Logistics Link Live rolls back into the National Exhibition Centre with a host of leading logistics technology suppliers that visitors won’t find at other events – companies like 4D Solutions, Ambassador Antalis Packaging, B+ Equipment; GRF; inotec UK; Intexion; Maxim Computer Services; Palletliners.co.uk; Red Ledge; Redland Information Systems; SATO UK; Snapfulfil SaaS WMS; topVOX, and Unique ID.
Taking place on Wednesday 4th and Thursday 5th June 2014 at the NEC in Birmingham, UK, this two-day solutions and networking event is designed for logistics, warehouse and distribution managers to find the latest innovations in logistics and supply chain, including: warehouse management and automation; packaging; materials handling; picking; sortation; training; software; RFID; mobile technology; consultancy, and more.
Alongside the exhibition is the Logistics Manager Summit which this year is focusing on Cost and Efficiency, including sessions on managing international costs, near-porting and carbon reduction. There will be contributions from Tesco, Actavis, Hull University Business School, The Co-operative Food, Aggregate Industries and Aspire Defence.
And there is a full programme of technical seminars including: how to use of RFID in the warehouse; getting financial gains from space saving; achieving pick rates of over 1,000 outers per hour per man; and future proofing logistics systems.
For more information go to http://live.logisticslink.co.uk/
FIRST SHOWING
Red Ledge launches one-stop RFID service
Red Ledge has chosen Logistics Link Live for the first public showing of its new Red Ledge RFID Manufacturing & Logistics end-to-end production and warehousing system built on RFID technology, which the company believes is the first of its kind. The global RFID market is forecast to grow at 22.4 per cent per annum (CAGR) to 2018, according to Infiniti Research. The service also includes trials in which companies can pilot RFID, assess its suitability for their organisation and familiarise themselves with the technology. “We are responding to growing business demand for a specialist RFID service – a centre of excellence users can rely on,” said Red Ledge managing director Andy O’Donnell.
NEW PRODUCT
SATO game-changing thermal printer
SATO, the specialist in barcode printing, labelling, and EPC/RFID solutions, has launched the CL4NX series of industrial thermal barcode printers. It supports new and legacy printing applications across a wide array of verticals that would require a durable and dependable printer for years to come. It is designed for manufacturing, warehousing, supply chain logistics, healthcare, retail, and other industrial or harsh environments.
SEMINAR
RFID: time is right
This presentation by inotec’s David Stocker, with live demonstrations and case studies, will look at how RFID can be used successfully in warehouse and logistics applications. With detailed comparisons of Auto ID Technologies: Barcode; 2D Code, and RFID, this seminar will cover all of the key factors which need to be considered for any Auto ID project, giving visitors live first-hand experience of RFID in action.
NEW PRODUCT
First showing for e-Cube
B+ will exhibit for the first time in the UK a new packaging solution called e-Cube. e-Cube is a packaging machine that reduces American cases to the exact height of the contents and seals it. The benefit versus a traditional case sealer is the savings on cushioning materials, usually ten times less, and the savings on the transported cube, usually 25 per cent less. The e-Cube machine processes multiple box footprints and heights randomly. The e-Cube solution is cost effective for any retail business shipping from 500 to 2000 boxes per day.
SEMINAR
Getting ready for growth
As the economy shows positive signs of recovery, will your logistics systems be able to handle what 2014 has in store? Stephen McCartney OF OBS Logistics will look at the business case for investing in the latest transport and warehouse management software and how cloud computing can ease the transition to an affordable and versatile solution that responds to the changing needs of your business.
Ambassador Antalis showcase
Packing specialist Ambassador Antalis will be showcasing some of it best packaging products and systems, including the Lantech Q-300XT Stretch Wrapping Machine, the WrapPak Paper Packaging System, an Airspeed 5000 Air Cushion System, and our very own Masterline 410A Strapping Machine and Masterline 320 Case Sealer.
AWARD WINNER
Three time Queen’s award winner
Easypack specialises in producing paper cushion packaging systems and supplies. It is a three-time winner of the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade. All Easypack paper is 100 per cent recycled and 100 per cent biodegradable.
Faster doors
Efaflex, the high speed door specialist, has a wide range of doors suitable for many areas of Industry such as, manufacturing, distribution centres, and new buildings. It reckons it STR Door is the fastest vertically opening door in the world, with an opening speed of up to 4m/sec. It also offers the SST thermally insulated door, which helps increase efficiency while reducing heat loss. Efaflex now has a distribution network over five continents.
SEMINAR
Order fulfilment methods
Customer order fulfilment is the life blood of any busy warehouse operation and where the orders are mainly items, the physical process of picking in a streamlined and efficient way with or without a WMS is a constant challenge. Gavin Clark of Snapfulfil will look at the different fulfilment options being used and the benefits, along with mini case studies, they bring to specific business requirements. Topics will include pick and pass, shortest walk sequence, outbound cartonisation and consignment order picking. He will also provide a preview of the new Snap-to-Light picking trolley.
