Material Handling Management articles from October 2003

Material Handling Management archives from October 2003

Don't exercise in futility: find technology's fit for you before making it work for others.(Editorial)
October 1, 2003... Most people don't exercise enough, but some business managers do too much of the wrong exercises. Jumping to conclusions, chasing fads and marching in lockstep are their favorites. These are exercises in futility, and they're all...

CFOs plug into supply chains.
October 1, 2003... A majority of corporate America's chief financial officers view supply chains as crucial to achieving corporate objectives. Yet only 33 percent say business and operational plans are well integrated and 62 percent say their companies seem...

On the job.
October 1, 2003... ACME Supply Halloween Party "So, you're King Kong?" "Bigger. Wal-Mart." [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

MegaStar Systems.(Managers Making News)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Tony Mohwish has been promoted to director of commercial sales, and Brian Baker named director of government sales, at MegaStar Systems.

SATO America Inc.(Managers Making News)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... SATO America Inc. has announced the appointment of John Bauer as the central regional sales manager.

SPX Dock Products.(Managers Making News)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Steve Jones joins SPX Dock Products as vice president international sales, Asia & Australia. Diego Effio has been named manager--Latin America, with responsibility for sales and distribution activities in Mexico, Central and South America.

Exel.(Managers Making News)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Exel announced that Philip S. Renaud II has joined the company as vice president of risk management--Americas.

IPL Products Ltd.(Managers Making News)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... John Hagan has joined IPL Products Ltd. in a newly created position, national SmartCrate Market Manager to extend the market penetration of its reusable containers.

Kurt Salmon Associates (KSA).(Managers Making News)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Michael Dart has joined Kurt Salmon Associates (KSA) as a principal in its North American CPG strategy practice.

Symagery Microsystems Inc.(Managers Making News)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Symagery Microsystems Inc. announced the appointment of Ronald W. Caines to the position of president and CEO.

Packaging machinery sales increase.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Manufacturers of packaging machinery shipped an estimated $5.851 billion in packaging equipment in 2002, up $26 million from 2001. With the results, U.S. packaging machinery manufacturers maintained their lead in the world's packaging machinery...

Regulation of pharmaceutical manufacturing.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has outlined new steps in its strategic initiative to modernize the regulation of pharmaceutical manufacturing and product quality. This initiative aims at ensuring that regulatory review, compliance...

Letters to the editor.(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2003... Hi Tom: I just read your editorial in your August issue of Material Handling Management. I just got back from my 25th high school reunion so you and I are of about the same vintage. I have found it interesting over the years to try to...

WERC launches on-line job locator.(Warehousing Education and Research Council)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... The Warehousing Education and Research Council (WERC) launched a new addition to its Web site--the WERC Job Board. Located on www.werc.org, the Job Board is designed to connect employers with job seekers who specialize in the warehousing and...

Sealed Air enhances Web site.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Sealed Air Corporation has updated its Web site, designed to be more functional and easier for customers to navigate. At the same time, the new Web site provides expanded content through extensive information about products and services,...

Conveyor Equipment Manufacturers Association.(Association News)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... The Conveyor Equipment Manufacturers Association reports that its June 2003 Booked Orders Index was 112, up eight points. This represents an increase of eight percent from May 2003.

Robotic Industries Association.(Association News)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... North American-based robotics companies posted new order gains of 34 percent in the first half of 2003, according to figures released by Robotic Industries Association. A total of 7,005 robots, valued at $446.2 million were ordered by North...

Hyde Park, a company of Schneider Electric, received Ohio Governor Bob Taft's Excellence in Exporting Award.(Manufacturers Making News)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Hyde Park, a company of Schneider Electric, received Ohio Governor Bob Taft's Excellence in Exporting Award, given to companies in recognition of efforts to build export business within the state.

Sealed Air Corporation has been awarded three of the packaging industry's most important national honors, in two categories, at the 16th duPont Awards for Innovation in Packaging.(Manufacturers Making News)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Sealed Air Corporation has been awarded three of the packaging industry's most important national honors, in two categories, at the 16th duPont Awards for Innovation in Packaging. The duPont Awards recognized the following Sealed Air packages...

Robotics, Automotive & Manufacturing Industries.(Manufacturers Making News)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Robotics, Automotive & Manufacturing Industries of ABB Inc., announced the sale of certain fixed assets of its former Robot Automation Systems Group in New Berlin, Wisconsin to Rimrock Corporation.

