Renovating automation 
The VVA (Vereinigte Verlagsauslieferung) Group, an affiliate of Arvato Supply Chain Solutions, has reshaped its distribution centre in Guetersloh in Germany. SSI Schäfer has built an automated shuttle warehouse with order picking system in the existing facility on a limited... more
CSX to serve new agriculture hub
Northwest Grains International is breaking ground on an agricultural transload operation in Dillon County (USA) to serve agricultural producers. The operation will handle containerised soybeans, lumber, logs, peanuts, cotton, cotton seed and yellow peas for export through... more
Pfizer partners with Zipline
USA-based drone services provider Zipline is partnering with Pfizer to test and develop an end-to-end distribution solution for Covid-19 vaccines. As part of the collaboration, a system has been developed that can be used to safely distribute any vaccine. Zipline’s on-demand... more
All hands on deck! 
May saw a depressing new record set in India, with more than 28 million cases of a new variant of Sars CoV 2 reported. Bringing the foreign relief available to India and its health system is quite a logistics challenge. The ITJ spoke to Mukesh Aghi, president of the US-India... more
Oslo – Haifa in 14 instead of 30 days
An interesting new rail alliance has been formed: Loconi, which operates five weekly container trains between Gdynia and Wrocław (both in Poland), and Baltic Rail, which runs three – five weekly trains between Wrocław and Koper (Slovenia), have launched a combined intermodal... more
Jan de Rijk Logistics shifts focus
In its recently published results for 2020, Roosendaal (Netherlands)-based Jan de Rijk Logistics is in the black, with profits before tax of EUR 6 million for 2020 compared to EUR 5.5 million in 2019, while turnover moved sidewards to EUR 228.6 million (2019: EUR 230.4 million).... more
Port of Los Angeles sets handling record
In a time of backlog, the Port of Los Angeles has announced that its terminals processed 10 million container units in a 12 month period. A ceremony took place at the Port’s Fenix Marine Services container terminal to watch the 10 millionth container being loaded onto the... more
Turning steel works into rail hub
UK carrier GB Railfreight (GBRF) recently operated the first loaded freight service from Stanton Gate since 2009 on behalf of Ward. GBRF reacted to a late notice demand from Ward and was asked to transport in excess of 1,400 t of fragmented steel to Immingham Dock. Previous... more
Air Canada Cargo: maindeck cargo routes
From autumn, Air Canada's first B767 freighter, a converted 767-300ER, will operate on routes linking Toronto to Miami, Quito, Lima, Mexico City and Guadalajara, the first time the carrier will serve the Mexican destination. As more freighters enter service, more flights in... more