6 BULKDISTRIBUTOR Containers May / June 2017
6 BULKDISTRIBUTOR Containers May / June 2017
Tanks for the scarves
The ITCO Tank Container Village at this year ’ s transport logistic event in Munich proved a very busy time for all . Positive feedback was received from exhibitors and visitors alike . With 60 booths and 66 ITCO members exhibiting , it was the biggest Tank Container Village so far . Day 1 concluded with a cocktail reception and dinner , sponsored by Nantong Tank Container ( NTtank ), which is celebrating its 10th Anniversary this year . Huang Jie , NT Tank president and general manager , welcomed visitors to the show and updated them on the company ’ s expansion plans for the future . He looked forward to future longterm co-operation . Thanking Huang for sponsoring the Welcome Reception , Reg Lee , ITCO President , wished NT Tank every success for the future . In February , NTtank unveiled its expansion project in Nantong . On completion of the project , NTtank expects to raise its annual production capacity to 3,300 tank containers a year . NTtank is a wholly owned subsidiary of Nantong Freezing Equipment Co Ltd ( NTFE ), the largest freezing equipment manufacturer in the world .
The firm supplies both standard UN portable tanks , with capacities ranging from 10,900 to 26,000 litres , as well as special tanks . Day 2 was said by some member company exhibitors to have been their best for a number of years . The busy day concluded with the now ‘ traditional ’ Perolo wine-tasting , with all visitors being given a pretty red French scarf to wear . To coincide with transport logistic , Eurotainer unveiled its new brand image . The leasing firm says the new , modern logo is “ a symbol of our goal to continuously evolve to serve the needs of our clients and to deliver new products and services to meet ever-changing market demands ”. Munich Messe , which organises the event reported record participation figures : 2,162 exhibitors from 62 countries , a rise of 5.4 percent on 2015 . The number of visitors rose by 9 percent to 60,000 from 120 countries . Meanwhile , ITCO is already starting to plan the next events : the Amsterdam General Meeting on 17 October 2017 , Shanghai ( 16-18 May 2018 ) and Munich ( 4-7 June 2019 ).
L-r : Reg Lee , ITCO president ; Huang Jie , NT Tank president and general manager ; and Patrick Hicks , ITCO secretary
Perolo ’ s wine tasting reception saw visitors being given a red French scarf to wear
Eurotainer unveiled its new brand image in Munich
A la Modalis
During transport logistic , Modalis presented its new visual identity .
The French company , which specializes in the rental of intermodal and mobile storage equipment , started life in 2002 . The new identity is designed to match its image with its strategic development . The team has grown with people from different nationalities , culture , horizons , but with experiences linked to intermodal transport . Last year , turnover increased by 10 percent . Modalis has invested heavily in information resources allowing it to become more than just a financial partner . Expertise within the firm includes engineering , intermodal logistics and conventional rail allowing Modalis to offer technical and added value to logistics chains . The investment includes adding new equipment . In recent years the fleet has reached 2,000 standard and specialised intermodal units available from depots all over Europe . Modalis is also launching a further investment programme this year adding new products to its catalogue . Reactions in Munich were positive , the company said , where Modalis presented some of its dry bulk equipment .
Rigging up
RAM Intermodal has picked up a new customer for its specialist software .
Rigtank , a recent tank operator start-up based in Panama City , has selected RAM to help streamline operations and ensure that industry best practice is followed . Its current spreadsheet system will be replaced following the growth of its fleet which has tripled in size during the first two years in business . Established in 2016 and with agents in Brazil , Belgium , South Korea and the USA , Rigtank is focused entirely on providing customers with tailor-made tank transport and managing the whole chain of supply , along with stock levels and forecasts . This year , it plans to start operations in Houston and to grow the fleet further . “ RAM Intermodal ’ s software will allow us to standardise our procedures and take the business to the next level ,” explained Rubens Martins , CEO at Rigtank . “ The difference between it and spreadsheets is severe . We will have more control over the fleet and will be able to focus on strategy rather than administrative tasks . One of the most significant time savings will come from automatic billing .” “ It ’ s fantastic to see new customers coming from regions outside of Europe and North America ,” declared Richard Shaw , sales director at RAM . “ Our new business has originated from those areas traditionally , but there has been a steady increase in enquiries from Asia , Africa , South America and Australasia .”
Pictured l-r with a Modalis 30ft cubic silo container : Bernard Meï ( CEO ), Jean-Louis Legout , Yvonne Janssen , Evi Cuyt , Marilyne Fournier , Joel Carbonnier , and Hein Fierens