Material Handling Management articles from September 2007

Material Handling Management archives from September 2007

Laser focus on change: a different type of AGV allowed the acetate-yarn department of Eastman's acetate-fibers division to avoid a potentially devastating expense.(AGVs)
September 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Towards the end of World War I, a global raw-material shortage was forcing American industrialists to search for different ways to get their products to market. It was then that George Eastman, father of modern-day...

Compact photoelectric sensors.(Product Focus: Pack Expo Las Vegas)
September 1, 2007... GLV18 Econo-Vue photoelectric sensors from Pepperl+Fuchs (Twinsburg, Ohio) come in 18-mm-diameter housings that improve mounting flexibility and allow the sensors to fit into tight spaces, the company says. The sensors can be attached to the...

On-demand air cushioning.(Product Focus: Pack Expo Las Vegas)
September 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Storopack Inc. (Cincinnati) introduces its Airplus machine for on-demand manufacturing of bubble-type air cushioning. Storopack says each machine can produce Wave 1/2-in. cells or Quilt 3/4-in. cells at a rate of 30...

Call to action: value-added service is Brightstar's competitive calling card. So, when orders began to skyrocket, one of the company's distribution centers needed a material handling makeover.(Facility Makeover)(Company overview)
September 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In most cases, it's a given: When sales are up, it's a good thing. Any for-profit business, regardless of industry, wants solid revenue growth each and every year. However, once you step outside of the carpeted...

Think global, act local.(Global Material Handling)
September 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] When speaking with Dan Ellens, it's tough to separate his business philosophy from his life philosophy. There probably is little difference between the two. Ellens is vice president and managing director, Jervis B....

Leading change without authority: Part III: get disparate groups aligned with the mission.(Guest Editorial: Leadership)
September 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] How do you accomplish a major change initiative when you have authority over few, if any, of the stakeholders involved? Whether you're in material handling, supply chain, IT consulting, product management or other...

Pallet fire in Phoenix destroys warehouses.(Industry News)
September 1, 2007... On Sept. 14, a huge blaze destroyed two Knight Transportation warehouses in Phoenix, according to the Associated Press. The fire started in a 200-yard-long stack of wood pallets and consumed 30 trailers at a loading dock. Knight Transportation...

CARB proposal unclear about lift truck ownership.(Industry News)
September 1, 2007... Among the many topics addressed at the annual meeting of the Industrial Truck Association (ITA) Sept. 8-11 in Banff, Alberta, was the California Air Resources Board (CARB) proposal for reducing particulate matter and NOx emissions from existing...

Federal lawsuit blames faulty packaging.(Industry News)
September 1, 2007... While employees were moving a $1.4 million IBM server from a trailer into T.R. System's warehouse in Alexandria, Va. last October, the rear wheels of the lift truck "hit the raised surface at the entry door of the warehouse." That caused the...

Got automation?(Industry News)(public opinion on future of automation)(Survey)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... Each month, on our Web site, www.mhmonline.com, we ask readers' opinons. This month's question was: Within the next five years, what role will automation play in your plant? It's no surprise that the majority see automation as increasing,...

FEMA gets help from UPS.(Industry News)
September 1, 2007... Matt Lawrence of UPS (Atlanta) will evaluate current disaster logistics processes and share best practices from the private sector as the first "loaned" executive to report to the Logistics Management Directorate of the Federal Emergency...

Indoor hydrogen fueling station studied.(Industry News)
September 1, 2007... Air Products (Allentown, Pa.) has signed on as lead contractor for a two-year pilot project with the Defense Logistics Agency's Research and Development program. As part of the contract, Air Products will help develop the infrastructure for an...

AIM tackles encoding of Chinese language.(Industry News)
September 1, 2007... Along with China's leadership in the manufacture of world goods has come the need to improve efficiencies in data collection and exchange. Existing bar codes are optimized for Western alphabets and are not optimized for encoding the Chinese...

