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Chevron U.S.A. Inc., through its Chevron New Energies division, and a subsidiary of Enterprise Products Partners L.P. (NYSE: EPD) announced a framework to study and evaluate opportunities for carbon dioxide (CO2) capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) from their respective business operations in the U.S. Midcontinent and Gulf Coast. The companies expect the initial phase of the study in which they will evaluate specific business opportunities to last about six months.

“This joint effort has the potential to advance our ongoing work to grow our lower carbon businesses with commercial scale using the industry expertise both companies bring to the project,” said Jeff Gustavson, president of Chevron New Energies. “International climate change scientists working with the United Nations have identified carbon capture as a critical technology needed to help the global energy system transition to a lower carbon future.”

Chevron logo 2020The companies have successfully worked together on prior business opportunities and believe they bring complementary capabilities to successfully pursue CCUS. Projects resulting from the evaluation would seek to combine Enterprise’s extensive midstream pipeline and storage network with Chevron’s sub-surface expertise to create opportunities to capture, aggregate, transport and sequester carbon dioxide in support of the evolving energy landscape.

“The joint study with Chevron is part of our growing focus on developing and utilizing new technologies and leveraging our transportation and storage network in order to better manage our own carbon footprint and provide customers with new midstream services to support a lower carbon economy,” said A.J. “Jim” Teague, co-chief executive officer of Enterprise’s general partner. “Our success in upgrading and repurposing existing assets will be important to the success of any initiative we move forward with.”

Chevron is one of the world’s leading integrated energy companies. We believe affordable, reliable and ever-cleaner energy is essential to achieving a more prosperous and sustainable world. Chevron produces crude oil and natural gas; manufactures transportation fuels, lubricants, petrochemicals and additives; and develops technologies that enhance our business and the industry. To advance a lower-carbon future, we are focused on cost efficiently lowering our carbon intensity, increasing renewables and offsets in support of our business, and investing in low-carbon technologies that enable commercial solutions. More information about Chevron is available at www.chevron.com.

Enterprise Products Partners L.P. is one of the largest publicly traded partnerships and a leading North American provider of midstream energy services to producers and consumers of natural gas, NGLs, crude oil, refined products and petrochemicals. Our services include: natural gas gathering, treating, processing, transportation and storage; NGL transportation, fractionation, storage and export and import terminals; crude oil gathering, transportation, storage and export and import terminals; petrochemical and refined products transportation, storage, export and import terminals and related services; and a marine transportation business that operates primarily on the United States inland and Intracoastal Waterway systems. The partnership’s assets include approximately 50,000 miles of pipelines; 260 million barrels of storage capacity for NGLs, crude oil, refined products and petrochemicals; and 14 Bcf of natural gas storage capacity. Please visit www.enterpriseproducts.com for more information.

Monday, 13 September 2021 20:32

Big performance from small NSK ball screws

A new high-speed series of miniature large-lead ball screws from NSK Linear Motion Control offers a number of important benefits to users, including reduced product takt time, the potential to downsize equipment, and reduced power consumption. Among the applications set to benefit are semiconductor chip mounters and parts aligning equipment.

The performance attributes of the new ball screws, together with a large lead and small diameter, make the products optimal for equipment used in the semiconductor industry, where demands include exceptionally high levels of throughput and chip mounting accuracy.

NSK has successfully reduced the load on motors by making the ball screw shaft diameter as small as possible to reduce inertia, while at the same time increasing the lead through the introduction of new manufacturing technologies. Furthermore, by adopting the company’s end deflector recirculation system, which offers high speed and low noise characteristics, NSK has succeeded in achieving rotational speeds of up to 5000 rpm.

These advanced capabilities are ideal for chip mounters and other such equipment that requires a relatively short stroke, enabling operation at high acceleration/deceleration, as well as traverse speeds exceeding 1.25 m/sec. This speed surpasses the performance of linear motors to ensure the easy reduction of takt time.

