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Palletline introduces bespoke scanning for freight transparency

Palletline has announced another industry first with the introduction of innovative combined scanning and image capture equipment at its three hubs and throughout its network of member companies.

This £500,000 investment underlines the organisation’s commitment to the implementation of ground breaking technology to drive speed and efficiency across the network.

The bespoke equipment represents a new standard for the pallet network industry, and is already injecting added efficiency into the process, speeding up the quality control procedures and increasing freight visibility as well as contributing towards automating the claims procedure.

Continuing Palletline’s drive towards implementing the most efficient processes in the industry, the company’s IT development team was determined to achieve both scanning and discrepancy photography, using one single scanning unit.

With no other network currently achieving this level of integration, high performance units combining a colour image scanner with a high resolution camera did not exist on the market.

Palletline commissioned UK technology partner Belgravium to create a unit, bringing together the best components with the required performance levels. As a result, scanning and discrepancy reporting is now possible from just one screen, allowing all information to be uploaded directly into the shipment file. The 2 mega pixel camera within the unit captures quality, colour images that are available on our web based system within moments.

The resultant time savings are dramatic. Using conventional equipment, the scanning process took Palletline 3-5 minutes per trunk vehicle, which could more than double to 10 minutes if a discrepancy had to be documented and photographed.

Using the new equipment, scanning time is now down to 3 minutes including discrepancy reporting, improving the overall efficiency of the hub and our depots by speeding up the process and eliminating a significant number of man hours every day.

The technology actually enables faster scanning however the important human element of the process – completing a full visual quality check of each pallet at every transit stage – could then be compromised. As a result, scanning speed has been limited to ensure that Palletline are able to continue to offer an exceptional quality control process to its members and their customers.

In addition, with all information uploaded into individual shipment files, the process is both improved and simplified, providing instant information on the state of freight and speeding up resolution of any disputes.

The benefits to customers are immense, with visual evidence of any freight presentation or delivery issues immediately available, assisting to determine liability and minimise claim costs.

Mark Pulford, Operations Director commented “This new unit will help us exceed our already industry leading scanning levels. With no comparable hand held scanner and colour image device in use within our industry, this is another benefit we offer to our Members and their Customers.”

Helen Dickinson, General Manager for IT, said “We have chosen Belgravium as our technology partner as they were able to demonstrate the calibre of their equipment and have created a flexible, bespoke unit which meets our requirements both for now and the future. Every pallet is important to us and this system enables us to record the life of that pallet throughout our network. This is a key aspect of our IT and innovation strategy which will continue to see Palletline as the market leaders.”

www.palletline.com


Upcoming Exhibitions
February 2012 - Modex - 6th to 9th February
ProMat2011 was a very successful show with attendees stating they have plans to spend $ 75 billion in materials handling equipment and technology in the next 18 months.
March 2012 - Logimat Stuttgart - 13th to 15th March
Between 13 and 15 March 2012, the 10th 'International Trade Fair for Distribution, Materials Handling and Information Flow', LogiMAT 2012, will be putting on a comprehensive show of innovative products, services and the latest solutions in the intralogistics sector. In its anniversary year LogiMAT is taking up the entire north wing of the Stuttgart Trade Fair Centre
May 2012 - AMHSA - 2nd May 2012
A one-day event for Supply Chain Directors and Senior Logistics Managers to discuss the developments in material handling over the next five years and the key role that automation and software will play.
 Keynote speaker: Lord Digby Jones


June 2012- Transfairlog - 12th to 14th
transfairlog is the name of a new specialist trade fair for international transport and logistics management, taking place for the first time from 12 to 14 June 2012 in Hamburg. transfairlog is aimed at companies involved in the import and export transport chain. It focuses on ocean and inland shipping, forwarding services and operational equipment, warehouse optimisation and process control, container cranes and electric stackers and lots more – in short transfairlog is about the optimisation of international freight transports and logistics processes. The fair covers the full spectrum in the transport and logistics market.
 
June 2012 - CSCO Forum - 18th to 20th June
The Chief Supply Chain Officer Forum is the most elite gathering of the Heads of North America’s Best-in-Class supply chains. Nowhere else will you find a greater concentration of top executives sharing strategies and engaging in board-level discussion and debate.
 
If your role depends on knowing the key supply chain management strategies of the industry leaders, and meeting and developing relationships with the executives who lead those supply chains, then you cannot afford to miss this event!
 
Join the highest level, most cutting edge forum for the industry executives who are driving their organizations and their careers towards a new era of innovation and success
June 2012 - 3PL Summit - 18th to 20th June
eyefortransport's 10th 3PL Summit, co-located with the Chief Supply Chain Officer Forum, form  the most elite meeting place for senior supply chain executives on the one hand, and the CEOs of the largest 3PLs on the other.  Discover the growth strategies of the industry leaders at their only meeting place.
 
Join the highest level, most cutting edge forum for the industry executives who are driving their organisations and their careers towards a new era of innovation and success.
 
Register to attend the most game-changing event in the industry today.
June 2012 - 3PL Awards - 19th June
Each year the eyefortransport 3PL Awards aim to recognize those 3PLs that continuously deliver excellence in logistics operations and superior service to their customers. The awards are decided on by 3PL customers - the manufacturers and retailers who depend upon and work with logistics service providers every day.
 
As such, these awards take on a special significance, and the winners can feel confident in the knowledge that their customers have chosen them as best of breed partners in supply chain excellence.
June 2012 - SIL - 5th to 8th June
The fourteenth edition of the International Logistics and Material Handling Exhibition (SIL 2012), which will be held from 5th to 8th June at Fira de Barcelona Gran Vía venue, has just presented its slogan.


September 2012 - Material Handling - 27th to 30th
The Material Handling World Expo is an endeavor
which is specifically designed to present an array of
developments in the material handling segment of the
industry. With an exhibition area spread over 10,000
Sq. Mtrs. and a guarantee of over 100 participants
both locol and foreign, The Material Handling World
Expo is a place to be.
October 2012 - CILF - 15th to 17th October 2012
The 7th China (Shenzhen) International Logistics and Transportation Fair (CILF2012) shall be held on Oct. 15-17, 2012. （Mon.-Wed.）
 
March 2013 - IMHX - 19th to 22nd March
After a hugely successful event in November 2010, a large number of IMHX exhibitors have rebooked for the next show in March 2013.
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