SCT: June 2010

Supply Chain Today June 2010

June 2010
Contents
Featured on the cover Cover Story Transport + Logistics Management
4 Ready for Action 32 Sustainable Approach to Freight in
Toyota forklift South Africa
Sapics
Website: 6 Go East, Young Man, Go East Market Forum — Supply
www.toyotaforklift.co.za 35 Market Forum
Barcoding Labelling Scanning +
RFID Endorsing Bodies
7 Getting Stuck on Labels Afritag (div of Smart Card Society)
11 Use It, Don’t Lose It CGCSA (Consumer Goods Council of
SA)
Cleaning CILTSA (Chartered Institute of
14 High on Cleaning Logistics & Transport: SA)
17 The Feminine Touch SAEPA (SA Express Parcel
Market Forum — Unit Association)
19 Market Forum SAPICS (The Association for
Operations Management
Green Initiatives of Southern Africa)
23 Carbon Footprints also mailed to:
CSCMP (Council of Supply Chain
Software
Management Professionals)
27 Planning Ahead
29 ERP for the People
Copyright
The monthly circulation is 4 025
All rights reserved. No editorial matter published in
Supply Chain Today may be reproduced in any form or
language without written permission of the publishers. Proprietor and Publisher: Advertising Sales:
While every effort is made to ensure accurate reproduc-
PROMECH PUBLISHING Lelanie Lane
tion, the editor, authors, publishers and their employees
Tel: (011) 781-1401
or agents shall not be responsible or in any way liable for DTP: Zinobia Docrat and
Fax: (011) 781-1403
any errors, omissions or inaccuracies in the publication, Sanette Lehanie
E-mail: sales@supchain.co.za
whether arising from negligence or otherwise or for any supplychain@promech.co.za Printed by:
consequences arising therefrom. The inclusion or exclu-
Website: www.promech.co.za Typo Colour Printing
sion of any product does not mean that the publisher or Tel: (011) 402-3468
editorial board advocates or rejects its use either generally Managing Editor:
Susan Custers
or in any particular field or fields.

COVER STORY
Ready for Action

tion for Mass” says Ludwig van Eyssen, Logistics
Toyota Forklift (a division of the Eqstra group) has been Executive for Massdiscounters.
awarded the contract to supply the materials handling
Ludwig adds that “Toyota Forklift has the correct
equipment and associated services for Massdiscounters
product mix required as well as the technical
new Gauteng Distribution Centre being built in Gosforth
expertise and management tools, a service that
Park, Gauteng.
no competitor is able to offer at present.
“This is phase one of the project, designed to ac-
T
commodate ten years growth - it was imperative
his is the third regional distribution
that a reputable, established partner with a proven
centre that Toyota Forklift is equipping
track record and history with Massdiscounters be
with materials handling equipment for
the preferred service provider.”
Massdiscounters, the other two being
their Durban and Cape Town RDC’s. The materials handling equipment supplied
includes,
“The new Gauteng RDC which covers 70 000
sq meters will be the Massdiscounters flagship • 7 x new BT Reflex RRE200E 12,5m lift reach
RDC and we are very proud to be associated with trucks with unique tilting cabs.
this prestigious project” says Gary Anderson, Extended shifts
the National Sales and Marketing Manager for The new RRE200 allows storage of up to 12,2
Toyota Forklift. metres high. The New Reflex range is class lead-
One stop solution ing in terms of lift height, travel and lift speeds
Toyota Forklift, in conjunction with associated and is the preferred truck at a number of major
Eqstra sister companies, offers Massdiscounters retail operations nationally.
a total one stop solution for their MHE needs The trucks are also highly energy efficient and
including batteries, chargers, cleaners and main- capable of extended shift times on a single bat-
tenance of all equipment and batteries. tery. The RRE is also equipped with a special on
“One of the main reasons why Mass has chosen board computer terminal mounting bracket for
Toyota Forklift is the ability to offer a total solu- the most ergonomic placement of this equipment
on the trucks.
Reputable, established partner with a proven track Fast picking
record The materials handling equipment supplied
includes:
• 10 x BT OSE250P low level order
pickers with elevating platforms
The OSE250P order pickers facili-
tate fast order picking from both
ground and 2nd level picking posi-
tions. The driver goes up with the
picking platform which can also
be driven in the elevated position
thereby facilitating the high pick
rates required by the DC. There
is also a picking shelf to allow
the pickers to pick more than one
item before lowering themselves
to place the items on the pallet or
roll cage being picked into.
• 39 x LPE200 powered pallet trucks,
23 with single and 16 with double
pallet handling capabilities. The
popular LPE200 is the workhorse
of many operations around the
Left to right; Mike Lowe, Maintenance Manager Toyota Forklift Johannesburg, Paul Michau, GM Toyota
Forklift Johannesburg, Ludwig van Eyssen, Logistics Executive for Massdiscounters, Desire Olivier,
country.
Logistics Project Manager, Massdiscounters, Jenifer Hill Sales Manager, Toyota Forklift Johannesburg,
• 6 x Toyota 7FBE15 three wheel
Steve Hatzipanis, Toyota Forklift National Key Accounts Manager for Massdiscounters

COVER STORY
electric forklifts. The Toyota 7FBE is the most

popular 3 wheel electric truck in South Africa
and is highly reliable and robust.
• 4 x Toyota 8FG25 LPG counterbalance fork-
lifts fitted with Bolzoni appliance clamps for
handling of all large items such as fridges,
stoves etc.
Toyota are the number one forklift in South Africa
and BT is the number one Warehousing Truck.
BT Warehousing Equipment and Toyota Forklifts
are divisions of The Toyota Materials Handling
Group (TMHG) the world number one supplier
of material handling equipment.
Batteries and Chargers
All electric trucks supplied are fitted with Hawker
batteries and charged with Hawker high frequency
charges. The batteries will be handled and ex-
changed using a Hawker Enersys battery bull
system that will stack batteries three high. This
concept allows the most efficient use of space
and provides expansion for the fleet.
The battery charging process is managed by
Hawker’s Powernet system which will notify
the operators (via a digital display) which bat-
teries are ready for use. This system will ensure
proper cycling of the batteries and will maximise
their longevity while at the same time saving
electricity.
Cleaning equipment
Toyota Forklift will also supply and maintain A happy operator with his new OSE250P order picker
three Hako Sweeper scrubbers required to keep
the new RDC in tip top condition. The preferred truck at a number of major retail
All materials handling and cleaning equipment
operations nationally
supplied is managed by the FMX Fleet Manage- dealers in Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe,
ment System which Toyota Forklift pioneered in Malawi, Angola, Madagascar, Zambia, Reunion
South Africa. The FMX system provides real time and Mozambique” says Denny Reddy, Managing
monitoring of equipment as well as running costs Director of Toyota Forklift.
and productivity statistics for Massdiscounters.
Website: www.toyotaforklift.co.za
Maintenance
Toyota Forklift will equip and man-
age the onsite workshop as well as
the battery bay at the new site. The
services offered by Toyota Forklift
include short term rentals, long term
full maintenance rentals, service and
maintenance agreements, fleet manage-
ment, driver training, Hawker batteries
and battery bay management. Toyota
Forklift (a subsidiary of Eqstra Hold-
ings) has been in existence for over 25
years and is the number one supplier
of material handling equipment in
Southern Africa.
“We have built up the largest in-
frastructure of its kind in Southern
Africa in order to meet the needs of
our customers, with branches in the
eight major cities in South Africa and

SAPICS
Go East, Young Man,

Go East
Recognising the growing role and influence that China has in the global export market, and its increasing im-
portance in supply chains around the world, Sapics has lined up China expert, Kobus van der Wath, as a pre-
senter for the upcoming 2010 Sapics Conference.
K
obus, who is the founder and group
managing director of The Beijing Axis and
chief executive of Bateman Beijing Axis,
will present a case study-based paper
entitled “China in the Supply Chain: Strategy,
Planning and Implementation of Procurement
Programmes in the World’s Leading Low Cost
Manufacturing Economy”.
China in fact surpassed Germany as the world’s largest
exporter in 2009, after trailing behind it, the US and
Japan in the recent past
“As Low Cost Country (LCC) sourcing becomes
the focus of supply chain managers seeking to
INSULATED IMPACT TRAFFIC DOOR
Kobus van der Wath
minimise costs, made-in-China products are

aggressively replacing manufactured goods from
developed countries and even from other LCCs,”
he states, adding that China in fact surpassed
Germany as the world’s largest exporter in 2009,
after trailing behind it, the US and Japan in the
recent past.
In his Sapics Conference presentation, it is China’s
potential risks and benefits that he will examine,
to provide delegates with lessons in the strategy
and planning of procurement in China, as well as
TM
implementation and operations issues. Practical
�
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Fully gasketed heavy duty swing door.
Lightweight yet robust.
issues will also be examined, and case studies
� Withstands heavy traffic such as carts and presented.
motorised man ridden vehicles.
� Impervious to moisture, acid, petroleum products,
The 2010 Sapics Conference and Exhibition takes
salt solutions, animal fats and insects. place at Sun City from 25 to 27 July 2010. It
will once again be held in collaboration with the
APEX
STRIP CURTAINS
Supply Chain Council.
AND DOORS
For further information, or to register for the event,
please contact Cynthia at the Conference Secretariat on
(011) 805-6616 or upavon@icon.co.za. Up-to-the-minute
information is continuously posted on the Sapics Website
Designed by Atomic Design Studio. Produced by Coralynne & Associates Tel: (011) 422-1949 at www.sapics.org.za.