Packaging machinery sales climb.(Industry News)
September 1, 2007... Packaging machinery shipments soared to $6.110 billion in 2006, a 6% increase from the $5.765 billion in equipment shipped in 2005, according to the 2007 Shipments and Outlook Study from the Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute (PMMI,...

Surf and turf has consumer appeal.(Industry News)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... APL Logistics (Singapore), a global supply chain management company, and Con-way Freight (Ann Arbor, Mich.), which operates an extensive regional less-than-truckload freight transportation network in the U.S., issued its first report card on...

Nissan acquires Atlet.(Vendor News)
September 1, 2007... Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. (Tokyo) announced that, pending approval by the EU Commission, its subsidiary, Nissan Forklift Europe B.V., will acquire a 100% stake in Atlet AB (Molnlycke, Sweden). Founded 49 years ago by Knut Jacobsson, Atlet AB is...

Airport baggage handling contract to FKI.(Vendor News)
September 1, 2007... FKI Logistex (St. Louis) has received a nearly 30-million-euro baggage-handling contract from AENA (Aeropuertos Espanoles y Navegacion Aerea) for Fuerteventura Airport in the Canary Islands. The installation is part of a three-billion-euro...

NACCO Materials Handling Group partners with Intermec.(Vendor News)
September 1, 2007... Intermec (Everett, Wash.) has entered into an after market reselling agreement with NACCO Materials Handling Group Inc. (Mayfield Heights, Ohio) to provide vehicle mount computers, handheld bar code scanners and RFID technology equipment for...

CEMA offers new training video.(Vendor News)
September 1, 2007... Conveyor Equipment Manufacturers Association (CEMA, Naples, Fla.) has released a new safety training video for conveyor manufacturers, distributors, and end users. The "Unit Handling Conveyor Safety DVD" joins CEMA's other safety video, "Screw...

More wag, less bark.(Special Section: Transport Packaging)
September 1, 2007... As if we don't have enough to worry about with global warming, whether the Cleveland Indians will make it into the World Series or the fall television schedule, along comes the annual list of "job-killing legislation" from the California...

How to make your warehouse flexible with magnets: magnetic labeling systems are an easy-to-use, portable, reusable alternative to adhesive paper labels.(Transport Packaging)
September 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "Warehouses and distribution centers expand and contract in funny ways," says Ed Knab, partner and design consultant at Global-Springs Ltd. (Villa Park, Calif.) "Once the pallet racking is put in place, if you want...

Greener, safer, more convenient packaging: corrugated pallets and non-slip spray adhesive help this manufacturer ship increased loads and garner customer satisfaction.(Transport Packaging)
September 1, 2007... Vytec (London, Ontario), ships vinyl siding in unusually long cartons. Typically these can range to 13 feet long. For years its crews built shipping crates around the product so customers could handle and stack pallets in their yards. Last...

Stretch wrapping ices six-month payback: safety is important, and money talks when adding new equipment to the end of the packaging line.(Transport Packaging)
September 1, 2007... Can one stretch wrapping machine be safer than comparable equipment, while still being less expensive, miserly with materials, smaller and more convenient to use? Kisko Products (Markham, Ontario), maker of some of North America's favorite...

Transport packaging is the new customer service: even when you're the only game in town, customer service should still be a priority.(Transport Packaging)
September 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] When your name is on the product, a scratch on the machine also tarnishes your reputation. That was the dilemma for Stern Pinball Inc. (Melrose Park, Ill.) and Joe Blackwell, its director of customer service. ...

Display producer sees benefits from transport packaging.(Transport Packaging)
September 1, 2007... Outdoor Cap (Bentonville, Ark.) a manufacturer of full twill and half mesh headgear for sporting and hunting activities, is partnering with OptiLogistics Inc. (Dallas), marketer of the OptiLedge transport packaging solution, to ship its product...

New vehicle, custom packaging.(Transport Packaging)
September 1, 2007... When Freightliner LLC (Portland, Ore.), a heavy-duty truck manufacturer, prepared to launch its new class 8 model vehicle, Cascadia, a major focus was directed at optimizing the efficiency and quality of its supply chain. The new vehicle launch...

