Issue 4, Vol 1

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FEDERATION NEWS

Update from the Chief Executive

The worst weather for thirty years tested the food and supply chain but despite the worst fears of the media, and another for weeks of ice and snow, the industry showed its resilience and despite some regional disruption, skill profound to its usual high standards of customer service.

Click here

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Food Logistics Leaders Receive Operational Advice To Improve Efficiency

Click here

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Julie Pizzey running the Brighton Marathon

Click here

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FSDF at the Food and Drink Logistics Show

As you may already know FSDF have been asked to support the Food and Drink Logistics Show which is a new part of the larger FoodEx show at the NEC on 21-24 March. As part of this agreement we have a large prominent stand at the show and there is an opportunity for our Associate Members to be a part of this.  Click to find out further information

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COMMITTEE FOCUS

Technical and Safety

HSE Shattered Lives

You might think you’re doing everything you can to prevent slips, trips and falls in your workplace, but everyone could do a lot more. Click here for more information

 

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Beware bogus enforcement letters

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Construction Division has been made aware of a bogus letter, claiming to be from the HSE, which has been sent to construction companies in East Anglia and the Home Counties. Click here to read further

 

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Business Affairs

Less than One month until Energy Efficiency Scheme starts

Government scheme to save organisations £1billion and more than 4MtCO2 each year by 2020Click here for more details

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Logistics Management

The Department for Transport has published Transport Statistics for 2009

Transport Trends 2009 has been  released Click here

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BUSINESS NEWS

National Minimum Wage clampdown on employers

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) recently announced the formation of HM Revenue & Customs’ (HMRC) new Dynamic Response Team to work on high-profile and complicated National Minimum Wage (NMW) cases investigated by HMRC. To read more click here

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Wholesale success for Midlands distribution firm

Established multi temperature supply chain specialist Oakland International, building on their recently launched wholesale distribution operation Oakland Distribution Limited, is reaping rewards via a major contract with Landmark Wholesale, one of the largest UK buying groups.Click here to read more

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Frozen vegetables fresher than fresh

Frozen vegetables can be more nutritious than supposedly fresh supermarket produce, a study has found.Click here

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April 1 fuel duty increase is a joke

UK hauliers are currently paying record prices for diesel fuel but, if the Chancellor goes ahead with his planned fuel duty increase of 2.5 pence per litre on April 1, it could mean the end of the road for many of them.Click here to read more

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Norbert Dentressangle delivers Forklift Training in Zambia

Jason Thornton, a Forklift Training Instructor at Norbert Dentressangle Logistics UK, has successfully completed one of his most challenging tasks to-date after delivering a five day course to a team of driver trainers in Zambia, on behalf of international development charity Transaid..to read more click here

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February retail sales up 2.2%, but still cause for concern

February retail sales rose 2.2% year-on-year in the UK according to the British Retail Consortium, though good comparatives and postponed sales mean the numbers are not quite as cheerful as they seem to be.to read more click here

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Cold comfort for Langdons

Langdon Industries, a logistics service provider specialising in temperature controlled deliveries to wholesalers, food service depots and manufacturing locations throughout the UKto read more click here

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All cold store expertise under one roof

As an answer to the growing need for professional cold storage and distribution around the globe and the strong demand of clients to obtain 100% performance at very competitive rates, an international and highly qualified group of temperature controlled logistics and cold supply chain specialists to find out more click here

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CBI NEWS

Latest Economic update from CBI

For update please click

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Committed to a low-carbon economy

to read more click here

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LEGAL UPDATES

National Minimum Wage - clampdown on employers

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) recently announced the formation of HM Revenue & Customs’ (HMRC) new Dynamic Response Team to work on high-profile and complicated National Minimum Wage (NMW) cases investigated by HMRC To read more click here

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From the Chief Executive -2010

The worst weather for thirty years tested the food and supply chain but despite the worst fears of the media, and another for weeks of ice and snow, the industry showed its resilience and despite some regional disruption, skill profound to its usual high standards of customer service.

The Federation in turn continues to promote excellence in food and logistics by its active involvement with Government on the calculation to movement of carbon emissions to met the requests of the Climate Change act, as well as working with other Trade Associations in the development of the Climate Change Extension to agree testing but achievable targets for a further four years to 2017.

Addressing regulation changes in refrigeration gases and maintenance, product traceability, and again newer health and safety guidelines to meet the special environment in which we operate have been amongst the other important work to meet the interest of the FSDF members.

