Internationale M ärkte 15 INTERNATIO NALES VERKEHRSWESEN (62) 1+2/ 2010 Fig. 1: Transport Volume and GDP Source: Energy & Transport in figures 2009, European Commission DGTREN John Berry / Alfonz Antoni Promoting logistics best practice for efficient European transport This article explores the results of the European bestLog project, which started in 2006, financed by the European Commission, and ended in January 2010. The bestLog team consisting of nine universities and logistics consulting firms from across Europe has established an online platform for collection and dissemination of good logistics practices which will be continued after the end of the project by the European Logistics Association (ELA). The authors John Berry, European Commission, Directorate General for Transport and Energy (DGTREN); Alfonz Antoni, President, The European Logistics Association, info@bestlog.org Background Freight transport in Europe is steadily growing with obvious disadvantages in the forms of congestion, health and safety risks and pollution. Figure 1 depicts the development since 1995 measured in ton kilometres and clearly shows a link between transport demand and economic growth. Figure 2 shows that the modal split is at the same time shifting towards road further worsening the congestion in the European road network which is already stretched to its limits. This congestion has become a major threat to logistics performance and is perceived to be a threat to the competitiveness of European production systems and hence also to future growth. These developments have been in the focus of the European Council when it adopted in June 2001 the vision of a sustainable European Transport System and defined the goal to decouple economic growth and growth in transport demand. This ambitious target was subsequently specified in the Commission’s White Paper: “ European transport policy for 2010: time to decide” (CO M(2001) 370). Primary objectives are to fight the negative developments in European Transport while at the same time supporting the European industry’s competitiveness in production and transport. In 2006, the Commission undertook the Midterm Review of the White Paper (Keep Europe moving (CO M(2006)0314 final) and Communication {SEC(2006)768}). The overall objectives of transport policy have remained the same, in line with the Lisbon agenda for jobs and growth and with the revised Sustainable Development Strategy. However, it has been clarified that the aim cannot be to get all traffic onto rail, and hence a new notion came into play − Comodality. Co-modality is defined as the efficient use of different modes on their own Fig. 2: Performance per M ode Source: Energy & Transport in figures 2009, European Commission DGTREN Internationale M ärkte 16 INTERNATIO NALES VERKEHRSWESEN (62) 1+2/ 2010 and in combination with the result of an optimal and sustainable utilization of resources. The Midterm Review outlines a range of public consultations and in-depth assessments which shall year after year precede decisions on specific measures: Freight logistics action plan Galileo: identification of possible future applications Major programme for green propulsion Energy use in transport New transport technologies. A number of projects have been launched in front of this background to promote and disseminate knowledge of good practice in freight logistics Sulogtra, studying the links between business decisions and demand for transport Bestufs and Bestufs II, collecting and disseminating best practices in City Logistics Promit, collecting and disseminating examples of intermodal transportation BestLog, establishing a platform for collection and dissemination of logistics best practice. The bestLog project, financed by the European Commission’s Directorate General for Transport, was started in February 2006. The bestLog project BestLog was launched to facilitate better alignment between society and business in the area of transport, and foster efficient use of transport. BestLog has been building on the results of the Sulogtra project which showed that transport volumes are governed by firms’ decisions on their logistics systems and has in the four years since its start: Collected and disseminated cases of good logistics practice Created a platform for an ongoing exchange on good logistics practice (beyond the duration of the project) including databases of European logistics courses, awards and media Developed a certification scheme for logistics Published regular reports on the stateof-the-art in logistics education Published a book on sustainable logistics and training packages. Communication was at the heart of the bestLog project. BestLog has therefore engaged in an active communication with stakeholders from all European countries and across a wide range of business sectors by establishing an Advisory Board with members across Europe. It is well-known that logistics decisions regarding Europe are not only made within Europe, and so partners from the U.S. and from Asia have been included in the information exchange for mutual learning. The bestLog project team consisted of nine partners from nine European countries: Technische Universität Berlin, Logistics Department Sa ïd Business School, University of O xford Kuehne Institute for Logistics at the University of St. Gallen European Logistics Association METTLE Groupe Reliant s.r.l. Warsaw School of Economics, Logistics Department Packaging, transport and Logistics Institute (ITENE) Chalmers University of Technology bestLog criteria for sustainable logistics Supply chain managers are well aware that they need to incorporate environmental concerns in their decision-making. 