BARCODING LABELLING SCANNING + RFID
Getting Stuck on Labels

Almost anyone can get a label on a box or a
bottle under ordinary circumstances, but
unusual applications require a
more committed
approach.
R
owan Beattie, Managing Director of Pyro-
tec, is passionate about labelling. When
“Supply Chain Today” speaks to him and
marketing manager, Lazelle Coetzee,
about the technicalities of specialised labelling,
their enthusiasm is contagious.
“We’re recognised as the go-to company to ap-
Recently received an enquiry for a scratch-off label that
is stuck to the back of cow
Rowan Beattie, Managing Director, Pyrote
proach when it comes to unusual labeling ap-

plications. Our teams devote hours to resolving
customers’ specific needs,” he tells us. “Each
new application has its own set of technical
challenges, whether it’s limited space, contain-
ers with surfaces to which labels have difficulty
adhering to, limited budgets, short lead times.
We handle it all.”
Labels on cows?
Rather than take Rowan’s word for it, we ask
him to give an example of a particularly unusual
request. His answer is accompanied by gales
of laughter from the team. “Pyrotec PackMedia
recently received an enquiry for a scratch-off
label that is stuck to the back of cow,” he tells
us, obliquely. We soon discover that the product
was requested by farmers wanting to monitor
bovine reproduction.
“The idea is that the label would be attached
to the cow and would subsequently be removed
after she came into season and received the at-
tention of a bull. The ‘scratched-off ’ label would
indicate that the animal had been covered,” he
explains. “We haven’t tackled this project yet,
but it’s intriguing.”
He continues on a more serious note, adding: “It
Promotional opportunities are optimised with correctly designed labels would be wonderful to produce ethical multilayer

novative and added value options that

brand owners can consider using for
their packaging.”
With wings
Rather than seeing this as a hindrance,
the company has made the best of the
situation, coming up with innovative
solutions on a shoestring. “Clients want
to achieve more with less budget,” he
says explaining that labels are ideal
for optimising marketing spend. “The
label is right there at the point where
customers are making a decision,
which is why the information on the
pack is so important.
“So Pyrotec PackMedia invented the
Wing-label. It’s a patented double-layer
label construction produced in a more
Pyrotec’s sophisticated labelling systems efficient way than our Fix-a-Form leaflet
labels which could be adhered to cattle. They label but is still an ideal solution for
would ‘travel’ with the carcass or parts of the on-pack promotions.
carcass through to the supply chain and to the Dangerous errors
consumer who will be able to identify where the “We’ve also recently engineered
meat came from, the specific farm, details on some particularly robust leaflet label
its pedigree, feed, abattoir and how to cook solutions for phar-
it for best results. This multilayer label would
also be great to track the ‘journey’ of Karoo
lamb from ‘birth to table’.” ma-
Wine stories ceu-
The company has already flexed its inventive tical
muscles in the local wine scene with a similar clients
concept. “We identified an opportunity for where they
wineries to differentiate themselves by need to
providing more information to their include
consumers about their vineyards a lot
and extra services,” Rowan informs of in-
us. “In response, Pyrotec invented forma-
the Story-Behind-Our-Wine label, tion on
which is a professional looking, small
high quality leaflet label.” cylindri-
cal con-
In many instances, however, tainers,”
products need to be explains
tailored to accom- Rowan.
modate budget-
ar y issues. Labelling is
“The spend- particularly im-
ing power of portant in the phar-
the average maceutical industry,
consumer is where poorly presented
less in South packaging and labelling
ol materials can result in po-
Africa than to
g
e tin tentially dangerous medication
in first world k
ar errors. Here, regulations can be
countries m
ble so stringent that manufacturers are
in Europe a lua
v even moving away from including inserts
and North a
is in medicine containers for fear that the ink
America,” he in g
b ell will contaminate the drugs.
goes on. “This la
restricts, to a er
ev The Fix-a-Form range has overcome many of these
Cl
certain extent, in- issues by offering laminated bi-fold and even

booklet formats for display of large amounts

of text, graphics or tables. Application is via
standard labelling equipment and has little
or no impact on packing line speeds.
For kids
The pharmaceutical industry adds an ad-
ditional hurdle in the form of child-proof
requirements. “Over here, budget is often
a motivation, while overseas they’re more
concerned with keeping the kids out of the
medicines. Manufacturers are using intricate
layers of labels and packaging to make prod-
ucts more difficult to access,” he says.
Not much will withstand the
attentions of a single-minded toddler
Most acknowledge that the term ‘child-proof ’
is a misnomer; not much will withstand the
attentions of a single-minded toddler. How-
ever, performance testing can determine the
length of time it might take for that toddler
to succeed in getting a medicine container
open. To pass muster, tests must indicate
that a high percentage of children should
be unable to open a test package within five
minutes.
Techno tracking
Rowan keeps an eye on these developments, Neck tags enable manufacturers to add useful information
and others. He admits that he’s excited
about the progress being made in at-
taching RFID to packaged products.
The technology has taken time to catch
up with initial hype, considering that
successful large-scale implementation
has to overcome the financial hurdles
involved. “It’s already in limited use
in various sections of the distribu-
tion chain,” he enthuses. “It’s only
a matter of time before it sees wider
employment.”
As it stands, many of the options avail-
able are fairly sophisticated already.
Marrying up information on the outside
of a product with the details enclosed
inside can complicate the packaging
process, but it was a challenge the
Pyrotec team embraced when work-
ing on a project for Grants Whiskey
recently.
“There’s so much more to this industry
than meets the eye,” Rowan says in
closing. “It’s the reason we constantly
push our limits, for instance with our
Pyro Inspiration Awards; to see what
innovations we can come up with
next.”
Rowan Beattie, Pyrotec, Tel: (021) 787-9600,
Fax: (021) 787-9791, Email. rbeattie@pyro-
tec.co.za, Website. www.pyrotec.co.za Labelling challenges can take many forms

Are You
Doing
Your
Bit?
Green This prestigious award recognises
Supply
people, projects and products
that have gone above and
beyond the call of duty to
enhance the environment in which
Chain
they operate.
The inaugural awards in 2009
Awards
enjoyed a wonderful response
from the supply chain community
and everything is on track to make
this year’s event one of the indus-
try’s most prestigious accolades.
Come and see who walks away

with the coveted trophies and
enter your product or project for
this year’s event.
Entries for this year’s event close in

June and the awards ceremony is
being planned for 26 August 2010.
Contact: Catherine Larkin on

Tel: (011) 789-7327/787-9127,
Cell: 083 300 0331, Fax: (011) 787-7865
Email: cvlarkin@ciltsa.org.za
30
10 SupplyChain
Supply ChainToday
Today Jan
June2010
2010
Use It, Don’t Lose It

You wouldn’t take your hard earned Rands Solutions in Honeydew which has a number of
and Cents and bury them in the garden, innovative solutions that are tailor-made to the
under the bed and in the neighbours industrial requirements of their clients. These
property in the hope that one day you will range from simple markings to highly sophis-
find all your money and use it when you ticated computerised systems that log, track
next need it. and trace goods through the use of high tech 2
dimensional (2D) codes.
Effective markings
“In the past it used to be about marking goods
for identification and ownership purposes, but
today markings are used for a far greater number
of purposes. Industrial clients nowadays not only
want to locate and identify their products, but
also want to use the marking to reflect a number
of other criteria such as time and date of manu-
facture, batches, descriptions and details,” says
Kyle Parker of Traceability Solutions.
These systems had shortcomings in the

field and even the trusted ever prevalent
barcoding system is not sufficient
He continues by saying that markings have gone
from the use of readable digits or letters in years
gone by, to barcodes more recently. These sys-
Kyle Parker of Traeability Solutions tems had shortcomings in the field and even the
trusted ever prevalent barcoding system is not
sufficient for today’s requirements.
The latest 2D marking technology available from
Traceability Solutions allows users to enter more
data per mark than previous methods. It is also
less susceptible to the type of reader errors
that plague barcoding systems and for security
purposes can be miniaturised or hidden to avoid
detection.
Coding
Just like other markings, it uses a mark and
sequence to form a code that identifies the
product. The main difference is that it is read
vertically and horizontally as opposed to older
techniques.
“Both person-readable codes and barcodes are
read horizontally from one side to the other. If a
Examples of 2D markings
digit or line is damaged, obscured or removed, the
code is rendered useless and all the information
N
associated with that item cannot be obtained. In
either should businesses with valu- heavy industrial applications, like the steel indus-
able items lose track of their assets. try, this is a problem and, as a result, a smarter
Identification and tracking of items is technique has been developed and adopted by
big business in the industrial sector industry role-players,” says Kyle.
where anything from raw materials to tools and The main advantage of using a 2D code is the
capital equipment are registered and tracked ability to store more information. This allows
using technology. more efficient usage of information for storage,
“Supply Chain Today” pops in at Traceability tracking and tracing. It also allows up to 25%
Supply Chain Today June 2010 11

ments and cost.