At the same time, the FSDF team is working hard to provide, improve and widen the range of membership services and to make representatives to protect member’s interest.

As well as enhancing Federation profile and visibility at the Food and Drink Logistics show, and later in November at the International Materials Handling Show, we will hold our ever popular Golf Day in July and an Autumn ‘Special Event’ in London.

Added to that will be the publication of the new Energy Efficiency Guide in the Autumn and a new Skills and Qualification environment tailored specifically for the Food and Logistics sector. Finally the development of a Sustainability Centre of Excellence continues and should also be launched in the Autumn.

All in all, a year where FSDF visibility, member services offered and policy involvement greatly improve and in which we work to expand our coverage across the whole food supply chain.

 

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Food Logistics Leaders Receive Operational Advice To Improve Efficiency

With retail competition and concentration colliding with commodity and currency instability, coupled with increasing environmental pressures, the food industry in 2010 is as challenged as it has ever been. As the economy emerges from the downturn the question in most minds is where to focus to secure sustainable improvement.

This was the topic of the keynote address by Professor Alan Braithwaite, chairman of LCP Consulting and visiting professor of Cranfield University School of Management when he opened an informative set of presentations at the recent FSDF Spring Conference.

His presentation provided 5 maxims to help businesses prosper based on management of the supply chain, and identified the long term challenges for the industry in reducing its carbon footprint, pointing to some radical solutions that may become commonplace in the next 10 years. (Can we add any of these solutions??)

There was a good turnout of delegates at the FSDF’s Spring Conference held at the Leicester Marriott Hotel. The event comprised a networking dinner on the evening of 10th March and a full day’s conference and workshops on 11th.

The speaker programme for the day covered a range of topics including The Demands of Modern Day Distribution, focussing on ‘Soft Automation’ and making the most of your space; Accident trends and how to avoid them; F-Gas and Ozone Regulations, and how they affect cold stores; Climate Change Agreements and the Carbon Reduction Commitment; Web based Transport Management Systems; The New BRC Global Standard for Storage and Distribution; and The Benefits of Professional Development, Training and Qualifications.

Chris Sturman, Chief Executive of the Food Storage & Distribution Federation, said: “The FSDF team continues to work hard to support members through the worst effects of the recession, to improve member services and provide technical, operational management and logistics industry advice sources to address current cost reduction, customer service and legislative issues. Our spring conference was designed to provide 12 expert speakers to walk through and examine in detail specific contemporary topics, identify delegate concerns and problems and promote and lead debate in workshops to enable delegates to develop real solutions and develop ideas to talk back to their business. Feedback from those delegates who did attend, indicates that we succeeded in our objectives.”

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Julie Pizzey running the Brighton Marathon

Julie and her running buddy are running the Brighton Marathon on Sunday 18th April.

Julie is running the marathon for CLIC Sargent to support children with Leukemia and Cancer. If you can donate even a small amount to the cause that would be great. She has run a half marathon in 2008 and many 10k races over the years but this will be a real challenge to both mind and body.

To donate to her event, click on the link below, or let us know if you would rather not donate over this website and we will keep a record of your pledge.

We will keep you posted on her progress.

To sponsor Julie please click the following link:

http://www.justgiving.com/Julie-NeilMarathon

To find out more about CLIC Sargent:

http://www.clicsargent.org.uk/Aboutus

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FSDF at the Food and Drink Logistics Show

As you may already know FSDF have been asked to support the Food and Drink Logistics Show which is a new part of the larger FoodEx show at the NEC on 21-24 March. As part of this agreement we have a large prominent stand at the show and there is an opportunity for our Associate Members to be a part of this.

We haven’t worked out exactly how this will work logistically yet but it will either be in the form of a small area for literature, maybe a graphics poster/board and a person to support this. There will be some cost involved, but it is an excellent opportunity to market your company to the thousands of prospects that will attend. 

If you are interested in being part of the show then please contact Julie Pizzey for more information.

iimni/UserFiles/Applications/Documents/Downloads/FD Logistics eBro 18-09-09.pdf

http://fdlogisticsshow.co.uk/page/home.html

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HSE Shattered Lives - Slips and Trips

Simple mistakes can shatter lives Your actions could stop them happening.

You might think you’re doing everything you can to prevent slips, trips and falls in your workplace, but everyone could do a lot more.

e-Learning - STEP

Use STEP to learn how to manage slip and trip hazards in the workplace

What is the STEP tool?

