MHD Apr 2022

APRIL 2022

COVER STORY

AUTOMATION THE TOYOTA AGV WAY Bega Dairy and Drinks optimises its operations with fleet of Toyota AGVs

THE NEXT GENERATION

Bastian Consulting’s initiative to help more graduates into supply chain roles

KEEPING TABS ON SUSTAINABILITY

Geotab on its environmental and social responsibility agenda

EQUIPPED WITH FOR ONLINE

Vanderlande on innovative technologies and e-commerce solutions

Watch now

Super Retail Group targets future growth with Körber Cloud koerber-supplychain.com

MHD FROM THE EDITOR

MHD Supply Chain Solutions CONTACT MHD Supply Chain Solutions is published by Prime Creative Media 11-15 Buckhurst Street, South Melbourne VIC 3205 Telephone: (+61) 03 9690 8766 Website: www.primecreative.com.au

THE TEAM CEO: John Murphy Publisher: Christine Clancy Group Managing Editor: Sarah Baker Editor: Edward Cranswick Journalist: Joseph Misuraca Business Development Manager: Beth Jarvis Design Production Manager: Michelle Weston Art Director: Blake Storey Graphic Designers: Kerry Pert, Aisling McComiskey Client Success Manager: Janine Clements

FOR ADVERTISING OPTIONS Contact: Beth Jarvis beth.jarvis@primecreative.com.au

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT MHD Supply Chain Solutions magazine is recognised by the Australian Supply Chain Institute, the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport Australia, the Supply Chain and Logistics Association of Australia and the Singapore Logistics and Supply Chain Management Society.

ARTICLES All articles submitted for publication become the property of the publisher. The Editor reserves the right to adjust any article to conform with the magazine format.

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NEW AGENDAS

W

ith the summer months now behind us and 2022 well and truly in full swing, across the supply chain industry we’re seeing companies with new plans, new ideas, and new agendas.

Much has been made over the past year of the supply chain ‘talent gap’, a pre-existing concern that was only exacerbated by COVIDrestrictions on international movements of workers and then compounded by a generalised sense of restlessness amongst workers all through the economy (readers will recall popular media stories about ‘The Great Resignation’).

Bastian Consulting is doing its bit to rectify this state of affairs, launching a new ‘Graduate Initiative’ aimed at drawing fresh talent into the arena and highlighting one new graduate per week for would-be employers – a service Bastian is administering free of charge.

Bega Dairy and Drinks is also setting a new agenda for its operations management, converting its entire forklift fleet from manual to Toyota Material Handling Australia hybrid AGVs – with Toyota setting the pace for the materials handling industry with its wide selection of hybrid use AGVs. In the first week of March, Geotab’s General Manager APAC, Deepak Kadambi, was in Australia to discuss Geotab’s sustainability and social responsibility agenda – and sat down with MHD to give us the inside details.

It’s shaping up to be a year of big agendas – for the industry and companies alike – and as always MHD is here to share with you the latest in ideas, innovations, and expertise that are bringing these agendas to life.

Edward Cranswick Editor edward.cranswick@primecreative.com.au

MHD Supply Chain

MHD APRIL 2022 | 3

APRIL 2022

ISSUE #14 VOLUME 52

THIS ISSUE COVER STORY 10 Toyota AGVs at Bega Dairy and Drinks

SUPPLY CHAIN 22 Bastian’s graduate recruitment program 24 Körber on the rise of the cobot 27 ReadyTech on people-centric

COVER STORY

12

workforce technology 33 GS1’s National Location Registry 38 Vanderlande on e-commerce 41 Geotab’s sustainability agenda

INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY 15 Stockland on the booming industrial property sector

MATERIALS HANDLING 36 Damon on keeping it sorted MHD SUPPLY CHAIN SOLUTIONS

44 Combilift and Tilling Timber tackle

APRIL 2022

container devanning challenge APRIL 2022

COVER STORY

AUTOMATION THE TOYOTA AGV WAY Bega Dairy and Drinks optimises its operations with fleet of Toyota AGVs

20

WAREHOUSING 18 BHD’s storage and racking 20 Dematic on automation for business resilience 30 Fuzzy LogX transforms Aussie business’s operations

THE NEXT GENERATION

Bastian Consulting’s initiative to help more graduates into supply chain roles

KEEPING TABS ON SUSTAINABILITY

DEPARTMENTS AND REGULARS

Geotab on its environmental and social responsibility agenda

EQUIPPED WITH FOR ONLINE

Vanderlande on innovative technologies and e-commerce solutions

09/03/2022 14:18:52

06 Industry News 46 Colliers Property Focus

ON THE COVER Perfect for a post-COVID world -

50 Prological’s Logical Outlook

How Toyota AGVs improved one

52 SCLAA

of Bega Dairy and Drinks’ most important production sites.

30

54 ASCI 57 Products 58 People on the Move MHD APRIL 2022 | 5

MHD NEWS

Asia’s supply chains growing to become world’s biggest

A

ccording to Cushman & Wakefield’s report The Role of Asia Pacific in Global Supply Chains, South-East Asia and India will have major global supply chain networks in a decade’s time.

Cushman & Wakefield note Asia’s role in global trade has changed over the past two years as the pandemic has disrupted supply chain networks, which has affected the flow of trade globally.

It says corporations are now reconfiguring and building their logistics and industrial networks in the region.

“As the world economies recover and businesses look for effective ways to address supply chain volatility, there is greater emphasis on being more resilient and designing flexible, responsive, and efficient supply chain networks in the region to cater to regional needs,” Tim Foster, Head of Supply Chain & Logistics Advisory, Asia Pacific at Cushman & Wakefield says.

“The rising ‘Asia for Asia’ approach sets the stage for the growth of supply chain networks in the region, particularly in South-East Asia and India, and also highlights the critical factors that contribute towards the optimisation of these networks,” Tim adds.

The report also notes Asian consumers are expected to buy more products that are manufactured in Asia, and the robust economic and demographic growth prospects for the region supports this.

It says Asia is expected to account for over 40 per cent of global economic output, 54 per cent of the global population, and 65 per cent of the global middle class by 2030.

It also anticipates trade in Asia will grow because of these changes and will shape the design of its supply chain networks and says the region will manufacture more technology-based products as its population increases over the next decade.

“Asia will continue to be a key source of finished goods for global markets,” Tim says.

6 | MHD APRIL 2022

“The manufacture of components and sub-assemblies will increase in markets like Vietnam, Indonesia and India, and these markets will move up the value chain and begin producing more finished goods as China’s capacity is taken up with servicing domestic demand,” he adds.

“Food and beverage will drive growth in intraregional trade given their perishable nature and the need for cold chain integrity and traceability, with Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, and Malaysia being key markets.”

Cushman & Wakefield says businesses whose supply chains are being impacted

by COVID-related pressures should experience some reprieve towards the end of this year.

It also notes that demand for logistics and industrial real estate is affected by supply chains when they are being designed and configured as well as by megatrends in demographics, urbanisation, technological advances, and structural shifts and disruption.

According to the report, online retail’s growth has caused e-commerce networks to expand, which has required warehousing space in major metropolitan areas with reliable transport.

It says newly developed warehouses must adopt technology, automation, and predictive analytics to deliver goods to consumers, so the buildings have more space for incoming orders.

With suppliers being required to provide information on their health, safety, labour, and environmental practices, transparency and sustainability are becoming important, the report says.

It also states these affect the supply chain as corporations try to meet their own Environmental, Social and Governance targets.

Cushman & Wakefield says it has identified three key real estate considerations that can be used to optimise Asian supply chains: network configuration, facility location and building specifications.

It comes as the company notes the rising cost of industrial property and that approximately 80 per cent of the value of a supply chain network is locked in at the design stage.

“Corporations need to focus on building resilience and flexibility into the supply chain,” Tim says.

“From a real estate perspective, zthe implications for industrial property abound, but it is important to remember that real estate demand is the product of supply chain optimisation,” he adds.

“The key is to first design the optimal supply chain network, then execute on real estate requirements. Bringing these factors together in a coherent way provides the strongest approach to navigate short-term and longerterm transformation.

South-East Asia and India will have major global supply chain networks in a decade’s time: Cushman & Wakefield.

MHD STRAP LINE

Roger Drake Owner, Drakes Supermarkets

Supply Chain Reinvented Streamlined operations, optimised store fulfilment, local customer focus.

After deciding to bring its supply chain operations in-house, Drakes Supermarkets built a new distribution centre in Edinburgh North. Its goal: to save South Australian families money, by having direct relationships with suppliers and cutting out the middle man.

Dematic designed an automated order picking solution which streamlines Drakes’ operations and optimises store fulfillment and service levels, enabling Drakes to take over its supply chain and meet the expectations of its stores and customers.

Read the full story at Dematic.com/drakes

Scan to read the full story!

Dematic.com/drakes 02 9486 5555 info.anz@dematic.com MHD APRIL 2022 | 7

MHD NEWS

Female managers leading charge at CouriersPlease

T

hree female state managers at CouriersPlease (CP) are leading the company throughout the pandemic, during which time it has seen a 15 per cent increase in year-onyear parcel deliveries since March 2020.

Tracey Baldwin, Queensland State Manager, Lisa Tedstone, South Australia State Manger and Kristy Wright, Western Australian State Manager are in an industry where 78 per cent of workers are men.

At CP, 50 per cent of the leadership team are women, including Tracey, Lisa, and Kristy.

Each manager is responsible for all areas of the business in their state, from the management of parcel delivery volumes to performance and recruitment as well as profit and loss, process improvement and safety.

Tracey, Lisa, and Kristy have ensured millions of parcels have been delivered to households across Australia while also keeping essential workers safe and COVID-free across seven national depots.

Tracey is CP’s first female and longest-serving state manager.

She directs a team of 10 operational managers and is responsible for over 220 franchisees and 75 staff across five depots.

“Safety is an important priority for me in my role, and I regularly visit each depot across the state to ensure we’re addressing any potential safety risks,” Tracey says.

“For instance, I’ve championed the introduction of exclusion zones in our five depots,” she adds. “These zones identify high-risk areas, often where forklifts and other machinery are in use to help reduce incidents.”

During her tenure, Queensland has experienced a 35 per cent yearon-year growth in parcel volumes.

She improved the state’s linehaul utilisation by 10 per cent year-on-year, and helped it achieve a consistent 96 to 97 per cent rate of on-time deliveries.

Lisa Tedstone leads a team of 35 staff and 64 franchisees in SA. She’s one of CP’s longest-serving 8 | MHD APRIL 2022

Queensland’s Tracey Baldwin was the first female to join CouriersPlease and is the longest-serving state manager.

operational personnel. She joined the company in 2009 as a customer service representative and worked her way into operational leadership roles.

She’s ensured CP in SA has consistently maintained a 96 to 97 per cent rate of on-time deliveries and delivers more items per courier than any other state. The SA branch has seen almost a 40 per cent increase in parcel volumes and increased its franchisees by 36 per cent.

Lisa helped lead national programs at CP and prepared it to deliver its highest parcel volumes during last Christmas’ peak period.

She also equipped the company’s drivers across Australia with new scanner devices. This technology allows customers to receive delivery notifications and includes route optimisation for faster parcel delivery.

Kristy leads a team of 20 staff and

60 drivers, 10 of which are smallbusiness franchisees. She has 15 years’ experience in the logistics industry, having started her career as a courier driver.

During her tenure, WA has experienced a 30 per cent increase in the Christmas peak period –it was the busiest ever in her career.

“I’m very proud to be part of the team at CP,” Kristy says. “It’s the first time in my management career that female leaders outnumber male leaders.”

“I’ve achieved enormous improvements in productivity and performance – including on-time deliveries – and we now have the highest staff engagement rates since I’ve started,” she adds.

“I anticipate that we will continue experiencing exponential growth over the next two years.”

MHD STRAP LINE

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Industrial Solutions 2022

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MHD COVER STORY

BEGA OPTIMISES OPERATIONS WITH TOYOTA AGVS

Nicholas Adams, Network Operations Manager at Bega Cheese Limited.

Neil Beveridge, Product Manager – Automation at Toyota Material Handling Australia explains the advantages of Toyota’s range of automated guided vehicles, and – together with Nicholas Adams, Network Operations Manager at Bega Cheese Limited – the various ways in which implementing Toyota AGVs improved one of Bega Dairy and Drinks’ most important production sites.

10 | MHD APRIL 2022

MHD COVER STORY

Toyota RAE Autopilot Forklift.

A

s the needs of the modern warehouse continually evolve, automated materials handling equipment is in ever-higher demand. Fortunately, Toyota Material Handling Australia (TMHA) has several different automated solutions to keep the warehouses of today and tomorrow running smoothly.

Neil Beveridge, Product Manager – Automation at TMHA, recently discussed with MHD some of the top automated products on offer for the Australian market.

TOYOTA RAE AUTOPILOT One particular vehicle in which Neil sees growing interest among customers is the RAE Autopilot Reach Forklift.

“One of the key benefits of this forklift, is that it is a hybrid manual/automated forklift.

It can be used in either fashion,” Neil says.

The RAE Autopilot looks and feels like a regular Toyota reach forklift, giving operators a sense of familiarity when they work with it for the first time.

“We have found that sometimes operators are overwhelmed by automation,” Neil says.

“Sometimes they are expected to learn a completely new system when working with an autonomous forklift. A major benefit of this forklift is that its features and general look are similar to that of a manual forklift.”

A further benefit of investing in a hybrid

“

Whether you are looking at implementing AGV style automation, or large-scale mechanised systems, they all complement each other. The Toyota RAE Reach Forklift is versatile and flexible – so plays a crucial role in any sophisticated operation looking for efficiency, safety and productivity gains.

”

forklift becomes apparent if an operator comes across non-conforming pallets or loads. Usually this would present a problem for an entirely automated forklift – as it may not be able to handle them, resulting in a delay in operations. However, with the Toyota RAE Autopilot Reach Forklift, operators can override the system and step in when needed.

“There’s greater flexibility with a forklift like this. You can troubleshoot and solve errors in a very timely manner by switching to manual if needed,” Neil says.

The RAE Autopilot provides the opportunity to run a 24/7 operation, something which Neil says we will see more of as demand for e-commerce and online shopping continues to increase.

“A lot of facilities are running eight to 12 hours a day,” he says. “Within these shifts you see huge peaks in demand and volume.

With automation, you can run operations 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This way you can flatten out your capacity so that you can get very consistent throughput levels. This makes it much easier to plan and predict the activities and capacity throughout your DC.” Furthermore, the RAE offers safety benefits.

“The forklifts have a personal protective system, enabling 360-degree personnel protection. They feature safety sensors that help detect people moving around the MHD APRIL 2022 | 11

MHD COVER STORY vehicle, thereby improving safety.”

Compared to relying on a human reaction to stop or manoeuvre a forklift, the automated safety sensors offer a higher level of accuracy. The forklifts also all have the ability to connect with each other – and know at all times where they’re positioned in relation to each other – mitigating the risk of a collision.

