Material Handling Management articles from April 2003

Material Handling Management archives from April 2003

Invisible but invaluable: for material handling, it's what's inside that counts.(ProMat 2003)(Editorial)
April 1, 2003... Those who judge books by covers and people by looks would probably not be easily impressed by changes in material handling technology in recent years. That's because many of the revolutionary changes in this industry are happening beneath the...

Electric lift trucks to replace IC models? (News Briefs).(internal combustion; California. Air Resources Board proposal)
April 1, 2003... The Industrial Truck Association's (ITA) air quality subcommittee recently discussed a controversial California Air Resources Board (CARB) proposal, offered as part of the South Coast Air Quality Management District State Implementation Plan...

Future looks bright ahead. (News Briefs).(Grant Thornton and Wirthlin Worldwide survey on future of middle-market companies )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... According to a survey by global accounting firm Grant Thornton and Wirthlin Worldwide, eight out of 10(79 percent) U.S. middle-market companies are optimistic about the future of their business over the next six months, and half plan to...

Universal Express Inc. (Companies Making News).(USXP Capital to acuire United States Coachworks and Go Leasing)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Universal Express Inc. announced that subsidiary USXP Capital executed a contract to acquire United States Coachworks and its finance/lease affiliate Go Leasing.

Ranpak Corp. (Companies Making News).(manufacturing plant opens)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Ranpak Corp. manufacturer of paper-based packaging systems, announced that its new manufacturing plant in Reno, Nevada, is fully operational.

Magnetek Inc. (Companies Making News).(acquires Telemotive Industrial Controls)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Magnetek Inc., designer and manufacturer of electrification and control products for the overhead material handling industry, has acquired Telemotive Industrial Controls.

Smurfit-Stone Container Corporation. (Companies Making News).(Jefferson Smurfit Corp., Smurfit-MBI stake)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Smurfit-Stone Container Corporation announced that it has signed a letter of intent with Jefferson Smurfit Group, under which Smurfit-Stone will exchange its European packaging operations and receive JS Group's 50 percent ownership in...

Siemens-Dematic. (Companies Making News).(Manhattan Associates Inc. contract)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Siemens-Dematic has selected Manhattan Associates as its preferred software partner in the Americas, and Manhattan will use Siemens-Dematic as its preferred Material Handling vendor.

Zebra Technologies. (Companies Making News).(Manhattan Associates Inc. partnership )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... In addition, Manhattan Associates and Zebra Technologies plan to deliver a joint solution that enables companies to create and leverage radio frequency identification labels to gain real-time visibility into supply chains.

Bluff Manufacturing Inc. (Companies Making News).(acquires Torbeck Industries' portable dock division )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Clark Smith, president of Bluff Manufacturing Inc., announced that it has acquired the portable dock division of Torbeck Industries, Harrison, Ohio.

WhereNet Corp. (Companies Making News).(Symbol Technologies Inc. integrates technology)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... WhereNet Corp. announced that Symbol Technologies Inc. has chosen to integrate WhereNet's technology into its Spectrum24 RTL System (real-time location) product offering.

NetVendor Inc. (Companies Making News).(Teradyne Inc. merger, Visiprise Inc.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... NetVendor Inc. and Teradyne announced that the two companies have completed the sale of Teradyne's manufacturing software group NetVendor. The two groups have merged to become Visiprise Inc., effective immediately.

Robot orders picking up. (News Brief).(Robotic Industries Association)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... North American manufacturing companies ordered 10,573 robots valued at $811 million from North American-based robotics suppliers in 2002. This is an increase of six percent in units and five percent in revenue from 2001, according to figures...

PMMI's educational efforts. (News Briefs).(Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute (PMMI) provided $128,600 in packaging education support in 2002. Through four unique scholarship programs and support of the Packaging Education Forum (PEF), PMMI's education commitment supported...

Omron Electronics LLC. (Managers Making News).(Craig Bauer and Frank Newburn)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Craig Bauer has been appointed Omron Electronics LLC's chief operating officer, and Frank Newburn has been promoted to co-CEO. Newburn will maintain his tide as president as well as continuing his responsibilities as president of Omron...

FKI Logistex White Systems. (News Briefs).(G. Lynnwood Rosser)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... G. Lynnwood Rosser has been named director of sales and marketing for FKI Logistex White Systems.

Schneider Logistics Inc. (News Briefs).(Todd Callahan)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Schneider Logistics Inc. announced that Todd Callahan has joined the company as director, business development.