60 % of firms expect that sustainable logistics will improve their international competitive position according to a recent survey. But within the firms there is a great deal of insecurity as to what sustainable logistics is, how it can be achieved and measured and what it means for performance in other dimensions. No firm will risk lower logistics service levels and losing customers for more sustainable logistics and only few are willing to accept higher cost. This is where the bestLog project comes in. The definition of “ best practice” has therefore been an essential milestone in the project. The chosen methodology serves to define whether a case delivered by a company will be taken to the platform and how the case will be assessed. The methodology was developed by reviewing theoretical best practice concepts and by analysing 34 high-level pilot cases and eight detailed pilot cases collected by each project partner. As a result every case will be evaluated in terms of the economic, social and environmental effects of the practice. Each dimension is evaluated against a set of metrics to evaluate performance in each dimension. bestLog case studies According to this methodology some 30 case studies have been collected with companies from various sectors. The case studies reflect practices from a variety of areas of logistics from supply chain planning to transport operations. The bestLog case studies are basis for dissemination in the logistics practitioners’ community, through the website and workshops, and they are the core of new teaching material. Three case studies are presented here. The Baxter case study is a superb example showing how a seemingly inappropriate mode of transport - inland waterway - was effectively chosen for high-value products - pharmaceuticals to avoid congestion on Belgian roads. The SmartWay case study explains how in the US shippers and carriers have joined forces to. Finally, the Daimler case study is an excellent example showing how transport equipment can be improved to make transport more efficient and at the same time more sustainable. Case study Baxter Baxter uses inland navigation to transport many of its medical and biotechnical products from the deep sea areas of the port of Rotterdam and Antwerp to their distribution center located in Lessines, Belgium, rather than traditional road transportation. The inland navigation solution is also used for the transport of export products from the European distribution center to regional distribution centers around the world using the same containers, thereby increasing the utilization degree of the containers and decreasing empty runs. Problem description Reliability is the main concern for Baxter in its worldwide healthcare business. The reasons are the strict deadlines and highlevel requirements of the healthcare sector. Uncertainties in transportation and delivery processes are not accepted, neither by customers nor by Baxter itself. O ne of the long-time problems has been the uncertainty in delivery times from the large ports in Europe such as Rotterdam and Antwerp due to variations in the availability of services at the port and congestion on the roads outside the port area. The port in Antwerp is 111 km from Baxter‘s European distribution center at Lessines close to Brussels, Belgium, and Rotterdam is 215 km away. There is a high risk of congestion on the relevant roads, especially close to the ports and around Brussels. This situation makes it very difficult for the company to ensure reliable deliveries from the deep sea part of the ports to the distribution center in the hinterland. Fig. 3: bestLog sustainability criteria Internationale M ärkte 17 INTERNATIO NALES VERKEHRSWESEN (62) 1+2/ 2010 The variations in delivery time can be anywhere between 8 hours and 3 whole days. At the same time, congestion on the roads and around the ports makes it difficult to deliver export goods to the ports in time for the departing ships in the company‘s distribution system for products leaving the European distribution center in Belgium and heading for distribution centers in other areas of Europe and the world. The solution Baxter‘s supply chain management system coordinates products from thousands of suppliers worldwide to the various Baxter manufacturing facilities around the