Carriers on the transpacific trade have reason to celebrate after spot prices increased last week, according to the latest figures from the Shanghai Containerised Freight Index.
The SCFI figures revealed that all-in spot prices on services from Asia to the US west coast increased 0.7 per cent week on week to $2,012 per FEU. Those to the east coast increased 0.5 per cent to $3,169 per FEU.
Although the increases are minimal, they end a five-week decline, following a partially successful general rate increase in the first week of April, offering hope to carriers operating on the main east-west trades that have been on a downward trend since the end of the first quarter.
Industrial real estate is often seen as the least glamorous slice of the property sector, but investors are increasingly looking at China's warehouses as a good place to park their money as their sexier cousins lose some of their allure.
Property consultants and logistics property developers said there had been an upturn in investment interest in logistics and business parks in recent months as a way to tap into the growth of e-commerce and rising domestic consumption. Some investors are also sobering up to slimmer returns from the residential, office and shopping mall sectors, where prices are fast rising to unattractive levels.
Goodman Group plans to invest $3bn in China's logistics industry over the next few years. Philip Pearce, the developer’s greater China managing director, tells the WSJ's Deborah Kan why it’s a long-term play that doesn’t come without risk.
South Africa is experiencing a widening supply chain skills gap over a short time span, according to a recent survey, which concludes that the skills shortage is severely impacting the competitiveness of the country’s economy.
According to the 2012 Supply Chain Skills Gap Survey, conducted by University of Johannesburg researchers Rose Luke and Gert Heyns, employers are experiencing difficulty in filling tactical and strategic level positions.
According to Barloworld Logistics’ 2013 Supply Chain Foresight report, the supply chain skills shortage is viewed as one of the top five constraints to South African supply chains and the single biggest constraint on competitiveness.
Global supply chain optimisation provider, Manhattan Associates, Inc., has released its predictions for retail shopping for the next 12 months, with developments in web, mobile and social commerce set to continue reshaping the way goods are bought and sold in markets throughout the Southeast Asia region.
The projections forecast that continued pressure on margins from prevailing economic conditions and an increasingly inflationary environment will force both bricks-and-mortar and online retailers to invest in strategies and technologies that make their assets work harder and help them reach new customers in new markets.
One of the top trends is that online retailers are facing tougher competition. Whilst online-only retailers may have taken a large slice of the online sales market in recent years, bricks-and-mortar stores are investing in their multi-channel offering, meaning that online retailers will now have to up their game to retain market share. This trend is particularly strong in Thailand and the Philippines, where the growing number of online shoppers has prompted retail brands to offer innovative services such as online gift registries or online shopping combined with in-store pickups and delivery services. With more intense competition in the online retail world, traditional retailers can differentiate against their online only competition through focus on providing an excellent overall service experience by investing in their supply chain and associated technology that supports an optimised fulfilment process.
The European Union has allocated €37m (about US$47.7m) for its Regional Maritime Security program to strengthen the fight against piracy in several Eastern and Southern African countries.
The new program will help to develop the legal and judicial system of countries in the region, so that they are better equipped for the arrest and transfer of pirates. Financial oversight systems will also be strengthened, by providing training for the authorities to prevent the movement of funds contributing to or resulting from piracy. Capacity-building, such as sharing expertise and implementing training, as well as providing material logistics support for security, will help to improve surveillance and patrol of the coastline.
In Somalia, in particular, the program will also carry out anti-piracy awareness campaigns in areas where piracy is prevalent, as well as providing vulnerable groups of young men with training so that they successfully pursue alternative vocations.
The Israeli government is planning to issue a tender to build a privately run seaport in the coming months, pledging to end the monopolies of the two main ports of Ashdod and Haifa.
The state-owned ports are subject to work stoppages and slowdowns because of the “enormous strength” of their unions. Until now, the government has been unwilling to risk a confrontation that could paralyse trade, given that 99 per cent of exports and imports are transported by ship.
By introducing private piers to compete with the two ports, service would improve and prices across the board would drop, said Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister.
The port unions, which comprise 2,400 workers earning double the average public sector salary, are threatening to strike to block the government’s plans.
Although it seemed just a matter of time before others again followed Maersk’s lead on big ship innovation, CSCL’s recent order confirms the well-established trend, according to analyst Drewery’s latest Container Insight report.
So what does this mean for the ports that are expected to handle them? Is it time to ring the alarm bells, or will it just be business as usual? The answer is not black and white, says the report.
The most expensive factors for ports are vessel draught and length. Gantry cranes with longer outreaches do not come cheap, but are usually a lot easier to put in place than new berths or deeper water. It is no coincidence, therefore, that the 18,000 TEU ships on the stocks are no longer than the 400 metres of their 15,000 and 16,000 TEU counterparts already in service. And it is likely that for most port calls, cargo mix will mean that the 18,000 TEU vessels will have operating draughts of no more than 14-15 metres. Much depends on the average weight of cargo and where in the port rotation particular ports are placed.
Voice command operations in the warehouse are becoming more common and Vocollect has introduced a new device that should increase productivity in the warehouse.
The Talkman A700 solution has an integrated voice and scanning in one wearable device. It allows hands-free scanning for when operators are scanning totes or bins, but has all the features of a voice operated device.
The new A700 device can be used by any company that already uses Vocollect Voice for their warehouse operations. The device can be paired with the voice headset so that the operations are in sync. The user does not have to remove the device; they can pass a barcode in front to collect the data. This leaves the user to use both hands to complete the process, reducing any risk of injury to the user or damage to the goods.
The pace of international trade will grow slowly this year but is likely to accelerate in 2014 — potentially good news for Inland Southern California’s bread-and-butter logistics industry.
The Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp. is forecasting that 2013 will lead to at least some growth for companies that move goods to and from ports of entry in the US. The year to watch, however, is 2014, when the rate of growth for these operations is expected to double.
Also, good news from the LAEDC’s International Trade Outlook is that the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are still the largest shipping hubs in the US. The number of shipping containers that moved through Southern California’s adjacent ports last year increased, albeit slightly, from the equivalent of 14 million 20-foot container units to 14.1 million.
The Philippines is on track to complete its National Single Window (NSW) before 2015, the target year for the integration of customs and trade processes of the nine members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Phase one entailed the setup and installation of network interconnections for all 40 government agencies; installation of voice over protocol system and email for all 40 agencies; and setup and configuration of the NSW for nominated agencies.
With the project now on its second phase, NSW is targeted for completed next year.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) moved a step closer towards regional integration with the recent launch of the ASEAN Single Window Web portal (ASW) which is designed to facilitate trade and customs processes among members of the regional grouping.
The launch was hosted by the Philippine Department of Finance and the Bureau of Customs, the lead government agency in the undertaking.
The ASW is an online trade facility that connects and integrates the NSWs of ASEAN member countries. The portal’s objective is to speed up cargo clearance and ensure that exchange of data between parties is secure and reliable. ASW’s main goal is to make processing time of data simpler, faster and more transparent.
Shippers face the likelihood of more slow-steaming on the major east-west trade routes from Asia to the US and Europe as ocean carriers take delivery of more big ships.
The London-based consultant said it believes carriers are losing money due to the freight rate war taking place in these trades, and they are still confronted with surplus capacity.
It expects carriers to take steps soon to cut vessel capacity between Asia and Europe and between Asia and the US, which will result in longer transit times. But it said schedule reliability should improve due to the greater opportunity for making up lost time.