SEMINAR
Transform data into intelligence
Optimising performance is a key factor for 3PL providers. Their business processes generate vast quantities of data but this data has little value until it is turned into information using business intelligence. Paul Cooper of business intelligence specialist Redland Information Systems will look at some of the theory, and demonstrate the reality, of using business intelligence to offer insights on profit and performance.
Renovotec
Renovotec provides mobile computing and automatic data capture solutions for a wide range of industry sectors, including third party warehousing and logistics, manufacturing, retail and ports. Renovotec partners with Vocollect (now part of Honeywell) to offer customers the full spectrum of voice products and solutions. The SRX2 headset will be available for demonstration. Renovotec also offers comprehensive maintenance agreements.
Proteus warehouse management solutions
Proteus delivers warehouse management software solutions that controls and optimises warehouse best practice. Proteus is a Vocollect Platinum Partner. Proteus is specifically designed to integrate with any existing ERP/supply chain solution or the full Proteus suite of business application software.
Storage solutions from Intexion
Intexion based in Towcester, near Milton Keynes, provides storage solutions tailored to meet demanding warehouse, storage, industrial, office and archive environments. It has developed a name for complete project management, not just supplying the racking or mezzanine floors but also electrical works, lighting, sprinklers, labelling, line marking, rack and fire protection.
Logistics Learning Alliance
LLA is one of the leading training companies in logistics in the UK. Its management skills development programmes are designed to both challenge and develop your existing skills. Programmes cover the supply chain, from sourcing and procurement, through production planning and inventory management, to warehousing and distribution and at all levels from new entrant to senior management.
Maxim celebrates
Maxim is celebrating 25 years of supplying commercial printing and barcoding equipment from manufacturers such as: Zebra, Printronix, PSI, Datamax, Datalogic, Motorola-Symbol, Honeywell-Handheld, Printek, RJS, Kyocera, Oki and TallyGenicom. It has 20 years experience of supplying bespoke solutions for the automotive, logistics, retail and healthcare industries. It offers a support service for the design and supply of thermal labels, ribbons, print heads, spare parts, to bespoke maintenance packages and software support.
Collating information
Redland will be attending Logistics Link Live to showcase iNFORMER and other developments for retailers, warehousing and supply chain personnel. iNFORMER has been developed specifically for commercial warehouse market operations. It collects collates and presents information from multiple data sources to support decision-making. It can help identify which types of business drive the most profitable returns, provide direction into which clients, product types and workers require closer monitoring and focus thus improving overall operations and time / profit management.
4D Solutions
WroaMS is 4D’s flagship product, warehouse management for small to medium sized businesses. It’s a fully functional warehouse management system that is capable of being scaled to customer requirements, no matter how simple or complex at an affordable price tag.
Secure information exchange
BCMX (Business CoMmunication eXchange) is a system for securely exchanging information between two parties. It’s a combination of a data exchange for securely connecting people and a high security store so that organisations can share information with multiple recipients. The system will normally be used first by a requester of information. This could be a compliance officer, supply chain manager or anyone authorised to set up a questionnaire. The requester can see from their dashboard the progress of the questionnaire. they see who has started and completed the questions. At any time they can run reports and view charts to see the answers returned and optionally score the results against compliance thresholds.
Lucas Systems
Lucas Systems has been supplying warehouse productivity solutions for mobile workers and distribution centre managers since 1998. Customers include: Cardinal Healthcare, Caterpillar, CVS, Mondelez and Rust-Oleum. Jennifer VoicePlus, the Lucas solution, combines voice, barcode scanning and other mobile technologies to create efficient warehouse processes. Lucas also provides supervisors with real-time reporting and management tools that help them manage their operations.
Palletliners
Pallet liners are a lightweight cost-effective alternative to corrugated layer pads. Palletliners.co.uk offers a range of posted pallet liners to help prevent migration from the pallet and/or improve stability.
Flexi goes Continental
Flexi Narrow Aisle – the articulated forklift truck pioneer – has signed a global supply agreement with Continental AG and all trucks across the Flexi range will now be fitted with premium Continental cushion rubber tyres.
Reducing lighting energy use
The Digital Lumens Intelligent LED Lighting System can reduce industrial lighting energy use up to 95 per cent, while improving light levels. LED high bays with integrated occupancy and daylight sensors, and wireless networking, deliver light as needed. LightRules software provides ongoing fine-tuning and reporting.
Exact solution
Exact Online combines inventory management, sales and purchase processing for orders, quotations, invoicing, accounting, stock management, CRM and more. It’s available 24/7, online (including real-time reporting with alerts) through a personalised dashboard. Over 145,000 companies worldwide now use Exact Online.
Jonathan Lee Recruitment
Jonathan Lee Recruitment cater for all requirements on a contract basis as well as permanent throughout 3PL as well as end users. It is ISO 9001:2008 accredited, and consultants come from an industry background. Jonathan Lee Recruitment has been supplying the engineering and manufacturing sectors with exceptional people for more than 35 years.