world, developing manufacturing schedules to meet forecasted demand and inventory needs and distributing finished products to customers in more than 100 countries. Distribution reliability is very important for the company, and it relies on its supply chain to deliver the right products at the right time. In the search for more reliable transportation solutions in Europe, Baxter looked at inland navigation alternatives in the Netherlands and Belgium region, where high volumes of goods need to be transported to and from its European distribution center (EDC) in Lessines near Brussels. The inland navigation alternative turned out to be feasible once business relations with suitable service providers in the area have been established. Baxter uses inland navigation to transport many of its medical and biotechnical products within Europe rather than relying on the traditional method of road transportation. Baxter introduced the use of inland waterways from the deep sea areas of the ports in Antwerp and Rotterdam in the mid nineties and today (2009) organizes the shipment of more than 1,000 containers from the ports to the European distribution center each year. The distance from the port of Rotterdam to the European distribution center in Lessines is 215 km, while Antwerp is 111 km away. The inland navigation solution includes barge transportation from the deep sea port areas where the barges are loaded to the Avelgem Container Terminal located 34 km from the EDC. The delivery times from Antwerp and Rotterdam are 18 and 14 hours, respectively, which allows 24-hour service (on average). The containers are transported from the Avelgem Container Terminal to the EDC by truck. After the success of the solution with imports, Baxter is now also using the inland waterways distribution platform for the transport of its exports as well as transporting products from the distribution center to regional distribution centers in Europe and around the world. The containers used for imports are turned around and used for export, increasing the utilization degree of the containers and reducing the number of empty runs. The solution has turned out to be a success in various ways. Costs are down 40 % compared to previous solutions. At the same time, delivery reliability has increased as delivery variations have decreased. The environmental benefits are obvious, as barges only consume 20 % of the fuel needed to transport each kilo of goods by truck. An average ship can carry as much as 120 trucks with a 40-foot container loading space, and this takes a high volume of truck traffic off the roads. Strategic implementation continuity As long-term relationships have been established with suitable partners in the inland waterway networks, all the parties involved are committed to developing the solution and ensuring that it will work in the long term. Due to the reduced environmental impact, the solution has potential to become sustainable. Moreover, the solution is in line with Baxter´s strategy of the “ green supply chain” geared towards the continuous reduction of the carbon footprint of its products. In addition, the solution is not only less costly than earlier transportation solutions but also more reliable, paving the way for increased use of inland waterways in the future. Challenges Challenge 1: To persuade transportation and logistics companies to participate in the setup, both at the deep sea port area and the inland container terminal. It was necessary to establish services in the deep sea ports complete with the option of loading on river boats or barges. Challenge 2: To ensure that transportation costs would not exceed the previous costs of road transportation. Challenge 3: To ensure that total transit time would not increase with the new solution. Challenge 4: To find a service provider to set up a stock yard for this solution. Lessons learned and success factors Inland navigation has traditionally been used for the transportation of low-value goods such as bulk products or project cargo. The transportation of high-quality goods via inland waterways is, however, just as effective. The reliability of inland navigation is superior to that of road transportation and little or nothing is sacrificed in terms of flexibility despite the obvious limitation due to the dependence on infrastructure. Increased reliability was the main driver behind the solution, and the desire to minimize variations in delivery time. At the same time, the new inland navigation solution reduced total transportation costs by 40 % , a welcome outcome but not one that was prioritized at the outset. The benefits Economic The solution has improved service quality as delays have decreased. Customer service levels have increased due to improved delivery reliability. Product availability in the European distribution center has increased thanks to improved inventory monitoring and control. Easier planning of distribution activities is a further benefit. The containers used for imports