The Slips and Trips eLearning Package (or STEP for short) is a great introduction to slips and trips, how they are caused, why preventing them is important and how to tackle them.

STEP includes easy-to-follow guidance, case studies, videos, animations and quizzes. These are designed to give you the information you need to set up and maintain a safer way of working.

What industries does it suit?

The general course is suitable for a wide range of industries. There are four other courses, specifically designed for Food Manufacturing, Hospitality and Catering, Education and Health and Social Care sectors.

There are also introductory, intermediate and advanced levels depending on your information needs.

Who can use it?

Anyone can use STEP to look at and start to understand some of the potential slip and trip hazards and risks found in the workplace.

How long will it take me to complete?

Each course contains three levels; Level Time to Complete Description

Introductory 15- 20mins A short course, providing key information in an easy to follow interactive format.

Intermediate 1 Hour Several short lessons in plain English on key topics including footwear, flooring and assessing slip and trip risks.

Advanced Varies dependant on which topics user needs to complete Contains a number of detailed sections, several of a technical nature e.g. classification of flooring, procurement of footwear, test methods. For more trade specific information, we recommend taking the advanced course.

Visit the STEP Tool site

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Less than One month until Energy Efficiency Scheme starts

Government scheme to save organisations £1billion and more than 4MtCO2 each year by 2020

Today marks the one month countdown to the start of the Government’s new scheme to save organisations money on fuel bills and to reduce carbon emissions.

The CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme will require large public and private sector organisations like supermarkets, hotels, hospitals, local authorities and central government departments, to improve the energy efficiency of their estate. They will be required to take part in the scheme from 1st April.

The aim of the scheme is to help change behaviour and make organisations more energy efficient – to reduce carbon emissions and save money. The financial savings should be significantly greater than any costs arising from participation, and importantly will make carbon a boardroom issue for many large organisations.

Energy and Climate Change Minister Joan Ruddock said:

“There’s just one month to go until the start of the CRC which will see large public and private sector organisations cutting emissions as well as saving money on fuel bills. This is a real opportunity for business and industry to take a leadership role in tackling climate change and gain reputational advantage as a result.”

The Department of Energy and Climate Change and the Environment Agency, which will be running the scheme, have hosted more than 115 events to raise awareness about the scheme as well as running regional workshops and speaking events.

The CRC will help to ensure that organisations play their full role in contributing to the UK’s emissions reductions of at least 34% on 1990 levels by 2020 through improved energy efficiency.

The scheme is mandatory and will save participants around £1billion per year by 2020 through cost effective energy efficiency measures that are not yet being taken up.

By 2020 the scheme is expected to have delivered emissions savings of at least 4.4 Mt CO2 per year.

The scheme will target organisations whose annual half hourly metered (HHM) electricity use is at least 6,000 Megawatt hours (MWh) – typically those that spend £500,000 a year on electricity although all organisation who have a half hourly meter will be required to participate in some way.

Source:  DECC

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The Department for Transport has published Transport Statistics for 2009

This is the twelfth annual edition of Transport Trends. This edition of Transport Trends broadly follows the structure of the previous publication, with some additional analyses incorporated.

You can download a copy from :

http://www.dft.gov.uk/adobepdf/162469/221412/190425/220778/trends2009.pdf

For a (free) hard copy of Transport Trends 2009, please contact DfT by email at publicationgeneral.enq@dft.gsi.gov.uk

or

by telephone on 020 7944 3098.

 

  

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Beware bogus enforcement letters

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Construction Division has been made aware of a bogus letter, claiming to be from the HSE, which has been sent to construction companies in East Anglia and the Home Counties. The letter concerns directors’ duties under the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007. Headed with an old HSE logo, the document is unsigned and contains no HSE address details.

“Whilst HSE does make contact by letter with individuals and/or companies in the course of its business, we would not send out information in this manner,” the Construction Division confirmed.

Furthermore, organisational procedures require HSE staff to remain professional at all times and require them to be able to provide clear contact details, including contact numbers and line manager details on request.

Safety scams Safety scams crop up from time to time. Most scams share a similar approach by intentionally misleading the target company into believing that they are some kind of governmental or enforcing party similar to the HSE by using official sounding titles, such as the Health and Safety Enforcement Agency, National Safety Organisation, Health and Safety Registration Enforcement Division or Health and Safety Compliance Agency. Often they will request and, in some cases, demand money for “health and safety registration” or legislative compliance packs.