PERFECT FOR A POSTCOVID WORLD The RAE Autopilot Reach Forklift requires minimal supervision. This means that while we continue to practise social distancing the site can remain fully operational.

“This automated solution doesn’t require a large amount of labour in a tight space, you can control the system with minimal staff who are spread out,” Neil explains.

As we move to a new norm postCOVID-19, Neil says that automation will play a huge role in warehousing and logistics operations.

This forklift is ideal for those looking for a first entry into automation, or those who have already introduced some level of automation, he says.

“Whether you are looking at implementing AGV style automation, or large-scale mechanised systems, they all complement each other,” Neil says. “The Toyota RAE Reach Forklift is versatile and flexible – so plays a crucial role in any sophisticated operation looking for efficiency, safety and productivity gains.”

The Toyota RAE Autopilot Reach Forklift comes in three different models: 1.6 tonne, 2 tonne and 2.5 tonne, and can lift to a height of 10 metres.

TOYOTA OAE120CB AUTOPILOT Toyota’s modern Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) offerings all work off the same navigation system, have hybrid capability, and sport market-leading safety features.

“The OAE was one of our original vehicles released in Australia, back in 2016,” Neil says. “Its primary application is in production environments and for ground floor transport, rather than warehousing and high bay racking. It’s a great complement for end-of-line production – staging for trucks and anything to do with ground floor work up to a certain height.”

He notes that the OAE is a “very universal vehicle”.

“It’s a counterbalance forklift that can basically handle any load or any format of load – whether it be bottom-boarded pallets, cages, and so forth. It is essentially a 12 | MHD APRIL 2022

Nicholas Adams says the introduction of Toyota AGVs into Bega’s operations delivered greater reliability than ever before.

“

I think one of Toyota’s biggest advantages is not only having our hybrid offering, but the fact that the vehicles are actually based off their manual counterparts. That means essentially all the R&D that’s been put into manual vehicles comes straight across to our automated equipment – so you still get the benefit of all that accumulated knowledge and experience in the build of the vehicle.

”

normal warehouse counterbalance forklift, but with manual or automated hybrid functionality – and the safety functions and reliability that are the hallmark of all TMHA’s range.”

TOYOTA SAE160 AUTOPILOT “The SAE160 Autopilot forklift is a stacker unit designed to handle European-style pallets,” Neil says. “But we also offer the forklift in a straddle format with outrigger legs that can also handle Australian-style pallets with bottom-boards. Compared to the OAE, it has a greater lifting capacity. It’s a great product for tighter spaces. Being a smaller footprint vehicle, it’s got a tighter turning circle than other options.”

BEGA AUTOMATES MAJOR OPERATION WITH TOYOTA AGVS Bega Cheese has long been a household name, and its subsidiary Bega Dairy and Drinks – which manufactures and distributes iconic products like Dare Iced Coffee and Big M – recently completely overhauled its materials handling equipment at its Wetherill Park manufacturing site, introducing a fleet of Toyota AGVs. Nicholas Adams, Network Operations Manager at Bega Cheese Limited, says that the Wetherill Park facility distributes products to its major DC in Chullora and serves markets including Coles and Woolworths – among many others – up and down the east coast.

“We send out about 20 B-double loads per day all around Australia,” says Nicholas.

“We’re probably picking around 1.5 million litres a week.”

MHD COVER STORY With such vast quantities of product moving out of the facility, seamless operation of materials handling equipment is a paramount consideration. That’s why Bega Dairy and Drinks has long used Toyota forklifts in its manufacturing operation and – when the decision was made to convert from an entirely manual fleet to an automated fleet – they again went with Toyota, having always been impressed by the quality of product and service.

“Because we’re a manufacturing site, and shelf life is very important for our dairy products, it’s critical for us to get the product out the door as quickly as possible,” Nicholas says. “We don’t tend to hold on to products – they’re made and then sent straight out to market. That means that a lot of what we’re sending out is on full pallets. The proposition of introducing Toyota AGVs into Wetherill Park seemed a great value creation opportunity for us in terms of improving safety, helping our people, quality control, and cost savings.”

In particular, Nicholas singles out how Toyota AGVs contribute to a safer work environment by virtue of such features as object collision detection, cameras, lasers, and warning lights.

Using the forklifts nearly-always in their automated capacity also allowed for improved pedestrian segregation.

But Nicholas also points out that growing the technological sophistication of the work environment provided an opportunity for Bega workers to grow and learn with new technology. “It was also an opportunity for us to develop our staff with new skill sets. To get them to learn about new technology and be able to train them up to be ‘super users’ – people that can really continue to drive technology through the business and understand it at a deeper level.”

And while ‘reliability’ has always been a hallmark of Toyota products, Nicholas notes that for Bega the introduction of Toyota AGVs delivered a greater level of reliability than ever before.

“AGVs provide us an even higher level of reliability than ever before; Toyota AGVs very rarely have any issues,” he says. “Part of moving to automated material handling

equipment is a massive reduction in human error, which can of course exert considerable wear and tear on a machine over time. But the Toyota advantage of having hybrid manual/ automation dual use means that if the automated function does run into an issue, you can still operate it in manual mode. So, we get a great level of reliability and operational certainty day-to-day with our Toyota AGVs.” Neil adds to Nicholas’s comments by pointing out a further reliability advantage that attaches to Toyota’s AGVs. “I think one of Toyota’s biggest advantages is not only having our hybrid offering, but the fact that the vehicles are actually based off their manual counterparts,” he says. “That means essentially all the R&D that’s been put into manual forklifts comes straight across to our automated equipment – so you still get the benefit of all that accumulated knowledge and experience in the build of the vehicle. On top of that, because 90 to 95 per cent of the components of the AGVs are shared with our traditional range of manual forklifts, our TMHA service and

repair team is ready to go to work on manual forklifts or AGVs, and has ready access to spare components.

“This means that switching from manual forklifts to Toyota AGVs is a seamless transition. Workers are still working with the same forklifts they’re familiar with, but now there’s an automated function that helps them work more productively and builds their skillset. And there’s no need to bring on a new tech team to deal with AGVs – maintaining trusted working relationships between TMHA service teams and their customers.”

Nicholas concludes by adding that working with the TMHA team further cemented the ease of the transition.

“To be honest there was a bit of back-and-forth on our end in the early stages of the project,” he says. “But once we were clear in our decision to proceed, it was really a pretty quick process. Not only did Neil and his team meet the project timeline, but they were very supportive of us when we had to change our own timelines. TMHA made it really easy to run the project. They were very supportive, very accommodating, and very reliable.” ■

Transitioning from manual to a mainly automated forklift fleet means a drastic reduction in human errors.

MHD APRIL 2022 | 13

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MHD INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY

STOCKLAND EXPLAINS WHAT’S DRIVING THE LOGISTICS BOOM S

Stockland explains to MHD the booming industrial property sector, the resilient logistics industry, and the growing e-commerce trend – with expert insight from the company’s NSW Logistics Regional Manager and Head of Property Management, Robert Salerno.

ince March 2020, COVID-19 lockdowns have driven a boom in logistics, fuelled by the accelerated adoption of e-commerce.

The industrial sector, including logistics, has proven more resilient to the impacts of COVID-19 than other property sectors.

This has made the need for resilient supply chain management, warehousing, and distribution more important than ever before.

Growth in online retail and changing customer expectations has created fundamental structural change in the demand for industrial land.

We estimate that for every $1 million increase in retail turnover, an additional 220 sqms of industrial property is demanded in Australian Eastern Seaboard capitals Deloitte 2020).

From 2020 through to 2030, e-commerce is expected to account for a third of additional industrial floorspace.

This compares to just 15 per cent over the past decade (Deloitte 2020).

Our research on industrial tenant demand indicates staggering growth across Eastern Seaboard cities, set to incrementally increase 3.26 million sqms by 2030 (Deloitte 2020).

Although the clearest and mostpowerful driver is the rapid uptake of e-commerce/online shopping, there are multiple other factors including the development of omni-channel retail and the evolution of supply chain strategies for sourcing and inventory locations.

Inventory stock levels are expected to rise as tenants seek to build greater resilience into their supply chains.

Longer-term influences include population and economic growth.

Domestic GDP and population growth drives consumer and business expectations on spending, production, and inventory levels.

The federal government’s $1.5 billion in funding to support local manufacturing industries will further bolster industrial production and the need for logistics space (Source: AAP/ Mick Tsikas).

International trade and port volumes also keep demand for logistics property high.

Being a net importer of goods and services, import growth in Australia is expected to return to pre-COVID-19 levels over the next decade, further contributing to continuing demand for industrial floorspace.

“

We offer our customers technologically advanced locations with excellent accessibility. This is the most important aspect. Consumers are hungry for goods and services to be delivered as quickly as possible. That places an emphasis on the importance of having welllocated infrastructure.

”

Growth in online retail and changing customer expectations has created fundamental structural change in the demand for industrial land.

MHD APRIL 2022 | 15

MHD INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY STOCKLAND LOGISTICS EXPERT INSIGHTS WITH ROBERT SALERNO Stockland’s New South Wales Logistics Regional Manager and Head of Property Management, Robert Salerno, explains the market’s unprecedented buoyancy.

“Throughout my time in the industry, I’ve never seen the accelerated pace that we’re experiencing now and over the last two years,” Robert says.

“It’s unprecedented and it appears permanent.”

“Ten years ago, logistics was nowhere near as popular,” he adds.

“But now, we have tenants who really want to be in this space. Logistics is now institutionally accepted as being as valuable as an office tower.

“So, we at Stockland are building a logistics property pipeline in anticipation of future e-commerce demand. We are placing a lot of investment in the logistics sector to meet the market appetite. What we’ve seen is a massive growth in investment in the industrial sector as opposed to pure office space. A lot of logistics divestment in the marketplace.”

Robert says transport locations are essential to effective logistics locations. “We specialise in maximising logistics efficiencies and we’re at the forefront when it comes to our logistics portfolio.

“We offer our customers

Ten years ago, logistics was nowhere near as popular, says Robert Salerno.

16 | MHD APRIL 2022

Stockland’s research indicates industrial tenant demand will grow in Eastern Seaboard cities by 3.26 million sqms by 2030.

technologically advanced locations with excellent accessibility. This is the most important aspect. Consumers are hungry for goods and services to be delivered as quickly as possible. That places an emphasis on the importance of having well-located infrastructure.

“We are a leader in terms of strategically located logistics hubs.

We have the right product in the right locations. And the good news is that we do have a healthy logistics pipeline that has a number of properties coming out of the ground.

“Going hand in hand with our investments, the federal government is investing large amounts of money to support manufacturing industries locally, which again results in the expansion of industrial production and logistics services.”

STOCKLAND LOGISTICS TENANTS HIGHLY SATISFIED DESPITE INDUSTRY DISRUPTION The logistics industry has been highly disrupted since the COVID-19 pandemic – and Stockland has been there to support businesses, as demonstrated by last year’s Tenant Satisfaction Survey.

The survey logged an impressive overall satisfaction score of 87 per cent for FY21 and demonstrates that our logistics customers rated us highly on all fronts (Stockland Annual Property Customer Survey for Workplace and Logistics, 2021).

Sturdy supply chains have become a key source of competitive advantage for operators in the e-commerce space.

Stockland has been able to offer flexibility and adaptability in the industrial space that businesses use.

Strategic location is also more

important than ever before, with transport costs being around 40 to 50 per cent of an occupier’s cost base.

This means that optimised distribution locations are crucial for businesses setting themselves up for delivering better propositions to consumers, such as faster last-mile delivery times.

We at Stockland understand these trends and challenges. We are addressing them through multiple ongoing measures and initiatives and gauging our customers’ feedback on our efforts to support their businesses.

This year’s survey has revealed a high degree of customer contentment across all areas of the business – including the properties themselves, business relationships and Stockland on-site staff relationships. We achieved an impressive overall satisfaction score of 87 per cent for FY21, comfortably surpassing our KPI target of 80 per cent (Stockland Annual Property Customer Survey for Workplace and Logistics, 2021).

At Stockland, we take a highly proactive approach to understanding our customers’ business needs, taking pride in our overarching ‘Space to Thrive’ ethos; giving our logistics partners not only the space they need, but the resources and advice they need to thrive.

Finally, with the country and globe in a state of constant environmental challenge and change, Stockland is committed to acting ethically.

Sustainability is one of our core Strategic Pillars, and we are recognised as a sustainability global leader.

That’s the asset management style we pride ourselves on and the Tenant Satisfaction Survey confirms that a large percentage of our valued logistics tenant partners appreciate it. ■

MHD WAREHOUSING

STATE-OF-THE-ART STORAGE

Global earthmoving and mining equipment manufacturer Komatsu recently built a new DC in Queensland, with BHD Storage Solutions playing an essential role in the project’s success. MHD finds out more.

K

omatsu is an internationally renowned global manufacturer and distributor of earthmoving and mining equipment. Naturally, given the importance of Australia’s mining sector – and Queensland’s in particular – it made sense for Komatsu Australia to build a new distribution centre (DC) that could cater to the evolving needs of local industry, in keeping with one of Komatsu’s core company values: collaboration.

A vital component of the new DC is the storage solution implemented by BHD Storage Solutions. But before we get there, it’s important to explore why this new DC is so important.

Recently, MHD spoke with Hennie Van Der Merwe, Komatsu’s General Manager of Warehousing at the new state-ofthe-art 17,000m2 warehouse and DC in Wacol, Brisbane.

Hennie was responsible for the delivery of the new DC – from conception to its completion as a fully integrated operating facility. As such, he

Hennie Van Der Merwe, General Manager of Warehousing, Komatsu.

is well placed to provide an overview of the new centre’s capabilities.

“The $50 million Distribution Centre is a strong demonstration of Komatsu’s commitment to supporting and servicing their customers’ growth in Queensland, the Northern Territory, and northern New South Wales,” Hennie says.

“With the wide range of machines in the mining industry comes a wide range of components,” he says. “This warehouse houses 55,000 SKUs at

80,000 locations. Parts are available ranging from O rings – that are half the size of a $2 coin – up to 25-tonne ring gears for electric dump trucks.

The warehouse processes 45,000 lines per month, either being despatched or received as stock. This facility forms part of Komatsu’s global network of manufacturing and supply chain warehouses.”

Hennie says that the omnichannel management order process is integrated

The warehouse houses 55,000 SKUs at 80,000 locations.

18 | MHD APRIL 2022

WAREHOUSING MHD

with an ERP system, which allows walkins, online orders, phone orders, onsite visits for customers, and business-tobusiness orders.

“Komatsu’s philosophy is to meet the customer’s requirements – from the smallest machine operator to multinational mining companies,” he adds.

With 55,000 SKUs, storage requirements vary greatly in terms of size, weight, and loading points.

