Modern Materials Handling articles from February 2002

Modern Materials Handling archives from February 2002

ADC demand to increase soon. (Breaking News you should know).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Coming off several years of good growth, automatic data capture (ADC) hardware shipments will not repeat that pattern until 2003, says a report from Venture Development Corp. (www.vdc-corp.com). Meanwhile, VDC says the overall ADC market, which...

Get your materials handling e-lessons. (Breaking News you should know).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... The first series of on-line courses in materials handling has been released by Material Handling Industry of America (MHIA). Four topics are in this first series: Introductory concepts in materials handling; An introduction to basic materials...

The employee is #1 when it comes to safety. (Breaking News you should know).(lifting methods)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Whether lifting a 50 pound bag or nudging a drum a few inches, employees should be repeatedly taught the correct ways to handle heavy loads without injury. "Training on proper lifting methods should take place twice a year. It makes a huge...

What qualities matter in a warehouse manager? (Breaking News you should know).(top traits for leadership and general management)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... That's exactly the question that the Warehousing Education and Research Council (WERC) wanted to answer. So it conducted in-depth telephone interviews with 14 different companies and came up with the answer. The two top traits are...

Leading supply chain change. (Breaking News you should know).
February 1, 2002... Cutting edge supply chain issues will be the focus of comments by Dr. Michael Hammer of Hammer and Company Inc., Nicholas LaHowchic of Limited Logistics Services and other featured speakers at the Supply-Chain Council's senior executive...

Get your house in order. (Editorial).
February 1, 2002... Consider these two comments. Many companies are working to link information technology investments to business strategy after years of rapid change. Buying materials handling equipment and systems used to be mostly a technical...

Manufacturing output continues decline. (Outlook).(industrial output contracted by 0.9 percent in October 2001)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Industrial output contracted by 0.9% in October 2001 and by 0.3% in November. That made 14 consecutive months of decline. The last time the nation experienced such a lengthy fall in industrial output was 70 years ago, during the Great...

Industrial markets show signs of stabilizing. (Outlook).(Purchasing Managers' Index)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... The Institute for Supply Management (formerly known as the National Association of Purchasing Management) Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) rose 4.7 points to 44.5 from October to November, still well below the point that separates growth from...

Employment shrinks in most sectors. (Outlook).(unemployment rate rising)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
February 1, 2002... Total non-farm employment dropped by 331,000 jobs between October and November 2001. This followed a loss of 532,000 jobs the month before, and pushed the unemployment rate up to 5.7%. The unemployment rate rose faster in October and November...

Productivity growth begins to bounce back. (Outlook).(Manufacturing output and employment drop)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
February 1, 2002... Although manufacturing output and employment fell through the end of 2001, there were signs that some U.S. firms made investments to ensure long-term success in competitive global markets. Efforts by U.S. manufacturers to boost productivity...

Inventory levels on target through the holidays: Thanks to advance planning, inventory management at retailers' distribution centers was less of a pressure point in 2001 than in recent holiday seasons. (Supply Chain).(Major retailers report poor holiday season sales)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
February 1, 2002... Although the recent holiday period was a tough one for most major retailers, it was the first holiday season in recent memory where demand did not outpace inventories. That may have put a frown on the faces of those responsible for sales, but...

New features at National Manufacturing Week. (News Trends).(National instruments' CEO and co founder to give kevnote address)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Next months National Manufacturing Week (NMW) shows will include several new feature of interest to an expected 28,000 attendees show organizer Reed Exhibition Cos has announced. For the first time this year event...

The year in WMS. (Software).(Software sales poor in 2001)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
February 1, 2002... Last year was a tough one for software sales, and warehouse management systems (WMS) were no exception. For years, the WMS industry was a rising star, consistently posting 20- to 30-percent annual growth rates. But last year, analysts say,...

Marconi data systems sold. (Acquisitions).(Danaher Corp. buys Marconi Data Systems for $400 mn)(International Pages)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Three well-known brand names -- Videojet, Marsh and Cheshire -- are included in the sale of Marconi Data Systems (www.marconidata.com) by its parent company, Marconi plc, to Danaher Corp (www.danaher.com). The purchase price is $400 million....

Managing materials handling risks. (Ergonomics).(design safety engineering )(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... "Zero risk does not exist. But you can work to achieve tolerable risk." That's according to Bruce W. Main, president of design safety engineering inc. (www.designsafe.com). To manage risk in materials handling operations, Main recommends a...

People & Companies.(FKI Logistex Crisplant's new executive vice president)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Appointments/promotions: Steve McElweenie is FKI Logistex Crisplant's new executive vice president, sales and marketing...Optiant, Inc. names James Lawton vice president of product management... WAGO Corp appoints Bill Lydon as product...

Schaefer acquires PEEM. (Suppliers).(PEEM Conveyor Systems acquired by Schaefer Systems International)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Schaefer Systems International (SSI), a company long known for storage systems, plastic totes and containers, continued its expansion into materials handling systems with the acquisition of Austria-based PEEM Conveyor Systems. The purchase now...

New flexibility in U.S. military supply chain. (Warehousing).(Improving military logistics operations)(Government Activity)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Just as the role of the U.S. military is changing in the world, so is the way in which it needs to be supplied. Traditionally, military logistics operations were structured to respond to major conflicts. That meant full-scale deployments of...

Uncovering manufacturing waste. (FYI).(Customer-focused basics in manufacturing industry)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... In his new book, "Let's fix it: Overcoming the crisis in manufacturing," Richard J. Schonberger, president of Schonberger & Associates, Inc., calls for attention to new practices along with a return to customer-focused basics. Reporting on his...

