Logistics & Materials Handling September 2015

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inside VOL45 ISS4 SEPTEMBER 2015 Industry News Warehousing Tech Terminal Operations Transport

The rise of TOS

How your loading facility can improve cargo movements

Setting the standards Manitou’s mining spec telehandlers

Tough as nails The new Toughpad reviewed

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This issue September 2015

forklifts Manitou’s specialised mining telehandlers

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logisticsmagazine.com.au

inside VOL45 ISS4 SEPTEMBER 2015 Industry News Warehousing Tech Terminal Operations Transport

The rise of TOS

How your loading facility can improve cargo movements

Setting the standards Manitou’s mining spec telehandlers

Tough as nails The new Toughpad reviewed

contents 06 Warehousing The benefits of sectional doors

04 Bulletin Board Dual crane lift goes horribly wrong Picket line at Port Botany Amcor increases full year profits on back of acquisitions

08 Tech Panasonic’s new tough tablet

05 Supply Chain Multiply your skills

14 Transport Future of transport and logistics

terminaloperations This month in LMH we look at Manitou’s new range of mining spec telehandlers, bespoke machines which have been tailored to the Australian mining standards, and can withstand the harshest conditions.

Branko Miletic reviews the new Panasonic Toughpad, a hardy personal computer with great BYOD capability.

Improve cargo movements and productivity

12

We examine some of the benefits of sectional doors in warehouse and freight centre usage compared to roller shutters.

Zebra Technologies takes a look at the future of logistics and transport in Australia, and Jade Logistics examines the use of Terminal Operating Systems and the ways they can improve productivity.

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER: Martin Sinclair e martin.sinclair@cirrusmedia.com.au EDITORIAL CO-ORDINATOR: Ben Hagemann t 02 8484 0884 e ben.hagemann@cirrusmedia.com.au GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Dave Ashley t 02 8484 0710 e david.ashley@cirrusmedia.com.au PRODUCTION CO-ORDINATOR: Mary Copland t 02 8484 0737 e mary.copland@cirrusmedia.com.au KEY ACCOUNT MANAGER: Tim Richards t 02 8484 0829 e tim.richards@cirrusmedia.com.au All rights reserved. No part of the publication may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means without the written permission of the publisher.

ISSN 1832-5513 Copyright Cirrus Media. Published by Cirrus Media. (ABN 80 132 719 861) Tower 2, 475 Victoria Avenue, Chatswood, NSW 2067 Australia Locked Bag 4700 t 02 8484 0888 f 02 8484 0633. Printed five times a year, Logistics & Materials Handling is inserted in the February, April, July, September and November 2014 issues of Manufacturers’ Monthly, FEN, Australian Mining, Food, and PACE magazines with a distribution of 14,901.

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September 2015 Logistics&MaterialsHandling | 3

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bulletinboard LOGISTICS AND MATERIALS HANDLING NEWS FROM AUSTRALIA AND AROUND THE WORLD

Dual crane lift goes horribly wrong A dual crane lift in Netherlands

Video footage of the accident

which dates from the 1950s.

went tragically wrong in early

showed one crane overbalancing

August, resulting in the injury of

as the barge leaned over in the

were aided by air-ambulance

First responders to the site

approximately 20 people in shops

water, causing the load to fall and

helicopters.

that were crushed in the accident.

drag the other crane down.

The cranes and load toppled

The lift was conducted from a

The cranes were lifting a section

onto a second-hand clothing store

canal barge in the western Dutch

of roadway intended for renovation

and an art supplies shop, injuring

town of Alphen aan den Rijn.

work to the Queen Juliana Bridge,

the shoppers inside.

Crane accident in Netherlands, August 2015.

Picketline at Port Botany over Hutchison sackings

Amcor increases full year profits on back of acquisitions

A picket line was set up at Port

following acquisitions around the globe.

