Modern Materials Handling articles from June 2003

Modern Materials Handling archives from June 2003

Emerging partners: RFID and the supply chain. (First: Breaking News You Should Know).
June 1, 2003... Radio frequency identification (RFID) is poised to become a major factor in supply chain management, according to industry analyst Venture Development Corp. (www.vdc-corp.com). Last year, global shipments of RFID hardware to support the supply...

OSHA stays with lift truck operator restraints. (First: Breaking News You Should Know).
June 1, 2003... It isn't very often there's a story when something doesn't happen. But the decision by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) last month not to make any changes to its requirements for the use of operator restraints on lift...

Crane certification program launched. (First: Breaking News You Should Know).
June 1, 2003... The Crane Manufacturers Association of America (CMAA) and the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO) have begun a collaborative effort to develop an overhead crane operator certification program. Development will...

Kardex Systems bought by Rack Enterprises. (First: Breaking News You Should Know).
June 1, 2003... After two years of discussions, automated storage equipment supplier Kardex Systems (www.kardex.com) has been acquired by holding company Rack Enterprises Inc. Kardex supplies vertical lifts, vertical lift modules and related equipment. ...

Supply chain research center established. (First: Breaking News You Should Know).
June 1, 2003... IBM and Michigan State University (MSU) are teaming up to develop the great minds of future supply chain professionals. With the fall 2003 semester, Michigan State's Eli Broad College of Business and IBM will open the doors to the Center for...

Ask the right questions. (Editorial).
June 1, 2003... There's an interesting debate going on at many companies these days. Quite simply, the discussion is about the appropriateness of materials handling automation. Now there are lots of factors that come into the discussion -- return on...

Industry challenges California plan: move to electric forklifts only by 2005 whips up waves of opposition, forcing the state to consider softening its position. (Regulations).
June 1, 2003... "Surf's up!" But these aren't Pacific Ocean waves roaring onto California shores. No, they're tidal waves of protest from industry groups. Industry wants to wash out a California plan to ban sales--starting in 2005--of new,...

WMS not just for warehouses. (Software).
June 1, 2003... Even as the warehouse management system (WMS) market matures, new opportunities for the software are opening up, according to Steve Banker, service director, supply chain management, ARC Advisory Group (www.arcweb.com). "ARC is seeing...

Toyota's 3-wheel AC truck features performance. (Lift Trucks).
June 1, 2003... Toyota Material Handling USA (www.toyotaforklift.com) may have just introduced to the U.S. market its first three-wheel AC-powered lift truck, but the company already knows -how the truck will perform. At a special press event at the...

Excel Beef uses Hytrol to maintain order delivery system. (System Profile SIC: 2011).
June 1, 2003... Excel Corporation, a division of Cargill, Inc., specializes in beef processing for the consumer market and provides various grades of boxed beef products to wholesale/retail distributors and high-volume users. The Dodge City, KS facility has...

Next wave of supply chain strategies. (Management).
June 1, 2003... Despite the distractions of an uncertain economy, successful supply chain management is a key to future profitability. That was the message delivered by Bruce Richardson, senior vice president of research, AMR Research...

TMS takes on new importance. (Shipments).
June 1, 2003... Transportation management systems (TMS) are playing an increasingly important role in supply chain management because "companies are no longer masters of their own destiny," says Adrian Gonzalez, an analyst with ARC Advisory Group...

Material Handling Education Foundation awards scholarships. (Education).
June 1, 2003... The Material Handling Education Foundation (MHEF) has awarded $70,000 to 28 students at 13 universities. As a foundation of Material Handling Industry of America (MHIA), MHEF selects students each year who are dedicated to entering the...

Obituary.
June 1, 2003... George H. Webb George Henry Webb, chairman of the board of Jervis B. Webb Co., died April 21 at the age of 83. Throughout his 61-year career with the company, he held many positions, beginning as a draftsman in 1942. Webb held several...

Versa. (Appointments/promotions).
June 1, 2003... John Cullen is appointed president of Versa, an Intelligrated company.

Torbeck Industries. (Appointments/promotions).
June 1, 2003... Torbeck Industries hires John Smith as director of manufacturing.

NACCO Materials Handling Group Inc. (Appointments/promotions).
June 1, 2003... Dave Clark is named vice president of marketing for the Americas division of NACCO Materials Handling Group Inc.

Mecalux. (Appointments/promotions).
June 1, 2003... Mike O'Reilly is appointed vice president of sales at Mecalux.