Brazil’s Congress last week passed legislation that authorizes US$27bn in investment to improve Brazil’s aging and congested ports. The government said it expects the nation’s exports to quadruple by 2030; its ports are operating at capacity.
Under the plan, ports will be open to private investment and new construction of privately-owned ports would be permitted. Until now, all ports were operated by the state government.
Contracts will be awarded based on the highest rate of efficiency and lowest price per ton of cargo. Labor unions objected to a section of the bill that would allow port operators to hire non-union workers. Several strikes were staged at Santos and other ports prior to the bill’s passage. The most recent strike ended last Thursday (May 16), hours before Congress passed the bill.
Thailand should not cling to a target for the logistics cost-to-GDP ratio as infrastructure is for logistics facilitation, not for reducing logistics cost, says Assoc Prof Ruth Banomyong, director of the Centre for Logistics Research at Thammasat Business School.
In an exclusive interview with Nation Group, he criticises the country's strategic plan to take out a Bt2-trillion loan for infrastructure development, targeting to reduce the ratio by at least two percentage points.
“If we shift our goods transportation from more road to more rail, can we say that the lower cost per unit of rail transport means the logistics cost will go down? That's illogical. In theory, the road transport cost is higher than rail and rail is higher than sea. Looking at Thailand, the country's transport cost by road is lower than that by rail or sea,” he explained.
Average global freight rates have fallen to a 15-month low, according to Drewry’s new online Container Freight Rate Insight.
The analyst’s Global Freight Rate Index fell 12 per cent last month to reach its lowest level since February 2012, when container shipping was still recovering from the last ocean carrier price war. The index – a weighted average of freight rates across 600 trade routes – reached a new low of $2,065 per 40ft container and has fallen 18 per cent since the start of the year.
The index was depressed by a fall in pricing on the high-volume trades from Asia to both Europe and North America, where average rates fell 12 per cent across both trades in April. Over half of the 600 trade routes recorded falling rates in April. And the analyst said pricing was now below last year’s levels on over one-third of trade routes.
The Stifel Logistics Confidence Index continued its downward trend in May as it fell for the second consecutive month. Compiled by Transport Intelligence, the overall index, which combines the current situation with future expectations, was down 0.8 points from April to 50.7 in May and was 1.3 points lower compared with the same month in 2012.
Yet, even with deteriorating confidence, the Logistics Confidence Index registered above the 50 threshold, indicating growth, for the fourth consecutive month.
Forwarders were also slightly less positive regarding the six-month outlook compared with last month; the index for logistics expectations fell 1.2 points to 57.2 in May. However, respondents still believe volumes will improve.
Moves by the Australian government to restructure the Import Processing Charge (IPC) to recover the costs of all import-related cargo and trade functions undertaken by the Customs and Border Protection Service have been slammed by advocacy body Freight & Trade Alliance (FTA).
Paul Zalai, director FTA, described the magnitude of the IPC increase as “staggering”, and said he was concerned about the level of consultation by the government on this issue.
For consignments valued over A$10,000, the IPC for electronic sea import declarations will be increased by A$102.60 to A$152.60 per consignment, while the IPC for electronic air import declarations will be increased by A$81.90 to A$122.10 per consignment. For consignments valued over A$1,000 and up to A$10,000 the IPC will remain at current levels: A$50 for electronic sea import declarations andA$40.20 for electronic air import declarations. The IPC is not applied to consignments valued at A$1,000 or less.
Thailand's Thai International and subsidiaries' financial performance in Q1 2013 delivered an operating profit of THB4,44m, down THB180m or 3.9 per cent on last year.
Cargo services were blamed for some of the decline in operating profitability, though expenses rose due to increased traffic production, payment of staff performance incentives and accrued annual staff welfare charges.
The revelation that the owner of an Algerian cargo ship whose crew was held by Somali pirates paid them $2.6m in ransom is yet another indication that the rewards these denizens reap for their illegal, life-threatening work remain a serious stumbling block to ending maritime organised crime, AdvanFort Company President and COO William H. Watson said.
Watson noted that the MV Blida, carrying 17 Algerians, six Ukrainians, two Filipinos, one Jordanian and one Indonesian, was overtaken by a gang of heavily- armed pirates on its way from Oman to Tanzania, with almost all the hostages freed after a bag full of cash was dropped from a plane to the captors.
Rear Admiral Tarrant’s warning was issued after the EU Naval Force warship ESPS Rayo located a skiff with six men on board that was 320 nautical miles off the Somali coast. That the small, open-top boat was so far out to sea caused the Rayo to send a team to investigate.
Reliability, and the factors that drive it, will be essential for global supply chains of the future, according to a panel session on global supply chains at Supply Chain and Logistics Canada’s 46th annual conference, in Mississauga, Ontario on May 14.
It will take a strong focus on compliance and transparency to drive reliability.
But there remains a lot of complexity in global intermodal supply chains, occurring most often in the links between the modes, noted panel moderator Ruth Snowden, executive director of CIFFA.
The latest HSBC Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) figures show that Indian manufacturing is at its lowest level since November 2011. The PMI is 51, showing that the sector is still expanding, albeit at a very low rate. Manufacturing has been in an expansionary mode for the last forty-nine months, but the figures for April are the lowest in that period.
The country's infrastructure has come under scrutiny again as it has been suggested that frequent power shortages hampered manufacturing companies during the month.
Despite the poor figures, the outlook is somewhat brighter for manufacturing in India according to HSBC as they expect the lower rates and declining inflation to prompt the banks into an interest rate cut, which could stimulate business. Foreign investment has continued unabated with Panasonic starting to manufacture flat screen televisions in India to meet local regulatory demands. Sony has begun to make games for their PS3 gaming system locally in India, and US office furniture company, Steelcase, who will set up their first Indian manufacturing facility near Pune.
Incheon Airport handled 576,343 tonnes of cargo in Q1 2013, down 3.2 per cent from 595,367 tonnes in Q1 2012.
Conversely, in March, the South Korea airport moved 223,268 tonnes of cargo, an increase of 1.6 per cent from 219,860 tonnes in March 2012.
Because of the global economic slump and cargo weight lightening, the amount of international air freight handled by Incheon Airport has decreased for two consecutive years. However, since last year, there has been an indication of a rebound as the decrease has slowed down.
Kasikornbank says the baht's appreciation is more serious for supply-chain businesses than exporters as the latter can pass their forex-related costs to suppliers.
Supply-chain businesses, many of which are SMEs, have insufficient tools against currency volatility. Supply-chain SMEs in agriculture, wooden furniture, textiles, electronic parts and auto parts are at high risk from the baht's appreciation as they have relatively low margins and are labour-intensive.
KBank's lending to this category was Bt9.18bn last year, or 2 per cent of the SME portfolio worth Bt480bn. The bank has calculated that if the baht were to average 28.50 against the US dollar and no measures were introduced to help businesses in this predicament, its non-performing-loan rate would jump to 3.37 per cent by the end of this year from 3.19 per cent at the end of March.
The volumes of Hong Kong's total exports and imports of goods rose year-over-year, up 11.3 per cent and 11.1 per cent, respectively.
For the first quarter of 2013, the volume of total exports of goods rose 4.2 per cent from the same period in 2012. Concurrently, the volume of imports of goods increased 5.0 per cent.
