52_SHD_May:ShD re-design 1/5/07 09:38 Page 52
■ Logistics IT
Innovative investment
A new investment programme designed to improve business and enhance customer
experience at delivery company Nightfrieght will enable it to offer integrated services
that will meet its customers’ changing requirements.
of £2million in a comprehensive planned move from the company’s site in
rollout of track and trace Middlewich to a new site in Crewe. Other
technology to all sites, building on relocations are planned for later in the year.
the infrastructure that was put in Steve Allen, CEO, Nightfreight Group,
place last summer. The company is said: “Our ongoing investment in this
updating its fleet and taking business includes new vehicles, new sites,
delivery of more than 200 new new technology and new working practices
vehicles in the next 12 months, which are all designed to enhance the
including a range of 7.5 tonne, 18 customer experience. This investment is all
tonne and artics. Satellite part of our transition to becoming a logistics
navigation systems will be fitted to and solutions business. It enables us to offer
all vehicles. our customers new and innovative integrated
Nightfreight is also undertaking services that will meet their changing
a relocation programme across a requirements. Our home delivery solution is a
One of the leading specialist delivery number of its sites to increase its capacity and good example of this because by utilising the
businesses Nightfreight, has announced the improve on existing standards. Its site at backbone of our network we can offer
next stage of its multi-million pound Swanscombe has relocated to a new depot in retailers a wide range of service propositions,
investment programme in customer service Dartford whilst its site at Welwyn Garden which in turn enables them to meet the
and operational developments designed to City has relocated to Hoddesdon. Both new delivery and price requirements of their
continue to radically improve the business facilities are significantly larger and boast customers. We believe this is one of our key
and prepare it for further development. improved dock space with state of the art growth area for us.”
This year Nightfreight is investing in excess facilities for the vehicles. In addition there is a www.nightfrieght.com
Evolutionary empowerment
LXE has launched ARIA-based solutions – Adaptive Recognition & Information Assurance
– which represents what is claimed to be ‘the next evolution’ in technology for logistics
and supply chain executions of warehouse transactions.
LXE Inc., one of the leading manufacturers says Steve Binder, managing director, UK Anticipated ARIA Benefits
of rugged mobile computing solutions that operations, LXE UK Ltd. “True productivity ARIA technologies drive significant
improve the performance of supply-chain gains will come from empowering workers productivity gains from minimizing and
execution applications, announced the next with more flexible combinations of AIDC improving operator interaction with the
evolution in technology for logistics and technologies designed around human warehouse management system. With ARIA,
supply chain execution – ARIA. behaviours, not the other way around. the ‘system’ serves the operator versus the
ARIA represents a suite of mobile “Achievement of the next level of efficiency operator serving the system, resulting in more
computing technologies designed to work in in the warehouse will require the coexistence natural and efficient processes.
harmony, almost transparently, with of a variety of AIDC technologies. And the ARIA provides a platform to develop
warehouse operators in the execution of application should ultimately drive the productivity-improving processes previously
warehouse transactions. ARIA is designed to selection of the most appropriate mix of not possible with traditional stand-alone
provide a technological platform for solutions,” continues Steve Binder. “However, AIDC technologies. ARIA technologies are
companies to develop new, more efficient the integration of these technologies – be it intuitive, easy-to-use, and easy-to-understand
processes that result in what the company traditional bar code scanning, RFID and/or resulting in more rapid operator acceptance.
clains are ‘sustainable productivity gains’. voice recognition – will continue to be the
“Traditional auto-id (AIDC) technologies challenge for end users and integrators. In For further information, to request the
and the supply chain execution systems they ARIA, LXE is both acknowledging the shift in ARIA White Paper, or to book an LXE expert
support are proven productivity boosters, but AIDC technology application and addressing for a speaking engagement about ARIA, email
the relationship between the operator, the the unique complexities in integrating trompet.f@lxe.com for details.
warehouse management system and the AIDC tomorrow’s systems.”
technology can be too structured at times,” www.lxe.com
52 ShD May 2007 www.PressOnShD.com
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