Material Handling Management articles from September 2005

Material Handling Management archives from September 2005

The limits of preparation.(disaster planning)
September 1, 2005... What people waiting for help in New Orleans had to endure in the days following Hurricane Katrina, the frustration and despair of their would-be protectors and rescuers, the destroyed homes and the deaths of people throughout the region, are...

Labor management software: the final profit frontier: WMS users looking for the next wave of productivity improvement are turning to labor management solutions.(People Management)
September 1, 2005... It may be a cliche, but employees really do hold the key to the success of any high performance operation. Warehouse and distribution center employees also represent the biggest cost, accounting for upwards of 60% of total operating costs. Any...

Conveyors: as conveyor systems become more affordable, they are being used at the front end to improve warehouse efficiency.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Conveyors are increasing warehouse efficiency and productivity by being used earlier in the picking process, says Mark Senecal, director of new business development, WSI Solutions (Fredrick, Md.). "Much of what is going on right now is...

A little learning about a dangerous thing.(hazardous substances transportation)
September 1, 2005... In our daily jobs, particularly within distribution centers and creating transport packaging, encountering hazardous material happens more often than we're aware. Certainly more education on the subject is required. At the very least we need to...

That "synching" feeling.(importance of data base maintanence)
September 1, 2005... With all the advances in data collection and data communication these days, it's now possible to gather and disseminate completely useless information at the speed of light. Useless? Product data and shipment information is useless? ...

Integration improves throughput: small to medium-size companies that let their software do the talking are better able to deploy resources and grow sales.(Blue Moon Industries)
September 1, 2005... Integrating enterprise resource planning (ERP), warehouse management software (WMS) and transportation management software (TMS) gives distributors increased accuracy, efficiency and customer satisfaction. There is a quick return on investment,...

The Wal-Mart mandate: compliance and beyond: what have suppliers to the world's largest retailer learned about RFID technology? Plenty.(RFID)
September 1, 2005... Reading the countless case histories, articles, and news releases about the Wal-Mart mandate to adopt EPC RFID (radio frequency identification) for carton and pallet identification, one comes to two inescapable conclusions: 1. It's a...

Preparation key to storm survival: in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, manufacturers and distributors show how having a business-disaster plan in place helps them focus on human needs.(U.S. Economy)
September 1, 2005... As the effects of Hurricane Katrina continue to ripple through the U.S. economy, manufacturers and distribution centers in the path of the storm returned to something approaching business as usual. When a company has been in business for 98...

Lowe's adds new DC in Lebanon, Oregon.(News)(Lowe's Companies Inc.)(distribution center )(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Lowe's Companies, Inc. (Mooresville, N.C.) announced that it will invest approximately $150 million to construct a new regional distribution center in Lebanon, Ore., and expand three existing distribution facilities in Valdosta, Ga.;...

On the Job.(News)(Cartoon)
September 1, 2005... "I don't think Fred understands the concept of lean manufacturing." [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Warehouse benefits study.
September 1, 2005... Labor can account for upwards of 60% of total warehousing costs. Employee benefits make up a large chunk of those costs, which keep climbing every year. Warehousing Benefits Programs 2005--A Survey of Industry Practices, recently published by...

Cisco applauds U.S. distributors.(Cisco Systems Inc.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Highlighting its continued momentum in the small and medium-sized business (SMB) markets, Cisco Systems reports that in fiscal year 2005 it reached a new annual order volume high. Working with its U.S. distribution partners --Comstor, Ingram...

Komatsu launches new brand.(Komatsu Forklift U.S.A. Inc.)(Tusk Lift Trucks)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Komatsu Forklift USA, Inc. (Covington, Ga.) launched a new division and introduced the Tusk Lift Trucks brand. Tusk Lift Trucks will replace the Kalmar AC forklift brand. Reported features of Tusk trucks include easily accessible engines and...

The resilient enterprise: overcoming vulnerability for competitive advantage (MIT Press, October 2005).(Massachusetts Institute of Technology)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Author Yossi Sheffi, director of the MIT Center for Transportation and Logistics, offers a framework for understanding vulnerability. Rather than use extra inventory and other redundancies to absorb demand or supply shocks, Sheffi focuses on...