are also used for exports, thereby reducing the number of empty runs and increasing resource utilization. The efficiency of warehouse personnel deployment has increased, as the greater reliability of deliveries from the ports and more precise information on the progress of transportation makes planning easier. Transportation costs have been reduced by up to 40 % . The planning of activities is easier and the visibility of activities is better. Improved product availability ensures effective response to customer needs. Products can be delivered to the customer faster in the event of a sudden increase in demand. Environmental The inland navigation solution has lowered CO 2 emissions, as there are around 500 fewer trucks on the road each year. The river boats use only 20 % of the fuel to move one unit a certain distance compared to road transportation. This impacts land use, as there is a shift in the mode of transport and a resulting need for new inland container terminal space. At the same time, however, space requirements in the ports can be slightly reduced, as some containers can be stored at the inland terminal rather than in the port area. Social With more than 500 fewer trucks on the road each year, the likelihood of accidents is reduced − and inland navigation accidents are not likely to increase because of the solution used by Baxter. Employment levels have been affected: there is not as much demand for truck drivers but the need for inland waterway personnel has increased at the same time. The effects are not directly comparable, however: one river boat can carry between 100 and 500 containers (TEU), making far more effective use of personnel resources per load unit than trucks (which can only carry two units). Transferability Transferables Using inland navigation for the movement of high quality containerized goods is a suitable concept for all kinds of goods from various industries that use containers in their transportation solutions. The solution is applicable in all geographic regions that have inland waterways and an infrastructure of inland container terminals with effective links to the road infrastructure covering the final stretch to the end customer. Limitations Inland navigation has great transferability but there are some limitations. The main constraint is access to infrastructure including ports, inland waterways and inland container terminals − as well as road, if the company has no direct access to the Internationale M ärkte 18 INTERNATIO NALES VERKEHRSWESEN (62) 1+2/ 2010 Increased commitment to use SmartWay Transport Partnership carriers at least 50 % of the time within two years. The solution to find new carriers was to get current carriers to become SmartWay members. Sharp was very successful in getting carriers signed up. From the carrier perspective the EPA provided tools for the carriers to improve their processes. The SmartWay Transport program works with state s, banks, and other organizations to develop innovative financing options that help partners purcha se device s that save fuel and reduce emissions, and shows companie s how they can reduce emissions and save money by using the SmartWay Technology Package Savings Calculator. Lastly the big benefit of SmartWay was that Sharp used it as a platform to become more involved in other environmental projects. While some of these are small they have got people involved: 1. Installing motion detectors at a Logistics Center, saving electricity 2. When travelling, only renting hybrid cars 3. Using recycled paper in faxes, copiers, and printers 4. Printing double sided copies 5. Giving compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) lights to employees 6. Test using corrugated honeycomb recyclable pallets. The project manager found that the level of interest in his department increased, as the management saw environmental issues were not just the job of the Environmental Manager and not just a matter of recycling paper. Sharp has a Corporate Social Responsibility annual report and a corporate wide environmental section of the company’s strategy. The core values include environmental awareness. This program is now part of Sharp‘s ISO 14001 program. Implementation: Number of SmartWay Carriers of Sharp USA Year 1 - 24 out of 85 Total Carriers (28 % ) Year 2 - 39 out of 85 Total Carriers (46 % ) Year 3 - 72 out of 80 Total Carriers (90 % ) Year 4 - 39 out of 47 Total Carriers (83 % ) Tons Shipped With SmartWay Carriers of Sharp USA Year 1 - 41,808 out of 127,841 Total Tons (33 % ) Year 2 - 81,499 out of 102,808 Total Tons (79 % ) Year 3 - 113,546 out of 115,468 Total Tons (98 % ) Year 4 - 104,415 out of 108,313 Total Tons (97 % ) Challenges Challenge 1: Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions with minimal to no impact on the quality of service that Sharp provides to its customers in the areas of transportation and logistics. Challenge 2: Whether going to new carriers as part of the SmartWay program reductions in CO 2 , NO