Applications set to benefit from NSK’s miniature large-lead series of high-speed, low-noise ball screws include semiconductor chip mounters and parts aligning equipmentApplications set to benefit from NSK’s miniature large-lead series of high-speed, low-noise ball screws include semiconductor chip mounters and parts aligning equipment

The miniature large-lead ball screw, which is part of NSK’s Compact-FA series and available on a short lead time, can also replace small air cylinders as it offers both high-speed and high-precision multipoint positioning. Importantly, the range is environmentally friendly, free from any hazardous substances, thus helping to support the sustainability credentials of NSK customers.

Both 6 and 8 mm shaft diameters are available alongside the largest lead options in its class: 8, 10, 12 and 15 mm. A low-profile nut, which reduces flange and nut heights by up to 33% compared with conventional ball screws, contributes to the downsizing of machines and, in turn, reduces power consumption.

Among the available options is NSK’s K1 lubrication unit, which slowly exudes lubricating oil from its resin component to provide long-term maintenance-free operation.

Further information is available at www.nsk-literature.com/en/compact-fa-ball-screws

About NSK Europe
NSK Europe Ltd. is the European organisation of the Tokyo-based bearing manufacturer NSK, which was founded in Japan in 1916 and today employs nearly 30,400 people in its worldwide operations. The products and solutions provided by the industrial and automotive supplier can be found wherever things move. In addition to nearly all types of rolling bearings, the company’s portfolio includes housed bearings, linear technology, wheel bearing units, transmission and engine bearings and steering systems. The company is oriented to perfection in all of its business activities. Its aim is quality leadership in its industry, which it strives for through a continuous process of improvement, excellent product development, optimised production processes and customer-oriented service processes. In fiscal year 2020, the more than 4,350 employees of NSK Europe Ltd. generated sales of over € 792 million.
www.nskeurope.com 

Fluke Process Instruments, a global leader in infrared imaging and thermal profiling solutions for industrial applications, releases the latest Datapaq® Furnace Tracker System – complete with the TP6 data logger, thermal barriers and intuitive software.

The Datapaq Furnace Tracker System is designed to be used repeatedly, in-process in the most hostile manufacturing environments, providing accurate and reliable through-process temperature surveys. Each system can help users improve process performance, decrease downtime, reduce temperature uniformity survey (TUS) reporting times and more.

The first component of the system is the Datapaq® TP6 Data Logger, which can withstand the longest, most-demanding operating conditions. The Datapaq TP6 features a 316-grade, stainless-steel case and a IP67 rating, making it water resistant. This datalogger is available with either 10 or 20 thermocouple inputs and can be specified for use with base or noble metal thermocouples.

The latest thermal barrier models are ideal for high-temperature heat treat processes and have been designed to provide maximum thermal protection – including applications such as vacuum and controlled atmosphere, slab reheat and solution aging, among others. The new patented quenchable thermal barriers eliminate the need for fiber blankets. Fluke Process Instruments also offers bespoke design services to create a solution that specifically fits a customer’s process.

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To complete the system, Fluke Process Instruments offers the Datapaq Insight™ Software which transforms raw data into actionable analytics, clear user interface, context sensitive help screens and assistance options for infrequent users. Three software options are available and the complimentary Datapaq Insight for mobile is offered for free. This mobile application allows users to reset, download and analyze right on the factory floor and check thermocouple operation before a thermal profile run. The advanced TUS software also provides full temperature profiles and traceable reports for industry regulations like AMS2750 and CQi-9.

“The latest Datapaq Furnace Tracker System offers customers a robust solution that is designed for harsh environments like quenching and high temperatures,” says Rob Hornsblow, Product Manager at Fluke Process Instruments. “Whether users are working with raw materials or finished products, measuring product and atmosphere temperatures throughout the furnace is critical in ensuring both product quality and process efficiency. Datapaq continues to provide real-time, repeatable temperature data that can help improve performance and system accuracy, decrease downtime and much more.”

“We’ve really focused on what customers wanted in when engineering this new system and we are excited to introduce the patented quenchable thermal barriers, an IP67 rated data logger and the Insight for Mobile application that will allows users to check thermocouple operation before each run”.

The Datapaq Furnace Tracker System – including the new TP6 Data Logger and thermal barrier models – are now available. To learn more, or to speak with a specialist in your region, visit this page.

