Modern Materials Handling articles from March 2003

Modern Materials Handling archives from March 2003

Device-level Ethernet takes off. (Breaking News You Should Know).(ARC Advisory Group study)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... While some key segments of the industrial automation market are having a tough time, device-level industrial Ethernet products are doing quite well. The worldwide market will enjoy an 84.1% compound annual growth rate over the next five years,...

New alliances build RFID solutions. (Breaking News You Should Know).(Manhattan Associates Inc. partners with Symbol Technologies and Alien Technology for Radio frequency identification tag development)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Radio frequency identification (RFID) tags are a great way to track the efficiency of your operations, but the technology demands an entire system to handle the constant flow of data. Now Manhattan Associates (www.manh.com) has announced two...

Five trends to watch in SCM. (Breaking News You Should Know).(supply chain management )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... A difficult market for supply chain management (SCM) tools resulted in several mergers in late 2002. And a continuation of that is one of five key trends Forrester Research Inc. (www.forrester.com) is looking for this year. It expects that big...

Clark emerges from bankruptcy. (Breaking News You Should Know).(Clark Material Handling Co.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Not so long ago, the Clark Material Handling Co. (www.clarkmhc.com) was busily building 13,000 lift trucks a year at its Lexington, KY plant. Its fluorescent green pallet trucks, stackers and forklifts were seen in warehouses across the...

Overhead handling companies merge. (Breaking News You Should Know).(Magnetek Inc. has acquired Telemotive Industrial Controls)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Overhead material handling company Magnetek Inc. (www.magnetek.com) has acquired Telemotive Industrial Controls (www.telemotive.com), a manufacturer of wireless remote controls and anti-collision systems for overhead cranes, hoists, monorails...

Finally, a winner. .(Editorial)
March 1, 2003... The last good show I went to was ProMat 2001. That is until last month when ProMat 2003 was held at Chicago's McCormick Place. And it felt great. Now that might be in part because it had been two years since I had been at an event that not...

GDP growth weakened dramatically in the fourth quarter. (Outlook).(Brief Article)(Illustration)
March 1, 2003... The nation's total output of goods and services increased at a paltry 0.7 percent annual rate during the final three months of 2002. That's significantly slower than the healthy 4.0 percent gain recorded during the third quarter. Consumer...

Capital spending on the (slow) rebound. (Outlook).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Despite the tentativeness of the GDP report for the final quarter, there was one moderately encouraging piece of news. Total capital spending by U.S. businesses increased for the first time since the third quarter of 2000. The annualized...

Government spending kept economic growth above water. (Outlook).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... From the perspective of sustainable economic growth, the most disturbing aspect of the fourth-quarter GDP report was that all of the net gain in economic activity was due to an increase in government spending. Business inventory investment...

Economic growth should continue despite challenges. (Outlook).(Commerce Department)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Preliminary Commerce Department numbers for all of 2002 show that the nation's overall GDP expanded 2.4 percent. During the early months of 2002, almost all forecasters were looking for full-year growth of 1.0-1.4 percent. The actual number is...

Hytrol conveyor system provides many benefits. (System Profile).(for Verdelli Farms Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Verdelli Farms, Inc. is a major force in fresh fruit and vegetable processing on the East Coast, offering more than 100 retail and foodservice products to customers. Each year, the company packages millions of pounds of vegetables and fruit....

Materials handling starts its comeback at ProMat 2003: a strong show has raised hopes that the materials handling industry will rebound in 2003. (News Trends).
March 1, 2003... While the international business environment has been challenged for some time now, you would never know it if you attended ProMat 2003 last month. As the largest materials handling show in North America this year, ProMat drew 37,900 attendees,...

"Intelligent metal" is here. (News Trends).(FKI Logistex)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... In today's complex manufacturing and distribution environment, it takes materials handling and information technology to fill orders and move goods. "In the short term, the biggest trend we're seeing is that our customers want to keep their...

