

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preview III

See the new Flexi ACiON & LiTHiON VNA truck ranges at IMHX 2019

IMHX 2019 will see the official launch of Narrow Aisle Ltd’s new Flexi ACiON and Flexi LiTHiON VNA lift truck ranges.

With all drive, hydraulic and power-steering functions controlled digitally, the trucks in the Flexi ACiON (lead acid battery-powered) and Flexi LiTHiON (lithium-ion battery-powered) collections are described as a ‘tour de force’ in articulated lift truck drivability and reliability.

The introduction of digitally controlled motors for all key functions delivers a more integrated truck performance and results in greater reliability, higher productivity and significantly reduced operating and maintenance costs.

Full digital control means that all models are ultra-energy efficient:

every time the truck’s mast is raised or lowered, as well as during forward and reverse travel and when the steering wheel is moved, regenerative energy is produced and feeds back to the battery to maximise the time that the truck can perform between battery changes or charges.

In addition, noise levels are significantly reduced and steering and mast control operations – whether using the lift/lower or sideshift functions – are carried out with optimum precision at all times.

But it is not just ‘under the bonnet’ where enhancements have been made: when developing the new Flexi ACiON and Flexi LiTHiON ranges, Narrow Aisle’s design team sought to produce the ultimate driver-friendly articulated forklift trucks on the market.

All aspects of operator visibility have been improved, e.g.; the trucks’ HiVis overhead guard has been redesigned and reconfigured to ensure perfect upward visibility of both the forks and the load. The guard also features a soft grey finish that is proven by optometrists to be easy ‘on the eye’ to further aid the operator’s through vision.

Clear forward visibility is ensured by the use of three-stage lift masts, which feature four-lift cylinder technology that not only delivers full fork vision to make pallet entry clear and straightforward but also provides class-leading lateral stability. All models are fitted with fully adjustable premium

seats with high or low backrest options – which, combined with the trucks’ adjustable steering column, reduce operator fatigue during even the longest shifts.

Models in Narrow Aisle’s Flexi ACiON and Flexi LiTHiON ranges can operate safely and efficiently in aisles measuring just 1.6 metres wide and can lift loads weighing up to 2.5 kg to heights of 14 metres.

In addition, visitors to the Narrow Aisle stand will be able to see the unique FlexiPick layer order picking system which allows users to take advantage of the increasingly popular layer quantity FMCG order assembly concept without the need to invest in the kind of high fixed cost and automated handling technology that previous layer picking systems have relied upon.

Thanks to its articulated chassis design, the FlexiPiCK system is the perfect platform for layer picking technology. The FlexiPick’s integrated hydraulic arms carefully lift single or multiple layers of product and deliver each individual layer picked to the assembly station where a load is made up of full layers. The FlexiPiCK system works comfortably in access aisles of less than two metres – which hugely reduces the floor space footprint. Steel guidance rails are not required for the system to function at faster picking rates which allows a more flexible load assembly aisle layout with more product options to be designed.

See JCB’s new electric-powered Teletruk at IMHX 2019 JCB will showcase models from the multi-award winning Teletruk range of telescopic lift trucks, including the newly launched JCB 30-19E - the first electric-powered machine in the Teletruk range.

With its iconic telescopic forward reach boom, the JCB Teletruk was developed as an alternative to the conventional lift truck, which, of course, has a front-mounted mast that raises and lowers loads only vertically.

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The forward reach functionality makes the Teletruk the ideal choice of lift truck at sites where containers, curtainsided trailers, vans and other delivery vehicles have to be loaded and unloaded quickly, safely and efficiently.

When it comes to loading and unloading containers from within a building, the Teletruk offers superior performance to other types of materials handling equipment while, outside, the

Teletruk can load or unload a curtainsided trailer in under 30 minutes and requires 30% less space than conventional counterbalanced trucks to work in.

Text Jarlath Sweeney

FOR YOUR PERFORMANCE. High-performance material ow solutions tailored to individual customer needs.