2021 09 13 202712About Fluke Process Instruments
Fluke Process Instruments designs, manufactures, and markets a complete line of infrared (IR) temperature measurement and profiling solutions for industrial, maintenance, and quality control applications. Distributed worldwide under the Raytek, Ircon and Datapaq brands, the products reflect the combined experience of over 150 years in manufacturing the world’s finest temperature measurement tools and devices.
About Fluke
Founded in 1948, Fluke Corporation is the world leader in compact, professional electronic test tools. Fluke customers are technicians, engineers, electricians, and metrologists who install, troubleshoot and manage industrial, electrical and electronic equipment and calibration processes.

Qdos chemical metering pumps from Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Group (WMFTG) now feature four configurable outputs to help users cut down on the need for additional PLCs and provide extra flexibility when communicating with SCADA or other external monitoring systems.

By listening to customer requests regarding new functionality, WMFTG has expanded its accurate and versatile Qdos Universal + relay series to provide four configurable outputs as well as the 4-20mA. As a result, users can access increased options for connectivity, enabling improved communication regarding pump performance and function status.

All Qdos Universal + Relay pumps produced by WMFTG from the March 2020 will feature four changeover relay outputs, with either 110VAC 4A or 24VDC 4A contact rating. These configurable outputs will sit alongside the current 4-20mA, in fact providing a total of five outputs.

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The upgrade has been facilitated by the addition of a newly designed relay PCB for the Universal + Relay (R) Model. To allow quick set-up of the four outputs, the software has been modified to allow for easy and intuitive configuration.

These new hardware and software measures have been introduced as part of WMFTG’s continuous improvement programme for the Qdos pump range, building on its market advantage. With the 4 configurable outputs available with Qdos, the Qdos metering pump is leading the market and providing the user with increased flexibility and overall system control.

Delivering flow rates that remain constant up to 7 bar, Qdos peristaltic chemical metering pumps give users a unique advantage over diaphragm-based alternatives. Furthermore, Qdos pumps offer long maintenance intervals, reducing the impact of process downtime and lowering the total cost of ownership.

www.wmftg.com

Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Group (WMFTG) is the world leader in peristaltic pumps and associated fluid path technologies. The Group comprises ten established brands, each with their own area of expertise. Together they provide leading engineering solutions across the food, pharmaceutical, chemical and environmental industries.

WMFTG is headquartered in Falmouth, UK with international operations in 44 countries and employing over 1750 people globally.

Watson-Marlow is a wholly owned subsidiary of multi-national industrial engineering Group, Spirax-Sarco Engineering plc, a constituent of the FTSE 100, with strategically located manufacturing plants around the world and almost 8,000 employees, including 1,900 direct sales and service engineers. 

As a leading engineering group, we have an ethical responsibility to manage our economic, environmental and social impacts, while helping our customers and suppliers to do the same. In August this year, WMFTG committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2040.

Further information can be found at www.wmftg.com

Concrete is the second most consumed substance on the planet, trailing only potable water. Cement production – an essential ingredient for concrete - alone contributes to 7% of global anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. As the world will see the building stock double in size by 2050, pressure for the cement industry to decarbonize has risen swiftly.

While cement accounts for a small part of the volume of concrete, it is almost entirely responsible for concrete’s carbon emissions. Cement production is not only energy-intensive, but its inherent chemical reaction – calcination - releases gaseous CO2. Efforts on fossil fuel substitution and energy efficiency improvements have been spent to tackle power-related emissions. Preventing CO2 release from the calcination reaction is trickier, but innovative solutions such as Carbon capture and Utilization (CCU) can enable low- and even negative- carbon concrete. IDTechEx’s recent report “Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage 2021-2040" explores the technical and commercial aspects of CCU, and its potential to mitigate CO2 emissions.

Point-Source Carbon Capture during Cement Making

2015 08 04 074618The CO2 produced during the calcination reaction can be captured at point-source to be either stored safely underground (carbon storage) or used for a range of industrial applications (carbon utilization), including concrete manufacturing. These carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS)  technologies are likely to play a key role in the fight against climate change, with the UN estimating that CCUS could mitigate between 1.5 and 6.3 gigatonnes of CO2 equivalents per year by 2050.