Chess Logistics Technology
Chess is a WMS software specialist providing integrated real time solutions for distribution, 3PL and manufacturing. Customers include DHL Supply Chain, Eriks Industrial, Kuehne + Nagel, Karndean, Radley, Winterbotham Darby and Welspun. Chess offers functional, products which reflect the needs of FMCG manufacturers, wholesalers and distributors. Their key product Empirica WMS is an advanced system with twin entry points for developing or advanced operational needs. Wireless mobile and voice-directed technology is supported with intelligent task management.
CASE STUDY
Snapfulfil boost for Oak Furniture Land
Oak Furniture Land has seen rapid sales growth over the past two years and its main warehouse at Swindon was outgrowing its old paper-based system. It chose the Snapfulfil SaaS warehouse management system to help to streamline processes and efficiencies.
As a result, picking turnaround times have reduced significantly and stock is leaving headquarters for delivery at a faster rate. It says productivity has risen ten per cent while the new system has halved handling damage as the warehouse can now make consolidated picks, which means that product types can be grouped as they are loaded onto a lorry going to a depot.
Ross Lawson, IT Director at Oak Furniture Land says: “Implementing the Snapfulfil system has had a dramatic impact on the way we run the warehouse and also for our warehouse staff and their working day. We are now looking ahead to phase two, where we are planning to extend the system so that customers can track their order to delivery.”
SEMINAR
Flexi PiCK System
Low entry cost customer order picking strategy that provides a welcome boost for grocery retail marketeers. The traditional grocery retail supply structures have tended to be somewhat rigid; most FMCG products packaged and stacked on wooden pallets. The palletized loads then move through the supply chain with surprisingly few options offered to the ultimate retail store management; often either products by the ‘full pallet’ quantity or ‘individual case’ picked quantity, often at higher unit prices due to the extra picking cost. The introduction of the FMCG product layer marketing concept in the USA has been developed by Flexi Narrow Aisle into a cost effective method for marketeers to offer retail stores a third alternative, lower cost than ‘case quantities’ but less inventory commitment than ‘full pallet’ and eliminates manual handling of cases. Introducing the Flexi PiCK ‘layer Picking System’ from Narrow Aisle, case pick rates of over 1000 outers per hour per man.
Visibility from OBS
Calidus Total Logistics Software provides a comprehensive solution for warehouse and transport management, to enable full supply chain visibility for improved efficiency and enhanced customer service. OBS works with clients to understand the particular needs of their business to determine which modules within the Calidus suite are most appropriate and how they will integrate with existing software and processes.
New Voxter edition on show
Voice technology specialist topVOX will be showing the new Voxter Elite Edition. This is smaller, more robust and more efficient than the first-generation mobile voice computers. Not only is it compact but easy to wear, and with its robust housing it guarantees prompt and reliable voice recognition in almost any working environment, even under extreme conditions.
WHITE PAPER
Access the perfect return
Managing returns was identified as a critical priority and challenge for companies in the Access Warehouse Management Software survey and is the subject of a news white paper “The Perfect Return”. The survey, carried out for Access by Redshift Research, found that unprecedented volumes and expectations have been created around returns due to the latest developments in retail. To deal with this kind of complexity, companies will need to link their warehouse management software to ERP and financial systems so that returns can be matched to original orders, and also to financial systems.
GRF
GRF Specialises in resin floors for warehousing and distribution operations. Food production, storage and processing areas have traditionally presented a wide range of working environments and technical challenges to the resin flooring industry. By working closely with resin manufacturers’ GRF has been able to help develop new products to meet the individual needs of our clients. It also offers a bespoke design and manufacturer service for stainless steel drains and channels and has designed and installed stainless steel drainage solutions to the food and chemical industry.
Resilient RFID technology
Inotec has been demonstrating the resilience of its Diotough RFID and barcode labels with an extreme wash test that replicates the impact of washing the labels every week for 14 years. The full test cycle included putting the labels in an oven at 100C for 24 hours and in a freezer and -40C for 24 hours. After the whole process – there was no damage to the labels and no deterioration to the performance of the RFID tag embedded inside. The project was for a large UK retailer who wanted to RFID enable their existing and future tote and crate pool – which meant an adhesive RFID label solution for retro fitting.
Inotec also supplies UV cured line marking systems, warehouse rack and shelf labels, barcode floor tags and hanging sign systems, using the same principles of quality and durability.
Clean Sweep Hire
Clean Sweep UK can supply almost any size of scrubber dryer and sweeper, anywhere in the country on a next day basis for a standard delivery charge, no matter what distance. Clean Sweep UK has entered into a partnership with Karcher, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of cleaning machines. Customers can hire a Scrubber Dryer or Sweeper for a Day, a Week or up to 3 Years, anywhere in the country, at a day’s notice.
