Modern Materials Handling articles from December 2003

Modern Materials Handling archives from December 2003

Off-the-shelf bar code software under fire.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Today, 80% of bar code label software is sold as off-the-shelf packages. But that's not what end users want going forward, according to the research firm VDC (www.vdc-corp.com). By 2007, the annual compound growth rate for customized...

Washington state strikes down ergonomics rules.(Breaking News You Should Know first)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... As part of last month's elections, 53% of voters in Washington State voted to repeal the state's existing ergonomics regulations. The initiative, known as measure 841, also directed the State's "department of labor and industries not to adopt...

New crane and monorail standards released.(Breaking News You Should Know first)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Two standards--one for enclosed track and the other for patented track underhung cranes and monorail systems--have been released by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). The announcement was made by The Monorail Manufacturers...

EPCglobal debuts.(Breaking News You Should Know first)(US Uniform Code Council joins European organization to create joint venture EPCglobal to develop Electronic Product Code for future radio frequency identification use)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... As the world of radio frequency identification (RFID) evolves quickly these days, the same is true of organizations involved with the technology. The latest such group, EPCglobal (www.uc-council.org/epcglobal), is a joint venture of the Uniform...

Industry leaders receive awards.(Breaking News You Should Know first)(Material Handling Education Foundation hands out three awards)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... The Material Handling Education Foundation (www.mhefi.org) has named the recipients of its two top awards. Dr. Leon McGinnis of Georgia Tech received the 2003 Reed-Apple Award for his "continuing contribution to material handling and material...

Managing risk.(Editorial)
December 1, 2003... We all have a moment of truth from time to time. For fastener distributor Winzer, that moment came when it went from a manual handling and order fulfillment system to a semi-automated one. That in itself can cause its own set of cross-currents....

Wal-mart outlines its RFID plans: the retailer details for its top suppliers specifications and performance expectations as well as why the high costs of radio frequency identification are worth the effort.(Technology)(radio frequency identification implementation plans at Wal-mart)
December 1, 2003... "RFID is here and it's staring us in the face," says Tom Williams, spokesman for Wal-Mart. "To ignore it, is to ignore efficient change." Clearly, Wal-Mart is not about to ignore RFID. In fact, last month, 128 of Wal-Mart's top suppliers...

Royall joins Modern as Publishing Director.(People)(John Royall appointed Publishing Director of Modern Materials Handling, and Group Publishing Director of Modern Materials Handling, Logistics Management, and Supply Chain Management Review)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Last month, John Royall was named the new Publishing Director of Modern Materials Handling, and Group Publishing Director of Modern Materials Handling, Logistics Management, and Supply Chain Management Review. Royall, who has been involved in...

The world view for lift trucks at year end.(Outlook)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Better than 2002 but certainly not as strong as 2001. That about sums up the state of industrial lift truck sales worldwide as 2003 closes out. This view was presented at the Industrial Truck Association's (www.indtrk.org) annual meeting. ...

Manhattan Associates buys Streamsoft.(Software)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Continuing the consolidation trend in the supply chain execution software space, Manhattan Associates (www.manhattanassociates.com) announced that is has acquired some of the assets of Streamsoft, a Chicago-based provider of warehouse slotting...

Witron opens technology center.(Event)
December 1, 2003... Materials handling manufacturer and integrator Witron has opened a new technology center at its headquarters in Parkstein, Germany. Located in a newly constructed building adjacent to its design and manufacturing facilities, the technology...

Epicor brings WMS suite in house.(Software)(Epicor buys TDC Solutions)
December 1, 2003... Like other enterprise resource planning (ERP) suppliers, Epicor (www.epicor.com) has added a suite of warehouse management solutions to its lineup. Earlier this year, Epicor purchased TDC Solutions. Prior to the merger, TDC supplied its...

Bar code use rises in foodservice industry.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... An annual benchmarking survey of six foodservice distribution facilities reveals that bar coding among foodservice manufacturers has risen. According to the 2003 survey conducted by Efficient Foodservice Response (www.efr-central.com), 77% of...

Calendar.(Calendar)
December 1, 2003... JANUARY 2004 January 6-8 WestPack 2004 Anaheim, CA Sponsor: Canon Communications LLC Call: 310-445-4200 Web: www.westpackshow.com January 11-14 NRF's 93rd Annual Convention & Expo New York, NY ...

SK Daifuku.(Appointments/promotions)(John King appointed vice president of sales and marketing)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... John King is appointed vice president of sales and marketing at SK Daifuku...