Though CCUS technologies do exist commercially, they will need to scale up hundreds of times to have a meaningful impact on global emissions. As CO2 storage has no business model without a regulatory framework, CO2 utilization could boost the economic feasibility of CCU. However, for captured CO2 to be widely utilized as a raw material, CO2 marketplaces and distribution infrastructure will need to expand accordingly.

Carbon Utilization in Concrete Manufacturing

Using the CO2 captured on-site as a feedstock for concrete manufacturing could be an effective way to come full circle. A promising solution that applies this principle is carbon-cured concrete. In CO2-curing, captured CO2 is injected to accelerate the process, strengthen the concrete, and sequester the CO2 into the end-product.

The Montreal-based cleantech CarbiCrete uses this CO2-curing method to produce carbon negative precast concrete blocks. The negative emissions are achieved not only by utilizing CO2, but also by using an industrial waste as raw material, steel slag, eliminating the need for cement altogether. A more modest carbon footprint reduction of around 5% is promised by CarbonCure, although its technology has a broader market penetration, spanning both precast and ready-mix concrete. The company is also using captured CO2 to strengthen recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) and to treat concrete wash water to allow for its reuse.

Another Canadian startup, Carbon Upcycling Technologies (CUT), makes additives for concrete by incorporating CO2 into industrial waste powder by-products such as fly ash. CUT’s resulting CO2-enhanced fly ash promises to improve concrete strength whilst reducing its carbon footprint by up to 25% through both sequestering CO2 and decreasing the demand for cement as a raw material by 10%.

Although some of these technologies promote reductions in operational and raw material costs, sourcing captured CO2 is likely to increase the overall price of the final product. With the appropriate policy incentives and cost reductions that comes with large-scale implementation, this “green premium” can be reduced, giving the edge needed for these low-carbon concrete alternatives to take off.

The Way Forward

Concrete manufacturers are facing a growing pressure to abate their emissions, even though the economic advantages of doing so are still uncertain. To capitalize from CCU technologies, concrete makers will need to commit to fundamental changes in their well-established manufacturing methods, which may involve lofty investments and partnerships with unfamiliar players, such as carbon capture companies and innovators licensing CO2 utilization solutions. Forward-thinking players are likely to future-proof their business, as they focus on both profits and sustainability.

For a more detailed analysis of the technological and economic factors in the CCUS industry over the next twenty years, please visit www.IDTechEx.com/CCUS. For the full portfolio of Green Technology research available from IDTechEx, see www.IDTechEx.com/Research/GreenTech.

About IDTechEx

IDTechEx guides your strategic business decisions through its Research, Subscription and Consultancy products, helping you profit from emerging technologies. For more information, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.IDTechEx.com.

Monday, 13 September 2021 20:18

A Decent Start to the Week

By Craig Erlam, Senior Market Analyst, UK & EMEA, OANDA

Stock markets are off to a decent start at the beginning of the week, one that will be heavily focused on US economic data ahead of the September Fed meeting.

2021 09 13 201751In many ways, it feels a little early for there to be so much attention on the meeting next week and yet, it very much seems that is what is happening. The jobs report a couple of weeks ago threw a massive spanner in the works as far as tapering is concerned but the message coming from policymakers suggests they remain undeterred.

Now that we're into the blackout period, we'll have to rely on the data to form our opinions on what the Fed will decide next week and in the final months of the year, starting with the inflation readings on Tuesday. Any indication that inflation is not as transitory as the central bank currently believes could pile on the pressure to remove stimulus more aggressively and cause some distress in the markets, something investors are very sensitive to.

Central banks are being extremely cautious though and are keen to point out that the removal of emergency stimulus measures is not linked to future rate hikes. The ECB took its foot slightly off the gas last week in what was viewed as a first step towards removing stimulus. It was a cautious first move but perhaps a sign that policymakers are wary about higher inflation.

Oil rising as OPEC forecasts stronger demand next year

Oil prices are rising on Monday, with WTI exceeding $70 once more and reaching its highest level in more than a month. This comes despite demand challenges in the coming months as a result of the Delta variant, which OPEC alluded to in its monthly report. Despite this, demand remains strong supported by output disruptions elsewhere.

