< Previous20 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net TRANSPORT AND LOGISTICS fuel Spiking 20-23.qxp_Layout 1 28/03/2022 15:26 Page 1Food & Drink International 21 www.fdiforum.net TRANSPORT AND LOGISTICS © stock.adobe.com/malp Rising fuel costs and staff shortages have put the haulage industry in an impossible situation – are alternative fuel sources the only way out? T he transport industry is facing a double whammy of issues in recent times, none more pressing than the war in Ukraine and the effect it has had on fuel prices across the world. The price of fuel spiking has put everyday commuters into untenable situations, so the impact on those to which transport is their entire business is far worse. While some countries, notably Germany, have announced that they have secured a deal with Qatar for more oil, the UK was unable to boast the same after a meeting in the UAE. The fuel duty was recently cut by 5p in the UK, a historically significant move since fuel duty had been frozen for the last twelve years. The cut has been claimed as insignificant by commuters, but logistics bosses had a warmer reception to the decision, with the Institute of Export and International Trade welcoming the decision. IOE&IT director general Marco Forgione said the measures would have 22 Á 20-23.qxp_Layout 1 28/03/2022 15:27 Page 222 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net TRANSPORT AND LOGISTICS a significant impact for traders that move goods by road. “Traders moving goods by road will welcome the cut in fuel duty announced by the Chancellor – it will make a difference to costs in what is a tough environment.” Similar sentiments were echoed by Richard Smith, Managing Director of the Road Haulage Association (RHA) who said: “We welcome Rishi Sunak’s 5p per litre cut in fuel duty and hauliers and coach operators will benefit, but with fuel prices increasing at an alarming rate, it is essentially a short-term fix”. In a later interview, Richard Smith hinted that the long-term solution would be a 15p per litre rebate for “essential users” of fuels, which would naturally include the logistics and transport industry. There has been little indication as of yet that more will come for the industry but other countries in the EU will almost certainly face pressure to make similar cuts facing the unprecedented rise in fuel costs. In France, the decision has already been announced to provide € 400 million in aid to French hauliers. “The aid will concern more than 500,000 vehicles and will be paid out quickly to strengthen the cash flow of companies,” said employers’ organisations the Fédération Nationale des Transporteurs Routiers (FNTR) and Transport et Logistique (TLF). German haulage associations are calling for a similar package and also a summit with economic ministers to find a solution to what is rapidly becoming an impossible business position, especially for SMEs. They are also calling for payment terms to haulage firms to be shortened, forcing companies to pay hauliers sooner in an effort to alleviate pressure on cashflow. All of this ties back solely to the issue of fuel, and if a full embargo on Russian imports is imposed as the EU is deliberating at the time of writing, then the matter will only get worse. While schemes and initiatives are in place for alternative-fuel vehicles such as electric or gas, the infrastructure isn’t there yet. Perhaps the current crisis could have been mitigated if more had been done to explore that in times of plenty, but hindsight is 20-20 and the 20-23.qxp_Layout 1 28/03/2022 15:27 Page 3Food & Drink International 23 www.fdiforum.net TRANSPORT AND LOGISTICS expenses were hard to justify for many in the industry. While hydrogen fuel is being tested in many countries, and Germany has even arranged a deal to transport liquid hydrogen from the UAE, this is unlikely to be much relief for smaller businesses who cannot afford the large investment in hydrogen- fuelled vehicles. That said, even assuming the war in Ukraine should suddenly be fixed and prices return to normal, it has only shown how volatile they are to Russian action, and many countries are looking to rid their dependency on Russian energy entirely. As such, the investment in alternative fuels, while painful, might be