With such range, depth, and variety of SKUs, it was essential for Komatsu to have the perfect racking and storage solutions for the job.

To that end, Komatsu partnered with David Seale from BHD Storage Solutions to provide customised and manufactured racking required for all these lines. This resulted in 15 different rack designs.

“Pallet racks from BHD ranged in capacity from 52,000 kg, 30,000 kg, 28,000 kg, 27,000 kg, and 10,000 kg per bay – with heights up to 10 metres,” says David. “Super heavy-duty racks with ten PFC beams per level that can carry up to 8000 kg per level. Long bulky

Komatsu partnered with BHD Storage Solutions to provide customised racking.

products, such as hydraulic hoses, can be carried on nine metres cantilever racks. For the sorting and despatch of smaller orders, long span and CLS roller racks are used.”

The use of mobile racks, which can store motors and large oversize components of up to 5000 kilograms has improved the density of required warehouse floor space by approximately 70 per cent for the same area, David notes. Thus, it is possible to retrieve these parts in a very efficient

manner. As a result, the engines and components can be despatched the same day to the client.

Hennie is justifiably impressed with the results of BHD’s work.

“In order to support our customers for many years to come, all Komatsu’s small to multinational clients will rely upon the benefits provided by this investment in an integrated global warehousing and logistics centre. And BHD’s racking and storage is an indispensable part of this project.” ■

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MHD SUPPLY CHAIN

DISRUPTION IS THE NEW NORMAL – HOW AUTOMATION BUILDS BUSINESS RESILIENCE

Dematic’s Pas Tomasiello – Senior Regional Director Sales & Solutions Development, and Philip Makowski – Director Marketing APAC, explain how in times of disruption automation is key to building business resilience.

W

e are constantly being reminded that we are living through one of the greatest periods of disruption in history. Working and shopping patterns have changed and images of empty shelves in the supermarket, along with announcements of buying restrictions for essential groceries, have practically become commonplace throughout the pandemic.

However, for residents in Western Australia and the Northern Territory, it was not COVID-19 that was the cause of recent food shortage issues, but rather a mass flooding event that temporarily cut rail supply lines, leading to a scarcity of imported goods. Likewise, the catastrophic impact of the recent floods in southeast Queensland, Sydney and the NSW Northern Rivers is still being determined, but what we can expect is that supply chains will be seriously impacted, either as much as or even more than the previous major floods in the same region in 2011.

The fact that these unexpected supply chain interruptions occurred during a period of wider disruption for businesses has underlined that the pandemic isn’t the only unforeseen challenge or crisis impacting supply chains. Those organisations that view the current period of challenging operating conditions as being temporary, with improving circumstances leading to a ‘new normal’ in the near future are being overly optimistic, if not unrealistic. What is far more likely is that disruptions 20 | MHD APRIL 2022

Businesses that have invested in automation aremore resilient to unforeseen disruptions.

are now the norm, not the exception, whether it be from a new variant of a global virus, natural disasters, or geopolitical or economic events.

So, how can companies and their supply chain organisations manage their businesses under such challenging operating conditions? How can they utilise new technologies to build resilience and agility into their supply chains to meet customer and business demands?

TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS FOR THE NEW NORMAL The current pandemic has shown that businesses who have invested in automation are more resilient to unforeseen disruptions. In turn,

automation has enabled these businesses to maintain and manage operations during testing circumstances, and deliver customer orders with limited staff, while also facilitating social distancing. Automation has also equipped these businesses with the capacity, flexibility, and responsiveness to handle spikes in order volumes and changes to order profiles, such as an influx of online orders.

Of these pioneering retailers choosing to automate operations, many stated that their highly automated order fulfilment system ideally positioned them to maintain high customer service levels, with rapid, error-free order fulfilment, as online orders spiked at the start of the pandemic. This has

MHD SUPPLY CHAIN

allowed these retailers to gain not only a greater market share, but also customer loyalty, providing them with a stronger foundation for future growth. Likewise, other large retailers with both automated distribution centres and manual warehouses in their extensive supply chain network reported a significant decrease in operational disruptions, allowing them to effectively maintain store replenishment activities and avoid undue stockouts.

These stark experiences have underlined that businesses need to consider automation technology throughout their end-to-end supply chains to ensure the capacity and flexibility to navigate unexpected events and manage periods of disruption as best as possible. Even before the pandemic, grocers and food and beverage manufacturers were struggling to optimise order fulfilment to make it both sustainable and profitable in an industry with notoriously tight profit margins.

Now, with unprecedented pressures on global supply chains, those issues have only been amplified.

INTELLIGENT SOFTWARE: THE FOUNDATION FOR RESILIENCE AND AGILITY Logistics software integrated across sites can also provide a holistic, endto-end view of an entire supply chain.

Retailers, as well as manufacturers, can utilise connected data, smart algorithms, and data-driven intelligence and decision support tools to optimise operations and make more effective decisions based on a wide variety of factors including consumer behaviours — such as panic buying — to determine inventory needs, address major peaks in demand, and manage unexpected supply chain interruptions.

HEDGING AGAINST THE UNEXPECTED Given the ongoing global supply chain issues, many manufacturers and retailers are looking to increase inventory levels as a hedge against future disruption.

However, this is leading to new challenges entirely, due to the shortage of commercial warehouse and industrial space in key fulfilment areas. Even prepandemic, rent for warehouse space in Australia had increased by 25 per cent in the previous three years, and the

availability of commercial land in a city such as Sydney has reduced by 35 per cent in the last five years. This shortage of readily available facilities is leading many retailers and logistics companies to rethink their approach to commercial warehouse space.

In this environment, businesses are increasingly investing in solutions like Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems for pallets and Multishuttle and Autostore systems for cartons, cases and totes to maximise storage capacity in a smaller footprint, while providing them with optimal inventory management and tracking along with increased system reliability.

These space savings allow for the better utilisation of existing facilities beyond warehousing, and some customers have used this newly created space to expand manufacturing capacity or add special areas for value-adding tasks such as kitting or custom build areas.

MANAGING STAFF SHORTAGES Finding and retaining labour is a key issue facing many supply chain operations today. Indeed, the need to attract and retain staff is creating real business pressures due to a shrinking pool to hire from, as well as rising staff costs.

Automated systems can help reduce a business’s reliance on manual labour, while also enhancing health and safety protocols for workers in the warehouse.

Innovations such as Automated Guided Vehicles, for example, provide fully automated unit transport between subsystems, as well as automated storage for block stacking and rack storage.

Moreover, Automated Storage and Retrieval systems (AS/RS), such as the Dematic Multishuttle and AutoStore systems, work to not only expand storage capacity but reduce a reliance on labour.

As the storage engines for goods-toperson systems – where product cases or items are delivered automatically to pickers at ergonomically optimised high-rate pick stations – work to optimise fulfilment operations, they also streamline efficiency levels with accelerated order responsiveness, be it for single item or case picking. With productivity gains of up to 500 per cent over manual systems, goods-to-person systems significantly reduce the reliance on labour, and as stations are physically

separated, they also support social distancing protocols for operators.

Likewise, because all these automated systems are separated from employee working areas, workplace accidents are far less likely to occur. Automation enables businesses to continue operations during a period of massive disruption where labour is scarce or worker density limits are enforced, while maintaining employee safety protocols.

OPTIMISING THE ‘LAST MILE’ OF E-COMMERCE FULFILMENT With the ever-increasing growth in online orders and a downturn in business for physical stores, many retailers and even some food producers are now adopting micro-fulfilment solutions to implement online order fulfilment operations close to customers, addressing the challenge of last-mile deliveries.

Micro-fulfilment solutions are highly compact Multishuttle or AutoStorebased goods-to-person systems for e-commerce order fulfilment that can be installed either in the back of existing store locations, in nearby distribution centres, or even dedicated online fulfilment dark stores to serve nearby consumers. Micro-fulfilment solutions are highly flexible and can serve in-store fulfilment, click-and-collect, and support other stores nearby.

AUTOMATION IS THE FUTURE Businesses should now be considering logistics automation technology and supply chain software to support operations with the resilience and agility needed to handle unanticipated demand surges and abrupt disruptions.

All in all, retail, wholesale, and manufacturing businesses should be evaluating automation technology and software to provide their supply chains with the flexibility to be able to adapt quicker and more proactively to any changes in the market, ensuring long-term resilience and agility to any anticipated and unanticipated disruptions – and there’s never been a better time than now to start this transition into future-proof business operations. ■ For more information on how your business can improve its supply chain resilience, please visit: www.dematic.com/ en-au MHD APRIL 2022 | 21

MHD SUPPLY CHAIN

GRADUATE RECRUITMENT INITIATIVE

Bastian Consulting has launched a new ‘Graduate Initiative’ to boost the pipeline of talented supply chain graduate to prospective employers. Stephanie Martinez, Partner at Bastian, tells more.

“T

here is a perception among those in the younger generation that supply chain isn’t a ‘sexy’ career,” notes Stephanie Martinez, Partner at Bastian Consulting.

“Many people stumble into supply chain, and very few people pursue tertiary studies in the area.”

There are various reasons for this, Stephanie says, but the key ones are that graduates are more inclined towards office jobs in data analytics and the tech industry – and although modern supply chain offers such jobs, there remains a misconception that supply chain isn’t a “prestige” career, or that it’s an oldschool “hands-on” industry rather than a place where highly-skilled knowledge workers can progress and thrive.

“But the message that we at Bastian wish to communicate to young people is that modern supply chain involves a lot of complex work and actually has exemplary prospects for career growth.

Now, more than ever, companies across the world are investing heavily in their supply chain business units – so there are fantastic employment opportunities to seize right now. But, at the moment, the pipeline of talent isn’t delivering enough candidates to meet the new higher levels of investment.”

BASTIAN’S GRADUATE INITIATIVE To help turn the tide and get more talented youngsters into supply chain, Bastian recently launched ‘The Graduate Initiative’ – a program to support graduates entering the supply chain and tech sector.

“The idea is to give back to the community and inform our network of new entrants into the job market,” Stephanie says. “This is a fee-free 22 | MHD APRIL 2022

initiative to support the talent pipeline shortage – so it’s a win-win for both hiring managers and graduates.”

Once per week, after Bastian assesses a new graduate, the candidate is marketed through Bastian’s Instagram account @ bastianconsulting. Hiring managers can access insights on the candidate, and if the profile piques their interest, they can access the candidate’s CV and progress them through their own processes.

“If the hiring manager decides to hire one of these graduates, they’re not charged a recruitment fee.”

Stephanie notes that with companies struggling to find high quality talent, Bastian’s initiative will help companies to think more seriously about their internal hiring processes as well as how to make their internal culture more appealing to prospective candidates.

“Unless a business is consistently training internal people for growth opportunities there will always be a talent gap; and these gaps are significant when individuals with specialised skillsets with respect to intellectual property (IP) leave the business. Mitigating this risk is essential.”

RETAINING TALENT Getting the talent in the door is one half of the challenge. The other half is keeping it in the company for the long term, Stephanie says.

“Retaining talent has become a major problem since the pandemic because of a shortage of talent that may be attributed to various factors, including higher visa restrictions, less international mobility, the industry growing at a rate faster than new people are getting qualified, and distressed value chains needing more experienced talent,” she says.

This has resulted in more “poaching”

of talent from other companies in supply chain or similar industries; as well as unprecedently high wage-offers.

“Recruiters will tell you that in the last six to nine months counter-offers have been on the rise,” Stephanie says. “Just over two years ago the average salary increase was generally around 10 to 15 per cent, but now we’re working with clients to factor in a counter-offer buffer.

Companies are now reviewing retention policies and bonuses to ensure talent stays put and accumulated knowledge isn’t lost. There is a real concern in the industry around personnel being poached just six to 12 months into a new role.”

Much talk in the media and among recruiters of the ‘Great Resignation’ – with estimates of roughly a third of employees looking to leave their current employment – has meant that companies are working on internal strategies to mitigate this risk, with some even going as far as to increase current employee salaries across the board.

“Amazon, for example, recently doubled their maximum salary cap from $224,000 to $491,000 just last month,” Stephanie notes.

But beyond sheer salary increases, there needs to be a more proactive strategy for recruiting talent and making employees – current or prospective – aware of the opportunities for advancement.

“Career path-mapping and communications around career growth opportunities are vital. And it’s not just about using typical recruitment platforms – if you want to get in front of young people or talented potential candidates in great numbers, you need to be pushing content across all sorts of online and social media platforms.” ■

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THE RISE OF THE COBOT MHD sits down with Körber Supply Chain’s dedicated AMR team in APAC to find out how cobots can improve operations in the DC and explore the unique benefits they bring to supply chain and retail operations.

A

utomation is having a significant impact on distribution centres across the APAC region, largely due to its ability to improve efficiency, safety, and productivity.

Collaborative robots, also known as cobots, are the latest technology solution helping DCs enhance their workflows and empower employees to better manage their time and boost efficiency.

Simply put, a collaborative robot is a type of robot intended to physically interact with humans in a shared workspace. They are smaller than large-scale high output automation and are cost-effective, safe and flexible.

According to Körber Supply Chain’s Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR) team in APAC, cobots are making automation easier and more accessible than ever before and they are suitable for almost any business size.

But how do they differ from other tech solutions?

THE COBOT PROPOSITION Cobots are designed to work with people and work alongside humans to complete daily tasks more effectively and productively. There are many workflows that can be improved with this technology. Picking is one example – cobots can assist in this process to eliminate time-wasted walking from one picking location to the other. The cobot can travel between pick locations and analyse the most efficient way to get there.

An essential element of the cobot proposition is that these robots are built to improve human efficiency, not replace them. Collaborative robots complement what an operator or team member does within the DC, essentially reducing nonproductive time and processes (such as travel) while improving accuracy.

Using picking as an example, Körber research estimates that a warehouse operator completing a picking workflow will often walk around 10 to 15 kilometres a day. “A cobot can move stock in less

According to Körber’s AMR team cobots are more accessible than ever before and suitable for almost any business size.

Due to increasing benefits of cobots in the DC environment, Körber has partnered with Locus Robotics. time while the employees focus their energy and expertise on value-added tasks involved in the process,” Körber Supply Chain’s dedicated AMR team in APAC told MHD. Of course, cobots can improve other workflows beyond picking. Any task that requires travel or carrying stock can be enhanced and completed by a cobot.

While the machine does the heavy lifting, all the team member needs to do is pick and put products onto the cobot and it does the rest.

HOW DO COBOTS DIFFER FROM OTHER TECHNOLOGY? Cobots have many unique attributes that make them ideal for use in DCs. Körber Supply Chain’s AMR team in APAC reveals the seven reasons why cobots make good business sense: 24 | MHD APRIL 2022

MHD SUPPLY CHAIN 1. SMALLER Cobots are generally smaller than other robotic solutions, which make them ideal for quickly moving around a DC. They take up less floor space, and this typically means facilities do not need to change their layout or existing paths to accommodate them. Their small size also ensures they don’t obstruct team member activity and other workflows.

