Material Handling Management articles from August 2005

Material Handling Management archives from August 2005

Using the right tools: the right material handling equipment boosts productivity and reducs costs for Diebold.(New Facility)
August 1, 2005... It is hard to stay competitive in the global marketplace with a manual warehouse. Diebold, Inc. took a bold step and recently moved its warehouse and separate repair center into a new, automated Global Service Logistics Center (Green, Ohio)....

Don't work with jerks.(human resource management)(Editorial)
August 1, 2005... The first rule that two friends of mine made when they went into business for themselves was, "We won't work with jerks," or words to that effect. Because the true nature of people and organizations isn't always revealed until you work with...

Need help meeting retailers' packaging demands?(Shipping Management)
August 1, 2005... I was walking through my local, big-box home improvement center recently when an end-of-aisle display caught my eye. I was not attracted to it for reasons the company's marketing people had hoped. What caught my interest about this load of AA...

Politically correct Math?(Manufacturing Management)
August 1, 2005... Remember multiplication tables? Then came algebra and solid geometry, trig and all the rest of that most difficult but most helpful discipline? It's called math, or was, and it's the basic language of modern manufacturing. It starts with...

Backing up RFID.(Radio Frequency Identification Device)
August 1, 2005... Everyone knows that RFID is the greatest thing since sliced bread, right? It's perfectly foolproof and will revolutionize the way you do business. Okay, that was just a bit of a reality check. RFID isn't foolproof. Nothing is. The...

Wal-Mart gives fuel-cells a test drive: hydrogen fuel-cell powered lift trucks offer long-lasting power, fast refueling at Wal-Mart DC.(Cellex Power Products Inc.'s fuel cell)
August 1, 2005... Cellex Power Products, Inc. (Vancouver) completed a first-round hydrogen fuel-cell trial at a Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.(Bentonville, Ark.) distribution center in late July. Based on the positive performance of the technology, Wal-Mart has agreed to...

Supervalu Distribution Center receives safety accreditation.(News)
August 1, 2005... Supervalu Inc.'s distribution center in Oglesby, Ill. received the Principles of Behavior Based Safety accreditation from the Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies. The accreditation was earned after MRDC successfully implemented Supervalu's...

Printronix develops RFID certification.(News)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Printronix Inc. (Irvine, Calif.) has joined with the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) to develop a radio frequency identification (RFID) certification. The vendor-neutral certification is intended to validate the knowledge...

Disease traced to DC, Rodents to be destroyed.(News)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... The lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) associated with three transplant deaths in Rhode Island has been found in several rodents tested at a pet distribution center near Zanesville, Ohio. Operated by Midsouth Distributors (Scott, Ark.)...

Toyota opens National Customer Center.(News)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Toyota recently celebrated the grand opening of its National Customer Center at its manufacturing facility in Columbus, Ind. The $11-million investment added 108,000 square feet to the Toyota Industrial Equipment Manufacturing (TIEM) site. ...

On the job.(News)(Cartoon)
August 1, 2005... Real sign spotted in warehouse facility PACKING TAPE SHOULD NOT BE USED FOR PAINFUL PRACTICAL JOKES!

Automation companies join forces to develop new aerospace manufacturing processes.(News)
August 1, 2005... KUKA Robotics Corporation (Clinton Township, Mich.), a manufacturer of industrial robots, and several other automation companies have joined forces to develop new flexible manufacturing processes for the aerospace industry. The consortium was...

Firestone Polymers outsources aluminum container management.(News)
August 1, 2005... TrenStar Inc. (Denver) purchased the industry's second largest returnable aluminum container fleet from Firestone Polymers LLC (Akron). TrenStar will manage the synthetic rubber producer's entire returnable container operations for 10 years,...

Japan's anti-dumping sanctions include forklift exports.(News)
August 1, 2005... On August 1 Japan imposed its first-ever trade sanctions against the United States on a number of goods, including various steel products, ball bearings and forklifts. The 15% tariff on U.S. imports could add up to more than $50 million. The...