SUMMER

20 19

The Irish Magazine for the Materials Handling, Warehousing & Logistics Sectors

Vol SUMMER

XXVIIV

for the Magazine The Irish

Materials

Sectors Logistics ousing & g, Wareh Handlin

inning Award w ombi-PPT tC Combilif

19 ards 20 IFOY Aw & Winners s Test Day d ce un Anno

Best Large Business 2019

01 456 6626 | sales@linde-mh.ie | www.linde-ireland.ie

AUTUMN 2 0 1 9

review II

21 & 22 June 2019

Punchestown, Naas, County Kildare

Age Ltd - Willie Barry Ashbourne Truck Centre - Joe Mooney and Sarah Mooney

AIB Finance & Leasing (l-r) David Fanning, Eoghan O’Hara, Brendan Crowley and Paul O’Connell

Capital Flow - Pictured (l-r) the Capital Flow team - Richie Egan, David Clarke, Kevin Scullion, Renata Skvorcevika, Ronan Kelly, Linda Bohan and JP Moore.

Continental Tyres - James Parrott, Brand Manager and Alex White, Sales Manager

DAF Trucks - John Dowling and Nicky Gill – DAF Distributors Ireland

Applegreen - Pictured (l-r) at the Applegreen stand are Joe Magee, Business Development Manager; Stephen Mullaney, Bulk Business Manager and Shane McDonnell, Applegreen Commercial Fuels Marketing

Arachas - Tracey McGroarty and Ger Hudson

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Carbery Plastics - Pictured (l-r) Pio Ronan and Jim Hunt

Close Brothers Commercial Finance Pictured with Adrian Madden, (right) is Michael McHale, McHale Plant Hire.

Delaney Commercials Ruadhri Carew and John Delaney

Finance Ireland Leasing - Joe O’Callaghan, Regional Sales Director and Hilary Moroney, Partnership Sales Director

AUTUMN 2 0 1 9

review II

Gleeson Truck Bodies - David O’Brien

Granco - Pat Grant, Granco Fuehauf

Irish Commercials - Liam O’Shaughnessy (Truck Sales, West) and Conor Horan, Irish Commercials

Manitou - Eamon Bolger

Kel-Berg Trailers - Daniel Parker and John Byrne

McHale Plant Sales - Darragh O’Driscoll, Commercial Manager and Tim Shanahan, Managing Director

Hi Power - Paul D’Alton, Hi-Power; Tim Duffy of Sunfab; Mark Spencer, Matthew Campbell, Micheál Walsh and Maurice Kearney, Hi-Power

Laois Hire - Catherine Daynes, Marketing Manager,

Pirtek - Colin Deane, Sales Development Manager and Sean Howard, Managing Director

MAN Importers Ireland - Stephen Brazil Industrial Tyre Specialists - Michael Bird, Trelleborg Industrial Tyres UK Ltd., Alan Clancy and Kieran Clancy

(Sales), Malcolm McKinstry (Area Sales Manager), Dara Sullivan (Service Manager), Tim Cronin (Van Sales), Ryan O’Neill (Parts Sales) and Arthur Ring (Training)

Renault Trucks - Alex Williams, Head of Brand & Communications, Renault Trucks UK & Ireland and Harry Nash, Setanta Vehicle Sales www.handling-network.com

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autumn 2019

case study

Food for Thought: Brexit could be a huge stomach ache but the Cold Chain has its own dynamics that could put it a step ahead From seafood to dairy, meat, and the humble potato, Ireland boasts some of the finest foods in the world. And the Irish temperature controlled supply chains systems are also world class.

The Irish food sector has seen several major challenges over the last decade, from the ruinous foot and mouth disease outbreak to scandals involving contaminated or wrongly labelled types of meat, such as the memorable horse-burgers of 2013. In fact, as recently as June there were reports that premises were being searched as part of an investigation into another possible “equine event”.

