< Previous40 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net DELAMODE INTERNATIONAL LOGISTICS Q&A Tell us a little about yourselves at Delamode. Delamode Group is a dynamic provider of logistics, freight and transport solutions, delivering tailored and customer-centric, services, on a Global scale. Established over 30 years ago, the Group now employs 1,800 staff, speaking 20 languages, and we are privileged to serve, in excess of 20,000 customers. Our goal is to become a world leading freight management and logistics provider built on exceptional customer service. What makes us special is our absolute focus on clients and client relationships; our company culture revolves around building long-term relationships with clients in which we respond directly to their needs with a focus on making sure our customers want to stay with us for years and years. We’re also big investors, both in Q&A Delamode International Logistics With the supply chain under incredible pressure, we sit down and speak with Mike Thomas, Client Services Director at Delamode International Logistics, to find out how one of the industry’s leading suppliers is addressing the issues. high-grade facilities, but also people, and we’ve built a network of both logistical facilities and exceptional staff. What challenges is the logistics industry facing at these times? I’ve been in the industry for between 30 and 40 years and I don’t think I’ve ever lived through such a turbulent period in supply chain logistics. A lot of that came about through Brexit back in 2016, during which time my immediate thought was “How am I going to protect my clients?” The industry suffered a great shock as a result of that, and another shock came not too long after from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which had huge geopolitical impacts on the supply chain. Suddenly, the price of energy was so much higher. While Brexit brought a problem of resourcing of skills and people, the war in Ukraine brought financial cost to the industry. The recent crises happening in the Middle East are also placing more strain upon the supply chain industry, with the Red Sea, the Suez Channel and deep-sea shipping in general being a much more dangerous and less certain place. The UK and Continental Europe rely on these routes, and sea trade, to bring FMCG’s into our markets, so this is a very tricky time to be in the logistics sector. It’s brought a lot of challenges that has tested both us and our clients. With so much chaos in the supply chain, how does Delamode stay ahead of it and protect your clients’ interests? The first thing we’ve had to do is take a step back and look at the macroeconomic situation here in the UK, and to accept that we’ve been underperforming as a country. This is Food & Drink International 41 www.fdiforum.net DELAMODE INTERNATIONAL LOGISTICS Q&A because we’ve been a very privileged country to have a good trading relationship with the EU and also access to cheap labour, much of which we don’t have anymore. Other countries like France which have been contending with these high labour costs for a long time have adapted before us. Their adoption of automation, for instance, is quite a bit ahead of our own. With our expertise, we were able to see these signs much sooner than a lot of other companies in the UK did and we began investing quickly in adopting automation and mechanised systems quite a few years ago. We’ve already put the pillars in place to increase automation across our operations, and while we’re by no means fully automated yet, our focus is on using technology to not only adjust to the very different conditions here in the UK, but to embrace it and grow as a company. We still have a way to go, but we have made the hard yards and laid strong foundations with our new WMS. This step also enables the technology designed for our VNA forklifts, which will boost efficiency and contain supply chain costs for our clients. We plan to share these benefits in the latter half of this decade. I believe this client partnership delivery of value is what will keep us ahead of the curve. We support our clients with technical functions like real-time portal access. This ensures that their goods are fully tracked and traceable, right through the order process. This is powerful information and assists our clients with the visibility required to make informed decisions. It’s also particularly helpful when trying to navigate supply chain challenges like what we’re facing on a global scale right now. It also helps with integration. When you’re talking about high volume, these operations can’t be done with basic systems. Everything requires interconnectivity now to avoid duplication and manual intervention. So, this installation brings efficiency to our logistics services and enables our clients to focus on their end goal, which is selling their products, and tackling any issues that could impact their orders. What does 2024 mean for Delamode? 