a necessity all the same. The issue of rising fuel costs compounds a further issue the industry is facing; that of the shortage of HGV drivers. That problem of staff shortages is even less likely to go away despite plans to “bridge the gap” and train more people to become hauliers. Such has been said for a hundred other sectors including STEM sciences, medicine and teaching, and it’s unlikely that the initiatives will achieve much more in that regard than bandaging the wound. Questions then must be asked on what can be done within the industry to appeal to potential employees to take up the profession. If the issue is of cost and wages then it’s unlikely the spiking fuel prices will allow for better pay, but if it is something else that drives people away then perhaps that can be addressed. Even if it should, rising costs of wages within the EU may add unhelpful pressure. In a controversial move last month, P&O Ferries sacked over 800 workers via Zoom call, in a decision that their employers admitted they had known to be in violation of employment law, so that they could all be replaced with foreign agency workers who are paid below minimum wage. This decision was made, according to employers at P&O, because there was no viable alternative to their survival, but what some may see as necessary action is likely only to poison sentiment against haulage and logistics companies at an already difficult time. © stock.adobe.com/Image'in© stock.adobe.com/Maksym Yemelyanov 20-23.qxp_Layout 1 28/03/2022 15:27 Page 424 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net END OF LINE PACKAGING BAG SEALING MACHINES RM Sealers remain a leading British manufacturer and supplier of high quality Bag Sealing Machines, also known as Rotary Band Sealers and Impulse Sealers. Call 01442 843387 to speak to a member of our team SEALERS © www.rmsealers.co.uk End of line packaging is arguably the most important part of the process, and one that many companies must get right on the first try. package All in one 24-29.qxp_Layout 1 28/03/2022 15:42 Page 1Food & Drink International 25 www.fdiforum.net END OF LINE PACKAGING BENCHTOP BAG SEALING MACHINE IMPULSE BAG SEALING MACHINE HORIZONTAL BAG SEALING MACHINE VERTICAL BAG SEALING MACHINE T here’s no easy means of defining end of line packaging given the depth of its capabilities and requirements. It’s an industry constantly in flux, moving quickly to try and keep up with legislation and trends, while remaining efficient enough to keep the food industry turning a profit. Yet it’s also doing this while meeting the growing requirement for energy efficiency in the supply chain. It is not enough nowadays for a product to simply be protected by its end of line packaging. For the investment that has been put into it, the packaging must make the process more efficient and – if possible – both cheaper and made to more sustainable standards. Automation has become something of a buzzword, due in no small part to its ubiquity across the industry, from processing, to packaging right through to delivery. Yet, there are constant developments taking place which improve upon current wrapping machines, robots and rotating arms to achieve a greater efficiency, operate more sustainably and protect bottom lines. This can be a daunting task at first glance. How can a process which is not only going to cost money, but also significant investment in machinery – make the product cost less? The answer is simple and complex at the same time, with good planning. Simply installing shrink-wrapping machinery or palletising processes will do little if there isn’t a bigger strategy behind it, as any within the industry might say. There must be a view on everything that comes after the point, and what tangible benefit the packaging offers. Take for example the transportation process itself. It is still more common than not for food products to be transported by road by lorry. In these cases, the biggest investment often comes from fuel, with the item that a company is buying essentially being the empty space in the back of the vehicle. The problem comes from the fact that in many cases, all this space cannot be utilised. The weight of products will push down on those stacked beneath them, often damaging products beyond what can be