Most materials can be marked directly
by means of pinstamp or laser marking
techniques. This means that materials
as diverse as metal, steel or even a
bird feather can be marked without the
need for consumables such as paint,
ink or labels.
Where specialised markings or colour
codes are required, laser markers use
the thermal properties of the item to
change the colour of the materials as
required. It is possible to mark stain-
less steel in almost any colour of the
Miniaturised markings on a bearing housing
of the code to be obscured without af-

fecting readability.
Direct code marking
Direct Part marking (DPM) allows us-
ers to put markings directly onto items
thereby reducing manpower require-
A hand help pinstamp marker
12 Supply Chain Today June 2010

rainbow without the addition of paints

or inks.
“When the electronic marking device
is used, it is possible to store informa-
tion relating to the item directly to an
enterprise resource planning (ERP)
system which can be made available
across a network to users anywhere in
the world. When the item needs to be
identified, a user will scan the code in
much the same manner as a barcode
reader,” Kyle adds.
Industrial suppliers
Traceability Solutions provides marking
hardware such as marking devices,
readers and consumables for the mark-
ing and tracing of items. Solutions Close-up of a pinstamp in operation
range from high-tech 2D markings to
barcoding and specialised labelling
systems. These include heat resistant
and abrasion resistant labels for the
steel industry, indestructible labels for
military, and specialised retail labels
that cannot be removed and placed
onto other items.
Indestructible labels for

military and specialised retail
labels that cannot be removed
and placed onto other items
The company is also involved in research

and development of suitable markings
for a number of unique applications
within the manufacturing industry. One
of the most noticeable developments
is its application of 2D technology to
mark strands of cable before it is wound
to identify stolen telecommunication An example of the versatility of 2D marking equipment is the permanent laser mark-
ing of a car manifold
and electrical cables.
A number of innovative uses have
already appeared in the metals and
manufacturing environment. As the
technology develops and becomes more
widely used in our industry, it is likely
that 2D coding and marking will super-
sede barcoding and other methods of
marking within an industry that requires
rugged, reliable technology.
“We are eager to work with manufactur-
ers and anyone involved in the metals
and other advanced materials industries
to develop technologies and solutions
for the marking, tracking and tracing
of materials within this specialised
industry,” concludes Kyle.
Traceability Solutions, Kyle Parker, Tel: (011)
794 5299, Fax: (011) 794 2844, Email: kyle@
tracesol.co.za, Web: www.tracesol.co.za

High Clean Windows may be run by a pair of guys
called Tom and Gerry, but it’s no Mickey Mouse
operation. When “Supply Chain Today” meets Tom
Binns to discuss the intricacies of washing windows
at height, he laughingly tells us that they’d consid-
ered using a Disney theme for their company but
didn’t want to be sued for copyright infringement.
A
lthough we started in the industry
doing straightforward domestic and
commercial window cleaning, we’ve
developed along the way, specialising in
cleaning at height, but also cleaning of facades
and carpeting in offices,” he continues.
Tom Binns, High Clean Windows
From the ground

Using a water-fed pole system that’s relatively
new to South Africa, although it has a 30-
year history in the States, the team is able to
clean windows up to five storeys high from
the outside and from the ground. Tom tells us
that cleaning from the ground is suitable for
South Africa since so many companies do not
comply with Health & Safety regulations. “It’s
not uncommon to see guys hanging off ladders
at great height,” he says.
It’s not uncommon to see guys

hanging off ladders at great height
High on
High Clean Window’s system uses purified,
distilled water pumped up a pole to the window
surface. When agitated upon a surface, purified
water will absorb dirt, leaving windows cleaner
than when using detergent.
Cleaning “Detergents have the additional disadvantage

of leaving a residue on the surface, which
will later attract dirt, causing the windows to
become dirtier sooner,” Tom explains. He adds
that purified water is used because the mineral
content in ordinary tap water will leave a milky
film on the surface that you can actually write
your name in.
High Clean’s system can clean windows up to five storeys high, from the ground
CLEANING
Cleanliness is crucial Health & Safety regulations.

While some may not think clean windows are “We recently worked on a 20-storey building in
a necessity in a warehouse, Tom begs to differ. the Jo’burg CBD using rope access. Our guys
“Cleanliness is vital in any environment, particular looked like ants climbing around on the build-
where people work, or goods are stored,” he says ing,” he chuckles. “Obviously a project like this
emphatically. “’Sick Building Syndrome’ isn’t only is complex and it costs money to make sure that
about airconditioning. It’s also related to dirty the safety protocols are in place. Other compa-
buildings. Bird droppings are a major problem nies might be prepared to cut costs by stinting
– they carry about 66 different diseases, most on safety, but we won’t.”
of which are respiratory!
“Smog is also a problem. Drive into any major The client will choose to clean only the office area and
city and you can literally see the air you’re about leave the warehouse
to breathe. This coats the surfaces of buildings,
and results in sick staff and dirty products. Any Other cleaning
building with goods standing for a length of time In addition to windows, High Clean also offers
will accumulate dirt. Cleanliness is critical for a high-pressure façade cleaning service. “A lot
food storage. of buildings that were constructed a decade
ago are starting to look shabby. What was once
“It’s in a company’s best interests to keep facili-
white is now green or grey. If you clean these
ties hygienic and healthy. Not only will it impact
surfaces regularly, you’ll also save window and
employee productivity, but it also has a positive
door frames, and cut back on long-term main-
effect on public image. We re-
cently cleaned all the windows
at the Fast n Fresh facility in
Midrand. While the primary aim
was hygiene, aesthetics played
an important role.
“However, we often quote on an
entire storage facility and find
that the client will choose to
clean only the office area and
leave the warehouse. There are
various reasons for this – many
warehouses install perspex win-
dows at height and these are
difficult to clean.”
Tricky process
Tom prefers to assess a job prior
to quoting since projects can
vary greatly. When it comes to
double and triple volume ware-
housing cleaning becomes more
specialised. “A lot of people don’t
realise that cleaning at height is
a tricky process, and we don’t
take shortcuts. Tasks that are
simple at ground level become a
different ball game when you’re
five floors up.
“Sometimes people are aston-
ished when we quote on cleaning
windows or changing lightbulbs
and it’s more than they expected.
But they’re not taking into the
account the procedures neces-
sary to maintain the safety of our
cleaners up there,” he explains.
“Over five storeys, we need to
implement a rope access system,
which must adhere to strict
Nothing’s too tall, or tricky to clean!

CLEANING
tenance costs.
“Additionally, we’ve found that while
many companies hire out high pressure
equipment, not a lot of companies actu-
ally know how to use it. We provide this
service, along with advice on correct ap-
plication of specialised chemicals when
necessary.”
A lot of buildings that were
constructed a decade ago are
starting to look shabby
Still on the topic of other cleaning ser-
vices, Tom tells us that the company has
a Builders’ Cleaning package designed
to make new buildings fit for occupation.
But by far the strangest project they’ve
undertaken was the cleaning of a number
of giant inflatable toys. “It was really just
an experiment,” he grins. “Ultimately we
found it was easier to deflate them, scrub
them with brooms and then blow them up
again. But it was good for a laugh!”
Tom Binns, High Clean Windows, Tel. 011 786
6563, Fax. 011 440 6882, Email: tom@highclean-
windows.co.za
Many companies are aware of the value of presenting a clean image to clients

CLEANING
The Feminine Touch

Storing products is a dirty business. And who better to handle around doing nothing.
the mess than a team of clued-up cleaning women? “As capable as she was, I had to take her off
W
the project because they simply wouldn’t take
hile this may seem like the perfect instructions from her. Often it’s a cultural thing
solution, it’s not as simple as it would – some ethnic groups have yet to embrace the
seem, “Supply Chain Today” is told concept of a truly equal workplace. The harass-
by Elize Venter, CEO of Woman@ ment aspect is far more disturbing though because
Work. The company specialises in assigning I can’t see how that can be sanctioned in terms
cleaning crews to warehouses, factories, offices of cultural behaviour.”
and shopping centres, and has experience in the
technicalities of handling dirty business. Male workforce
In other instances, the reasons are more un-
I’ve found that a man will give things a quick wipe and derstandable. “Many warehouses and factory
feel that this is good enough facilities have entirely male workforces. These
guys are really uncomfortable with women in
“We have teams of both male and female clean- their bathrooms,” she smiles. Considering the
ers, but nobody cleans as well as a woman,” ‘exposed’ nature of men’s toilet facilities, this is
she laughs. “The problem is that we can’t assign hardly surprising, although the same principle
women to all of the projects we handle.” applies in ladies’ rooms.
The reasons for this are She goes on to add that when it comes to the
varied, from safety issues regularly scheduled ‘deep-cleans’ required to
to bathroom etiquette. keep things spotless, women remain the best
However, some, such as option. “I’ve found that a man will give things
harassment by male work- a quick wipe and feel that this is good enough.
ers or gender inequality in They find cleaning demeaning. Women will pay
the workplace, are quite attention to detail, and they usually don’t care
troubling. how menial a job seems.”
Culture clash Safe and sound
“There have been a number Other areas where employers prefer to use male
of instances where I’ve as- teams include dangerous zones or cleaning at
signed female supervisors height, although Yolindi Botes, Contracts Manager
to a project and it’s been at Woman@Work, emphasises that the company
a disaster,” she tells us employs many women who are quite adept at
candidly. “At one company, cleaning in high areas.
the lady in charge of the
landscape team ended up From what she tells us, it’s obvious that there’s
pushing the lawnmower more to a project than the gender of the team
Elize Venter, CEO, Woman@Work herself while the men sat employed. “When we quote on a job, there are
numerous issues to factor into the equation,” she
explains. “We need to calculate the floor space
that needs cleaning and determine what equipment
must to be used, along with chemicals required.
“We may also need to designate HACCP cleaning
zones and colour code these areas, particularly
in facilities where food is handled.”
Safety concerns can be numerous and varied,
although some are simply a matter of common
sense. “We handle cleaning in a number of metal
facilities, where we ensure that our teams wear
well-fitting overalls so that sleeves and cuffs are
not hooked on metalwork. It may seem like a little
thing but it could cause an accident.”
Well-equipped
Site evaluations allow the company to establish
which areas can be cleaned with mechanised
Female cleaners