Rimrock Automation Inc.(Manufacturers Making News)
October 1, 2003... ABB and Rimrock have also signed a partner agreement for Rimrock Automation Inc., the name of the new company. Rimrock Automation is owned by Rimrock Corporation, a foundry automation company that has been ABB's largest system integrator in...

Bicknell & Fuller Corrugated Packaging, a division of Liberty Diversified Industries (LDI), has changed its name.(Manufacturers Making News)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Bicknell & Fuller Corrugated Packaging, a division of Liberty Diversified Industries (LDI), has changed its name to Liberty Carton Company

Correction.(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2003... Our apologies to the Hyster Company for mislabeling the Model $40-65 XM Series lift truck in the Product News section of the August issue.

Be part of MHM's January issue.
October 1, 2003... Material Handling Management will kick off 2004 with an industry forecast. Your company's buying plans play a major role in assessing the material handling industry's economic health. In addition to industry reports and input from our editorial...

Ask the MHM Editorial Board.
October 1, 2003... On August 14, parts of the United States and Canada experienced a huge power outage. The blackout affected businesses in different ways. Those with contingency plans were in better shape than others. According to a Business Wire story, a...

Book speed reader.(The Cutting Edge)
October 1, 2003... The Media Max 350 reads 250 books a minute (including different-sized books), as well as other rectangular items such as CDs, DVDs, software boxes and videos. The reader is controlled by computer and can read from one to five exposed sides...

Dual-radio access points.(The Cutting Edge)
October 1, 2003... The MobileLAN WA21 and WA22 are the first dual-radio access points to operate on the 802.11g wireless standard. The access points, which also serve as wireless bridges, are designed for industrial, small and large business environments. They...

General purpose RFID systems.(The Cutting Edge)
October 1, 2003... This RFID system consists of passive TAGs that have a read/write memory of 96 bytes. Transceivers are available with a built-in or remote style antenna, and can be connected to various control boards such as EtherNet and DeviceNet. The system...

Case history: Internet trading network helps reduce taxes.(The Cutting Edge)
October 1, 2003... Massasoit Tool Company in Rhode Island had a problem faced by many companies: having to pay local and state inventory taxes on stock that remains unsold and has collected dust for years. Massasoit turned to Prophet 21, whose Trading Partner...

Biodegradable stretch wrap.(The Cutting Edge)
October 1, 2003... The Cortec Eco Wrap is a combination of compostable polyester film and a biodegradable cling coating. After use, the wrap biodegrades into water and carbon dioxide in a standard compost within a few months. According to the manufacturer, the...

Cold climate computer.(The Cutting Edge)
October 1, 2003... The compact I-Station computer is designed for harsh environments and for applications where space is limited, such as process control stations. The computer has four serial ports and features a high-bright 15-inch flat panel that displays...

Display data logger.(The Cutting Edge)
October 1, 2003... The Midsize Display Data Logger displays minimum and maximum readings of temperature, remote temperature, dual remote temperature, temperature and humidity, and remote temperature and humidity on a large digital display. The logger has a...

Highways and flyways.(Protective Packaging)
October 1, 2003... At Auto-Tech 2003 I was having a wide-ranging chat with Bill Hoffman of Intermec. I think it would be hard to have any conversation with Bill that was not wide-ranging. For example, he might be one of the last people on the planet who still...

Calendar.
October 1, 2003... October 24-25 Lift Truck Safety Rodeo. Clark County Fair grounds. Springfield, Ohio. Sponsored by the Springfield-Clark County Safety Council. Contact the Higgins Group at (937) 325-7858 or e-mail to info@higginsgroupinc.com. October 26-29...

A little drive can mean big productivity.(Controls & Systems)
October 1, 2003... If you're like most material handlers, you need to find ways to make your conveyors, AS/RS systems, carousels and other material handling equipment move product faster, reduce the time it takes to start and stop, hit the mark precisely, and do...

When a third party is your first choice: by keeping pace with technology, third-party logistics providers have led many customers to higher profits.(3PLs: Warehousing)
October 1, 2003... Using a third party to handle your logistics functions--warehousing in particular--offers flexibility, relief from frustration, money savings mad improved customer satisfaction. It also offers reduced flexibility, frustration, increased...

Manufacturing and logistics join forces: the worlds of third party logistics and manufacturing (3PL and 3PM) are getting closer. They may not be on a collision course, but their proximity is resulting in more seamless supply chain solutions for companies like yours.
October 1, 2003... Improved information access in this age of globalization is leading to a partnership between logistics and manufacturing service providers. Doing business in Asia? It is there, especially, where a logistics manager must be much more closely...