 

These scams are quite similar to the ubiquitous data protection scams and are often operated by the same people. In June 2007, four people from the Leeds/Bradford areas were given prison sentences for running a combined health and safety/data protection scam using the name of the HSE and Information Commission, demanding money from businesses for registration under H&S legislation.

Common contact from fake safety organisations has been in the form of cold calling a company by telephone, asking to speak with the Health and Safety or Facilities Manager, whereupon they ask for either some kind of registration fee and/or request money (usually around £200–250) for a compliance pack. Sometimes the caller will threaten the business with fines, prosecution or closure if it fails to register. The other main form of communication is by letter, normally on official-looking stationery. The letter will again ask for registration fees or money for a compliance pack. Protecting your business No official health and safety organisation will cold call companies to demand money, least of all the HSE. It is important to listen to your suspicions and do not be afraid to query requests for money or services, especially from companies purporting to be Government organisations. Official bodies should not be offended if you ask them to confirm their credentials.

To find further information on an organisation, it is worth checking the Internet and/or telephone listings — if there are no details about it, then it is likely that it is a scam. If you have serious doubts about an organisation, you can contact your local Trading Standards Office or the HSE Infoline on 0845 345 0055. Croner Consulting clients with access to the Health and Safety Helpline can also, initially, contact our advisors to discuss any concerns they may have.

 

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Wholesale success for Midlands distribution firm

Established multi temperature supply chain specialist Oakland International, building on their recently launched wholesale distribution operation Oakland Distribution Limited, is reaping rewards via a major contract with Landmark Wholesale, one of the largest UK buying groups. Redditch based Oakland International has created a dedicated subsidiary, Oakland Distribution, focussed on providing a centrally located ambient and chilled consolidation service to Landmark's 32 independent wholesale Members and their extensive UK customer base across England, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland, including a number of remote islands off the UK's mainland. The new subsidiary was created in recognition of the need to take ownership of stock on behalf of wholesale clients. 

Oakland collates Landmark Members' orders, purchasing all stock before picking, consolidating and despatching to Landmark Members nationally. The multi million pound contract awarded to the Company followed lengthy talks and discussions with Oakland's senior management team and Oakland's Wholesale Account Manager, Lisa Lloyd-Smith, who heads the team; working closely with all parties concerned to attain optimum return. Underpinning the contract agreement is Oakland's acknowledged ability to add extra value to clients supply chain arrangements, utilising a variety of methods. Their innovative approach to supply chain work was central to creating a solution which met the needs of Landmark's diverse Membership, whilst offering Landmark Central Office an effective platform to develop their business. 

Landmark Trading Controller, Gordon Walker, stated: "Landmark Members and customers demand a high level of service in the delivery of chilled and ambient product and we are pleased that Oakland have accepted this challenge and produced a supply chain solution that Landmark Members can rely on. Landmark's membership base has a diverse style that needs individual solutions, which Oakland have been able to provide. With this setup in place, we look forward to developing our Members and their customers businesses rapidly." 

Oakland's culture and business values aptly reflect Landmark's own business ethos for flexibility, open and ongoing beneficial dialogue and the generation of new opportunities for business development.

 

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Frozen vegetables fresher than fresh

Frozen vegetables can be more nutritious than supposedly fresh supermarket produce, a study has found.

Fresh vegetables can lose up to 45 per cent of important nutrients by the time they reach the dinner table.

 

Time spent in storage, in transportation and sitting on the shelves means it can be more than two weeks from the vegetables being picked to being eaten.

By contrast, produce frozen close to the point of harvest maintains a higher level of many vitamins and nutrients.

Eighty per cent of shoppers believe the fresh vegetables sold in supermarket are less than four days old.

In reality, they can be up to nine days old when they arrive, and remain on the shelf for a further four.

Including the time these vegetables are stored at home before being eaten, these 'fresh' items can be more than 16 days old.

 

The study found that in these circumstances green beans can have lost up to 45 per cent of nutrients, broccoli and cauliflower 25 per cent, garden peas up to 15 per cent, and carrots up to 10 per cent.

 

The study on the loss of vitamins and nutrients was conducted by the Institute of Food Research on behalf of frozen food giant Birds Eye.

The key nutrients the vegetables contain are vitamin C and glucosinates, which are said to block the development of cancer.

