Eagles, Dogs and Malaria - Not a Typical Week for Logistics at Multimodal 2019
The show always manages a good mix of products and forums, and the inventiveness of some exhibitors will always manage to attract the eye, and the potential customer. This year the more noticeable attractions included the London bus (pictured), a Williams Formula 1 car, robots that tow pallets around a warehouse, several dogs of the sniffer variety and, possibly most noticeably, a fully grown male eagle!
The seminars picking over the faults, problems and aspirations of the industry contained a mix of heavyweight (not literally) speakers including an interesting update in the United Kingdom Warehousing Association (UKWA) pavilion from Caroline Barber, Chief Executive of industry charity Transaid, on the life changing programme that organisation is running in Zambia to fight the scourge of childhood malaria, something we have touched on previously. Ms Barber highlighted the work still to be done, saying:
”There remains a lack of expertise in the sub Saharan Africa supply chain, the drugs required for these programmes are generally held in warehouses and distribution centres run by pharmacists, not those with a knowledge of logistics. There is an urgent necessity to introduce professional systems and infrastructure, including cold chain abilities.
”There is little outsourcing for distribution, this remains largely in the hands of the regional Ministries which means there is no competition. Deliveries to rural districts remain a big challenge with UNICEF surveys always referring to transport and logistics as a major problem area. The MAMaZ trial we conducted which cut premature deaths from malaria by 96% will now to be extended.
”With the help of our partners we intend to extend the trial, now known as MAM@Scale, to 5 districts, these cover 45 communities with 54,000 citizens supplying Rectal Artesunate Suppository (RAS) medication. These trials are directed at children between 6 months and 6 years, the group most likely to die from severe malaria. Using our emergency transport system of bicycle ambulances our volunteer riders can distribute to these drugs to rural areas as well as bringing the sick to medical establishments.”
The Rectal Artesunate Suppository (RAS) medication which Ms Barber speaks of is a game changer in a country when many people live up to 50 kilometres from a medical facility and have no access to transport. RAS can be imported, distributed and stored locally at ambient temperatures, is simple to administer and can give twelve hours relief whilst the patient is brought in to a medical facility where injectable Artesunate can be administered.
As usual Multimodal, this year running in a new spot from 18th to 20th June, is proving an excellent place to network, talk with customers and suppliers alike, as well as giving one the chance to see something a little out of the ordinary from the typical, somewhat dry, trade exhibition.
Meanwhile the big news from the Multimodal Awards night (besides the £1,750 collected on behalf of Transaid, by the charity auction to name the next Eddie Stobart tractor unit) was that Jeremy Nixon, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ocean Network Express (ONE) picked up the Personality of the Year award.
Nixon was awarded the accolade by a judging panel comprising the Multimodal selection group and 2018 winner, Chris Lewis, Managing Director DP World and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of London Gateway, prompting Rob Jervis, Logistics Portfolio Director of show organisers Clarion Events, to comment:
”Jeremy Nixon oversaw the merger of three companies to create ONE, which has now become one of the biggest names in container shipping, and the award recognises his significant contributions to the industry.”
Thousands of FTA members and readers of the Multimodal Newsletter voted for the modal, port, 3PL, and pallet network awards and the complete list of winners is as follows:
- Air Cargo Operator of the Year Award sponsored by Pallite winner DHL Global Forwarding
- Road Freight Operator of the Year Award sponsored by Maritime Transport winner DSV
- Rail Freight Operator of the Year Award sponsored by Howard Tenens winner Freightliner
- Sea Freight Operator of the Year Award sponsored by Freightliner winner MSC
- Port Operator of the Year Award sponsored by Eddie Stobart Logistics winner DP World
- 3PL of the Year Award sponsored by Maersk winner Kuehne + Nagel
- Pallet Network of the Year Award sponsored by Crown Lift Trucks winner The Pallet Network
- Young Logistics Professional of the Year Award sponsored by Forth Ports winner Craig Bickley, Maritime Transport Ltd
- Shipper/Partner of the Year Award sponsored by Bristol Port Company winner Asahi UK with The Malcolm Group
- The Multimodal 2019 Exhibitor of the Year Award sponsored by Gravity Supply Chain Solutions winner Kuehne + Nagel
- The Multimodal 2019 Personality of the Year Award sponsored by Dennison Trailers winner Jeremy Nixon, Ocean Network Express
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