However this investigation together with the Food Safety Authority Ireland’s (FSAI) role in exposing the 2013 scandal have put Ireland on the map as a leading agent in enforcement and compliance. Mark Boulton, a Director of Galway based food logistics specialist Cold Move Ltd explained: “By virtue of the fact these events have been detected and acted on, with people held to account demonstrates Ireland’s position... and commitment to food safety.”

Mark says the cold chain involves rigorous admin and EU legislation as a matter of course. The legal minimum for traceability is a system in which a food business records what ingredients/ food products it receives and from who (including contact details) together with what product it dispatches to which customers (including their details) This

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is called the one-up-one-down system.

The FSAI warns that there is a serious legal responsibility already in place to trace food goods.

Furthermore, any haulier or third party logistics operator that handles food becomes a “food business” in its own right for legislative purposes: “Therefore they must have a traceability system for the product they handle even if they don’t own it.”

With such stringent accountability and traceability, the cold chain is arguably the most data-rich side of logistics. So could this put temperature controlled operators at an advantage when the next major challenge – namely Brexit – strikes?

“Perhaps”, claimed Mark: “The advantage is that we’re used to undertaking… quite onerous processes.” However, he pointed out that it’s the scale of the problem, rather than complexity that will be the challenge. And however sophisticated food businesses are, they will still face bottlenecks and traffic jams.

“We do deal with exports from as far as the USA and Australia, and imports from the Far East, so it’s something we’re used to.

But it’s the sheer volume of customs transactions to be processed that is going to be the challenge.”

And for perishable goods,

backlogs and delays are serious issues.

“Consignments may get held up by 12 hours.... short life product may only have a three day shelf life, so to be losing, in extreme circumstances, up to 25% of the shelf life is a material problem,” he added.

This reflects a deep concern within the industry. “Without doubt, Brexit is by far the greatest challenge to ever face the Irish agri-food sector,” said a report by PriceWaterhouseCooper (PWC) entitled “Brexit and the Irish

autumn 2019

case study

Food Sector”.

“The stark reality is that delays will occur. This will drive cost and delay for Irish exporters and particularly challenge those shipping short shelf-life products, where minimum acceptable life is a critical KPI,” it stated.

Newry based Inter Trade Ireland launched a Brexit Advisory Service in 2017, and its collaboration with Linwoods, a County Armagh based foodservice, demonstrates how the low margins involved put the food sector at increased risk in the event of a bad Brexit scenario.

Linwoods Director John Woods, commented: “We import some of our raw materials from the South (of Ireland) and we sell our milk and bread in parts of the South… those things go on with no paperwork… so we just see the border activities as seamless.”

“There are numerous companies in Northern Ireland exporting products to the South and some companies in the South are exporting to the North… there is no margin in bread for doing that, or even in milk so we are therefore trying to link up a partnership in the event of [Brexit issues] that we can have some of our products packed in Europe.”

Shane Brennan, Chief Executive of

the UK’s Cold Chain Federation (until recently known as the Food Storage & Distribution Federation), said: “The guiding principle of Brexit planning is don’t assume that Governments on all sides will have it under control. So for food businesses it’s about making a hard headed assessment of the risk to supply product by product and making some hard choices about whether to stockpile products or ingredients, source from elsewhere or simply prepare for inevitable interruptions.”

Cold Move’s Mark Boulton concluded that this message has still to sink in. “I see very few people who are genuinely preparing for the [hard Brexit] eventuality. People have shelved any thinking about it, let alone plans….

Leading into March we didn’t have a single pallet space in the entire country, that’s six warehouses across Ireland all stockpiled... it was crazy. A bit like us men on Christmas Eve running about like headless chickens!”

“People are now sleepwalking into

September and then the next deadline when I know I will have people beating down my door to stockpile again.”

And this is a massive issue, according to Shane Brennan: “Contrary to what some might presume, few warehouse companies will relish the prospect of customers seeking to stockpile… as this is not how a warehouse businesses profits.”

Pure food businesses, third party logistics providers and transport operators alike want to see stock moving. And Shane said that headaches are still being caused by stockpiled stock from March.

“Stockpiles are blocking the space now needed for goods coming in from the harvest and we are fast approaching the period when stocks will start to build up for Christmas trading.”