x, and PM within the United States under a voluntary green transport marketplace program called the SmartWay Transport Partnership. By doing so Sharp Electronics would meet the Corporate Balanced Scorecard on CO 2 emission reductions with a goal of the company and its products having zero emissions by 2012. The solution Sharp’s first step was to educate the corporation on the SmartWay Transport Partnership. SmartWay Transport is a voluntary partnership between various freight industry sectors and the EPA that establishes incentives for fuel efficiency improvements and greenhouse gas emission reductions. By 2012, this initiative aims to reduce between 33 and 66 million metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions and up to 200,000 tons of nitrogen oxide (NO x) emissions per year. At the same time, the initiative aims to achieve fuel savings of up to 150 million barrels of oil annually. There are three primary components of the program: creating partnerships, reducing all unnecessary engine idling, and increasing the efficiency and use of rail and intermodal operations. Sharp focuses on utilizing SmartWay carriers for at least 50 % of its shipments within three years. Carriers commit to implement actions which will reduce emissions, such as no truck idling, low sulphur diesel, and installing diesel scrubbers. The core team worked with Sharpapproved carriers to understand the partnership and established a plan that included the following: Communication of a “ no-idling” policy for truckers working with Sharp’s Logistics Centers Promoting carriers that used low emission equipment and higher fuel standards Increased intermodal shipping Driver Comfort stations to promote less idling while waiting for their appointments terminal. In addition, service providers providing the necessary services must be in place, and the volume of goods must be high enough to make the solution economically viable. Case study Sharp Sharp Electronics Corporation is a global electronics manufacturing company based in O saka, Japan. O ne of the company’s core values and commitments is reducing environmental impacts including minimizing greenhouse gases. Sharp in the USA wanted to explore how they could contribute in the transportation area. Sharp decided to join a transport partnership − called SmartWay - which was implemented by the US governmental organization EPA. A partnership between shippers and carriers who committed to operating green transport practices, which also lead to increased revenue and cost savings. Problem description According to the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), in the United States, trucks travel over 200 billion miles a year using 55 billion gallons of fuel. This equates to 27 % of all US oil consumption and 13 % of all carbon emissions. Trucking also contributes to 56 % of the NO x emissions and 32 % of PM emissions. The growing concern and worldwide mandate to improve the environment caused Sharp Electronics Corporation to recognize the problems and issues of greenhouse gas emissions and impacts on air quality. Sharp Electronics established a goal to reduce their impact on the environment. The issue is, while there is a lot of work being done on recycling paper & plastics, and on manufacturing activities related to the environment, there were only limited activities in the logistics area. Sharp’s goal was to get involved in the area of transportation, based upon the above statistics. The target was to implement four key initiatives dealing with logistics and the environment. O ne of these was for Sharp Electronics USA to partner with the EPA to achieve Fig. 4: Sharp Distribution Center Source: Sharp Internationale M ärkte 19 INTERNATIO NALES VERKEHRSWESEN (62) 1+2/ 2010 ment measures in Germany (derived from the VDI 2700 standard as an acknowledged “ rule of technology” ). In this area, the legislator used the German Transport Reform Act (TRG) in 2000 to once again assign greater and more clearly defined responsibility for safe load securement to the loading companies as the clients who place the actual orders with the transport companies. Reduction of process times A further objective was to minimize inplant process time for loading and unloading operations to ensure that the forecast increase in transport volumes did not lead to higher throughout times. The solution The “ Daimler Load Security 9.5” directive enables all process participants (material supplier, transport provider and Daimler AG) to secure loads solely by means of the design of the vehicle body and using standardized load carriers. Specifications for trailer design For this purpose, the trailers must meet certain specifications in terms of stability and design. These specifications are as follows: Front wall: Reinforced front wall with a continuous width of at least 2.40 m Side wall: Pallet stop bar, pallet posts, load securing tarpaulins, blocking boards Roof: Lifting roof with reinforced roof design Rear portal: Minimum