NETHERLANDS\\\ >> 30


its focus on cont i nuous


improvement and that its


Tilburg location offers


inbound and outbound transportation advantages. “We are close to the Ports


of Rotterdam, Amsterdam and Antwerp, as well DHL, FedEx, and UPS hubs,” he said. Furthermore, Tilburg is home to a concentration of life science businesses. UPS has a hub in nearby


Eindhoven, a town famous for being a technology and design hub, and birthplace of Philips electronics. It’s also home to the Brainport Industries Campus (BIC), which is regarded the “Factory of the Future.” A campus comprising five factories, BIC was officially opened by Dutch King Willem-Alexander one week before FBJNA’s visit. Here its state-of-the-art Manufacturing


Advanced


Logistics (AML) is a real-life field lab. Tests are made with AGVs (Automated Guided Vehicles) and other robotics to develop knowledge in the field of production logistics, optimal production planning and inventory optimization on the factory floor as well as in the entire supply chain of the manufacturing industry. “This campus is about


R&D and industrialization,” described Michel Weeda, manager of


Program. “Our partners


national and international companies.” Vanderlande, a logistics


the Innovation are


Issue 9 2019 - FBJNA


departments. “We do not develop the


systems ourselves but work with start-ups and accelerators,” said Erik de Jonge, manager Market Strategy. “It can take a minimum of a year to reach an agreement with what a customer wants,” he said. “This includes installation, integration, and testing.” This type of business


is much in demand, as evidenced by double-digit growth at Vanderlande and its competitors. “In the last year, some $5 billion has been invested in 550 robotic startups, many targeting the logistics industry,” de Jonge


said. Future trends


are focusing on sensors/ automation,


digitalization,


and flexible infrastructures capable of adding more AGVs. A company tour showed


Exterior of the Brainport Industries Campus (BIC), which is regarded the “Factory of the Future.” (Photo by Karen E. Thuermer.)


automation company in Veghel and the world’s fifth largest material handling supplier, works closely with BIC as well as Delft University and Eindhoven University of Technology where it is developing


autonomous


industrial robots to be mobile and offer increased flexibility and efficiency. The company is known for its focus on inter-logistics and


value-added systems and is the global market leader for value-added logistic process automation at airports and the parcel market. The company is also a leading supplier of process automation solutions for warehouses. Some 2,000 employees in Veghel


work in


Vanderlande’s manufacturing, R&D, engineering, customer center, and reverse logistics


Kiezel sniffs out narcotics in a demonstration at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport, part of its Smart Cargo Mainport Program. (Photo by Karen E. Thuermer)


AGVs and other robotics used to further production logistics, optimal production planning and inventory optimization on the factory floor. One demonstration involved a robotic arm capable of picking and packing plastic bags using suction. The next stop on the tour:


Bleckmann and its 180,000 square-foot DC in Venlo. Founded in 1862 as a transport company,


Bleckmann


evolved into a full supply chain solutions provider with a specific expertise in e-fulfilment solutions. “We provide end-to-end


supply chain and fulfillment services for leading international brands,” said Jurrie Jan Tap, chief sales officer. The company, which has a strong base in The Netherlands, Belgium, and the UK, has also expanded to the US and Asia. Bleckmann’s growth was 28% in 2018 and is expected to top 20% in 2019. “Our vast experience in IT


solutions enables a globally unified platform for our clients,” he said. Bleckmann opened its facility


Venlo opened in


February 2017. The location was attractive because of Venlo’s road, rail and waterway


connections


and proximity to Duisburg, Germany. Bleckmann ships some 20,000 pieces per day from the facility for TechStyle Fashion Group, JustFab, and


31


“[China’s One Belt One Road Initiative] will not be a game changer.” -- Cuno Vat, Neele-Vat Logistics.


Fabetics. “Most product comes from


Asia and arrives vis ocean to Rotterdam,” Tap said. “It arrives here by truck; some by barge.”


On the outbound side,


shipments are organized by Bleckmann utilizing track and trace software. Last mile transport in Europe is done by 50 different partners. Tap explains that


Bleckmann does not automate its DC systems. “The inventory is changing too fast,” he explained. “We do not want to lock into a system, particularly with fast growing companies that may change their strategy. We are more flexible here than we would be with a fully


automated environment.” Currently, the


company


operates two sites in Johnstown, Ohio. “Our next stop should be in the West and the East,” Tap added.


Soſt or Hard Brexit


Dutch officials particularly commented on the indecisiveness of the UK’s anticipated eventual departure from the European Union, or Brexit, and pointed to Customs Administration of the Netherlands efforts to thoroughly prepare for all scenarios – Brexit or no Brexit. “We are doing this even if


our counterparts on the other the channel are not,” stated Roel van’t Veld, EU Customs Policy Lead at National Office Dutch Customs - Brexit Coordination. As of mid-October, some


750 additional customs officials had been hired and are in training. With a no Brexit, there will be a need for 928+ more. “The cost for preparation is € 85 million to the Netherlands,” remarked van’t Veld, who added the impact of Brexit will be significant. Netherlands is the primary port


of entry for goods


entering the EU. “More than 75,000


companies will be impacted,” he stated. But compounding problems,


an estimated


35,000 companies are not known to Dutch Customs, which will cause further delays. Cooperation is vital. No one is experienced in Brexit.” The Port of Rotterdam


handles some 42 million tons of cargo for the UK market, much being RoRo traffic. The Port of Rotterdam also serves as a major distribution point for food going to the UK Leo Willems, Port of


Rotterdam spokesman, commented that if the UK does not get its house in order, Tesco, the UK’s major supermarket chain, expects its shelves to be empty within 72 hours. The reason, Willems explained: the high percentage of trucks that they expect will not have their paperwork in order. “The trucking terminals


will fill up quickly. There will be long traffic jams,” he said. The challenge is to


efficiently clear and handle the cargo with as little congestion as possible as it does for any other non-EU member or “third country. Port of Rotterdam officials


has prepared for a worst- case scenario since, Willems remarked: “We are in the dark like everyone as to how UK Customs will handle this.” Meanwhile, North


American companies with a presence in Britain, are turning to continental Europe for short-term and long-term warehousing options. As a result, the Netherlands has seen increased demand for warehousing space. – Karen E. Thuermer


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