Material Handling Management articles from September 2003

Material Handling Management archives from September 2003

Re-cook your books: do your duty. It doesn't just keep you honest, it lets you win.(Editorial)(Editorial)
September 1, 2003... Asset managers in this country have a pretty poor performance record. Most don't have an accurate bead on what's in inventory--corporate or warehouse. If you resemble that remind, your company is probably getting along okay. But okay won't be...

Running on empty.(solar-powered cars)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... All you gasoline-dependent SUV drivers, take a look in the rearview mirror. Something is catching you. Students from frigid Fargo, North Dakota, outpaced their California counterparts in the American Solar Challenge. A solar-powered racecar...

RPCC selects officers.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... The Reusable Pallet and Container Coalition (RPCC) has elected new officers. They are: * President, Allan Wasserman, Orbis; * Vice President, David Russell, IFCO Systems; * Secretary/Treasurer, Norm Stipp, ArcaSystems; * Director, Patrick...

The innovators are coming.
September 1, 2003... Material Handling Management's Innovation Awards won't be handed out until March 2004, but you'll be learning more about them in the next few months. First, in the October issue, MHM will feature a case history on DaimlerChrysler's...

Wal-Mart: "RFID for all!".(News Briefs)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Wal-Mart has raised the stakes in its radio frequency identification (RFID) challenge by announcing that all suppliers will be expected to put RFID tags carrying Electronic Product Codes (EPCs) on pallets and cases by the end of 2006. As...

ARC releases acquisition planning study.( ARC Advisory Group)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Time-to-market (TTM) for a new product is a key measure of success for manufacturers. Achievement of this goal is continually affected, however, by delayed production startups caused by increasingly software-intensive plant systems. The...

On the job.
September 1, 2003... The tough new supervisor decides to "Benchmark" his night shift crew

Letters to the MHM editorial board.
September 1, 2003... I just completed my July issue of Material Handling Management. In the Strategy Session under the heading of Warehouse and Distribution, I was surprised that not one of your panel members mentioned computer modeling in relation to how many and...

Cost estimating guide released.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... The AGVS Product Section of MHIA has released its 2003 Automatic Guided Vehicle System Cost Estimating Guide, to help determine the total cost of an installed system based on a choice of various categories of vehicles, functionality and...

Getting it right.(Correction Notice)
September 1, 2003... Our apologies to TrenStar for misspelling its name in the report of DC Expo, July 2003.

Raymond enhances web site.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... The Raymond Corporation has launched a new Web site, www.raymondused.com, to sell used Raymond lift trucks. The Web site allows users to search available units by model year, price and other criteria; choose from a variety of available models;...

WERC reports on benefits.(Warehousing Education and Research Council )(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... The Warehousing Education and Research Council (WERC) has released its 2003 edition of Warehousing Benefits Programs: A Survey of Industry Practices. The 46 page executive summary details many aspects of benefits programs across the warehousing...

MHM names managing editor.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Material Handling Management announces a significant change to its staff. Alex J. Koleszar is our new managing editor, replacing Christopher Trunk. who has left to pursue a career in counseling. Alex has strong writing and managing credentials....

Tax relief act.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... If you've been waiting for the economy to turn around before initiating capital spending, wait no longer. Investing in necessary capital equipment or software now can result in substantial savings on tax payments. Karen Spuckler, senior...

W.A. Schmidt Inc.(Managers Making News)( hired Kim Wanamaker )(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... W.A. Schmidt Inc. has hired Kim Wanamaker as general manager/vice president of sales and marketing. Wanamaker spent the previous three years with Drexel Industries LLC, where he was vice president of marketing and sales.

SJF Material Handling Inc.(Managers Making News)(appointed Jack Lehr)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... SJF Material Handling Inc. has named Jack Lehr (formerly with W & H Systems) to head up its new systems integration arm, Genesys Systems, located in East Hanover, New Jersey.

Rhino Aluminum Pallet.(Managers Making News)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Rhino Aluminum Pallet, announced that Steve Pawela has joined the company as director of sales and marketing.

Omron Electronics LLC.(Managers Making News)(appointed Paul Witt)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Paul Witt has been appointed Omron Electronics LLC's strategic sales manager. Witt will oversee Omron's Strategic Accounts team, along with the Omron Systems Integration business, Software Solutions group and Inspection Systems group.

ORBIS Corp.(Managers Making News)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... ORBIS Corp. has promoted Jim Kotek to executive vice president, North America. In this role, Kotek will oversee ORBIS' business units that serve the automotive, beverage, food mad industrial markets in North America.