Fast charging battery systems. (News Trends).(Aker Wade Power Technologies )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Electric vehicles are not as widely used in the U.S. as in Europe. The reasons: the high cost of keeping an inventory of two to three batteries per vehicle, the extra space for a battery room, and the labor needed to swap batteries at the end...

Automatic guided cart has 4,000-lb capacity. (News Trends).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... The latest high-capacity automatic guided cart (AGC) from Jervis B. Webb Co. (www.jervisbwebb.com) can move very large pallet loads. The 4,000-pound capacity SmartCart model 200 AGC is a battery-powered, magnetic tape or wire-guided cart with...

New tools cut costs and improve service. (News Trends).(ESYNC)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... In a departure from its traditional consulting services, ESYNC (www.esync.com) announced several new tools that reduce costs and improve service behind the scenes of various supply chains. Those tools are for facility planning, billing and...

Spinning tube drives quiet conveyor. (News Trends).(new version of Intellitrak overhead conveyor )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... For a decade now, OCS IntelliTrak (www.ocsintellitrak.com) has produced the IntelliTrak, an overhead conveyor that's driven by a rotating tube. Trolleys hang from that tube, converting its spin to linear motion and carrying a load of 200 pounds...

Sequence buffer boosts picking productivity. (News Trends).(viastore systems)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... One challenge with automated storage/retrieval systems (AS/RS) is picking components out of storage totes in conjunction with a high-speed AS/RS. So viastore systems (www.viastoresystems.com) last month introduced what it calls a stationary...

Market accepts voice-directed applications. (News Trends).(Vocollect Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Voice-directed applications were once considered risky. But as more systems have come online and their benefits proven, the technology is more accepted, says Jack LeVan, president and chief executive officer of Vocollect (www.vocoilect.com)....

WMS platform shows off its flexibility. (News Trends).(RedPrairie Corp. warehouse management system software)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Warehouse management systems are supposed to help operations professionals manage change. But that's not always been the case. "Too often logistics software has not been flexible enough to be tailored to unique customer needs or change to meet...

Stanley acquires Cobotics. (News Trends).(Stanley Assembly Technologies acquires Cobotics, Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Stanley Assembly Technologies (www.stanleyworks.com) has acquired the assets of Cobotics, Inc. (www.cobotics.com), an Evanston, II., manufacturer of intelligent assist devices, or IADs. "The addition of Cobotics' technology, products and talent...

Voice-operated WMS debuts. (News Trends).(LIS Inc.'s Dispatcher-WMS )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Voice technology is a warehouse tool that has sometimes failed to live up to its promise. One limitation has been the middleware necessary to operate the systems: because it sits between the operator and the warehouse management system,...

Software manages seven pillars of logistics. (News Trends).(Softeon)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Visibility, the real-time awareness of a product's position in the supply chain, is a crucial tool for companies to handle changing business conditions. A new suite of software tools announced by Softeon (www.softeon.com) can help achieve it....

Supply chain execution meets warehouse controls. (News Trends).(Siemens Dematic AG and Manhattan Associates Inc. in reseller agreement)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Siemens Dematic (www.siemens-dematic.com) and Manhattan Associates (www.manh.com) signed an agreement stating that Siemens will become a channel reseller of Manhattan's supply chain execution (SCE) solutions. As preferred partners, the two...

Storage/retrieval machine is tetherless. (News Trends).(HK Systems Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... A new storage and retrieval machine for high-density storage was unveiled at ProMat by HK Systems (www.hksystems.com). The machine uses a tetherless carrier with a battery-powered radio frequency (RF) communications module to store and retrieve...

Automated tugger vehicle is unmanned. (News Trends).(Egemin Automation )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... An unmanned automated tugger vehicle (ATV) eliminates wasted resources by freeing the operator to perform other functions, according to Egemin Automation (www.egeminusa.com). The company introduced at ProMat an ATV that will run in either...

Raise your throughput and lower costs. (News Trends).(new from Knapp North America)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... "What we have here is basically an AS/RS on steroids." That's how Cory Flemings, vice president of sales and marketing for Knapp North America (www.knapp.com), describes a new order, storage and retrieval (OSR) system. The OSR system is...