Comparing the first quarter of 2013 with the fourth quarter of 2012 on a seasonally adjusted basis, the volume of total exports of goods decreased 1.5 per cent, and import volume decreased 1.4 per cent.
Global air freight traffic continues to exhibit “signs of weakness” with an overall year-over-year decline of one per cent in March.
Every region posted decreases in the volume of monthly freight traffic except for the Middle East, which posted an 8.7 per cent increase compared with March 2012.
Amid the international slowdown, Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, was able to attain a 14.7 per cent gain. The top three freight hubs in the world, including Hong Kong; Memphis, Tenn.; and Shanghai, experienced declines of 2.2 per cent, 1.4 per cent and 3 per cent, respectively.
Global manufacturers are putting their supply chains at the centre of their business strategies to serve as the foundation for operational efficiency and collaborative innovation, according to KPMG's 4th annual Global Manufacturing Outlook — Competitive Advantage - Enhancing Supply Chain Networks for Efficiency and Innovation — which surveyed 335 C-level executives globally, including 95 in the US.
Ironically though, many manufacturing executives (49 per cent globally; 54 per cent US) admit that their companies currently do not have visibility of their supply chain beyond Tier 1 suppliers. Moreover, only 9 per cent of the 335 global respondents of the 2013 KPMG 2013 survey say they have complete visibility of their supply chains. That number is even lower among US executives, with only seven per cent claiming complete supplier visibility.
Overall, China and the US remain the top sourcing locations, but the report shows that many will keep sourcing closer to their major markets over the next 2 years. Nearly 90 per cent of US respondents will increase sourcing in the US followed by Canada (18 per cent) and China tied with the UK at 13 per cent.
The ASEAN Single Window (ASW) Web Portal was officially launched in Manila on May 8, 2013 with the Philippines as host country.
The ASW Web Portal is a web-based interactive facility that will make available information on the ASEAN Single Window and the National Single Windows (NSW) of ASEAN member states. Through the web portal, public and private sector stakeholders will be updated on ASW developments, which will in turn enhance the ability of NSWs to expedite clearance through electronic exchange of data among regulatory agencies and traders alike. The ASW is a key component of the ASEAN’s plan to achieve the ASEAN Economic Community by 2015.
Specifically, the ASEAN Web Portal aims to:
- Provide a single source of legal/regulatory and technical information on ASW-related matters
- Serve as the community forum of dialogue and consultation as well as a platform to raise awareness and understanding of the ASW and the Member State NSWs
Britain’s manufacturing companies are driving a trend towards greater use of automated storage and handling systems.
That is the view of Steve Richmond, director of Jungheinrich UK Ltd’s systems and projects division. According to the director, the UK’s automotive and pharmaceutical products manufacturers are becoming particularly enthusiastic about the operational benefits offered by automation.
The trend, Steve Richmond believes, is towards mid-level projects which can demonstrate a rapid return on investment. And many users are now choosing to employ partial automation – hybrid systems that are part-automated and part-manual. But, the market for large scale fully automated projects has been slow to recover.
Maritime piracy is both ageless as a threat as well as ductile in its dramatically changing nature both in and around the Indian Ocean and, increasingly, in other parts of the world.
Somali piracy erupted in the western Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden and commercial vessels transiting the area frequently fell prey to the seagoing criminals who captured numerous vessels and held them and their crews for ransom to the tune of tens of millions of dollars. Numerous maritime nations sent naval patrols to the region but this strategy only caused the pirates to change their "business model" and begin capturing vessels as far away as the Indian coastline. It wasn't until Private Maritime Security Companies (PMSCs) began to deploy Privately Contracted Armed Security Personnel (PCASP) teams aboard an increasing number of vessels transiting the High Risk Area that the problem began to subside.
Now, even as the US Department of State and other hallowed international institutions recognise the fundamental importance of PMSCs, now hailed as "game changers" in the Gulf of Aden, it is nonetheless critically important that ship owners and operators carefully continue to survey what is out there in order to have the tools needed to cope with tomorrow's threats and to protect their vessels, cargos, crew members and the bottom line.
CEVA Logistics has announced the official opening of the City of Pharma in Italy. The hub, which covers an area of 20,000 sq m, is strategically located in Stradella, in province of Pavia and is fully dedicated to the warehousing and handling of products destined for healthcare distribution channels.
The launch of City of Pharma highlights CEVA’s industry-specific skills and was driven by the success of the previous opening of City of Books with customers that included leading publishers of educational, fiction and non-fiction books and magazines. By hosting companies from the same industry at one location, it enables CEVA to help customers respond to market fluctuations by providing complete visibility across the supply chain.
This new, innovative hub is at the heart of an integrated European logistics network, providing access not just to the whole of Italy, but to other markets throughout Europe.
DHL has been named 'Best Employer' in Asia Pacific for its Express division by Aon Hewitt, a global leader in human resource consulting and outsourcing solutions.
Additionally, DHL Express received the 'Best Employer' award in Thailand and Indonesia for the first time, joining DHL Express South Korea who received the same award earlier this year.
The awards are part of the Aon Hewitt Best Employers 2.0 -- Asia 2013 Study, which measures employers' effectiveness in creating a workplace environment that engages employees and enables them to deliver real competitive advantage through their employees. DHL was presented with both the 'Best Employer in Asia Pacific' and the 'Best Employer' awards in Thailand at a ceremony held at Bangkok's Westin Grande Sukhumvit Hotel on 22 May.
Logistics group CEVA has announced a revenue drop of 6 per cent for the first quarter of the year, reflecting difficult market conditions.
Adjusted EBITDA of €31m was reported for the three months which ended 31 March, down from €66min the first quarter 2012.
Overall soft global logistics markets, the loss of airfreight volume as some businesses moved to ocean transport, the exposure to Eurozone markets, and underperforming CL contracts all influenced the results. Revenues decreased by 6.3 per cent to €1.6bn for the three months which ended 31 March 2013, compared to €1.7bn the previous year.
Mediterranean Shipping Co (MSC) will stop applying bunker, piracy or Suez Canal surcharges separately to freight charges on the Asia-Europe and Mediterranean trade from next month.
MSC will not publish any updates for its bunker utilisation contribution, piracy surcharge or Suez Canal surcharge from 1 June on the trade from Asia and Bangladesh to north Europe, Scandinavia, the Baltic, western Mediterranean, Adriatic, eastern Mediterranean, North Africa and the Black Sea.
However, Dutch shippers’ council EVO has criticised the move. EVO supported cutting the number of surcharges, but wanted those that had a major impact on the overall cost of shipping or that are governed by Incoterms criteria to remain separate from the freight rate.
Best Buy is anticipating a big payoff from better supply-chain processes and floor-space utilisation, which will offset huge investments in lower pricing and multichannel sales.
On an earnings call this morning after reporting a first-quarter loss, president/CEO Hubert Joly and chief financial officer Sharon McCollam said they will continue to cut costs and improve operational efficiencies, which have resulted in annualized savings of $325m to date.
McCollam identified reverse logistics in particular as a No. 1 priority. The handling of returns “received virtually no attention as the company grew,” she noted, and the outdated processes cost the retailer some $400m in losses each year.
FedEx Express has been awarded the Trusted Brands Gold Award in the Airfreight/Courier Service category by Reader’s Digest Asia.
FedEx was also a Gold Award winner in the category in three markets across the region, including Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan.