CLEANING
sweepers, and which must be swept manually, “I’ve often been advised to consider some new
for instance around piles of steel. Elize is pas- low-budget option, but it’s just not worth it,” she
sionate about her equipment and keeps abreast explains. “When a company outsources its clean-
of developments in the field, opting for the best ing programme to us, they expect the job to be
systems available. done without some technical hitch as a result of
machine failure. It’s our responsibility
to handle it without any inconvenience
to them so they can focus on their own
business. If they wanted to worry about
cleaning or chemicals, they wouldn’t
enlist our services.”
Averting a problem
Elize takes this further by implementing
quality control programmes along with
checks to monitor materials, consum-
ables and equipment. Illustrating the
attention to detail she values in her
teams, she explains the importance of
staying on top of every aspect of the
process. “It’s the best way to avert any
possible problem before it happens.”
We’re pretty sure you could eat off the
floors at Elize’s house.
Elize Venter, Woman@Work, Tel: 011 894-2031,
Fax: 086 503 8768, E-mail: woman.work@
The Team: Maryke (Admin), Bea (Ops), Les (Ops), Elize (CEO), Juanita (Sales Manager), Yolindi iburst.co.za, Website: www.womenatwork-
(Sales), Desirè (Sales) cleaning.co.za

Market Forum
Dawn Wing launched their Fine Wine
Express division in 2008 to meet market
needs and offers customised solutions
for wine deliveries. “We wanted to
make it easy for international tourists
and for South Africans from all over the
country to access wines with ease and
confidence. With our extensive Cape
Town office, we are able to support
the wine estates based in the Cape
with a large national footprint and
access to a highly substantive global
network via our international partner,
DPD ,” explain Benita Buitendag of
Dawn Wing.
Website: www.wineshow.co.za.
Multipurpose service
Singapore-based Pacific International
Premium conditions
Lines re-launched its Multipurpose Service between China
The organisers of The Wine Show Jo’burg 2010 signed
and Africa in March 2010. This service offers customers
a partnership agreement with Dawn Wing, one of the
a direct link for projects and break-bulk cargoes between
country’s leading courier and logistics companies, to
China and Africa ports. It carries both containers and
handle all their delivery requirements for the recent wine
general cargoes.
show held in Jo’burg show and its exhibitors.
The service covers Xingang, Shanghai, Huangpu in China
According to organiser John Woodward, Dawn Wing was
and Durban, Tema, Lome and Lagos in Africa. Any ad-
ideally suited for the job. “Dawn Wing has the superior
ditional port(s) to be called will be on an inducement
facilities to consolidate the 70 pallets of stock, which
basis. At the initial stage, the service will be operated
were delivered to the show. We have been particularly
with four multipurpose vessels of about 20,000 dwt with
impressed with their specialist division, which is dedicated
a monthly frequency. The service will be upgraded to
to wine deliveries. This service includes repacking stock
provide a wider market coverage and increased frequency
into special boxes with custom-made inserts to ensure that
at a later date.
the wine arrives in premium condition for the customer,”
mentions John. PIL currently operates about 106 containerships and its

Market Forum
liner services have extensive coverage at PMP will also offer the new Collamat 8000 Cross Web,
ports in China and Africa. The re-launch- an advanced industry label dispenser and vacuum cham-
ing of the Multipurpose Service is to cater ber, which has the capacity to apply a row of labels at a
to the strong demands of its customers time, increasing productivity by combining packaging and
in the growing trade between China labelling in one operation.
and Africa. Roland Pinz, Managing Director on PMP, Email: rolandp@proscan.
Website: www.pilship.com co.za, Web: www.proscanmedia.co.za
Smart reset door

Label applicators Apex Strip Curtains recently introduced
ProScan Media Products (PMP) currently an innovative heavy duty rapid roll-
supplies a comprehensive range of inkjet up door to the South African market.
printers and print ‘n apply applicators According to Wim Dessing, managing
from United Barcode Systems (UBS). director of the company, the Smart Re-
The Collamat range will complement set door will result in less need for door
these products and extends PMP’s offering maintenance with subsequent savings in
into high speed conveyor belt labelling costs and time
applications.
Wim says that the most important ad-
The Collamat range, distributed through vantage of this robust high speed door
PMP, will include six traditional label appli- is that should the side be accidentally
cators which are characterised by their compact and dislodged, it will be automatically recov-
durable design, versatility and high labelling speeds of ered during the next opening and closing
up to 250 m/min. operation.
“The ingenuity of the design is
that the side hinges slide along
TO LET special guides, together with the

flexible curtain ends, and should
the curtain be accidentally hit,
the hinges come off the guides to
20 000 square meters @R18 per meter avoid damage to the flexible cur-
Crane rail siding offices, 5000 KVA, immediate occupation tain,” he explains. The Smart Reset
door also incorporates a DSC electronic safety device which
will automatically reverse the motion if an obstacle is hit
when the door is closing.
Location: Brits
© Creamer Media 120210CG
Contact Paul Steyn:

7HO&HOO The Smart Reset door is a heavy duty rapid roll-up door
that repairs itself

Market Forum
The door is controlled by an electronic unit that complies edge technology, yet it is so compact that it never inter-
with all IEC regulations and can be activated by any type feres with the operator’s line of vision. Uncompromising
of remote control equipment including photocells, pressure on durability and performance, the Psion Teklogix 8515
sensitive mats, movement detectors or induction loops. vehicle mount computer, features a razor-sharp, easy to
To facilitate safety, the Smart Reset door is fitted with a read in almost all lighting, touch – sensitive, 640 X 480
release lever that opens it from either side in the event full screen colour display that supports a vast range of
of a power failure or malfunction. applications. The five wire resistive touch screen has
Wim Dessing, Apex Strip Curtains, Tel: ( 011) 452-8723, Website: adjustable backlight brightness with stylus and anti-re-
www.apexstrip.co.za flective, anti–glare coating.
The 8515 supports a two way speaker/microphone with
Push-to-Talk capability and Voice over IP permits constant
contact with forklift operators in the warehouse allowing
immediate contact with supervisors/management as to
factors that may be hindering or preventing maximum
productivity.
Out of sight Michelle Hollis: Country Manager, Psion Teklogix Africa, Tel: (011)
The superbly compact, lightweight 8515 vehicle mount 805-7440, Fax: (011) 805-7444, Email: michelle.hollis@psiontek-
terminal from Psion Teklogix packs features for streamlin- logix.co.za
ing warehouse supply chains and simplifying employees’
daily tasks quite significantly.
Manufacturing plants, warehouses, airports, harbours,
in fact all facilities handling the movement of products,
work to extremely tight deadlines, and forklifts and trucks
demand deft, safe, quick manoeuvring in tight spaces. The
line of vision on these vehicles cannot be obscured as the Tanker fleet
operator needs all round visibility in order to maintain safety, United Bulk is one of South Africa’s premium tanker-
speed and accuracy of the picking or loading process and trailer hauliers, transporting food-grade products as well
communicate with the central management system. as Dangerous Goods such as liquid petroleum gas (LPG),
ammonia gas, solvents and acids.
Designed to stay “out of site”, the lightweight Psion Tek-
logix 8515 vehicle mount computer is packed with cutting While United Bulk’s 90-truck and tanker fleet consists of

Market Forum
durability and outstanding ergonom-
ics,” Explains Daryl.
With respect to Crown’s philosophy
that a ‘comfortable operator is a pro-
ductive operator’, the WT3000 may
be the best a ever designed. It comes
with Crown’s patented FlexRide system
which reduces vibration by up to 80%
while its floating suspension system
reduces operator fatigue and prevents
knee and back pain. “Perhaps best of
all,” says Daryl, “the shock-absorbing
suspension smoothes out uneven floors
so operators no longer have to slow
down when crossing ramps, boards and
sills. The net result is faster loading
and unloading and greater productivity
all-round.”
The rear-entry models are even avail-
able with Crown’s unique, patented,
weight adjustable FlexRide system,
Example from Goscor Lift Truck Company’s new Crown WT3000 pallet truck series which, in this case, optimises driv-
various OEM derivatives, MD Patrick