Kalmar now assembling lift trucks in Kansas.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... In April Kalmar Industries Corp. (Stockholm, Sweden) began assembling Kalmar heavy-duty lift trucks at its Ottawa, Kan. manufacturing plant. "By assembling big Kalmar lift trucks in Ottawa, we are dramatically strengthening our presence in...

Boise to open Building Materials DC in Northern California.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Boise to Open Building Materials DC in Northern California--Boise Building Materials Distribution (Boise, Idaho) announced that the company has signed a letter of intent to lease a facility in Lathrop, California. The 30-acre site, which...

May conveyor orders up 23%.
August 1, 2005... May Conveyor Orders Up 23%--May conveyor orders climbed 2% over April and 23% over the same period of last year, the Conveyor Equipment Manufacturers Association (CEMA) reports. Conveyor shipments for May declined slightly (3%) when compared to...

Toyota announces management changes.
August 1, 2005... Toyota Announces Management Changes--Tatsuo Matsuura will become chief executive officer (CEO) and Susumu (Sonny) Toyoda will become president and chief operating officer (COO) for Toyota Industrial Equipment Manufacturing (TIEM). Both Toyoda...

America recycles.
August 1, 2005... America Recycles--An annual study from the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) shows that 86% of the U.S. population, or 254 million people, have access to curbside or drop-off recycling programs. AF&PA and its member companies have a...

Electroglas named top 10 supplier for test and material handling equipment.
August 1, 2005... Electroglas Named Top 10 Supplier for Test and Material Handling Equipment--Electroglas, Inc. (San Jose, Calif.), a supplier of wafer probers and prober-based test handling products for the semiconductor industry, has been ranked as one of the...

ITC investigates Symbol Technologies.
August 1, 2005... ITC Investigates Symbol Technologies--The U.S. International Trade Commission has voted to investigate allegations that Symbol Technologies (Holtsville, N.Y.) has violated U.S. trade practices by importing handheld mobile computing devices,...

Inventory reductions allow Unifi to close Central Distribution Center.
August 1, 2005... Inventory Reductions Allow Unifi to Close Central Distribution Center--Unifi, Inc. (Greensboro, N.C.) will close its Central Distribution Center in Mayodan, North Carolina and move its operations to warehouse and logistics facilities in...

William Frick and Company celebrates 30 years.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... William Frick and Company Celebrates 30 Years--William Frick and Company (Libertyville, Ill.) recently marked its 30-year anniversary. The company markets and distributes bar code markers, underground utility markers, nameplates, panels, bar...

NAL Worldwide acquires SIRVA Logistics.
August 1, 2005... NAL Worldwide acquires SIRVA Logistics--NAL Worldwide LLC (Westmont, Ill.) signed a definitive agreement to acquire the SIRVA Logistics business assets from North American Van Lines, Inc., a subsidiary of SIRVA, Inc. The SIRVA Logistics...

KUKA partners with Nercon.
August 1, 2005... KUKA Partners with Nercon--KUKA Robotics Corporation (Clinton Township, Mich.), a manufacturer of industrial robots, has signed Nercon Engineering and Manufacturing Inc. (Oshkosh, Wis.) as its newest system partner. The companies will work...

Ryder to provide transportation management services to USPS.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Ryder to Provide Transportation Management Services to USPS--Ryder System, Inc. (Miami) was awarded a multi-year contract by the United States Postal Service (USPS) to develop and manage a customized transportation solution to optimize the...

New corporate lean management book.(Creating Lean Corporations: Reengineering from the Bottom Up to Eliminate Waste)(Brief Article)(Book Review)
August 1, 2005... New Corporate Lean Management Book--Creating Lean Corporations--Reengineering from the Bottom Up to Eliminate Waste (Productivity Press, 2005) revitalizes the original intent of "business process reengineering" and offers a new methodology in...

HK Systems announces partnership with RFID-supplier SAMSys.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... HK Systems Announces Partnership with RFID-Supplier SAMSys--HK Systems (Milwaukee), a provider of logistics management and RFID solutions, formed a value-added reseller (VAR) partnership with SAMSys Technologies, Inc. (Richmond Hill, Ontario,...