Inaugurated in 1999, the Reader’s Digest Asia’s Trusted Brands Survey is one of the region’s most comprehensive, reputable consumer-based brand preference surveys. Over the years, the survey has uncovered Asia’s attitudes on the most trustworthy brands. In addition to trustworthiness and credibility, the survey also measures the companies’ commitment to innovation, quality of services/products, corporate values, understanding of customer needs as well as corporate social responsibility. FedEx was also a Gold Award winner in the category in three markets across the region, including Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan.
This is a first for Amazon Germany: hundreds of employees have stopped work at two sites operated by the group. The action raises issues at the heart of the e-commerce giant: is Amazon a pure logistics company or is it more?
Amazon management and the Ver.di services Union having been in discussions for weeks without their respective positions being genuinely reconciled. The dispute revolves around the definition of the work of Amazon employees: do they simply unpack, warehouse and dispatch packages (as the management claims) or are they running a mail order business (as the unions argue).
The impasse has led to a strike for the first time since Amazon became established in Germany. The sites affected are those at Bad Hersfeld, where the largest facility is located, and Leipzig. Ver.di said to have mobilised more than 1,700 workers but Amazon believes that the impact on customers will be neutral.
Workforce Florida has made available a $2m Quick Response Training Challenge Grant for employers in Florida’s logistics and trade industry.
The grant, which has been applauded by the Florida Department of Transportation, aims to meet the training needs of existing Florida companies in the state’s logistics and trade sector.
A goal of the grant is to help these companies enhance competitiveness by improving the skills of existing and new employees hired over the next year. The grant will be funded through Workforce Florida’s Quick Response Training program.
Wan Hai Lines reported in the black for first quarter 2013, helped by non-operating gains that helped erase an operating loss.
Taipei-listed Wan Hai, largely an intra-Asia operator, posted a net profit of T$124.9m (US$4.2m), compared with a loss of T$393.1m for the same quarter the year before.
However, Wan Hai posted an operating loss of T$89.5m over the quarter, compared with a much deeper loss last year of T$330.7m. One-time gains amounted to T$419m, compared to a loss of T$3.4m in the same period last year. Revenues for the first quarter amounted to T$13.9bn, down from $14.7bn in the first quarter of last year, a result of partly of reduced shipping capacity in 2012. Total operating costs also dropped, to NT$13.1bn this year from $14.2bn in last year’s first quarter.
Amber Road, a New Jersey-based platform that automates and streamlines global trade, has been selected by the Kahala Posts Group, an alliance of ten postal administrations around the world, to increase their competitiveness in the international delivery market.
KPG member organizations include the Australian Postal Corp., China Post Group, Correos y Telégrafos, Groupe La Poste, Hongkong Post, Japan Post Co., Korea Post, Royal Mail Group, Singapore Post and the US Postal Service.
In the deal signed with the International Post Corp. Group, acting on behalf of KPG, Amber Road’s GTM solutions will help KPG members by enabling them to offer additional global trade tools and services to their customers. In addition to enhancing the ability of postal administrations to serve the growing international e-commerce market, KPG members implementing the Amber Road solution will be able to provide users with visibility into product classification and landed cost and help ensure compliance with myriad global trade regulations.
Dubai World Central (DWC) has today announced new developments at DWC’s Logistics District, including the start of construction on the fourth complex of agent warehouses.
Covering a total area of almost 8,700 square meters, with 5,443 sqm for warehouses and 1,373 sqm for office area, the new agent warehouses will be open for leasing in the first quarter of 2014. The development will include amenities catering to new and existing customers from different industries that want to expand their business activities in DWC.
DWC further announced that it is now developing a new logistics park within the Logistics District, comprising of warehouses, offices and amenities. The logistics park will be completed in the first quarter of 2015, offering a total built-up area of 34,000 square meters while facilities will have a minimum area of 1,000 sqm. To improve the efficiency of the free zone operations, DWC also announced that it will be developing a fully dedicated customer inspection yard at gate 4, in conjunction with Dubai Customs. The new facility, which will include truck scanning machines, will enhance operations in the current customs inspection facility and is designed for both normal and temperature-controlled cargo.
DHL Supply Chain has announced an investment of INR 65 crores at the launch of its new multi-user warehouse in Luhari, Delhi.
Spread across 320,000 sq. ft, this facility will meet the growing customer demands from the consumer, retail and automotive sectors.
Strategically located in North India, this region contributes 25 per cent of the country's GDP with an average annual growth rate of 16.42 per cent with large investments being made by the government in infrastructure development.
Kerry Logistics has deployed three hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), as part of its green initiatives across the globe.
Kerry Logistics participated in the first phase of the Pilot Green Transport Fund (PGTF) scheme backed by the Hong Kong Government, which is focused on trials for medium-sized HEVs.
The HEVs operating in Hong Kong are using a combination of fuel and battery- powered electricity. From 1 April 2013 for 24 months, Kerry Logistics will operate three conventional trucks in parallel to the new hybrid trucks. A research team from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (HKPU), assigned by the Environmental Protection Department, will compare performance, diesel consumption, and maintenance cost.
Supply Chain and Logistics Group (SCLG) plans to strengthen its position in supply chain and logistics industry and aims to target over 100 countries by year 2020.
SCLG, a non-profit business group working under the patronage of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, is confident about the growth in the sector and vows to play a significant role to develop the industry in the UAE.
With a core objective of further growing the UAE’s logistics sector, SCLG gathered over 200 delegates and industry experts from over 20 countries to the ‘6th Global Logistics and Supply Chain summit’ in Dubai last week. The summit was supported by many leading organisations namely, DP World, SAP, Al Futtaim Logistics, ADPC, Etihad Rail, Dulsco, Zensar Technologies and Crowe Horwath among organisations.
Forwarders only need to sign one agreement with IATA to gain acceptance from multiple carriers for their e-AWB. All signatory airlines are then automatically included in the accord.
Lufthansa Cargo has tested the initiative in a trial run that began November.
Lufthansa Cargo plans to switch entirely to the use of e-AWB by 2015.
Maersk Line has reported a US$204m Q1 profit, compared with a loss in Q1 last year of $599m.The line said better control of costs had helped the positive result, as revenues were unchanged year-on-year at $6.3bn.
Maersk Line still expects to exceed last year’s full year result in 2013. The world’s largest box carrier reported $461m in profits for 2012, but the result was pinched by a loss-making first quarter marked by very low freight rates.
Freight rates in the first quarter increased by 4.7 per cent, Maersk said, compared with last year’s first quarter, but the improvement was offset by 4 per cent lower volumes in this year’s first quarter, a reflection of the slowing trade between Asia and Europe as the European recession grinds on.
The Asia Pacific region’s leading provider of logistics, Toll Group, today opened its landmark S$300 million Toll Offshore Petroleum Services (TOPS) facility in Loyang, Singapore.
It follows a five year redevelopment that makes TOPS the leading supply base for companies in the marine, offshore and oil and gas industries in the region.
Guest of honour and Minister, Prime Minister’s Office, Second Minister for Home Affairs and Second Minister for Trade and Industry Mr S Iswaran joined Toll Group Managing Director Brian Kruger at today’s opening. Mr Kruger said the landmark investment is part of Toll’s strategy of establishing a successful presence in the region.
Ahead of its Q1 interim results, Maersk Line has announced a general rate increase on the Asia-Europe westbound trade lane of $750 per TEU, effective July 1.