RedPrairie. (News Briefs).(Ken Finkel)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... RedPrairie announced the appointment of Ken Finkel as strategic accounts group leader.

LB International. (News Briefs).(Thomas Berger)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Thomas Berger has been hired as vice president of customer applications at LB International, manufacturer of material handling equipment for warehousing, distribution and production.

Lyon Workspace Products LLC. (News Briefs).(promotes Pete Webb)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Lyon Workspace Products LLC has promoted Pete Webb to national sales manager. He has been with the company 30 years.

Jerry Vaughn. (News Briefs).(joins Intelligrated)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Jerry Vaughn has joined Intelligrated as systems sales manager.

SK Daifuku. (News Briefs).(David C. Janke )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... SK Daifuku has appointed David C. Janke vice president of sales and marketing.

Paltier LLC. (News Briefs).(Andrew N. Jordan )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Andrew N. Jordan has been named national sales and marketing manager for Paltier LLC.

Motion Industries. (News Briefs).(Jim Williams )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Motion Industries, distributor of bearings, mechanical, electrical, hydraulic and pneumatic replacement parts, has named Jim Williams corporate director, industrial automation.

MRO Direct Inc. (News Briefs).(Brent Fitch )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... MRO Direct Inc., a procurement services provider, announced it has appointed Brent Fitch corporate operations officer.

Wisconsin Lift Truck Corp. (News Briefs).(appointments)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Wisconsin Lift Truck Corp. has appointed Mike Casey vice president of corporate account management. Corporate account managers have also been named, including Tom Stephens, Mark DeCleene, Jim Adamus. Brian Markison will handle corporate...

Liberty Diversified Industries. (News Briefs).(Bicknell and Fuller Co. appoints George Preston )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Bicknell & Fuller, a division of Liberty Diversified Industries, announces that George Preston has been named its general manager.

Schneider National Inc. (News Briefs).(Greg Sanders)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Schneider National Inc. announced the promotion of Greg Sanders to area vice president of sales.

Magnum Systems Inc. (News Briefs).(Gary Saunders)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Gary Saunders has been appointed vice president of sales and marketing at Magnum Systems Inc., supplier of bulk material handling and packaging systems

Insight to RFID market in 2002. (News Briefs).(Radio Frequency Identification Device )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... From standards development to expanded pilots to real installations, the RFID market made substantial progress in 2002. End user interest in REID technology is at its highest point and continues to climb. RFID technology is getting strong...

New Supply Chain Executive Forum. (News Briefs).(Logistics Institute at Georgia Institute of Technology)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The Logistics Institute at Georgia Tech is presenting its Supply Chain Executive Forum in April and October. This is a relevant and valuable opportunity for senior supply chain executives to enhance the strategic impact of their supply chain...

Siemens Energy & Automation joins trading network. (News Briefs).(partners with Prophet 21 to become Trading Partner Connect member)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... In a push to offer customers more flexibility and drive down the cost of doing business, Siemens Energy & Automation Inc., a manufacturer of electrical, engineering, and automation solutions and products, has partnered with Prophet 21 to become...

Letter to the editor.(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2003... Mr. Witt: I enjoyed your article on the 3PL services trends. [MHM January 2003, Two Studies Reveal Trends in 3PL Servics, p. 78.1 One aspect that really hit home for me is the statement about key concerns in "defining the role of lead...

Business Conditions strengthen. (News Briefs).(Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute report)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The packaging machinery sector continued to show strength in the first report for the new year, according to the Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute's (PMMI) Business Conditions Index (BCI). The latest BCI report shows two measures...

Future supply chain spending. (News Briefs).(Forrester Research Inc. report "SCM Processes Replace Applications: 2003 to 2003")(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... According to a new Forrester Research Inc. report, U.S. firms will spend a total of $35 billion over the next five years to improve business processes that monitor, manage and optimize their extended supply chains. In the report SCM Processes...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
April 1, 2003... In the sidebar," Considering Liberty's Future," which ran in Part 1 of our Automation series appearing in the January issue, the incorrect suppliers were listed at the conclusion. Siemens Dematic provided a conveyor system, sorters, controls...

Keep 'EM rolling. (The Cutting Edge).
April 1, 2003... Measuring the condition of rotating equipment is becoming easier thanks to products that take advantage of personal data assistants. The MicroVibe is a portable vibration tester that fits the Springboard expansion slot of a Handspring Visor...