Botany in Sydney after 97 workers

PACKAGING giant Amcor has posted an increase in full-year profit, The company’s profit after tax of US$680.3 million was up 0.4 per

were sacked by Hutchison Ports

cent. This included the negative translation impact from the higher US

Australia, using email to say their

dollar on profit after tax of US$47 million.

positions had been terminated

Revenues were $US9.61 billion, a 3.5 per cent fall from last year.

with no opportunities for

Over the past 12 months Amcor has made acquisitions in South Africa,

redeployment.

Brazil, China and India, as well as new greenfield plants announced in the

40 of those workers were

Philippines and Indonesia.

employed at the Port of Brisbane

“Earnings per share, on a constant currency basis increased 7.5

and 57 at Port Botany.

per cent and the dividend, in Australian dollar terms, increased 23 per

Employees were told that

cent to 53 cents. The key drivers of the increased earnings were the

their final day of work was Friday

benefits from recent acquisitions and continued improvement in operating

August 14, but they were not

performance,” Amcor’s Managing Director & CEO, Ron Delia said in a

required to attend from August 6 onward.

Hutchison’s gates were blocked by security guards, and ABC reported an altercation started

Sacked workers picket the Sydney docks. have done recently,” a spokesman for the MUA said.

“The union is seeking a fair and

sack them at midnight,” he said.

Sacked cranage team leader

million share buy-back that was announced in February.

had threatened to close down

he could not enter to retrieve his

data and modelling are put on the

without notice.

possessions.

table to determine the true nature and scope of the problem.”

MUA NSW assistant branch

“Bottom line is we bent over

increasingly dynamic world and has substantial opportunities to leverage

we’re a really good workforce...but

the existing portfolio to generate growth.”

secretary Paul Garrett said the

they’re trying to pick on us all the

to Australian customers.

redundancies were related to

time,” he said.

(MUA) said it “utterly rejects”

moves towards automation.

“It’s clear that the company’s

“They’ve got nastier and nastier...we don’t really know why

claims the company had to reduce

got a move to automate and this

its operations due to a lack of

is just one of the steps along

competitiveness .

the way to automating but there

a while ago about ‘we’ll close

we’ve been sacked.

“They started threatening us

“We believe this is a strategy

shouldn’t be any automation

down whenever we like’, or

to increase automation as there

without negotiation and they

‘we’ll make you redundant for no

are no logical reasons why the

certainly should enter into

reason’... they kept saying stuff

company would otherwise give

meaningful discussion with the

like that but we kept battling

away profitable contracts as they

workers and their union, not just

away.”

4 | Logistics&MaterialsHandling September 2015

“Amcor has a strong foundation to build on, and an excellent track record of ongoing improvement. Amcor is well positioned in an

backwards, we tried our hardest

including downsizing of its offerings The Maritime Union of Australia

per cent for the first time in the company’s history. The balance sheet remains very strong, and we have completed 60 per cent of the US$500

objective process where all labour

Hutchison blamed the

“The business delivered strong free cash flow, after the payment of dividends, of approximately $300 million and returns exceeded 20

Craig Hancock said the company

after a security guard told a worker

redundancies on several issues,

statement.

Amcor is one of the world’s leading packaging manufacturers.

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supplychain

Multiply your skills, or be left behind Raghav Sibal, Managing Director, ANZ at Manhattan Associates