Multi-bay VLM delivers product anywhere. (News Trends).(Diamond Phoenix)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Diamond Phoenix (www.diamondphoenix.com), well known for its carousel systems, introduced a new multi-bay vertical lift module (VLM) at ProMat. Known as SMARTdepot, it features a unique cross-bay design that allows product housed in any storage...

Intelligent lifting arm boasts 150-lb capacity. (News Trends).(Gorbel Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... A new intelligent lifting arm, known as the G-Force Easy Arm, will be available by the end of June, says Jeff McNeil, marketing manager at Gorbel Inc. (www.gorbel.com). Managing inertia for the operator and low headroom are two main benefits of...

HighJump expands globally. (News Trends).(HighJump Software Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... HighJump Software (www.highjumpsoftware.com), a provider of warehouse management and extended supply chain execution solutions, is expanding globally with an International Associate Partner Program. The plan includes representation in Hong Kong...

Rebel against pallets with slip sheet storage. (News Trends).
March 1, 2003... Who needs pallets when there is a new pallet-free, slip sheet, storage system on the market? That was the theme when Creative Storage Systems (www.creativestorage.com) introduced two new products. The revolutionary UniversALL Flo is the first...

Order picking accelerates with tote lights. (News Trends).
March 1, 2003... A new, horizontal pick-to-light system makes order picking easier by highlighting the specific storage tote or cell where items are to be picked. Conventional systems light the entire shelf. But the QuickPick, demonstrated by Remstar...

New beam saves labels. (News Trends).
March 1, 2003... Lift trucks zooming around a busy warehouse can often bump against exposed rack beams. That's a problem when they scrape bar code labels off those beams, preventing workers from using scanners to sort product. Now Frazier (www.frazier.com) has...

Carton flow rack speeds high-volume production. (News Trends).(Global Storage Systems)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Global Storage Systems (www.globalstoragesystems.com), a pallet rack manufacturer and division of the Canada-based Econorack, introduced its new carton flow rack and pallet delivery system at ProMat. Both products are designed for high-volume...

Fancy foot work: Genesco steps up distribution with a new automated facility that speeds shoes and accessories to its stores.
March 1, 2003... Genesco has just gotten a foot up on the competition. Its new automated distribution center in Lebanon, Tenn. assures that it will be able to keep up with the steady demand created by aggressive growth in its retail footwear divisions. The new...

Going with the seasonal flow. (One-On-One).(Genesco Inc.)(Interview)
March 1, 2003... Genesco is accustomed to handling the peaks and valleys of distribution. During its back-to-school and holiday seasons, distribution throughput of shoes can increase as much as 50%. Mark Teegarden, general manager of Genesco's new distribution...

Workhorse hoists: from steel plants to assembly work cells, hoists lift, lower and position loads weighing several tons as easily as they handle a few pounds. (Equipment Report).
March 1, 2003... Think of a hoist and the first image that usually comes to mind is one with a heavy load such as a large coil of steel. But that isn't always the case. Hoists are just as adept at lifting and lowering relatively light loads, even less than 20...

The power of automation: last year, STIHL upgraded an older AGV line with new laser-guided vehicles. The result: improved productivity and a quick payback. (Manufacturing Spotlight).(automatic guided vehicles)
March 1, 2003... Industry leaders are different. To stay on top, they continually invest to create new efficiencies and improve productivity. STIHL Inc. is a leading manufacturer of outdoor power tools, including chain saws and leaf blowers. And at its...

Ready to fly? (Information Management).(Jacksonville International Airport uses radio frequency identification tags )
March 1, 2003... The Jacksonville International Airport is now using radio frequency identification tags to screen some passenger bags. Is this the application that will allow REID to take off? More than just airliners are poised to take off at the...

Pharmaceuticals: prescription for automation. (A Special Pharmaceutical Supplement: Prescription for Automation).
March 1, 2003... The pharmaceutical industry turns to automation throughout the supply chain to reduce cycle time, better meet FDA compliance regulations, and cut costs. The supply chain has not historically been a key part of the pharmaceutical industry....