Interoll Corp.(Appointments/promotions)(Steve Hankey appointed product manager for small belt drive products)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Steve Hankey is named product manager for small belt drive products of Interroll Corp....

Council of Logistic Management.(Appointments/promotions)(Elijah Ray, Thomas Speh, Mark Richards, Mary-lou Quinto and Rick Blasgen appointed for 2004)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... The Council of Logistics Management elects the following officers for 2003-2004: Elijah Ray, senior vice president of customer solutions, Standard Corp., as president; Thomas Speh, associate dean for academic affairs at Richard T. Farmer School...

FKI Logistex Alvey Systems.(Appointments/promotions)(George Reyher appointed account manager for Latin America)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... George Reyher joins FKI Logistex Alvey Systems as an account manager for Latin America...

G-Log.(Appointments/promotions)(Greg Slawson appointed managing director of automotive solutions division)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... G-log appoints Greg Slawson to managing director of the newly formed automotive solutions division...

Trio Pines U.S.A.(Appointments/promotions)(Salvatore Aliotta Jr. appointed president)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Salvatore Aliotta Jr. is named president of Trio Pines U.S.A....

Shuttleworth Inc.(Appointments/promotions)(Bill Toth appointed customer service manager and Jeffery Follis field service manager )(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Shuttleworth Inc. promotes Bill Toth to customer service manager and Jeffery Follis to field service manager...

Borroughs Corp.(Appointments/promotions)(Joseph Cascio appointed vice president of sales)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Joseph Cascio is named vice president of sales for Borroughs Corp....

Fischbein Co.(Appointments/promotions)(Michael Siddons appointed president and general manager)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Fischbein Co. appoints Michael Siddons to president and general manager...

Caster Concepts Inc.(Appointments/promotions)(Eric Earl appointed director of sales and marketing development and Brian Russell as district sales manager)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Caster Concepts Inc. welcomes Eric Earl as director of sales and marketing development and Brian Russell as district sales manager...

Forte Industries.(Appointments/promotions)(Louis Hollmeyer appointed director of marketing)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Louis Hollmeyer joins Forte Industries as director of marketing.

RedPrairie forms a strategic partnership with Vocollect enabling RedPrairie to resell Vocollect's Talkman solution.(Alliances/construction)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... RedPrairie forms a strategic partnership with Vocollect enabling RedPrairie to resell Vocollect's Talkman solution with its warehouse and productivity management solutions...

Sonata Software Ltd.(Alliances/construction)(RedPrairie signs an agreement with Sonata Software Ltd. to support the DigitaLogistix supply chain execution suite in India and parts of Asia)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... RedPrairie also signs an agreement with Sonata Software Ltd. to support the DigitaLogistix supply chain execution suite in India and parts of Asia...

Printronix Inc. and Alien Technology Corp. partner to develop radio frequency.(Alliances/construction)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Printronix Inc. and Alien Technology Corp. partner to develop radio frequency identification solutions...

Marubeni Corp. becomes the distributor.(Alliances/construction)(Marubeni Corp. becomes the distributor for Matrics Inc. in Japan)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Marubeni Corp. becomes the distributor for Matrics Inc. in Japan...

ID Technology.(Alliances/construction)(new regional office opens)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... ID Technology opens an Ohio Valley regional office in Carmel, Indiana...

WS Packaging Group.(Alliances/construction)(WS Packaging Group acquires Concept Inc.)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... WS Packaging Group acquires Concept Inc....

Fernqvist Labelling Solutions.(Alliances/construction)(midwest sales office and distribution center opened)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Fernqvist Labeling Solutions opens a Midwest sales office and distribution center in Elgin, Illinois.

Danaher buys Accu-Sort Systems.(Acquisition)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... The consolidation of the supply chain information technology space continues with the announcement that Danaher Corporation (www.danaher.com) will purchase Accu-Sort Systems, Inc. (www.accusort.com) for $63 million in cash plus other...

Ready for RFID?(for your information)
December 1, 2003... Determine if radio frequency identification (RFID) technology should be deployed at your facility by taking part in the RFID Readiness Assessment Program. This supply chain execution system tool evaluates the opportunities, constraints,...

The wonderful world of pallets.(for your information)
December 1, 2003... Pallets: A North American Perspective is a new book that recognizes the important relationship pallets have in optimizing the supply chain. Topics explored include the history of pallets, options for designing the right pallet for a particular...

Choosing a WMS.(for your information)
December 1, 2003... A free report titled "The ERP Warehouse Module versus Best-of-Breed WMS" reviews the critical factors involved in selecting an effective warehouse management system. The 10-page report, co-authored by HighJump Software and TKR Consulting...