The increase is below that of rival Hapag-Lloyd, which takes effect from the same date, by $250 per TEU. Hapag-Lloyd published its interim first-quarter results yesterday, posting a net loss of €93.6m. It needs the rate increase not least because, since the start of Q2, spot rates on the troubled route have plunged almost 40 per cent.
It remains to be seen how Hapag-Lloyd’s fellow G6 alliance members will react to its $1,000 per TEU GRI, given that they are sharing the same ships.
Japan’s Hitachi Transport System Ltd. has acquired a stake of about 87 per cent in US logistics firm James J. Boyle & Co. as part of efforts to further expand its global operations.
Hitachi Transport System also acquired a stake of about 23 per cent in San Francisco-based JJB’s subsidiary, JJB Link Logistics Co. Ltd., the Tokyo-based company said.
JJB holds a 55 per cent stake in JJB Link Logistics. This means that Hitachi Transport System now holds a stake of about 71 per cent in JJB Link Logistics, including a stake of about 48 percent it indirectly owns through JJB. According to Hitachi Transport System, JJB has annual sales of about 10bn yen (US$98m). The Japanese firm did not disclose the value of the transactions with JJB and JJB Link Logistics.
Eyeing the tremendous business opportunities in the Chinese toy market, United States-based toy retailer Toys R Us is accelerating its expansion in China and plans to have 100 stores in the country in the next three years.
The multinational retailer currently operates 34 stores around China, including the new premises that opened on May 11 in Jiaxing, Zhejiang province. The company will have 50 stores around China by the end of 2013. Toys R Us entered into China in 2006 by opening its first flagship store in Super Brand Mall in the Shanghai Pudong New Area. The company declined to reveal its sales growth rate in the country but said it had achieved double-digit growth in the past few years.
Mark Murphy, managing director of Toys R Us in China, said most new stores will be community stores that cover an area of 700 to 1,000 square meters. The community stores will have an additional focus on learning products, which are the most popular products in the country.
Yusen Logistics’ Americas division will officially open its new 229,000 square foot warehouse in Chicago on May 20, 2013.
The facility, near the cargo entrance of O’Hare International Airport, includes 185,000 square feet dedicated to distribution and container freight station services, making it one of the largest facilities in the transportation and supply chain company’s network.
The company said the building also features 15,000 square feet of climate controlled area, with separate freezer and refrigerated units totaling 3,000 square feet, to accommodate its perishable items customer base.
India’s Chennai Port Authority plans to seek fresh proposals from all seven pre-qualified bidders for the construction of its long-planned third container terminal, currently estimated to cost Rs. 3,686 crore (approximately $682m).
The moves follows a decision by the CPA board of trustees that lone final bidder Vadinar Terminal-Essar Port Consortium had not offered a reasonable share of revenue as annual royalty for a 30-year operating concession. An official announcement is expected shortly.
Port sources said the domestic group had offered a revenue share of 5.25 per cent from the proposed facility, which is being designed to provide an annual capacity of 4 million 20-foot-equivalent units when fully operational. DP World, Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone, Lanco Infratech, GVK-Leighton Consortium, L&T Transco and IL&FS Maritime were the other organisations that made the initial short list. Ahmedabad-based Adani Group was in the second phase of the process, but its bid was not considered by the port authority because of security clearance issues.
Commodities logistics company CWT reported a first-quarter net profit of US$21.69m for the three months ended March 31, up two per cent from a year ago.
Revenue rose 39 per cent to $1.21bn, up from $880m a year ago.
But a 41 per cent increase in cost of sales to $1.12bn caused gross profit margins to slip to 4.8 per cent from six per cent a year ago. Net profit was thus lower as a result after factoring in other income and expenses. The surge in revenue was due mainly to higher volume and a new product line since the third quarter of 2012 from the company's commodities supply chain management business. The business has grown rapidly in the last two years and is expected to continue to drive earnings increases.
INTTRA and global ocean carrier APL has announced an expanded relationship that enables INTTRA to play a leading role in delivering e-commerce capabilities to APL and its customers.
Under this agreement, INTTRA will support APL’s global e-commerce growth strategy, as well as enhance its global customer service offerings.
With more than two million container orders initiated on the INTTRA platform each month, INTTRA reaches the largest worldwide community of ocean freight buyers with solutions for online, desktop and system-to-system integrations. The INTTRA network includes over 64,000 companies, shipping to and from more than 130 countries. This broad e-commerce reach will enable APL to more quickly and effectively deliver the increased efficiency and cost saving benefits of electronic shipping to customers in all the markets it serves.
Goodman Group announced that it has signed over 100,000 sq m of new leases during the first four months of 2013 across its China portfolio, maintaining total occupancy at 96 per cent.
Firstly, the entire 42,600 sq m, Phase 1 development of Goodman Wuqing Logistics Centre was leased to a leading independent fashion group, Bestseller Fashion Group (Bestseller). This project is the Group's first development to complete in Tianjin. The company stated that the lease to Bestseller will support the continued growth of its business, and is indicative of the strong customer demand for warehouse space to in the region.
In another key transaction, DB Schenker, an existing customer at Goodman Jinxi Logistics Centre in Kunshan, has leased an additional 16,630 sq m after securing the contract for a major US fashion brand. It is a further extension of Goodman's partnership with DB Schenker in the region, which comprises an existing lease for a total of 63,300 sq m at Goodman Jinxi Logistics Centre.
Germany’s Hapag-Lloyd is determined to arrest the rates freefall on the overcapacity-plagued Asia to Europe trade lane by announcing a $1,000 per TEU hike for westbound rates to north European ports from 1 July.
It will also implement a peak-season surcharge from Asia to north Europe of $500 per TEU on 1 August to run until 30 September.
In its advice to customers, Hapag-Lloyd did not announce a general rate increase for Mediterranean destinations, although it will implement a peak-season surcharge of $650 per TEU from 10 June until 31 August. Asia-Europe headhaul spot rates have plunged almost 40 per cent since the beginning of April and carriers are again facing significant losses for the remainder of the year.
Logwin has moved its warehousing and logistics operations into a modern, state-of-the-art purpose built facility close to Hanoi. The warehousing complex will serve the north of the country.
The facility comprises 5,200 sqm of bonded warehousing, long term storage and an area for specialist logistics services mainly for fashion industry customers. This will include pick-and-pack, commissioning, price labeling and consolidation services.
Logwin’s Hanoi warehouse is located less than 30 minutes by road from Vietnam’s capital city and is close to the international airport at Noi Bai and Haiphong international seaport.
DHL Supply Chain has announced it will invest €10 million (US$13m) by 2015 in Vietnam. The company unveiled its extensive plans to invest in new facilities and IT solutions including a Warehousing Management System and Transportation Management System to increase efficiency and visibility, grow its transport fleet and strengthen its workforce to further expand its business in core sectors.
The company also announced the building of its second 10,000 sq meter built-to-suit distribution centre in Bac Ninh in North Vietnam due for completion in the third quarter of 2013.
With the US$13m investment, DHL Supply Chain Vietnam expects to increase its staff strength by over 170 per cent, creating some 1,400 new job opportunities. By 2015, DHL Supply Chain will have over 2200 people in its operations locally.