Pols is a staunch believer in the power
and payload efficiency of American
truck tractors.
“We run 6x4 truck tractors from Eu-
rope and the USA but we’ve found the
American vehicles to be more cost ef-
ficient and profitable because of their
comparatively low tare mass and excel-
lent fuel consumption,” says Patrick.
“As a result, the newer vehicles in our
fleet are all American-made.” The two
leading US brands in South Africa are
International and Freightliner.
The latest United Bulk order for
Freightliner comprises 15 Argosy 90
CUM 500s and 12 Columbia 112 6x4
truck tractors.
Shirle Greig, Tel: (012) 677-1904, Fax:
(012) 677-1682, Email: shirle.greig@
daimler.com ing comfort by tuning the vehicle’s suspension to the
individual’s body weight!
Darryl Shafto, Goscor Lift Truck Company, Tel: (011) 393-1413,
Fax: (011) 976-2176, E.Mail: dshafto@goscor.co.za, Website: www.
goscor.co.za
Significant advances
Soon the all-new Crown WT3000 pallet trucks will join the
army of Crown machines loading, unloading and picking
Engineer Placements
goods in warehouses and loading bays across the land.
Goscor Lift Truck Company’s (GLTC) MD, Darryl Shafto
www.engineerplacements.com
says the WT3000 series has all the qualities a pallet
truck requires to work day in and day out in demanding
conditions. “This is an ultra-tough design with unique

GREEN INITIATIVES
Carbon Footprint
At a time when many companies are still paying lip service to the concept of environmental friendliness, some
are stepping up to the plate and truly embracing corporate green responsibility.
J
an Smit, DCS business executive at GijimaAst, “It’s already begun in South Africa with giants
is the driving force behind the company’s like Total SA and ABSA, and other companies
green initiative, encouraging organisations with international ties, where greening is part
to reduce their carbon footprint, be more of a long-term profile that guides these organi-
environmentally friendly and adapt to the move sations in their day-to-day operations,” he tells
to reduce global warming. “Supply Chain Today.” “It’s also taken off with
companies in the sectors that have the greatest
If you think about it, our world is one giant supply chain environmental impacts, like mining. Most of
these organisations have to adhere to
the new SHE policies.
“For instance, DeBeers rehabilitates
mine land to create game farms promot-
ing conservation. It won’t be long before
we see many local companies catching
up. Environmental responsibility and
energy efficiency is a selling point for
most companies today and is being
followed as a matter of course.”
Green drive
While much has been made of the recent
move to focus on the supply chain as
a source of carbon emissions, Jan tells
us that the issue extends far beyond
this. “It’s not only about carbon emis-
sions, but about the entire process,” he
explains. “How green is the equipment,
is it energy compliant? What are my
suppliers doing to go green?
“Companies like De
Beers are introducing
electric trucks, others
are implementing smart-
er scheduling and better
routing. Another prime
area for rationalisation
is in inventory, where
companies can make
significant improve-
ments in efficiency, in
terms of productivity as
well in capital invested
in stock.
Long-term process
“Businesses need to
look at the entire supply
chain to become more
cost effective and en-
vironmentally friendly.
However, this is a long
term process that needs
to become a way of life

GREEN INITIATIVES
rather than a business initiative alone.”

He adds that the supply chain starts long before
the first truck is loaded. The rubber hits the road
every morning when staff commute to work. “You
have to consider the carbon emissions of employees
traveling to and from work, or the energy consump-
tion required to perform their daily tasks,” Jan
emphasises.
We’re all talking about going green and how

good it is, but no-one has done it and put
the proof on the table
“One of our clients spends R40 million a year on

air travel. The same company generates 70 million
pieces of paper. These are environmental issues that
need to be addressed by all players. The principle
of corporate accountability needs to pervade the
entire organisation.”
Energy audit
Jan’s unit specialises in evaluating company pro-
cesses and then making recommendations based
on trouble spots. He emphasises that the move to
reduce an organisation’s footprint must be powered
from within and form part of a holistic approach.
“Realistically it takes three months to compile an

GREEN INITIATIVES
audit for a company, implementation takes six “The trade in carbon credits within the interna-
months to a year and then it’s up to the organisa- tional community is a trillion dollar industry that
tion to integrate the recommendations. It requires will soon begin impacting South Africans. Once
a mindset transformation to inspire change and the fiscal benefits become apparent, we’ll start
awareness, to become an ethos rather than a seeing more companies committing to social and
mindless chore. environmental responsibility. This is already be-
“I like to encourage companies to establish their ing applied in the tender process, where carbon
carbon status the way individuals establish their certificates are becoming mandatory.
HIV status, so that they have the information Where money is involved there will be the sharks circling
necessary to behave responsibly,” he smiles.
Bankable initiatives Overall impact
While the supply chain is an obvious concern, He adds that an effective energy system will impact
often it makes sense to address grass-roots prob- all the way down the supply chain, both financially
lems first. “Reducing electricity consumption can and environmentally. He believes that every com-
have an immediate impact,” explains Jan “After pany has a logistical process involved in getting
all it’s the second largest operational expense their product or service
after human resources. Sometimes it’s best to to its market, even if it
identify the ‘low-hanging fruit’ and tackle these doesn’t specifically rely
before moving onto other areas.” on fleets of vehicles or
vast warehouses to ac-
The outcome is not only a smaller footprint and
complish this.
significant savings, but results that can be re-
directed into bankable green initiatives. “These “If you think about it,
initiatives are fundamental to ongoing green our world is one giant
performance, but are worthless if not monitored supply chain, where
and quantified to form a history of progress,” one action, service or
Jan points out. product directly im-
pacts on another,” says
Impressive savings Jan. “The process of
“Often a company will ‘virtualise’ its systems, movement needs to be
which has the potential for impressive savings. streamlined to reduce
However, it is essential to check back against our overall impact on
previous performance to monitor the difference. the planet.
Companies become de-motivated if significant
progress is not made. People need to ‘feel’ the Waste compactor
process at work, rather than just assume it is “Systems need to be
effective.” incorporated into our
daily lives that reduce
To make progress truly tangible, GijimaAst has
the need for wasteful
initiated a finance model that allows clients to
activities, such as hard
buy technologies using green savings made from
copy printing for ex- Jan Smit
the green solutions. “It’s a self-funding endeavour
which allows constant
growth in new technology,
increasing operational
efficiency. This, in turn,
increases profits.”
Taxing emissions
Jan has some words of
warning for those who
are dragging their heels
about getting on-board.
“The government is al-
ready in talks about tax-
ing enterprises based
on their carbon emis-
sions,” Jan warns. “But
it shouldn’t be all about
avoiding sanction. Why
not take advantage of the
benefits?

GREEN INITIATIVES
ample – it’s no longer necessary to generate reams of

paper for proof of delivery. In essence, the term ‘green’
means we should be as productive as possible with
as little as possible. This will not only cut costs but
improve productivity, making us more efficient.
“In spite of all the talk, few are really doing it,” he
admits. “We’re all talking about going green and how
good it is, but no-one has done it and put the proof on
the table. Our business unit is changing that, becoming
environmentally friendly with quantifiable results that
we will use as a model for others to follow.”
The GijimaAst building in Midrand is the first major
step in this process. It forms part of a green campus
that is energy efficient and reduces its dependence
on Eskom power, deriving 80% of its lighting energy
from natural sources. “We want to be the first carbon
neutral ICT company in South Africa so that we can
show clients it’s possible,” Jan says.
Old technology
“We don’t make a lot of money from consulting; the
money lies in implementing the systems. The funny
thing is that the technology has been around for
years; it’s only now that companies are beginning to
see the value in the applications that they’re getting
more involved.”
Obviously, the scenario has a downside too. As with
all things, where money is involved there will be the
sharks circling to make a quick buck, often in the form
of ‘services’ such as footprint certification. Others are
concerned that companies are only making changes as
part of a PR gesture. “Personally, I don’t particularly
care if this is the case. As long as we’re going green
what does the motivation matter?” he concludes.
Jan Smit, GijimaAst, Tel. 012 675 5000, Fax. 086 212 5035, email.
jan.smit@gijima.com, Website. www.gijima.com

SOFTWARE
Planning Ahead
The UK-developed software system, LogiX, is currently being utilised
successfully by South African freight and logistics giant, Unitrans
Freight and Logistics. First introduced to the company by Johannes-
burg-based Pathfinder Logistics Solutions, an agent for the system,
LogiX was implemented three years ago in the Unitrans Freight and
Logistics operation in Tydstroom, Cape Town.
Durbanville agrees that the LogiX system is

helpful to Unitrans customers on a daily basis.
Says Fred, “It allows us to print out trip sheets
that we hand to our drivers so that they follow
the process that our customers prefer.”
Unitrans Freight and Logistics comprises seven
Strategic Business Units. Each unit is closely
aligned with its customers’ business therefore they
provide specialised expertise to each sector.
It is, therefor vital that Unitrans maintain con-
trol over planning and logistics so it can man-
age costs and supply a premium service to its
customers.
Reduced overtime
Since Pathfinder Logistics Solutions implemen-
tation of the system for Unitrans at Tydstroom,
various process changes, adopted by Unitrans,
have resulted in a reduction in overtime because
the management team guides and briefs their
drivers as to what is the best route they must
follow.
Johan Grobler
W
“We also store the historic data from the system
e chat to Johan Grobler, Contract to produce accurate management reports. All of
Manager for Unitrans Freight and this for a reasonable price,” says Fred.
Logistics and ask him how LogiX is In addition to finding the shortest route, LogiX
applied to their day-to-day business schedules different products onto available ve-
at Tydstroom. hicles to ensure all orders scheduled are delivered
Quick and efficient within a specific time frame.
Says Johan, “LogiX is useful for our daily sched- Not looked back
uling of multi-drop deliveries, which we make In particular Unitrans benefits from increased
using about 30 trucks at a time. It is especially efficiency in time scheduling, vehicle utilisation,
beneficial to us and our customers as it offers vehicle capacity utilisation, route optimisation as
both efficient vehicle and load capacity utilisa- well as in the area of new business proposals.
tion. “For us the system is tremendously quick,
efficient and cost effective.” Unitrans adopted the system to establish a
minimal fleet from day one which has proved
A reduction in overtime because the management team so successful that the company has not looked
guides and briefs their drivers back since. “Forward planning logistics for a
business of our size is critical, therefore this
He adds that the system saves Unitrans at least system suits our needs perfectly and keeps our
two hours each day in scheduling activities. business moving each day - as well as keeping
“Since moving over to this system our customers our customers happy,” Fred adds.
have reacted extremely positively. As for improved “In addition Pathfinder is flexible and responsive
efficiency for Tydstroom for on-time deliveries, and they completed the implementation within
this has seen a 12% increase.” three days. An unbelievably smooth change-over
Trip sheets to an extremely user-friendly system – our staff
Fred Theart, Contract Supervisor: Tydstroom became accustomed to it in no time.”