2. LIGHTER Similarly, these solutions weigh less than other systems. This helps them be more agile in a warehouse environment. They are still built with the strength necessary to carry stock, but modern materials have made it possible for the cobots themselves to be lighter.

3. SAFER A smaller and lighter robot is naturally safer for employees and its surroundings. While it’s still necessary to do your due diligence and ensure a cobot can safely operate in your existing space, its spec and capabilities lend itself to being an overall safer solution than legacy robotic solutions. Cobots can also take over unsafe tasks, like moving heavy or dangerous stock, so the risk of injury is reduced for your employees.

4. SHORTER-LEAD TIMES Cobots can be more easily deployed because of their size and configurability. Modern cobots have short lead times and, in some cases, can be purchased off-the-shelf and set up onsite within hours or days as opposed to months.

5. FLEXIBLE DCs are constantly affected by the ebbs and flow of business. Cobots are a flexible solution that adapt to unforeseen peaks and dips in volume to ensure they are always operating efficiently no matter the daily workload. In comparison to traditional automation, cobots are more forgiving of unforeseen or unplanned spikes in volume.

6. COST-EFFECTIVE Purchasing and integrating traditional industrial robots can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Cobots, on the other hand, are more affordable per unit. Also, because they are easier to integrate, they have a faster payback time.

7. EASY TO USE Cobots are also easy to install, integrate and use, which is ideal for DCs wanting to deploy this technology quickly. They are typically controlled by tablets or screens, so there’s no need to install tracks within

“

Locus’s cobots have been proven to work safely with human employees and drive 200-300 per cent productivity increases for retailers and thirdparty logistics providers ... Now more than ever, they need a flexible, scalable, and costeffective solution that can optimise their efficiency, which is what Locus’s cobots provide.

”

An essential element of the cobot proposition is that these robots are built to improve human efficiency, not replace them. the DC or manually input coordinates for each task — everything is done with a few directions from an operator.

KÖRBER AND LOCUS ROBOTICS As a result of the increasing benefits of cobots in the DC environment, Körber has partnered with Locus Robotics, a leading provider of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), including collaborative robots, to bring cutting-edge solutions to the Asia Pacific market.

Locus’s cobots have been proven to work safely with human employees and drive 200-300 per cent productivity increases for retailers and third-party logistics providers.

These industries are facing increased pressure to meet the demand of e-commerce, which has only become a more popular purchasing option due to recent events.

Now more than ever, they need a flexible, scalable, and cost-effective solution that can optimise their efficiency, which is what Locus’s cobots provide.

The cobot proposition shows companies that it’s possible to improve their DCs with the addition of collaborative robots. Not only do they speed up routine workflows, but they create a safer environment for the employees working there and offer an attractive ROI. To learn more about implementing cobots into existing DC workflows, contact the Körber Supply Chain dedicated AMR team today. ■ MHD APRIL 2022 | 25

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ADAPTING TO THE CHANGING WORKFORCE WITH PEOPLE-CENTRIC TECHNOLOGY MHD speaks to Daniel Wyner, Chief Executive at ReadyTech Workforce Solutions about technology’s role in supporting workforce changes, the importance of robust payroll processes and policies to take care of employees, the ageing transport industry and rise of digital transformations, and nurturing the employer-employee relationship.

I

t’s no secret that the logistics and supply chain is under a lot of pressure, from supply disruptions to skills shortages, not to mention the impact of COVID-19. The workforce needs to be more resilient than ever. Businesses are experiencing firsthand the importance of their bottom-line workforce. The ‘people first’ approach, ensuring employees are supported and safe, is a fundamental strategy in adapting to the everchanging conditions of the workforce.

ReadyTech is an ASX-listed Australian company providing technology to help businesses put their people first.

Its variety of cloud-based workforce

The employer-employee relationship needs to be fostered, and there are great tools out there that can help.

management solutions keeps HR and payroll data up-to-date and ensures more than 2400 Australian and New Zealand businesses pay their employees correctly and on time.

Daniel Wyner is the Chief Executive at ReadyTech’s Workforce Solutions, heading one of three ReadyTech customer segments.

“At ReadyTech, we develop peoplecentric technology focusing on making sure that organisations have the right people in the right job with the right skills, being paid the right amount of money,” Daniel says.

“We’re the gatekeeper of hundreds of thousands of people’s pay on a weekly, fortnightly, and monthly basis,” he adds.

“Recently, there’s been many companies in the news making headlines, with challenges from privacy breaches and underpayments of staff arising from payroll errors. It’s an environment so highly fraught with risk that we make sure organisations are well-supported throughout the entire process.”

Especially in the transport industry, with time sheets, paid additional rates and unique rostering systems, Daniel understands the complexities, working closely with many customers – including a large transport logistics company that handles freight at international airports.

The necessity of total visibility, accuracy and transparency is important when it comes to complications of payroll and employee information.

With fundamental shifts in the

Daniel Wyner, ReadyTech’s Chief Executive for Workforce Solutions.

workforce, companies need to adapt to the way employees are managed. The age of digital transformation is not slowing down – and here’s why.

THE AGEING WORKFORCE Daniel refers to Labourforce’s Truck Driver Workforce Shortages report from February 2020, stating the average age of truck drivers is 45-54 years old, and there’s likely to be a shortage of 127,000 workers over the next five years.

“It’s not necessarily an industry that’s attracting a new lifeblood of people into it,” Daniel says.

“The age barrier is something you need to think about with regard to this ever-changing environment. That was the case even before you had massive MHD APRIL 2022 | 27

MHD SUPPLY CHAIN disruptions like COVID, the increasing prevalence of automation, and the ever-greater complexity of large multinationals.”

Diversity is a challenge and the only way to attract new people and ideas, is to stay updated with not only tools that can help get the job done more efficiently, but also the intricate systems and processes around the employee lifecycle to ensure they are informed, and feel supported and empowered to do their job.

NEED TO AUTOMATE MANUAL PROCESSES The transport industry has long embraced technology in warehousing – AI and tracking systems – but the same attention is needed for the workforce by streamlining clunky processes and automating manual tasks.

He says Amazon is a notable example of a company that is a strong driver of innovation. Not only disrupting the way warehousing and supply chain logistics are run in Australia, but the development of its distribution centres – including one that has opened at Kemps Creek in West Sydney and Wesfarmers’ Catch. They have changed the industry with massive amount of automation.

Amazon will employ 1500 people over time to support automation, and they will need to have different skillsets and pivot frequently from the usual pickpack workers.

“It doesn’t mean that there’s going to necessarily be less jobs, there are just going to be different jobs around,” he says. “How are companies going to know they have the right people to schedule for the right shifts for the right routes?”

Daniel says everything outside of the manual labour side of warehousing has changed, prompting individuals and organisations to think about how to move things forward.

KEEPING EMPLOYEES SAFE “Now more than ever, the health and well-being of our employees is paramount,” Daniel says. He describes the transport logistics sector as being the “backbone” of the Australian economy and so its employees need to be safe and healthy to work.

When the COVID-19 pandemic started two years ago, businesses have 28 | MHD APRIL 2022

tackled the COVID-induced challenges with operational health and safety requirements, and the evolving contact tracing system is helping.

“We’ve got organisations that are now using thermal facial recognition clocks,” Daniel says.

“When you get to the office, or to the warehouse, you have a facial recognition clock, that recognises you and clocks you in, at the same time rating your temperature.”

He says this would never have happened pre-pandemic, and that thermal facial recognition technology is crucial to keep fruit and vegetable packers, as well as food manufacturers, healthy and safe.

The workers’ information is referenced and stored within ReadyTech’s software application. As soon as an employee checks in with an elevated temperature, the relevant teams in the organisation are alerted, and – in some cases – the front door of the facility will not open.

INTEGRATION OF CRITICAL INFORMATION Daniel says that since COVID-19, the demand for digital disruption and transformation has driven a lot of adoption of ReadyTech platforms. It has forced companies to re-imagine and think quickly about how it should interact and engage with its employees.

Sensitive employee information needs to not only be safe and secure, but easily accessible from one location – for when things change quickly.

The ReadyTech solutions offer organisations a platform to help securely track the unique identifying information such as licences the employees hold or vaccination certificates.

It also gives employers the visibility of their workforce and ability to manage rosters safely. The information is protected and secure on the employee records, integrating with the HR systems and allowing access only for approved personnel.

Employees who test positive to COVID can file a report for contact tracing purposes and anyone else who was working with them on their shift is alerted. ReadyTech’s mobile apps can be used to help workers in different States and Territories of Australia, where COVID-19 rules and regulations differ.

ReadyTech’s variety of cloud-based workforce management solutions keeps HR and payroll data up to date.

BUILDING A STRONGER WORKFORCE In addition to looking after employees, it is important to build a solid foundation of the right people for the sustainability of a growing workforce. Daniel says it’s important to look at the full employee lifecycle, and that starts at the beginning of when you are hiring and onboarding them.

ReadyTech integrates with job-boards such as Seek, to consolidate information and streamline the process for companies to interview, recruit and onboard remotely, especially important for fast growing and dispersed industries like transport logistics.

The employer-employee relationship needs to be fostered, and there’s great tools out there that can help.

“From ReadyTech’s perspective, our goal really is to make sure that there is a fulfilling relationship. Empowering our employers to be able to support their employees. It is important moving forward to think about engagement and how technology can aid that.”

“We believe that without being able to have that engine room of the Australian economy, which is ultimately driven by things moving from place to place, and having the support mechanisms around that, we’re really going to have more future impact on supply and demand,” Daniel says.

He describes one of ReadyTech’s purposes as helping transport logistics companies put food on the table and providing the materials to builders to construct houses for Australians.

“We really exist to ensure that communities thrive. Those humancentric values are really driven into everything we do moving forward.” ■

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MHD WAREHOUSING

LEADING AUSSIE MANUFACTURER MEETS WAREHOUSE WIZARDS

Sleep Corp is an iconic Australian brand manufacturing the best in mattress protectors and associated sleeping products. Having decided to overhaul its manufacturing and warehousing operations, it turned to Fuzzy LogX’s team of warehouse design experts to help turbocharge its operations as it enters a new and exciting future.

R

yland Joyce, Operations Manager at Sleep Corp, says that the company’s history stretches back 45 years to the owner and founder’s initial creation of a waterproof mattress protector. Since then, the company has expanded into new markets and products, although along the way the current iteration of the brand, Sleep Corp, elected to double down on the Australian market and focus on being an Australian manufacturer and distributor of mattress protectors and related products.

“One of the core goals of our business since then – and especially in the last 10 years – is focusing on ‘Australian Made’,” Ryland says. “50 per cent of our products have been Australian made for the last decade.”

But roughly four years ago, Ryland says Sleep Corp decided to set its sights on the future.

“We recognise that we own the market when it comes to mattress protectors,” he says. “We invented the product and are the leader in that space.

But there are a lot more opportunities in the sleep space where we know we can add value in offering extraordinary products and brands. We’ve been around for 45 years, so what does the next 50 look like?”

Ryland says that there were two major projects that had to be undertaken to position Sleep Corp for a strong future – one was updating its manufacturing processes, and the other its warehousing and distribution capabilities.

“For the manufacturing side, it was about automation and everything that came with it,” he says. “Now we’ve got

30 | MHD APRIL 2022

Ryland Joyce, Operatios Manager at Sleep Corp.

the equipment and machinery, as well as the systems and intelligence supporting it. It’s not just about the robotics, it’s the Industry 4.0 technology, an automated manufacturing execution system that uses AI and intelligent awareness around the product to make it more efficient.”

The upshot of this new manufacturing capability is that with the same number of people working at Sleep Corp, it will be able to double its output of Australian-manufactured products by May of this year.

This is certainly impressive, but as Ryland notes, updated manufacturing must be complemented by advanced warehousing.

“If I have double the number of products being manufactured but my warehouse can still only output the old number, that doesn’t help anyone,” he says. “The demand for our

products is there – that is clear. But without a sophisticated and automated warehouse, those products are going nowhere fast.”

And that’s where Fuzzy LogX and its team of ‘Warehouse Wizards’ come in.

“The transformation of our warehousing has taken us from Industry 1.0 to Industry 4.0 and beyond,” Ryland says. “Previously, we had MHE and systems that were literally 30 or 40 years old. We weren’t even scanning barcodes three years ago. So, we had a lot of catching up to do – and looked to experts to help us take that next step.”

ENTER FUZZY LOGX Ryland says that choosing Fuzzy LogX started off as simply as Googling for solutions providers.

He was taken in by Fuzzy LogX’s website and style, and reached out to Jeffrey Triantafilo, Fuzzy LogX’s

MHD WAREHOUSING Director of Systems and DC Design.

“Anyone who has met Jeff knows instantly that he knows what he’s talking about, that he is genuinely interested in building a rapport and understanding your needs,” Ryland says. “I knew this was a person I could trust. At that point we weren’t even thinking about automation – and he wasn’t trying to sell us on anything. He just wanted to understand our situation.

We knew we were going to be moving manufacturing and warehousing into a new facility, but beyond that we were looking for guidance.”

The partnership started out with a basic audit of the warehouse – so Fuzzy LogX and Sleep Corp could work together to figure out basic things like warehouse layout and the kinds of system that would best match Sleep Corp’s unique needs and future ambitions.

Recalling the whole process, Jeff is both excited and proud with what Fuzzy LogX and Sleep Corp achieved together.

He says it all started off with a simple conversation in a room, where both sides discussed the potential for Sleep Corp’s development.

“We then conducted an audit – or a ‘Process Excellence Review’ as we call it,” says Jeff. “Essentially, we capture the operation. We ensure we properly understand it, we ask all the silly questions, we immerse ourselves in it, and then only after we’re satisfied with our own understanding do we start thinking about the future.

“The next stage was to ask the question: ‘What are you guys thinking about growth – your ambitions and your potential?’ We had that conversation and identified five different channels in the business and how we might help them grow. With

The end result of the Fuzzy LogX-Sleep Corp collaboration is an integrated manufacturing and warehousing operation – in one location.

that picture in place, we then moved onto a more in-depth discussion. We created concepts for what a future DC might look like in terms of size, ensuring it would fit within the walls of their new building, then explored different automation systems, and then went out to market to find the right solution and the right partner.”

Deciding the best automation fit for Sleep Corp was a team effort using Fuzzy LogX’s proven systems design framework. Supporting the implementation and delivery of the final solution fell to Marina Longbottom, Intralogistics Consultant at Fuzzy LogX, and its first ‘Warehouse Wizard’ located permanently in Melbourne.

As Marina says, traditional ASRS systems were designed primarily for the FCMG industry – Coles, Woolworths, Big W, and the like – and require a large infrastructure to implement, as well as being quite costly and timeconsuming to install.

