3PL/Logistics

Samsung appoints CEVA in Italy; Louis Vuitton selects Kuehne + Nagel in Japan; Odyssey Logistics & Technology expands its work for W R Grace & Co; RockTenn renews Transplace's contract; and Coyne Airways is appointed RUS Aviation's exclusive sales agent in the UK & Ireland

CEVA Logistics has signed a three-year agreement worth €65 million with Samsung, to manage the supply chain for its air conditioners in Italy

CEVA will run the entire operation, including handling customs clearance in the port of Genoa, storage in the CEVA warehouse in Pognano (near Bergamo), and final distribution to end users in Italy

CEVA enables Samsung to monitor the entire logistics operation, including delivery tracking with computerised interface and dedicated web portal, assuring complete real-time visibility for every stage of the operation

CEVA will also handle reverse logistics activities, including receipt of return and re-stocking of product On request, CEVA will also undertake value-add services such as re-packaging, re-labelling and market configuration of products CEVA will also create a specific area for the quality control of products

Louis Vuitton Japan has awarded Kuehne + Nagel Japan a contract for the management of its regional distribution centre in Osaka

As a major part of the agreement, Kuehne + Nagel has leased a dedicated logistics facility in Amagasaki, located between the seaports of Kobe and Osaka

Based on the systems and processes customised in this facility, Kuehne + Nagel will further be responsible for setting up showcase warehouse operations for all of Louis Vuitton's outsourced distribution centres worldwide

At the premises with a handling and storage capacity of 5,600 m², Kuehne + Nagel's services will cover the inbound receipt of goods by sea and air, label scanning, quality and quantity checks, pick-and-pack operations, sales-ready preparation as well as reverse logistics

Kuehne + Nagel will also provide value-added services, such as pre-wrapping and care label tagging, and the advanced information system will be fully integrated with Louis Vuitton's worldwide operations

Odyssey Logistics & Technology has expanded its work for WR Grace & Co to include the management of the specialty chemical and materials company's Dubai transportation program

OL&T and Grace have worked together since 2004 on global transportation and logistics operations

In the current project, OL&T leveraged its technical expertise and market knowledge of Southwest Asia to optimise the transportation process and successfully reduce the fixed costs associated with Grace's transportation operations

The new transportation project has been implemented to support logistics activities at Grace's facility in the Jebel Ali Free Zone Authority

Transplace continues its relationship with RockTenn through a full contract expansion The partnership, which began in 2007, continues RockTenn's use of the Transplace Transportation Management System (TMS) to manage and optimise the company's transportation operations

As part of the contract renewal, Transplace will assume responsibility for RockTenn's LTL operations This expanded service will allow RockTenn to take advantage of further optimisation and consolidation opportunities

Coyne Airways has been appointed the exclusive sales agent in the UK & Ireland for RUS Aviation, giving freight forwarders direct access to the most extensive route network into Iraq

Coyne first launched neutral air cargo services into Iraq in 2004 and, to date, has managed the secure delivery of 35 million kg of cargo into Iraq from all over the world Coyne has worked with RUS Aviation as its preferred airline partner into Iraq since August 2009

RUS Aviation operates Airbus A300 freighters and IL-76F aircraft from both Dubai and Sharjah, with twice-weekly services delivering cargo to Baghdad, Erbil, Sulaimaniyah and Balad Other major airports in Iraq - including Basra, Mosul and Kirkuk - are available on request

Coyne Airways CEO Larry Coyne said that extending the working relationship with RUS Aviation adds increased robustness to the compay's Iraq schedules and enables Coyne to offer complete coverage of Iraq on a single through AWB from all major airports Coyne will also be able to provide a return service from Iraq to the UK