News

ATC Exhibit at DCW Frankfurt 2023

On the 10th and 11th of May, ATC exhibited at Data Centre World in Messe, Frankfurt, as part of Enterprise Ireland’s ‘Irish Pavilion’.

It was an excellent opportunity to showcase what we’ve been working on in the area of sustainability, especially as it was a theme of the event this year. Representing ATC at the exhibition were our Sustainability Manager, Rainer Hoerbst and our Data Centre Project Manager, Lize Simon.

On day 1, Enterprise Ireland hosted a series of speakers under the theme of “Ireland Build – Innovative DCs Worldwide – Energy Saving and Sustainable”. Rainer took to the floor, where he shared ATC’s ambitious sustainability goals and some notable achievements that we have made with introducing our battery power vehicles and passive-built HQ.

Other areas that were discussed over the two-day event by over 300 speakers included:

• Automation and Emerging Technologies
• Design
• Building and Investment
• IT Strategies and Regulation
• Thermal Management and Advanced Cooling
• Impact of 5G and
• Net Zero

Speaking about the event, Lize said, “Being part of this Data Centre World was a truly valuable experience for ATC. Not only did we have the opportunity to share our story and our knowledge around ATC’s sustainability practices in Supply Chain and Logistics, but we also had the opportunity to connect with like-minded professionals from different sectors of the data centre industry and dive deeper into emerging market trends.”

We thank Enterprise Ireland and the organisers behind Data Centre World 2023 and look forward to returning to Frankfurt for DCW 2024.

ATC Opens the Doors for Emerging Talent

ATC is a Proudly European company offices in Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands and the UK. We also extend our services with local teams in several more countries: France, Italy, Poland, Spain, and Sweden.

 

Now more than ever, we want to encourage people to get involved in our vital sector of Logistics and Supply Chain to support the growing demand for our services. This passion is shared by other organisations across Europe, including our home country of Ireland, where the Department of Transport promoted its first-ever Logistics and Supply Chain Week at the time of writing this piece.

 

As we expand our team, the openings for apprenticeships also grow. ATC is proud to be a founding member of the Logistics Associate Apprenticeship programme, which was borne out of a need to address a skills shortage within the logistics industry.

 

The title of this blog reads “ATC Opens the Doors For Emerging Talent“, which means that our doors are open to people from all walks of life who are interested in working in our industry areas. As quoted by other apprentices, “We are school leavers, older learners, career changers, women and men with diverse backgrounds, talents and abilities“.

 

As you read on, let us introduce you to some of our apprentices and interns and let them tell you about their experience working with ATC.

 

“ATC has been a welcoming company with a great team who have always given me support to learn. I have gained significant knowledge and hope to grow throughout my internship continuously.” Carla Caswell (HR Intern 2023)

 

“As an apprentice in ATC, I have been given a lot of support in my studies and even more opportunities to collect experience across different operations and different regions that ATC operates in.” Maksymilian Cwiertniak (1st Year LAA Apprentice)

 

“ATC supported my internship/apprenticeship journey by consistently providing me with the tools needed to better myself day by day, I’ve always been shown the path that ATC have for me as an employee and as a person, which makes the two years as an apprentice that little bit easier”. William McGovern (Final Year LAA Apprentice)

 

“During my apprenticeship, I have learned a handful of skills and have been given all tools and the correct guidance to be able to complete my apprenticeship. I think ATC is Fantastic, rapidly growing company and the opportunities and benefits that come with the apprenticeship you would not find elsewhere. I think it is an excellent way to get your head in the door in logistics, and ATC is always willing to cover your studies financially, which is one of many benefits to be able to grow within the company.” Daniel Petherick (Final Year LAA Apprentice)

 

We care deeply about developing our team and seeing our colleagues reach their full potential. It’s the foundation of our value system.

 

As an apprentice at ATC, what can you expect? 

 

Resources Support: 

All apprentices are provided with a laptop, on-task training and dedicated study time and space for study or online college attendance. ATC has also partnered with HEANET to provide EDUROAM internet access at our HQ in Baldonnell.

 

Dedicated Mentors: 

Each of our apprentices are assigned a mentor to ensure they have a point of contact to reach out to and someone who is guiding them to achieve the key outcomes of the programme.

 

Team Initiatives:

In addition to competitive salaries, our apprentices are eligible for performance-related bonuses after an initial period.

 

But that’s not all. We want our teams to be proud of working for our business and want to grow with us, which is why we also have a number of ongoing initiatives in place.

 

To improve our overall quality and strengthen internal relationships, we have launched a field staff exchange program. This involves spending a week at another office and working with their team to learn about different job environments and locations. The exchange will primarily take place at our HQ in Dublin or our operations office in Frankfurt, where the employee can also attend technical training at our on-site Academies.

