Spring is in the air! I have a sunroof in my car, and whenever the sun is out and it’s not freezing cold I have it open as far as it will go. This week was the first time this year I could do this. Usually it’s annoying to be in traffic jams, but this week I didn’t mind so much. More of that please, I’m ready for blue skies. Talking of skies; this brings us to this week’s news which is, among other things, about open skies.
Port of Rotterdam battles congestion and KLM battles open skies for freighters policy
Two stories from the Netherlands to start with. The first is about the Dutch parliament discussing an open skies policy for freighters this april. KLM, the largest Dutch airline is against this, and do not want other air freight companies to enter the Dutch skies. Contrary to container ships, that can choose any port for calls, air freighters need landing rights in countries that do not have open skies, like the Netherlands. Proponents of open skies are saying that the Netherlands are too small for this, as planes can easily land at airports in neighboring countries without much added cost, or time lost.
The seond is an announcement of container stevedore ECT: they want to tackle increasing waiting times at their quays. They need to find ways to optimize operations, as all of the terminals are already operating above their normal capacity. The West Coast port problems in the Netherlands are far less complicated than the US West Coast ones.
- KLM leads opposition as Netherlands eyes open skies policy for freighters – The Loadstar
- ECT takes measures to tackle waiting times – Port of Rotterdam
West Coast Port Shut Downs: What’s the Impact?
The West Coast Port shut downs are over, but the problems caused by said shut down are still not solved, and this will take time. Both articles below talk about what is next, and what companies can do to protect themselves from similar crises in the future
- West Coast Port Shut Downs: What’s the Impact? – Supply Chain 247
- Five key takeaways from the West Coast port challenges – UPS Longitudes
Drones in Distribution Centers
I love innovations and new technology, and I love warehousing, so any combination of the two is a must share. Below are two articles, both written by Puga Sankara, and both on drones in warehouses and how they could improve distribution center operations. While I’m writing this the weekend is at its end, but it made me think of a post I did on Drone Delivery concepts which are perfect for the weekend.
- Drones in Distribution Centers: Has the Time Arrived? – EBN Online
- Drones in Distribution: Counting Inventory – EBN Online
Logistics Outsourcing and Logistics Industry Reports
Two reports that caught my eye this week. The first is the Transportation & Logistics Industry Mergers and Acquisitions Analysis, which is a quarterly report by PwC. A quote:
Analysis of deal activity in 2014 revealed a lackluster year as M&A volume and value remained near ten-year lows. Despite subdued performance, we are cautiously optimistic regarding 2015 as advanced economies continue to recover and emerging and developing economies continue to grow. Looking forward, one key driver of improved activity across modes will likely be the decline in fuel costs globally.
The second was an article by Cerasis on a report on Logistics Outsourcing. A quote:
Technology has always been the driving force behind the growth of the 3PL industry. Some of the technologies that are likely to transform the market in the near future include 3D printing, internet of things (IoT), drone delivery, driverless vehicle and augmented reality. Many of the emerging technologies are still in the testing phase, but there can be little doubt that they will have significant roles to play in the future. And the future is not very far down the road; it’s just around the corner.
- Intersections: Q4 2014 Transportation & Logistics Industry Mergers and Acquisitions Analysis – Supply Chain 247
- State of Logistics Outsourcing: Plenty of Room for Growth as Shipper Dissatisfaction & Technology Expectations Increase – Cerasis
Lean in Logistics
Lean can be a powerful tool in Logistics. Logistics processes tend to be repetitive in nature, and this makes them just as suitable to lean methodology as the production processes for which lean was initially developed. Actually, one of the first articles I wrote on this blog was on lean. Several articles on this subject caught my eye this week:
- Should Shippers Adopt Lean Manufacturing Methods In The DC? – SC Digest
- Maximizing Lean Six Sigma ROI [INFOGRAPHIC] – Industry Week
- Lean operations for apparel – The Operations Room
The Logistics Video of the Week is one quite relevant for the weekend. It’s an automatic truck loading system in one of Heineken’s warehouses. Full bottles coming in, empty bottles going out. Similar to the operation at my house, but at a slightly larger scale…
Please find Logistics in the News – Week 11 here.