Siemens Dematic Material Handling Automation. (Appointments/promotions).
June 1, 2003... Siemens Dematic Material Handling Automation promotes Steven Axelrod to executive vice president of profit centers.

SATO America Inc. (Appointments/promotions).
June 1, 2003... John Hutchens is appointed key account manager at SATO America Inc.

Ryder System. (Appointments/promotions).
June 1, 2003... Robert Fatovic is named senior vice president of Ryder System's U.S. logistics operations for high-tech and consumer industries.

Harrington Hoists. (Appointments/promotions).
June 1, 2003... Chris Hess, manager of engineering and quality of Harrington Hoists, serves his second term as vice president of the Hoist Manufacturers Institute.

AmeriCold. (Appointments/promotions).
June 1, 2003... AmeriCold Logistics names Andy Schuyler vice president of lead logistics services and Edward Brunot senior vice president of West Coast operations.

Keystone. (Appointments/promotions).
June 1, 2003... Keystone Dedicated Logistics hires Rich Coyner as vice president and general manager of operations.

Schneider Electric's North American division. (Appointments/promotions).
June 1, 2003... David Petratis is named president and chief operating officer of Schneider Electric's North American division.

Hy-Tek Material Handling Inc. (Appointments/promotions).
June 1, 2003... Hy-Tek Material Handling Inc. promotes Tim Neroni to sales manager of the Columbus, Ohio headquarters sales territory.

Streamsoft and Quantronix. (Alliances/construction).
June 1, 2003... Streamsoft and Quantronix partner to provide an integrated solution for warehouse item measuring and slotting.

Kewill Systems. (Alliances/construction).
June 1, 2003... Radio Beacon acquires Kewill Systems' ReSKU warehouse management system licenses.

WhereNet Corporation and Siemens Automation and Drives Group. (Alliances/construction).
June 1, 2003... WhereNet Corporation and Siemens Automation and Drives Group establish an OEM partnership.

Interwave Technology Inc. (Alliances/construction).
June 1, 2003... Rockwell Automation acquires Interwave Technology Inc.

Alvey Systems and White Systems. (Alliances/construction).
June 1, 2003... Alvey Systems and White Systems join to deploy the FKI Logistex Manufacturing Team.

MikeStrand.com. (Alliances/construction).
June 1, 2003... MikeStrand.com, a new business consulting firm, is launched to provide services to companies in the technology, manufacturing, services and distribution industries.

DBI/SALA. (Alliances/construction).
June 1, 2003... DBI/SALA merges with Protecta USA.

ReSKU warehouse management system. (Alliances/construction).
June 1, 2003... Catalyst partners with Kewill Systems to sell and integrate Kewill solutions that will extend their supply chain execution offerings.

SIRIT Technologies Inc. (Alliances/construction).
June 1, 2003... SIRIT Technologies Inc. forms alliance with Matrics Inc.

Interlake Material Handling Inc. (Alliances/construction).
June 1, 2003... Interlake Material Handling Inc. closes its Lodi California rack manufacturing facility.

KEF Technologies. (Alliances/construction).
June 1, 2003... Radcliffe acquires KEF Technologies.

Correction.
June 1, 2003... In the May 2003 story "The latest in lift truck design," the maximum lift height for Raymond's EASi Reach-fork family was incorrect. It should have read 421 inches. For more information about this AC-powered family of reach trucks, visit...

GDP stall is now over. (Outlook).
June 1, 2003... The first quarter's s 16% growth in GDP was barely above the l.4% rise in the previous quarter however almost all forecasts now anticipate a return to 3% plus growth for the rest of the year and about 4% next year. Credit a post-wear rise in...

Business investment dips temporarily. (Outlook).
June 1, 2003... Equipment investment fell 4.4% after rising at a 5.5% pace for three quarters but is likely to resume growing soon. The decline was due to a 15% fall in business vehicle purchases as rebates were reduced temporarily and pre war business...

Only new houses and malls did well. (Outlook).
June 1, 2003... The first quarter of this year was most memorable for how well new houses and consumer spending held up. Except for those two, the economy either shrank or posted slim growth. Investment in new houses and remodeling jumped 12%, Expect only 4-5%...

Inventory reductions and foreign trade restrain GDP. (Outlook).
June 1, 2003... Final sales of goods and services grew 2.1% in the first quarter, up from only 1.1% in the previous quarter. Many purchases were from inventory largely eliminating the small surplus inventory that had appeared at the end of 2002. It suggests...

