Dan M Sales of industrial robots set an all-time record in 2013, with more than 179,000 sold worldwide, according to the International Federation of Robotics. It was a 12% increase over the previous year. Part of the reason for this double-digit annual growth was the increased use of industrial robots in Asia. About one in five robots … Read more
The industrial robotic software and hardware developer Agile Planet has changed its company name. It will now be known as Yaskawa Innovation. All outstanding shares of Agile Planet were purchased by Yaskawa Motoman in June 2013 in order to strengthen its global leadership position in the advancement of “next generation” automation solutions, according to a … Read more
Purchasing directors tend to focus on price. Logistics managers think mostly about uptime, efficiency and responsiveness. Those two polar opposite priorities can often lead to operational inefficiencies and reduced productive capability, according to a new report issued this month by a materials handling watchdog group. The report, entitled “Bending the Chain: The Surprising Challenge of … Read more
Here’s a special sneak preview of just some of what you will find this week on the Bahrns blog: Canals, rivers and offshore sea routes could soon replace interstate highways and railroads as the leading way to transport cargo if one federal agency has its way. We’ll tell you why maritime highways have been put … Read more
The Manufacturing Skills Standard Council has worked for many years to develop programs aimed at promoting a new generation of manufacturing workers. Now it has been awarded the “Best US National Program” for workforce development by the Great Lakes Manufacturing Council. The GLMC chose MSSC for it’s innovative approach to developing core competencies of high … Read more
Steven Greenawalt, the ambitious chief executive officer of Alta Equipment Company, has been named the 2014 “Entrepreneur of the Year”by the international consulting firm of Ernst & Young. Greenawalt was recognized as the EY Entrepreneur of the Year for Michigan and northwest Ohio for his aggressive pattern of acquiring competing and complementary equipment businesses and … Read more
TVH Parts Company announced last week that it has purchased Equipment Parts Wholesale, a supplier of parts and supplies for aerial lift equipment. TVH, which is based in Olathe, Kanas, already is recognized as the world’s largest distributor and manufacturer of forklift replacements parts. Its acquisition of Equipment Parts Wholesale gives a higher profile in … Read more
Advanced, state-of-the-art robotic forklifts that can “see” obstacles and use memory and sensory information to find their way around a warehouse floor unaided by humans will be installed at several East Coast distribution centers and factories. Seegrid Corporation — the Pittsburgh-based manufacturer of automated guided vehicles — announced that it had struck a deal to … Read more
Orders for new conveyors fell an astounding 19.5% in April compared to the same period last year, according to statistics released this month by the Conveyor Equipment Manufacturers Association. But the group’s executive director, Bob Reinfried, said it wasn’t time to hit the panic button quite yet because the figures were simply “a blip”: and … Read more
Summer of 2014 could show growth of between 5% and 15% for the automation and controls industries, according to a study released earlier this month by JP Morgan and the Control System Integrators Association. The study, which was based on a survey of automation industry professionals, showed a “steady lift” in second quarter with food … Read more