2024 is going to be a big year for us and there are two things we’re really focused on. One is our WMS – our Warehouse Management System – that we have spent two years developing. That is live now, but we’re continuing to place attention on it to make sure it’s the best experience it can be for our customers and users. Our older system, which supported us for many years, was getting a little antiquated and we wanted to create something truly robust that can last us and our clients for many years to come. Our second focus, which we will be continuing on through the year, is to invest in increasing efficiency through greater automation, our VNA systems that we mentioned earlier. We, and the industry as a whole, have been through some incredibly difficult times post- Brexit, post-pandemic, and also with numerous conflicts around the world, and these have driven up costs and unit costs across the industry. But Delamode as a company have invested greatly in technology which will now see these unit costs brought down, bringing us into a period of significant opportunity. For more information visit www.delamode-logistics.com from Canada, the United States and 77 other countries. SIAL Canada is the only national trade show to offer a complete range of food products under one roof. It meets the needs of the retail, food service and food processing industries. Global Food Contact 23 - 24 May Bethesda, USA Global Food Contact is the must- attend event for anyone involved within the food contact materials supply chain! As the only food contact forum that covers all the latest food contact regulations and legislations on a global scale, this event brings together the entire food contact supply chain. Industry leaders and legislators from across the entire food contact supply chain gather to explore and exchange information regarding global food contact developments and initiatives, and forecast the future industry landscape. Vitafoods Europe 14 - 16 May Geneva, Switzerland After 26 highly successful years in Geneva, the 2024 edition of Vitafoods Europe is anticipated to be the biggest yet, featuring the debut of a Technology & Equipment Area and a R&D Pavilion, as well as an expanded Finished Products Area. Over 20,000 visitors and 1,100 exhibitors are expected to attend the Palexpo exhibition centre this May before the event’s relocation in 2025. SIAL Canada 15 - 17 May Montreal, Canada SIAL Canada is not only the meeting point of the Canadian agri-food industry, but also the privileged gateway to the American and international markets. The show is the only event of its kind in Canada, bringing together more than 1000+ national and international exhibitors from 44 countries and welcoming more than 21,000 professional visitors 42 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net Events Food & Drink © stock.adobe.com/HollyHarry British Pig & Poultry Fair 15 - 16 May Birmingham, UK This fair is the leading UK trade event for the pig, poultry and egg supply chains. Hosting over 340 exhibitors it is a chance for producers to gather ideas, see the latest new products and hear from the experts. SIAL Shanghai 28 - 30 May Shanghai, China The Shanghai New International Expo Center will host SIAL Shanghai, the © stock.adobe.com/Aleksey SagitovSustainable Foods Summit 4 - 5 July Amsterdam, The Netherlands The European edition of the Sustainable Foods Summit will take place in Amsterdam on 4 - 5 July 2024. Topics on the summit agenda include food diversity, green claims & marketing, ingredient innovations, impact measurement & reduction, novel packaging materials, upcycled foods, precision fermentation, social risks, artificial intelligence, consumer trends, marketing success stories, and more. Food & Drink International 43 www.fdiforum.net © stock.adobe.com/malajscy Africa’s Big 7 11 - 13 June Johannesburg, South Africa Africa’s Big 7 boasts an extensive global exhibitor network, strategically curated to ensure that buyers have access to a diverse array of high-value and innovative products. The platform serves as a gateway for discovering the latest trends and understanding consumer demand dynamics, equipping industry professionals with the knowledge and insights needed to make informed business decisions. With exhibitors from around the world, attendees can explore an unparalleled spectrum of offerings, fostering meaningful connections and driving growth within the food and beverage industry. major food exhibition, from May 28-30, 2024. The exhibition area will span a vast expanse of 200,000 square meters, and it is anticipated that 5,000 exhibitors and more than 180,000 professionals from around the world will attend. This year’s show will feature eight Highlight Sectors (Babyfood Village, Organic & Wellness Village, Dairy Sector, Non-alcoholic Beverage Sector, Food Sector, Meat Poultry & Cured Meat Sector, Seafood Sector, Alcoholic Beverage Sector), as well as national and regional pavilions. THAIFEX – Anuga Asia 28 May - 1 June Bangkok, Thailand Once every year, leading buyers and exhibitors from across Asia Pacific and beyond come together for the region’s most immersive food & beverage trade show; THAIFEX – Anuga Asia. This isn’t just any other trade show; it’s a feast of innovation, networking, and boundless business opportunities! FEATURES Temperature Control Spotlight Sustainable Packaging Warehousing & Distribution Flow Measurement & Control Processing, Control & Automation Health, Safety & Hygiene Snack Foods & Ready Meals Import & Export EVENT PREVIEWS Snackex Next month in June 2024 - Deadline 15th May INTERNATIONAL Visit us at www.fdiforum.net where you’ll find the latest news as it breaks – and why not subscribe to our newsletters so you can have the latest news emailed to your inbox, in between printed issues?Classified You can feature your company in our hugely popular Online Directory with a description, contact details and a hyperlink If you would like further information please contact Vicky Hunt on +44 [0] 1472 310310 or email v.hunt@blmgroup.co.uk or visit www.fdiforum.net/directory From field to fork, Food & Drink International is the voice of the industry. Food & Drink International 45 www.fdiforum.net Depositors Manufacturers of depositors & filling machines for the food production industry Labels • Self adhesive Labels • Lasersheets • Fanfolded Labels • Thermal Transfer Ribbons • Barcode Labels INDEX Online Directory Depositors Labels To Let www. fdiforum .net • Superb Location • Secure off street parking • High speed internet availability • A range of affordable office sizes Armstrong House, Armstrong Street, Grimsby DN31 2QE Tel: (01472) 310301 Email: s.fisher@blmgroup.co.uk Ground floor offices to let - prime location in Grimsby To Let Online Directory To advertise your services on the 46 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net FoodandDrinkInternational@fdiforum company/fdiforum Once more Food & Drink International provides your ultimate guide to the industry – making sure you’re informed on what’s going on and looking closer at what’s happening. Don’t forget to keep up to date via www.fdiforum.net! Online this month… www.fdiforum.net is the best place to go for up-to-date food and drink industry news. Here’s a sneak peek at one of our latest stories. Glanbia to acquire Flavor Producers for $300m Glanbia has entered into an agreement with the owners of Flavor Producers to acquire the business for an initial consideration of $300 million plus deferred consideration. Flavor Producers is a leading flavour platform in the US, providing flavours and extracts to the food and beverage industries, with a focus on organic and natural ingredients. Glanbia will operate Flavor Producers within its Glanbia Nutritionals (GN), Nutritional Solutions business (NS or Nutritional Solutions). Hugh McGuire, Chief Executive Officer of Glanbia, said: “I am delighted to announce the acquisition of Flavor Producers, which represents an important step in the continued growth of our Nutritional Solutions business. “This acquisition builds on our existing flavours capability and positions us well to capture long term growth opportunities in the organic and natural flavours segments. “M&A is an important part of our growth strategy and this transaction represents a further opportunity to scale our NS business, unlock synergies and acquire unique and complementary capabilities.” The initial consideration is $300 million with an additional deferred payment of up to $55 million, conditional on performance in 2024. Diary Food & Drink Stay in touch with Food & Drink International For more up to the minute information from the food and drink industry, visit Food & Drink International online at www.fdiforum.net. Keep up to date with Food & Drink International, and let us know what you think, by following us on Twitter at @fdiforum, at www.facebook.com/FoodandDrink International or by searching for fdiforum on LinkedIn. May 14 - 16, Vitafoods Europe, Geneva, Switzerland 15 - 16, British Pig & Poultry Fair, Birmingham, UK 15 - 17, SIAL Canada, Montreal, Canada 23 - 24, Global Food Contact, Bethesda, USA 28 - 30, SIAL Shanghai, Shanghai, China 28 - 1 June, THAIFEX – Anuga Asia, Bangkok, Thailand June 11 - 13, Africa’s Big 7, Johannesburg, South Africa 12 - 16, Manila Foods and Beverages Expo, Manila, Philippines July 4 - 5, Sustainable Foods Summit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands Africa Beyond Food Experience for Success Beyond at THAIFEX - ANUGA ASIA 2024 THAIFEX - ANUGA ASIA 2024 is Asia’s leading F&B trade show that aims to connect the industry and serve as a platform to showcase innovations of F&B products that respond to current and future lifestyle trends. This includes offerings from leading companies to startups, focusing on health-conscious trends, sustainable food production, plant-based proteins, and various new food formats. With over 3,000 booths, it is a platform where traders can explore and negotiate with manufacturers and suppliers in the food and beverage industry comprehensively. THAIFEX - ANUGA ASIA 2024 is a spark of ideas and a holistic learning hub. It encompasses seminars, exhibitions, business consulting services, product quality competitions, culinary skill contests, and more, all geared towards advancing business management or fostering greater business success. THAIFEX - ANUGA ASIA 2024 is open for business negotiations from 28th May to 1st June 2024 at IMPACT Muang Thong Thani, Bangkok, Thailand. 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