Modern Materials Handling articles from January 2007

Modern Materials Handling archives from January 2007

60 seconds with...(organ procurement organization LifeNet's inventory control through software)(Interview)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... By Staff Fred Walker on his goals for the new year. We've made several improvements in how we handle inventory and orders during the four years I've been here. But now we're ready for additional upgrades. Like so many other DCs,...

Ergonomic handling basics.
January 1, 2007... By Bob Trebilcock, Editor at Large Pallet positioners, workstation cranes and vacuum lifting devices are three leading ergonomic solutions that promote worker safety and productivity. When it comes to distribution and manufacturing,...

Faulty Memory.(ProMat 2007- materials handling and logistics providers show)
January 1, 2007... By Jim Apple Spend some time at ProMat at the smaller booths, taking notes as you go. IT's show time! ProMat 2007 is here. Whenever I visit the show, I am embarrassed to be reminded about how many things I have forgotten. Making...

Conveyors and sortation.(conveying equipment)(Survey)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... By Staff The market for conveying equipment has recovered from the downturn it suffered between 2000 and 2003, though growth is expected to be minimal in 2007 (see charts above). In recent surveys, Modern readers say they prefer to buy...

Off and running.(ProMat 2007 in Chicago)
January 1, 2007... By Gary Forger, Editorial Director As you read this, Modern's entire editorial staff is at ProMat 2007 in Chicago. This is a busy week for us. Just ask Noël, Corinne, Bob, Roberto, Barb or Lorie midday Wednesday how they're holding...

Economic growth tapers off.(manufacturing, warehousing and materials handling industries)
January 1, 2007... By Corinne Kator, Associate Editor Growth in the U.S. economy slowed in 2006 and will continue its deceleration in 2007. The slowdown will affect the manufacturing, warehousing and materials handling sectors. The pace of the U.S....

RFID: What won't happen in 2007.(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... By Staff As 2007 begins, experts of all kinds are participating in the annual ritual of pontificating on the old year and telling us what to expect in the year ahead. Mike Liard, RFID research director for ABI Research (...

Tips for ergonomic order picking.(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... By Staff Picking cases from pallet racking can be backbreaking work. Slide-out racks, vacuum lifts and similar solutions make picking easier, but the cost of these products makes them impractical for many companies, says Rachel Michael,...

Wal-Mart unveils packaging scorecard.(Wal-Mart Stores Inc.)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... By Staff Wal-Mart has released its "packing scorecard," providing further information about the retailer's plan to reduce packaging across its global supply chain by 5% by 2013. The scorecard is a measurement tool that allows...

WMS survey results.(warehouse management system )(Survey)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... By Staff A good warehouse management system (WMS) is hard to find, so most companies simply build their own. That's one of the findings of a recent WMS benchmarking survey conducted by the Supply Chain Consortium (...

Voice and RFID converge.(radio frequency identification)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... By Staff RFID and voice technology are powerful solutions in their own rights. Together, they may be downright synergistic. "Right now, we can direct a worker to a picking location using voice technology or a warehouse management...

People to know.(James Keenan)(Arthur Lynch)(Kevin Shuba)(Dan Goodwill)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... By Staff ABF Freight System named James Keenan vice president of sales to replace Arthur Lynch , who is retiring after 35 years with the company--CHEP, the global pallet and container pooling service, promoted Kevin Shuba to president...

Product showcase.
January 1, 2007... By Staff Strong, lightweight dock boards Staff Dock boards are constructed of aluminum tread plate that is strong and lightweight. Welded aluminum locking legs ensure stability and comply with OSHA guidelines. Formed curbs...

Breaking the mold.
January 1, 2007... By Bob Trebilcock, Editor at Large At CAMI Automotive, automatic guided carts and a wireless call button-enabled handling system radically changed parts delivery to the assembly line. Sometimes a break with the past is critical to...

Productivity Achievement Awards.(Burlington Coat Factory Warehouse Corp., Mercedes-Benz USA Inc., Blum)(Modern 's 2007 Productivity Achievement Awards )(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... By Staff Modern 's 2007 Productivity Achievement Awards honor three companies that have made outstanding strides in improving operations through materials handing and related information systems. This year's winners were chosen from more...

Burlington Coat Factory: Distinctive distribution.(Burlington Coat Factory Warehouse Corp. builds a network of four distribution centers)
January 1, 2007... By Staff Retailer Burlington Coat Factory found one DC couldn't handle its varied distribution needs. So it built a network of four DCs, each with its own distinct capabilities. At Burlington Coat Factory, the discount retailer with...

Mercedes-Benz USA: Fast lane for slow movers.(opens new Northeast regional distribution center in Robbinsville, NJ)
January 1, 2007... By Staff Higher productivity, more efficient warehousing and a new approach to handling slow movers are the drivers behind Mercedes' newest parts DC. When Mercedes-Benz USA decided to open a Northeast regional distribution center,...

Blum: A remodeling success.(Blum Inc.)
January 1, 2007... By Staff The North Carolina manufacturer of kitchen cabinet hardware expanded its automated systems to accommodate a booming business. Two primary markets drive demand for kitchen cabinet hinges and drawer slides from Blum Inc.--new...

Trends in distribution, warehousing and manufacturing.(materials handling equipment buying plans, survey)
January 1, 2007... By Gary Forger, Editorial Director In our third annual survey, plans to buy materials handling equipment and related information systems remain strong as companies adjust their priorities for improving operations. Every one wants to...

Pick-to-light revitalizes.(Vitacost uses Innovative Picking Technologies' pick-to-light system)
January 1, 2007... By Noël P. Bodenburg, Managing Editor Vitamin distributor Vitacost increased throughput 33% switching from paper to pick-to-light. A lot has changed in the 12 years since Vitacost joined the online marketplace. Now the Web...

Demand grows for RTLS.
January 1, 2007... By Staff Real-time location systems (RTLS) that use RFID tags to track valuable assets are growing in popularity. Sales of RTLS and related RFID applications are expected to grow more than 40% annually through 2010, according to analysts...

Branded batteries for Jungheinrich.(Jungheinrich AG installs GNB Industrial Power's batteries in its lift trucks )(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... By Staff Jungheinrich's signature yellow lift trucks now arrive at the dealership with yellow Jungheinrich batteries installed. The private label batteries are provided by GNB Industrial Power. Customers will see their lift trucks...

Orbis acquires Linpac.(Linpac Group Ltd.)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... By Staff Wisconsin-based returnable container supplier Orbis has acquired the North American materials handling business of the Linpac Group. Linpac manufactures plastic pallets and bulk containers. The acquisition allows Orbis to...

Scanner engine goes the distance.(Intermec Technologies Corp. launches new bar code scanner)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... By Staff In a demonstration of the long-range scanning capabilities of the company's new EX25 scan engine, Intermec employees recently attempted to scan a two-dimensional bar code at a range of 100 feet. They not only met the goal, they...