in their area of expertise. They must think through the chain in an holistic, integrated fashion across the entire supply and demand network. mployees must multiply their Productivity of repetitive tasks is no longer the competencies to keep up with today’s differentiator in the supply chain. It is advanced supply chain. The reality is that the decision-making, how we deal with exceptions, supply chain has changed, moving and judgment that must be used to prioritise the beyond the linear “chain” to become a network, company’s values that is now required, whether of suppliers, distributors, facility types, forms those values include customer satisfaction and of replenishment, cycles of supply, types of responsiveness, environmental sustainability, demand, the fickle nature of consumers or team appreciation and engagement, or brand buyers, and the readiness of information about perception. Each operational component of the price, availability and alternatives. commerce chain must now be driven seamlessly, Innovation in supply and demand network is requiring a shift from ‘functional silos’ to happening so quickly that just learning the ‘new interoperable and conceptually aligned end-tothing’ and going back to business is no longer end flexible processes. sufficient. Organisations must change their Employees have also changed. Depending approach to learning, making it both continuous on the region and industry, 40 per cent of the and challenge-based. workforce is now Millennial, growing to 70 per Given the complex nature of today’s supply cent in 2017. chains, teams can no longer specialise in a single Millennials learn differently, have different LM 0 9expect 1 5 _to0 be 0 0 _ T R Ofor-doing 1 well 2 0only 1 5 - 0values 8 - 2in0 terms T 1 0 of : how 5 0 :they 3 2relate + 1 0to: their 0 0 work, silo and rewarded

E

and therefore demand different management styles and resources of their employers. In supply chain, integrated knowledge of how the networks operate is locked up in the minds of Boomers and Matures who teach the way they learn – by telling, when Millennials learn by doing.

A new, challenge-based learning is required, with real context about the real environment in supply chain. Interactive, game-based simulations could be used. Valuable learning approaches can include stories, case studies, and examples that have challenges for the learners to solve in them. This is the complex decisionmaking context needed for great supply chain professionals. In the day-to-day environment, you need real-time, just-in-time performance support, which includes quick reference on how to perform tasks. Finally, the greatest impact comes from aligning each employee, team, location and function across the organisation with the metrics and goals, vision and values of the organisation.

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Transport, Warehousing and Logistics sector specialists

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ADELAIDE • BRISBANE • MELBOURNE • SYDNEY • NEWCASTLE • PERTH

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warehousing

The benefits of sectional doors There are any number of factors that require consideration in commercial building design, but when it comes to warehousing and logistics focussed operations where there is a high volume of vehicles and freight involved, care must be taken when choosing the means of access.

L

Noise

arge doorways in warehousing situations are often required to be tailored for a purpose, whether for vehicle loading bays, or simply for parking up vehicles and storing freight, but whatever the purpose, designers need to settle on a type of door.

There are two main types of door used for large apertures designed for vehicle access: roller shutters, and sectional doors.

When making decisions in the design phase, how can one choose which type of door is right for their building?

There are a number of attributes to each type of door which dictate length of working life, versatility of the look that different designs can bring to a commercial or industrial building, and most importantly the various safety features that can ensure workers are not subjected to hazards or injury.

Safety The design of a sectional door is capable of incorporating several safety features that are not readily available in a roller shutter assemblage.

Sectional door systems can incorporate a bottom safety edge system, which prevents the door from continuing to close if an obstruction such as freight or a person has obstructed the opening. A light tap on the bottom of the door as it makes contact with the obstruction will activate the safety system, which will return the door to its upright position before any damage or injury can be allowed to occur.

In the event of breakage of a sectional door drive cable, a cable break device will engage and lock the door in position, preventing the door from free falling and potentially causing injury to anyone standing below. Once the cable break device is engaged, the door cannot fall any further.

Sectional doors also have a spring break device. If for any reason a spring breaks or loses the correct adjustment, the door will lock in place, keeping the doorway safe until it can be attended by a service technician.

A large door, such as one in a 4m by 4m doorway for a logistics centre where a lot of 6 | Logistics&MaterialsHandling September 2015

Everyone knows what a roller shutter sounds like. The noisy rattle of corrugated steel can reverberate throughout an entire apartment building or warehouse. However, a sectional door is far quieter in their operation, making them suitable for accommodation buildings and other commercial buildings where there are sound sensitive requirements.

