Targa Telematics – a tech-company specialising in the development of IoT solutions and digital platforms for connected mobility – has signed a strategic partnership with Ford to expand its range of connected car solutions, thanks to the integration of data from the car manufacturer's vehicles.

VisionTrack is extending its longstanding partnership with the British Truck Racing Championship (BTRC) for a further year. As official video telematics provider, the company will deliver an advanced vehicle camera solution for all competing trucks in Division 1 and Division 2 of the BTRC.

VisionTrack has become the official video telematics partner for the Goodyear FIA European Truck Racing Championship (ETRC), which begins at the Misano World Circuit track in Italy later this month.

Infor, the industry-specific cloud software company, has announced that Zofri, Zona Franca de Iquique will implement Infor's WMS (warehouse management system) to improve customer service, one of the most important performance indicators in the supply chain. The solution will be implemented by Cerca Technology, Infor's partner in Latin America.

By Greg Thomas, freelance writer.

When manufacturing, these unassuming substances play a crucial role in bringing products together. From the aerospace and automotive industries to electronics and construction, industrial adhesives provide a reliable bond that withstands immense pressure and holds everything in place.

According to the latest report ‘The automotive supply chain: Pursuing long-term resilience’ from the Capgemini Research Institute, automotive organisations now feel more confident to tackle future supply chain disruptions.

The automotive industry has an enviable track record in creating efficient and effective ‘build and sell’ operational processes. Yet at a time of changing automotive technology and a shifting expectation of car usage and acquisition, especially in younger generations, the temptation to focus exclusively on highly effective operational processes risks undermining customer experience and brand loyalty.

The UK manufacturing sector was 6.6% more productive in the third quarter of 2023 than the same period in 2022, driven primarily by improvements in the automotive and broader transport equipment sector, according to analysis of ONS data from FourJaw Manufacturing Analytics, a technology company that measures machine productivity.

By Dr James Jeffs, Senior Technology Analyst at IDTechEx, and Dr Yu-Han Chang, Senior Technology Analyst at IDTechEx. 

Computers on wheels. That's how people currently see cars. Practically everything that happens in a vehicle is being monitored and actuated by a microcontroller, from opening windows to calculating the optimal fuel-air mixture for the current torque demand.

By Marijke Voet, Commercial Manager. TMX UK.

With supply volatility and geopolitical unrest circling, supply chain visibility has become a major priority for today’s business leaders. Control towers are enabling savvy businesses to not only solve immediate problems but identify future disruptions they wouldn’t have otherwise seen coming.

One section of the motor trade is benefitting from the cost-of-living crisis: with consumers keeping their cars for longer, independent repairers are in huge demand. But they are also under pressure. Older cars need more repairs. They require more replacement parts, tyres and fluids. With car owners looking for value and a fast turn-around, independents are actively seeking the most efficient and effective way to source those parts.....

Insight from the IMI’s Diversity Task Force, published in its latest report – Driving Towards Inclusion - reveals a more positive picture of diversity in many areas.

The Institute of the Motor Industry welcomes the opportunity to engage with the new government. The Labour party clearly identified its understanding of the importance of skills for UK infrastructure in its manifesto....

By Terry Onica, Automotive Director, QAD.

Within a complicated global landscape, where interconnectedness is vital for business success, managing the intricacies of a supply chain on such a scale is undeniably expensive.

By Terry Onica, Director, Automotive, QAD.

The automotive industry is at a pivotal crossroads, driven by rapid advancements in vehicle technology and increasing regulatory pressure around sustainability.

ShipEngine, the shipping API, has launched ShipEngine for Platforms in the UK. The product gives e-commerce platforms the ability to embed superior, pre-integrated shipping components directly into their own solutions.

Bowker Transport is set to improve driver safety, reduce fuel use and cut CO2 emissions, due to an integrated Webfleet fleet management and VisionTrack camera system, supplied by Daisy Communications across its fleet of 225 HGVs.

Microlise has Mike Blackburn as its new Chief Revenue Officer. Mike is set to lead the sales and marketing teams in driving revenue generation and accelerating growth.

Generation Logistics, the awareness campaign for the sector, is continuing to develop in the ways people consider careers in logistics with the use of three AdVans to coincide with GCSE Results.

Specialised solutions such as automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) play a key role in the transformation of the material handling industry, enabling faster and more accurate receiving, storing, moving and shipping of items globally.

CargoAi has appointed global payment expert, Olivier Veyrac as its Senior Vice President for CargoWALLET. Over the past 18 months, CargoWALLET has been adopted by 5,000+ Airlines, Freight Forwarders, GHAs and logistic service providers.

Transporting goods is a vital aspect of our global economy, but the environmental impact it has is considered substantial.

Analysis by McKinsey & Company found that around 80% of greenhouse gas emissions and over 90% of biodiversity impacts reported by the world's largest corporations come from supply chains rather than direct operations.

Transporeon, a Trimble Company, has expanded into the transportation logistics sector in Turkey and has appointed a seasoned, local-language country manager to lead its operations and services in the country.

Dan Culverhouse, UK&I managing director of Customs Support, considers if the new government’s ‘re-set’ on Europe will reduce border confusion.

Pošta Slovenije, the provider of postal and logistics services in Slovenia, is set to improve its logistics and delivery operations through a strategic partnership with FarEye, the last-mile technology provider.

Trimble has introduced the latest version of Trimble CoPilot, an in-cab commercial vehicle navigation solution, with a major refresh of the user interface and trip planning functionalities.

Half of the businesses supplying retailers are failing to meet supplier terms and conditions, leading to financial penalties and lost business.