ABB.(Managers Making News)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... ABB's Dinesh C. Paliwal has been appointed as economic advisor to his excellency Huang Huahua, governor of Guangdong Province--Peoples' Republic of China. Paliwal, who serves on the ABB executive committee and heads the group's worldwide...

DACS Inc.(Managers Making News)(named Gary T. Smith )(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... DACS Inc. has named Gary T. Smith PE vice president of sales and marketing, engineered products and services.

Savi Technology.(Managers Making News)(appointment David P. Stephens)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Savi Technology announced the appointment of David P. Stephens to the newly created position of senior vice president--public sector. Stephens will lead the overall strategic direction, business development, operations and sales activities of...

SDI (Strategic Distribution Inc.).(Managers Making News)(appointed Susan Eckel )(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... SDI (Strategic Distribution Inc.) has appointed Susan Eckel as director of business development.

Expected boost for AIDC scanners.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... During the last two years, growth in bar code scanner shipments has remained flat, with sales to the retail sector suffering the most--largely because of the decline in stationary POS scanner shipments. However, research supporting Venture...

Alvey Systems launches regional office.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... FKI Logistex Alvey Systems announced the opening of its newest satellite office in Scottsdale, Arizona. Alvey's new location will serve the Southwest region of the U.S. and focus primarily on Arizona and Las Vegas. Sales engineer Tim Lasko will...

50% open area rack decking.(The Cutting Edge)
September 1, 2003... The 1 1/2" high, corrugated "B" profile Punch Deck features a 50% open surface area created by a series of large flanged holes. This allows penetration of air, light and sprinkler water outflow, in compliance with the new requirements of the...

Online analytical processing tools.(The Cutting Edge; Applix, Inc., )(Brief Article)(Company Profile)
September 1, 2003... Applix, Inc., online processing tools extract, report and analyze data from leading enterprise resource planning (ERP), logistics and inventory control solutions, as well as from a variety of supply chain planning applications such as resource...

Wireless enterprise solution.(The Cutting Edge)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Stay-Linked is a real-time enterprise solution that extends IBM AS/400-iSeries applications to wireless devices. The solution features wireless 5250 terminal emulation that runs natively on the AS/400-iSeries, the same platform that hosts the...

The heart of the packaging matter.(Protective Packaging)
September 1, 2003... Ever reach into your pocket and find a little piece of paper that reads, "Personally Inspected by No. 13?" Ever wonder who No. 13 is? I watched, with amazement, the manufacture of something more critical than clothing and heard stories of...

Calendar.(Calendar)
September 1, 2003... September 21-24 The Council of Logistics Management Annual Conference. Lakeside Center, McCormick Place. Chicago. Sponsored by The Council of Logistics Management. Phone (630) 574-0985. September 21-24 Material Handling & Logistics...

The cure for paranoia.(Controls & Systems)
September 1, 2003... Wal-Mart recently announced the cancellation of a trial with Gillette on the use of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags in a smart-shelf system. The reason for the cancellation--concern over customer perceptions of RFID. The...

Calendar.
September 1, 2003... October 16-17 Supply Chain Link Expo. Visit this site conference at www.supplychainlinkexpo.com. Sponsored by National Manufacturing Week. Contact John Denke at jdenke@reed-expo.com. October 17 Supply Chain Excellence 2003: Procurement and...

Sortation supports parcel distribution: whether it's Blockbuster or the U.S. Postal Service, parcel handling in distribution faces many of the same problems. Here are the rules that apply.
September 1, 2003... Maybe you work for Blockbuster or the U.S. Postal Service or some similar industry. Or maybe your company is introducing a new product that will need distribution. Maybe there's a change on the horizon--a switch from shipping palletloads to...

Latest trends in sortation.(Technology ROI: sortation)
September 1, 2003... One of the most commonly cited trends in sortation is the need for higher and higher speeds (up to 300 cases a minute, according to some experts). Sorter manufacturers are hard at work on the challenge. FKI Logistex is addressing the...

Hytrol.(New sortation products)(introduced sorters, the ProSort SC1 and SC2)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Hytrol's newest sorters, the ProSort SC1 and SC2, are belt-driven pivot wheel sortation conveyors. According to Hytrol, these new conveyors fill the gap between low-rate pushers, plows and pop-up diverters and high rate ProSort 100 and 200...

FKI Logistex.(New sortation products)(introduced the Unisort LBS )(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... FKI Logistex introduced the Unisort LBS (Linear Belt Slat) sorter this year. The LBS uses narrow (five-inch wide) belts, which minimize the gaps between the cartons to near zero and allow a high throughput (up to 600 feet/minute). This sorter...

