Material Handling Management articles from March 2004

Material Handling Management archives from March 2004

The only thing we have to fear ... Fear itself finishes this thought, but don't let it finish you.(Editorial)(Editorial)
March 1, 2004... Fear has always been a great motivator. At man's earliest stages of evolution, if a predator crossed his path, he had two options; fight or flee. Now man is more sophisticated. So are our fears and the things we're afraid of. They include:...

Target aims at RFID compliance from suppliers.(News Briefs)
March 1, 2004... Target Corp. has posted a target it wants its suppliers to hit: spring 2005. That's the date by which it wants top suppliers to start using radio frequency identification (RFID) tags on every case and pallet shipped to a selection of its...

10 steps to RFID compliance.(News Briefs)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... It's no secret that consumer product manufacturers and suppliers are now challenged with mandates from major retailers requiring radio frequency identification (RFID) tagging compliance at the carton, case and pallet level by early 2005. RFID...

Retail Systems show features RFID.(News Briefs)(Retail Systems Concepts Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Retail Systems 2004/VICS Collaborative Commerce announced that Mike Duke, executive vice president, and president and CEO of Wal-Mart Stores Division (USA), will present the opening keynote address. The event will be held May 17-19 at McCormick...

Will consumers buy into RFID?(News Briefs)
March 1, 2004... We know that Wal-Mart and the DoD want radio frequency identification technology (RFID), and we know that suppliers to those huge supply chain partners are trying to learn how to make it work for their own companies, but what do John and Jane...

Tech spending rising.(News Briefs)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... New research from Pembroke Consulting indicates technology investments by wholesalers and distributors will boom through 2008. The report titled Facing the Forces of Change: The Road to Opportunity included survey responses from more than 1,000...

Economic, security benefits of RFID-enabled technologies.(News Briefs)
March 1, 2004... BearingPoint Inc., one of the world's larger business consulting and systems integration firms, recently announced the results of a demonstration program, which found that using radio frequency identification (RFID) sensors to improve cargo...

Supply chain security.(News Briefs)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... The Reusable Pallet & Container Coalition (RPCC) has formed a task force on supply chain security. The goal of the task force is to foster consensus among key suppliers in the food supply chain, including manufacturers of reusable containers...

Intermec joins EPCglobal.(News Briefs)(Intermec Technologies Corp.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Intermec Technologies Corp. announced it has joined EPCglobal, a joint venture of the standards bodies EAN International and the Uniform Code Council. EPCglobal is a non-profit organization dedicated to developing and overseeing standards...

PEF distributes funds.(News Briefs)(Packaging Education Forum )
March 1, 2004... As part of its final distribution of funds to support packaging education, the Packaging Education Forum (PEF) is distributing $400,000 in assets to packaging programs at six universities. The distribution of assets is part of the PEF...

NAW teams with Deloitte US.(News Briefs)(National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors)(Deloitte Consulting LLP)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... The National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW) is launching a new strategic relationship with Deloitte & Touche LLP and Deloitte Consulting LLP (Deloitte US) to develop strategies, tools and techniques to assist wholesaler and...

Initiative 2004.(News Briefs)(Weber Marking Systems Inc.'s services)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... In the wake of Wal-Mart's mandate that requires its top 100 suppliers to place radio frequency identification (RFID) tags on all cases and palletloads by January 2005, Weber Marking Systems has announced that it has established what it calls...

Tip of the month.(News Briefs)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... There's tax relief where you'd least expect it: Donate excess inventory to charitable organizations. The National Association for the Exchange of Industrial Resources (NAEIR) takes donations of new, overstock or discontinued product and...

Fire retardant pallet approved.(News Briefs)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... ORBIS Corp. now offers a high-density polyethylene, 40x48x5-inch pallet approved by Factory Mutual Research Corp. (FM) as having met fire rating requirements equivalent to wood pallets. The ORBIS Heavy-Duty Structo-Cell pallet meets Factory...

Glossary of supply chain terminology.(News Briefs)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Industrial Data & Information Inc. announces the second edition of a new resource for professionals in the supply chain field. This resource is the Glossary of Supply Chain Terminology for Logistics. Manufacturing, Warehousing & Technology. ...