sold in a retailer. Obviously, 26 Á © stock.adobe.com/Mariakray 24-29.qxp_Layout 1 28/03/2022 15:42 Page 226 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net END OF LINE PACKAGING Harkstead Hall Barn, Harkstead, Ipswich, Suffolk IP9 1DB Tel: +44 (0)1473 893990 Fax: +44 (0)1473 893995 email@penn-packaging.co.uk www.penn-packaging.co.uk • Case/tray Packing machines • Shrink Wrapping systems • Stretch-Film Wrappers • Depalletisers • Palletisers • Bag Closing Machines • Pillow pouch systems • Pre-made pouch • Stand-Up / Doypack • Slider/Zipper • Wet glue / PSL / hotmelt and combination rotary labellers this is unacceptable, and thus it is not uncommon for space to go unused in the back of a vehicle. This is empty space that still had to be paid for. Strong and rigid end of line packaging can help prevent this, strengthening and protecting the product so that more of it can be stacked without damage. This can be a delicate task, least of all because stronger material will undoubtedly be more expensive. There is a necessity to judge and test on how much is saved by filling lorries further than they were before, and whether this takes a significant number of vehicles off the road. In many cases this will depend on the product itself and how fragile it is. Products more prone to breakage will benefit more from the stronger packaging, with biscuits being a prime example. Biscuits typically come in tubes, but these are not solid in any way, shape or form – leading to the fragile treats snapping or crumbling when even the slightest pressure is placed on them. Corrugated end of line packaging can protect them during transit, while also diffusing the weight of additional boxes down supporting frames. If twice as much content can be placed into a single vehicle, then in theory it should allow for a 50% saving on transport costs. or at least fuel – incredibly important with the price of such sky-high thanks to the war in Ukraine. Some of the most significant developments to the packaging industry aren’t whole machines, but rather sensors. Given the increased demands from the industry, which need to correspond to changes in consumer taste and habits, as well as legislative changes, sensors need to be up to the task. Ergonomic packing The end of line packing stage of many production lines is often cramped and chaotic as people, pallets, and product jostle for space in less-than-ideal conditions. WMH have helped clients create order from chaos by installing ergonomic packing stations that ensure the comfort of packers. WMH are currently building a new packing system for a local pasty bakery which will streamline the packing of their premium pasties. The system enables up to five packers to pack product from baking trays into cartons in comfort with minimal lifting and twisting. Each packer is presented with a tray of product to be unloaded and packed into ready erected cartons. Once filled, each carton is taken away to be automatically taped, leaving the packer free to pack their next box. Product and boxes are presented to the operators on multiple levels to minimise twisting and heavy lifting. This multi-level packing approach is similar to previous end of line packing stations developed by WMH. For more information on WMH packing and other solutions visit https://www.wmh-uk-ltd.com © stock.adobe.com/ vectorfusionart 28 Á 24-29.qxp_Layout 1 28/03/2022 15:42 Page 3Food & Drink International 27 www.fdiforum.net Want sustainable thermal packaging? KƵƌĐŽƌƌƵŐĂƚĞĚďŽdžůŝŶĞƌƐĂƌĞǁŝĚĞůLJƌĞĐLJĐůĞĚďŽƚŚĐŽŵŵĞƌĐŝĂůůLJĂŶĚĚŽŵĞƐƟĐĂůůLJ͕ĨĞĞĚŝŶŐƚŚĞŵĂƚĞƌŝĂůƐ ďĂĐŬŝŶƚŽƚŚĞƐLJƐƚĞŵƚŽƉƌŽŵŽƚĞĂĐŝƌĐƵůĂƌĞĐŽŶŽŵLJ͘dŚĞĚŝƐƉŽƐĂůŝƐĐŽŶǀĞŶŝĞŶƚĂŶĚƌĞƐƉŽŶƐŝďůĞ͕ƚŽ ĐŽŵƉůĞŵĞŶƚƚŚĞĐĂƌĚďŽĂƌĚŝƚƐĞůĨǁŚŝĐŚŝƐ&^ĐĞƌƟĮĞĚĂƐƚĞƐƚĂŵĞŶƚƚŽŝƚƐĞƚŚŝĐĂůƐŽƵƌĐŝŶŐ͘ 02476 420 065 kitepackaging.co.uk powered by employee share-ownership 00002224444477666 444222000 0000666555555555 kkkiiittteeepppppaaaccckkkkkkkkaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnngggggcccooooouuuukkk Zz>>Ky>/EZ^ 100% ^dz^>Kt&Z/E'&KZ ϯϱ,Z^ ^h^d/E>z^KhZ 100% info@macpac.co.uk Tel: 0161 442 1642 www.macpac.co.uk THERMOFORMED PACKAGING SPECIALISTS We design, produce tooling and manufacture packaging all under one roof, at our AA grade BRC accredited factory. We use responsible manufacturing processes and raw materials