But Brexit is certainly not the first challenge that food and temperature controlled logistics operators have faced. The nature of the work, and the standards already in place mean that the cold chain is a dynamic area of logistics that may yet set the standard for dealing with whatever challenges the future serves up.

Text: Johanna Parsons

LEADERS IN CUSTOMISED HANDLING SOLUTIONS +353 47 80500

combilift.com

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autumn 2019

logistics

Virginia orders 15 more CNG powered trucks Virginia International Logistics is continuing to invest in Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) technology. It is expanding its fleet to 23 CNG trucks and will have two refuelling stations in operation by the end of the year.

The company’s drivers cover over 12 million kilometres across Europe every year, and the firm currently has eight natural gas vehicles in operation in Ireland, with 15 new Iveco Stralis Natural Power tractor-units to be delivered before 2020.

Virginia is currently using its CNG refuelling station at its Ballycoolin, County Dublin depot and is about to open a new one at its Virginia headquarters too.

The company has a strong commitment to reducing its environmental impact according to Transport Director Ray Cole who said: “These CNG powered trucks represent the biggest leap forward yet for our company in achieving that goal.”

Gas Networks Ireland, which is tasked with developing the technology in Ireland, has stated that CNG trucks emit 99% less particulate matter, 80% less sulphur dioxide, 70% less nitrogen oxide and a fifth less carbon dioxide than equivalent petrol or diesel vehicles. Virginia

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reckons the CNG trucks have also reduced noise output by up to 7dB per vehicle.

As part of its aim to reduce its carbon footprint, Virginia has previously used aerodynamic Air Tabs on older trucks, along with driver training, tyre management techniques, and also saving fuel with the ECOfleet scheme. In a five year period during which Virginia’s business activity almost doubled, significant results from the ECOfleet Fuel Saving Programme included over 200,000 litres of fuel saved, 60,000 kg carbon dioxide emissions avoided, and Enprova funding received.

Virginia International Logistics employs more than 180 staff, with over 120 Euro 4 to Euro 6 trucks and 400 trailers with operational bases in Kells, County Meath; Ballycoolin, County Dublin; Tamworth, UK and at its headquarters in Virginia, County Cavan.

Ray Cole, Transport Director at Virginia International Logistics is pictured with Colm Furlong, Head of Asset and Invoice Finance at Ulster Bank’s Lombard at the announcement.

+353 47 80500

combilift.com

autumn 2019

logistics

Frank McCarthy Haulage grows business with smartphones Frank McCarthy Haulage has transported goods all over Ireland and the UK for more than four decades – arranging collection and delivery to and from farms, mills, docks and ships.

The family-owned company has ten employees, operating a fleet of nine 46-tonne GVW trucks and more than 30 trailers from its base in Ovens, County Cork.

The company previously relied on paper documentation for proof of delivery signatures, logging daily vehicle checks and keeping driver timesheets. But with business growth, they needed to increase efficiency.

“Using paper was slow and there was the risk of it going missing. It got too busy and there was going to be too much paperwork for the size of the company,” said Gary McCarthy, Director at FMC Haulage.

The firm took on mobile provider Three to upgrade the company’s phones to Android smartphones. This enabled drivers to receive work notes for new jobs on their devices as well as logging their vehicle checks, timesheets, time-off requests and PODs. They can now see the customer’s

contact number, location and details of the load. Everyone at FMC completes daily admin through apps now. “It’s way more time efficient and accurate if you eliminate paperwork and get information on your phone or computer,” added Gary.

In Summer 2018, Samsung released a rugged tablet that is dustproof, waterproof and protected with a heavy-duty case. Three Account Manager, Ciaran Poynton, requested ten devices as part of an upgrade package, and in less than two weeks all FMC drivers were benefiting from functionality like electronic proof of delivery that customers can sign on screen.

Reliable connectivity is essential with a workforce that’s constantly on the move, according to Gary: “Mobile connectivity allows us to store all information in the cloud, meaning you can find information in seconds.