Speaking about the publication of the National Infrastructure Commission’s report ‘Developing Resilience in UK Infrastructure’, Jonathan Walker, Head of Cities and Infrastructure Policy at business group Logistics UK said: “Building resilience into every area of the UK’s infrastructure is vital if the country’s highly interconnected supply chain is to be protected. 

Teletrac Navman, the global connected mobility platform, has increased its existing contract to secure sole telematics partner status to Readypower Group in the UK, delivering a suite of solutions across its entire fleet of over 750 vehicles.

By Peyton Douglas, freelance writer.

Unravel the future of mobility with Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). Discover strategies, technologies, and the human element driving smarter, safer, and greener transportation.

IAG Cargo, the cargo division of International Airlines Group (IAG), is set to resume services to Bangkok (BKK), Kuala Lumpur (KUL) and Tokyo Narita (NRT) for the first time since 2020. 

Dakota Integrated Solutions Ltd, a real-time data capture, printing, mobility and voice-directed solution specialist, has formed a partnership with Truckfile, the UK-based provider of web-based Fleet Management, Workshop Management, Drivers Check and Compliance Systems to the haulage transport sector.

Manufacturing & Logistics IT spoke with Phil Jarrett, commercial director of Dakota Integrated Solutions, and Paul Whittingham, operations director of Truckfile, about the companies’ partnership and what voice maintenance and inspection technology offers technicians within the freight transport sector.

Dakota Integrated Solutions Ltd, a real-time data capture, printing, mobility and voice-enabled solution specialist, has recently joined the Rail Forum, a national industry body based at the heart of one of the largest clusters of rail companies in the world.

Manufacturing & Logistics IT magazine spoke with key spokespeople from the vendor and analyst communities about current and possible future trends and areas of development within the world of warehouse management systems (WMS) and voice-directed picking solutions.

DPD Group, one of the leading parcel service providers in Europe, is relying on the Ehrhardt Partner Group’s (EPG) voice picking system Lydia Voice. The innovative voice solution has been adopted at DPD's superhub in Hinckley (England), the largest parcel sorting hub in Europe. The technology is able to optimise sorting and routing processes in the long term, offering greater speed and traceability.

Dakota Integrated Solutions Ltd, a real-time technology, printing, mobility and digital data capture solution specialist, has been awarded a contract to integrate its voice-directed software solution into Jack Sealey Ltd’s warehousing facility.

Dakota Integrated Solutions Ltd, a real-time technology, printing, mobility and digital data capture solution specialist, has been awarded a contract alongside partners The Config Team, a leading authority in the SAP supply chain, to integrate a voice-directed software solution into Euro Packaging UK’s warehousing facility.

Manufacturing & Logistics IT spoke with Philip Jarrett, commercial director of Dakota Integrated Solutions, and Paul Fraser, head of sales at The Config Team, about the companies’ long-standing relationship, which has now been further invigorated with a focus on voice technology.

With the release of the new LYDIA Voice 9, Ehrhardt Partner Group (EPG) is extending its technological advances in the voice industry. The main feature of the new release is its multi-language recognition. LYDIA Voice is now capable of recognising multiple languages in parallel and in real time.

Dakota Integrated Solutions Ltd, a real-time technology, printing, mobility and digital data capture solution specialist, has been awarded a contract to integrate its voice-directed software solution into DCS Group (UK) Ltd’s warehousing facility.

Dakota Integrated Solutions reports 2022 as its ‘best year yet’ for real-time data capture, printing, mobility, support and voice-directed solutions. 

Founded in 1978, Sealey Tools is well-known nationally and internationally as a leading brand of professional tools and workshop equipment. When the company experienced an unexpected, significant and sustained increase in orders during the Covid pandemic lockdown, its warehouse was under extreme pressure to keep up with such an unprecedented upturn in demand.

With a history spanning 65 years following its inception in 1958, Guangxi LiuGong Machinery Co. Ltd. has established itself as one of the worldwide leaders in construction & earthmoving machinery manufacture. Having developed the first modernised wheel loader in China in 1966, LiuGong has expanded its product range to encompass 19 top-of-the-range product lines which it proudly showcases today.

The advantages of 100% voice-controlled picking processes can now be tried out on any Android smartphone with the release of a new, expanded version of the LYDIA Voice Demo App, now available free-of-charge from the Google Play store. 

Operating as a Mercedes-Benz franchise for over 20 years, Intercounty Truck & Van covers the five counties of Northamptonshire, Cambridgeshire, Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire and Lincolnshire with dedicated commercial vehicle dealerships to support its ever-growing and wide-ranging customer base.

Dakota Integrated Solutions Ltd, a real-time data capture, printing, mobility, support and voice-directed solution specialist, has formed a partnership with Ai Automation, a worldwide specialist in vision, automation and robotics.

With its financial year having drawn to a close at the end of June, real-time data capture, printing, mobility, support and voice-directed solution specialist Dakota Integrated Solutions is showing signs of record growth; a trajectory which looks set to continue.

Real-time data capture, printing, mobility and voice-directed solutions specialist Dakota, alongside partners Truckfile, the UK provider of web-based fleet and workshop management, drivers check and compliance systems, have been selected as finalists in the ‘Fleet Innovation of the Year’ Category at the Supply Chain Excellence Awards 2023.

The October 2023 edition of Manufacturing & Logistics IT magazine features a Special Technology Report looking, in depth, at the latest developments in the world of Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) and Voice-directed Picking.

Also included is a ‘Cover Story’: With automotive supply chains stabilising, focus on sustainability expected to rise back up automakers’ agendas.