Help your competitors get better.(Witt's End)
September 1, 2007... Fifty years ago, my grandmother had the solution for today's industry woes. To give each of her four grandsons a larger piece of her famous apple pie, she made the pie bigger. I listened as professor Dr. Barry Nalebuff delivered this same...

What are your lift truck safety requirements?(Guest Column)
September 1, 2007... Many facility managers find themselves fighting a never-ending battle when compelling lift truck operators to follow correct operating procedures. Employers are required to do everything reasonable to identify workplace hazards and minimize-or...

Instant gratification ... not.(Data Intelligence)
September 1, 2007... True story: Young boy comes home from his first day of school and gives his parents a great review of the experience, except for one thing: They failed to teach him how to read! For the past year, everyone's told him he'll learn to read when he...

Pack Expo Las Vegas: best show in town.(Product Focus: Pack Expo Las Vegas)
September 1, 2007... Not only is Pack Expo, Oct. 15-17, the best show in town, it's the only show that guarantees you'll be a winner. The event will be located in the Las Vegas Convention Center and features more than 1,200 exhibiting companies occupying more than...

Protect water bottles in transit.(Product Focus: Pack Expo Las Vegas)
September 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Rehrig Pacific (Los Angeles) launches Bottle Armor, which protects water bottles in transit, translating into millions of dollars in savings for bottlers each year, according to the company. Bottlers face the problem...

Robotic palletizers.(Product Focus: Pack Expo Las Vegas)
September 1, 2007... FKI Logistex (St. Louis) showcases its new robotic palletizing system, which features jointed-arm robots capable of palletizing at rates of more than 100 cases per minute, the company says. The system features higher palletizing rates and a...

Stretch wrapping system.(Product Focus: Pack Expo Las Vegas)
September 1, 2007... Lantech's (Louisville, Ky.) new Q-400XT stretch wrapping system reportedly halves the cost and time for pallet wrapping with Simple Automation that eliminates the need for lift truck operators to touch the load or machine. The all-electric...

Collapsible cart.(Product Focus: Pack Expo Las Vegas)
September 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Carico Systems (Fort Wayne, Ind.) introduces the Fold Rack N Roll cart that can hold up to 2,800 lbs. yet collapse into an "L" position for nesting and storage when not in use. The cart is 58-in. wide x 30-in. deep x...

Optimizer case printer.(Product Focus: Pack Expo Las Vegas)
September 1, 2007... Iconotech (Clinton, Conn.) presents its Optimizer case printer, which promises to free manufacturers from their reliance on pre-printed cases and allow them to institute a generic case-printing program. Companies can save thousands of dollars...

"Green" edge protector.(Product Focus: Pack Expo Las Vegas)
September 1, 2007... Laminations (Appleton, Wis.) part of Great Northern Corp.'s Specialty Group, showcases its new FlexRoll along with the company's VBoard family of paperboard edge production products. FlexRoll is a lightweight, sustainable product that keeps the...

Large-character printers.(Product Focus: Pack Expo Las Vegas)
September 1, 2007... Videojet Technologies Inc. (Wood Dale, Ill.) introduces its Videojet 2330 and 2310 large-character ink-jet printers that produce characters as large as 2.75 in. and 0.66 in., respectively. An automatic self-cleaning and maintenance system keeps...

Robotic packer/palletizer.(Product Focus: Pack Expo Las Vegas)
September 1, 2007... Schneider Packaging Equipment Co. Inc. (Brewerton, N.Y.) displays its robotic case packer/palletizer, which occupies only 170 square feet of plant-floor real estate. The machine improves productivity and simplifies packaging and palletizing,...

VFFS machine.(Product Focus: Pack Expo Las Vegas)
September 1, 2007... TNA (Coppell, Texas) showcases its robag 3 fx rotary flat jaw, vertical form, fill and seal (VFFS) machine integrated with the company's 514 Delta 1 scale. Equipped with four servo drive motors, the robag VFFS machine can process more than 100...