 

Diversity & Inclusion:

We pride ourselves on the fact that we have more than 20 different nationalities across our team at present. We acknowledge that we operate in a predominantly male industry and strive to ensure equal opportunities across our business. We are proud to have strong female representation with an increasing number of female Data Centre Installers, 50% representation on our Senior Leadership Team and many female colleagues in managerial positions. With our growing representation, we are sure that we will continue to grow a positive and inclusive organisational culture, with improvement in processes and group collaboration.

 

Career Progression:

ATC has a dedicated Learning and Development department to support our future personal and career development. Internal recruitment is also regularly promoted. And due to the nature of our work, there are many opportunities to travel abroad for work experience.

 

“ATC pushes you to strive for better and reward this through providing great career opportunities with full-time contracts along with further studies after the apprenticeship scheme” – Jeffery Boyce (Completed LAA with ATC and is now in full-time employment in ATC)

 

Sustainability:

The three pillars of sustainability are the environment/our planet, society/people, and the economy/profit/products – also known as the 3 Ps.

 

ATC’s sustainable development is built on top of those three pillars because it can be achieved only when environmental protection, social equity, and economic profitability coexist without one area taking over any of the others.

 

At ATC, we are committed to ensuring we meet environmental standards to leave a green footprint on our planet. We have initiated our sustainability initiative with an ambitious target to be carbon neutral by 2030.

 

Charitable Commitments:

With the support of our Social & Events Team, we support various charities each year. Each year we select specific charity days we will celebrate & support. For 2023 we have chosen the following;

 

• Daffodil Day
• Darkness into Light
• Breast Cancer Month
• Movember

 

We have also been involved in the AWSinCommunities team and recently finished a refurbishment project at St. Michaels Special School, which we are incredibly proud of.

 

And with all of the above, we love to celebrate with our people across our European locations for team engagement and fun.

 

If this sounds like what you are looking for, we encourage you to contact us for more information

 

Drené Potgieter

L&D Co-Ordinator

Trends to Be Aware of In Logistics and Supply Chain for 2023

Every year, we sit down as a team and research what trends are emerging or advancing in our industry. This research is essential for ATC to ensure we remain at the top of our game and continue to provide our clients with the best experience.

 

When we wrote a similar blog on our findings, 5 Trends to Be Aware of in Logistics and Supply Chain for 2021,we spoke about the Internet of Things, Blockchain, AI, Warehousing, and Sustainability, and we will touch on them again, among others, in this blog.

 

So let’s dive in.

 

 

AI and Machine Learning

There is a growing recognition of the potential of AI and Machine Learning in modern supply chain management to drive significant improvements in efficiency, cost-effectiveness and customer satisfaction.

A figure that stood out straight away to us is $20 billion. This figure is the expected amount that AI in supply chains will be valued at by 2028 compared to $5 billion in 2021, quite considerable growth! (Blueweave Consulting).

In ATC, AI has played a growing role in our planning department over recent years, alerting us to adverse weather events that we need to avoid in a particular region. It also assists us with regular traffic alerts, detailing where there is congestion on a route and providing alternative directions to bypass so that our delivery deadlines remain unaffected.

Other areas where AI is now supporting logistics and supply chain are through automating decision-making and supporting customer service with chatbots. “Software bots can, for example, answer customer inquiries about delivery status or manage product returns.” DHL Freight Connections.

 

AI-powered Predictive Analytics

 

A significant development is the integration of AI-powered predictive analytics, which allows organisations to forecast demand and optimise inventory levels, thus reducing human error and improving efficiencies while bringing a good return on investment.

 

Internet of Things (IoT)

 

Another figure that jumped out at us is 55.7 billion. According to New Era Tech this is the number of connected devices that will be on the market by 2025.

 

IoT devices and sensors are being used to track and monitor assets in real-time, providing organisations with increased visibility and control over their supply chain operations. In addition, IoT-powered maintenance is on the rise, enabling companies to identify and fix potential issues, which again improves efficiencies and reduces downtime.

 

A vital function of the IoT that we value is the level of transparency we can now offer to our customers. Using connected devices, we can keep in touch with them while on the road so that they can follow the location of our trucks, have peace of mind that their assets are secure and can talk to the driver if necessary.

 

 

Blockchain

Blockchain technology continues to grow in popularity, offering a secure and transparent means of tracking goods and information throughout the supply chain.