SOFTWARE
Clear on their roles been taken out of the scheduling operation on

Fred adds that there is minimal support required a daily basis giving more time for schedulers
subsequent to implementation as it is a fairly to plan ahead for the next day.
self-sufficient system, as long as everyone is • Vehicle utilisation has been improved at an
clear about their role. estimated 10-12%.
LogiX has also helped Unitrans to overcome • On-time delivery is impacted positively by
particular scheduling difficulties. For example, about 12%.
it assists planners to know when a certain ve-
hicle is available for re-scheduling to help out • Customer satisfaction scores high.
if difficulties are being experienced with certain • Management’s control of its operation has
deliveries. seen a vast improvement as Unitrans now
Fred concludes, “This system certainly helps you has an accurate trip sheet to work with.
plan ahead while having an accurate and a useful • The company’s relationship with its drivers
data plan in front of you at all times.” is positively impacted as the system provides
Reportcard a benchmark for driver delivery. If drivers
As a result of implementing LogiX in an opera- deviate from the process, the system is used
tional environment that includes daily scheduling, as a useful tool in industrial relations (IR)
Unitrans has experienced positive results. procedures.
• When compared with a manual scheduling Vincent van der Riet, Pathfinder Logistic Solutions, Email:
process, between 20 and 25% of hours have Vincent@pathfindersolutions.co.za.

SOFTWARE
ERP for the People

Today’s business management solutions, particularly enter- usability and accommodate business agility to
prise resource planning (ERP) solutions, are evolving from a help organisations capture the full benefits of
focus on transactions and data entry to people and usability. their solution.
This includes attention to varying work styles, role-based per- People most important
spectives on information and tasks, and the need to extract This ‘design-for-people’ approach places the
information in the context of business processes. workers’ contextual tasks at the centre of the
application’s interface. The tasks are the basis for
S
all transactions, business processes, collaboration
trategix Business Solutions managing di-
efforts, and tools. Transactional processing and
rector, Jaco Stoltz, says this shift is being
performance are still relevant, but people become
driven by workers’ dissatisfaction with rigid
the most important element of the solution.
solutions that fail to integrate cross-busi-
ness processes, adapt to changing global markets, Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 is a leading example
or address the needs of individuals in different of a business management solution designed to
kinds of jobs. “This inflexibility results in poor optimise usability, improve user productivity and
usability, both for the individual worker and for meet the needs of people in a variety of roles to
the solution’s fit with company-wide business drive business success. The solution’s user-friendly
processes and requirements.” navigation, familiar interface, visualisation aids,
and self-service business intelligence (BI) tools
Rigid business management solutions force people to are prime examples of highly usable features.
abandon their creativity
Creativity abandoned
According to a recent Forrester report, there is Jaco says a business management solution can
a shift toward “Dynamic Business Applications” only increase efficiency through process speed
that is helping to address this challenge. Dy- and automation. “It takes people, their ideas,
namic business applications greatly enhance collaboration, and decisions to envision products

SOFTWARE
mass market products.

The design elements in
Microsoft Dynamics solu-
tions have a similar look
and feel to those used in
other Microsoft applica-
tions such as Microsoft
Office 2007 and Windows
Vista, which capitalises
on the knowledge of mil-
lions of consumers who
already know how to use
these products,” Jaco
explains.
Untapped growth
The Microsoft Dynamics
AX 2009 interface design
is based on a range of per-
sonas segmented across
various departments and
process groups. These
personas, or roles, are
the basis for the design
of personalised home
pages that are central to
the product design.
Individuals often track pertinent business information Jaco says Microsoft Dy-
using separate spreadsheets because using a centralised namics AX 2009 is a solution that is accessible
and relevant to a variety of people can contribute
system is too complex and time-consuming
significantly to business success. “Although the
and services, create value, and drive business usability of a business management solution is
forward. Therefore, any system that prioritises only one aspect of productiv-
information processing over people and their ity, it is critical because it
needs limits, the potential of those people and can constrain or magnify all
the success of the business.” other productivity benefits
He says rigid business management solutions of the so-
force people to abandon their creativity, and ulti- lution.”
mately results in poor user adoption, frustration,
and lost business opportunities. “After hearing
customers describe such limitations, Microsoft
made a commitment to place people, and their
ability to add value, at the centre of solu-
tion design.”
“Make business man-
agement solutions
as easy to use as

SOFTWARE
According to a recent study from AMR Research,

on average only 15 percent of employees are
licensed to use their company’s ERP
solution and 46 percent of ERP
licences remain unused. Because a
limited portion of the organisation
is using the solution, the potential
for productivity benefits and growth
remains untapped.
Daily tasks
Why aren’t ERP solutions adopted more broadly,
by more employees, and for more of their daily Moreover, you can
tasks? Unfortunately, these solutions are often use unified commu-
identified as too difficult to use; too rigid; or nications to determine who
both. A 2007 Forrester Research report con- is available, easily share
cluded that “poorly designed user interfaces can information and documents,
profoundly affect the bottom line. The expenses and collaborate on the spot.
associated with a bad UI, over the course of the “Empower your people with a business
application’s lifetime, may end up being many management solution that places them at the
times the cost of the application itself.” crux of business operations and frees them to
Jaco says the negative impact of low usability can exercise the creativity, agility, and collaboration
include increased training times, a lack of user that can drive success. As an end-to-end busi-
adoption, and a decrease in workplace produc- ness management solution built on the Microsoft
tivity. “When people don’t use the ERP system, technology stack, Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009
mission-critical processes can be compromised provides an adaptable, scalable solution with
because there is no access to or enforcement of familiar tools to help staff improve productivity,
standard operations and best practices. Further- automate business processes, achieve the insight
more, individuals often track pertinent business needed to drive success, and manage growth and
information using separate spreadsheets because change,” he concludes.
using a centralised system is too complex and Jaco Stoltz, Managing director, Strategix Business So-
time-consuming.” lutions (Pty) Ltd, Tel: (011) 805-1023, Email: jacos@
Shared team site strategix.co.za
“Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 works closely
with the other Microsoft Office products that
staff already uses, so they can easily share
information inside and outside the organisa-
tion. For instance, they can export business
information, including list pages, to Excel. Then
they can use PivotTable views to analyse the
data, generate charts, and quickly distribute
the results by publishing to a shared team
site,” he adds.
Staff using Word can access information in
Microsoft Dynamics AX and link documents to
business records, such as a customer account.
Relevant information is stored together and
easily accessible to others. Unified commu-
nications centralises contact and presence
information and integrates with Microsoft
Dynamics AX 2009. All contact infor-
mation is stored and maintained in
a single location by several teams
in the organisation.
On the spot
“Therefore, when you ac-
cess customer or supplier
contacts from Microsoft
Dynamics AX, you can be sure that
the data is the most accurate and up to date.

TRANSPORT + LOGISTICS MANAGEMENT
Sustainable Approach to
Freight in South Africa
“Supply Chain Today” recently attended the Launch of the CSIR’s “Sustainable Transport + Mobility Hand-
book.” The section on freight is reproduced here for the benefit of readers.
E
conomic sustainability logistics costs. This can generally be attributed to
Freight transport supports the South the large distances between typical origins and
African economy, as it constituted more destinations and the cost of fuel. South Africa
than 8% of South Africa’s gross domestic requires more transport per unit of commodity
product in 2007. Compared with a world average than most countries in the world (CSIR. 2008).
of 39%, transport made up 53% of the country’s Almost two thirds of road transport costs are
attributable to fuel expenses and 29% of
freight transport cost is exposed to external
factors beyond the transport operator’s control
(CSIR, 2008).
Externalities affecting freight transport include
congestion, accidents and weather. The afford-
ability of freight transport is highly exposed
and vulnerable to external factors, placing a
question mark behind the freight system’s
economic sustainability.
A lack of proper inter-modal facilities
between ports, roads and rails, is the
main inhibiting factor for growth in
containerised traffic
Inter-modal
Ownership of infrastructure plays a significant
role in the success and growth of the industry.
The fact that various infrastructure is privately
owned, or owned by Transnet, prohibits co-
hesion, limiting the systemic operational
improvements that can be achieved. A lack
of proper inter-modal facilities between ports,
roads and rails, is the main inhibiting factor
for growth in containerised traffic.
For instance, Transnet’s responsibility for
port planning and management deters private
sector investment and has resulted in a situ-
ation where several ports are badly in need
of further redevelopment, investment and
modernisation, but are limited by the provi-
sion of capital under the control of central
government. Common transport development
plans and policies-and adherence thereto-are
required to avoid micromanagement inhibiting
growth in the entire system.
Below par
South Africa is below par when compared with
international freight transport best practice. This

