Olympic task
UPS has started preparing for its role as Official Logistics and Express Delivery Supporter of the London 2012 Olympic Games. UPS will be responsible for virtually all the supply chain transport and logistics services in preparation for the games including venue logistics services, warehousing services and a distribution network that will pick up and deliver everything from documents to heavy freight. It will manage the London 2012 Games Logistics and Command Centre; a network of warehouse facilities totalling 70,000 sq m.
Trucking troubles
Dick Denby’s attempt to road test his 25m-long truck and trailer combination ended after 100 yards last month when police brought it to a halt. Lincoln-based Denby decided on the trial after getting legal advice that the truck could be used on UK roads. Although it is some seven metres longer than a standard drawbar, the Denby “Eco-Link” is limited to 44 tonnes gvw. Even the mention of longer trucks causes outrage among the rail lobby, but the Road Haulage Association, which supports the Denby trial, has admitted that hauliers are split on the benefits of bigger lorries. In October, the RHA told a DfT team studying longer semi-trailers that members felt that the longer dimension would become an industry standard. “The extra length would benefit some work, especially some dedicated contracts, but would be of little relevance – or a clear disadvantage – to a much larger proportion of work,” it said.
FTA plan to funnel funds to Transaid
The Freight Transport Association is giving members the option to make a donation to Transaid along with their annual FTA membership fees. Transaid aims to reduce poverty and change lives in Africa and other developing countries through building local skills and knowledge to make transport cheaper, safer, cleaner and more effective. It does this by working with the UK transport and logistics industry, governments and other organisations. Pippa Attwood, FTA’s general manager – membership and marketing, said: “The donation which FTA members are making will hopefully make a big difference to those who are most in need in some of the world’s poorest countries.”
Not coals but biomass to Newcastle?
The Port of Tyne has signed a deal with Drax Power to handle up to 1.4 million tonnes of biomass (plant matter) a year over the next ten years. The biomass will be used at the Drax Power Station in North Yorkshire. The port will be responsible for the unloading of vessels containing up to 75,000 tonnes of biomass, transfer to storage facilities and subsequent reloading to train for dispatch, all of which will occur on the south bank at the port’s operations in South Shields. Andrew Moffat, the port’s chief executive, said: “There is some fairly extensive work to be done to accommodate the specific requirements of this project and we are investing over £16 million to ensure everything will be ready in time for the Port to be able to handle the new bio-mass cargo.”
ELUPEG award winner
Joanna Strauss, post graduate student from Heriot-Watt University, has won the ELUPEG Marilyn Stone Memorial Prize, sponsored by OmPrompt, for her dissertation: “Information Exchange: Supply Chain Integration and Improvement”.
She was presented with the award by Professor Alan Waller in Brussels at the ELUPEG Group Meeting. She carried out the dissertation with Coca-Cola Enterprises – one of the objectives of the research was to provide a take-off point for Coca-Cola to develop its relationship with customer Scottish & Newcastle.
