News

Some of the recent developments within the supply chain arena – new contracts, exciting announcements, research findings and interesting solutions

Last mile experience
XPO Logistics, a leading global provider of transport and logistics solutions has signed an agreement with MediaMarkt Iberia to provide last mile deliveries of large products in Spain, where MediaMarkt is the leader in the distribution of consumer electronics and related services.

Sixty depots in XPO’s Spanish transport network facilitate the home delivery of heavy or bulky products ordered from MediaMarkt online. The comprehensive service includes the placement and installation of new products inside the home, as well as the removal and recycling of old products. XPO began operating this specialised solution for MediaMarkt during Spain’s pandemic lockdown and is using its last mile technology to ensure safe, fast and reliable service.

For the first time in Spain, XPO has introduced digital last mile capabilities that make it easy for consumers to access information about their orders. Notifications are transmitted on WhatsApp, SMS or via automated telephone calls. Consumers can track their orders in real time, modify the date, time or place of a delivery electronically, and see the license plate number of the delivery vehicle and the driver’s details in advance.

Driving digital transformation
Ness, a global provider of digital transformation solutions, has formed a partnership with the business transformation consultancy firm, Harpyja. Together, the companies will use their combined expertise in business processes and software engineering, as well as a common framework rooted in iterative design thinking, to develop and deliver innovative products, services and processes in the industrial and supply chain domains.

“Ness brings a wealth of experience in software product engineering that comes from being a global leader in its field for 20 years,” said Mark Barratt, Chief Executive Officer, Harpyja. “Its end-to-end experience creating strategic proprietary software products and solutions for leading organizations in energy, telematics, 2D/3D digital mapping, supply chain and manufacturing will help us further support our customers with their strategic vision and roadmap.”

“Partnering with Harpyja allows us to draw on their decades of strategic, transformational and operational experience across many different verticals in both the private and public sectors,” added Pete Rogers, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Western Europe, Ness. “Both organizations share a relentless vision for innovation, whether that is by helping develop growth or by working side by side with customers to implement technology in a systematic way.”

3D benefits
Markforged, creator of the Digital Forge, the world’s largest metal and carbon fibre industrial 3D printing platform, has announced the findings of its inaugural annual ‘COVID-19 Impact on Supply Chains: Global Additive Manufacturing Industry Report.’ In the report, Markforged details how the Covid-19 pandemic impacted manufacturers worldwide, and how 3D printing has helped them to maintain business continuity and grow amid global disruption.

Key findings included: Manufacturers with an industrial 3D printer saved time and money during the pandemic; manufacturers that use 3D printing have stayed agile and operational during the pandemic—and found ways to give back; and the pandemic may be a tipping point in manufacturing technology adoption.

Commenting on the findings, Shai Terem, CEO and President, Markforged noted: “Our research confirms that even during an incredibly uncertain year for manufacturers, those that adopted the Digital Forge have persevered.”

Smooth operators
Pro Carrier, the cross-border delivery business of DG International, is partnering with Hurricane Commerce to ensure its retail customers’ parcels flow smoothly through customs.

The company has integrated Hurricane’s data enhancement Zephyr API and its Aura API, which supports on duty and tax calculation, prohibited and restricted goods screening and denied party screening.

“The onset of Brexit and other major regulatory changes like the US STOP Act and ICS2 are presenting some serious challenges for international retailers,” said Gary Tervit, Pro Carrier’s Managing Director. “By working with partners like Hurricane we can give our customers total peace of mind on key areas such as product descriptions, HS6 codes, calculating the correct duties and taxes and ensuring you are not sending prohibited or restricted goods into countries or exporting items to people on denied party lists

Investment in the future
J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc., one of the largest supply chain solutions providers in North America, and the University of Arkansas have announced a new $2.25 million collaboration with the Sam M. Walton College of Business that will increase awareness of inclusion and diversity in transportation and logistics and explore new, sustainable solutions to address current and potential industry challenges.

In 2020, the Walton College’s supply chain undergraduate program was ranked the best in North America by Gartner. J.B. Hunt and the Walton College are constantly working together to enhance supply chain efficiency and prepare future industry leaders.

To support the new collaboration, J.B. Hunt will provide an incremental gift of $1.5 million to the University of Arkansas and reallocate $750,000 from the J.B. Hunt Innovation Center of Excellence, an ongoing effort between the two to improve supply chain management efficiency through technology.

First office in Europe
Airspace Technologies, Inc. (Airspace) has opened its first European office, with the launch of Airspace B.V. From the headquarters, located at Schiphol-Rijk, the Netherlands, which opened in June 2020, Airspace will be expanding its team across the Netherlands, France, Germany, and the UK, in line with its rapid growth plans to fulfil customer demand.

Airspace’s technology is transforming and modernizing the logistics industry. Its proprietary software uses machine learning to identify the fastest and lowest risk path out of millions of possibilities. The technology proactively ensures that any potential delays are avoided and guarantees the customer real-time, end-to-end visibility. While officials anticipate significant problems at the borders due to Brexit, Airspace’s technology will greatly reduce the impact of the logistics issues for the customer and allow vital products and services to still be delivered on time.

The new European operation will be managed by Marcel Andriessen, who has successfully led logistics companies specialising in worldwide time-critical services over the last 20 years. Andriessen was Managing Director at time:matters for ten years and was responsible for the success of their European business and the expansion into the US. Andriessen will lead the Airspace BV organisation as Managing Director.

First wave of shipments
FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. and the world’s largest express transportation company, revealed in December that operations are in motion to transport its first shipments of Covid-19 vaccines.

Following the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of Emergency Use Authorization for the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine, FedEx Express will begin transport of the vaccine using its FedEx Priority Overnight® service supported by FedEx Priority Alert® advanced monitoring. After months of preparation and close planning with Pfizer, other healthcare companies, and federal and state officials, the first Covid-19 vaccines will move to dosing centers in the United States. Vaccine distribution will be balanced among major cargo carriers, and FedEx is working closely with healthcare customers to prepare for additional vaccine shipments and transportation of critical vaccine-related supplies.

“This is among the most important work in the history of our company, and we’re honored to be a part of the effort to help end this pandemic,” said Raj Subramaniam, president and chief operating officer, FedEx Corp. “I am immensely proud of our dedicated team members who continue to go above and beyond to help ensure the safe movement of these critical Covid-19 vaccines, especially during our busiest holiday shipping season to date. This is who we are and what we do at FedEx.”

“Time-definite express transportation of critical shipments is exactly what our FedEx Express network was built to do when it launched in 1973,” said Richard W. Smith, regional president of the Americas and executive vice president of global support, FedEx Express. “Almost five decades later, we are proving true to our founding mission by delivering critical Covid-19 vaccines.”