Visual appeal

Sectional doors have great visual appeal.

freight is transported, must have such safety devices to ensure no damage is done to the door in the event of a spring or cable failure. Doors of such a size are extremely heavy, more than 200kg, so a roller shutter door without these safety features presents in itself a potential hazard to staff and cargo.

Reliability Roller shutter door manufacturers make many claims about the durability of their doors, sometimes advertising up to a million cycles of serviceable life. However customers must be careful of such claims, which may be based solely on the life of the control box and motor, not the door itself. However, where roller shutters are driven by a barrel system, sectional doors are driven by a shaft and spring assembly which do have a quantifiable lifetime of approximately 20,000 cycles. Roller shutter manufacturers are generally unwilling to provide figures for the number of operational cycles for their doors. In essence, for lifetime durability, sectional doors last longer than roller shutters, and cost less to maintain over that duration.

Sectional doors offer far greater versatility in terms of cosmetic features than one can find in a range of roller shutters.

A roller shutter may be available in a range of colours and patterns, however there is no option for glass. Sectional doors have an amazing versatility when it comes to utilising glass panels to enhance the visual appeal of a doorway, but also to let natural light into a warehouse.

Natural light can not only save on lighting costs in areas around doorways, but the natural light is also great for workers that might otherwise be stuck under artificial lighting throughout the day.

When it comes to emergency service vehicle stations, all-glass sectional doors allow full visibility of the street outside before the crew has even driven a vehicle out of the station.

Another design benefit that sectional doors hold over roller shutters is the ability to have a pass door built into the sectional door itself.

This allows workers to pass through an ordinary doorway without having to activate the entire door mechanism, enhancing productivity for a business by saving time for workers needing to quickly enter and exit the building.

Sealing When it comes to protecting merchandise and keeping out the elements (such as dust, temperature and weather) the sealing qualities of a sectional door are much greater seal than that of a roller shutter. Sectional doors are completely sealed with top and bottom seals as well as side seals. logisticsmagazine.com.au

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tech

Tough as nails tablet pushes the boundaries Branko Miletic reviews the Panasonic FZ-G1 Toughpad Tablet and finds that tough is as tough does, albeit with a few sensitivity issues.

The overview

Panasonic has a pedigree of making ruggedised electronics – their Toughbook laptops are the stuff of remote mining site lore. Now it has added to this range rough and tumble tablets that promise more of the same bulletproof capabilities.

The Panasonic FZ-G1 Toughpad Tablet comes from the same stable as all of Panasonic’s toughened computing range. In fact, to prove (or disprove) this, I pulled out the heavy artillery: A 10-year old who thinks computers are to be trodden on, a small dog that like to chew on everything within snout’s reach and a backyard filled with strategicallypositioned really big rocks.

The first part of the test – and in fact the main part if you consider what the FZ-G1 Toughpad Tablet Windows L M 0 9 81 OS 5 _makes 0 0 0 for _ Measy O B touchscreen 1 2 use 0 1 5 - 0 8 - 2 0 T 1 0 : 4 9 : 4 was 3 + designed 1 0 : 0 0for – was to see just

8 | Logistics&MaterialsHandling September 2015

how tough this piece of hardware actually was.

So after two weeks of abusing the tablet with everything that gravity could muster, I followed up this testing with some more ‘hard surface impact experiments’ as I called them.

In other words, the FZ-G1 Toughpad Tablet was thrown from a 1+metre height onto hard surfaces over and over again. Thanks to its magnesium alloy chassis encased with ABS and elastomer corner guards, raised bezel for LCD impact protection, MIL-STD-810G specs and all-weather IP65 dust and water-resistant design, the result though was as expected and it passed with flying colours.

The specifications The 10.1” Toughpad FZ-G1

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tech

Windows 8 Pro tablet runs Windows 8 Pro 64-bit. Powered by a Gen 3 1.9 GHz Intel Core i5 v Pro Processor, the tablet also has an HD daylight-readable screen, 4 GB HD and boasts a USB 3.0, a USB 2.0 and10/100/1000 Ethernet ports.