75th anniversary of the supermarket, bar code among key innovations.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... 75th Anniversary of the Supermarket, Bar Code Among Key Innovations--Created during the Great Depression, the supermarket first delivered self-service and low prices, followed by increasing variety. Key to the supermarket's early success were...

Help for foodservice distributors.
August 1, 2005... The International Foodservice Distributors Association (IFDA), Falls Church, Va., has released two manuals that provide important operational information for managing facility inspections and product recalls. The FDA and USDA Inspection Manual...

AGVS: pick up and deliver: now that guidance systems have matured, user interfaces have improved, and the installation process has been simplified, automated guided vehicle systems are hitting their stride.(Cutting Edge)
August 1, 2005... Most people's perception of mobile robotics is some goofy Mars rover," says Robert Wolf, the material handling team manager at Ford Motor Co.'s Romeo (Mich.) Engine Plant. Even though system sales have almost tripled in recent years, Wolf is...

Radioactive waste disposal: not too hot to handle.(Storage Strategies)
August 1, 2005... Disposal of more than a million tons of hazardous material is a monumental job. Here's how Fluor is filling some 7,000 containers, each weighing more than 20,000 pounds. When the Cold War cooled in 1989, a major battle still loomed for the...

Mobile warehouse supplies U.S. Marines in Iraq: container-sized carousel performs the critical task of supplying U.S. military forces with the material needed to do its jobs.
August 1, 2005... Behind the daily newspaper headlines and behind the battle lines lies a material handling story. The U.S. Marines teamed with FKI Logistex (St. Louis), and its carousel technology expertise, to design a unique container carousel system that can...

Reduce medical claims: workplace ergonomics: six million workers suffer workplace injuries each year at a cost to U.S. business of more than $125 billion. Here's how to reduce those numbers.(Cost Management)
August 1, 2005... There are two ways to reduce medical claims related to injuries and ergonomics. First, spend lots of money to totally automate the warehouse, eliminating all human activity. Second, spend no money and initiate awareness programs to teach people...

Vegas spotlight on packaging: packaging's biennial event in the desert will focus on the latest developments in packaging technologies and feature the wares of more than 1,200 exhibitors.(Pack Expo Spotlight)
August 1, 2005... Starting September 26 and running through September 28, the center of the packaging world will be in Las Vegas. Pack Expo Las Vegas, sponsored by the Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute (PMMI, Arlington, Va.) has grown exponentially in...

LP Gas Lift Truck works in 7 ft. Aisles.(NARROW-AISLE FORKLIFT)
August 1, 2005... The Aisle-Master articulated forklift is designed to maximize storage space by reducing operating aisle widths. The truck can work both indoors and outside like a regular counterbalance truck. The Aisle-Master has 4400 lb. lift capacity, with...

The Legacy Low Maintenance Battery delivers power.(advantages of Legacy Low Maintenance Battery)
August 1, 2005... The Legacy Low Maintenance Battery has a new internal design that takes advantage of optimized grid metallurgy and new technology to give true Low Maintenance performance and unquestionable quality. Our new separators and internal construction...

Modular Conveyor Systems offer versatility.(BATTERY)
August 1, 2005... Dynamic Conveyor's light- to medium-duty DynaCon[R] modular conveyor systems offer true versatility. DynaCon's modular conveyor systems can be recon- figured in less time, in ever-changing manufacturing or workflow environments. Made from...

How long does it take to load or unload trucks at your docks? Are your employees as efficient as they can be?(TIMERS FOR LOGISTICS APPLICATION)
August 1, 2005... Answers to those questions can be found using our large digit timers. Ideal to measure both time, productivity and efficiency in your company's logistics department. Using large LED timers can be seen from almost anywhere on the dock. ...

Precision Lifting.(LIFTING DEVICE)
August 1, 2005... More precise than a hoist, more efficient than an air balancer. Gorbel's new Easy Arm[TM] lifting device gives you the speeds you need to increase productivity, the precision you need to decrease product damage, and the strength to protect your...