SK Daifuku.(New sortation products)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... SK Daifuku introduced a new sorter this year. The straight-type cross-belt sorter (Model SKS-S) allows feeding from a conveyor directly into the sorter. The sorter has a linear-induction motor drive and non-contact cross-belt power. It is...

Ambaflex.(New sortation products)(Brief Article)(Company Profile)
September 1, 2003... Ambaflex crafted the Spiralveyor vertical conveyor as a space-saving device. The Spiralveyor has one drive motor and runs in continuous motion with low noise. The conveyor is shipped complete and can be installed in minutes.

Siemens Dematic.(New sortation products)(Brief Article)(Company Profile)
September 1, 2003... Siemens Dematic has a new high-rate system called a QuadSorter, a four-cells-per-carrier crossbelt sorter that the company claims can sort more than 41,000 items/hour. The QuadSorter can handle products ranging in size from 2" X 2" X .05" to...

HK Systems.(New sortation products)(Brief Article)(Company Profile)
September 1, 2003... HK Systems' latest sorter is the Whispersort, an all-electric high-speed select type sorter. The unit has a breakaway pin; in the event of a jam on the system, the pin breaks away and is easy to repair. The sorter can operate at more than 600...

RFID and sortation: the future is closer.
September 1, 2003... The dawning of the age of radio frequency identification (RFID) in sortation is imminent. Siemens Dematic recently teamed up with Matrics, Inc., a provider of UHF electronic product code (EPC)-compliant RFID technology, for integration testing...

The future of sortation.(Technology ROI: sortation)
September 1, 2003... What does the future hold for sortation and sortation technology? Phil Miller, president, AmbaFlex: "It's always going to involve higher throughput, more accuracy to maximize the throughput, trying to do more with less. That's kind of been...

Pack Expo Las Vegas: sparkle inside the convention center of this biennial event will rival the glitter and flash out on the Las Vegas strip.(Pack Expo Preview)
September 1, 2003... Pack Expo Las Vegas, produced and sponsored by the Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute (PMMI), will be held October 13-15 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. This year's show will feature more than 800 exhibitors spread over 410,000 net...

Change is good--timing is everything.(Editorial)(Editorial)
September 1, 2003... On a recent business trip, I was having dinner with some folks when the conversation turned to what it is that I do. They knew my job title--they wanted specifics. Answering this question is always a challenging exercise. None of us wants to be...

Performance--based packaging: packaging material requirements based on testing and observation, not cost alone, can save money in the long haul.(Performance Testing)(Directory)
September 1, 2003... Price does not always reflect the whole story when it comes to selecting transport packaging material, says Gerry Stone, Sealed Air Corporation's special products group director of marketing. "The performance of the packaging material has an...

Buckhorn Inc.(Products)
September 1, 2003... The Citadel[TM] is the newest addition to Buckhorn's bulk box line--a reusable plastic bulk box for safe transport of up to 300 gallons or 3,000 lbs. of fluid and semi-solid materials. The 48"L x 45"W x 47"H collapsible container was developed...

IPL Products, Ltd.(Products)
September 1, 2003... The IPL FlapNest[TM] 2115 is a premium attached lid container with new features that bring unprecedented savings and efficiencies for distribution managers. The plastic containers stack with lids flapped shut and nest with lids flapped open to...

Mollers North America, Inc.(Products)
September 1, 2003... This catalog provides an overview of the facilities, products and services of Mollers North America, Inc., one of the world's leading suppliers of bag and unit load material handling systems. Rates, capacities and specifications for each of...

Rehrig Pacific.(Products)
September 1, 2003... Rehrig Pacific HuskyLite[R] plastic pallets are the durable and lightweight alternative to wood. Consistent dimensions increase your productivity and no loose boards or metal fasteners decrease damage to your products and help protect your...

Market trends: material control RFID and the mainstream supply chain: what does "good enough" mean when you're talking about inventory control?(Material Control RFID)
September 1, 2003... Excitement abounds about the "new thing" in radio frequency identification (RFID)--long-range passive RFID tags that might actually achieve the type of pricing and performance needed to greatly impact the supply chain. Numerous articles have...

Pen project labeled a success: leading pen manufacturer reduces cost and increases packaging-line efficiency.(Case Study)
September 1, 2003... Check around on your desk, the office supply cabinet or the reception area. Chances are you'll find a Pilot pen. Pilot Pen Corporation of America, Trumbull, Connecticut, operates three distribution facilities in Trumbull; Fremont, California;...