The group also revised higher expectations for 2022, when it expects output to surpass pre-pandemic levels. Despite near-term risks to the demand outlook, OPEC+ is continuing to increase its output by 400,000 barrels per day each month, in line with what it agreed in July.

The technical picture is looking better for oil prices following a period of consolidation around the $70 level. Momentum has picked up with the recent move, a sign perhaps that the rally has legs and a period above here can be sustained. The summer highs may now even be in sight once more.

Gold has one eye on the Fed meeting

Much of the market already appears to have one eye on the Fed meeting next week and this is particularly true of gold, which has been hovering around $1,800 for much of the last month.

The case has been building for the Fed to take a more patient approach to tapering which has revitalized the yellow metal but we may need to see more evidence before it takes the next step. It once again failed to break $1,833 after the jobs report, further establishing the level as a key barrier of resistance.

Policymakers have seemingly been keen to ensure the data doesn't distract from the central bank's intentions to taper this year, understanding the importance of effective communication when approaching major policy shifts. That's held gold back even as the data has softened. There's plenty more to come this week but it may trade cautiously still, ahead of next weeks meeting.

Bitcoin testing major support

Bitcoin is coming under pressure once more on Monday, a little under a week after it plunged 17% following its debut in El Salvador. Once again, the cryptocurrency finds itself close to $44,000 where it has previously found strong support. A significant break of this level could be bad news for bitcoin in the near term.

For weeks now, it has been showing signs of topping out, with rallies lacking momentum and the lows being repeatedly tested. A break of $50,000 may have improved its fortunes, alongside it being adopted as legal tender in El Salvador - a massive experiment for the country and bitcoin - but instead, it quickly crashed and it's struggling to find its feet.

You can't write off bitcoin, not when there's so much excitement in the space, but a break below $44,000 could be troublesome. Even another 20% would leave it well above the lows it reached earlier this summer so we shouldn't get too carried away. Maybe Elon Musk will ride to the rescue again.

CNC specialist NUM has launched a unique 2D drawing tool that simplifies the design and creation of executable G-code files for CNC cutting machines.

  • User interface mimics popular CAD packages
  • Runs at the machine’s HMI panel or off-line on a programming PC

Known as NUMcad, the new drawing software runs directly from the machine’s operator panel and also under Windows on any standard PC. Its user interface mimics that of many popular CAD packages and is highly intuitive, making it ideal for people with minimal design experience.

NUMcad is a unique 2D drawing tool that simplifies the design and creation of executable G-code files for CNC cutting machines.NUMcad is a unique 2D drawing tool that simplifies the design and creation of executable G-code files for CNC cutting machines.

NUMcad is suitable for both design origination and design modification.

Simple drawing tools are provided for functions such as Line, Polyline, Arc 2P and Arc Center-Radius; and they are backed by a suite of editing tools such as Meet Two Lines, Shrink or Extend – and even Insert Micro-joint – which enables users to very easily customise and modify shapes.

If a user already has a CAD file and wishes to modify it, NUMcad allows AutoCad DXF files to be imported. And in the event that the user does not have a DXF file, but has created the shape on the CNC cutting machine itself, NUMcad also allows this shape to be imported from their customisable parametric shapes library.

The NUMcad software package includes a post processor; shapes or patterns that have been drawn or imported can be automatically converted into an executable G-code file for the CNC cutting machine.

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Using NUMcad, each segment of a cut can be set to rapid, marking, rough, medium or fine cut qualities, to achieve the user’s desired finish; the properties associated with the cut type are pulled from a Technology Table. Both standard shape and custom fly cutting functionalities are available, and associated functions include the ability to control the cut-side placement (kerf compensation) and tilt angle of the machine’s cutting nozzle. Nesting gives the user the option to create complex paths containing the same pattern. With settings like nesting type, number of pieces, sheet size, and scaling, the user can create a path that is sized and optimised to their liking. The added alignment settings allows the shapes to be rotated and offset for the minimisation and optimisation of uncut space – that could turn into scrap.