Sweet success. (Warehouse of the Month).
June 1, 2003... One of Hershey's new distribution facilities relies on a conventional design and smart slotting to quickly deliver chocolates to sweet tooths everywhere. Upon entering Eastern Distribution Center III at Hershey Foods, one quickly realizes...

A high-tech low-tech solution: Ken Miesemer, director of distribution operations at Hershey Foods, shares how a new DC gains efficiencies through sophisticated slotting. (One-On-One).
June 1, 2003... MODERN Most plans for facilities of this size, 1.2 million square feet, require a great deal of automation to be productive, due to the distance of travel. What were your thoughts as you chose your design? KM We looked to design a...

Real time solutions EASYpick(R) Voice.
June 1, 2003... EASYpick[R] Voice integrates a wearable computer with cutting-edge speech recognition and wireless communications technologies to provide smooth hands-free operation. Eliminating paper pick-Lists and displays, EASYpick[R] Voice allows...

Crisplant S-3000E sorter.
June 1, 2003... For operations requiring higher throughput levels, batch pick and sortation is the solution. Implemented by companies seeking to reduce operating costs, increase order accuracy and maximize order fulfillment objectives. Crisplant's S-3000E...

FKI Logistex Photo-Eye Accuglide.
June 1, 2003... The Photo-Eye Accuglide provides efficient high-volume, multi-SKU distribution for products of all sizes and weights. A UHMW roller chain track, optional precision roller bearings, and advanced sensor-down technology make it one of the quietest...

Direct from Paris: the latest materials handling fashions. (International Report).
June 1, 2003... While lift trucks dominated the European Biennial Logistics Exhibition, other materials handling equipment from storage and staging to pick-to-light were also well represented. Fashions may come and go. But improved efficiency and...

Lean customer friendly. (Manufacturing Spotlight).
June 1, 2003... Since it went to lean manufacturing, Blackhawk Automotive has reduced inventory 25% while making 100% on-time delivery to customers the norm. By any measure, the Blackhawk Automotive Plastics plant in Mason, Ohio was in sorry shape. Among...

World's largest WMS suppliers: warehouse management software was one of the few technology winners last year, but traditional best-of-breed providers face a tough challenge from ERP suppliers joining the WMS game. (Information Management).
June 1, 2003... In at least two aspects, 2002 was a notable year for the largest suppliers of best-of-breed warehouse management systems (WMS). To begin, suppliers of enterprise resource planning (ERP) software are stepping up their game and going after...

Machines to lift and position: devices that offer an ergonomic edge over manual handling foster safety, raise productivity, and may even turn workers into bionic operators. (Equipment Report).
June 1, 2003... Should you be improving ergonomics in your workplace? The answer is hardly a simple one. Regulating ergonomics in U.S. workplaces was a hot, front-burner topic in Washington up until two years ago. One likely outcome then was that new...

Move-3-ton plus, loads. (Products Focus).
June 1, 2003... The New Tronics LGV5000 follows laser guidance and uses a PC-based control system. It lifts loads of 6,615 pounds up to 12 feet high. Platform and rollerdeck LGV versions are available for loads up to 35,000 pounds. A clamp is also available...

Fork-style LGV. (Product Focus).
June 1, 2003... A fork-style laser guided vehicle offers counterbalanced and reach lift capabilities and handles up to 3,000-pound loads. The LGV uses LaserWay technology and round reflectors to position itself within the system. Round reflectors provide...

Design and demonstrate AGV systems. (Product Focus).
June 1, 2003... Design, demonstrate and implement an automatic guided vehicle system using Quick Configurable Automation (Q-CAN), a PC software program. Without CAD or software experience, users can easily design non-wire guided path layouts and define system...

Automated walkie. (Product Focus).
June 1, 2003... Combining automatic and manual operation, the Hybot is a walkie designed to automate long-distance, repetitive travel while allowing for manual pick-up and drop-off of loads. The vehicle features pallet-handling forks, a 4,000-pound lift...

Variable-height load delivery. (Product Focus).
June 1, 2003... Suited to stretch wrapping, palletizing, picking and replenishment applications, a laser-guided, unit-load vehicle is designed for variable-height load delivery, allowing for transfers at a low 9-inch elevation. The ergonomic, low-platform...

Side-reach vehicle. (Product Focus).
June 1, 2003... Expanding the line of reach vehicles is the side-reach automatic guided vehicle. The side reach AGV operates in racks up to 30 feet high and has a load capacity of 5,000 pounds. It requires minimal aisle space. FMC Technologies Enter 388 at...

