As well as over 400 exhibitors demonstrating what’s new in the world of logistics and materials handling, IMHX 2016, taking place at Birmingham’s NEC from 13th-16th September, also features a high quality seminar programme to help visitors find solutions and pick up the latest ideas from leading professionals.
Taking place in the dedicated Seminar Theatre over the four days, these sessions seminars provide the opportunity to learn from some of the UK’s leading logistics companies. Presented by exhibiting companies, together with their customers, visitors can expect case studies on a range of topics, showcasing operational excellence.
On Tuesday 13th September at 12.15-12.45 Peter Shuttleworth, Head of Technology at Tesco Transport and David Stocker, Director at DAI Supply Chain and Logistics Automation systems, present The Tesco direct-ion: intelligent carrier management and warehousing upgrade for the UK retail giant. In this session, Peter and David offer a close look at Tesco’s recent carrier management implementation and major warehouse solution upgrade, for its Tesco Direct business.
The speakers will take attendees inside this successful project, looking at the multi-channel multi-carrier strategy, the use of carrier management to handle internal label generation, Click & Collect optimisation through the use of master cartons, the management of internal fleet alongside parcel carriers and harmonised multi-carrier parcel tracking.
The session will also discuss the retailer’s Tesco Direct website integration, multi-site capability (and the introduction of additional sites), benefits of customisation, systems architecture, carrier management, parcel tracking and cloud hosting versus on-premises.
Next on the schedule is Transforming e-Commerce fulfilment with smartphones and mobile work execution, 13.00-13.30. Here Nick Pendrous, Chief Operating Office at Dotcom Distribution and Andrew Southgate, General Manager at Lucas Systems explore how Dotcom Distribution, a growing 3PL specialising in ecommerce fulfilment, has adopted smartphones, voice-directed mobile applications and mobile work execution solutions to improve accuracy, labour productivity, flexibility and scalability.
Optimised engineers and improved reporting at KNAPP’s automated warehouses is presented from 13.45-14.15 by Matt Winter, Resident Operations Manager at KNAPP AG, with Gary Jones from Key.
During this seminar, Matt Winter of KNAPP AG will explain how it uses Key Service Manager Software to help increase efficiency in its leading intralogistics solutions and automated warehouse systems business. Winter and Jones will share results from the project and evidence of how it meets strict service level agreements to ensure a profitable return.
Moving on to Wednesday, 14th September, Richard Brewer, Technical Services Executive at RTITB, presents The unpredictable human being: Driver behaviour, technology and vulnerable road users.
From 10.00-10.30 Richard will ask if we truly understand how general driving behaviour is affected in certain driving situations. Unpredictable human beings are behind the wheel of the goods vehicle and on the street. A lot of our optical behaviour is subconscious, but there are things that drivers can do to help them perform at their best. Greater understanding could go a long way to reducing the number of fatal incidents involving goods vehicles and vulnerable road users every year.
From 11.30-12.00 Stability in China, the EU referendum and fears of global deflation is the subject under discussion.
The performance of the economy in 2016 has been clouded by uncertainty. Stability in China, the EU referendum and fears of global deflation are factors which have shaped doubt. Mainland Europe has still to achieve a meaningful economic upturn, while the US faces a potentially momentous Presidential election in November. What does it all mean? Philip Shaw, Chief Economist at Investec, a FTSE 250 bank and leading provider of finance and foreign exchange to the materials handling industry, will assess the key issues and provide an overview of prospects facing the UK in 2017.
The third of the Wednesday sessions is Transforming ‘The Health Store’ into a 21st century wholesaler, from 12.15-12.45. The Health Store has traded for over 83 years as a leading health food wholesaler in the UK and Europe, supplying customers throughout the UK, Ireland, Europe and Asia.
Tim Ryan, Managing Director at The Health Store and Chris Pass, Sales Consultant at Business Computer Projects will show how implementation of a single fully-integrated ERP and wall-to-wall Voice WMS transformed The Health Store business, “bringing it into the 21st century”. Business-wide improvements include operation-wide visibility, effective scheduling, unparalleled analytics and improved efficiency and accuracy, slashing claims by 60% and stimulating customer confidence.