Much of the application development work behind NUMcad was carried out by the North American branch of NUM, which is based in Naperville, Illinois. According to Steven Schilling, General Manager of NUM Corporation, “We serve a large number of customers in the machine cutting industry, and wanted to create a software tool that would benefit as many people as possible. NUMcad meets this objective – it provides an exceptionally easy way to design or modify G-code files for 2D cutting applications.”

Windows® is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.

AutoCAD is a registered trademark or trademark of Autodesk, Inc.

Pharmaceutical manufacturers are faced with a complex juxtaposition medicines are developing at a rapid rate, while physical production lines are lagging behind. Here, Alexandra Hughes, Industry Sales Manager at automation software supplier, COPA-DATA UK, explains how technology can be used to improve equipment agility in pharmaceutical manufacturing.

The global vaccine effort in response to the COVID-19 pandemic is a clear example of the change of pace in pharmaceutical manufacturing. Vaccines aside, time-to-market is an increasingly important factor for the development of all types of pharmaceutical products. Not only is increased agility crucial to beating competitors to market, but also to keep production as streamlined as possible and enhance the throughput of a facility.

Throughput capacity is particularly important for today’s market. Unlike facilities of several decades ago, which may have focused on producing just a handful of medicines — typically of the same form, such as tablets, liquid medicines, or vaccines — today’s manufacturing lines are expected to adapt for multiple different products. This expands to accommodate the manufacture of personalised medicines and small batches.

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Pharma’s inflexibility problem

One of the greatest barriers to achieving this level of agility is the inflexibility of current pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities. As many of these factories operate with legacy machinery that is several decades old, producing new, novel medicines at the drop of a hat often is not feasible. At least, not without significant investment.

That said, the cost of introducing new equipment to a site can be colossal. From the initial cost of the machine through to programming and integration, facilities managers can rack up millions in costs for the sake of a small batch. When considering the factory footprint required for some pharmaceutical equipment too, this option is often impractical.  

Digitalization for agility

Implementing digital tools is one method to overcome this challenge. Legacy equipment can often be retrofitted with software to prepare it for the introduction of new product lines, or to allow it to communicate with other pieces of equipment.

Consider a 1990s liquid vial filling machine as an example. This could be updated to communicate seamlessly with a conveyor — despite being manufactured 30 years ago and coming from a different original equipment manufacturer (OEM). Using the right software platform, allows these machines to continue to provide value and they can be updated and designed to move and fill vials in a choreographed manner. What’s more, by adding more machinery to the mix, the entire process can be completed in a faster way than would be possible independently.  

To achieve this, manufacturers must consider the communication protocol of the equipment and whether this is compatible with the software in question. To share data effectively from multiple protocols, independent software that is suitable for facilities with multiple equipment types is essential.

Modular pharma

In addition to enhancing equipment communication, many pharmaceutical manufacturers are implementing modular production to meet the demand for personalised and small batch medicines. Modular production describes a production line that is broken into smaller modules, allowing manufacturers to isolate or combine specific modules to create new lines.

Digitalisation software can also make this possible, even with legacy equipment. What’s more, Module Type Packages (MTPs) can make modular production more straightforward. In the case of COPA-DATA’s zenon, a software platform for pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities, the tool can map out modular automation while maintaining full connectivity and control of the facility. For pharmaceutical manufacturers using zenon, this allows them to make otherwise inflexible production lines far more agile.

The pace of change in the pharmaceutical industry is faster, fiercer and often more urgent than ever before. While R&D teams are storming ahead, manufacturing facilities themselves cannot adapt at the same rate. When the deployment of new physical equipment is out of the question, digital tools must be considered to retrofit production lines and equip them with greater flexibility, dexterity and in turn, possibility.