That way, our people can focus on the things that matter like building customer relationships. All of our workflow is streamlined and we can manage devices quickly and easily.”

Connecting drivers in real-time

to the office and the cloud has improved FMC’s response times and customer service. The company can now accommodate special requests and operate more flexible delivery schedules. They can also respond proactively to disruptions.

Drivers get clear instructions faster which saves the company valuable time: “You get more done, you improve asset utilisation and drivers are more productive. The benefit of the connectivity is that as a company you’re more engaged, more information-driven, more productive and collaborative. It makes you more agile for change.”

So much commercially sensitive data being accessible by mobile devices is a potential security risk, but FMC is always in control of its information. If an employee were to lose a tablet or smartphone, the company can remotely wipe the device, providing an extra layer of security and data protection.

Since putting the system in place, the company has hired four new employees. “It’s given us the platform to grow. We can handle more work now. It gives our company a more collaborative, productive and secure future,” concluded Gary.

Thermo King Galway reduces water use by 5% Thermo King Galway has implemented a new process that re-uses wastewater previously sent off-site that helps to reach a plant objective to reduce overall water use by 5% over 2018.

Owned by US Corporation Ingersoll Rand, Thermo King is a world leading maker of refrigerators for trucks, trailers, buses, rail cars and shipboard containers.

The Galway facility now has a Water Reduction Team and a Green Team on site. Both teams meet to review opportunities to reduce various wastes on an ongoing basis, including water. The water previously sent off-site for disposal is now being used in

bathrooms, for washing of floors and testing of “bunds”, the structures placed under tanks to catch potential leaks and prevent water table contamination.

“By re-using wastewater, we reduce the water quantities supplied from the local Water Department in Galway. This has resulted in financial benefits for the site, a direct impact on the sustainability goals both our business and our customers are committed to, and our ability to make a small impact in protecting one of the greatest natural resources we have in this world,” said Cormac MacDonncha, Thermo King

Galway Operations Director, pictured with the Green Team.

Text: Johanna Parsons

www.handling-network.com

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supply chain

IEA Supply Chain Series 2019 – Events update The IEA Supply Chain series of events and publications which are supported

by Rhenus Logistics, Avant Air & Sea, Irish Rail and Rosslare Europort along with media partner Fleet Transport have continued through 2019.

In June, the second of the series of the 2019 series of four Supply Chain Newsletters was published. This issue included updates on Supply Chain developments affecting Irish exporters including shipping and port updates along with updates on Customs and International trade controls. On 25 June, David Sadlier of Rhenus Logistics and Mick Curran, CEO of the Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport (CILT) in Ireland conducted a webinar speaking on the topic of Transport and Brexit readiness.

The second webinar took place on 18 July in which Howard Knott addressed the reasons why it is now more than ever important for exporters and importers to fully understand and to take control of all aspects of their supply chains. It is no longer sensible for cargo suppliers to simply hand the logistics of getting the cargo to customers to third parties and to expect to be seen as a premium and committed supplier. The webinar focused on the many factors that are changing the freight logistics environment including Brexit, trade wars, environmental imperatives, but most of all, on the opportunities and challenges being brought by the rapidly developing digital economy.

The webinar also highlighted some of the developments in freight modes that could play a significant role in the hoped-for low carbon logistics world in 2050.

The Supply Chain series includes two webinars during September which will discuss the then current issues concerning Brexit and other Trade development areas. On 24 September, a roundtable event will take place at the Thermo King facility in Galway.

Like the other roundtable events in the series this one will be “by invitation” and confined to regionally based manufacturing exporters. The focus here will be National Competitiveness.

On the same day the IEA’S Western Regional Council will meet in Galway.

On 3 October, a larger event, open to all, will be held in Cork with a focus on the Life Sciences sector and the problems and opportunities that sector faces in the 2020 trading environment.

Two weeks later, on 17 October exporters in the South-East region will be invited to participate in a round table event to discuss regional issues in the areas of warehousing, distribution and the requirements for Customs and other control facilities there. Between these events the third Supply Chain newsletter will be published which will also bring together material on the range of related events and training being undertaken by the IEA which impact on supply chains.