Winner in New Hampshire.(News Briefs)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Business NH magazine has named Markem Corp. of Keene the "Number One Best Large Company" in the state. The award was given in recognition of the company's history as an adaptive, successful company where people enjoy working. Markem is a...

AIM broadens mission.(News Briefs)(The Association for Automatic Identification and Mobility)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... AIM, the global trade association charged with representing the automatic identification industry, is expanding its charter to emphasize mobile computing and radio frequency identification (RFID). AIM's broadened mission is reflected in the...

Creform Corp. is the new name of the former Textube Corp.(Name Change)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Creform Corp. is the new name of the former Textube Corp. Rolf Mueller, executive vice president, says the new name more accurately reflects the company's focus on the manufacturing and sale of Creform Material Handling Systems components.

Magnetek Industrials Controls Group is adopting a new name.(Name Change)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Magnetek Industrials Controls Group is adopting a new name, Magnetek Power Controls Systems.

David Petratis.(Managers Making News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... David Petratis has been promoted to president and CEO of the Schneider Electric North American operating division.

Jacqueline A. Dedo.(Managers Making News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... The Timken Company has announced that Jacqueline A. Dedo has joined the company as president, Automotive. She will be responsible for the company's global $1.4 billion Automotive Group.

Jerry Beckwith.(Managers Making News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Savi Technology, a provider of real-time solutions for supply chain management and security, announced that it has appointed Jerry Beckwith to the newly created position of chief operating officer. With more than 25 years of operational,...

William "Gus" Pagonis.(Managers Making News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... CombineNet announced that William "Gus" Pagonis, executive vice president of logistics at Sears Roebuck and Co., and former logistics commander for the Gulf War, has joined its Business Board of Advisers. Pagonis, a recognized expert in...

Mike Kern.(Managers Making News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Cascade Corp, has promoted Mike Kern to corporate vice president material handling products marketing and sales. He has been with the company since 1966. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

John Garrett.(Managers Making News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... John Garrett has joined SK Daifuku as software sales and business development manager. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Frank Rossi.(Managers Making News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Frank Rossi has been named director of the Chicago regional office for Intelligrated Inc., a supplier of integrated material handling systems.

Paula Feldman.(Managers Making News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... The Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute (PMMI) recently announced the promotion of Paula Feldman to director of statistics.

Steven R. Kennedy.(Managers Making News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Steven R. Kennedy has been appointed district manager for Kaman Industrial Technologies.

Mike Jevince.(Managers Making News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Fortna announced the hiring of Mike Jevince, former director of sales for Vanderlande.

Neil Thall.(Managers Making News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Aldata Solution Oyj, a provider of solutions for the global retail industry, has appointed retail supply chain veteran Neil Thall CEO of Aldata Solution Inc.

Commodity Logistics.(Managers Making News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... James H. Haller has been promoted to president of Commodity Logistics, a full-service, third-party logistics provider. Richard Thomas, vice president, and Jeffrey Thomas, chief operations officer, will now be dedicated to implementing new...

Jerry Rau.(Managers Making News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... RedPrairie announced the appointment of Jerry Rau to the newly created position of strategic acquisitions leader.

Name your pain.(Ask the MHM Editorial Advisory Board)(Organizational change management)
March 1, 2004... This month MHM asked its editorial advisory board members to identify their biggest material handling logistics/supply chain challenges and how they are dealing with them. Their answers, provided here, will help set the agenda for our second...

Pressure equalization system.(Cutting Edge)
March 1, 2004... The PosiVent pressure equalization system is designed to eliminate gearbox failure associated with contaminants entering and breaking down lubricants. The system keeps water, washdown solution and other airborne contaminants out of gearboxes in...

Cart systems with on-board intelligence, ergonomic interface.(Cutting Edge)
March 1, 2004... The Auto Height Cart adds on-board intelligence and automated ergonomic adjustment capabilities to the LO-TOW in-floor towline cart (a conveyor that moves carts through a facility using a powered chain installed into the floor and flush with...