About COPA-DATA

COPA-DATA is an independent software manufacturer that specializes in digitalization for the manufacturing industry and energy sector. Its zenon® software platform enables users worldwide to automate, manage, monitor, integrate and optimize machines, equipment, buildings and power grids. COPA-DATA combines decades of experience in automation with the potential of digital transformation. In this way, the company supports its customers to achieve their objectives more easily, faster and more efficiently.
The family-owned business was founded by Thomas Punzenberger in 1987 in Salzburg, Austria. In 2020, with more than 300 employees worldwide, it generated revenue of EUR 54 million.

www.copadata.com

In conjunction with the SITL trade show scheduled for 13-15 September at Paris Porte de Versailles, Scallog is announcing a new contract in Belgium for robotization of the new distribution centre operated by Newpharma, the Belgian online pharmacy that serves 1 million customers in 12 countries across Europe. The deployment of Scallog’s Goods-to-Person robotics solution at Newpharma’s new distribution centre, which spans 20,000 sq.m and can be expanded to 50,000 sq.m, is scheduled for the fall of 2021 and will be overseen by Smart Technics Ventures, the innovation unit at Colruyt Group, which holds a minority stake in Scallog. At SITL, Scallog will also be showcasing the latest addition to its lineup, the Flexytote robot, which will be demonstrated at the Warehouse of the Future, an immersive environment at SITL devoted to the smart warehouse and including a full line of innovations for the intralogistics of the future!

Here’s a look at how Colruyt Group forged a successful collaboration among three businesses: Newpharma, Scallog and Smart Technics Ventures!

As part of its plans to consolidate its operations in Wandre, Belgium, Newpharma will soon be inaugurating its brand-new logistics centre located on a site near the Port of Liege.  Plans for this next-generation warehouse were launched in 2019, supported by the Belgian retail business Colruyt Group. Pierre De Lit, COO at Newpharma : “Each year, Newpharma records double-digit revenue growth, which, over time, has forced us to spread our activities across several sites in Wandre and Tongeren. We have therefore decided to build one large distribution centre to support our further growth and optimise our logistics flows. We will gradually put the new installations into operation. In a first phase the site will cover 20,000 m². In 2022, we will expand the site to 50,000 m².”

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The consolidation of Newpharma's activities is accompanied by extensive automation, supported by Smart Technics. The mission of the engineering team of this Colruyt Group start-up is to integrate innovative solutions in a sustainable way. Jeroen Theys, Managing Director at Smart Technics: "In this project, we integrated the Scallog solution into Newpharma's operational flow, from the delivery of the goods by suppliers to the dispatching of the packages to end customers. Several options were considered each time to optimise stock management, order processing, order picking, packaging and ergonomics for the employees. We are very satisfied with the collaboration, which has resulted in a phased plan that will enable Newpharma to respond more flexibly to future market developments and secure further sustainable growth." 

"Scallog is already active in this sector in France. We are particularly pleased that we can equip the new Newpharma warehouse in close cooperation with Smart Technics today. This means that yet another Scallog picking facility will be operational in Belgium", Caroline Dumas Scallog International Business Manager, adds.

Here’s a closer look at the Flexytote, which will be in operational readiness at the Warehouse of the Future!

As part of its ongoing desire to include more immersive demonstrations and experiences for its industry visitors, the 2021 SITL show is showcasing a 600-square-metre smart warehouse dubbed the Warehouse of the Future, presenting the most innovative solutions on a real-life scale. The space will feature the Flexytote, a new addition to the Scallog product line, working under operating conditions to automate the transfer, loading and unloading of bins and boxes so as to speed up the order picking process.

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As a truly lightweight, flexible robotics alternative to traditional workflow automation systems, the Flexytote is based on a simple but effective principle: robots move two or three tiers of empty bins or boxes to picking stations, deposit them on order buffer racks, then retrieve them and transport them to the packaging area once the operators have completed the orders.

The logistics benefits are immediate: automated two or three tier supply on demand to the order buffer racks, elimination of load handling and transport by operators, less physical strain and accelerated order picking.

With flexibility that is unrivalled on the market, the Flexytote solution is easily integrated into any existing warehouse and can be adapted to all changes in order picking flows; the mobile robots follow optical markings on the floor that can be repositioned if and when required.  The Flexytote solution also stands out for its load capacity of up to 250 kg, the background tasks it can undertake, its ergonomics and logistics productivity and its ROI in under 18 months