As the current Brexit deadline falls on 31 October, the schedule of Supply

Chain series events in the weeks around and following that date has been left a little bit loose. The current plan is to run two webinars before the year end and, on 26 November a major event at Shannon Airport with a focus on research and development.

Lifting of Russian transit ban could open new opportunities in Asian markets Over the last ten years considerable progress has been made by Chinese and other interests in the development of containerized rail freight between China and Europe. While a number of routes are used, the bulk of traffic moves through Russia.

The main driver up to now, of the project, which gives door-to-door transit times of under twenty days, considerably less than would be the case for transit by sea, has been shipment of cars and other higher value products to European markets. The lifting of the ban by the Russian Government on the transit through its territory of agricultural products, raw materials and foodstuffs as of 1 July 2019, taken with the development of GPS enabled container and cargo management, is now estimated to facilitate the shipment of up to 80,000 mainly eastbound units.

For Irish based companies in the Food or Pharma sectors this may be a route to markets well worth exploring with the operators of these services.

Text: Howard Knott

DIARY DATE:

TRANSPORT www.fleet.ie

Engaging Connectivity

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AWARDS 2020

Thursday 10 October 2019, Citywest Hotel, Dublin

Ashbourne Truck Centre, Ballymadun, Ashbourne, Co. Meath, Ireland Tel: 00353 18350573 Josef: 0035387 255 66 77 Sarah J: 0035386 255 66 77

New 3 axle step frame low loader, extendable, with hook on aluminium loading ramps. 39 tonne payload, stake pockets and twistlock pockets.

New Faymonville 4 axle step frame low loader, xed bed, double ip ramps with hydraulic side shiŌ, out riggers, marker boards, 48 tonne payload.

New Faymonville 5 axle step frame extendable low loader, 3 steer axles, front liŌ axle, auto greaser, opƟon for hook on aluminium ramps or hydraulic ramps.

New Schmitz Cargobull 80 cubic yard bulk scrap trailer, hardox steel body, barn doors with safety lock, front liŌ axle, very strong trailer with light tare weight, 8 tonnes , in stock ready to go.

Wide range of trailers in stock. Ready for delivery, call for more opƟons.

New Faymonville 4 axle 9Ō wide, extendable, payload 60 tonnes, double ip ramps, hydraulic legs under rear, out riggers, marker boards, ready to go.

New Schmitz Cargbull 70 cubic yard bulk Ɵpping trailer, aluminium body, with roll over cover, combi door (can be used as barn doors and also as normal top hinge door) Front liŌ axle, wabco smartboard, grain hatches, in stock, choice.

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Close Brothers | Modern Merchant Banking Close Brothers Limited (being a UK registered private limited company and its Irish registered branch of the same name having registration number 907899), trading as (and having as registered business names) Close Brothers Asset Finance, Close Brothers Commercial Finance, Close Brothers Premium Finance Ireland, Close Brothers Motor Finance and Braemar Finance, is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority in the United Kingdom and is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority in the United Kingdom and is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland for conduct of business rules. UK registered address: 10 Crown Place, London, EC2A 4FT, registered at Companies House, Number 00195626. Directors: M. Biggs (UK), O. Corbett (UK), P. Duffy (UK), G. Howe (UK), L. Jones (UK), E. Lee (UK), B. Macaskill (UK), M. Morgan (UK), P. Prebensen (UK) and A. Sainsbury (UK). Close Brothers Invoice Finance and Close Brothers Commercial Finance are registered business names of Close Invoice Finance Limited, a UK registered private limited company (and its Irish registered branch of the same name having registration number 908024). UK registered address: 10 Crown Place, London, EC2A 4FT, registered at Companies House, Number 00935949. Directors: J. Brown (UK), C. McAreavey (UK), A. Sainsbury (UK), M. Sooknah (UK), I. Steward (UK), D. Thomson, (UK).