Drafting arbitration agreements with third party service providers: done right, an arbitration agreement is like a well-tailored suit that feels comfortable and can last for years with only an occasional repair or alteration.(3PLs: Arbitration)
October 1, 2003... In addition to running their own operations, managers find themselves managing their company's relationship with a number of third party logistics companies, contract manufacturers and other service providers. Over the course of a relationship,...

AGVs help old DaimlerChrysler plant compete: automated material handling made this 45-year-old stamping plant more efficient--therefore, more cost-competitive.
October 1, 2003... When DaimlerChrysler asked its plant managers for ideas on how to modernize stamping operations in the year 2000, Conrad Hawley saw the writing on the wall of his 45-year-old Twinsburg, Ohio facility. He knew he had to find a way to make these...

Bar codes are boring.(Automatic Data Collection)(Editorial)
October 1, 2003... I'll admit it. I rather miss the "good old days" when bar code vendors battled it out by constantly announcing flashy new scanners and reading technologies, new symbologies, new data collection devices and new operating system options. ...

No applause, Mr. President.(Manufacturing Management)(Editorial)
October 1, 2003... What is more demoralizing than inappropriate applause? Last month, with much media fanfare, President Bush said he wanted to create a new Undersecretary of Commerce for Manufacturing." He had heard our pain. He was "making sure" that...

OSHA ignores back belts.(Compliance)
October 1, 2003... The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) continues to ignore back support belts in all the guidelines it has published, such as: * "Ergonomics Guidelines for Nursing Homes"; * "Ergonomics for the Prevention of...

Communications: Auto-Tech's unspoken theme.(Market Trends)
October 1, 2003... Just about the time you've eaten the last of your Y2K chickens and removed the remnants of duct tape holding the plastic to your windows, another disaster comes along. This time, August 14, it was the worst power outage in U.S. history. At...

Keep belts clean.(Product News)
October 1, 2003... The Deflector Belt Plows work as belt cleaners for the tail pulley. Offered in V and Diagonal models, both mount on top of the return side of the belt in front of the tail pulley. The traits prevent lumps, fines and debris from jamming between...

High torque brushless motor conveyor roller.(Product News)
October 1, 2003... The enhanced 8000 Series RollerDrive BL (brushless) motorized roller incorporates a new high torque brushless motor into the roller design. The 24VDC motor provides the ability to move heavier loads faster. RollerDrive BL rollers may be paired...

Super Sack Container.(Product News)
October 1, 2003... The Super Sack Container is constructed of an aluminized film laminated to woven polypropylene fabric. The container can be used in applications in which a liner cannot be used. The water vapor transmission and gas transmission rates of the...

Drum dumper.(Product News)
October 1, 2003... The Lift & Seal Drum Dumper offers dust-tight discharge of chemical powders. The dumper has an intrinsically safe power unit and controls, stainless steel on product contact surfaces, and an interlocked safety cage to protect employees. A...

Ink jet printer.(Product News)
October 1, 2003... The T3010 and T3110 ink jet printers offer narrow carriage (80-column) and wide carriage (136-column) models. The T3010's small footprint allows it to fit into kiosks and other small areas. The printers feature a piezo printhead technology for...

Three-dimensional cones.(Product News)
October 1, 2003... The No Stack three-dimensional anti-stack warning device straps or tapes easily to the top of a pallet. The easy-to-see international attention symbol warns against double-stacking shipments. The product is easily crushed when it is stacked on...

Rotating Fork AS/RS.(Product News)
October 1, 2003... The HK3000 Rotating Fork Storage and Retrieval Machine is compatible with most conventional warehouse designs. The machine is designed to provide economical automation for new facilities, and can also retrofit existing manual warehouses with...

Pallet Truck brochure.(Product News)
October 1, 2003... This six-page, full-color brochure features the new 8,000 pound W80Z Walkie Pallet Truck. The brochure includes information on the truck's Separately Excited Motor (SEM) systems controller, the box-rail construction with 6-inch lift height, and...

Recirculating water system.(Product News)
October 1, 2003... The H20-150SS-NOS recirculates water used to clean industrial lift truck batteries. The system monitors the pH level, filters, recirculates and neutralizes used battery wash water to ready it for reuse. When used with a wash cabinet or wash...