strength and minimum number of locking gears (twist locks). If they meet these requirements, the trailers can be universally used by other industrial sectors and for other goods (e. g. paper, palletized goods etc.). Requirements for load carrier units The new load carriers possess dimensions based on the ISO standard and are stackable in mechanically interlocking mode with a footprint of at least 600 x 1000 mm. Expert opinion on compliance with statutory stipulations Daimler AG will continue to develop practical load securement measures for heavy unit loads as required by the authorities within the framework of the German Transport Reform Act (TRG). DEKRA is advising Daimler AG as an independent and recognized expert organization for load securement. Integration in the overall “adaptive logistics” management concept In line with its overall logistics strategy, Daimler aims to introduce adaptive logistics processes and standards. O ne of the key elements in this strategy is the development of stable processes that remain stable even when framework conditions change. The Daimler Load Security 9.5 directive complies with the statutory Increased percentage of rail shipments from 7 % to 12 % of the annual tonnage. Implemented “ no-idling” policy at Logistics Centers. Increased the percentage of Sharp‘s SmartWay carrier usage from 33 % tons in the first year to 97 % by the fourth year. Sharp also took smaller steps by using recycled paper in copiers, renting hybrid cars when travelling and carrying out preventive maintenance on forklift trucks. Social Since joining SmartWay, Sharp has been recognized by consumers, partners, and internal management as being a leader in the promotion of Corporate Social Responsibility. A sense of community has been established revolving around the stewardship of the environment. As part of Sharp Electronics Corporate Social Responsibility program this fits into the Corporate Strategy. For those, who know of SmartWay it has made Sharp look like a better corporate citizen. Transferability Transferables The case is transferable within the USA independent of sector and company size characteristics. Limitations The EPA SmartWay platform is currently only available in the USA. Hence, the transferability on country level is limited. An application in Europe needs an adaptation by an independent body, ideally for the whole of Europe, to get it to work. The development of such a platform by a SME is very limited. Case study Daimler Daimler shows how it uses its own “ adaptive logistics” strategy based on a legal regulation for load securement to pinpoint and implement potential for process optimization. The solution shows that requirements imposed by society can lead to efficient and sustainable processes through the use of innovative and cooperation-based measures. Problem description In light of the changed legal framework resulting from the implementation of the German Transport Reform Act (TRG), the introduction of new technology for trailers (e. g. curtainsides) and new packaging materials, Daimler AG saw the need to examine and rethink the issue of load securement for material transports. Two systematic options for load securement on trucks presented themselves: frictionlocking securement (tying down with lashing straps) or mechanically interlocking securement (load retention by the body of the vehicle). New legal requirements The main driver was compliance with the legal requirements relating to load securewould cause service issues was a challenge, as getting current carriers to sign up was critical to achieving zero service changes. Challenge 3: Find a quality solution without impacting the costs of transportation and logistics services. Challenge 4: The modernization of the fleet/ carriers in US was effected due to various laws taking effect, not by Smart- Way. Challenge 5: Convince Sharp approved carriers to join Smartway in becoming an EPA SmartWay partner or risk having new carriers handle business, increasing risk. Lessons learned and success factors Being one of the program‘s first partners and pioneers has given Sharp credibility in the corporate environment and influence in this field. The EPA SmartWay Transport Partnership provides resources and tools that are no cost to the shipper. From the carrier perspective the EPA provided tools to the carriers to improve their processes. The SmartWay Transport Program works with states, banks and other organizations to develop innovative financing options that help partners purchase devices that save fuel and reduce emissions and to show companies how they can reduce emissions and save money by using the SmartWay Technology Package Savings Calculator. Increase awareness of environmental issues. Having the team understand SmartWay has caused them to think of other ways to become involved. Commitment from carriers to the Smart- Way Transport Partnership was a key milestone in order to make the partnership work. Getting current carriers to join the program