with up to 100% recycled content as well as being 100% recyclable. UP TO 100% RECYCLED 100% RECYCLABLE Innovative, Economical & Responsible. UK MANUFACTURER 24-29.qxp_Layout 1 28/03/2022 15:42 Page 428 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net END OF LINE PACKAGING ! စထထ ႅဈဈ#င%စဉထဓဇဒဇထဒဒ *+ Therefore, the very latest sensors and sensor systems need to be designed for complex, frequently changing tasks while also meeting ever more demanding brand protection, safety and documentation requirements. Working in conjuncture with sensors is the use of offline case marking. Implementing such a strategy greatly reduces the human error which in turn bolsters efficient practices and decreases the risk of damaged goods and loss. The ability to mark-up secondary packaging offline meets a growing need in today’s grocery market, where the emerging retail channels of discount, convenience and online will account for all the growth over the next 10 years as conventional supermarkets decline. For many food operators, this shift is driving a rapid rise in the complexity of their logistics operations as demand grows for mixed cases and little-and-often deliveries to a wider range of locations. Having a supply of boxes that are pre-marked with information about their contents and destination helps minimise the chance of human error as products reach the end of the packaging line. © stock.adobe.com/Sergey Ryzhov 24-29.qxp_Layout 1 28/03/2022 15:42 Page 5Food & Drink International 29 www.fdiforum.net END OF LINE PACKAGING Eco-friendly labels for natural & organic products DTM Print, international OEM and solution provider for specialty printing systems, will present both the LX610e Pro Label Printer and its label materials at Natural & Organic Products Europe in London, 3-4 April 2022, to show visitors how easy it is to produce labels in-house. DTM Print is located at stand #T43. The LX610e Pro Color Label Printer, with the unique feature to print and cut any label shape with one device in seconds, combines colour inkjet label printing with a built-in digital die-cutting mechanism. “To produce exceptional product labels for all kinds of applications you not only need advanced print technology but also high-quality material,” explains Andreas Hoffmann, Managing Director of DTM Print. One material, for where an authentic, ecological look is desired, is the DTM Grass Paper Eco. The natural grass fibres of the label give the paper material its natural look. It is suitable for high- resolution and high-speed dye based and pigmented inkjet printing. The adhesive is an acrylic dispersion, permanent, solvent free and can be in direct food contact according to EU regulation No 10/2011. For more information visit https://dtm-print.eu/ This balancing act must be taken further, however, and it’s always important to keep the end user in mind. While saving money on fuel – and thus environmentally as well – might sound nice, the enthusiasm will rarely reach the workers in the warehouses of supermarkets, who will not appreciate packaging that is difficult to get into. Rigid and unyielding end of line packaging that might have been good for protecting the product from strain, will not always be the easiest to break apart for the shelves. Unless it is specifically designed to be so, that is. Product display packaging and trays have helped to minimise this problem, with many forms of transport packaging transforming into display packs with relative ease. To use the examples of biscuits again, looking back fifteen years it’s possible to remember that many biscuits were hand stacked on shelves. Nowadays it is different, with most transit packaging including perforated lines where the top part can be torn off or pulled back, revealing the products inside a branded container. This is then placed onto the shelf itself, allowing consumers to reach in and take the product at will. This kind of innovation is commonplace now but was revolutionary at the time – not only saving the manufacturer time and money, but also the retailer. It also allowed manufacturers to have more control over their branding and advertising, as they could have free rein on designing the displays. © stock.adobe.com/Photographee.eu 24-29.qxp_Layout 1 28/03/2022 15:42 Page 6Next >