Laser measurement sensor.(Cutting Edge)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... The Z500 laser measurement sensor combines a wide-beam laser (4 to 45 mm wide, depending on the model) and a two-dimensional CCD to conduct accurate two-dimensional measurements in a single procedure. The sensor uses a Class II or IIIb visible...

Calendar.(Calendar)
March 1, 2004... March 29-April 1 NA2004. International Exposition Center, Cleveland, OH. Sponsored by Material Handling Industry of America. Phone (800) 345-1815 or visit www.na2004.org. March 29-31 Supply-Chain World-North America 2004. Sheraton Chicago....

Pallets: a Cinderella story.(Transport Packaging)
March 1, 2004... In the course of interviewing sources for an upcoming (May 2004) story on pallets and unitizing, I heard an oft-used reference to pallets. Mike Hachtman, vice president of business development, IFCO Systems, and I were talking about the...

NA2004: it's showtime!(NA 2004 Preview)(material handling and logistics trade event)(Cover Story)
March 1, 2004... It's March, which means it's time for NA2004, the largest material handling and logistics trade event of the year. The show is sponsored by Material Handling Industry of America and takes place March 29-April I at the International Exposition...

Shortening the time-to-solution cycle.(Association Report: Material Handling Industry of America)(Interview)
March 1, 2004... This is the first in a series of interviews with the heads of trade associations responsible for advancing the cause of members serving the interests of material handling professionals. This month we spotlight Material Handling Industry of...

Landoll Corp.(NA2004 ExhibitorProfile)(Company Profile)
March 1, 2004... COMPANY PROFILE Landoll Corp. of Marysville, KS, which celebrated its 40th anniversary in December 2003, is a diversified manufacturer of products for the material handling, transportation, agriculture and specialty government markets. ...

Yale Materials Handling Corp.(NA2004 ExhibitorProfile)(Company Profile)
March 1, 2004... COMPANY PROFILE Yale, a global market leader in the lift truck industry, has an ongoing commitment and dedication to its customers, based on a philosophy of continuous improvement. Don Chance, president of Yale Materials Handling...

Facilities maintenance is asset management: keeping your building safe and trouble free, and your machinery running up to speed, pays off in productivity as well as profits.
March 1, 2004... Forget the adage that if something is not broke don't fix it. Facilities management and maintenance professionals advise that if you maintain your building and equipment, you won't have to worry about fixing--especially at a time when you can...

Wars aren't won on the cheap.(Warehousing & Distribution)(Editorial)
March 1, 2004... To be effective, your fight against unmanagement has to start the moment you decide to install a new material handling system. Then is the time to start explaining to everybody who will be working with the system just what it is expected to do...

Speaking out for better productivity: more material handling managers are turning to voice technology for picking because it can give them immediate visibility of operations, along with its more familiar benefits.(Warehousing & Distribution)(Voice-picking technology)
March 1, 2004... If you thought of using voice technology only for case picking, you may be missing an opportunity. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "We're the fourth-largest manufacturer of contact lenses, which are stored in boxes or small blister packs," says...

Hospital system eliminates storerooms: the "flexible service center" concept could reshape the look of storage and distribution for hospital supplies.(MHM Innovator of the Month)
March 1, 2004... University Hospitals Health System (UHHS) is one of the larger health care systems in Northeast Ohio, with eight hospitals, five partner hospitals, and more than 150 health care facilities, including skilled nursing, elder health,...

Why manufacturing is marching out.(Manufacturing Management)
March 1, 2004... Unemployment and the jobless recovery have become front-page issues. This is especially the case in manufacturing. The stock market is solidly in bull-market pastures and the profit expectations and performance of thousands of companies suggest...

Innovate for conveyor safety.(Innovation)
March 1, 2004... A company in Sparta, Wisconsin, is facing a $150,000 fine because an employee suffered several fractures in his pelvis, leg and both hips while performing maintenance on a conveyor last year. Could the company have prevented this tragedy by...

New pallet truck family.(Product News)
March 1, 2004... The WPN and RPN Series walkie and walkie rider pallet trucks are available in 6,000- and 8,000-lb capacities. The environmental package allows the trucks to be used in coolers, wet rooms and -20[degrees]F freezers without the need for...

