Bits and Pieces of Logistics and Supply Chain News You May Have Missed

SPAIN – Pall-Ex Iberia has opened a new central hub in San Fernando de Henares, in the province of Madrid, to further develop domestic and international services. The new purpose-built 12,000 m² hub will also provide space to launch its new temperature-controlled service.

Within the network’s new central hub, the warehousing space includes 94 docks with the capacity to handle in excess of 6,000 pallets. The building will also house Pall-Ex Iberia’s office staff with additional space for meeting and training rooms.

US – PayCargo, a supplier of electronic, cloud based payment systems to the global supply chain industry, has announced a $35 million investment led by global venture capital and private equity firm Insight Partners. PayCargo will use the capital to expand world wide adoption of its electronic payments network and accelerate investments in its technology.

PayCargo say its contactless payment ecosystem enables payers to quickly and securely pay air and ocean carriers, maritime ports, ground handlers, freight forwarders, and customs brokers, amongst others. This allows for faster cargo release, elimination of inefficient manual processes and fees, improved transparency, cash management, as well as streamlined invoicing and account reconciliation.

UK – Space saving intralogistics solutions specialist, Flexi Narrow Aisle, has hit the bulls-eye by sponsoring rising star of the darts world, Jamie Hughes. Narrow Aisle, manufacturer of the Flexi range of articulated warehouse trucks, will support Jamie as he aims for glory over the coming year.

The partnership was launched at Narrow Aisle’s UK head office at Great Bridge, Tipton, where Jamie, was born and still lives. Darts enthusiasts will be able to spot the new Flexi truck logo on Jamie’s shirt at future tournaments and Jamie will also serve as Narrow Aisle’s ambassador, making personal appearances on behalf of the company at major trade events.

UK – Goplasticpallets.com, ‘the Responsible Plastic Pallet Company’ has launched an online shop making it possible for customers to purchase a selection of its most popular plastic pallets online for the very first time. The new online shop offers a diverse selection of plastic pallets across the company’s entire range from lightweight nestables and export pallets through to heavy duty pool pallets and specialist hygienic varieties.

UK – BELGIUM – It will doubtless look dubious to many that, in the week the government confirms it will insist on the national minimum wage being paid to ratings on domestic routes, that P&O Ferries is making more seafarer redundancies in the UK and cutting the Hull-Zeebrugge route. According to reports, the Pride of Bruges and the Pride of York, the vessels that regularly sail the route, are to be scrapped after two decades of service. The news caused RMT union General Secretary Mick Cash, to say:

“In the summer, P&O Ferries received over £6.6 million from the taxpayer on the two Port of Hull routes, including Hull-Zeebrugge. This does not need to happen but P&O’s owners in Dubai have pulled the plug on this vital route with no consultation, threatening jobs, passenger services and the recovery of Hull’s maritime economy.

“We have consistently warned the Government that they need to protect seafarer jobs on international ferry routes from further attacks but they have failed to take action. This must change and all Ratings jobs lost from the closure of the Hull-Zeebrugge route must transfer to the Pride of Rotterdam on the Hull-Rotterdam route. Our members must not be denied these jobs by crewing contracts that pay below the national minimum wage.”

WORLDWIDE – DHL Freight has successfully achieved ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 50001 certification of its integrated management system by the certification body DEKRA. A total of 335 sites operating in the areas of transport, logistics and customs services are now part of the certified management system.

The matrix certification guarantees that the uniform management system and processes being implemented at all DHL Freight locations and service partners around the globe meet high standards of quality, environmental and energy management.

UAE – Yanmar has announced the establishment of a Middle East Branch, located in the United Arab Emirates, near Dubai Airport. The office will be operated by Yanmar subsidiary and Asia regional headquarters, Yanmar Asia (Singapore) Co., Ltd., and will provide sales and service support to dealers in Yanmar’s Middle East territory.

The Middle East Branch began preliminary operations last year in the Dubai Airport Free Zone providing support and training in Yanmar’s marine pleasure and marine commercial engines business in the region. From October 2020, a new parts warehouse will enable the rapid supply of emergency parts and strengthen relationships with customers.

Photo: The 94 docks at the new Madrid hub of Pall-Ex Iberia.