Birds Eye claims its Field Fresh range of frozen garden peas contains up to 30 per cent more vitamin C than fresdgasdfh equivalents, and its green beans contain up to 45 per cent more than fresh.

Nutritionist Dr Sarah Schenker said: 'The nutritional content of fresh vegetables begins to deteriorate from the minute they are picked.

'This means that by the time they end up on our plate, although we may think we're reaping the vegetable's full nutritional benefits, this is often not the case.'

The findings confirm a study published by researchers at the Centre for Food Innovation at Sheffield Hallam University, which found frozen products are not nutritionally inferior to fresh

Researcher Charlotte Harden said: 'We must disregard the mistaken view that "fresh" food is always better for us than frozen food. Frozen food can be nutritionally comparable or in some cases nutritionally superior.'

A spokesman for the British Frozen Food Federation said: 'Fast and organised methods of harvest-to-freeze have evolved which minimise loss of nutrients.

'In contrast, "fresh" food can spend up to a month in the chain of producers, wholesalers and retailers before it reaches customers.'

source: daily mail

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April 1 fuel duty increase is a joke

UK hauliers are currently paying record prices for diesel fuel but, if the Chancellor goes ahead with his planned fuel duty increase of 2.5 pence per litre on April 1, it could mean the end of the road for many of them.

 

“Diesel is the commodity on which this industry is totally reliant,” said RHA Chief Executive Geoff Dunning. “We are already paying fuel duty rates that are up to six times higher than our European counterparts. If the Chancellor goes ahead with the 2.5 increase next month, it will mean that road transport operators will, on average, be paying an extra £1,100 per year in fuel duty alone, and that’s on top of the price of the fuel itself.

According to the Treasury, duty increases are ‘an important part of the deficit reduction plan’.

“Of course we understand that in order to regain economic stability, certain sacrifices have to be made,” continued Geoff Dunning. “But it seems grossly unfair that the UK haulage industry, the one sector on which the rest of UK plc is so dependent, should be the one to have its throat cut in this way. We need a Chancellor who is prepared to listen to and help this industry. Not one who seems hell-bent on driving it off the road completely”. 

PLEASE NOTE 

The additional £1,100 per year that will be paid by hauliers as a result of the 2.5 pence per litre increase planned for April 1, is the extra financial burden that will be placed on EACH VEHICLE.

source: RHA

 

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Norbert Dentressangle delivers Forklift Training in Zambia

Jason Thornton, a Forklift Training Instructor at Norbert Dentressangle Logistics UK, has successfully completed one of his most challenging tasks to-date after delivering a five day course to a team of driver trainers in Zambia, on behalf of international development charity Transaid.

The opportunity for Jason to travel to Africa arose after Toyota Material Handling UK donated a refurbished 2.5-tonne counterbalance forklift truck (FLT) to Transaid, which has been put to immediate use as part the charity’s Professional Driver Training Project in Lusaka. The donation was combined with an offer from Norbert Dentressangle to send one of its own FLT trainers to deliver onsite training.

Speaking on his return, Jason said: “There is little formal training offered for the estimated 1,000 FLT drivers in Zambia, as the use of forklifts has really only taken off in the last five years. The course we delivered covered everything from pre-use checks and safe manoeuvring through to correct lifting procedures and understanding the gravitational forces at work on a FLT. It was a busy week, but by the time I flew home there were six qualified FLT trainers in Lusaka who will be able to help local people to develop much-needed skills.”

As well as ensuring all six trainees successfully passed the course, Jason also equipped them with the skills and tools they will need to conduct these training courses themselves. This included teaching the candidates how to layout training courses, correctly use marking sheets for practical assessments and the importance of explaining why safe working practices must be followed.

Chris Saunders, CEO Transaid adds: “This improved training will almost certainly result in reduced injuries within the warehousing environment and may even help to reduce fatalities. It’s another example of how Transaid and its supporters are pulling together to help strengthen the Professional Driver Training Project, which has already grown beyond our original expectations.”

Transaid’s Professional Driver Training project is being run in partnership with the Industrial Training Centre Trust (ITCT) in Lusaka, where the FLT will be based. It was shipped from Southampton to Durban by Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics and arrived at the ITCT in January.

Transaid is an international development agency that aims to improve people’s quality of life in the developing world by making transport more available and affordable. It was founded by Save The Children and the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (UK) and works by sharing skills and knowledge with local people to enable them to put in place and manage efficient transport systems.

