Fuel card suppliers should provide better service says The Fuelcard People

Customers nationwide want better service from fuel card suppliers, according to The Fuelcard People, and are particularly unhappy about having to deal with faceless call centres.

Steve Clarke, general manager of The Fuelcard People, said: “If a customer needs to discuss their account, they inevitably have to deal with a random call centre operator. They might not have spoken before and might never do so again. All the operator knows about their business is what they see on their screen – and they will not know that much until the customer explains who they are. Next time, they have to repeat the process. ‘Customer Services’ is not a very appropriate name.”

 Read Full Article 

Nissan Forklift Co. is born

Nissan has confirmed its previously-announced intention to spin-off its Industrial Machinery Division and create a new company, called Nissan Forklift Co., to take over its operations. The Japanese manufacturer says the measure will come into effect on 1st October October 2010.

According to the car maker, the decision to set up a new company, under review since May, has been taken in order to give the division more autonomy and a more flexible management. The goal of the new entity is to cope with the current, difficult forklift market and, at the same time, try to grow the business.

 Read Full Article 

SESS marks head office opening with official event

During October 2009, Storage Equipment Safety Service Ltd, which is celebrating its 23rd year of trading, relocated its Head Office into a brand new state-of-the-art building complete with a purpose built conference suite.

The event was attended by over 70 guests, and was officially opened by Mr Roger Williams, CEO of the United Kingdom Warehousing Association (UKWA).

 Read Full Article 

Axxom debuts software solution at IMHX

Axxom Software AG has developed a new efficient offer calculation solution for logistics services: ORion-PI Tender Management. The software enables logistics service providers to easily and accurately calculate offers for warehouse outsourcing and warehousing services, thus increasing the financial planning reliability when responding to bid invitations. Axxom will present the solution for the first time at IMHX (hall 20, booth F95) taking place from the 16th to 19th of November at Birmingham's NEC.

ORion-PI Tender Management helps logistics service providers e.g. to precisely calculate the overall costs of new outsourcing orders, identify the exact staffing requirements including the respective qualifications and calculate the required staff costs. The software also supports the integration of new customers in the logistics service provider’s warehouse. In addition, it presents the financial effects of changes concerning the order structures, order or item quantities at the customer that increase the process complexity and therefore the related costs.

 Read Full Article 

Firm fined for forklift injury

Tyre manufacturer Pirelli has been fined £9,000 after a worker suffered a broken leg when he was hit by a fork lift truck at the company's Carlisle factory.

Allan Miller, a 62-year-old contractor, was walking through an area within the curing department at the Dalston Road site when he was struck from behind by a pallet being carried on a fork lift truck. He suffered a broken leg and has been unable to return to his normal duties.

 Read Full Article 

Automated materials handling to be promoted through AMHSA pavilion at IMHX

Of the 300 exhibitors that will participate in IMHX 2010 at the NEC from 16 to 19 November, almost 10% will be members of the Automated Material Handling Systems Association (AMHSA).  

Recognising the increasing importance of automated logistics systems in the modern supply chain, the organisers of IMHX have created a special AMHSA pavilion for the first time in the show’s history. With the event being co-owned by the British Industrial Truck Association, IMHX has always had a large core of support from the manual handling sector but in recent years the exhibition has attracted increasing numbers of automated handling exhibitors, as well as software providers and consultancy firms.  

 Read Full Article 

More reliable trucks for expanding company

Alliance, one of the leading suppliers of non-food catering equipment and catering disposables in the UK, has upgraded the materials handling equipment at its Marlow and Glasgow warehouse facilities with the addition of counterbalanced trucks, reach trucks and order pickers from Jungheinrich UK Ltd.

Alliance operates a number of regional storage facilities strategically located around the UK as well as a national hub in Crewe. The arrival of the new trucks coincides with the company’s decision to move its High Wycombe facility to a bigger site in nearby Marlow and to expand its Glasgow operation to a larger unit in the same city.

 Read Full Article 

Load safety, load securing and working at height

Load safety, load securing and working at height is a high priority subject on the table for many vehicle operators – as the roll out of the Health and Safety (HSE) and VOSA safe loading campaign is increasing, the tightening of existing laws accompanied by strict penalties is forcing industry organisations to look at their procedures for compliance on this current issue.

The penalties for unsafe loads range from a verbal warning through to an immediate prohibition notice for the company, which may also involve follow – up action by VOSA.

 Read Full Article 

Geodis Wilson’s record-breaking air freight accomplishment

Performed by the crew of a giant Antonov AN-225, the biggest aircraft in the world, Geodis Wilson managed the transportation of two brand new wind turbine blades of its customer LM Wind Power. With a length of 42.1 metres the blades are the longest cargo pieces that were ever flown by an aircraft.  

Geodis Wilson is one of the logistics providers of LM Wind Power, a market leader in the international wind power industry, supplying rotor solutions to numerous wind turbine manufacturers in all main markets worldwide. The two transported prototype blades were produced for a new type of wind turbine that extends the possibility of efficient generation of clean energy.

 Read Full Article 

Laser optics for accurate measurement

Leuze electronic’s AMS200 Absolute Measuring System uses laser optics to measure distances of up to 200m within a tolerance of 3mm. Typically used on high bay warehouse applications, transfer stations, gantry crane positioning systems, or galvanic and other dipping lines, the AMS200 uses a laser and “time-of-flight” technology to provide a distance measurement, ‘straight out of the box’.

An additional benefit that differentiates the unit is the built in speed monitoring calculation and output. On a high-bay warehouse system, Leuze's customers say this extra functionality saves up to 30% of their build cost.  

 Read Full Article 

Strong concept from Narrow Aisle

2010 marks the 20th anniversary of the introduction of the Flexi truck from Narrow Aisle. Over two decades, the multi-award winning Flexi range has been developed to cover a wide range of requirements, and the latest addition – the Flexi VNA – is no exception.

Formed in 1976, Narrow Aisle quickly developed a reputation as an innovator in the market for Very Narrow Aisle (VNA) truck solutions – designing and producing many types of guided lateral stacking and man-up order picking trucks for a wide customer base both in the UK and international markets.

 Read Full Article 

Life of a warehouse operative

In my role as editor of ShD, I am frequently meeting people who buy materials handling equipment and those who purchase it. However, I rarely get a chance to speak to those who operate it.

Trawling the internet one evening, I came across a website where anonymous contributors can post their experiences of working with a certain major retailer. Whilst we at ShD in no way endorse the sentiment...