Inventories fall to record low levels: and will continue their long-term decline even as the economy grows in the coming year.(Outlook)
December 1, 2003... SURPRISE, SURPRISE. Not only did the third quarter Gross Domestic Product (GDP) surge ahead at a 7.2% annual pace, but the pickup was so strong that it caused a sharp (and quite unexpected) decline in inventory levels. In fact, inventory to...

Winzer feeds its need for speed: this rapidly growing fastener distributor picked up its order fulfillment pace considerably with a mini-load, pick-to-light and wireless terminals.(Warehouse Of The Month)(Winzer Corp. Dallas, TX)(Company Profile)
December 1, 2003... FOR DALLAS-BASED Winzer Corp., strong growth despite a slumping general economy was a mixed blessing. "As we grew 12% a year, the only way to keep pace with the increase in orders was to throw more bodies into the distribution center....

What's up with reach trucks: developments that may well change the look of your reach truck fleet are AC power and moving mast designs.(Equipment Report)
December 1, 2003... Is the standard reach truck used in the U.S. about to change? The answer to that all depends on who you talk to and what aspects of the trucks are under discussion. To begin, there's a stronger likelihood than ever that certain DC-powered...

Warehouse software meets RFID: ready or not, radio frequency identification (RFID) is here, and it's going to require significant mods to warehouse management systems.(Information Management)(related article: How RFID/WMS systems might look)
December 1, 2003... The two most important letters shaping the future of warehouse management are WM. They stand for Wal-Mart. The retailer will have a major impact on warehouse and distribution operations of its suppliers over the next year, especially on...

Right equipment, right task: for Connecticut Steel, it takes a well-coordinated system of cranes conveyors and fork trucks to annually process 300,000 tons of steel.(Manufacturing Spotlight)
December 1, 2003... Converting raw steel into finished products is a tough, drawn out operation that puts materials handling equipment to the ultimate test. Just ask W. Fergus Porter, president of Connecticut Steel Corporation (CSC) of Wallingford, Conn. The...

Daewoo Heavy Industries America Corporation.(Company Profile)
December 1, 2003... Daewoo Heavy Industries America Corporation, the U.S. affiliate of Daewoo Heavy Industries and Machinery Ltd., is headquartered in a 170,000 sq. ft. facility outside of Atlanta, Georgia. The facility houses a state-of-the-art parts operation...

Dehnco Equipment and Supplies, Inc.(Company Profile)
December 1, 2003... Dehnco Equipment and Supplies, Inc. provides a complete line of Ergonomic, Modular, Heavy Duty Workstations, Packing Tables, Shipping and Manifesting benches and Storage accessories. For over 25 years Dehnco has provided a variety of ergonomic...

FKI Logistex: the future of material flow.(Company Profile)
December 1, 2003... FKI Logistex[R] is a leading global designer, supplier, and integrator of intelligent, automated material handling systems. We supply' our customers with the best leading-edge technologies in high-speed sortation, conveyor systems, carousels,...

Innovative order filling systems from Real Time Solutions.(Company Profile)
December 1, 2003... What's the easiest way to get the right order to the right place at the right time? The answer is simple: by implementing cutting-edge paperless picking technology from FKI Logistex Real Time Solutions.[TM] A leading developer and provider of...

Lift truck company continues tradition of innovation.(Company Profile)
December 1, 2003... Hyster Company is world-renowned for its quality and leading-edge approach to technology and ergonomics. Founded in 1929, the company leads the materials handling industry in the design, engineering and manufacture of lift trucks. With a...

Intelligrated[TM].(Company Profile)
December 1, 2003... Intelligrated[TM] is an American owned and managed, supplier of Integrated Material Handling Systems, Services, and Products. The company was formed by an experienced management team led by Chris Cole (CEO), and Jim McCarthy (COO and...

LXE Inc.(Company Profile)
December 1, 2003... LXE Inc. manufactures rugged mobile computers, advanced auto-ID technologies, and wireless networking products that have helped thousands of companies worldwide improve their supply-chain performance. LXE's Roots LXE's rugged and...

Material Handling Industry of America.(industry conference to be held in Cleveland)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Material Handling Industry of America (MHIA) is the leading non-profit trade association of material handling and logistics providers. Members include equipment, systems and software manufacturers; consultants; systems integrators and...

Mathews[TM] Conveyor: celebrating a century of service.(Company Profile)
December 1, 2003... With our 100th year anniversary rapidly approaching, Mathews Conveyor offers the industry's broadest and most diverse base of material handling development and application experience. We are a leader in providing automated material flow...