allowed Sharp to continue using the same carriers, thus causing no service disruptions. The cost was minimal to Sharp Electronics while making a substantial impact to the world we live in. O verall, according to reports from the carrier, the investments they made were offset by the fuel reduction they achieved. So to them it was cost neutral with business gain. Peer awareness helped convince Panasonic and Sony to join the SmartWay program. The benefits Economic None Environmental Reduced diesel fuel consumption. Reduction in electricity from motion sensors in California Logistics Center. From O ctober 2004 to September 2007 Sharp has calculated that by shipping with SmartWay carriers they have executed the following improvements: Reduced CO 2 emissions by 1,383 tons, NO x by 26.5 tons, particulate matter by 1.1 tons. Internationale M ärkte 20 INTERNATIO NALES VERKEHRSWESEN (62) 1+2/ 2010 Fig. 5: Side wall specification: load securing tarpaulin and pallet post Source: Daimler hazardous products, to the environment. With “ Daimler Load Security 9.5” , Daimler AG underline s its social re sponsibility for driving, loading and unloading personnel a s well a s other road users. Re sponsible securement of the load is a social nece ssity in order to ensure the safety and protection of persons who are directly or indirectly involved in the proce ss. With its example, Daimler AG shows how a logistics strategy identifie s the efficiency potential of a socially driven legal regulation and succeeds in implementing this regulation in the form of high-quality and stable proce sse s. Transferability Transferables The adaptations to the trailer equipment for load securement purposes are generally transferable to other industries that have their shipments transported by trucks on the roads. Limitations Legal requirements can differ from sector to sector and from country to country. This in turn can limit transferability. Different types of loaded goods can also result in additional requirements with regard to products and processes. The bestLog standard A second important outcome of the project which is also ba sed on the criteria set out above is the be stLog standard. Initial analysis showed that no standard for logistics currently addre sse s all dimensions of sustainability. However, and also very early in the project, practitioners voiced that that another standard be side s the existing (ISO 9000, 14000 etc.) wa s not de sired. The be stLog certification scheme which wa s subsequently developed therefore embrace s this dislike of any additional burden for busine ss and define s a ba sket of existing standards that will need to be implemented to obtain a be stLog certificate for sustainable logistics proce sse s. Outlook The European Logistics Association (ELA) has decided in mid 2009 to continue the work of the bestLog after the end of the project. ELA will be hosting the bestLog platform as ELAbestlog platform (www.elabestlog.org). ELAbestLog is aimed at practitioners and students of logistics alike. The ELAbestlog platform will take over directly from the present bestLog project web platform in February 2010. A number of important changes to fulfil its task of providing a basis for cooperation and an important source of knowledge for everybody who wants to make “ best use of best practice” will be implemented. The ELAbestLog platform will promote the concept of using best practice in logistics across Europe to improve economic performance whilst minimising environmen- Retention of mechanically interlocking load securement concept, hence optimization of process times Standardization of practices through definition of the directive as a corporate guideline Clearly defined requirement profile for transport service providers and trailer body manufacturers Commissioning of a neutral expert organization Stipulation of tasks, expertise and responsibility in the transport process for load securement Legal predictability for employees and management executives Front-to-end information and training for process owners including body manufacturers. The benefits Daimler AG achieves several benefits based on this good practice. This more operational and technical solution enables Daimler AG to increase the stability and quality of supply operations. The benefits are of an economic, environmental and social nature. Economic Less complex load securement measures and processes resulted in optimized transport costs. The improvement of the process resulted in a reduction in overall process time and costs (for loading, safety, transport, unloading) compared to the use of a friction-locking load securement solution in line with the VDI 2700 standard. As a result, it is possible to absolutely minimize the need for separate transport insurance. Environmental Process improvement compared to friction-locking load securement in line with the VDI 2700 standard increased the ecoproductivity of vehicles and reduced the use of load securement equipment (e. g. anti-slip