Character recognition software.(Product News)
October 1, 2003... The Prime Vision character recognition software employs the company's High Yield Character Recognition technology to read machine writing, hard-to-read handwriting or worn bar codes into digital form for use by the WMS or conveyor control...

Digging deep into containers.(Product News)
October 1, 2003... The Ergo-Cart tilts large containers up to 30 degrees to enable workers to reach all the way to the bottom. One version has a purely mechanical tilt for loads up to 400 lbs. A second version has a hydraulic damper for a controlled tilt for...

Bulk containers.(Product News)
October 1, 2003... The SpaceKraft Multi-Trip Bin is a 10-ply corrugated intermediate bulk container that offers up to 75,000 pounds of compression strength. It holds 300 gallons of liquid or 3,000 pounds of solids. The bins can be stacked up to five high and can...

All-terrain pallet truck.(Product News)
October 1, 2003... This all-terrain truck is designed to travel over rough or uneven ground, such as construction sites, nurseries and gravel-covered areas. The truck holds up to 2,000 pounds at 12 inches and up to 1,500 pounds at 24 inches. The ion size is 4...

Bulk bag discharger.(Product News)
October 1, 2003... Bulk bag discharger has a low-profile hoist and unloading station that operates at a height of 10 1/2 feet. The bulk bag is untied through an access door in the product transfer chute directly under the discharger. In addition, independent...

Modular Belt Conveyors.(Product News)
October 1, 2003... The MBF-P Modular Belt Conveyors offer plastic belts in combination with various standard system components. The conveyors have applications in: clean rooms to parts assembly; packaging of consumer goods; subassemblies and component packaging;...

Electric Column Lift Manipulator.(Product News)
October 1, 2003... The Model ECL Series Electric Column Lift Manipulator has 270 degree articulating arms and end effectors for handling close tolerance work positioning requirements. The manipulator has an electric-powered chain/sprocket drive that provides...

Drop Bottom Containers.(Product News)
October 1, 2003... Drop Bottom Containers have ventilation holes punched on the sides of the container to facilitate easy ventilation and cooling of the product. The bar grate decking allows dirt and debris to fall through. A hinged deck allows for easy release...

Pallet rack line.(Product News)
October 1, 2003... Tuff-50 structural pallet rack line from Advance Storage Products has applications in selective, double-deep, reach, drive-in, and the company's Lo Pro Pushback. According to the company, the Tuff-50 structural rack is easy to install,...

Pallet stretch wrap machine.(Product News)
October 1, 2003... The Yellow Jacket 110 Model 87-SA stretch wrap machine allows the lift truck driver to stretch wrap a load of any size or shape on the pallet, while sitting in the seat of the lift track. The machine's Lock Down technology wraps around the...

Intelligent clamps.(Product News)
October 1, 2003... This second-generation "intelligent" clamp offers a continuous and automatic clamping force adjustment to compensate for paper quality, roll weight, type of wrapping, environmental and handling conditions and dynamic loads. The clamp has a...

Do-it-yourself cage.(Product News)
October 1, 2003... The Easycage allows users to assemble a custom-made cage to their own specific needs. The assembly process involves installing a post, clipping on the mesh panel, installing the next post, and so on. Panel sizes can be modified onsite, and...

Electric vehicle.(Product News)
October 1, 2003... The Browser electric vehicle balances on three wheels. The 24-volt DC brush permanent magnet motor is located inside the 8-inch front wheel and is a combination of motor, gears, electric brake, hub and tire. It uses a steel primary/secondary...

Load transfer station.(Product News)
October 1, 2003... This load transfer station with pallet dispenser allows a single lift truck operator to perform the entire transfer process. According to the manufacturer, the lift truck operator can place a load in the station and have it transferred to...

Multipole connector.(Product News)
October 1, 2003... This multipole connector has spring-loaded, silver-plated contacts that create a self-wiping action during mating and unmating to ensure greater conductivity. It is a single piece polycarbonate housing and is designed for use in harsh...

Avoiding door collisions.(Product News)
October 1, 2003... The Watchman 2000 uses a 120-decibel alarm to warn lift truck drivers of an impending collision. The device is powered by eight D cell batteries, which provide power up to two years with regular use. The alarm is also available in an AC-powered...

Case history brief: lift truck squeezes into narrow aisles.(Product News)
October 1, 2003... Florim USA is the second-largest manufacturer of household floor and wall tile in the United States. Florim stores an extensive inventory of strapped and shrink-wrapped pallets of finished product in both its 300,000-square-foot warehouse and...