is due to insufficient equipment, technology and at their most efficient

facilities. Rail transport equipment (locomotives, when fully loaded. Large
wagons, signalling equipment and rail tracks) vehicles and load com-
in general are old and outdated, necessitating binations have positive
much of the nation’s rail rolling stock to need effects on fuel consump-
replacement soon. tion and emissions, but
As a result of poor wagon fleet renewal practice, this potential gains will
old rail wagons with reduces payloads exist in not be attainable should
substantial numbers, limiting the railways’ ability the size restriction come
to carry extra tonnage. In addition the rail lines into effect.
are narrow gauge, which limits their efficient Social sustainability
carrying capacity even further. An updated and Modal selection is nor-
overhaul of all freight equipment, technology and mally based on the type
facilities is needed to improve sustainability. of commodity and its
Environmental sustainability associated transportation
In terms of the non-renewable resources, South requirements. Not all
African freight transport is highly unsustain- commodities are suitable
able. All roads, water and air freight, as well for transportation on all
as about 10% of rail transport, is powered by modes. Factors that could Tanya Lane
(non-renewable) fossil fuel. The state of affairs influence the number of
heavily exposed the country to oil supply risks potential modes include the mode’s delivery speed,
or disruptions, as road transport is by far the availability, accessibility, inter-modal connections
dominant mode in the country. and flexibility, capacity, safety, reliability and cost.
This limits the scope of mode selection.
Only pipeline transport and 90% of rail transport
is electrified. Though electrified transport allows There is talk of restricting the size and maximum loads
for the electricity to be generated from renewable of vehicles in rural roads
resources (such as hydropower or wind), the
dominant feedstock for electricity generation in Poor historic monetary policy in South Africa has
South Africa is coal (which is another unsustain- led to disputes between various transport modes
able, non-renewable resource). regarding equity in recovery of infrastructure pro-
vision, management, operation and maintenance
Substantial damage cost. “The […] situation frequently prejudice South
With regards to emission, an oil- and coal-powered African road transport operators in particular and
freight is not ideal. It is, however, beneficial to use land freight in general.” (DOT, 1996).
electricity as opposed to liquid fuels, because the
associated emission can be confined to remote Road over rail
locations and are not necessarily generated at the Advantages of road freight over rail include: ac-
transport location.
Uneven modal distribution
in favour of road transport
has caused substantial
damage to infrastructure
in South Africa. The previ-
ous Minister of transport,
Jeff Radebe, announced
in September 2007 that
the country faced a R17
billion deficit to road
maintenance over the
following five years, relat-
ing to nearly 15% of the
national road network.
There is talk of restricting
the size and maximum
loads of vehicles in rural
roads in an attempt to
stop this trend. While
this might solve their
infrastructure problem
temporarily, trucks are

cessibility (many places are only accessible by motor

vehicles), competition (resulting improved service,
reliability, operations, equipment and competitive
pricing) and no perceived need for cross-subsidisation.
It is not surprising that land transportation (road and
rail) accounts for more than 90% of total transport,
with road enjoying 66% of market share.
Inter-modal interchange facilities (of which there
are presently very few in South Africa) can facilitate
the use of the most appropriate and environmentally
friendly transport for different parts of a journey, for
example using rail for long distance and trucks for
local travel.
Trucks have the third highest number of vehicle

crashes
Fatal crashes
In terms of safety, 9.97% of the vehicles involved in
fatal crashes in 2004 were trucks per 10 000 vehicles.
This is mainly due to the extent at which trucks are
used annually (number of vehicles miles travelled). A
major contributing factor to the cause of truck related
accidents is the age and maintenance levels of trucks.
The average age of a truck is 12 years. Improved
maintenance and regulations should make these old
trucks less accident prone.
Driver fatigue is another major cause of trucking acci-
dents. Shifting some of the road transport to the modes
of transport should, therefore, improve road safety in
South Africa. South Africa is a country severely af-
flicted by HIV/Aids. The illness is especially prevalent
among truck drivers and the transfer of HIV/Aids and
sexually transmitted infections is a growing concern in
the transport industry. Truck stops can be an important
part of the strategy to protect truck drivers against
these and other illnesses and provide information on
the risks (www.arrivealive.co.za). Human health is also
affected by poor air quality associated with transport
emissions. Air quality and emissions standards can
combat these effects.
Conclusion
South African freight is generally not considered sus-
tainable, at present. A move towards modal integration
and a more equal modal distribution will go along
way to improve system sustainability. Environmentally
speaking, stepping away from non-renewable resources
and introducing fuel and vehicle emissions standards
should be apriority.
The impact of current monopolies on the freight system
should be carefully monitored, provoking government
action to mitigate negative effects where possible. As
with most sustainability initiatives, government has
to show strong leadership to elicit buy-in from all
stakeholders in the industry.

Market Forum
Africa, one of FAW’s most important
target areas.
Eugene van der Berg, FAW Vehicle Manufactur-
ers SA, Tel: (011) 392-1530, Email: eugene@
fawsa.co.za
Fat profits
“Lean and agile supply chains are
critical in meeting today’s challenges
of demand and supply uncertainties,
cost reductions, and complexity. The
intensity of the business arena clearly
illustrates the importance of a highly
responsive supply chain. A company
needs the ability to swiftly evolve in
accordance with change, making it
essential that their supply chain has
the in-built flexibility to respond with
the minimum of upheaval,” says Keith
Fenner, vice president sales - Africa,
FAW South Africa’s CEO, Richard Leiter
Softline Accpac.
Finance its own vehicles While solutions like Business Process Management, Quality
China’s leading truck manufacturer FAW, and the China- Management and ERP have all addressed only the inner
Africa Development Fund (CADFund) have launched an workings of an organisation, Supply Chain Management
investment company for Africa with a capital base of more (SCM) aims to integrate the company’s internal systems
than R800 million. to those of its suppliers, partners and customers. Tech-
FAW South Africa’s CEO Richard Leiter says that this nologies such as the Internet, electronic data interchange,
investment will significantly help FAW business in South transportation and warehouse management software,
Africa and the African continent. He adds that, impor- including software that manages plant scheduling, de-
tantly, part of this capital will go towards FAW starting mand forecasting and procurement, make SCM a versatile
its own finance company to serve the Southern African strategy to adopt.
region and beyond. By understanding what customers demand and what goods
“Finance through the normal channels
has become a real challenge in our field
and we welcome this capital, which will
enable us to become more entrepreneurial
and grow our business.
“This will give us a significant competi-
tive advantage as we will control our
own deals. Not many companies, if any,
in our industry are in such a position,”
adds Richard.
Zhao Jianping, CADFund Chairman,
says that CADFund is the first equity
investment fund in China that focuses
on investments in Africa.
He adds that with the capital to continu-
ously make the fundamental improve-
ments, FAW’s business will continue to
grow cross-border where it has dem-
onstrated an ability to be successful.
“In the last six months FAW sold more
than 10 000 vehicles in Africa making
the continent, and especially Southern
Keith Fenner

Market Forum
are being marketed to stimulate demand, it would make and Just-In-Sequence supply of parts and components to
sense to then integrate directly to the supply chain in terms various module assemblers, and also to final assembly
of purchasing goods. This would typically be a purchase sites as required.
order projection module that understands the dynamics “With big automotive brands such as Behr, BMW, General
from usage, minimum levels, lead times as well as mar- Motors, Mercedes Benz, Opel, Porsche, Smart and Volk-
keting data. Combine this with a view into the supplier swagen as customers, Imperial Logistics offers substantial
in terms of packaging, shipments and delivery times, and experience and expertise in this sector,” Marius adds.
the business can obtain huge cost savings when it comes
to delivering these goods to store locations. Imperial Logistics Southern Africa has exciting plans to
progressively expand these, together with more classic /
Website: www.sage.com
fundamental logistics service offerings such as warehous-
ing and transportation in southern Africa.
Simoné Du Plooy, Brand Manager, Tel: (011) 821-5500, Fax: (011)
873-1855, Email: simone@il.co.za, Website: www.imperiallogistics.
co.za
New contract in Germany