Linde Lift Truck Corporation (Summerville, S.C.) changed its name to Linde Material Handling--North America.
September 1, 2005... Linde Lift Truck Corporation (Summerville, S.C.) changed its name to Linde Material Handling--North America. The company says the new name better reflects its position as a complete supplier of a full range of material-handling equipment and...

TGW Transportgerate GmbH completed its acquisition of conveyor-maker Ermanco (Spring Lake, Mich.) from Paragon Technologies (Easton, Pa.).
September 1, 2005... TGW Transportgerate GmbH completed its acquisition of conveyor-maker Ermanco (Spring Lake, Mich.) from Paragon Technologies (Easton, Pa.). Subject to a final working capital adjustment, Paragon received $23 million in connection with the sale....

AIM Global.(focused on automatic identification and mobility)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... AIM Global (Warrendale, Penn.), a trade association focused on automatic identification and mobility, announced that the RFID Experts Group (REG), will form an action group to provide guidance related to RFID middleware, application software...

Cooper Tire & Rubber Company.
September 1, 2005... Cooper Tire & Rubber Company (Findlay, Ohio) moved into its new Southwest distribution center in Grand Prairie, Texas. The new 400,000-square-foot, 96-dock facility will be used for warehousing and distributing products to the Southwest, South...

Liberty Carton Company (Minneapolis), a division of Liberty Diversified Industries, has acquired the St. Paul-based display manufacturing division of Smyth Companies, a manufacturer of point-of-purchase displays and a fulfillment service provider.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Liberty Carton Company (Minneapolis), a division of Liberty Diversified Industries, has acquired the St. Paul-based display manufacturing division of Smyth Companies, a manufacturer of point-of-purchase displays and a fulfillment service...

IFCO Systems.
September 1, 2005... IFCO Systems opened its newest pallet services facility in St. Louis. The company currently has 50 pallet management service facilities. The new location is centrally located to bring pallet recycling, pallet retrieval and other pallet...

Cascade Corp.
September 1, 2005... Cascade Corp.'s manufacturing plant in Warner Robins, Ga., celebrated the production of its one millionth sideshifter on August 8. With company headquarters in Fairview, Ore., the Georgia plant has been building sideshifters, which shift a...

Preferred Freezer Services.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Preferred Freezer Services is currently building a 200,000 sq. ft. (8.0 million cubic ft.) cold storage space in Newark, N.J. The facility includes 143,000 sq. ft. of freezer space, a 21,600 sq.-ft. four-story office building for the company's...

Aldi.(Aldi Einkauf Gesellschaft mit beschraenkter Haftung und Company OHG)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... The German food company, Aldi, broke ground on a 515,000 sq.-ft. distribution center in Feribault, Minn., 25 miles south of the Twin Cities. Construction at the 110-acre site near the airport should be completed by October 2007. The property,...

Penton Media's Supply Chain Group.
September 1, 2005... David A. Madonia has been promoted to publishing director of Penton Media's Supply Chain Group. The Group includes Logistics Today and Material Handling Management magazines.

RFID changes the role of label printers: there are hundreds of models of thermal printers. Selecting the right one can be the first step in a successful RFID inventory management strategy.(Transport Packaging)
September 1, 2005... Eighteen months ago, as companies worked to meet the mandates of retailers for radio frequency identification (RFID) tagging, the easy route first appeared to be: apply an RFID tag to a case, then encode the tag as the case moved down the line....

Palletizing software saves space for power tool maker: more products on a pallet, more pallets in a container, means lower logistics costs for Techtronics Industries, Inc.(Transport Packaging)
September 1, 2005... Dictating a product's arrangement within a package, and specifying orientation of the package and unit load design, can save dollars in material costs and freight costs. "[Packaging engineers] try to start in the earliest stages of product...

Transfer conveyor saves energy.(Conveyor Products)
September 1, 2005... Accupass, a new pick-and-pass transfer conveyor, has a modular design and uses a 24-volt motorized roller technology for quiet, energy-saving pick-and-pass and zone-routing. Running only on demand, it handles 30 packages per minute and has...

Cost-effective, driveless product gapping.(Conveyor Products)(TGW-Ermanco)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... GAPmaster, which receives products end-to-end and gaps them individually, features a belt-to-belt 2:1 speed increase that provides a reliable gap allowing for easy identification of each product. GAPmaster is capable of handling products...