Heavy-duty trailer.(Product News)
March 1, 2004... Heavy-duty trailer is built from plate steel welded over structural tube frame engineered with a reversible four-wheel steering mechanism. The trailer is 16 ft x 8 ft and has a 2.5-ft deck height. The fifth wheels at each end are connected by a...

Programmable charger.(Product News)
March 1, 2004... The Bronco SCR programmable battery charger is designed for material handling applications that require battery charger flexibility. The charger can be programmed to charge any lift truck battery type and size within its operating range. An...

Air-powered vacuum lifter.(Product News)
March 1, 2004... The VPF-57-AIR Series compressed air-powered vacuum lifter features a large ergonomic front handlebar and can fit onto any crane or hoist. The lifter consumes only 6:5 scfm air, and has fully adjustable X-Y-Z vacuum suction pads to let one...

Lineshaft conveyors.(Product News)
March 1, 2004... The Ermanco right-angle sorter (ERS) is capable of sorting 40 mixed products per minute by picking them up "on-the-fly," and the transfer requires no additional drives. The CRUZcontrol electronic sensing design features integral photoeye,...

Bar storage rack.(Product News)
March 1, 2004... Bar storage rack is designed for organization of bar ends, saw drops and pipes. The uprights are one-quarter in thick steel grid. Starter units have 500-lb capacity per opening, with 66 openings of total capacity at 16,000 lb. An add-on unit...

Custom-designed case inserts.(Product News)
March 1, 2004... Custom-designed case inserts are designed for customized repair kits, electronic parts, field maintenance tools, and other products. The inserts are CNC-machined, which allows for easy revision without tooling, and are available in a wide...

Precision leveling.(Product News)
March 1, 2004... The MHD machine mount for precision leveling provides vibration damping for machines that generate large dynamic forces, including industrial, plastic and injection molding applications. According to the manufacturer, the mount guarantees a...

Quad scissor lift.(Product News)
March 1, 2004... The Quad Scissor lift has a 48- in. x 96-in. platform and can hoist a 6,000-lb load to a height of 21 ft. The lift has guide rollers that run within vertical channels from the lower floor level to the warehouse ceiling. Other features include...

Durable pallet truck.(Product News)
March 1, 2004... The PE 4000 Series pallet truck is up to 45 percent heavier than industry pallet trucks. The additional steel is used at critical stress points. The pallet trucks have wear plates constructed of T1 steel and steel doors that guard against...

Narrow aisle articulated lift truck.(Product News)
March 1, 2004... The Model 44WH lift truck increases the lift capacity of the model line in the upper ranges of its lift height. Users with narrow aisle layouts will be able to access upper levels of their storage racks with heavier loads. For example, a load...

Automatic guided cart.(Product News)
March 1, 2004... SmartCart automatic guided carts are streamlined, battery-operated carts that follow an on-floor magnetic strip guidepath. The Model 100 has a 2,000-lb capacity, and the Model 200 has a 4,000-lb towing capacity and a live load capacity of 2,700...

Sliding on by.(Product News)
March 1, 2004... Horizontal slider bed belt conveyor has lengths starting at seven ft and ranging up in 2-ft increments. Intermediate sections are available in 6-, 8- and 10-ft lengths, and can be added with hand tools. Bed widths range from 12 in. to 42 in.,...

Walk ramp transporter.(Product News)
March 1, 2004... Walk ramp transporter is intended for use with any aluminum walk ramp that is eight ft or longer. The ramp has a bolt-on design. The height can be adjusted with a manual hand crank, to a minimum lowered height of 12 in. The wheels are 10 in. x...

Rugged, feature-rich hand-held computer.(Product News)
March 1, 2004... The Workabout Pro is a Windows CE NET-based hand-held computer that delivers the flexibility, performance and ruggedness required for data collection in harsh environments in a user-friendly, ergonomic package. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A...

Check weight in a flash.(Product News)
March 1, 2004... The Checkpoint line of in-line checkweighers features electromagnetic force restoration technology. The weighers have a choice of rejection mechanisms that can be enabled to automatically remove packages that do not fall within a designated...