Gillhuber Logistik Group, a 100% subsidiary of Imperial
Logistics International’s business unit, Panopa Logistiek
has been awarded the management of external warehousing
and interplant transport for long-term customer BMW. The Recognition
additional services will see Imperial Logistics overseeing Nike SA and Barloworld Logistics have recently won Nike
1 000 deliveries daily, utilising up to 200 trucks to all EMEA’s top award for supply chain excellence. In 2007,
BMW Bavarian locations and its Leipzig plant. Barloworld Logistics was awarded the opportunity to design,
“Gillhuber delivers an innovative concept to automotive, build and operate a Customer Service Centre (CSC) for
supplier and consumer goods industries throughout the Nike South Africa. The CSC is a global concept, brought
supply chain,” says Imperial Logistics CEO, Marius Swane- to South Africa to satisfy Nike’s current base of clients in
poel. “By means of modern IT applications and efficiently Southern Africa, and to satisfy the anticipated demand
organised processes, the company considerably reduces for their products over the next few years (influenced
the proportion of empty runs and substantially increases particularly by South Africa’s hosting of global football
capacity utilisation of equipment used.” events in 2009 and 2010).
Marius explains that Panopa handles the distribution of In December 2008, after an incredibly fast turnaround
processed steel rolls, automotive parts, components and time for the construction and the go-live of its world-class
the preliminary assembly of certain products for a number systems, Barloworld Logistics opened a remarkable 16
of European vehicle and component manufacturers. It 000m 2 facility for Nike in Meadowdale, Gauteng. Dubbed
devises holistic logistics solutions offering Just-In-Time Project Bokamoso, many of the aspects of this sophis-
ticated facility are of world-class standard and a first
for both Barloworld Logistics
and Nike. The facility is now
fully operational and deliver-
ing unprecedented results and
efficiencies for Nike SA.
Due to Nike’s wide product
assortment, the warehousing
system required is complex, as
it services 25000 active SKUs
(stock keeping units), each with
an individual storage location.
Barloworld Logistics has been
able to successfully implement
and integrate their own and 3rd
party software to manage the
complete processing of Nike
South Africa’s annual volume
requirements shipped through
the facility.
Website: www.barloworld-logistics.
com

Market Forum
Direct route to Nigeria Services as its shipping agent, which offers heavy-lift
Universal Africa Lines (UAL), the specialist shipping line capacity of up to 300 tons.
to the West African oil and gas fields, ended its first year Website: www.universalafricalines.com
in South Africa in bullish mood, opening an express direct
shipping route to Nigeria.
The new route makes UAL-SA the first break-bulk (non-
containerised, packaged cargo) shipping service from South
Africa to call directly on Nigeria, says Haakon Røstad, MD
of UAL-SA. Previously, UAL’s ships dotted down in Durban,
Cape Town, Walvis Bay, Lobito, Luanda (Sonils), Soyo,
Pointe Noire , Port Gentil, Malabo, Onne (Port Harcourt) Online import system
and finally, Lagos. TNT Express announced the worldwide launch of its new
The new route comes at a time of accelerating growth for Express Import system which gives customers complete
UAL-SA. After setting up in Cape Town early in 2009, the control over their import shipments. This web-based tool
company set out on its maiden voyage in May last year. lets companies order the collection of import shipments
Since then it has completed 21 fortnightly sailings up the from around 170 countries with quotations and billing in
West coast of the continent, building up a loyal client base their local currency to better control shipping costs.
of South African industries supplying exploration projects, One unique feature of TNT’s Express Import system is
mines and the secondary industries around them. the option to request a quotation before the booking is
UAL’s customers are from industries as diverse as steel, completed. This means customers can effectively decide
paper, explosives, heavy equipment manufacturing, con- when their import shipment will arrive and at what cost.
struction material and chemicals. Their numbers have TNT ships the goods via its ground or air network, de-
increased sufficiently over 12 months to provide a solid pending on the customer’s budget and timeline require-
basis for growth, starting with the Nigerian connection, ments. Express Import is available with any of TNT’s core
says Haakon. delivery services.
To streamline the service, UAL has secured an exclusive TNT’s Express Import system not only offers greater con-
berth at the Apapa oil base facility belonging to logistics trol, it is convenient to use and highly automated. The
firm Eko Support Services. In terms of this arrangement, importing customer enters orders online and connects to
UAL customers benefit from immediate berthing, speedy the sender via email. TNT takes care of language barri-
clearance in a customs-free zone, two weeks’ free storage ers, produces the necessary paperwork for the sender,
and special tariffs for unloading and delivery to clients. and handles collection, transportation, customs clear-
ance as required and delivery of the consignment to the
The Eko facility offers 50 reefer plugs and a depot with
designated address.
capacity for 300 containers, operating around the clock
with full guarded security. In addition, the door-to-door The system is available in many languages, including
service offers barge delivery to Niger Dock on Snake Island English, Spanish, German, French, Italian and Chinese.
across the Niger River. UAL has signed Premier Logistics Website: www.tnt.com

On the Move
Criterion
Equipment, a
wholly owned
subsidiary of
Subscription
Invicta Hold-
ings Limited, Please fax us if you wish to subscribe to “Supply Chain Today” at
has made the
R375,00 (incl postage and VAT) per year; R875,00 per year for Af-
following ap-
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pointment an-
Brenton Kemp Shaun Collins
nouncements: PROMECH PUBLISHING Fax No: (011) 781-1403
Brenton Kemp is general manager and Shaun Collins is
national sales manager.
From:.........................................................................................
Growing Logistics Road Transport (insert your name)

company, Concargo (Pty) Ltd. re-
cently named Dean Page as its Chief
Executive Officer. Dean will report Title: ..........................................................................................
directly to Concargo Founder and
Chairman, David Kruyer. Company: .................................................................................
As a supply chain and logistics
industry veteran, Dean will bring Address: ..................................................................................
his financial and transport industry
Dean Page
expertise to his role as CEO. This
will help Concargo through its high growth period and ....................................................................................................
help expand its role in the industry.
“Dean has outstanding credentials and is a great fit for this ......................................................................Code: ..................
important position. As a small company, we recognised
that we needed someone like Dean to grow our business. Telephone: ( ) ....................................................................
His corporate, financial and leadership experience as well
as his expertise in the transport and financial industries
Fax: ( ) .................................................................................
will serve us well,” says David Kruyer.
“I am thrilled to be heading up the Concargo team. I am
committed to their mission of providing solutions and quality Email:........................................................................................
added-value services,” says Dean. “The Concargo model
works. I look forward to leading the company through this
exciting growth period and into the future.”
Index to Advertisers
Kemtek Imaging Systems Holdings Afzelia Inside Back Cover
Limited has appointed Andy Baker
Apex 6
as Group Chief Executive Officer,
effective March 2010. Bar Trans 16
Andy spent the last four years with CLF 26
the Altech group; the last 2 years as DHL Inside Front Cover
Group Chief Operating Officer. Prior
to this he was with DHL Express GSC Awards 10
Andy Baker for 12 years, spending four years Engineer Placements 22
as Regional Managing Director of
Linde 28
Southern Africa and a year running DHL Turkey, based
in Istanbul. M&M Systems 34
Toekie Rudaizky, Chairman and Founder of the Kemtek Paul Steyn 20
group comments, “We are delighted to have Andy on board Psion 18
and feel that his international experience, coupled with
his more than 20 years experience managing businesses, SA Industrial Linings 24
will bring great value and future growth to our group. Sapics Outside Back Cover
Andy will complement Kemtek’s existing accomplished
Toyota Outside Front Cover
executive team and our philosophies of bringing superior
products, accompanied by superior service to the industries Universal 12
we supply will be further enhanced and consolidated in Westcon Mobility 36
the years ahead.”

The beat goes on
The 2010 Soccer World Cup will offer many
challenges for the operations management
profession. But what happens when it is all over?
Supply Chain and Operations Management
professionals must maintain a steady, reliable
beat as we continue to move African industry
forward to ensure our sustainable footprint.
The SAPICS Annual Conference is the Leading

Event in Africa for Supply Chain and Operations
Management Professionals.
With the participation of: Principal sponsor:
32nd Annual Conference & Exhibition

Platinum sponsors:
25 - 28 July 2010
Sun City
Gold sponsor: Silver sponsor:
T 011 023 6707, F 086 575 2979 or

40 Supply Chain Today June 2010 upavon@icon.co.za. www.sapics.org.za

SCT: June 2010

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Ready for Action

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electric forklifts. The Toyota 7FBE is the most

Supply Chain Today June 2010 

Go East, Young Man,

INSULATED IMPACT TRAFFIC DOOR

Kobus van der Wath

minimise costs, made-in-China products are

 Supply Chain Today June 2010

Getting Stuck on Labels

Rowan Beattie, Managing Director, Pyrote

proach when it comes to unusual labeling ap-

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novative and added value options that

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booklet formats for display of large amounts

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Green This prestigious award recognises

The inaugural awards in 2009

Come and see who walks away

Entries for this year’s event close in

Contact: Catherine Larkin on

Use It, Don’t Lose It

These systems had shortcomings in the

Supply Chain Today June 2010 11

ments and cost.

Miniaturised markings on a bearing housing

of the code to be obscured without af-

12 Supply Chain Today June 2010

rainbow without the addition of paints

Indestructible labels for

The company is also involved in research

Supply Chain Today June 2010 13

Tom Binns, High Clean Windows

From the ground

It’s not uncommon to see guys

Cleaning “Detergents have the additional disadvantage

Cleanliness is crucial Health & Safety regulations.

Supply Chain Today June 2010 15

16 Supply Chain Today June 2010

The Feminine Touch

Supply Chain Today June 2010 17

18 Supply Chain Today June 2010

Supply Chain Today June 2010 19

Smart reset door

TO LET special guides, together with the

Contact Paul Steyn:

20 Supply Chain Today June 2010

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various OEM derivatives, MD Patrick

22 Supply Chain Today June 2010

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rather than a business initiative alone.”

We’re all talking about going green and how

“One of our clients spends R40 million a year on

24 Supply Chain Today June 2010

Supply Chain Today June 2010 25

ample – it’s no longer necessary to generate reams of

26 Supply Chain Today June 2010

Durbanville agrees that the LogiX system is

Supply Chain Today June 2010 27

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