 

“All components of the supply chain can be integrated into a single platform” financeonline.com

 

Blockchain is said to provide unparalleled protection for information. IBM.com explain it in almost Lego-like terms here “each new block connects to all the blocks before it in a cryptographic chain in such a way that it’s nearly impossible to tamper with.” This means that the person on the receiving end of the transaction, such as an invoice request, can rest assured that it is coming from their genuine supplier.

 

 

Green Logistics

With growing concerns over climate change and sustainability, companies are looking for ways to reduce their environmental footprint. These activities include reducing transport emissions, using renewable energy in warehouses and implementing recycling and waste reduction programmes.

 

We have written several blogs around our sustainable efforts, from the environmental considerations we have taken in our new HQ, including the exciting introduction of Beehives on-site, to the recent purchase of our electric vans in Dublin and Frankfurt.

 

Circular Economy

The production of waste in supply chains is now considered unacceptable as it adversely impacts the global environment. Businesses are being encouraged to find ways to reduce waste production and recycle end-of-life products or packaging.

 

ATC is already involved in this activity with our reverse logistics service, which focuses on taking back the packaging used for a data centre deployment and recycling it through our globally certified packaging partner or returning it to our client base.

 

While we have made much progress in reducing ATC’s carbon footprint, we have more to do, which is why we are delighted to have our new Sustainability Manager on board – (more to come in another blog :-)).

 

 

Cybersecurity

Unfortunately, there has been a notable rise in the number of cyber-attacks on supply chain software—an increase of 300%.

 

Many logistic and supply chain operators, including ourselves, are concerned about this growing trend and taking action by investing in measures such as encryption, Blockchain, two-factor authentication, regular updates and staff training to ensure the business’s security posture is robust.

 

Chief Technology Officer Nils Gerhardt provided an excellent summary on the trajectory for cyber security and the supply chain in 2023 “Overall, 2023 looks set to be a year in which companies will be concentrating on the essentials of their security setup – their supply chain, the safety of their data in the cloud and their ability to switch to new forms of encryption. When building up the foundations of a company’s cybersecurity, the hardware or cloud-based solutions will continue to be essential.”

 

I hope this article gave you food for thought as it did for me about the future of logistics and supply chain and the exciting advancements unfolding as I write this.

 

 

Keith

Managing Director

2022 in Reflection

2022 has been described as one of the fastest years by many, and at ATC, we can vouch for that. Like any business, it’s good to pause and reflect on the outcomes of one year before moving into the next. With that intention, we sat down with the Directors  to get their take on some of the key stand-out moments of 2022.

 

How would you describe 2022 in ATC? 

“ Fun, challenging, and rewarding.”

 

Let’s elaborate on those three words…

 

Fun 

 

New Brand: 

It was a great joy working with our new brand and seeing it roll out across our buildings, livery and digital presence over this past year. It is a true reflection of who ATC are today – 43 years later.

 

Expanding the Team:

ATC undertook a recruitment drive this year and continues to do so. As a #proudlyeuropean business, it has been our privilege to welcome new colleagues in new regions like Berlin, Paris, Warsaw, and all across ATC. A highlight has been getting to know our new colleagues and being present for the camaraderie among the team that has evolved.

 

New Facilities:

2022 marked the opening of two new facilities to add to the ATC family, with more to come in 2023. We look forward to sharing more with you in due course.

 

Fun Fact:

Our drivers have travelled a total of 1.55m KM in 2022, the equivalent of travelling to the moon and back – twice! A big part of our mission in 2023 is to improve the sustainability of those kilometres.

Challenging 

 

New HQ:

Like any building project, there will be days/weeks of pure despair while you try to keep the wheels of the business moving. Thankfully that time ended, and after two years of planning and construction, we finally opened our new HQ on October 14th – with just a little snagging remaining.

 

Recruitment:

On the flip side of welcoming our new colleagues into the business, the recruitment process has posed a significant challenge for ourselves and our industry generally.

It has been widely reported that there is a European driver shortage. To meet these challenges, ATC supports several apprenticeships, including the Commercial Driver Apprenticeship, to encourage our younger generations to get involved in the industry and realise the scope of opportunity.

We also recognise the importance of ensuring ATC is a happy workplace for our team. With that, we have put processes in place to ensure we understand our employee’s needs, reward them for their hard work and open up opportunities for career progression within the business.

 

Economic Climate:

Another challenge is on the macro level again and trying to navigate the costs and volatility of the world we live in.

 

Rewarding 

 

Where there are challenges come many rewards, and for us, there are a few that particularly stand out.

New Brand:

Launching our new brand has been a massive highlight this year. We wanted the branding to reflect who we are now and our clients. We could not be more pleased with the feedback we have received from our team, clients and partners to date. The icing on the cake was winning the Livery Award recently at the Fleet Transport Awards in Dublin.