matting, lashing straps etc.). Social Accidents involving trucks pose a risk to the health of people and, in the case of provisions and ensures a robust process for efficient and safe transport operations. The challenges Challenge 1: Within the general context of load securement: identification of all stakeholders: plant logistics, police, transport industry, German Federal O ffice for Freight Traffic (BAG), work health and safety, freight purchasing, legal issues, suppliers, the Association of German Engineers (VDI), bodies and committees, project organization and project budget. Challenge 2: Development of suitable practical tests. Challenge 3: Identification of independent testing bodies with suitable experts. Challenge 4: Ensuring technical implementation by the body manufacturers (market availability). Challenge 5: Extensive training network and long-term implementation by all process participants. Lessons learned and success factors Shortcoming: Lack of load securement specifications for Daimler load carriers Solution: Creation of a Group-wide working group with independent expert support, definition of a budget. Shortcoming: Use of pallets and load carriers that are unsuitable for mechanically friction-locking load securement (tying down) Solution: Mechanically interlocking load securement through stabilization of the vehicle body. Shortcoming: Lack of load securement specifications for curtain side and MEGA trailers with no side wall for loads Solution: road tests and stipulation of body design - e. g. pallet stop bar and roof reinforcement. Shortcoming: Lack of legal predictability for the organization and particularly for management personnel (shipper responsibility) Solution: Compilation of a guideline with Group-wide validity. Key success factors in the implementation of “Daimler Load Securement 9.5” Clear-cut identification of stakeholders and their needs Internationale M ärkte European Commission DGTREN (2009): Energy & Transport in figures. Acknowledgements for the case studies: Baxter: Prepared by Gunnar Stefansson, Chalmers University of Technology (2009). Smartway/ Sharp: Prepared by Mark Servidio, Sharp Electronics and Balkan Cetinkaya, Berlin Institute of Technology (2008). Daimler: Prepared by Erich de Vries, Daimler AG and Balkan Cetinkaya, Berlin Institute of Technology (2009). Safety and Security in transport and Projects to eliminate bottlenecks in intermodal transportation. References Project Website: www.bestlog.org, www.elabestlog.org Cetinkaya et al. (2010): Sustainable Supply Chain Management. tal and social impact. The development is timely in the face of the challenge of global economic circumstances today. A key feature of the new operation will be the ELAbestLog community, a forum designed to enable co-operation to develop and to share best practice. A particular strength will be ELA’s unique network of National Member Associations covering more than 30 European countries. This will provide critical links for the ELAbestLog community. ELA is putting considerable emphasis on making sure ELAbestLog is robust. The challenges for the future of the ELAbestLog platform will be to: establish a strong community of firms and individuals wishing to share logistics knowledge via this platform implement the bestLog standard by building the necessary organization and processes combine the efforts in collecting and disseminating good logistics practice from various other projects. The European Commission continues to support dissemination projects like bestLog and Promit to this end. Further important initiatives in the area of transport and logistics are: The Green Cars Initiative Projects in the area of carbon foot printing Summary bestLog - Projekt zur Förderung nachhaltiger Logistiklösungen Im Rahmen des bestLog-Projektes hat ein internationales Konsortium von Universitäten und Beratungsunternehmen unter Führung der Technischen Universität Berlin und finanziert von der Europäischen Kommission eine Plattform für die Sammlung und Verbreitung von Logistikwissen aufgebaut (www.bestLog.org). Ziel des bestLog-Projektes war die europaweite Verbesserung der Logistikpraxis zur Vermeidung von Frachtverkehr und dadurch eine Erhöhung der Wettbewerbsfähigkeit der europäischen Wirtschaft. Ein wesentlicher Baustein der bestLog-Plattform ist die im Projekt definierte Bewertungssystematik für gute und nachhaltige Logistikpraxis. Danach werden Fallbeispiele hinsichtlich ihrer Nachhaltigkeit in den drei Dimensionen Sozialverträglichkeit, Wirtschaftlichkeit und Umweltverträglichkeit bewertet. 30 solcher Fallbeispiele werden auf der bestLog-Plattform präsentiert. Auf Grundlage der bestLog-Bewertungssystematik wurden außerdem ein Zertifikat für nachhaltige Logistik, ein Buch über nachhaltige Logistik sowie Lehrunterlagen für die Logistikausbildung erarbeitet. Die bestLog-Plattform wird nach Abschluss des Projektes Anfang 2010 durch die Europäische Logistikvereinigung (ELA) als ELAbestLog (www.elabestlog.org) weitergeführt.