Buckhorn Inc.(short profile of company)(Company Profile)
September 1, 2003... Buckhorn is one of North America's leading providers of reusable plastic packaging products and services--improving material handling performance and reducing operating costs for companies in distribution, manufacturing, agriculture,...

IPL Products, Ltd.(short profile on company)(Company Profile)
September 1, 2003... IPL Inc. was founded in 1939 and has been involved in plastic injection molding and extrusion since 1952. The company's strategic focus is on three core businesses: packaging, material handling and custom molding. IPL was the first injection...

Mollers North America, Inc.(short profile of company)(Company Profile)
September 1, 2003... Mollers North America is a subsidiary of The Mollers Group, Beckum, Germany. Located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Mollers North America operates from a modern facility of over 100,000 square feet, featuring the latest CAD technology, CNC...

Rehrig Pacific.(Profile)(Company Profile)
September 1, 2003... Rehrig Pacific has always been guided by a simple philosophy: make products with inherent advantages for our customers. Rehrig Pacific has been making returnable material handling containers since 1913, beginning with wooden milk crates. Today...

Secretary of manufacturing: what would I do? (Manufacturing Management).
September 1, 2003... When Tom (Andel, the chief editor of this magazine) asked me: "Well, what would you do if you were Secretary of Manufacturing" I said, "Give me a little time." He said: "Your next column." So what would I do first in my new cabinet post?...

Back to basics on seat belts.(Compliance)
September 1, 2003... Richard E. Fairfax, director of OSHA's Directorate of Enforcement programs, has backed off his ill-conceived proposal: "At this time, OSHA has decided not to make any changes to its Compliance Directive CPL2-128A Powered Industrial Truck...

Self-propelled lift.(Product News)
September 1, 2003... The PartsCaddy Work Positioner 1000 is a self-propelled scissors lift that eliminates employees pushing, pulling or maneuvering a heavy scissors lift. It can maneuver and position loads to 1,000 lb. The unit has variable speed twist grips that...

For wrapper lines.(Product News)
September 1, 2003... SmartFeed conveyors interface all wrappers. Six designs meet the specific belt or lug fed requirements. The units work with automatic "L" sealers, horizontal form fill and seal flow wrappers and overwrappers. Shuttleworth Inc.;...

The straight and curved.(Product News)
September 1, 2003... The HMG Multi-Directional Guide combines linear guides with rotary slides for travel in straight and curved directions. This system lets you have one continuous motion curve around corners, eliminating the need for a pallet changer. THK America...

Secure transport.(Product News)
September 1, 2003... SecureTote attached-lid containers help reduce cigarette distribution costs. The extended 25-in. length and interior walls fit multiple-size cartons, including Regular, Kings, 100s, and some 120s for split-case or 30-carton distribution....

Conveying multiple commodities.(Product News)
September 1, 2003... Flexible Screw Conveyor is easy to change over, permitting different products to be conveyed using the same conveyor. The UHMWPE tube and steel spiral can be easily disassembled and cleaned with little downtime. Various tube diameters and...

Modular plastic conveyor.(Product News)
September 1, 2003... The SmartMove conveyor has an all-plastic belting which snaps together by hand (no hinge pins) and is driven by a variable speed, direct-drive brushless DC motor. It can operate at speeds to 200 fpm. Continuous lines from 2 ft to 60 ft can run...

Up-ending.(Product News)
September 1, 2003... Here's a table for paper roll handling and positioning. Its two-part design enables quick up-ending of rolls from a horizontal storage position to an eye-to-the sky vertical position. Two tables are joined together at 90 degrees. Each table has...

Lift and position.(Product News)
September 1, 2003... This custom lift is for explosion-proof use in the respot area of an automotive paint shop. Electro-mechanical actuation lets the unit synchronously lift and position vehicles for inspection. It measures 244-in. long and 54-in. wide. It travels...

Air assist.(Product News)
September 1, 2003... The Simple Air Manipulator Economy Series (SAM ES) offers a smooth responsive manipulator with a lifting capacity of 725 lb. A side-loading feature lets operators extend the tooling and payload beyond the end-of-the-arm while rotating 330...

Inventory optimization tool.(Product News)
September 1, 2003... Inventory Analyst 2.1 is a Web-based software program designed to define potential suppliers by such characteristics as cost, lead time, and reliability. According to the manufacturer, the program optimizes inventory positioning, committed...

Lift truck series.(Product News)
September 1, 2003... The H70-120XM lift truck series offers an electronically-governed gasoline or LPG-powered GM 4.3-liter V6 engine or a Perkins 4.3-liter, 4-cylinder diesel engine. The cast iron steer and drive axles can support 7,000 to 12,000 pounds of...

