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Issue 8 2014 - Freight Business Journal


Palletways has vision of the future


Palletways says it plans to steal a march on the whole freight industry when its Vision 20:20 quality improvement programme, due to be completed next year brings new IT systems and soſtware to improve customer experience and make planning and operation easier for its haulier members. Vision 2020 would also be rolled out across


Palletways members and network in Europe, said Palletways (UK) managing director, Luis Zubialde. He described it as “the most significant


investment and game-changing development in the Group’s history and within the pallet network sector as a whole. We are taking Big Data into the sector.” At the heart of the Vision 20:20 blueprint is


a new digital information hub which will bring extensive real-time information to customers and operators. It is centred on a customer and depot ‘dashboard’ which will provide full visibility of consignments across the network, as soon as


they enter the system; instant data on proof of delivery, analytics showing where deliveries are being made; live vehicle status screens to show the location of all consignments and allowing shipments ‘at risk’ of not being delivered on time or with other issues to be proactively dealt with; and full details of consignments arriving at hubs on trunk vehicles as an aid to management. Vision 20:20 will first be rolled out across the


UK, the original and biggest Palletways network, but networks in continental countries and cross- border traffic will not be far behind. Luis Zubialde said that the networks in Iberia


and Italy would probably be the first, followed by those in the rest of Europe. The soſtware had been designed from the outset to be multilingual. As far as the IT system was concerned, cross-


border shipments would be treated in exactly the same way as domestic.


(More detail in Pallet Networks report in FBJ 1 2015)


Network goes live in Austria


Palletways is extending its services into Austria from 3 November.


network’s European coverage to 14 countries. Managing director of Palletways Europe,


Rachael Alpha, said: “We do not intend to stop there; we have more new launches planned for 2015 on our journey to being the European Pallet Network of natural choice. We have further developments planned which are the result of ongoing conversations with our customers across


It brings the pallet delivery


Europe.” Managing director of Palletways (UK), Luis


Zubialde, said that the addition of Austria would “open up new opportunities and international markets for Palletways in the UK and will help us deliver to and support our customers even further.” The Palletways Group network now comprises


over 400 depots and twelve hub operations, through which it


provides collection and distribution services across 14 European countries. Rail operators agree landmark deal


Three of the UK’s leading rail freight operators have agreed a deal to transfer ownership of many key sites to Network Rail – which will make them more readily available to the growing number of rail freight operators and end users, says the infrastructure operator. DB Schenker, Freightliner and GB Railfreight have agreed the transfer of over 100 leasehold sites, the first significant change in the strategic management and development of Britain’s rail freight estate in the two decades since privatisation, adds Network Rail. It will increase competition and supporting growth in the sector, it said.


Manchester-based


New site for special services


Norbert Dentressangle has opened a new national distribution hub for its Specialist Services operation, on the site of its International Freight Terminal at Brownhills, near Walsall.


It


provides specialist-handling distribution for businesses supplying high value, delicate or large commercial items. The new warehouse features


20,000sq ſt of fully racked high bay storage space and a 23,000sq ſt cross-dock facility with 22 loading bays. There is also an office area of nearly 10,000 sq ſt (930 sq m) for the centralised customer service team and


Rhenus forges new Balkans partnership


forwarder


Rhenus Logistics has confirmed a partnership with Balkan logistics operator, Milsped. The deal will see Rhenus expand its European operations further and follows the recent announcement of its co-operation with Austrian logistics group Transdanubia. Milsped delivers operates regular


freight forwarding services from its hub in Belgrade to over 80 locations in Bosnia, Montenegro, Macedonia and Albania, handling more than 32,000 shipments per year.


Gary Dodsworth, director at


Rhenus, said: “Milsped operates in a part of Europe that is rich with potential and it offers us


the network, expertise and committed approach that we view as essential.


Along with


Rhenus UK, Rhenus operations in Germany and Spain are also launching partnerships with Milsped: testament to our belief that strength in unity will help to develop the fast growing logistics sector in Europe.”


l Rhenus has appointed


Russell Turner (leſt) to head operations at its Cannock branch. He has worked at a number of logistics firms including periods at Kuehne + Nagel, DB Schenker, and most recently at DHL Freight as head of European freight forwarding, specialising in road freight.


Forwarders feel the squeeze from driver shortage


A severe shortage of truck drivers


could to wreak Christmas, havoc


with deliveries in the lead up


warns


British International Freight Association (BIFA). While forwarders tend to


be truck hirers, rather than operators, they report that the difficulties being caused by the shortage of HGV drivers is being compounded by an earlier- then-expected peak season with higher-than-forecast volumes of container and trailer imports. BIFA also says that


implementation of new HGV driver regulations in


early September - the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) - has also contributed to a driver shortage BIFA


director general,


Robert Keen says: “Our members’


freight forwarding


services deliver container and trailer imports from ports to distribution centres across the UK. Those members report significantly increased waiting times for an available vehicle, much higher costs from haulage companies


and surcharges


from some shipping lines. “New HGV drivers are


urgently required in the UK logistics business to help


alleviate the problems caused by the current shortage, which is leading to significant pressures on logistics costs. “BIFA has noted that the


growing problem of UK HGV driver shortages has been taken up by an MP, former haulier Andrew Bridgen, and shares his opinion that there needs to be some sort of incentive to encourage more individuals to train to become HGV drivers. “This issue is similar to the


recent passport crisis - not how many have been processed, but what the shortfall is and what can be done to alleviate that shortfall.”


Norbert Dentressangle has invested in a new IT system. A team of over 50 drivers,


///NEWS


warehouse operatives and administration staff are based at the site.


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