From a user point of view, the near 8-hour battery life is ably complimented by the Panasonic Partition Recovery functionality on the HD which means it can be used for long periods of time and if a problem does a occur, it can be utlilised to reboot the entire system.

All up, the tablet is as functional as any common tablet running Windows 8 with all the features of a Windows-flavoured machine.

The results Starting up was fast and easy.

Connection to my home Wi-Fi was as seamless as with any other device and navigating around the L M 0 2 1was 5 _as0straightforward 1 5 _ BAC computer

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The Toughpad is an ideal BYOD for warehouse connectivity

as any Windows device was meant and other multimedia comes to be. standard with this tablet, while Launching applications went other options such as a GPS and smoothly and using the mobile microSD slot are available at extra device for both browsing and cost. various other standard PC activities For those that want to connect was almost instantaneous. their Toughpad FZ-G1 to an AV 1 2The 0 1ability 5 - 0to1 play - 2 0music, T 0 9videos : 3 3 : 2 device, 6 + 1 1[which : 0 0 was not tested]

there is an HDMI port, integrated microphone and Realtek highdefinition audio combined with a vanilla-style speaker.

Overall, the Toughpad FZ-G1 was everything a mobile tablet should be but encased in a strong magnesium alloy cocoon.

The only downside was the sensitivity of the screen, which was less than that on an iPad however the caveat here is that this is the trade-off for all that extra toughness. While it was a bit ‘sticky’ when it came to swiping, the function of Panasonic’s Toughpad Tablet is not be sensitive to petite little fingers but rather to survive big physical shocks.

The rating • Ease of use: 4/5 • Speed: 4/5 • Battery Life: 3/5 • Functionality: 4/5 • Overall Rating: 15/20

September 2015 Logistics&MaterialsHandling | 9

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forklifts

Setting the standards Manitou, the name associated with the invention of the rought terrain forklift, continues the tradition of forward thinking with development of specialised telehandlers for the mining industry.

W

ith one of the biggest manufacturer names in telehandlers, French mobile plant specialist Manitou has done a lot to improve technology in the roughterrain materials handling sphere.

In targeting industrial markets around the world, Manitou have continued the legacy of company founder and inventor of the rough terrain forklift, Marcel Braud, implementing new developments for their mining specific telehandlers.

The latest iteration of the mining LM 0 9 1series 5 _ 0telehandler 0 0 _ K O has B spec MT-X

a number of features that make it one of the most purpose-suited and productivity-oriented machines available on the market today.

Telehandlers are frequently used on the surface for mining and construction activities, however their sturdy four wheel drive, all-terrain features also make them attractive for underground use.

However, over the years it has become apparent that the punishment those machines receive underground meant that telehandlers would have to be custom-tailored to the destructive The mining spec personnel basket is rated for rockfalls.

1underground 2 0 1 5 - environment 0 8 - 2 0 T 0in9 : 5 5 : 4 3 + 1 0 : 0 0 order to have any expectation of Manitou Australia managing longevity. director Stuart Walker introduced The telehandler has since the first of the mining spec Manitou become an essential part of telehandlers to Australia last year. mining operations for services and “At Mount Isa you’ll find 20 maintenance, and there are several telehandlers underground, all of attachments that make the machine different brands,” he said. invaluable for underground use, “But this is the first machine namely the work platform and tyre from the telehandler world that is a FEATURES: handler among others, which can true mining spec machine.”

• 1165mm x 1165mm x 975mm (Australian Pallet size) replace the forks used for handling Walker said the MT-X series of • All mesh panel sides fold down freight and other heavy loads. telehandlers are better suited to to half for easy loading and The MT-X (and heavy version underground usage, with longer unloading MHT-X) machines start life in • Fully collapsible for space France as the ordinary commercial saving in warehouse and construction model, but then are transport • Fully removable front and back shipped to the Mining Competency gates for easy loading and Centre in Italy and modified for the still locked in place when correct mining specifications. folded down for safe The machines are adapted to transportation the minimum specifications that • 4-way forklift access and 4-way Manitou recommends, and from pallet truck entry • Pallet rack safe and stackable that the customer can still order • Powder-coated finish with specific changes to suit their own plated mesh site requirements.