FedEx has traditionally reached out to assist with disasters that affect thousands across Asia Pacific and internationally. Now, FedEx has pledged RMB¥1m (US$162,000) to the American Red Cross to help with relief efforts in China after the devastating 7-magnitude earthquake struck the Sichuan province of China on April 20. The earthquake displaced more than 230,000 people.
FedEx has been a loyal supporter of the American Red Cross for 18 years. This generous gift to help during the aftermath of the China Earthquake is in addition to the US $1.2m of cash and in-kind transportation support that FedEx gives annually as a member of the Annual Disaster Giving Program.
Through support from generous donors like FedEx, the Red Cross Society of China has been carrying out extensive damage assessment and relief work in the affected areas. More than 20 Red Cross Society of China response teams have been conducting search and rescue activities, setting up tents, distributing food, clearing debris, providing first aid, and providing telecommunication facilities. Red Cross workers are assisting with medical care, medicine and relief supply distribution, rescue, tent set-up, psychological support, and help with restoring family links.
British online shoppers will be happy to know that long-time bricks and mortar staple, Marks and Spencer, (M&S) are updating their online fulfillment process with a new fully automated 900,000 square foot warehouse that will be able to handle an estimated one million orders per day.
Current systems have meant that the fulfillment centers could only process a few hundred orders per day.
The company had seen online orders jump some 22 per cent, but the aging and inefficient warehouse systems were restricting any future growth for online sales, including any international sales. M&S had been selling only 15 per cent of items online, compared with other companies selling more than 35 per cent.
Employees of online retailer Amazon are on strike in the German town of Bad Hersfeld and the city of Leipzig.
When balloted by labour union ver.di in April, 97 per cent of the company’s 9,000 workers in Germany voted in favour of industrial action.
Employees are arguing their wages should be in line with what’s paid in Germany’s retail sector, rather than the lower pay common in the logistics sector, which is what they currently receive. Amazon maintains the workers are primarily doing a logistics job by packing and mailing. The company says it pays on the upper end of that scale.
Starbucks has appointed Deverl Maserang to lead the company's Global Supply Chain Organization, the company announced Thursday.
Beginning June 3, Maserang will become executive vice president responsible for supply chain operations worldwide, which encompasses responsibilities from manufacturing and engineering to procurement and inventory management. Maserang joins Starbucks from Chiquita Brands International and brings more than two decades of experience in supply chain leadership positions. In leading the Global Value Chain for Chiquita and Fresh Express, he oversaw about 20,000 employees. Before Chiquita, Maserang worked in supply chain positions at Pepsi Bottling Group, United Parcel Service, and several start-ups.
Maserang will report to Starbucks CFO Troy Alstead, who is also the company's chief administrative officer, and be a part of the company's Senior Leadership Team. Maserang's appointment follows other recent, senior leadership appointments by the company. After its Q1 report, Starbucks moved around five people in its Senior Leadership Team.
Wallem has appointed new leadership in Malaysia and Thailand, where the company has appointed a new CEO and Regional Logistics Manager respectively.
Afifuddin Shafiee, who is now the CEO of the Malaysia office, has been working in the supply chain management business for more than 20 years. For the last four years, he held the role of CEO for two companies and served as Country General Manager for a US-based logistics company in Malaysia. In this role, he negotiated and secured multi-million dollar contracts with large multinational companies and Government Link Companies.
Johan Vermeiren has recently been appointment in a newly created role of Regional Logistics Manager. Before joining the company, he led regional and country logistics organisations most notably for GAC in Thailand. He joined Wallem Ship Agencies on May 1, where he brings more than 20 years of experience in forwarding and logistics. He is based in Bangkok, Thailand.
Ron Widdows, CEO, Rickmers Group and Rickmers-Linie, has been inducted into the Annual International Maritime Hall of Fame in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the global maritime industry.
He was one of only six people awarded the honour in a ceremony in New York on 8 May 2013 at a dinner attended by 400 maritime industry colleagues. Other inductees included Maersk Mc-Kinney Møller, Chairman, A.P. Møller-Maersk (posthumous award) and Michael Bloomberg, the Mayor of New York City.
Mr Widdows, who joined Rickmers in February 2012, is a former CEO of NOL/APL and has more than 40 years’ experience in the shipping industry. He is currently the Chairman of the World Shipping Council, which is based in Washington DC, and is on the Advisory Boards of the US Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point NY and the International Transport Forum, based in Europe. He is a past Chairman of the Transpacific Stabilization Agreement.
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Supply Chain Management Program has partnered with Penn State Smeal College of Business Supply Chain and Information Systems to grant an MIT Supply Chain Excellence Award to the most outstanding graduating senior in the supply chain programme.
The award, which grants a tuition scholarship for the student’s use toward the MIT Supply Chain Management Master’s Degree Program, has been granted to three Penn State students this year: Courtney Quisenberry, Lindsey Joyce and Samantha Jarmul.
According to Bob Novack, associate professor of supply chain and information systems, this is the only partnership of this kind in MIT’s Supply Chain Management Program. MIT does not have an undergraduate programme in supply chain, but their Supply Chain Management Program is the top-rated supply chain graduate programme in the country.
Maersk Line has announced that it has appointed Stephen Schueler as its new chief commercial officer, a move that will come into effect on 27 May.
The shipping giant said that Schueler was joining the company from Microsoft, where he has held the position of head of global retail sales and marketing, and will replace current CFO Lucas Vos.
In his new position, Schueler will be responsible for more than 9,000 Maersk Line employees in 125 countries, which include the global country organisations and all global sales, customer service and communication-related tasks.
Two Panalpina executives have been elected to two global air cargo associations' boards.
Lucas Kuehner joins the International Air Cargo Association (TIACA) and Jeannette Goeldi joins the board of Cargo 2000 (C2K).
Kuehner is Panalpina's global head of Air Freight and Goeldi is responsible for the company's standards and governance in the Air Freight division. TIACA and Cargo 2000 represent the major players in the air cargo industry.
Thome Group today announced the appointment of Ms Allinger Lim Eng Oon as Senior Manager, Operations Finance.
Ms Lim is based in Singapore and is responsible for all aspects of finance, controlling and accounting for vessels under management within the ship management and offshore management segments of the group. She will also assume responsibility for the group’s shared services centre located in Manila.
Ms Lim joined the Thome Group as Vessel Accounting Manager in 2009. She has more than 15 years post graduate experience as a finance professional having worked with renowned multinational companies such as Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessey Group and Samina SCI. She has a degree in Commerce, specialising in accounting, from Murdoch University in Australia.
Oliver Evans, chief cargo officer Swiss International Air Lines and Enno Osinga, senior vice president cargo Amsterdam Airport Schiphol have been elected new chairman and vice chairman respectively of The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA) and each will serve a two-year term.
Oliver, who has held the post of vice chairman for the past two years, succeeds Michael Steen, executive vice president and coo of Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, who took over as TIACA chairman in 2010.
UTi Worldwide has increased the size of its board from seven to nine members and has appointed Josh Paulson to the board for a term that expires in 2015.
A second director with operational experience will be appointed at the conclusion of the logistics company’s ongoing search process, with a completion date targeted for the summer of 2013.
Paulson is a partner at P2 Capital Partners, currently UTi’s largest shareholder. He also currently serves on the board of Interline Brands. Prior to P2, Paulson was a principal at Reservoir Capital Group, and before that, he was a management consultant at McKinsey & Co.
