Innovation shortlist profiled

Abbey Logistics

Abbey's twin cargo trailer - with a tanker for liquid food products on the bottom, and a top deck capable of taking pallets - was described by judges as potentially "game changing".

Because of its design, the dual cargo trailer is described as having the potential to reduce costs, slash empty running and promote better use of space.

Judges were impressed by the way it had a measurable benefit for one of Abbey's key customers, Cargill.

Abbey was commended for the way it had put in a lot of effort and investment into designing the trailer, overcoming many difficulties and challenges along the way.

Due to the way liquid food products are pumped into the tank from the rear instead of from the top, it also has the potential to cut the amount of falls from height.

Judges said they believe the trailer can create a new standard of excellence for others to follow.

CM Engineering

CM Engineering has produced an airline system that allows the driver to change the system themselves in the event of a breakdown while keeping in line with European Union health and safety legislation.

The Bessie airline system consists of a set of normal airlines with quick-release couplings on both ends of each airline.

To comply with the latest European legislation, the tractor end is secured by a security lock.

It is already being used by large companies, and the universal couplings mean companies can fit same system across the entire fleet.

The judges said CM Engineering had produced a simple, effective, straightforward and practical solution that can benefit the industry as a whole.

In addition, they described it as an excellent, pragmatic approach to solve a nagging industry-wide problem.

Krone

The challenge for Krone was to find a universal mechanism which could provide the basis of a load-securing system for hauliers carrying a vast variety of goods - for example paper rolls, steel coils, palleted beverages, kegs, tubing, sheet metal and panels.

Krone's multi-safe application has a multi lock side rave supplied with 126 strapping points on each side of the vehicle which gives more than 3,000 options of securing the load.

The system has already had good feedback from hauliers.

Judges described the trailer as a "good response to solving a problem" and a "comprehensive approach to a long standing issue affecting many."

They also said the system was very practical, and were impressed that it could cater for many types of cargo.

Palletways

Palletways has developed a web portal - Palletways Oracle in Real Time (PORT), which is unique in the industry due to its inbuilt capacity to provide management, employees, members and customers with a single point of access for all services.

All information is consistent, transparent and available in real time at any time.

PORT also provides access to detailed information on each individual pallet it handles - including a photo of the condition of the pallet each time it enters or leaves a building at its national hub.

According to the judges, the system is an "excellent user friendly management tool" which is streamlined and accessible.

The judges said another strong point was the system being tailored to members’ needs, and that access to real time information relating to all vehicles was excellent.

Royal Mail

Royal Mail has introduced a system that prevents early release of a vehicle from a loading bay, and which is not restricted to a single depot.

It was considered by Royal Mail that during the load and unload phase the park brake control function should reside with the loaders and that the organisation would transfer the decision to release the vehicle or trailer to the load bay employee.

Described by the judges as simple, cost effective and efficient, the device was praised for the putting the decision in the hands of the loading personnel rather than the driver, which means runaway cannot theoretically occur.

Judges described it as a good idea, workable, and with the potential for industry-wide take up. They also added it is a useful attempt to solve a long term problem.

TomTom

Rising fuel costs have put transport firms under increasing pressure to improve their operational performance.

According to TomTom, its Worksmart-Eco satellite navigation system can help businesses slash fuel bills and encourage greener, safer, more efficient drivers.

The product gives fleet managers greater visibility of their vehicles and drivers the ability to correct negative driving behaviours.

It was commended by judges for being a "brilliant customer focused solution" which can reduce fuel bills for operators and lower CO2 emissions.

They also noted that "excellent measureable benefits" had already been achieved by operators, due to the system's capacity to monitor driver navigation.