Flexible palletizing. (The Cutting Edge).
April 1, 2003... Here's a system that can keep up with the on-going production changes in the packaging industry. The Robox robotic palletizing system uses a 6-axis articulated Motoman robotic arm with a Schneider-designed cell, which can be attached to the...

IT comes when you "whistle". (The Cutting Edge).
April 1, 2003... For material handling operations, you no longer need to decide between manually operated walkies or automated guided vehicles. Now you can use a hybrid that combines both modes of operation. In addition, the HyBot will come to you when you...

Where there's smoke. (Transport Packaging).(fire prevention on loading docks)
April 1, 2003... Writing about flame-retardant pallets as I have the past couple of months has sparked some other fire-related--more transport than packaging--stories. A reader I met at ProMat (who shall remain nameless to protect the guilty) told me the issue...

Calendar.(Calendar)
April 1, 2003... April 22-24 Enterprise Resource Planning Systems (ERP). Toronto. Sponsored by the Council of Logistics Management. Register at www.execdev.schulich.yorku.ca. April 27-30 WERC's 26th Annual Conference. San Francisco Marriott. San Francisco....

Time and productivity. (Controls & Systems).(U.S. Customs security laws affect international shipping)
April 1, 2003... Material-handling operators for a manufacturer in Germany place components into a crate and then seal it. They then use a lift truck to place the crate into a carrier truck. Meanwhile, controls and systems handle the necessary data transfer...

Masters of lean thinking: by implementing lean manufacturing techniques, Medtronic Xomed makes and distributes medical devices faster, better and smarter. (America's Best Plants).(Medtronic Xomed Surgical Products Inc.)
April 1, 2003... Changing the way workers think about manufacturing and distribution was the biggest challenge for Medtronic Xomed of Jacksonville, Florida. Three years ago, the warehouse would deliver a big box full of material to the manufacturing line with...

Proactive approach keeps bills in the mail. (America's Best Plants).(DST Output)(Company Profile)
April 1, 2003... DST Output prints 105 million billing statements a month which accounts for two percent of all USPS business. Here's how this company handles a staggering amount of material to meet its customers' drumbeat for fast delivery. DST Output in...

Security up in the air. (Security - Part 3).(airport security)
April 1, 2003... Airline passengers aren't the only "cargo" undergoing increased scrutiny because of new security regulations. There's an array of regulations and mandates that will affect warehouses and distribution centers handling material that moves to and...

Materials Handling Equipment Company. (Value-Added Award).(Company Profile)
April 1, 2003... Before 1952, Material Handling in Colorado involved mostly hand trucks and casters. Fifty years later it's a different story with Materials Handling Equipment Company (MHECO) as one of its primary authors. Each year the editors of Material...

802.11 (g): jumping the gun. (Automatic Data Collection).
April 1, 2003... There have been recent reports that 802.11(g) wireless LAN (WLAN) systems don't interoperate flawlessly with some 802.11(b) clients. Surprise! Of course, anyone who has followed the development of 802.11-compliant systems wasn't really...

The outlook: whom to believe? (Manufacturing Management).
April 1, 2003... Mark Twain said it best. "There are liars, damn liars and then there's statistics." Yet, how would we live without all those number crunchers in a country as big and complex as the United States? This is particularly true when it comes to...

Seat belts aren't the only concern. (Compliance).
April 1, 2003... Richard E. Fairfax, OSHA's head of enforcement programs, still hasn't made a decision about whether to change the regulation concerning seat belts on lift trucks. Last we heard was that OSHA inspectors wouldn't have to cite your company for a...

New directions in material movement. (Market Trends).
April 1, 2003... Lift truck, AGV and conveyor QEMs are competing more with each other for your business. Here's an update on new developments that are letting these technologies cross paths. It used to be, when you considered ways to move material around...

Tug moves loads easily. (Product News).
April 1, 2003... The CartGaddyLite is a walk-behind tug for pushing or pulling heavy maintenance equipment or parts. It can maneuver up to 2,000 lb in tight areas. It has variable-speed twist grips that allow operators to travel at speeds of 0 to 3 mph forward...

Measuring up. (Product News).
April 1, 2003... FlexiSpace automatically stores items of varying heights for optimal flexibility and efficient use of storage space. As a feature of the MegaLift Vertical Module, it consists of a height-sensor photo array that automatically tracks item heights...

Improve picking time. (Product News).
April 1, 2003... The Stationary Sequence Buffer helps predict the order picking time necessary for selecting, counting and packing components out of storage totes. The unit is available in heights ranging to 30 ft. It uses a lateral belt transfer as the load...