Rousseau Metal launches NC tool storage system.(Company Profile)
December 1, 2003... Rousseau Metal, established 1950, are manufactures of shelving, modular drawers, cabinets and workstations. Rousseau Metal has launched a series of tool storage accessories which serve the CNC machining field, and are interchangeable with their...

Explore the future of logistics.(Company Profile)
December 1, 2003... SSI Schaefer is recognized as the third largest systems integrator in the world. We have subsidiaries in 53 countries and employ over 8,000 associates worldwide. In the US Schaefer has over 350 employees dedicated to the design, manufacture,...

RFID integration & automated material handling systems.(Company Profile)
December 1, 2003... Are you on track for the RFID compliance deadline? If not, learn how Siemens Dematic can help you not only comply, but improve your operational efficiency at the same time. Our team of supply chain consultants and material handling system...

SK * Daifuku.
December 1, 2003... www.skdaifuku.com SK Daifuku is the North American affiliate of Daifuku Co., Ltd. Since 1937, Daifuku has helped companies improve the way they do business through the implementation of agile manufacturing and distribution systems. With...

Toyota is America's number one selling lift truck supplier.
December 1, 2003... Since entering the material handling business thirty-five years ago, Toyota's innovation, dedication and commitment have paid off. Toyota earned the position of America's number one selling full-line lift truck manufacturer in the United States...

Dual-drive cranes.(Product focus)
December 1, 2003... Part of the Louden series of cranes, a motor propelled dual-drive crane features a single girder design and operates on runways with a 3.33 inch flange. Capacities range from one to five tons while the span reaches up to 50 feet Acco Lifting...

Crane family moves loads to 5 tons.(Product focus)
December 1, 2003... Krane-King jib cranes offer load capacities to 5 tons and are available in multiple mounting styles including base, foundation and sleeve. All models have standard spans and height combinations ranging from 8 to 20 feet. A four-roller design...

Single girder cranes.(Product focus)
December 1, 2003... A standard single girder crane is available in two designs depending on load capacity and crane span. The WF beam design is suitable for cranes with up to 10-ton capacities and 60-foot spans. The box girder design can be used with cranes...

Floor-mounted jib crane for low headroom.(Product focus)
December 1, 2003... The Easy Arm Intelligent Lifting Arm is an ergonomic articulating jib device integrating G-Force lifting technology and a processor-controlled servo-drive system. It provides easy access in work cells where low headroom and obstructions make it...

Bridge crane spans 30 feet.(Product focus)
December 1, 2003... Designed to hang from overhead building steel such as roof trusses and beams, ceiling mounted workstation bridge cranes offer load capacities of up to 4,000 pounds. The crane's bridge spans to 30 feet while its runways can extend to any length....

Control cranes for up to 8 hours.(Product focus)
December 1, 2003... Radius, a radio frequency controlling device, uses three two-step drives to effectively control cranes and hoists for up to eight hours, A rotary switch allows users to operate a second trolley or hoist. Safety features include a stop button,...

Handle loads up to 2,200 pounds.(Product focus)
December 1, 2003... Aluminum rail workstation crane systems efficiently handle loads ranging from 35 to 2,200 pounds. Styles include monorail and single and double girder A lightweight profile with T-slots allows the system to provide multiple configurations as...

Boom crane reaches farther.(Product focus)
December 1, 2003... A reversible boom crane with a knuckle boom combination is able to pick up loads as close as 18 inches from the base as well as reach out 200 inches. The self-propelled counterweighted crane operates at speeds ranging from one foot per minute...

Small pendant control.(Product focus)
December 1, 2003... Small and lightweight, yet heavy-duty, a pendant-style push-button radio control device is available in single-, two- and three-speed designs for controlling cranes. The telePendant is capable of performing three motions and six auxiliary...

Avoid collisions.(Product focus)
December 1, 2003... Two collision avoidance systems, UltraGuard and LCAS (Laser Collision Avoidance System), protect loads being moved by overhead cranes from colliding with walls and other equipment. UltraGuard is a self-contained, zone-adjustable range detection...

Variety of jib cranes.(Product focus)
December 1, 2003... A full line of jib cranes for various materials handling applications includes floor-mounted pillar types, top- and bottom-supported units, wall- or column-mounted versions and other models featuring manual and motorized rotation. Additional...

Move 3-ton loads.(Product focus)
December 1, 2003... Available in manual adjust, lever adjust and fixed height models, a gantry crane spans 12 feet, 6 inches in length and maneuvers loads of up to three tons. The crane's I-beams are adjustable in 6-inch increments. Wesco Industrial Products Inc....

