Material Handling Management articles from September 2008

Material Handling Management archives from September 2008

Scientists develop 3-D document visualization.(Automation)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Preparing detailed brochures and flyers with special folds can be a time-consuming and costly process for printers. Until now. Scientists at Xerox Corp. created a technology that uses 3-D software to help printers...

Pants for troops.(Automation)
September 1, 2008... Eton Systems Inc. says longstanding customer Tullahoma Industries LLC has shifted production of its U.S. Army's Generation III uniform trouser program from traditional sewing and assembly lines to the advanced Eton unit production system in its...

IT Channel sees growth in RFID.(Automation: News)
September 1, 2008... OAKBROOK TERRACE, Ill.--Information technology (IT) channel companies say customers are showing more interest in RFID technology, according to results of a new survey conducted by the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA). The...

Safety a priority when employing tool exchange.(Automation: News)(Applied Robotics )(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... GLENVILLE, N.Y.--With technological advancements and the rise of a new generation of high dynamic robots, successful integration of production processes has the potential to yield greater efficiency and productivity. Failure to ensure...

Unexpected benefits, unintended consequences.(Data Intelligence)(Industry overview)
September 1, 2008... The history of the automatic identification and data collection (AIDC) industry is rife with stories about companies reaping unanticipated benefits from implementing an AIDC system and, in a few of these cases, these unexpected benefits...

Turn dead inventory into dollars: save money, help others and get rid of slow-moving or dead stock--all at the same time.(Facility Operations)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Ever wonder what to do with obsolete or slow-moving SKUs? Don't just throw away the items that are taking up valuable space and costing your operation money. The smartest solution may be to give them to charity. By...

Greener company culture--from the top down: the effects of rising energy costs are changing the way many senior-level managers consider their company's energy consumption.(Green Way)
September 1, 2008... Escalating energy prices have served as a wake-up call to corporate leaders to devise ways to conserve energy. Energy efficiency is evolving from a corporate concept to a priority item on the CEO's agenda. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Over...

Loading dock 2.0: the loading dock of the past is no more. The modern version requires up-to-date equipment and planned maintenance.(Cover story)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Techies sometimes use the term "Web 2.0" to describe the mentality shift that occurs as the Internet transforms business operations. In material handling, a similar shift is occurring as economic factors and the...

Pallets: one size fits nobody: with 670 million new pallets entering the supply chain each year, selecting the one that's right can be a challenge.
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] According to a new study by the Fredonia Group, the U.S. demand for pallets will reach 1.5 billion units in 2012. Pallets made from wood will remain dominant. That demand for pallets is forecast to grow about 2%...

Unending legacy: Ballard has been called the father of fuel cells and a "Hero of the Planet.".(Powered Vehicles)
September 1, 2008... Geoffrey Ballard, a Canadian pioneer of the fuel-cell industry and an entrepreneur Time magazine once named a "Hero of the Planet," died on Aug. 2. He was 76. The cause of death was not disclosed. Ballard developed the world's first...

A primer on lift truck data collection.(Powered Vehicles)
September 1, 2008... The advent of the on-board computer helped spur the development of advanced lift truck data management technology. Information can be made available not just to warehouse managers but to anyone in the organization. For example, maintenance...

New lift truck.(Powered Vehicle)
September 1, 2008... Jungheinrich AG will show a new lift truck concept at ProMat, Jan. 12-15 in Chicago. The new concept vehicle is a ride-on pedestrian pallet truck powered by lithium-ion batteries. The company says lithium-ion batteries are lighter and more...

Recognition for Toyota.(Powered Vehicles: News)(Toyota Industries Corp. in top list)(Brief article)(Company rankings)
September 1, 2008... IRVINE, Calif.--Fortune magazine has named Toyota Industries Corp. (TICO) to its top 50 list of the "World's Most Admired Companies" for the third consecutive year. TICO, comprised of four key business units--automobiles, material handling...

Air products supports hydrogen tour.(Powered Vehicles: News)
September 1, 2008... LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa.--Air Products, a supplier of hydrogen for fuel-cell-powered lift trucks, is fueling the fuel-cell vehicles participating in the national Hydrogen Tour '08. The Hydrogen Tour '08 was created to demonstrate that hydrogen...

Finding beauty in retrofitting.(Company overview)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Regis Corp. (Edina, Minn.) is one of the larger hair-product distributors in the world. The company owns, franchises or holds ownership interests in more than 13,500 worldwide locations, making it the industry's...

Plan for change: experts suggest a bit of crystal-ball gazing as the way to survive in an unpredictable economy. Make retrofitting part of your original business plan.
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "A lot of retrofitting comes down to starting with a good initial design," says Ian Hobkirk, director, supply chain consulting, Forte (Mason, Ohio). Retrofitting is about planning for contingencies and change. In a...

Bringing it all together in one package: a new pallet tray concept shows promise in automotive manufacturing.(Transport Packaging)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Manufacturers are relying more and more on tote boxes, platforms, trays, racking and palletized containers made from plastics and their numerous derivatives to safeguard parts during handling and shipping functions....

The heat is on.(packaging industry waste management standards)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... A war on wasteful packaging is to be waged by a new squad of enforcement officers. Lincolnshire County (U.K.) Council officers have created a team of packaging enforcement staff to protect shoppers from buying items which create too much waste....

It's going to cost you more ...(Survey)
September 1, 2008... According to a survey of corrugated container producers conducted by Longbow Research analyst Joshua Zaret, 95% have announced price increases ranging from 7% to 11%. The announced increase in box prices follows a July 2008 containerboard price...

Stone-age solution: how do you make paper from stone? And, should it still be called paper?(Transport Packaging)(FiberStone papers )
September 1, 2008... Ever make a major life decision by playing the game Paper-Scissors-Rock? In this day and age (as with any day and age), technology has a way of creating problems in its process of finding solutions. Here's what's going on: My e-mail box gets...

Easy come, easy go.(Witt's End)
September 1, 2008... What you lose on the swings you can make up on the merry-go-round. Recently, I read a notice that giant packaging-material supplier Sonoco will implement a $50-per-ton price increase for all uncoated recycled paperboard products in the U.S. and...

Support our troops: the best way to support our troops is to hire them when they come home. here are 10 ways veteran employees can benefit businesses.(Workforce)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has launched an informative Web site devoted to helping disabled veterans--particularly those returning from Iraq and Afghanistan--succeed in the workforce. The returning service...

The next dynasty.(World of Difference)(Evans Distribution Systems )(Company overview)
September 1, 2008... As management styles flex to new workforce realities, we may see a move from monarchy to diarchy. We've crowned the customer king, and for good reason. The customer determines inventory strategy, facility location and just about everything...

12 tips for choosing ergonomic hand tools.(Tech Toolbox)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Drop into any hardware store or home improvement center, and you're likely to find aisles full of tools labeled "ergonomic." What exactly does that mean for employees in the shop? Simply put, it's the science of...