Automatic guided carts. (Product Focus).
June 1, 2003... Featuring a 3,000-pound towing capacity and a 2,700-pound live load capacity, the SmartCart AGC is a battery-operated cart guided by either on-floor magnetic strip or in-floor wire. Like an AGV system, the SmartCart AGC uses transponder...

Tow up to 35,000 pounds. (Product Focus).
June 1, 2003... Operating in either manual or automatic mode, an automatic guided vehicle has a towing capacity of 35,000 pounds and top speed of 200 feet per minute. It is offered with laser and inertial navigation to accommodate a variety of applications...

AGV handles coils. (Product Focus).
June 1, 2003... Carrying up to 40,000 pounds at speeds up to 160 feet per minute, an automatic guided vehicle transports coils from turnstiles to pedestal stands. The electric vehicle with 48-volt DC battery features contactorless drive and lift controls....

Store up to 17 routing tracks. (Product Focus).
June 1, 2003... The Fleximate automatic guided vehicle features an optical guided system and memory that stores up to 17 routing tracks. Tracks are marked on the floor with stainless steel foil backed by adhesive tape. The compact vehicle--52.5 x 30 x 28...

Portable control engine. (New Products).
June 1, 2003... Portable across multiple hardware platforms, the PACSystems family of programmable automation controllers features a single control engine and universal programming environment. It is built on standard embedded architecture with commercial...

Robot handles heavy items. (New Products).
June 1, 2003... Designed for heavy-duty materials handling applications, the R-2000iA/200T is a six-axis, articulated gantry robot featuring a 200-kilogram payload capacity. A dual-arm system moves items weighing up to 400 kilograms over distances of 45 meters...

Transport items at an angle. (New Products).
June 1, 2003... Powered inclined conveyors available in roller bed and slider bed styles can transport items up or down. The conveyor is easily adjustable for angles up to 30 degrees. A double nose-over feature provides a smooth transfer from the incline to...

Print bar code labels. (New Products).
June 1, 2003... Version 6.0 of Barcode 2000 label design and printing software prints one- and two-dimensional bar coded labels. The software supports multiple types of printers. Version 6.0 operates on any platform, enabling users to create a label template...

Contactless paper-based RFID labels. (New Products).
June 1, 2003... C.label is a contactless paper-based smart label that can manage 100 items per second and offers anti-theft protection ranging as far as one meter. Based on electronic article surveillance and radio frequency technologies, C.label complies with...

Wireless connections for ERP systems. (New Products).
June 1, 2003... Connect 4.0 software integrates enterprise resource planning systems with wireless devices such as scanners, bar code printers and carousels. The Web-based console provides configurable options and enables a variety of devices to communicate...

Guard those racks. (New Products).
June 1, 2003... Designed for the SK2000 boltless pallet rack, the SK Snap-Guard column protector protects the front rack column from forklift damage. It is adjustable, removable, flexible and can be used to protect each storage level. SteelKing Enter 399 at...

Sorting in silence. (New Products).
June 1, 2003... Lightweight and constructed of durable composite materials, the Enduro STS is a tilt-tray sortation system with a modular synthetic track designed to absorb sound. The sortation system operates within a noise level range of 60 to 65 decibels....

Robot palletizes orders. (New Products).
June 1, 2003... An order-building gantry robotic system palletizes multiple stock keeping units (SKU) while building orders in load buffer zones or accumulation cells under the gantry. Its adjustable gantry design can be adapted to handle a variety of product...

Handheld computer. (New Products).
June 1, 2003... Designed for a range of applications from transportation to machine control, the JETT.ce is a rugged handheld computer featuring Microsoft Windows CE .NET. It is equipped with an Intel Xscale Technology processor and a sunlight readable display...

Push and shove large loads. (New Products).
June 1, 2003... Handling three times the load of the extra-duty power pusher, the super-duty power pusher can push heavy loads weighing up to 150,000 pounds. The 36-volt battery powered cart is constructed of heavy gauge steel and solid rubber tires. Features...

The high cost of not knowing: we offer instant response at a low cost to the customer but at a high cost to our DC operations. (Great Ideas).
June 1, 2003... Procrastination and impatience may seem like opposite ends of the behavioral spectrum, but they have remarkably similar effects on distribution operations. In a recent Warehousing Short Course at Georgia Tech, I remarked that the cost of...

Calendar.
June 1, 2003... JUNE 2003 June 15-18 ASRS/AGVS Users' Association National Conference Louisville, KY Sponsor: ASRS/AGVS Users' Association Call: 770-435-3713 Web: www.asrs.org SEPTEMBER 2003 September 15-18 ...