Position lift truck forks accurately.(New products)
December 1, 2003... A forklift safety device enables drivers to precisely position forks at the correct level before entering pallets. EyeLevel can be mounted on the mast or carriage of a forklift or on a wheel loader, depending on the tilting system used. The...

Order fulfillment, return processing solution.(New products)
December 1, 2003... As a solution for order fulfillment and return processing, the Star system sorts products at speeds of 100 pieces per minute. Capabilities include labeling and automatic product feeding. Controlled by a standard industrial personal computer,...

Label any side of a product.(New products)
December 1, 2003... Using thermal transfer print technology, the Online Pro series printer applicators prints and applies labels with variable information, bar codes, date codes, lot numbers and serialized numbers. The systems apply labels to the top, bottom,...

Smart camera tracks parts.(New products)
December 1, 2003... Useable in a range of machine vision applications, the HawkEye 1600 series of smart cameras enables manufacturers to track parts and control processes on a production line. Two versions are available. The integrated package incorporates...

Access containers ergonomically.(New products)
December 1, 2003... Workers can easily access products in deep containers using a large container Ergo-Cart. It tilts large containers up to 30 degrees, allowing workers to reach the bottom without back strain. One version has a mechanical tilt for loads up to 400...

Stackers lift loads to 4,400 pounds.(New products)
December 1, 2003... The Advantage line of industrial stackers lifts and positions loads from 1,100 to 4,400 pounds. The 1,100- and 2,200-pound capacity manual lift and manually propelled stackers feature a 60-inch raised height. Also available are powered lift and...

Fully automated stretch wrapping.(New products)
December 1, 2003... An automatic rotary turntable system wraps pallet loads with a secure spiral web of film without any assistance from forklift operators. Eliminating manual processes, SpectraMAX automatically attaches the film to a load, begins the wrap cycle...

Accurate weight readings every time.(New products)
December 1, 2003... The 120 digital weight indicator features three-stage digital filtering for consistent, accurate weight data even in unstable conditions. Weights can be shown in pounds, kilograms, ounces and grams on an easy-to-read 0.8-inch LED display. The...

Walkie features user-friendly controls.(New products)
December 1, 2003... User-friendly and adjustable, a line of masted walkie lift trucks has a control handle featuring three electronic selectable performance modes. The truck's tiller handle is ergonomically designed to encourage operators to keep their hands...

Simulate processes in 3D.(New products)
December 1, 2003... Flexsim 2.5 is three-dimensional, object-oriented software capable of simulating materials handling, warehousing and manufacturing operations. Integrated into the package are slides, graphs and charts for analyzing as well as presenting process...

Wider carriers on horizontal carousels.(New products)
December 1, 2003... Horizontal carousel carriers and shelves are 37 3/4 inches wide to improve efficiency. The wider-than-standard carriers accommodate a one-for-one transfer of items stored on traditional static shelving. This reduces overall storage space...

Multi-language label design software.(New products)
December 1, 2003... Available in three versions, Codesoft 7.0 label design software is ideal for complex, networked, multi-language label management requirements. Users can connect directly to any Unicode data source to print multilingual labels instantaneously....

Sorts 100 cartons a minute.(New products)
December 1, 2003... ProSort SC1 and SC2 sortation conveyors utilize high-speed components and a split-bank diverter to allow operation speeds of up to 300 feet per minute and sortation rates up to 100 cartons per minute. Featuring a continuous roller-bed frame,...

Secure strip doors in place.(New products)
December 1, 2003... Save-T-Loc is a strip door hardware system that uses multi-set studs and retainer bars to prohibit strip doors from coming loose in two-way traffic. The metal studs, available in galvanized steel, stainless steel and aluminum, accept all strip...

RFID-enabled supply chain execution.(New products)
December 1, 2003... Combining supply chain execution applications with radio frequency identification (RFID) technology is a solution allowing users to print RFID-tagged labels on electronic product code compliant printers. Features include purchase order...

Enhanced label stock.(New products)
December 1, 2003... Enhancements to a label stock material produce sharper, more readable labels and withstand harsh environments. KL370 is a top-coated, medium- to high-sensitivity direct thermal paper featuring a bright white face stock and resistance to heat...

Label stock resists contaminants.(New products)
December 1, 2003... Designed to resist a variety of contaminants in grocery and industrial environments, Fasson Direct-Therm 200GP is a label stock with medium-sensitivity thermal coating. Its thermal chemistry accepts bar codes at fast print speeds, reducing...