About Newpharma

Founded in 2008, Newpharma is Belgium’s largest online pharmacy and the online offshoot of its brick-and-mortar pharmacy. With an online pharmacy serving 1 million customers throughout Europe, Newpharma offers delivery to 12 countries from its original website, www.newpharma.be, while also operating four local websites for France, the Netherlands, Germany and Austria. Boasting more than 30,000 products and 1,750 brand names, Newpharma stands out in the market for its optimum logistics and its ability to deliver most orders placed before noon to customers in Belgium within 24 hours. In 2015 Newpharma acquired the Paraseller and Parafemina websites, solidifying its position in the French market and building on a strategy that was begun in 2014 with its purchase of the MonGuideSanté website, a long-time leader in France’s consumer health market. In addition, its online pharmacy is ranked 31st among Belgium’s top 100 e-commerce firms and is a four-time winner at the country’s BeCommerce Awards. Newpharma is also a member of the European Association of Mail Service Pharmacies (EAMSP). With its historically equity-driven growth, Newpharma posted turnover of €140 million in 2020.

www.newpharma.be.

About Smart Technics Ventures

Smart Technics Ventures is an innovative start-up within Colruyt Group that lives by the motto: from inspiration to implementation. The team provides a broad spectrum of services, ranging from engineering to project management, design and implementation of technological solutions, both for the shop environment, logistics centres and production activities. With its 35 employees, primarily engineers and software developers, the company specializes in consulting services, project management, design, optimization of existing facilities and the creation of new logistics centres.

About Scallog

Founded in 2013, Scallog is a French company that designs, manufactures and markets robotics solutions for the logistics sector to boost warehouse agility and productivity for 3PL, e-commerce, distribution and manufacturing companies.  Responding to evolving demand among B2C and B2B customers, particularly with regard to product availability and delivery, the Scallog solution helps companies accelerate order picking and absorb peaks in activity whilst reducing arduous working conditions for employees and staggering investment. Scallog’s Goods-to-Person range includes the best ‘smart’ decision-making and execution software and mobile robotics, meeting the need of logistics operators to increase order picking flexibility and integrate automation more widely in their warehouses. With over 30 different clients to its name and substantial funds raised, Scallog - the pioneer of scalable, flexible logistics robotics - is now aiming to boost its growth across Europe and internationally.

 www.scallog.com

Powerbox, one of Europe’s largest power supply companies, and for more than four decades a leading force in optimizing power solutions for demanding applications, announces it has consolidated its Swedish operations to a new facility located at Hägersten, South of Stockholm.

Originally established at Gnesta (Sweden) in 1974, Powerbox (PRBX) has designed and manufactured power solutions for demanding and complex applications requiring a high level of engineering and technology.

From its inception PRBX has grown to become a leading innovator in power solutions for industrial, medical, transportation and defense application.

From its inception PRBX has grown to become a leading innovator in power solutions for industrial, medical, transportation and defense application.From its inception PRBX has grown to become a leading innovator in power solutions for industrial, medical, transportation and defense application.

Embracing new technologies such as Wide Band Gap (WBG) semiconductors and the migration of the power supply switching technology from analog to digital control, PRBX is expanding its R&D department, taking an important step forwards to guarantee its customers the highest level of quality and performance.

To ensure the shortest time to market, PRBX has merged its Swedish operations to one location, optimizing workflow and communications, and offering excellent working conditions to all of its employees.

Located at Västberga Allé 36A – 126 30 Hägersten in a 3,000 sqm building, with a high focus level on R&D and new technologies, PRBX establishes a new home for power designers to develop the most advanced, efficient and robust power solutions that also contribute to reducing customers’ carbon footprint.

In making this move PRBX begins a new page in its history, strengthening its leadership position as the power supply expert for demanding applications.

About Powerbox

Founded in 1974, with headquarters in Sweden and operations in 15 countries across four continents, Powerbox serves customers all around the globe. The company focuses on four major markets - industrial, medical, transportation/railway and defense - for which it designs and markets premium quality power conversion systems for demanding applications. Powerbox’s mission is to use its expertise to increase customers’ competitiveness by meeting all of their power needs. Every aspect of the company’s business is focused on that goal, from the design of advanced components that go into products, through to high levels of customer service. Powerbox is recognized for technical innovations that reduce energy consumption and its ability to manage full product lifecycles while minimizing environmental impact. Powerbox is a Cosel Group Company.

For more information

Visit www.prbx.com