Bucket conveyors remain upright.(Conveyor Products)(Gough Econ Inc.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... The new Swinglink and Elecon Bucket Elevators transport coffee beans in factories without damaging or smashing the beans. The Swinglink Bucket Elevator's buckets remain in an upright position while loading and throughout the circuit. When in a...

Sortation for order assembly, conveyance.(Conveyor Products)(GBI Data & Sorting Systems)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... This high-speed tilt tray sorter is a high-accuracy, high-speed system that gives users the flexibility to sort products that vary in size, shape, and packaging. The tilt tray sorter comes in multiple configurations based on product handling...

Hytrol introduces GapLogix gap control package.(Conveyor Products)
September 1, 2005... GapLogix is a standard control package designed for Hytrol's Gapper. It will set a specific gap or pitch independent from product length. The control package has hand-wired interlock signals for flexible integration into any system. Users can...

Storage & retrieval machine and pallet conveyor system.(Conveyor Products)(Diamond Phoenix)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... The Vectura Storage and Retrieval Machine (SRM) is based on a flexible, modular design that is configurable to almost any application. The single and double masted cranes have the ability to handle single, double, triple, or multi-deep storage,...

Rivet driver quickly attaches conveyor-belt fasteners.(Conveyor Products)(Flexco Inc.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... The new air-operated Flexco Power Set Rivet Driver for on-site power installation of rivet-attached conveyor belt fasteners, is balanced for one-hand operation. It extends splicing capability into places with tight clearances, and operates on...

Flat-surface recognition sensor.(Conveyor Products)(SICK Inc.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... The Flat-Surface Recognition (FSR) 600 high-speed sortation system's sensor passes dimensional information to a sorting device so packages can be sorted by size. The sensor detects the presence, width, length, product spacing, and location of...

Sanitary conveyor frame eliminates fasteners.(Conveyor Products)(Dorner Manufacturing Corp.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... The new AquaPruf 7400 Series Sanitary conveyor platform can be disassembled, without tools, in three minutes. Its simplified design eliminates fasteners from the conveyor. The assembly's smooth Tig welding leaves fewer places for food to...

Modular conveyor.(Conveyor Products)(HK Systems Inc.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... HK Systems' 24Vdc conveyor has a flexible modular design that is safe, energy efficient and said to be virtually maintenance free. Designed to transport and accumulate product over a variety of applications including transfers, curves and...

Gentle, accurate divert conveyor.(Conveyor Products)(Sandvik Sorting Systems Inc.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... The ParaPush is designed for the most rugged sorting applications in the airport, courier and distribution markets. The ParaPush design gives a gentle, accurate divert on a wide range of products without aggressive motion. Its 90-degree...

Flexible package conveyor systems.(Conveyor Products)(Siemens Logistics and Assembly Systems)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... The Dematic C-L100 package conveyors are engineered to reduce installation time by 30 percent. They have extruded aluminum side channels that are pre-wired with power and communications buses. Conveyor modules plug together in the field, and...

Entry-level checkweighers.(Conveyor Products)(Thompson Scale Co.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Economical, newly reengineered intermediate and heavy-duty entry-level checkweighers are simple, easy-to-use, rugged, and accurate production scales. The intermediate unit has a 1 to 100 lbs. weight range; heavy-duty versions weigh items from...

30 minute heavy duty concrete floor joint & crack repair polymer.(CRACK FILLER)
September 1, 2005... Metzger/McGuire's Spal-Pro 2000 is a rapid setting, heavy-duty polyurea polymer product for repairing joints and cracks in industrial concrete floors. Spal-Pro 2000 comes packaged in easy-to-use dual-component cartridge kits. This means no...

The legacy low maintenance battery delivers power.(BATTERY)(Douglas Battery Manufacturing Co.)(Brief Article)
September 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.(Supplier SOURCE: New Products, Equipment & Services Showcase)(Dynamic Conveyor Corp.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Dynamic Conveyor's light- to medium-duty DynaCon[R] modular conveyor systems offer true versatility. DynaCon's modular conveyor systems can be reconfigured in less time, in ever-changing manufacturing or workflow environments. Made from...

Precision Lifting.(LIFTING DEVICE)(Gorbel Inc.)(Brief Article)
September 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...