For more details on the project and Transaid’s work please visit www.transaid.org

source:warehouse news

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February retail sales up 2.2%, but still cause for concern

February retail sales rose 2.2% year-on-year in the UK according to the British Retail Consortium, though good comparatives and postponed sales mean the numbers are not quite as cheerful as they seem to be.

The BRC has released figures showing that retail sales did increase in February. However, the month's sales are being compared to the disastrous February of 2010, making this years sales look healthier that they in fact are. Customers may have also postponed purchases in January because of the snow, which led to more sales in February.

Helen Dickinson, Head of Retail, KPMG, mentioned the falling food inflation during February and the impact it had on the value of food sales. This was offset, however, by the comparatively good performance from non-food.

Stephen Robertson, Director General, British Retail Consortium, said: "Consumer confidence is certainly up on this time last year but, with unemployment rising again, spending plans are falling. When the weather-related distortions are stripped away, it's clear customers are still cautious."

Online sales, mail order and phone based sales were up 15.%, helped by the snow. Customers chose to stay in the warmth of their homes rather than venture into the cold.

Valentines day prompted a rise in sales of jewellery, fashion accessories and chocolate.

Source : ISN

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Cold comfort for Langdons

Langdon Industries, a logistics service provider specialising in temperature controlled deliveries to wholesalers, food service depots and manufacturing locations throughout the UK, has upgraded its trailer fleet with the acquisition of 10 new dual temperature controlled trailers from Schmitz Cargobull.

The dual compartment vehicles, which provide frozen and chilled storage capacity for 26 palletised loads, will join Langdons’ fleet of over 200 temperature controlled trailers.

Langdons specified that the trailers be fitted with Thermoking SLX fridge units, which are ultra fuel-efficient and 99.7% recyclable.

Fuel efficiency was particularly important to Langdons and, as the company’s fleet engineer, Graham Millard, explains, the need to reduce running costs was a significant influence on the company’s decision to specify Schmitz Cargobull trailers.

“Having assessed other models on the market we were impressed not only by the build quality of the Schmitz Cargobull product, but by the weight advantages that the trailers offer. Our new vehicles are robust and lightweight which contributes significantly to fuel savings,” he says.

The trailers, which have been built at Schmitz Cargobull’s recently revamped UK factory in County Durham, have a galvanized steel chassis (which comes with a 10 year anti-corrosion warranty) while the refrigerated trailer box units themselves are constructed using Schmitz Cargobull’s well established and proven Ferroplast modular steel-skinned panels. Ferroplast panels are filled with high quality expanded polyurethane foam rather than Styrofoam - which is commonly used by other trailer manufacturers - which means that the boxes do not absorb water if the steel skin of the unit is pierced, thus adding to the fleet’s low life-time running costs.

Langdons’ ChillNet Distribution Network collects and delivers chilled and frozen consignments - from a single pallet to a full load - anywhere in the UK and Ireland.

The company has recently opened a new depot - its eighth - in Barnsley to further enhance the ChillNet pallet network and to provide additional support to customers in the region.

Schmitz Cargobull’s Regional Sales Manager Patrick Farbrace, comments: “Langdons needed dual-temperature vehicles that will enable them to deliver cost-effective solutions for all types of work from small volume drops, full loads and trunks. I am delighted that, having visited our factory and been impressed by the way we design and build our trailers, they chose to add Schmitz Cargobull vehicles to their fleet.”

 

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All cold store expertise under one roof

As an answer to the growing need for professional cold storage and distribution around the globe and the strong demand of clients to obtain 100% performance at very competitive rates, an international and highly qualified group of temperature controlled logistics and cold supply chain specialists has joined forces under the banner of ColdstoreExpertiseCenter.com to assist cold store operators, logistic service providers, investors, government agencies, engineering companies and architects to meet international standards by using modern insights and latest technologies.

 

Managing Partner Theo van Sambeeck stated: “All the required expertise regarding cold storage and cold logistics have been brought together by this dynamic and flexible partnership of independent consultants and engineers. Our group has been involved in hundreds of projects in more than 70 countries which gives us an excellent knowledge of the business opportunities in the market. The annually published European Top 20 is one of the results of that”.

 

The tailor-made solutions cover 4 main fields in cold store expertise: management consultancy, matchmaking and partnerships, education, and finally design and engineering of cold stores, distribution centers, etc. “Our very experienced Design & Engineering team not only guarantees a technically excellent and highly functional building with optimal logistic routing, but also the conversion and application of internationally accepted standards and proved technology into drawings and construction specifications”, Van Sambeeck said.