 

Team Building:

Our team building and social events throughout the year have been very successful, enabling everyone to get involved and connect with each other in more meaningful ways and offer support in our respective roles by working together to come up with solutions that will support all teams.

 

New HQ:

Without a doubt, a significant milestone for the business was finally being able to move into our new HQ in Dublin and consolidate our different departments from two Dublin locations into one. We’re still pinching ourselves that we’re in. Some key features of the building include:

• 1050m² warehouse
• 410 m² office
• Dock levellers and loading bays
• TAPA Certified
• And don’t forget our Bee Hives

 

Everything you could possibly need.

 

Trade Mission in Frankfurt:

In June, we were honoured to have been selected by Enterprise Ireland to showcase our Frankfurt-based Operations HQ as part of their German Trade Mission. This trade mission was arranged to boost further trade collaboration between Ireland and Germany and mark the contribution of Irish companies, like ourselves, operating in Germany.

 

AWS in Communities – St Michaels: 

At ATC, it’s imperative to us that we can support selected charities and give back to our local communities. We have been involved in a couple of projects with AWSInCommunities, but our most recent project in St. Michaels was particularly poignant. We sponsored the installation of a much-needed new sensory room in the school, and we helped paint some common areas, including a stunning outdoor garden space that parents, teachers and students can enjoy. At the launch, everyone felt immense joy and pride for what we had created for this community as a team of businesses.

 

Sustainability Initiatives:

If you are regular readers of our blog, you will know that sustainability is important to us here at ATC. From introducing our first diesel-powered truck and vans into the business to our ongoing HVO trial, we’re on a busy but fascinating path to becoming a carbon-neutral business and giving our clients cleaner solutions for their supply chains.

Back in February, it was wonderful to receive the news that ATC had been acknowledged for our efforts in the EU Commission’s Report regarding the CSR uptake by European SMEs and start-ups under the areas of Decent Work, Consumer Issues, Environment, and Responsible Business Relations.

As we close off this year, we were delighted to recently receive a report that our new HQ has already achieved 62% energy independence!

 

 

Looking to the year ahead…

2023 will undoubtedly be another one to remember for ATC as we expand on many of the initiatives discussed above. For now, we want to take this opportunity to thank our team, partners and clients for their support in making these goals of ours a reality.

We wish you and yours a prosperous 2023.

 

Keith, Alan and Patricia Young 

ATC Sponsors New Sensory Room for Dublin School

Once again, we were delighted to receive a call from Thomas Carroll, Ambassador for the Dublin AWSInCommunities team, inviting us to work on a very special project for a local Dublin school.

St. Michael’s House Special National School in Baldoyle has a clear mission: “To promote the spiritual, moral, cultural, intellectual and physical development of our pupils and prepare them for opportunities, responsibilities and the experiences of adult life”.

Currently, the school supports 60 students with physical and mental disabilities. They have 11 classes with teachers and 5 nurses. We were honoured to lend our support to bring Principal Anna Lombard’s vision to life by upgrading the much-needed Sensory Room – a space for the children to go to relieve pain and relax as they watch the colourful lights and listen to calming music.

The room is furnished with big soft bean bags and low padded benches placed against the backdrop of dark blue walls and dim lighting to protect the calming atmosphere.

 

ATC staff also assisted with painting the playground, hallways, canteen and staff areas. Our team were particularly fascinated by the school’s sensory garden, which the AWSInCommunities team have now covered so that the children can use it no matter what season it is.

 

 

On Friday, the 11th of November, we all gathered in the Sensory garden for the official cutting of the ribbon. The school’s Principal, Anna Lombard, said that she was totally overwhelmed by the work completed, and the children presented heart-warming thank-you cards for everyone present.

We hope that the children of St Michael’s find joy and comfort from these new spaces, and once again, we would like to thank AWSInCommunities for inviting us to be part of such a wonderful project.

Deborah Murray

ATC Introduce Beehives at European HQ

At ATC, we are always looking for ways to push our sustainability efforts further. With that intention, we recently installed Beehives at our European Headquarters in Dublin to support pollination in our local area.

Alongside the beehives themselves, we have planted fruit trees and bee-friendly shrubs and bushes that will provide food and nectar during the Spring and Summer months for the hives in the sheltered part of the property.

Today we wanted to highlight why we decided to implement beehives on our property and why we encourage other businesses and homeowners to do the same on their property – if possible.

 

The Importance of Bees for Our Crops

Are you aware that Wild Bees and Honeybees are responsible for pollinating fruit, vegetables, and wild plants?