Vanderlande industries: building momentum in North America. (A Special Pharmaceutical Supplement: Prescription for Automation).
March 1, 2003... The Company has a worldwide reputation in innovative material handling systems for distribution centers, e-fulfillment, parcel handling and baggage handling systems for airports. With over 50 years of global experience, we have also established...

Delivering exceptional performance in demanding industries. (A Special Pharmaceutical Supplement: Prescription for Automation).
March 1, 2003... MARC Global is an industry leading supply chain execution software and implementation services firm serving global companies that require high-integrity inventory management and visibility. Through a unique product strategy and referenceable...

Interroll provides lightweight stainless steel belt drive for pharmaceutical applications. (Product Mart).
March 1, 2003... Interroll Corporation, a leading manufacturer of conveyor components, now provides a high-power, lightweight stainless steel belt drive specifically designed for pharmaceutical applications. Originally a 50-pound motorized roller, the new...

Dorner's 2200 series. (Product Mart).
March 1, 2003... The 2200 Conveyor Series from Dorner Mfg. Corp. offers V-grooved bed plates and belts for positive tracking. Five-minute belt change, and rack and pinion belt tensioning add durability and reliability. Weight capacity up to 80 pounds. ...

Surface-mounted dock lifts. (Product Focus).
March 1, 2003... Two models of the 6000 series of surface-mounted dock lifts can be installed on top of the ground, eliminating the need for a concrete pit. The model 6200 for pallet jacks and straddle stackers has a 6-inch lowered height, 8,000-pound capacity...

Dockboards feature safety curbs. (Product Focus).
March 1, 2003... Designed for extra strength and safety, an aluminum treadplate dockboard features yellow safety curbs constructed of structural steel with cast-tapered ends. Canted locking legs provide increased durability and fork truck portability. A bend of...

Level the dock. (Product Focus).
March 1, 2003... With the push of a button, a hydraulic dock leveler rises for safe loading and unloading. A variety of models is available to handle weight capacities ranging from 25,000 to 50,000 pounds. The six-and eight-foot long models rise to 12 inches...

Almost indestructible. (Product Focus).
March 1, 2003... Rugged and built to withstand the rigors of high traffic docks, a heavyweight dock door has a nearly indestructible Impact-A-Track door track that absorbs the heaviest impacts. It mounts flush to the wall for complete doorway access. Components...

Built tough. (Product Focus).
March 1, 2003... Tuffboard dockboards are constructed of high-strength steel for durability in abusive situations. Lift loops allow easy forklift placement while a non-slip diamond treadplate provides positive traction. Rounded edge curbs also prevent a...

Access wider trailers. (Product Focus).
March 1, 2003... Featuring an 8-foot, 6-inch wide platform, the JUMBO hydraulic dock leveler is 18 inches wider than standard levelers to allow full access to wider, fully loaded trailers. The leveler offers a service range above and below the dock and includes...

Halogen loading light. (Product Focus).
March 1, 2003... Halogen loading lights operating at 500 watts can illuminate 48- and 53-foot truck trailers and provide effective lighting at dock areas. Features include a heavy-duty, die-cast aluminum housing with a wide area beam pattern for high visibility...

Impact-resistant dock door panels. (Product Focus).
March 1, 2003... Knock&Lock self-resetting dock door replacement panels offer a durable solution to damaged dock door sections. The rugged panel with a highly abrasion-resistant interior skin automatically resets itself after impact and has dual slide locks for...

Lighten up. (Product Focus).
March 1, 2003... Two high-intensity discharge lamps, the DKL-4OVA-MH-A (metal halide) and the DKL-4OVA-HPS-A (high-pressure sodium), offer enough light for workers to accurately read labels on packages in the rear of a 50-foot trailer. The metal halide dock...

