COMMENT
A ‘new normal’? I
t’s funny to think that my last comment was written on my fifth day of social distancing, now I’m on week 10 since I last went to the office. So much has happened, and not happened since March, and I’m also met with the feeling of time standing still, but moving too fast all at once. Every day I’m receiving emails from companies about their latest products or measures to help combat the Coronavirus and how they can help employees safely return to work. Factories are beginning to get up and running again, but with new health and safety measures and strict social distancing in place. Logistics never stopped, but adapted, and on page 22-23 you can read about how XPO Logistics is going above and beyond to support health care and food services. As a sector we have been reinventing ourselves for years, constantly trying to keep abreast of new technology, and maybe we are the sector most ready for the ‘new normal’. Page 38-39 is an indepth report from IDTechEx looking at how this is likely to increase the amount of robotics used in factories and logistics. But some areas are still suffering, with Rolls-Royce reportedly cutting 9,000 jobs in it’s aviation sector.
On page 8 we hear from Siemens on their work with the UK’s Ventilator Challenge. Page 10-11 features compressed air and looks at using ultrasound to prevent leaks and save energy. Sumitomo Demag speak to us about reducing packaging wall thickness on page 18. RTITB give us an update on how pallet and stacker truck testing has changed on page 30. All this plus many more informative features in this issue.
For the latest news updates, please head to our website, www.factoryandhandlingsolutions.
co.uk. And if you have a story to share or would like to let us know about measures you’re taking to combat the virus, or have an opinion to share, please contact me on
rtucker@datateam.co.uk. I hope that you’re all staying well in this difficult time, and maybe we’re edging towards the light at the end of this tunnel. I hope that by still receiving these issues you’re having a glimpse of normality.
See you for the June issue, take care.
FACTORY & HANDLING
‹ SOLUTIONS‹‹
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4 APRIL/MAY 2020 | FACTORY&HANDLINGSOLUTIONS
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