“By contrast, Sleep Corp must navigate a multi-channel customer environment, often producing highly individualised products for clients which bring with them their own unique requirements,” Marina says. “The handling, scanning, packing, labelling, and distribution processes are quite various – so we needed an automation solution that was flexible enough to deal with this degree of variation.”

It is for this reason that Marina believes that Körber AMRs were the perfect fit for Sleep Corp. “They’re highly customisable, can serve different purposes, and don’t have to be built into the surrounding environment like an ASRS system. On top of that, Körber’s team is highly responsive and just a phone call away should an awkward challenge arise. We’ve

Körber AMRs were introduced at Sleep Corp.

modified our warehouse blueprints a few times along the way, and Körber has never said to us that something can’t be done. Fuzzy LogX and Sleep Corp are collaborative in spirit – and we appreciate that Körber has worked with us in like manner.”

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED The end result of the Fuzzy LogX-Sleep Corp collaboration is an integrated manufacturing and warehousing operation – in one location.

Ryland says that the Sleep Corp experience shows the way to a renaissance in homegrown, sophisticated Australian manufacturing.

“We didn’t suffer like others did in COVID because our stock was made here in Australia, we hold our materials here, and we distribute from here,” he notes.

“Our problem was the opposite of many others – we didn’t have the capacity to meet demand. Now that’s changed, with our new, automated, future-directed manufacturing and warehousing operations sitting side by side. The fact that I can walk from our manufacturing plant to our warehousing operation – and watch how everything flows through from order to despatch – provides a level of transparency and certainty that no one else can match. It’s an advantage that other Australian manufacturers could learn something from.”

‘Transparency’ is a keyword for both Ryland and Fuzzy LogX. “Transparency and trust are absolutely vital for us at Fuzzy LogX,” Jeff says. “This project is one we’re all very proud of at Fuzzy LogX. Ryland and I can look each other in the eye and know for certain we’ve each gotten the best out of each other. It all comes down to relationships – that’s what we’re about.” ■ MHD APRIL 2022 | 31

Helping the industry thrive in the years to come In logistics, it goes without saying that an adaptable space in the right location is essential.

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MHD SUPPLY CHAIN

SIGN UP TO NATIONAL LOCATION REGISTRY Last year the Federal Government and GS1 launched the National Location Registry to streamline transport operations and boost supply chain efficiency.

Now they are calling on more businesses to register their location data today.

A national call to action is in place for businesses across all industry sectors to publish their location data to the National Location Registry.

I

n last year’s August edition MHD covered the launch of the National Location Registry (NLR), an industry-led initiative, sponsored by the federal Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications, to develop and deliver an industry platform to complement the government’s Freight Data Hub. Now the NLR is well and truly in action, industry leaders in transport and logistics are calling for more businesses to register today.

Initially piloted by a steering group of industry stakeholders, the registry digitises the management, storage and sharing of attribute information about physical pickup and delivery locations.

This data can then be shared between location owners and transport operators.

This new initiative provides a one-stopshop of pick-up and delivery location information to support truckies to get goods to businesses and consumers.

This includes operating hours, weight and height restrictions for vehicles, entry points, driver amenities and safety requirements for each site.

Ben Newton, Head of Transport Development at Woolworths says that the registry will “reduce the administrative burden on industry”.

He points out that as location owners maintain their own location data, transport operators don’t need to

maintain their own data set. All products in all industries become freight at some point in the process, so understanding the specific parameters of a location where physical transport processes take place is important and is a key element in achieving supply chain visibility.

At the time of its launch, Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce said: “Every Australian, everywhere, every day relies on freight. The National Location Registry will benefit us all by backing a more efficient supply chain for our businesses and truckies.”

HOW DOES IT WORK? “The NLR is basically a digital registry that enables the storage, enrichment, and retrieval of information about physical locations,” says Bonnie Ryan, Director Freight, Logistics and Industrial Sectors at GS1. “The NLR contains up-to-date information that streamlines transit of goods between supply chain and logistics operations – whether it’s information about new road accessibility, where receivers want goods put, the opening hours of particular locations, or health restrictions in force at a location.”

Bonnie says that a major frustration for truck drivers is when they turn up to a location to make a delivery only to find the location isn’t open or the truck entry is in another location. Schedules are disrupted, and there are knock-on effects throughout the supply chain.

“Before the NLR there has been no place where transport companies can get this information,” she says.

“So, they’ve had to create it afresh every time. To give you an example, a company like Woolworths deals with 100 different transport companies. So those 100 transport companies all have their own record of all the Woolworths locations – it’s hugely inefficient and leads to massive and unnecessary duplication of work.”

Now, that information is available on the NLR, and the more businesses that register, the more useful it is. The NLR is available to registered users, rather than an open forum accessible to all. This is to ensure the integrity and quality of the data that is shared on it, says Bonnie.

“It is very easy to use,” she says.

“The user interfaces are very user friendly, and it functions much as one would expect a modern well-designed MHD APRIL 2022 | 33

MHD SUPPLY CHAIN

The registry digitises the management, storage and sharing of attribute information about physical pickup and delivery locations.

website to function. Big companies can build API interfaces into the registry so that large volumes of data can be uploaded or downloaded without having to manually key it all in. But it also caters to smaller transport companies that might just need it to log on and download a particular customer location when they need it.”

For those accessing the data, they can subscribe to just those locations which they need to keep track of and will receive automatic alerts when changes in location information occur.

IMPROVING SUPPLY CHAIN EFFICIENCY “At some point, goods always need to enter the transport network to be picked up from somewhere and delivered somewhere else,” Bonnie says. “And that can be a quite complex process. So, when you’re looking at overall supply chain productivity, digitising and making accessible location information is a great opportunity to improve operational efficiency. Having good information about where you’re going, and the special considerations that attach to a given location, really smooths out the whole transport process.”

GS1 was well positioned to work with industry and government to bring about this important initiative for the benefit of all stakeholders.

“We were able to bring various stakeholders to the table to solve a common problem,” Bonnie says. “That’s the real value 34 | MHD APRIL 2022

“

GS1 is calling for businesses to sign up for the registry and add their Global Location Numbers to the growing list already added.

The benefits of the registry will be maximised by adding as many organisations as possible.

”

we bring – helping industry to collaborate in a non-competitive way, for a goal that couldn’t be achieved by any one company.

Because we are a neutral player and had the support of the Federal Department of Infrastructure and Transport, this meant we could bring industry players together for a common benefit. And now we’re calling on more businesses to register and take part.”

REGISTER TODAY GS1 is calling for businesses to sign up for the registry and add their Global Location Numbers to the growing list already added. The benefits of the registry will be maximised by adding as many organisations as possible.

The registry is designed to support any business operation involving the sharing or retrieval of location data, ensuring smooth pick-up and deliveries. Further information on operating hours, weight and height restrictions for vehicles, entry points, driver amenities and safety requirements can also be included. It is a multi-industry solution supporting sectors such as healthcare, transport and freight, grocery, agriculture, and general merchandise.

There are two steps to joining the NLR: (1) Get a Global Location Number (if you don’t have one already); and (2) Sign up to the registry.

A national call to action is in place for location owners across all industry sectors to publish their location data to the registry www.nlr.org.au. ■

MHD MATERIALS HANDLING

LOGISTICS COMPANY KEEPING IT SORTED Having recently celebrated 10 years in the Australian market, DAMON Australia’s General Manager Rick Woestyne explains how the logistics company continues to help Australian businesses better sort their items, and what it had to do to overcome the obstacles brought on by COVID-19.

D

AMON Australia is an extension of DAMON Group, a Chinese intelligent logistics systems and core equipment provider founded in 1997. The Australian branch celebrated its 10th anniversary last December.

Based at its Melbourne headquarters, Rick Woestyne is DAMON Australia’s General Manager. He says the company offers end-to-end solutions for materials handling and sortation systems for a variety of industries including e-commerce, logistics, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, apparel, and more.

“The equipment we provide to complement our conveying and sortation systems are carton storage and retrieval systems, pallet storage, goods-toperson-picking stations, robot miniload tote storage systems, carton and pallet elevators, and telescopic belt conveyors,” Rick says.

“We also have agency agreements with specialist suppliers who offer unique solutions to problems encountered in conveying and sorting products,” he adds.

When DAMON Australia started trading just over a decade ago, it was manufacturing conveyor rollers.

“We set up the factory to produce rollers to meet local needs at a

DAMON celebrated its 10th anniversary in Australia in December 2021. competitive price,” Rick explains.

During that time, Rick says the company’s product range has substantially grown.

“We now have the ability to manufacture not only conveyor rollers, but the complete conveyor system,” he says.

DAMON provides companies its equipment and solutions so they can handle more items and reduce error rates and labour.

It has a wide range of products for logistics systems: roller and belt conveyors, roller and chain conveyors, transfers, turntables, stackers, and dispensers for handling pallets.

“Automated sortation and ‘goods-to-

DAMON has engineers and a sales team to help its customers.

36 | MHD APRIL 2022

person’ technology is becoming more widely adapted to meet the increasing volumes to be handled,” Rick says.

Some of the intelligent sortation equipment DAMON has developed are horizontal and vertical cross belt sorters, sliding shoe sorters, highspeed steerable wheel sorters and transfers. Rick says they are meant to suit any application.

“Our range of rollers are available from 18 mm diameter up to 89 mm in diameter and are used in all types of carton and pallet-handling conveyors,” he says.

“We offer a variety of materials such as galvanised steel, zinc-plated steel, stainless steel, aluminium, and PVC,” he adds. “We are also an authorised

Just over a decade ago, DAMON Australia was manufacturing conveyor rollers.

MHD MATERIALS HANDLING

distributor for Kyowa 24V DC powered PulseRoller and control cards.

“Recently, we have been busy with one of our largest projects. Our core product, the i-G5 conveying platform was utilised, which is based on smart technology to ensure reliable and efficient operation of the logistics system.”

DAMON has engineers and a sales team that help customers. It conducts surveys to gauge what the customers goals are and determine what goods need to be handled, the hourly throughput, the pain points, and the available space so they can implement the system.

“Our engineers will analyse this information and provide the most efficient and cost-effective solution considering future growth and changing technology,” Rick says.

Besides the basic products, DAMON also designs and manufactures bespoke equipment to handle unique and difficult items. Rick says it does this to meet the customers’ special needs.

“The DAMON Group is dedicated to the ongoing research and development of intelligent equipment for conveying and sorting goods,” Rick explains.

“Once tested and ready for the market – as part of the DAMON Group – all DAMON divisions worldwide have full access to all the products manufactured or procured by our parent company,” he adds.

“To reduce delivery times on small to medium-sized projects, DAMON Australia holds stock of component parts to allow local assembly of conveyors and equipment.”

Rick says the pandemic presented lots of difficulties for DAMON. The team couldn’t discuss projects face-

DAMON reduces companies’ error rates and labour by providing equipment and solutions.

to-face with customers due to travel restrictions.

“Many projects were put on hold, and this was reflected in our 2020 sales,” Rick says. “However, we never stopped,” he adds. “We adapted to provide our services via video conferences and remained in contact with our customers regularly.

“At the same time, with assistance and support from headquarters, we improved our online exposure. A lot of changes were made during that time to ensure our employees were safe.”

He explains that with the public being forced to change its working and buying habits due to governmentimposed lockdowns, this gave DAMON an opportunity to help retail companies that were changing their business models to cater for the large increase in online sales.

“Although the lockdowns are now behind us, the challenges that we still face are the shortage of raw materials and computer chips, and substantial increases in the cost of freight as well as extended and uncertain delivery times,” Rick says.

“Fortunately, with the changes to

our business model and changes in the market, our business has recovered very quickly,” he adds. “In 2021, our sales volume achieved a new record in our history.”

When DAMON Australia celebrated its 10th anniversary, Rick says the chairman of the board flew to Melbourne to celebrate it with the Australian employees.

“In that celebration, we reviewed our history and achievements. After 10 years of growth, DAMON Australia has been accepted and recognised by local customers and obtained trust from partners to work together.” ■ For more information on DAMON Group, visit www.damon-group.com.au

DAMON also designs and manufactures bespoke equipment to handle unique and difficult items.

MHD APRIL 2022 | 37

MHD SUPPLY CHAIN

VANDERLANDE EQUIPS COMPANIES WITH E-COMMERCE SOLUTIONS

The Adapto has inbuilt sorting and sequencing functionality with multi-directional shuttles.

Vanderlande’s ANZ Director of Warehouse Solutions, Roald de Groot explains to MHD how the Dutch-headquartered company’s e-commerce solutions and innovative technologies equips multinationals in logistics and supply chains to tackle problems in a volatile world.

V

anderlande provides automation solutions to airports as well as warehouses, postal delivery companies, food retailers, and multinationals – including such iconic names as Woolworths and Crocs – that operate e-commerce platforms.

Roald de Groot, Vanderlande’s Director of Warehouse Solutions in Australia & New Zealand, says the company is adapting to the growing e-commerce industry and meeting the exponential demands produced by the pandemic.

“E-commerce works differently from old-fashioned brick-and-mortar warehouses,” Roald says. “The SKU ranges, size of orders, number of items per order, and number of order-lines are completely different.”

All these variables, he says, can significantly impact how automation is used in a warehouse.

38 | MHD APRIL 2022

According to Roald, Vanderlande has been working on various concepts for warehouse solutions. These range from bricks-and-mortar to omnichannel to completely e-commerce-dedicated solutions.

“We’ve also been very active in standardising the modules we use to build those concepts,” he adds. “As an example, we have a long-term partnership with one of the biggest e-commerce players around the globe.”

He explains how Vanderlande has been working with other companies to standardise solutions and to change onsite working to reduce lead-times on some projects by almost 50 per cent.

He compares the process to using a ready-made Lego block. “Every time when there’s a new project, we make sure we have the standard Lego blocks to build the house; we avoid building a new Lego block.”

INTERNATIONAL CHALLENGES The Toyota-owned company has faced numerous challenges during the pandemic as it’s provided its services to the supply chain, logistics and materials handling industries – all of which were significantly impacted by COVID-19 and the social and physical restrictions which accompanied it.

One of them was related to when Australia closed its borders to international travel. Vanderlande had some large, complex projects, which required key resources from overseas to build them.

Team spirit and dedication were also important in helping Vanderlande deal with the COVID-19 related challenges.

Roald says this involved the local Vanderlande team expanding its knowledge, and overseas team members isolating for two weeks

upon arriving in Australia to work.

Some of the other issues it faced included material scarcity – such as for electrical components and motors, but also availability of containers to transport goods into Australia.

Roald says because of this disruption, the company faced some challenges with lead-times for some of the products it put onto the market.

However, it cooperated with its suppliers to mitigate the impact of the materials scarcity.

“We need to learn from the challenges our customers face and tune our development and produce solutions to problems,” he says. “Each customer is unique.”

He adds it’s all about establishing a close partnership with the customer and being transparent when communicating with them as well as tackling challenges together and using automation solutions to address them.

INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS Roald explains how Vanderlande uses an e-commerce solution which uses its Adapto shuttles. “It is an automated storage and retrieval solution that’s central to businesses’ operations and distribution centres,” he says.

“It enables efficient and fast delivery to stores for B2B and B2C,” he adds. “The system is flexible so capacity and storage can be increased independently, and that’s what customers need. Flexibility and scalability are really the key.

“A lot of our customers are open and transparent, and they also invite us to discuss with them what their concerns are with regards to

“

Adapto is futureproof, flexible, and scalable. If you look at some of the main benefits of that solution, it’s a very lean infrastructure.

It has inbuilt sorting and sequencing functionality with multi-directional shuttles so there’s no requirement for additional equipment.

”

distribution centres and supply chain networks. We really relish those conversations with the customers. We can’t produce the best solution without cooperating with them.”

Vanderlande is using its new technologies like Adapto to manage any further issues with its customers caused by the pandemic and the high volume of online orders.

“We have solutions and methodologies that allow our e-commerce players to expand while adapting to the unpredictable market challenges,” Roald says.

“Storage and throughput are two very important elements in a warehouse, and they can be scaled up independently with this Adapto solution.”

He explains how a GTP (Goods to Person) solution involves shuttles and mini-loads. “If you look at it from a shuttle perspective, there are

SUPPLY CHAIN MHD traditional full-captive shuttle systems and our full-roaming shuttle systems with Adapto,” he says.

“Adapto is futureproof, flexible, and scalable,” he adds. “If you look at some of the main benefits of that solution, it’s a very lean infrastructure.

It has inbuilt sorting and sequencing functionality with multi-directional shuttles so there’s no requirement for additional equipment.

“The Adapto solutions are also modular; they have a maximum availability, so there’s no single point of failure and shuttles can be maintained offline.”

He says e-commerce has its roots in the mid 1990s when US companies sent books and CDs all around the world.

“There’s no sign of slowing down.

E-commerce continues to expand and will have a long-term impact on the way a lot of companies operate,” Roald says. “I would even say that the recent pandemic has had a big impact as well on the industry.”

“E-commerce orders were booming,” he adds. “But at the same time, although the orders were booming, those same e-commerce companies had a lot of challenges with fulfilling the orders they receivedbecause of shortages of labour and staff being ill.

“I think that if you look at that, combined with some other societal trends, like economies are growing, people are spending more, wealth is increasing, etc. I would say that automation is the key to solving these issues, and the more flexible and scalable you can be, the better prepared you are for the unpredictable future.” ■

Goods-to-Person (GTP) solution involves shuttles and mini-loads.

MHD APRIL 2022 | 39

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MHD SUPPLY CHAIN

KEEPING TABS ON SUSTAINABILITY

Deepak Kadambi, General Manager APAC for Geotab, recently visited Australia to speak at the Sustainability Leaders Summit. MHD caught up with Deepak to learn about Geotab’s sustainability and social responsibility approach.

Geotab has doubled down on its commitments to environmental sustainability and social responsibility.

G

eotab, a global leader in IoT and connected transportation, helps its customers improve productivity, optimise fleets through the reduction of fuel consumption, enhance driver safety, achieve strong regulatory compliance to regulatory changes, and focus on sustainability. Geotab is one of the few companies with the ability to help organisations reduce their environmental footprint by leveraging green technology and helping companies transition their fleets from internal combustion engine (ICE) fleets to electric vehicle (EV) fleets.

Established in 2000, Geotab is now one of the largest telematics companies in the world and is a leader in providing fleet management and vehicle monitoring solutions. In 2020, it was the first to exceed two million connected vehicles on a single, open platform.

With a driving aim to connect vehicles to the cloud and make roads safer for everyone, Geotab’s open platform and Marketplace guide businesses in automating their operations by integrating vehicle data with other data assets.

This helps to improve productivity and driver safety, helps ensure regulatory compliance, and reduces fuel consumption.

Geotab has worked for over twenty years

“

We are intensely focused on research and innovation.

Because we’ve mostly sold through distributors and resellers, that has allowed us to expand as well as focus on customers’ pain points and build our products to be more potent.

”

with its partners to develop an ecosystem and to provide an extensive product portfolio that can help businesses achieve their goals, no matter the size or function of their fleet.

“Over the last four to five years, Geotab has seen customer growth and a significant expansion of its product portfolio,” Geotab General Manager APAC, Deepak Kadambi says.

“More than 130 countries and seven continents have Geotab connected vehicles, including Antarctica. Geotab leverages its ecosystem to sell its hardware, enabling it to allocate more resources to research and innovation. This focus on innovation allows Geotab to develop and deliver the highest quality product.”

Geotab’s GO device is agnostic to the size of the vehicle, size of the fleet, the industry it serves and the type of vehicle.

While Geotab’s primary business model began centred on hardware, it has become more about the services and solutions it delivers to its customers.

CLEAN COMMITMENT Deepak has over 20 years of strategy, operations and engineering experience in transportation, technology and telecommunications. Following his role MHD APRIL 2022 | 41

MHD SUPPLY CHAIN as head of Strategy at Omnitracs in North America, Deepak joined Geotab and was recently appointed General Manager of the Asia-Pacific region.

“The appeal and the advantage of being a part of a founder-led company is that it’s switched on when it comes to sustainability; it’s always been a part of the company,” Deepak says. “That’s why Geotab started working with electric vehicles over ten years ago when they were not cool yet – sustainability is in the inherent DNA of the company.

“If you look at company baselines from a couple of years ago, there was a drop in the greenhouse gas contribution from 42,928tn of CO2 to 29,269tn. So, there was already an internal formalisation around Geotab’s sustainability practices that started before Geotab put out its inaugural Sustainability Report in November 2021. It has always been the kind of company that has considered the right thing to do – but by making the report public, Geotab wanted to ensure it is holding true to its aspirations.”

FOUR PILLARS OF SUSTAINABILITY In Geotab’s Sustainability Report, four pillars are outlined: safeguard the environment, source responsibly, provide innovation to help organisations improve and create a positive impact in communities.

Guided by the first pillar, Geotab is focused on achieving the goals set out in the Paris Agreement and researching science-based technology initiatives. Regarding the second pillar, sourcing responsibly, the company implements a code of conduct for its partners to abide by.

“When it comes down to how Geotab operates and its social responsibilities, it’s not enough just for Geotab to be socially responsible – Geotab encourages its ecosystem of partners to follow in Geotab’s footsteps and commit to their own social responsibilities, including environmental awareness and climate action,” Deepak says. “That’s why Geotab has a partner code of conduct. It has requirements of its partners on things like how they get their energy. Is it clean energy? What are the waste management practices? How are they disposing of waste? Are they recycling? So, that’s not just how Geotab operates, but also how Geotab’s ecosystem of suppliers and partners operate.”

To share its innovations and identify new goals for customers, Geotab launched the Green Fleet Dashboard to show how a fleet is performing over time. It supplies data on: 42 | MHD APRIL 2022

• How the average fleet fuel economy improves over time; • How much time vehicles are idle; • What the carbon footprint of petrol or diesel vehicles is; • How to improve driving behaviours; • How one fleet compares with other, similar fleets; • How to increase EV utilisation; and • How much EVs are helping to lower costs and emissions.

“

The advantage of being a founderled company is we’re switched on when it comes to sustainability; it’s always been a part of the company.

That’s why we started working with electric vehicles almost 10 years ago, when they were not cool yet – it’s in the inherent DNA of the company.

”

SUSTAINABILITY LEADERS SUMMIT Deepak spoke at the annual Sustainability Leaders Summit, held in Melbourne on 1-2 March this year. At the summit, Deepak met with representatives from companies including Nestlé, Australia Post, and Woolworths to unpack how each organisation’s sustainable practices could apply to the transport sector.

“The diversity of the industry segments at the event was high quality,” Deepak says.

“Transportation is a significant chunk of the GDP in most countries. Regardless of the speaker’s industry expertise, it was evident that transportation is essential for many businesses across various industries. Geotab is uniquely positioned to champion measures aimed at improving sustainability practices in the transport sector by providing a solution that enables companies to be more socially conscious and environmentally responsible.”

Deepak also used the opportunity to share what Geotab has done as a technology solutions provider in the transportation space, including its wider support of electric vehicles.

“If there’s a fleet that is transitioning to electric, Geotab has the ability to make that happen,” he says. “I would say Geotab is among one of the only companies that can help businesses fully transition from a purely internal combustion engine vehicle fleet to an electric vehicle fleet, as it has done so already with a rental car company in the US.” Ensuring that the transition to electric vehicles is seamless for its customers is what Geotab prides itself on as a business. Deepak invites others to consider making the change from ICE to EV fleets to help positively impact the environment.

“If a company has sustainability goals and there is a portion of the business that is extremely dependent on transportation, Geotab can have a conversation with them, understand their pain points, and determine the next steps towards the transition.” ■

FASTPICK High operator efficiency and easily scalable for unpredictable growth Through multidirectional movement and sequencing, Vanderlande’s shuttle-based automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS), ADAPTO, delivers goods in the appropriate order to the correct picking station. This makes order fulfilment fast and accurate, enabling same-day deliveries.

Do you want to know more about our FASTPICK solutions?

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MHD MATERIALS HANDLING

CONTAINER DEVANNING MADE EASY

Australian company Tilling Timber has for years been in search of a better method for devanning containers of its quality wood products. Recently, by installing its a Combilift Combi-CSS Container Slip-sheet system at its Melbourne site, Tilling found what it’s been looking for.

T

illing Timber has traded for 58 years as a timber importer and distributor and has a truly national reach in delivering quality wood products wholesale to the Australian market, says Leon Quinn, National Sales & Marketing Manager for Tilling Timber.

“Tilling distributes the SmartFrame range of engineered wood products from five distribution centres – Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, and Perth,” says Leon. “We also manufacture and distribute the Architectural range

of claddings and linings, as well as FrameSmart Baltic pine framing, along with glue laminated and sheet products.”

Needless to say, quality wood products are always in demand, and customers engage Tilling because it is a renowned and trusted nation-wide wholesaler. But with supply chain disruptions coming thick and fast, it’s more important than ever that reliable and efficient materials handling equipment is in place so Tilling can quickly move products.

“We have used Combilift forklift trucks

The Combi-CSS Container Slip-sheet is specifically designed for fast loading of freight containers with a maximum capacity of 30,000 kg.

for many years,” Leon says. “We have 58 Combilift forklifts in our national fleet. We prefer Combilift because they have a proven track record of superior reliability, durability, ease of service, and – of course – they’re great people to work with.

Chris Littlewood, Country Manager Australia at Combilift, notes that the company’s relationship with Tilling is almost as old as Combilift itself.

“While Combilift was established in 1998, we started doing business with Tilling in 2002 – the very same year we started doing business in Australia,” Chris says. “Tilling was among our first customers in Australia, and we have been working with them since the first Combilift units were brought into the country.”

Chris points out one principle that underpins Combilift’s success is the notion of “mass customisation”.

“We manufactured almost 8000 units in 2021, and of those 90 per cent were customised,” he says. “The experience with Tilling is no different. We started out roughly 20 years ago supplying the C4000, our multi-directional four tonne unit, and since then we have customised the ‘Tilling spec’ in everything from lift capacity to colour to cabin size to speed – all to meet their unique requirements.”

THE CHALLENGE: DEVANNING CONTAINERS One challenge on which Combilift and Tilling have been working for several years is the safe, efficient handling of containerised loads at Tilling’s five Australian sites, says Chris.

“The costs and productivity inefficiencies of either having containers 44 | MHD APRIL 2022

MHD MATERIALS HANDLING unpacked port-side or having containers delivered, stored, and emptied – often by dragging loads out – has been a longterm challenge,” he notes.

Leon says that the devanning challenge became particularly acute at Tilling’s Melbourne site.

“Until now, the Melbourne branch has used third party service providers for the devanning of our containers,” he says. “Sometimes there can be delays due to congestion, and confusion over the prioritisation of certain containers over others. Furthermore, some of our products can be damaged by the oldschool devanning process – which isn’t necessarily the fault of the provider – because straps are often needed to drag out our long packs.”

THE SOLUTION: COMBI-CSS CONTAINER SLIP-SHEET It was at the opening of Combilift’s new factory in Ireland in 2018 that Tilling first saw the Combi-CSS Container Slipsheet, then still in development.

Once the CSS became a production unit, Chris says that it had an obvious application in helping to alleviate some of the devanning challenges with which Tilling had been battling.

“I think the CSS sits well within the overall solution we offer Tilling,” Chris says. “From destuffing containers, to handling of raw timber, to handling of full truck loads leaving Tilling sites – we look to partner with Tilling at every point of their supply chain in Australia.”

The Combi-CSS Container Slip-sheet is specifically designed for fast loading of freight containers with a maximum capacity of 30,000 kg. Able to complete a full container load cycle in under six minutes, the CSS is a simple-to-operate, cost-effective container loading solution that is faster and safer – whether handling rough sawn timber, flat-packed furniture, or panel products.

“The CSS means that trucks can be turned around within minutes, without containers needing to be taken from the back of a truck – removing the need for swing lifters – and without the need for fork slippers or dragging loads out of containers,” Chris says. “No personnel are required to enter a container. Once the container is unloaded forklifts can quickly move to warehouse the load.”

A few months back Tilling installed the first Combi-CSS Container Slipsheet, at its Melbourne branch. Leon says

Combilift works hard to develop new products that solve customer pain points while being as simple and user-friendly as possible. it’s been a great success.

“In terms of efficiency, from the outset we were able to achieve unloading in six minutes,” he says. “Not only are we now able to unload a container in six minutes, but the CSS also prevents damage by sliding beneath the bottom bearers and pulling the whole load out at once – plus it’s improved the health and safety of our site. We have already ordered a second and third for our Sydney and Brisbane branches.”

SIMPLE AND EFFECTIVE Combilift works hard to develop new products that solve customer pain points while being as simple and user-friendly as possible. Indeed, Combilift spends seven per cent of its turnover on R&D. The CSS is one of the fruits of Combilift’s heavy emphasis on and investment in meeting customer needs.

“The CSS, like all Combilift products, came from a felt customer need,” says Chris. “The need was efficiency, and the CSS provides that. Traditionally, stuffing and destuffing containers can be a long, labour-intensive job, involving staff entering containers – which can be dangerous.

“The CSS solves all those problems.

It unloads a 40-foot container in six minutes, and no personnel need enter the container. In fact, with the newer versions the truck driver doesn’t even have to leave his cab. And in terms of personnel, forklift operators can start putting product from a fully unpacked container away immediately – no more waiting around.”

Readers of MHD need only visit Combilift’s website and view videos of the CSS in action to see how simply, effectively, and efficiently it operates. Regardless, Chris says the container-unloading

process is quite easy to describe.