Dock leveler stores vertically. (Product Focus).
March 1, 2003... Designed for climate controlled applications where the overhead door must be kept closed when not in use, the VS series dock leveler can be stored in the vertical position behind the overhead door. By pushing and holding a button, the operator...

Move work-in-process on chain conveyor. (New Products).
March 1, 2003... The Unibiit WideTrak three-raii powered chain conveyor system is well suited for high-volume plant operations. It has pedestal-type carriers that provide 360degree access to the product. The conveyor features variable speed drive units and spur...

Automatic guided vehicle increases productivity. (New Products).
March 1, 2003... The FlexiMate automatic guided vehicle increases productivity by efficiently moving materials and inventory. The labor-saving vehicle performs repetitive tasks. The battery-operated vehicle executes a variety of logistical assignments. The...

Apply labels at high speeds. (New Products).
March 1, 2003... The 3155 wipe-on labeler applies pressure-sensitive labels at high speeds. The system automatically matches its speed to varying product input speed to ensure accurate label positioning to within 0.4 millimeters. A large R3 digital controller...

Protect carton contents economically. (New Products).
March 1, 2003... Designed for high-speed, high-volume top and side voidfill applications, the FilIPak system uses fanfold, single-ply kraft paper to economically fill voids and protect carton contents. FilIPak converters create a starshaped tube of paper, which...

Study: machine wrapping lowers costs, raises safety. (Advertisement).
March 1, 2003... MEMPHIS, TN (February; 2003)-Businesses who switch from handwrapping to wrapping pallets with an Orion stretch wrapping machine can significantly reduce film costs, dramatically improve the integrity of the wrapped load, and create an...

Palletize 20 cases a minute. (New Products).
March 1, 2003... With a small footprint and low cost the HL2000 palletizer features a footprint of just 7 feet by 14 feet and speeds up to 20 cases per minute. The equipment also features soft product handling and standard size retainers for load squaring. The...

Guard rails feature lift-out rails. (New Products).
March 1, 2003... A lift-out rail feature has been added to a line of guard rails. This new feature permits easy access to machinery or facility areas that need protection from traffic hazards or for personnel safety. Installed along aisleways, around in-plant...

Clamping lifter handles delicate loads. (New Products).
March 1, 2003... The CK350 pneumatic clamping lifter picks up delicate material from the sides using two pads that evenly distribute the clamping pressure and then transport it by crane to the next process station or work cell. Featuring clamping forces applied...

Overhead crane kits--assembly required. (New Products).
March 1, 2003... Overhead crane component kits include everything necessary to build an overhead bridge crane, except the structural cross girder, and are designed to let users do their own assembly. Featuring fully assembled pieces such as the end trucks,...

Eliminate manual lifting. (New Products).(VT series vacuum lifter)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... The VT series vacuum lifter provides a 100 percent continuous duty cycle and is compatible with any overhead crane system to let users move boxes from a conveyor to a pallet without manual lifting. Featuring up/down controls in the handle that...

Reusable container folds to one-third its height. (New Products).(ROPAK 3230 reusable, folding container)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... The durable ROPAK 3230 reusable, folding container with a 32- x 30- inch footprint offers a return ratio of 3:1. The container, which collapses to one-third of its assembled height, has a weight capacity of 2,000 pounds and is ideal for...

Shelving/storage solutions. (New Products).(industrial shelving )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Clipper industrial shelving is a versatile product that stores items from a simple back room unit to a fully accessorized tool room or a sophisticated multi-level storage facility. The system employs hi-performance boxbeam shelves, box and...

Free-up floor space with overhead conveyor. (New Products).(cruciform design of new conveyor)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... The S-60 overhead conveyor line has a capacity of 200 pounds on 16-inch center. The cruciform design of the conveyor track encloses the E-8 style bi-planner conveyor chain. This prevents plant contamination from reaching the conveyor chain and...

Tier-Rack solutions to logistics problems. (Catalog Mart).(stacking racks)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Manage logistics problems with portable, stacking racks built to RMI standards, designed to protect your products. Tier-Rack offers warehouse solutions that improve productivity, increase efficiency and maximize profits. Tier-Rack...