Almost 90% of wild plants and 75% of global crops depend on pollination. One in every three mouthfuls of our food depends on pollinators such as bees. The pollination of crops such as apples, strawberries, and vegetables shows that pollinators are a vital contributor to our economy, with an estimated annual value of at least €35 million in the Republic of Ireland.

Why Bees are Facing Extinction

Populations of bumblebees and solitary bees all over Ireland have shrunk dramatically in the past 30 years, with ONE-Third of all species being threatened with extinction.

In Ireland, we have one type of managed Native Irish Honeybee and 98 different Wild Bees, which include 21 Bumblebees and 77 Solitary bees. Solitary bees are key to pollination.

As the food supply for bees decreases (flowers) and their safe nesting places, such as long grasses and woods, are lost, bees are becoming endangered, and about one-third are facing extinction. Potent chemical cocktails comprising insecticides, fungicides and herbicides have also contributed to their decline; Insecticides are known to kill, harm and disorientate pollinators. Herbicides that kill the ‘weeds’ are also harmful to bees.

 

How Can We Support the Survival of Bees

Businesses and schools can sign up with AIP – The All-Ireland Pollinator Plan, which will guide them with information around setting up and maintaining a suitable environment for their hive.

Farmers can use the sparing and land-sharing concept, where crops are interplanted with bee-friendly plants. In urban areas in some countries, the rooves of bus stops have been planted with flowers to encourage bee populations.

Plant a bee-friendly garden with trees such as Willow, Hawthorn, Rowan, Holly and Crab apple. Also, plant nectar and pollen-rich plants on your property, such as Snowdrops, Crocus, Grape, Hyacinth and Alliums, to provide early food for emerging pollinators the following Spring. Bee bombs can be ordered online from www.Beebomsbireland.com, which will help you grow bee-friendly flowers in your garden and along roadsides.

Create areas in your garden for solitary bees to make their homes, such as soil embankments, stone walls, and long grassy areas. Build a bee hotel with cones, sticks, tiles and pallets in a quiet garden corner to encourage solitary bees to stay. Allow your lawn to grow with dandelions (these are a vital food source for bees in Spring), and mow only every six weeks.

Eliminate the use of herbicides, insecticides and pesticides as these poison bees and disorientate them.

Key Considerations Before Installing a Hive

Bees can be kept in a variety of places, including rooftops, back gardens, orchards, farm fields, business sites etc. Regardless of location, it is imperative that your bees must not interfere with the rights of other people in their homes or work environments. The beehive site should be:

• Easily accessible for the beekeeper.
• Secured from predators, including animals and ‘humans’.
• Sheltered from the wind and should not be sited facing the prevailing wind.
• Ideally, an apiary site should be shaded by deciduous trees. While colonies can benefit from the Autumn, Winter, and Spring sun, in the Summer, these same hives can overheat. Thus, the beekeeper must ensure their hives are kept as cool as possible.
• Hives should have an adequate food and water source. Remember, bees will forage within a 6 km radius of the hive, so this needs to be considered.
• Ideally, hives should be sited with the entrance facing south or southeast.

Note: beekeepers need to be suited up in appropriate clothing before going near their hives.

 

The Process of Installing a Hive

Once a new site for a hive has been selected and the new hive installed, the existing beehive can be covered over with a muslin cloth the evening before the move. As early as possible the next morning, the hive is moved to the new site.

During transportation, the hive must be secured to prevent damage, and the roof is left off to keep the bees cool. At the new site, the hive is opened, the muslin cover is removed, and the crown board is replaced. The colony is left to settle for a few weeks before being inspected. Hives should only be moved in early Spring.

 

The Maintenance of a Hive

Beehives are the colony’s home and need regular maintenance, from sterilising parts once a year after a comb change to repairing gaps in the wood to prevent draughts, pests, or robbers. A hive should be kept so that bees are happy there, as they will move if they are not. Sterilising prevents pests and disease in larvae.

The beekeeping year runs from January through December.

Understandably some months are busier than others, with April through September being the busiest months. During the busy season, beekeepers are primarily concerned with preventing colonies swarming. This involves checking each colony weekly/fortnightly until you have successfully controlled swarming. Records are kept for each colony, being completed after each visit.

 

At ATC, we are committed to sustainable environmental practices, and we believe that every small contribution counts towards improving our environment, our communities, and the world around us.

We have found this whole process fascinating, and we would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank our beekeeper Nessa Friel for her expertise, guidance and insights around this project.

 

Deborah Murray

Executive Assistant

 

Further information can be found at:

• The Bee Book by Fergus Chadwick et al
• Learn these top 10 facts about bees | WWF
• www.Beebomsbireland.com
• pollinators.ie