“A truck docks against the CSS using our proprietary guided locking system,” he says. “A hydraulic levelling system at the front and rear of the CSS automatically adjusts the height and pitch of the platform to perfectly align with the container.

“The CSS is itself a low free-standing platform with a dual directional motor-driven pulling mechanism that moves a 15mm Hardox steel sheet.

The sheet is guided into the container and underneath the load. The sheet and a load of up to 30 tonnes are then pulled out of the container in one careful motion.”

The CSS seems so simple and effective that – like all great innovations – it seems like an obvious solution after it’s become available. But, as Chris notes, the Combi-CSS Container Slip-sheet stands alone in the market.

“There isn’t something like this offered by anyone else,” Chris says.

“There are container rollout platforms that have been around for a while, but what do you do with the platform once the cargo has been destuffed? Large companies have occasionally invested in these kinds of systems, but you need such equipment at both ends of the supply chain. It takes up valuable container space and, more importantly, container weight.

“The Combi-CSS Container Slip-sheet is efficient, does not limit capacity, and the ROI can be surprisingly quick.” ■ For more information and to see the Combi-CSS in action, visit www.combilift.com/combi-css For more information on Tilling Timber, visit www.tilling.com.au MHD APRIL 2022 | 45

MHD PROPERTY FOCUS

THE STATE OF SOUTHEAST MELBOURNE Gordon Code and James Stott, Directors at Colliers heading up Melbourne’s southeast industrial team, share their recent experiences in and analyses of the southeast sector – and what the near future looks like.

C

Colliers Directors Gordon Code and James Stott head up a team of six people dedicated to Melbourne’s southeast industrial property market.

“James and I focus on major site sales, institutional leasing, and investment sales,” Gordon says. “And we also have a team working with middle markets, encompassing smaller properties and the strata space.”

It’s a young and dynamic team, with Gordon telling MHD that the average age of the team is mid-twenties. But while relatively young themselves, Gordon and James are highly knowledgeable and effective experts in the industrial property sector.

Indeed, one particularly impressive transaction the pair recently handled was

The southeast has the greatest amount of zoned land east of Melbourne city.

46 | MHD APRIL 2022

a 10 year lease to the iconic Toys”R”US of a purpose-built 19,650sqm facility in Clayton South, part of ESR’s Clayton Business Hub. The Toys”R”US facility will consolidate the retailer’s operations under one roof, and serve a hybrid function catering to modern e-commerce distribution needs as well as housing a showroom where customers can engage with Toys”R”US brands.

Although this property falls within the eastern rather than southeast industrial property boundary – Gordon says there is close collaboration between the eastern and southeast teams – James notes it was an interesting transaction not simply because of its scale, but because it reflects the unique changes brought on by rising e-commerce, and

how one major retailer is responding.

“This is a new foray for them back into a customer facing experience that is simultaneously heavily focused on e-commerce,” Gordon says. “The fulfilment centre that they’ve committed to also includes a showroom, a customer experience centre.

“Instead of opting for Dandenong in the southeast, they instead have chosen to go for Clayton in the east.

While shoppers clearly enjoy the ease of e-commerce and online fulfilment of their orders, there is still something attractive about the physical experience of shopping – taking the kids on a trip to Toys”R”US on the weekend, for instance. With this facility they retain the e-commerce focus and capability but add on to that a more focused and engaging

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customer facing experience with a special showroom. It’s one interesting case study in how a major retailer is adjusting to a new era of retail and distribution.”

The choice of Clayton was also instructive, as it is more densely populated and closer to higher socioeconomic areas. It’s not a full return to the in-person retail model, but it’s a concession to the importance of a proximal physical presence for customers. Gordon notes that Toys”R”US intends to pursue a similar strategy in terms of use and location for a larger national rollout – and is currently examining equivalent opportunities in Sydney.

SOUTHEAST TRENDS While both the east and southeast industrial and logistics property markets distinguish themselves – relative to the north and west – by virtue of their easier access to the demographic centre of Melbourne, the southeast differs from the east in key respects.

“From a market perspective, a lot of the established industrial precincts in the eastern market are legacy areas that have undergone quite substantial gentrification,” James notes. “Whereas the southeast has the greatest amount

of zoned land east of the city. Big users are therefore gravitating more towards the southeast over the east – and bigger groups are moving out of the east because they are increasingly facing greater traffic and congestion. Unless you’re a Toys”R”US that is integrating a more up-market customer facing component, the east is less and less viable for a lot of DCs.” Considering the southeast market in a broader context, James says that it largely mirrors broader trends across the eastern seaboard.

“They are perhaps more pronounced in the southeast than other parts of the east coast, owing to more acute land supply issues here. We’ve witnessed an explosion of leasing volumes and record vacancy compression – a market development that’s been in place for about 12 to 18 months. With all the supply chain disruption going on, more owners are just happy to hold on to more stock.

“As a market we average about 250,000 square metres. In 2020 the southeast did 430,000 square metres of transactions (all above 40,000 square metres). Last year we did 460,000 – a record year for the southeast.

And that demand has continued into

the first quarter of this year, too.”

Gordon points out that the southeast market is very constrained in terms of land supply, with very little available to buy.

“The core southeast areas – Dandenong, Keysborough, and Hallam – have only 100 hectares of undeveloped land remaining,” Gordon says. “And that land is 95 per cent controlled by two developers, who are only offering that back to the market via leasehold opportunities.

They don’t want to sell. So – we’ve seen land prices double in the space of the last 12 months.”

James adds that the surface landsupply picture for the southeast is misleading, with the Victorian State Government suggesting there is roughly 470 hectares of zoned land in the southeast.

The bottom line, James concludes, is that the general systemic issues across the eastern seaboard apply equally to Melbourne’s southeast. “We’re seeing a continuing institutionalisation of the markets. It’s just becoming harder and harder for private businesses or even corporate groups to own their own property. This is a trend which we’ll continue to see going forward.” ■

MHD APRIL 2022 | 47

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E H X H I B I T I O N C E N T R E

THE CHANGING FACE OF AUSTRALIAN TRANSPORT

Peter Jones, Founder and Managing Director of Prological, discusses how and why Australian transport offerings within supply chain have shrunk in previous decades – and what might be done about it.

“T

he depth and breadth of transport options in supply chain isn’t what it used to be”, says Peter Jones, Founder and Managing Director of Prological.

“And while the following provides some insights and an overview of the macro issues – of course this subject is much more complex than this article can address. One day I’d like to write the book.

“If you look back over the last 20 years, there were so many transport companies that once held prime position within the industry that simply no longer exist,” he says.

“Many of them went broke – closed the doors and vanished. And a great many others were acquired and rolled into much larger businesses. NQX, Concord Park, Kwikasair Express (Quick as air), Comet Express, Riteway, 1st Fleet, Wards Skyroad, Australian Air Express, even TNT is going as it becomes FedEx.” Assessing this historical trend as an immensely experienced supply chain consultant, Peter believes this narrowing of the transport provision field has had deleterious consequences for the efficiency and efficacy of Australian supply chains. Moreover, the narrowing of transport options and capabilities is a problem more acute today than ever before. At just the moment that e-commerce, the pandemic, and geopolitical strife are disrupting inter- and intra-national flows of goods, now more than ever there is an urgent need for flexible and innovative transport solutions.

“30 or 40 years ago, a transport company could find its own niche in the market and thrive,” he says. “A 50 | MHD APRIL 2022

Peter Jones, Founder and Managing Director of Prological.

small company – perhaps simply a man starting out with a truck – could do something for somebody that was a little bit unique and develop a nuanced approach to a niche in the market. Transport businesses could develop around a particular competency that arose organically out of unique on-the-ground challenges.

Greg Poche started Star Track Express like this; originally ‘Multi-Group’, Allied Express under Colin McDowell

started with a couple trucks and some friends; and Border Express started

by Max Luff as a link between Albury, Sydney, and Melbourne. Even Toll had very humble beginnings with a man and a truck based in Newcastle. Each found a niche, which was expanded and evolved to become the large and successful businesses they are today.

A proliferation of second- and thirdtier transport providers meant a great variety of niche capabilities were on

offer, with only a few surviving the presented challenges across the decades.

“For supply chain consultants, this meant we could design genuinely bespoke freight solutions,” Peter says.

“We were able to understand transport companies’ distinctive competencies, and how they were aligned to produce a service benefit for unique clients. Such pairings made for happy marriages: the clients got great outcomes from a distribution perspective, and transport companies could find and thrive within their own operational sweet spot.”

But it was not to last. As smaller companies were either vanquished by or absorbed within larger ones, their distinctive capabilities disappeared.

“The emergence of purchasing departments as a distinct process has also had a hand to play in the decreasing market breadth of transport options,” Peter says. “Purchasing departments became increasingly influential but don’t (can’t) have the decades of operational understanding necessary to make sense of complex transportation networks nor properly cost differentiate options.

“So, from a purchasing perspective, it can be very difficult to understand complex options. Purchasing teams aren’t afforded the opportunity to travel the country, gain firsthand knowledge of networks, facilities, culture, processes, and allow this knowledge to mature in their thinking over many years. The transport industry has then responded in language understood by the buyers – that is, purchasing teams. In turn, this new simplicity was codified by the transport company sales teams who then didn’t require the in-depth operational understanding that sales teams of yesterday once possessed. Purchasing teams lean into transport companies to provide knowledge and expertise, but at the same time, struggle to stay with that knowledge and understanding when it’s presented. So over time, everyone has defaulted to simple operational scenarios and price-based responses.”

Peter elaborates on this point.

“If somebody is paying $8.00 basic plus 25 cents per kilo for road express freight from Sydney to Melbourne at 250kg/m3, purchasing departments

“

Since COVID, there is a much higher degree of curiosity about how to make supply chains more effective.

And so, at Prological we’re finding companies much more open to innovative discussions at present.

Another factor is that price is not as dominant a driver for really good solutions that provide unique capabilities.

That’s a big change in the past 12 to 18 months; again COVID-led.

”

have then leant into the transport industry seeking, say, $7.50 and 23 cents a kilo – that means the purchaser has achieved an 8 per cent reduction in the kilo charge and a 6 per cent reduction in the basic charge,” he says. “This all seems well and good for the purchaser in terms of the bottomline, but what has in fact happened is the purchaser has taken away profit out of the supplier, and nothing smart has happened long term. This has in turn eroded skills and capability in the transport sector, leading to standardised operational requirements and limiting the offering of niche and bespoke service offerings. Never mind that there may be a carrier who could move all the Melbourne consignments to Melbourne for 9c/kg at 165kg/m3 (actual cube to dead weight ratio in this instance is, say, 125kgs/m3) and hand it to another carrier who could do the last mile delivery for $14/m3.

This process may afford later order cut off times while enabling earlier delivery. And the more complex solution may yield not 6-8 per cent reduction in cost, but 25-30 per cent reductions while enabling high profitability for the service providers.

Today these options are near impossible to construct, whereas 20 years ago it was either the most cost

effective or provided the best service offering, and sometimes it was both.

“So now, people come into the transport industry without the old pathways of knowledge development.

They’re given generic rate cards to sell from and the operational options have also become quite generic, while the buyer market, without even realising it, has eroded industry options in the medium and longer term.”

A WAY OUT? With these institutional factors baked in for so long, MHD asked Peter whether there was any kind of course-correction in sight – the possibility of a greater proliferation of smaller, more tailored capabilities re-emerging?

“Since COVID, there is a much higher degree of curiosity about how to make supply chains more effective,” he says. “And so, at Prological we’re finding companies much more open to innovative discussions at present.

Another factor is that price is not as dominant a driver for good solutions that provide unique capabilities.

That’s a big change in the past 12 to 18 months; again COVID-led. But finding transport companies who are prepared to innovate is more complex. We have an industry operating above capacity, that makes it hard to get networks which are already struggling to introduce innovation as well. However, the opportunities are there today for new and emerging transport providers to fill niches in all sorts of spaces.

“Businesses are starting to see their supply chain as a distinctive competency. Businesses are looking to turn their supply chain into an advantage, able to drive sales by being innovative, distinct, and provide a strong value proposition. A supply chain that increases sales and market share growth.”

At Prological, Peter and his team have their noses-to-the-ground to keep across the emergence of new innovative transport capability providers – in keeping with his passion to offer the best tailored solutions and strategies for Prological clients. ■ For more information, visit prologicalconsulting.com MHD APRIL 2022 | 51

MHD SCLAA

FLOODING IMPACTS TRANSPORT AND LOGISTICS SECTOR

Jason Mann, SCLAA Director in Queensland, reflects on the impact of the recent floods and their ramifications for transport and logistics in South East Queensland and Northern New South Wales.

A

s this article goes to print, we are hopeful the heart-breaking human impacts of the recent floods are slowly correcting themselves, and that our ability to manoeuvre throughout road and rail networks is back to normal.

Beginning late February, a low-pressure system developed in the Wide Bay area of QLD and slowly moved south along the coast, pummelling unprecedented rainfall on all within its path. As the extensive images illustrated at the time, the destruction looked nothing short of a war zone where at its peak a total of 750 roads and a major rail arterial were closed, severely affecting the ability to distribute freight. This brought another level of complexity to a supply chain that was already at saturation point (pardon the pun) and directly affecting the wider community at a time where immediacy of supply was critical. The stories of devastation were harrowing.

With so many major roads closed, complications were experienced across all modes of transport in terms of simply positioning goods for distribution. Air freighter services were reduced, as were rail services, and road networks were crippled.

Goods moving north were delayed for days after the Bruce Highway was closed in multiple areas. Linehaul operators were only loading to accessible locations able to be penetrated, in many instances advising customers to withhold goods and ceasing pick-ups. The Sunshine Coast saw higher levels of rainfall than most with some operators halting operations for over a week.

Freight moving south to NNSW was greatly affected with road stoppages at Chinderah, just south of Tweed, where the M1 became a car park for semi-trailers stretching kilometres to the north. These closures splintered across Northern Rivers and North Coast communities, gridlocking 52 | MHD APRIL 2022

“

COVID 19, Bushfires, Floods crippling road and rail - it seems like one thing after another continues to severely impact Australia’s ability to position goods to its consumers. If there was ever a time where the focus and awareness of Supply Chain activity and its importance on our survival needs to be at its highest, it is now.

”

many other areas that feed into them. The town of Lismore was one of the worst hit, including a tragic story of a major NNSW distribution company who lost everything, including multiple prime movers and other essential equipment and stock.

Luckily, goods moving south to Sydney had the option to route via the New England and Newell Highways, increasing both transit times and cost to the consumer.

Given these conditions, a negative by-product was a reluctance to send equipment north to service back loads ex Brisbane due to the delays from bottle necks they had already experienced. The wheels needed to keep turning.

The closing of the flood affected North/ South rail link between Brisbane and Grafton at Kyogle meant more freight was directed to the road network, again bringing capacity issues to existing operators. In addition, the closing of a major rail hub west of Brisbane for a week also saw huge backlogs of freight which took considerable time to clear.