 Contact:

 Theo van Sambeeck

 +31384524858

  office@ColdstoreExpertiseCenter.com

 

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Economic Update from the CBI

# The UK's deficit on trade in goods and services widened to £3.8 billion in January, the largest since August 2008. These results are disappointing considering the weakness of the Sterling and may be attributed to poor weather conditions impacting export volumes over this period.

# Industrial production fell by 0.4% in January, driven by a 0.9% decline in manufacturing output. But, the 3 month-on-3 month rates of growth (which smooth out monthly volatility in the data) stayed positive, strengthening somewhat further.

# The Bank of England's latest Inflation Attitudes Survey showed that expectations for shop prices over the year ahead remain relatively unchanged; respondents anticipate a 2.5% increase in prices, broadly similar to the rates of inflation predicted through much of 2009.

# Producer input price inflation slowed to 6.9% in the year to February, somewhat reversing the acceleration in the annual rate seen since August 2009. Annual growth in output prices, however, continued to gather pace, standing at 4.1%.

# The latest RICS survey on the UK housing market showed that both new buyer enquiries and new instructions to sell property rose modestly in February, after having fallen back in January. However, growth in house prices was much slower than in recent months and, while prices and sales are predicted to increase over the next quarter, expectations are less upbeat than they were in January.

# The British Retail Consortium (BRC) reported a 4.5% year-on-year rise in retail sales values in February, much stronger than the 1.2% increase in January, when sales were hit by bad weather. However, the BRC cautioned that growth was being compared to very weak figures a year ago.

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Committed to a low-carbon economy

John Cridland re-affirmed the CBI's commitment to a low carbon economy, a fully functioning and effective EU-wide Emissions Trading Scheme and the need for an ambitious international legally-binding agreement which does not undermine EU industrial competitiveness when he met Jos Delbeke, the newly appointed Director-General of Climate Action in the European Commission this week.

 

 

"John Cridland re-affirmed the CBI's commitment to a low carbon economy when he met Jos Debelke, Director-General of Climate Action"

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National Minimum Wage - clampdown on employers

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) recently announced the formation of HM Revenue & Customs’ (HMRC) new Dynamic Response Team to work on high-profile and complicated National Minimum Wage (NMW) cases investigated by HMRC.

One particular area to be targeted will be employers who pay migrant workers below the NMW in an attempt to undercut competitors. The new team is to be funded from a £70 million government fund raised by the introduction of a levy on migrants and students coming to the UK from outside of the European Economic Area, in addition to their normal visa application fee. Since April 2009, around 14,000 workers have had to be paid arrears of the NMW.

The NMW is reviewed every year by the Low Pay Commission and the NMW rates of pay have increased every year on 1 October since the NMW was introduced on 1 April 1999.

The current rates are £5.80 per hour worked for those aged 22 and over, £4.83 for those aged 18–21 and £3.57 for those aged 16–17. There have been some press reports of a Government proposal to introduce the rate of £5.80 from the age of 21, instead of the current age of 22, although this has not yet been confirmed.

Even though many employers are aware of the NMW rates of pay, there are still some areas where mistakes can occur. One particular misunderstanding is over the pay of apprentices. Apprentices are only exempt from the NMW if they are either under the age of 19 or during their first year of apprenticeship.

However, for the employer to rely on the exemption, the apprentice does have to follow a recognised training course. When the actual course ends, employers then usually have to pay the NMW. Without a recognised training course (such as an NVQ course), it is difficult for an employer to show that the training of a worker is exempt from the NMW, as basic “on-the-job” training is not enough to qualify for the NMW exemption.

NMW compliance officers visit employers to inspect their records and interview apprentices and other staff to find out whether the actual working arrangements have a genuine formal training element. Employers in the hospitality industry have also been recently targeted by compliance officers. A particular area which is checked is the distribution of tips and gratuities. Since a change in the law from 1 October 2009, employers can no longer rely on any form of tip or gratuity to make up the NMW for their workers, even if these are paid through the payroll.

A recent Code of Best Practice published by BIS states that each employer should take steps to ensure that their workers understand clearly the firm’s procedures for the distribution of service charges, tips and gratuities.

The Code also sets out guidance for businesses to explain to customers how service charges, if any, are operated.