• Steel floor MT-X and MHT-X models range up to 40 tonne lifting capacity with full compliances, including braided Contact: Gerald Koh fuel lines, exhaust fume diluter, Mobile: 04-1996-1978 easy access fuse box, improved Heavy forward outriggers ensure full gkoh@kobot.com.au Web: www.kobot.com.au stability. electronics, among other features.

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10 | Logistics&MaterialsHandling September 2015

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lasting electrical systems, more robust braking systems, all meaning less downtime for maintenance and greater productivity in the long term.

“What we’ve found is that the customer will buy the cheapest machine thinking that it’s the best option, but then of course the water, the dust, the environment will eat the electronics,” Walker said.

“Next thing you know the safety system doesn’t work so the machine shuts down.

“We had to do a lot of work to get the machines to the standards they are built at now, to be acceptable for that sort of environment.”

The mining spec MT-X and MHT-X telehandlers are compliant with MDG15 – the guideline for mobile and transportable equipment for use in mines, but they also conform to other international standards.

“This is not just about Australia, we’ve taken experience from South Africa, and we actually sell a lot of these in Chile,” Walker said.

One of the key features of the MT-X is the revamped braking system, which incorporates splitsystem braking in order to comply with MDG15, as opposed to other machines which only brake through the front axle, or on both axles, but don’t have a true split system.

Manitou also offers a fully

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Custom mining spec lighting.

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forklifts

engineered aerial cage platform with in-basket controls, allowing the MT-X to be used for underground charging activities and general maintenance of underground services.

With most telehandler stability systems utilising a stability triangle, with fixed front axle and oscillating rear for rough terrain performance, a key difference in the access version of the MT-X is that the axle configuration is a square system.

With solid axle front and back, the MT-X locks the rear axle with the front outriggers deployed, ensuring greater stability for lifting the charge basket higher.

Manitou also have a high-quality line of elevated work platforms, giving them a lot of skin in the game of EWP safety.

With several fatal trapping/crush accidents involving workers in elevated work platforms in recent years, including one at Boggabri in June 2014 and an underground incident at Telfer in May this year, Manitou quickly got on board with implementing a Safe-MAN system in all of their aerial platform systems.

The Safe-MAN system is a pressure sensitive bar running across the basket controls, which deactivates the machine controls if a worker leans across the front of the basket, preventing the basket from booming upwards and crushing the operator.

The system has been utilised since late 2014 on all of their articulated and telescopic access machines.

Walker said the fatal accident that took place at the Telfer mine in May 2015 involved a charge vehicle which did not feature the same safety features that are available on the MT-X telehandler with charge basket.

“If you’re lifting someone to do the charging in the hole, then the machine technically should offer the same level of safety as a dedicated product,” he said.

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DOOR SYSTEMS

September 2015 Logistics&MaterialsHandling | 11

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terminaloperations

The rise and rise of terminal operating systems Kaustubh Dalvi explains how your loading facility can improve cargo movements and boost productivity.

I

t’s no secret vessels are getting larger, cargo is becoming more varied and complex, and throughput at ports and terminals is increasing. At the same time, competition is becoming more fierce and customers are demanding more. All of these factors are putting intense pressure on terminal operators to do more, more accurately and more efficiently.

The situation has led an increasing number of operators to seek more control over their business by deploying a terminal operating system (TOS). A TOS sits at the operational core, allowing a port’s complex mix of cargo movements to be handled and controlled more efficiently. It gives the business a competitive edge by providing increased agility along with a boost in productivity across the operator’s entire organisation.