Protective eyewear.(Product News)
September 1, 2003... The Myst style protective eyewear is ultra lightweight and has a clear lens and clear frosted temples. The spectacles meet ANSI standards and have a hardcoated polycarbonate lens to resist scratches. Styles with anti-fog and indoor/outdoor...

No more collisions.(Product News)
September 1, 2003... The FE7W Series collision avoidance sensors offer a 3-meter sensing range for automatic guided vehicles and other scanning applications. Each sensor consists of a front and two side scanners and two independently adjustable scanning zones...

Programmabale indicator/controller.(Product News)
September 1, 2003... The 920i programmable indicator/controller is for multi-scale, data acquisition, batching and industrial automation applications. It has a large LCD screen that can be custom configured with weight character sizes to 1.2 in., active bar graphs,...

Handling tight turns.(Product News)
September 1, 2003... Aero mechanical conveyors now offer 90 degree bends, allowing engineers to plan conveyor routes around obstacles. Turning at right corners does not reduce the throughput of these power and granule conveyors. Using a looped rope travelling...

Get a better grip.(Product News)
September 1, 2003... The Integral Supergrip Surface V-belts have a co-extruded design that eliminates delamination of the supergrip surface from the thermoplastic V-belt. The design extends the service life of the belt. The surface increases the coefficient of...

Modular labeling system.(Product News)
September 1, 2003... The ALP/4500 is a modular labeling system allowing packaging customers a choice of two operating modes. It will provide print-and-apply labeling for up to 55 products per minute. With a stepper motor module, it will print at a rate of 1,800...

Printing non-stop.(Product News)
September 1, 2003... Model 3125 wipe-on labeler applies pressure sensitive labels at speeds to 2,500 inches of web per minute. The advanced Automatic Speed Following feature matches speed to varying product input speed to ensure accurate labeling to 1/64 in. Other...

Quiet, fast sorter.(Product News)
September 1, 2003... The S-3000M Tilt-Tray Sorter uses off-the-shelf proprietary control components and quiet linear motors for gentle acceleration and speeds to 2.1 m/s (413 fpm). Decibel level is 67. The unit can transmit critical data, such as system alarms, to...

Case history brief: sorter helps casual corner with shipments.(Product News)
September 1, 2003... The sorting system at Casual Corner in Enfield, Connecticut, sorts an average of 60,000 items per day to 400 outlets. For maximum flexibility, the PLUSSORT sorter easily accommodates peak handling of up to 100,000 items per day. The...

Quick print.(Product News)
September 1, 2003... The Model PA4000 is a wipe-on printer applicator with speeds to 12 ips for in-line wrap and long label applications. It comes with a direct drive DC stepper motor, powered rewind, a 6.5-in. web width, and standard 12-in. diameter label roll...

Inventory control.(Product News)
September 1, 2003... The Shallow Depth Storage Wall is a modular drawer, shelf and roll-out tray storage system. Different drawer heights provide storage for a range of items. Drawers have 100% full extension. Both drawers and trays can hold up to 440 lb each. Wide...

Narrow aisle lift truck.(Product News)
September 1, 2003... Model 44S is a narrow-aisle truck that offers versatility, a 67 hp LP gas internal combustion engine and hydrostatic drive. Capacities range to 4,400 lbs. with lift heights to 30 ft. It can operate in aisles as narrow as 78 in. It can turn...

Maximize storage space without trays.(Product News)
September 1, 2003... The Miniload Automated Storage/Retrieval System with gripper technology allows direct load-handling without using load handling units such as trays or bins, Totes and cartons can be stored with minimal gaps between each other. The gripper...

Easy manual pallet loading.(Product News)
September 1, 2003... Powered PalletPal Level Loaders let operators precisely position loads to the most comfortable working height. The units facilitate manual palletizing with loads where loads, weights, pallet sizes or product dimensions vary greatly. Loads...

Shipping system for hazmat material.(Product News)
September 1, 2003... The Ergo-Pak Overpack shipping system is for 5-gallon steel and plastic pails containing UN-regulated material. This system eliminates additional handling charges imposed by UPS and FedEx for unboxed pails. Specially located hand holes are...

Sensors immune to electrically noisy environments.(Product News)
September 1, 2003... AC versions of the Noise Immune Capacitive Sensor BCF use a fixed oscillator frequency combined with a rectifier filter for high noise immunity. The fixed oscillator lets the sensor maintain a constant frequency regardless of sensitivity...