• Reporting on the global supply chain network for bulk materials in the form of dry bulk, liquids, gases, cargo and freight, whether by road, rail, sea or air.
EXHIBITIONS
_________________________________________________
Materials handling event launched
UK. Exhibition organiser easyFairs® is bringing its own brand of trade shows to the world of materials handling with the launch of easyFairs® MATERIALS HANDLING 2011, a brand new show focused on the complete materials handling supply chain.
Taking place on 30 and 31 March 2011 at Birmingham's NEC, it is aimed at those working in the logistics, distribution and supply chain functions as well as operations, plant and production managers.
The event has already attracted partners such as ALEM (Association of Loading and Elevating Equipment Manufacturers), AHMSA (Automated Material Handling Systems Association) and SEMA (Storage Equipment Manufacturers’ Association).
Graham Watts from AMHSA said that the easyFairs® concept of effective, low cost business focused events which are easy to set up are just what AMHSA members have been looking for.
ALEM’s Tim Faithful said that his organisation supports this smaller, highly targeted exhibition for the materials handling industry and helps by offering value for money exhibiting for members.
The easyFairs® model is described as a fixed 'all in' budget with no hidden expenses or last minute surprises. Training is part of the exhibiting package and companies signing up early can maximise their investment, accessing complimentary show services including PR and personalised telephone campaigns inviting prospects to their stand at the show. In addition to showcasing an array of partners and exhibitors, the show also features learnShop™ seminars.
Matt Benyon, MD easyFairs® UK & Ireland, said: "In this day and age no one launches a trade show lightly, but our in depth research within the materials handling industry, told us that an annual show was needed. But they didn't want just any show. They wanted one that was nimble, efficient, cost effective and focused - for us that meant it had to be an easyFairs® show."
The event will be co-located with easyFairs® MAINTEC 2011 - an event dedicated to the maintenance and asset management sectors.
www.easyfairs.com
|
15:32 20/08/2010
PORTS
_______________________________________________________
Potash export facility
USA. Port of Vancouver USA is in discussions with global resources giant BHP Billiton regarding the potential location of a potash export facility. A preliminary agreement has been reached and work is said to be proceeding on finalising terms and a lease agreement.
The project would include handling, storage, dock and rail facilities for potash export from BHP Billiton’s first mine to be developed in Canada’s Saskatchewan Basin. Terminal 5 has been chosen at the site as the location, together with rail proposals from Canadian Pacific Railway and BNSF Railway as the preferred option to export potash from the Jansen Project in Saskatchewan when that project goes into production.
“Designing and developing an efficient, world-class port and logistics system is an important part of achieving our goal of building a successful low-cost potash business,” said Mark Young, BHP Billiton port and logistics manager. “The Port of Vancouver’s Terminal 5 location is an attractive site, which would be capable of handling the anticipated production from the Jansen development.”
Larry Paulson, Port of Vancouver executive director said that the project would add significantly to the port’s customer and revenue base. Investment by the port in Terminal 5 will provide BHP Billiton with land for storage and dock facilities. The port’s commitment to rail improvement demonstrated by its ongoing West Vancouver Freight Access project makes the site particularly appealing to this type of private sector investment.
Once a final agreement has been reached, approval is required from BHP Billiton and the port’s board of commissioners. Port of Vancouver, a major port on the Pacific Coast, is in the midst of a year full of projects and developments as it diversifies its cargo mix between bulk commodities, breakbulk and project cargoes, with current expansion underway on the port’s rail system and development of new port industrial and marine properties.
|
10:45 17/08/2010
LOGISTICS ____________________________________________________
Move to strengthen position
Netherlands. European logistics service provider Vos Logistics is to further optimise the organisation
of its international transport activities. The measures, aimed at strengthening the company's position in Europe, complement a strategy launched in 2008 to reduce its cost base and increase its flexibility to operate in a competitive and rapidly changing market.
The company says that the economic recession has further weakened international freight tariffs and placed pressure on margins, a situation aggravated by increased competition from former Eastern Bloc countries.
The move will see its international transport operations relocate to Eastern Europe. Vos Polska has already been hived off as a trucking organisation for cargo and bulk. The company will use a mix of its own capacity as well as subcontractors and the proposals will lead to the loss of about 200 jobs in Europe.
|
20:42 07/06/2010
PORTS _______________________________________________________
Ports policy questioned
UK. The Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) has slammed the Government’s recently published draft planning policy on ports provision, declaring it as ‘unfit for purpose’.
This is in response to the consultation
on a National Policy Statement for Ports, which will determine
how proposals to build new port facilities are decided upon by the new
Infrastructure Planning Commission - an independent body which makes
decisions on applications for nationally significant infrastructure
projects.
Matt Thomson, Acting Director Policy & Partnerships at the RTPI, a body that represents the interests of 22,000 planners, says that the draft policy statement fails to justify the need for building any new ports, or give any guidance on how they should relate to road and rail networks or centres of industry or population.
Instead it leaves decisions about where ports should be to be determined by the market, offering no security for investors or the local communities that may be affected. In addition, he said that the impact on Britain’s existing ports are not considered and that improvements to these existing facilities may be a better option than building an entirely new port.
The
RTPI goes on to say that there is no identified urgency to provide new ports in the UK, with the number of port developments already under construction. The view of the Institute is that the Department for Transport should think again about the need for this ports policy, instead of rushing out a half-baked proposal.
• UK ports currently handle an impressive volume of freight, with 580 mt handled in 2006, UK ports handling a higher volume of goods than any other EU country and representing key international gateways that plug the UK into the global economy.
Department for Transport forecasts show that overall demand between now and 2030 is expected to grow by around 1 per cent per annum in terms of tonnage. Within this figure there are very significant commodity variations, with some sectors - notably containers, ro-ro and liquified natural gas - growing much faster. In the container and ro-ro sectors an average annual growth rate of around 3 - 4 per cent is predicted.
|
17:40 22/02/2010
LOGISTICS ______________________________________________________
Hoyer purchases 20 per cent stake
Germany. Bulk logistics specialist HOYER Group is purchasing a 20 per cent stake in InterBulk Group plc who offer a range of services in dry bulk logistics, liquid bulk logistics and tank containers.
With an inventory of 7,600 tank containers, 11,200 box containers and turnover of £232m. InterBulk provides HOYER with an opportunity to expand its share of the international bulk logistics market, especially chemical logistics and intermodal operations.
HOYER CEO Ortwin Nast said that there is a common interest with InterBulk in chemical logistics, particularly tank containers for liquid bulk products. “Buying this 20 per cent stake is a very attractive investment, from our point of view”, he said. The purchase has to be approved by the German federal cartel office.
Headquartered in Hamburg, HOYER, is a leading global bulk logistics service provider in the chemical, mineral oil, gas and foodstuff sectors. The family owned company currently operates in more than 80 countries.
|
14:04 25/01/2010
