Material Handling Management articles from March 2009

Material Handling Management archives from March 2009

The move to maintenance outsourcing: as uptime, cost control and equipment utilization make their way up the corporate agenda, resident maintenance programs are moving into the spotlight.(Automation)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Change is afoot in the way high-throughput distribution centers (DCs) manage their maintenance functions. Traditionally, automated DCs hire contractors or temporary employees to carry out equipment maintenance...

Beyond speed.(Cover story)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] If speed alone drove the value of conveyors and sortation systems in high-throughput facilities, equipment manufacturers would have it easy. Systems would be designed to whiz cartons around with a whir and a...

Barcodes: the next generation.(Data Intelligence)
March 1, 2009... If you haven't already heard, barcodes aren't dead yet. In fact, the next generation of barcode symbols is already making an appearance. The most shocking news is that these are linear barcodes, not 2D matrix symbols. That means they will be...

Failure is not an option: leading manufacturers and distributors are going beyond preventive maintenance, using tools that predict equipment failure before it happens.(Facilities)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] When it comes to material handling equipment, the days of compromise are gone. As capital expenditures and access to credit dry up, squeezing every bit of life out of equipment becomes a survival strategy, not just a...

The unkindest cut of all.(Front Line)
March 1, 2009... Fast, good, cheap: Pick any two. You can make things fast, good or cheap, but you can't do all three at once. It comes down to a choice: Which can you afford to sacrifice? Every decision involves a compromise, and these days, functions...

Thriving in an economic downturn.(Inner Circle)
March 1, 2009... The economy has most companies looking for ways to increase productivity, lower costs and stay viable. Distribution operations can't escape the microscope--or the scalpel, for that matter. Some are better positioned than others to weather...

Hidden cash in the battery room: when managed as assets rather than costly liabilities, lift truck batteries can unearth buried treasure in an operation.(Powered Vehicles)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In the past, only the most creative fiscal manager would think of looking for hundred-dollar bills inside a lift truck battery. Things have changed. Today, every penny counts, and corporate managers are...

Shaken not stirred.(Show Review)
March 1, 2009... ProMat, the material handling biennial held this past January in Chicago, was deemed a great success by the Material Handling Industry of America (MHIA). There were 740 exhibits covering a show-record 305,000 net square feet. [ILLUSTRATION...

All roads lead to savings: there are many ways to achieve sustainable energy savings. Jump start the journey with these nine paths to energy efficiency.(Special Feature: Energy Savings)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The timing couldn't be better to save energy. While driving much-needed dollars to the bottom line, energy-efficient facilities also help support sustainability goals. Add the billions of dollars the federal...

Manual goes mobile: a trio of hardware, software and wireless access points improved accuracy for a petroleum distributor.(Technology)
March 1, 2009... Before the summer of 2007, a large petroleum distributor was having trouble filling orders on time, even with the help of a customized accounting system. The problem was inventory records; they were rarely, if ever, accurate. In addition to...

Balancing act: specifying pallets that will interact with automated material handling equipment is a strategic decision that weighs cost, functionality and durability.(Transport Packaging)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Center for Unit Load Design at Virginia Tech has been a leading expert in pallet design and performance for three decades. But, over the last 15 years, the learning center has expanded its focus to include the...

Fast forward: cutting-edge technologies.(Transport Packaging)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Instead of viewing RFID as a new era, Element ID, a designer and manufacturer of readers and specialty automation equipment, views the technology as a tool in a toolbox. Element ID's products focus entirely on RFID...

Gen Y for hire: recruiting the incoming generation of workers requires a more creative approach.(Workforce)
March 1, 2009... Generation Y--the group once accused of having the attention span of a 30-second YouTube video--is growing up and entering the workforce at a time when the marketplace is undergoing a major demographic shift. Recruiting Gen Y into distribution...