Sandwich belt conveyor.(Product News)
October 1, 2003... The EleVeyor is a dual belt conveyor system that provides high-speed transportation over any complex path: horizontal, steep slopes, vertical, etc., through such geometric configurations as "L," "C," or "Z" paths. The system can be sized to...

Telescopic Mast Jib Crane.(Product News)
October 1, 2003... The Telescopic Mast Jib Crane has a hydraulically-operated mast that can be operated without a hoist. The beam can rotate under construction or reach into a cavity to pick up a load, and then rotate and raise to a higher level. The beam can...

Wire rope hoist line.(Product News)
October 1, 2003... The CXT hoist is available in capacities up to 80 tons. The manufacturer has shortened the hoist length to half the previous dimension by more than doubling the drum diameter and placing the hoisting motor inside the drum. As a result, the...

Gas tank cart.(Product News)
October 1, 2003... This ergonomic gas tank cart can store and transport up to six LP tanks. A boom with automatic clamps on each end swings around, picks up the full LP tank, and swivels around to place the tank on a rack, shelf or lift truck. The speed is...

Powder-coated levelers.(Product News)
October 1, 2003... These powder-coated levelers are designed for the material handling, assembly, food processing and food packaging industries. The levelers are cast zinc and can handle from 650 to 7,500 lbs. per mount. They are available in diameters from 1.25"...

Tough scale.(Product News)
October 1, 2003... RoughDeck Series floor scales feature an aluminum junction box that is mounted as a slide-out tray. The tray is surrounded by a six-inch steel channel frame that is welded to a steel deck. The scale comes equipped with cables that plug into the...

Horizontal Offset Conveyor.(Product News)
October 1, 2003... The HO-Series Horizontal Offset Conveyor (part of the WhisperTrax Modular Flexible Conveyor line) has two curves in opposite directions. The conveyor allows variation in the angle of the curves and in the length of the straight sections....

Fiber drum vacuum lifter.(Product News)
October 1, 2003... Ergonomic vacuum lifter lets one person safely handle fiber and lightweight plastic drums up to 30 lbs. without using hooks or grabs. The lifter features a fully-adjustable frame assembly with vacuum suction pads that provide support from the...

Finding your solution: it's not as hard as it used to be. This book is here to help.(Editorial)(Editorial)
October 15, 2003... This edition of Material Handling Management's directory comes to you at a time when the market for material handling equipment is poised for significant growth. Flexibility is key. As automation and innovations become more affordable and...

2003/2004: Material Handling Management directory issue.(User's Guide)
October 15, 2003... This year's Material Handling Management Directory has been redesigned to make it easier to read and more convenient to use. You'll see larger type, more color, and expanded information about many of the listed companies. For the first time,...

Sortation blues: what to do when you're running out of time, money and the boss's patience, and the best you can do has to be good enough.
October 15, 2003... We've all been there. You've got an imperative from corporate to get a new material handling system in place, and it will take millions more than the investment called for in the business plan to meet design specs. The upgrade you desperately...

Rethinking storage paradigms: use today's technologies to correct yesterday's problems and make tomorrow brighter.
October 15, 2003... While material handling equipment and Warehouse Management Systems have become more sophisticated, the ultimate success of an operation may depend on how much common sense the development team applies to the basic paradigms of warehousing. Far...

Lift truck training, safety and productivity: when it comes to lift truck safety, sometimes a refresher course on maintenance, stability and rules is just the ticket.
October 15, 2003... Recent issues of Material Handling Management (MHM) have noted that powered industrial truck operator safety is at the forefront again. It has been somewhat quiet on the "lift truck front" since the revised Standard 29 CFR 1910.178 was released...

Material handling system simulation--a worthwhile investment: the vast improvements in hardware and software technology have dramatically reduced the time and level of effort required to provide a significant contribution to your next automated material handling system design initiative.
October 15, 2003... Material handling system simulation has come a long way over the last 10 years. Despite the many benefits of material handling simulation, many dismiss it as too lengthy (read "costly") to provide sufficient value for the investment. ...

Creative storage equipment selection and layout design: combine storage types for better space utilization, productivity and safety.
October 15, 2003... Many companies take a vanilla, unimaginative approach to selecting storage equipment. Quick decisions are made without an analytical approach, and distribution centers are filled with basic pallet rack and perhaps some bin shelving. If some...