New channel for supply chain information. (FYI).(St. Onge Co. gets online logistics contract)(Internet/Web/Online Service Information)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... The Consumer Direct Forum (CDF), a Web site designed to assist supply chain businesses, is now managed by the St. Onge co. Visit www.cdlogistics.com to view business models and logistics ideas for online retailers and consumer-direct...

Just what the Doctor Ordered: To get the efficiencies it needed, Canadian pharmaceutical manufacturer Apotex received a full dose of materials handling.(Apotex's new pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Toronto)(International Pages)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... At its new pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Toronto, Apotex needed to write a prescription for its future success. And with the help of gravity and automated materials handling, the company has done just that. Unlike most modern...

The savvy shopper: You know you need a WMS, but don't know where to begin. Here's a behind-the-scenes look at how owens corning got it right the first time. (mmH Information Technology).(warehouse management system )
February 1, 2002... In November 1999, Bruce Burgin and the members of his WMS selection team at Owens Corning, Toledo, Ohio, faced a daunting challenge. How do you cull a list of 26 software vendors who look good on paper down to the one who can best roll out...

Rollin' Rollin' Rollin': Carlisle Tire & Wheel increased productivity twenty-fold with a new WMS, sorter and paperless systems. (Warehouse of the Month).
February 1, 2002... Have you ever scrounged around your garage trying to remember where you placed those winter tires for the car? Imagine what it would be like to face the problem of lost tires by the thousands every day. That is exactly the situation at Carlisle...

The ergonomics of lift tables and overhead positioners: The utilization of proper ergonomic equipment can save more than money, it can save your workers' health. (Equipment Report).(Ergonomic materials handling equipment aids worker health and safety)
February 1, 2002... Ergonomic materials handling equipment protects one of your facility's most important assets -- the health and safety of workers. Without equipment such as lift tables and overhead positioners, people often have to bend and stretch...

Delivering the mail faster: By upgrading its bar code scanners, one of the U.S. Postal Service's largest distribution centers enjoys higher mail processing efficiencies. (ADC News and Solutions).(Morgan Processing and Distribution Center, New York)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... The United States Postal Service (USPS) is all about getting mail to the right place at the right time, especially at the 2.2 million square foot Morgan Processing and Distribution Center, Manhattan, N.Y., one of the USPS' largest distribution...

Tips from the Pros: On how to get the most out of your warehouse management system. (Great WMS Ideas for 2002).
February 1, 2002... It's crunch time in the economy. That means it's time for warehouse and distribution centers to strut their stuff and show what a difference a well-oiled order-fulfillment operation can make to an enterprise. When every order counts,...

AGVS offer tailored solutions. (Product Focus).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... A new series of modular AGVs can be easily modified to meet specific load requirements, offering increased flexibility to the customer. The vehicle's omni-directional movement requires less floor space in the facility. Its components include...

Versatile AGV. (Product Focus).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... The Premex MX12 AGV uses magnetic and laser guides to operate efficiently and cost effectively. It has a local area network (LAN) control system and can handle loads up to 2,200 pounds. The Premex is guided through a network of information and...

Improve AGV Control. (Product Focus).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Enterprise AGVC is a Windows 2000-based software package that provides guided vehicle scheduling, traffic control and discrete management. Operator interaction normally is only required for start-up and anomaly situations. Software features...

SGV handles rolls and reels. (Product Focus).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... A clamp-style self-guided vehicle (SGV) provides fully automated, rackless storage of rolls and reels in plants and warehouses. The vehicle handles rolls up to 8,000 pounds, stacking items up to 25 feet high for 24/7 operation. Each SGV is...

Change guidepaths more easily. (Product Focus).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... A next-generation wireless control system allows faster and more flexible automatic guided vehicle (AGV) path layout. New design tools permit quick system configuration and changes via a user-friendly graphic terminal. The system is available...

System manages vehicles individually. (Product Focus).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... A complete line of automatic guided vehicles features laser, inertial, wire, optical and camera-based guidance systems. All traffic-control functions are performed on the AGV, allowing each vehicle to become a traffic-controlled zone unto...

Vehicles for narrow aisles. (Product Focus).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Specialized automatic guided vehicle systems, built on a Hyster very narrow aisle (VNA) turret truck chassis, automatically store and retrieve pallets to a conventional rack system. They can add up to 66 percent more storage capacity over...

AGVS for moving coils. (Product Focus).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Laser-guided vehicles move coils of steel, aluminum and other metals. Unique designs accommodate palletized and non-palletized coils weighing up to 80 tons. The vehicles use Windows NT-based system controls and spread-spectrum radio...

Price vs. value: The outsourcing conundrum: A Mercedes costs more than a Ford, but that does not necessarily make it a bad investment. (Last).(J. P. Morgan Securities report on outsource supply chain operators)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... There are many reasons companies outsource supply chain operations, but most of them focus on several basic considerations. One rationale is that outsourcing allows users to improve their return on assets. Because companies that outsource...

Ready, set, make your plans for NA 2002. (Editorial).(2002 Material Handling and Logistics Show and Conference)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... It's only a few weeks until opening day of the largest materials handling event this year in North America - NA 2002, also known as The 2002 Material Handling and Logistics Show and Conference. It's set for April 8-11 at Cobo Hall in Detroit,...

Once again -- Timing is everything. (A Message from MHIA).(Material Handling Industry of America, economics)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... For a while, the '90s gave a false sense of security that what goes up -- may stay there. Unfortunately, the start of the first decade of a new millennium has brought home the reality that business cycles are a series of ups and downs. In...

Company listings. (NA 2002 Planner).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... A & A Manufacturing Co. Inc. Booth 2532 262-786-1500 www.gortite.com On display will be a complete line of protective covers, cable and hose carriers, and lift table covers for materials handling operations. Acco Systems Booth...