Lift truck attachment. (Catalog mart).(exclusive folding forks)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... The Basiloid "Top Handling" method is not only a space saver but it can reduce product damage as well. Your lift trucks have a greater usefulness with the availability of our exclusive folding forks. Will mount on any make or model fork lift...

"Easy Mover" line of material handlers. (Catalog mart).(new pneumatic models )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... When handling heavy equipment and products, use "Easy Movers" from Revolving Technologies to prevent injuries and reduce labor costs! Choose from 14 pneumatic models that allow one person to handle rollable or wheel-mounted loads weighing 1/2...

Spiral conveyors. (Catalog Mart).(compact slat belt design )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Spiralveyor[R] by AmbaFlex features gentle, trouble-free vertical conveying. The compact slat belt design offers reliability, maximum product throughput, accumulation & buffering, all with a single drive. Maintenance is simple. Handles heavy...

Power changers. (Catalog Mart).(Battery Changing Systems)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Bulletin PC-999 features MTC's extensive line of Power Changers and multi-stacking systems. 19 full color photos show how MTC's Battery Changing Systems can keep your facility operating at maximum efficiency. Shown are single level Power...

Interlake offers Material Handling Solutions. (Catalog Mart).(integrated material handling systems)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Besides being the largest manufacturer of storage racks in North and South America, Interlake is also the leading source of comprehensive integrated material handling systems. We design and install more order picking systems than any company in...

Rolco Product Accumulators. (Catalog Mart).(improves floor space and efficiency)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Rolco's accumulation method is based on a first-in, first-out principle. Rolco product accumulators maximize floor space and increase efficiency. Call for a Windows Player CD movie that explains Rolco's unique concept. Rolco International,...

Stacker system with integral crane. (Catalog mart).(stacker rack storage system )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... RIDG-U-RAK's stacker rack storage system protects valuable tooling, parts and work-in-progress in motorized units up to 25 high in single, double and triple aisle configurations. Integral crane rotates 360 degrees with capacity to lift up to...

New three-wheel with AC drive. (Catalog Mart).(storage, handling, and distribution uses)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... The new three-wheel electric lift truck from Komatsu meets the challenges of busy storage, handling, and distribution environments head-on. This compact low profile truck utilizes AC drive technology, engineered to enhance performance,...

AGVs improve process flow. (Catalog Mart).(Automatic Guided Vehicle Systems)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Increase your material handling efficiency by automating your workflow process. Transbotics designs, supports and manufactures Automatic Guided Vehicle Systems, (AGVS), to boost your industrial bottom line. We provide turnkey solutions to meet...

Reduce costs 15% to 50% with total supply chain management. (Catalog Mart).(shipping pallets and containers )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Pallet Management Systems is a leading provider of standard and custom-built shipping pallets and containers for a wide range of industries. The company has also introduced PALLETNET, an industry leading Web-based supply chain management system...

Plastic containers for material handling. (Catalog Mart).(low-cost containers )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Durable low-cost containers available in over 750 standard sizes to meet virtually any material handling need. Learn how to make the most of every inch of your space with the perfect container system. Our new color catalog shows you how. Circle...

IntelliSort. (Catalog Mart).(flexible sortation many products)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Sort products from 6 to 48 inches in length at 200 to 220 cartons per minute with the IntelliSort. This system offers flexible sortation for a wide variety of products, operating at speeds up to 600 feet per minute. Features include...

With a little help from your friends: it's time to work with your suppliers to standardize the organization and labeling of shipments. (Great ideas).(compliance standards)
March 1, 2003... As the speed of the supply chain cranks up, the increase in smaller and more frequent shipments makes receiving time more critical and costly. To make their operations more efficient, major retailers have developed lengthy compliance documents...

Calendar.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... March 2003 March 3-6 National Manufacturing Week Show (Material Handling and Logitics Pavilion) McCormick Place Chicago, IL Sponsor: National Association of Manufacturers Call: 800-840-0678 Web:...