In-house or commercial solution?

Any organisation considering deployment of a TOS has two options: develop a solution in-house or purchase a specialised commercial system.

One of the problems of in-house developments is the exposure to risk. TOS solutions are often developed by just one or two individuals within the IT department. If either individual leaves, there is a high risk that essential knowledge about the system – information necessary for its maintenance and further development – will be lost. In these circumstances, how will you deal with the need for system improvement, modifications or interfaces to future applications?

In contrast, commercial TOS vendors continually develop their products to keep pace with changes in technology, legislation and the industry, for without constant 12 | Logistics&MaterialsHandling September 2015

TOS is an entry point for involvement in the wider supply chain.

improvement, their offerings soon become uncompetitive.

What to consider when selecting a TOS Just as every terminal has its own requirements, every TOS deployment is different. The areas you give precedence to will depend on your individual situation. However, one of the best places for any organisation to start is by understanding your current landscape, particularly your business model, people and processes, as well as the part you play in the wider supply chain community.

Understand your business model If you want a more efficient port and a TOS is key to achieving that, you need to find a solution that really fits your business, rather than attempting to “make do” with a generic TOS. Major considerations are likely to include the type and volume of cargo you currently handle, the type and size of ships your port can accommodate and your vision and plans for future growth.

Look for flexibility to adapt to

changing circumstances. While you may be comfortable with your current situation, market and industry changes could force you to re-evaluate your goals and objectives, causing your business model to adjust accordingly.

Determine functional requirements Having addressed macro-level business needs, it is time to think about the more functional aspects of your operation. Consider whether other areas of the business, such as a depot or warehouse within the terminal, could benefit from the functionality provided by a TOS. Think about the potential for any current or planned use of mobile applications, optical character recognition (OCR) and radio frequency identification (RFID).

Understanding your business model allows to you to build a clearer picture of your organisation’s current landscape, your vision for the future, and the tools and processes required for success.

Supply chain A TOS is not just about your own

organisation – it is your entry ticket for involvement in the wider supply chain. There are a variety of stakeholders and areas of interaction where your TOS needs to be the hub of activity and co-ordination. Shipping lines, transport hauliers and customs are just a few examples of the agencies and organisations reliant on clear communications and interactions with your terminal.

Therefore it is essential to check in advance that your TOS is capable of connecting to partner systems and can make the appropriate data available to the relevant decision-makers within the supply chain.

People and processes When it comes to processes, don’t just think about your current situation. Be clear about how they may change in the future.

The TOS vendor should be able to assist you with this, as well as provide guidance on the flexibility of the TOS with respect to meeting your requirements. Your aim is to strike the right balance between making changes to the process itself, or customisation of the product, whichever makes the most sense to your organisation.

Never forget that while processes are necessary to drive the business, people are the keys to your success. Any form of change can be unsettling for staff. They need to adapt to new ways of working and deal with uncertainty and disruption to ‘business as they know it’.

Involving users as early as possible and providing clear communication about changes will help to mitigate any resistance and increase the likelihood of successful adoption.

Kaustubh Dalvi is the Director of Business Development for Jade Logistics.

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ANTRIEB

DER

transport

■ Reliable ■ Versatile ■ Global

The future of transportation and logistics in Australia David Arkles, General Manager, Zebra Technologies ANZ

F

The

Gear Unit

■ Strong bearings ■ Low noise ■ High power density The

Motor

■ High efficiency ■ Global Standards ■ All operating condition The

Drive Electronic

■ Compact design ■ Easy commissioning ■ Scalable functionality

Wide power range Versatile system solutions High overall efficiency

DerAntrieb.com NORD Drivesystems (AU) Pty Ltd 18 Stoney Way, Derrimut , Victoria 3030 Australia Phone: +61 3 9394 0500 Fax: +61 3 9394 1525 www.nord.com.au National Customer Service 1300 00 NORD (6673) au-sales@nord.com Member of the NORD DRIVESYSTEMS Group

14 | Logistics&MaterialsHandling September 2015

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rom passenger security and fleet management to assembly processes and delivery times, the transport and logistics industry needs a solution that moves its people and cargo safely and efficiently. Whether by air, ground or sea, transportation and logistics are essential components of enterprise productivity, and access to real-time data is critical.