Damco has announced the appointment of Helmut Kaspers as its new CCO for West Europe Region. Kaspers was previously with leading international 3PL company, Logwin, as a member of its executive committee with specific focus on Ocean and Air.
His career includes roles as CEO of Birkart Globistics Group, Regional Director of West Germany for Kuehne + Nagel, Executive Vice President for Ocean Freight at DB Schenker and Product Manager for Seafreight at Dachser.
In addition to his new role as Damco West Europe CCO, Kaspers will continue to act as non-executive director of the board of TAL International (USA), a container leasing company, a role he commenced during his sabbatical in 2012.
The maritime security leader AdvanFort Company welcomes attorney Sheila R. Schreiber—someone who brings with her a wealth of private and public sector experiences—to her new role as its in-house legal counsel.
Sheila is a former litigation partner with Howrey LLP, served as counsel to the US House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary, and has extensive experience in the national and international sales of industrial products. Her specialties include commercial, regulatory, employment, intellectual property, corporate, and antitrust matters.
Sheila is a cum laude graduate of the University of Pittsburgh law school where she was a member of the Law Review. Her bar and court memberships include the US District Court for the District of Columbia, the US Supreme Court, and the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
UTi Worldwide has hired Pat Cooney as regional vice president for sales and marketing in the Asia-Pacific region.
Prior to joining the supply chain management company, Cooney was vice president of sales and marketing for Paccess, a provider of packaging design and Asia-focused supply chain solutions.
He has 20 years of logistics experience, including several management roles at CEVA Logistics. Cooney will be relocating to Singapore in the near future.
Joy Rice, Regional Supply Chain Support Director, Diageo Asia Pacific has been appointed as a member of Supply Chain Asia’s Executive Advisory Board for the period of 2013 – 2015 with immediate effect.
Supply Chain Asia is a professional body that was founded in 2005 to support the growth and development of professionals and individuals in the supply chain and logistics industry across Asia Pacific. In her capacity as a member of the Executive Advisory Board, Joy will represent Diageo and share the company’s transformational successes. In addition, Joy will share support the Advisory Board to provide direction and support to the training and development programmes for professionals and individuals. Joy joins representatives of GSK, Toll Global Logistics and Oracle Asia Pacific as a member of the board.
Joy joined Diageo in 1996 and is a seasoned supply chain director and business leader with a wealth of international experience and knowledge of Diageo and the global premium spirits industry. Joy was appointed Regional Supply Chain Support Director in 2013 and is based at Diageo’s Asia Pacific headquarters in Singapore. Joy leads the Asia Pacific’s Supply strategic agenda, in addition to the continued innovation and evolution of Diageo’s Super Deluxe category.
DHL has appointed Dennis Tan as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for DHL Express, Asia Pacific. Based in Hong Kong, Mr Tan is responsible for the full spectrum of the DHL Express finance function in Asia Pacific, including financial planning, controlling, and internal control.
He is also a member of both the DHL Express Asia Pacific Management Board and Finance Executive Committee.
Prior to his current position, Mr Tan spent five years in the company's Global headquarters in Bonn, taking up two roles within the Express business, first as the Senior Vice President and Head of Global Express Controlling, followed by Senior Vice President of Controlling Programs and Costing. During his time there, he helped to establish the Global Controlling function and further improved alignment within the finance framework. He was responsible for the areas of financial reporting and planning, costing and transfer pricing, IT controlling as well as commercial controlling. Additionally, he has been instrumental in the development and creation of the cross-functional Business Intelligence Competency Center, a global team established to centralise all Business Intelligence applications in DHL.
TNT Express announced that at its Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (AGM) Tex Gunning was confirmed as the new company CEO and a member of the Executive Board, with effect June 1, 2013.
The company initially announced Gunning's appointment in February 2013. Gunning will leave his current role as a member of the Supervisory Board to take up his new position on the Executive Board.
In addition, the AGM appointed Sjoerd Vollebregt as an additional independent member of the Supervisory Board for a period of four years ending at the AGM in 2017. However, the company stated it may request Vollebregt's resignation should PostNL reduce its shareholding in TNT Express to 15 per cent or less. Furthermore, the company re-appointed Margot Scheltema and Shemaya Levy as members of the Supervisory Board for a further four years.
Scania, a leading Swedish supplier of heavy truck, bus, marine, industrial and power generation engines has appointed Mark Cameron as its new General Manager for Scania Singapore. As head of the company’s local operations, Mark will be responsible for driving the continued growth and success of Scania’s operations in Singapore.
Prior to this appointment, Cameron was Managing Director of Scania Tanzania. During his two year tenure, Cameron was instrumental in strengthening the customer service experience and doubling Scania’s share of the truck market in Tanzania.
Mark, an Australian, has over 20 years of executive experience spanning sales and marketing, channel management, product management, training and customer service. Twelve years of which have been spent with Scania in both country and global managerial roles.
Monika Ribar, CEO of Panalpina, has announced she will step down from her role at the end of May 2013. Panalpina announced that her successor is the freight forwarding expert and former Kuehne + Nagel management board member Peter Ulber. Ribar will hand over her responsibilities to Peter Ulber on June 1, 2013.
Monika Ribar has been a member of Panalpina's management for almost 23 years and she has led the company as CEO for the past seven years.
Ulber has had a long career in the global freight forwarding and logistics business. Following his studies at the International School of Logistics in Hamburg, he held various management positions from 1985 to 2011 at Kuehne + Nagel in Europe as well as North and South America. As a member of the management board from 2008 onwards, he was responsible for both sea freight and airfreight at Kuehne + Nagel as well as having had overall responsibility for the global sales organisation. As a result of a series of strategic acquisitions by Kuehne + Nagel, he was also strongly involved in the company's expansion in Europe, Asia and America. At the end of 2011, he went into business himself as co-founder and partner of the Charleston Enterprise Group LLC.
Diageo Asia Pacific Supply & Procurement today announces the appointment of Joy Rice as Regional Supply Chain Support Director Asia Pacific with immediate effect. Joy’s appointment follows the relocation of Paul Gallagher who takes up the role of President North America Supply.
Joy joined Diageo in 1996 and is a seasoned supply chain director and business leader with a wealth of international experience and knowledge of Diageo and the global premium spirits industry. Most recently she was Supply Chain Director, Russia and Eastern Europe Hub where she was responsible for the end-to-end supply chain function in those markets since her appointment in 2008. Previously, Joy has held a number of senior positions within Diageo including Vice President, Project Unity (Global Order to Cash and Manufacturing Integration), and Vice President, North American Customer Operations.
In her new role, Joy will be based at Diageo’s Asia Pacific headquarters in Singapore. Her role will include the leadership of Asia Pacific’s Supply strategic agenda, in addition to the continued innovation and evolution of Diageo’s Super Deluxe category. Joy has a Master’s degree from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Northwestern University, and also holds a degree in accounting and is a certified public accountant. Before joining Diageo, Joy held managerial positions at Kraft Foods and Price Waterhouse Coopers in the US.
Thomas S. Winkowski will serve as US Customs and Border Protection’s new acting commissioner and senior executive, effective March 30.
Winkowski has worked for the federal government for 37 years, beginning with the Customs Service in 1975. He joined CBP when it was established in 2003. He has served as acting chief operating officer, overseeing the agency’s daily operations. He has also been acting deputy commissioner for Customs and, from 2007 to 2011, was assistant commissioner for the Office of Field Operations.