Local delivery fleets, most operating at 50 per cent of staffing levels, were unable to get into affected areas. The daily rhythm of distributing goods into these communities stalled, critically affecting stock levels, particularly for shorter shelf-life food and produce products at a time when it was needed most.

COVID 19, Bushfires, Floods crippling road and rail - it seems like one thing after another continues to severely impact Australia’s ability to position goods to its consumers. If there was ever a time where the focus and awareness of Supply Chain activity and its importance on our survival needs to be at its highest, it is now.

As always, its resilience, driven by the hard-working fraternities campaigning within it, has ensured we have gotten things moving again. ■

MHD SCLAA

PRESSURE OF OMICRON MHD interviews SCLAA Director Kyle Rogers on the ramifications of the Omicron strain for international and domestic supply chain.

W

ith the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) predicting supply chain issues will continue for the next 18 months, organisations like the Supply Chain and Logistics Association of Australia (SCLAA) say it could take longer.

Kyle Rogers, Independent Director of the SCLAA says he’s spoken to the association’s clients, national partners, members and many senior supply chain logistics professionals with regards to the problem.

He says it could take anywhere between 12 months to two years for domestic supply chain issues to wane.

Addressing supply chain issues will involve actions such as inventory planning and forecasting, reviewing warehousing footprint, adjusting service level expectations and pricing across the board.

Kyle says it all takes a significant amount of time to from a process governance point of view and requires advanced technology as well as having people on the ground and people in the business who can make those changes.

Katharina Attana, Director of Business Development at the Warehousing Matchmaker company uTenant, says one key international supply chain issue is schedule delays caused by lack of capacity and equipment.

“The reasons for it are an increase in demand because people couldn’t travel, therefore they’ve obviously purchased significantly more products,” Katharina says. “And also, as a result of the disruptions in the supply chain, businesses increase the stock-hold from 10 to 15 per cent.”

She says the issues won’t be resolved quickly because there’s a drive to order new equipment and to grow container liner fleets, which according to Katharina grew 4.5 per cent last year.

“But what really needs to be understood is that in the last 20 years shipping lines made no money,” Katharina says. She says South Korean shipping line Hanjin became bankrupt in 2017.

It led to shipping lines monopolising to the point where five major shipping lines now own 65 per cent of the market share, she notes.

She says shipping lines are finally generating revenue following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic two years ago, but they’re not price gouging.

She adds they need to reinvest in port infrastructure, vessels, meeting carbon emission targets by 2030, and end-toend supply chains.

She says it will take a long time to recover because there’s a capacity shortage, and the equipment and vessels need to be replaced, but the shipping lines can address these problems due to growing their profits throughout the pandemic.

“Ports are 40-plus-years old and some of those port upgrades will take 10, 15, 20 years,” she says. “So, I actually think that 18 months is a little bit short. The industry needs the money to bring itself into the 21st century.”

Kyle says ships are getting considerably bigger as shipping lines attempt to make greater turnovers. “A lot of ports don’t welcome these ships, and even the likes of the Panama Canal, some of these vessels can’t even pass through there,” he says. “In South America, products are having to dock either on the east or the west coast, and then be shipped across by rail or by truck,” he adds.

He says the pandemic has amplified supply chain issues, many of which were already there, and geopolitical problems are also exacerbating them – such as the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Katharina says one of the ways the federal government can ameliorate the supply chain issues is by preventing inflation increasing.

“A lot of retailers tried to absorb the increases in shipping rates because they thought it was a short-term problem,” she says.

“Now, obviously, since the higher prices had to be passed on, and that brings up prices overall, for basically every product that’s been purchased, and that’s causing inflation,” she adds.

She says other problems are severe labour shortage, which is partially due to national border closures, and partially because people have reconsidered their priorities.

She says free RATs will help keep the labour force active while working and cash injections along with rent reductions will hopefully take off the pressure caused by additional supply chain costs.

“It means that prices for consumers can stay at a reasonable level, and we don’t push inflation up too high,” Katharina explains.

Kyle says the federal government and the ARA can help with the other side of the supply chain: demand.

“It’s as much about the demand from consumers, and a lot of consumers these days as well, we are and always have, we buy things on demand,” Kyle says. “So typically, when something’s running low, we go buy another one, when we have a birthday coming up in the weekend, we might buy a present short notice.”

He explains how it would help if consumers could buy in advance.

“There’s a number of benefits too in terms of people get the stock on time, if they order two, three, four weeks out – rather than two days next day.”

Kyle also stressed on the need to work with consumers and educate them about the fact that it’s pretty hard to always deliver something the next day.

“Everyone’s trying to order the next day and then there’s just constant stress on the supply chain in terms of capacity and on networks that just create more bottlenecks and delays.”

Katharina says the shipping industry now offers landside services and multinationals like Amazon are offering forwarding services to its customers while newcomer Flexport has raised almost a billion dollars in additional funding, which it can use to reinvest.

“The government should not regulate the prices, because the prices are finally a true reflection of the costs of the industry prior to COVID,” Katharina says, adding it was unsustainable and that was why the shipping industry wasn’t investing. ■ MHD APRIL 2022 | 53

MHD ASCI

WHAT IS ILS? PART A ASCI ACT Chapter President and ASCI ILS College Secretary, Gary Pearce, discusses integrated logistics support in the first instalment of a multi-part series.

T

he Australasian Supply Chain Institute (ASCI) has introduced Integrated Logistics Support (ILS) as a fourth registration stream to its program, sitting alongside the established Procurement, Operations and Logistics streams. So, what is ILS or – as it is becoming increasingly known – Integrated Product Support (IPS)?

There are various definitions however the ASCI ILS Professional Development College definition is: Integrated Logistics/Product Support is a set of related disciplines focused on the costeffective: definition, design, development, delivery, and ongoing operation of a harmonised Support System to specified Products or Product Families.

ILS was developed in response to the realisation that United States (US) Defense acquisition programs were often producing complex Materiel Systems that were unreliable, poorly supported, and costly to sustain throughout their life cycle. It is not uncommon for capital acquisition to account for only 23 per cent of the total life cycle costs with the balance of life cycle costs attributed to through life support.

The need to integrate supportability into product design and develop support systems in parallel with the design of the capital products was recognised by the US Department of Defense as a solution to spiraling support costs.

The Australian Defence Organisation adapted ILS practices during the 1970s, recognising that an integrated approach to capital acquisition and support ensured a cost-effective balance between Total Life-Cycle Costs, and military, operational, and preparedness needs – and was financially sustainable for Government.

ILS practices apply to every stage of a product’s life cycle commencing with analysis of how a product might possibly be supported well before designs and blueprints are commenced and finishing with ongoing consideration of how the product and support system will be disposed of at end of life.

54 | MHD APRIL 2022

ILS is scalable and the cost of improving product supportability is continually measured against the cost of implementation to ensure cost effectiveness is maintained. However, when conducted alongside new designs, ILS will influence a product’s design to improve reliability, maintainability and ultimately operational availability – all contributing to reduced support costs throughout a products life.

Tangible customer benefits include: decreased downtime for preventative and corrective maintenance or postproduction modifications, reduced maintenance, training and other support costs, greater operational availability, and ultimately increased client satisfaction.

Sometimes, ILS practices are used for evil. Some manufacturers use ILS techniques to willingly minimise production costs and sale price knowing they can maximise support costs. Two sides of the same coin.

In an increasingly consumerist, ‘If it The ILS applies to every stage of a product’s life cycle.

breaks – Bin It!’ society, it is good to know that the skills exist to ensure the cost-effective supportability of complex and expensive investments. Critically, the technical integrity of a product and all elements of the support system can be assured, reducing downtime, commercial, and safety risks.

To date ILS has largely been recognised as Defence-centric as most military platforms and systems are required to remain viable for up to 40 years – so support costs add up quickly and none of us wants to pay more tax than is necessary. However, throughout the early 2000s ILS practices were understandably implemented across the Resources sector and are now being recognised world-wide across complex manufacturing industries and fleet management organisations. You can think of ILS as the cousin to proactive Asset Management for non-fixed assets.

ILS OBJECTIVES ILS is complex and cannot be adequately conveyed in a single

article. Fundamentally, ILS practices ensure that: • Logistic support considerations are integrated into product design at the concept stage. Start ILS too late and the product design will have advanced to the point where support costs are ‘locked in’ forever.

• The product support system is designed, developed, delivered, and operated in parallel and in harmony with the design, development, delivery, operation, and disposal of the product. There is no use introducing a product into service or onto the market if you are not ready to support it.

• The support impact of modifications made to a product during its life are analysed, costed and implementable before the modifications are made.

There is a lot of OpEx tied up storing and maintaining inventory for spare parts that are no longer useful because the supported equipment has been modified! And by the way – has someone updated the operating and maintenance manuals to reflect the modifications?

ELEMENTS OF ILS The ILS framework identifies key elements that reflect support elements and support services that combine to ensure ongoing product supportability.

It should be noted that alone, each logistic element and the aligned Support System Constituent Capabilities (SSCC) are individually ineffective and must be strongly associated with each other, hence ‘Integrated Logistics’. When analysed, developed and implemented each of the SSCC’s become very recognisable Support Services.

Think about your own vehicle.

Operating Support addresses the road infrastructure and fuel services, Engineering Support includes the team that identifies and initiates the airbag recalls. Maintenance Support are the mechanics and their special tools and equipment. Supply Support keeps the spares and consumables up to the operators and maintainers. Training Support ensures you know how to operate the vehicle safely and effectively and ensures the maintainers know what they’re doing when you send it in for a service.

Thinking about your car again.

Consideration of the other ILS Elements in the context of

“

ILS practices apply to every stage of a products life cycle commencing with analysis of how a product might possibly be supported well before designs and blueprints are commenced and finishing with ongoing consideration of how the product and support system will be disposed of at end of life.

”

the SSCC ensures you have: • Facilities to test at to meet ADRs, operate on, garage in, refuel and charge at, train at (Driver Training Centres and Technical Colleges) and maintain the vehicle in (workshops and crash repairers), and warehouses to store spare parts in.

• Everything is appropriately, packaged, handled, stored, and distributed to reduce damage, optimise supply chains, and stock holdings and maximise shelf life.

• The correct Technical Data to support the continued operation and product support and that it is updated when the product is modified.

• Appropriate specialised tools and test equipment are available to support both the product and the support system. And that they are maintained and calibrated to ensure ongoing serviceability and safety certifications.

• Trained and qualified personnel to operate the product and the entire support system. Engineers, Maintainers, Supply Chain staff (warehousing, inventory management, procurement, and contracting, staff, transport operators) and instructors and trainers.

• Computer Support to ensure that not only is the product software and firmware supported, but also the various computing systems and applications that in turn support the support system are maintained and updated appropriately.

You may think much of the support system for your car was already in place. But 20 years ago, who thought about the sourcing and distribution of ‘AdBlue’ or the establishment of Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations and the disposal of EV Batteries, connecting your phone via Bluetooth to your car radio, and automated toll management systems? The list goes on. By the way – the answer was ILS practitioners.

See! Integrated Logistics is much more than compatible warehousing and distribution systems across a Supply Chain. When employed by skilled and experienced people, ILS practices can add tremendous value to almost any operation. ■ To be continued in the May issue of MHD. ASCI Professional Accreditation Scheme ASCI provides individuals with professional acknowledgement and recognition of competence through registration under its scheme.

Registration provides professional recognition and acknowledgement of his/her career achievements against an industry accepted and globally aligned set of standards, on par with other professional disciplines in industry.

To find out more about the ILS stream, visit www.asci.org.au and join us at #Chain Action, ASCI 2022 Supply Chain Management Conference (online) 5-8 April 2022.

THE AUTHOR Gary Pearce is a retired ILS Practitioner with over 20 years direct ILS experience, and 50 years Defence and Defence Industry experience.

He holds a Masters in Management Studies-Logistics (UNSW) and Master of Project Management (USQ). He also has accreditation as a Registered Practitioner ILS (ASCI), Certified Professional Logistician (Transport & Logistics Certification Council) and Certified Associate in Asset Management (Asset Management Council). In addition, he has an Associate Diploma in Engineering (Maintenance)Electronics (ADF). Gary is currently the ASCI ILS College Secretary and ASCI ACT Chapter President.

Previously he was a SCLAA Director and SCLAA ACT Division President.

MHD APRIL 2022 | 55

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MHD APRIL 2022 | 57

MHD PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE A monthly wrap up of the latest appointments in the supply chain, materials handling and logistics industry.

SANOFI APPOINTS NEW HEAD OF SUPPLY CHAIN FOR ANZ

CARTONCLOUD COO TO LEAD NORTH AMERICA EXPANSION

Ruhul Moula will be joining Sanofi as its Head of Supply Chain in ANZ. He will support the General Medicines, Specialty Care and Vaccines businesses. He has eight years’ worth of experience working as

CartonCloud has announced that Shaun Hagen, Chief Operating Officer, will lead the Company’s expansion to North America. Shaun brings a wealth of experience in international business and sales and

Head of Supply Chain in roles across Bangladesh and Indonesia.

has been a significant contributor to CartonCloud’s domestic growth over the past four years. The Company will establish a sales and customer success presence in Vancouver, Canada, before entering the US market towards the end of the year. Shaun will focus on establishing early market validation for the software, recruiting, and leading the local team, and overseeing the Company’s growth into the

Ruhul also has a deep knowledge and understanding of Sanofi and the complex and ever-changing supply chain industry. He says he has worked with Sanofi’s Supply Chain team in ANZ on “various global initiatives” and has been impressed by the team’s “tenacity” and “care.”

exciting North American 3PL transport and warehouse market.

ALC APPOINTS NEW GOVERNMENT POLICY LEAD

C.H. ROBINSON’S NEW APAC VICE PRESIDENT

Rachel Smith has been appointed Head of Government and Policy with the Australian Logistics Council (ALC). She has more than 10 years of experience in policy and strategy. Some of her previous roles

Andrew Coldrey recently moved into a new role as APAC Vice President at C.H. Robinson. He is a leading expert with extensive knowledge of moving goods around the region. He brings more than 30 years’ worth of experience to the position and has a background in delivering innovative customer solutions in a highly competitive market. Previously,

were in health, housing, and logistics. She has also been volunteering as the Chair of ACT Council at Save the Children Australia since 2014. Her previous roles at the ALC have been Director of Policy and Advocacy and Interim Chief Executive Officer. She will work with members to progress the ALC’s policy and advocacy efforts.

he has addressed the significant challenges associated with operating a supply chain in a geographically distant market like Oceania.

Within this role, Andrew is using his three decades’ wide-ranging experience to assist all C.H. Robinson teams throughout APAC.

Do you have career news to share? Email Edward Cranswick at Edward.Cranswick@primecreative.com.au to be featured.

58 | MHD APRIL 2022

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