Many businesses have already discovered the advantages of using mobile technologies, however the unpredictable nature of fuel costs, rising labour rates and increased traffic continue to make operations challenging.

Inefficiencies caused by a lack of visibility create considerable unnecessary costs. As industry regulations force transportation and logistics organisations to do more with less, margins and profitability are threatened. With the advent of mobile technologies and the Internet of Things (IoT), enterprises can accelerate productivity, profitability and operations with solutions designed specifically for their individual circumstances. With the right solution, enterprises can connect all devices across a centralised cloud network. The actionable insight is what provides organisations the Enterprise Asset Intelligence data they need to make improvements in the following areas:

a) End-to-end visibility

DRIVESYSTEMS

Mobile devices, such as radio frequency identification (RFID), barcode scanners and mobile computers, have become a major influence in supply chain visibility and operations. Many transportation and logistics companies using RFID today are

reaching nearly 100% shipping, 99.5% inventory accuracy, 30% faster order processing and 30% reduction in labour costs.

Mobile technologies provide businesses line of sight into equipment, inventory and processes. This asset intelligence data allows organisations to increase efficiency by providing real-time data across their entire supply chain.

b) Warehouse management The warehouse is at the core of transportation and logistics. Their efficiency directly impacts the cost of doing business and the ability to compete. With IoT-enabled mobile devices designed to track inventory data, equipment and vehicles, enterprises give their physical assets a digital voice. By converting the physical to digital, transportation and logistics warehouses capture and share mission-critical data across the cloud, ensuring they have the right products in the right place at the right time.

By leveraging connected, mobile devices, enterprises capture, share and manage data around their moving assets across the enterprise.

c) Fleet management When it comes to transportation and logistics, fleet management plays a critical role in managing maintenance schedules, everyday vehicle usage and service routes.

In order to maximise productivity and operational efficiency, fleet downtime must be minimised.

With mobile scanners, computers and RFID systems alone, enterprises gain visibility into their assets and better streamline operations to keep their fleet moving. By replacing manual and hard-copy work orders with mobile devices, technicians save time and increase data accuracy. logisticsmagazine.com.au

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THE FUTURE IS ENTERPRISE ASSET INTELLIGENCE Transportation and logistics are essential components to productivity. Whether by air, ground or sea, access to real-time data and always-on communications are critical.

With specialised technology designed for each logistical category, business accelerates productivity, profitability and operations.

COMMUNICATE WITH DRIVERS Businesses can empower their mobile workforce with tools optimised to easily capture critical information and make data accessible to people. WLAN solutions help deliver in-motion mobility, ensuring optimal uptime.

SIMPLIFY OPERATIONS Connected devices, mobility and cloud applications are generating invaluable and always-on data streams. Visibility solutions like real-time location services and RFID tagging can help businesses simplify what they do to reach new levels of efficiency and deliver greater value.

RESPOND TO CUSTOMER DEMAND Real-time data helps enterprises see a full picture of their business operations to proactively respond to customer demands. Tracking and visibility solutions transform the physical to digital, identifying specific products, their location and their status and condition. Generating data intelligence through mobile computing, motion sensing and location tracking leads to better decision-making.

For more information on how businesses can benefit from Zebra’s solutions and experience Enterprise Asset Intelligence, visit www.zebraapac.com/tnl

Š 2015 ZIH Corp. All rights reserved. Zebra and the stylised Zebra head are trademarks of ZIH Corp., registered in many jurisdictions worldwide. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

AM0615_000_OLI

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