Customs’ most senior career official, David V. Aguilar, currently deputy commissioner, is retiring at the end of March.
Schenker AG has appointed Heiner Murmann to the company’s Management Board effective May 1, 2013. He will be responsible for air and ocean freight.
Murmann began working for the group in 1992, first at Stinnes AG in Mülheim an der Ruhr and in New York. He transferred to Canada in 1996, assuming responsibility for developing the national company there. Three years later, he was appointed CEO of Schenker of Canada Limited.
In late 2003, Murmann also became CEO of Schenker Inc., DB Schenker's national company in the United States. When BAX Global was acquired and integrated, Murmann took on responsibility for North American operations. There he oversaw the realignment of business in the region.
NOL Group today announced the appointment of Senior Counsel Mr Alvin Yeo to its Board of Directors.
Subject to shareholders’ approval at NOL’s Annual General Meeting on 18 April 2013, Mr Yeo, Senior Partner at WongPartnership LLP, will join the Board after the AGM. He will serve as a member of the Executive Committee and Nominating Committee.
Two of NOL’s current Directors, Mr Christopher Lau Loke Sam and Mr Peter Wagner, will retire from the Board at the AGM. Mr Lau is currently the Chairman of the Audit Committee and Member of the Enterprise Risk Management Committee. Mr Wagner is a member of the Executive Committee and Nominating Committee. Mr Quek See Tiat, a current member of the NOL Board, will assume the chairmanship of the Audit Committee from Mr Christopher Lau.
Kewill Ltd has appointed Martin Hiscox, Chairman and CEO of Masternaut, Europe's largest telematics SaaS business, to its Board as Non-Executive Director.
A well-known and respected industry figure, Hiscox is an experienced business leader. He brings to the Kewill Board in excess of 20 years’ experience of private equity owned IT businesses that he will utilise supporting the senior management team in creating and executing successful growth strategies.
Hiscox has been Chairman and CEO at Masternaut since June 2012, having previously served as Non-Executive Director and Board Member for the company for over two years. Prior to Masternaut, he held senior IT industry roles including Chairman and Non-Executive Director at Bar Code Systems International and President International and Vice Chairman at RedPrairie, as well as running his own successful private consulting organisation that advises start-up businesses.
Malaysia’s largest container terminal operator, Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP), has appointed Glen Hilton as its CEO.
His career includes 12 years with Dubai’s DP World, where he was MD and vice-president for Southeast Asia.
He played a role in the turnaround of Caucedo terminal in the Dominican Republic and the start-up of Ho Chi Minh City container terminal in Vietnam.
Global freight management company Geodis Wilson has announced the appointment of Ivy Boyer as Chief Marketing Officer to succeed Kim Pedersen, who recently became Executive VP of Geodis Wilson.
Boyer has more than 20 years’ experience in the freight forwarding industry after beginning her career in the Philippines and holding management positions with transport companies in Australia, Singapore and the US.
In March 2009, she joined Geodis Wilson as Global Account Manager, and was later promoted to Director Global Accounts, developing the freight and logistics business with the firm’s largest customers, which include global players in the hi-tech and automotive segments, consumer electronics, retail, fashion and luxury brands.
Con-way Freight announced that Brian McGowan was promoted to vice president of Lean. In his new role, McGowan will oversee the rollout of Lean practices throughout the companys service center network, as well as institute Lean processes for business functions including human resources, marketing, sales and maintenance.
McGowan has nearly 20 years of experience in the transportation and logistics industry. He began his professional career in 1994 with Ford Motor Company in warehouse operations for the parts distribution organisation. He subsequently advanced into supervisory roles, then as a warehouse and plant manager before becoming global planning manager for parts supply and logistics in 2004.
In 2006, he joined Menlo Worldwide Logistics, a sister company of Con-way Freight, as senior logistics manager-automotive, and later became director of operations. McGowan came to Con-way Freight in 2011 as director of operations for the Detroit region. A year later he was named senior director of Lean operations, his most recent assignment before being promoted this month to vice president.
The maritime security leader AdvanFort Company is pleased to announce the appointment as its business development director of former Greek Navy Lt. Commander Nicholas-Andrew Iliopoulos, a master mariner who for nearly a decade served as the personal liaison of HM the late King Hussein Bin Talal of Jordan to the seafaring community.
As chief of business development Mr. Iliopoulos will initially focus on AdvanFort’s aggressive marketing strategy in Greece, as well as in the Asia-Pacific region, especially China.
Since 2009, Mr. Iliopoulos has been a resident instructor at the Dalian Maritime University in China in addition to being an international representative for Videotel Maritime International.
Globe Express Services ®, one of the world’s top 100 global logistics providers with a market presence in over 80 countries, proudly announces the appointment of Oliver Huber as President North America, effective March 18, 2013.
During a career dedicated to global logistics, Mr. Huber has successfully built large businesses, managed turnarounds and implemented corporate change while ensuring a strong sense of teamwork and cohesiveness.
Areas of emphasis in his management approach include strategic planning through sales and market management; partnership building with customers, carriers and vendors; industry and vertical analysis; new business/vertical development; and continuous operational improvement. Mr. Huber, who currently resides in Charlotte, home to GES’s global headquarters, will assume responsibility for the United States and Canada, reporting to President & CEO Michael C. Hughes.
UK Kewill Ltd, a leading provider of innovative software for supply chain execution, today announced a series of executive appointments to bolster its senior management team and provide leadership to its development and professional services functions and EMEA leadership.
Kewill is pleased to welcome Jan-Paul Boos as Senior Vice President, EMEA. Jan-Paul will be responsible for all customer activities in EMEA and leading our growth programs. Before joining Kewill, Jan-Paul was VP Sales EMEA at JDA Software (formerly RedPrairie) having also spent many years prior to that at Manhattan Associates.
As Senior Vice President Professional Services, Robin Martin is responsible for global delivery, focusing on developing processes and procedures to ensure a consistent, high-quality solution based on standard methodologies. Robin has previously worked in executive positions at business process management (BPM) providers including EVP International for Metastorm.
Lee Muise has been appointed Senior Vice President Product Development, responsible for defining and implementing the global technical strategy for Kewill’s suite of supply chain execution solutions. Prior to Kewill, Lee held senior roles at software companies including, SVP Digital Marketing Technology at Epsilon.
Andrew Jones has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of Thomas Miller (Asia Pacific) Ltd with effect from April 2013. He will be responsible for providing services to all Thomas Miller’s managed Clubs in the region, particularly the UK P&I, the TT, the UK Defence, and ITIC.
Jones brings more than twenty years experience of P&I management and claims experience to the Hong Kong team. A law graduate, he joined Thomas Miller’s London office in 1991 specializing in handling personal injury and other people claims, taking the leadership of the UK P&I Club’s specialist people claims syndicate in 1999.
Based in Hong Kong with John Morris, Chairman of Thomas Miller Asia-Pacific, Jones will oversee and direct the work of the other Thomas Miller offices in the region: Singapore, Shanghai, Beijing and Sydney.
Agility has announced the appointment of Pietro Albarelli as Managing Director, Area South Europe.
Albarelli has been with Agility for more than 20 years. For the last three years he was the CFO, Area South Europe, and prior to that he was the CFO, Italy.
In his new role, Albarelli will focus on continuing Agility's growth in Area South Europe, which includes operations in Portugal, Spain, Italy, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, Romania, Austria and Turkey.
