If yours is like most businesses, you probably already have a mop and mop bucket in your supply closet. This is the same type of cleaning equipment that has been used since at least the 18th Century to clean up spills and accidents. But should your business really be depending on 300-year-old cleaning technology to support your operations? You … Read more
Looking like a cross between R2D2 from “Star Wars” and Number 5 from “Short Circuit”, ADAM, the newest robot from RMT Robotics was rolled out, literally, during this year’s PROMAT trade show in Chicago. ADAM, an anagram for “Autonomous Delivery and Manipulation”, is a highly dynamic autonomous mobile robot (AMR) that is designed to improve productivity by robotically … Read more
A new report released by industrial recruiting analyst Hays Quarterly Hotspots indicates that the positions most logistics employers are trying to fill right now are reach stack drivers, warehouse workers, and forklift drivers. Jobs in these and other positions are becoming more available as workers become increasingly willing to change employers, possibly due to improvements … Read more
A number of economic signs indicate optimism in the US manufacturing sector during the next three to six months, according to a quarterly report issued this month by the Manufacturers Alliance for Productivity and Innovation (MAPI). The September 2013 composite index, the leading indicator for the manufacturing sector, increased to 66, up from 58 in … Read more
New York investment firm Kohlberg, Kravis and Roberts is buying Tulsa, Oklahoma, based materials handling manufacturer Crosby Group and another smaller materials handing solution firm for $1 billion, the company announced in a news release. Crosby specializes in providing highly engineered materials handling solutions for the oil and gas industries and make lifting and rigging … Read more
Researchers at Michigan State University, in East Lansing, Michigan, have launched an ambitious research project that will predict what supply chains will look like in the future and how they are related to the business model. The university has joined with APICS, an international supply chain professional organization, to identify the capabilities necessary for strategic supply … Read more
The upcoming holiday season could cause a rise in workplace accidents, according to a leading industry safety training group in the UK. Because warehouses and manufacturing facilities will be busier preparing for the increased business that typically accompanies the holidays, there is a higher risk of danger, according to Andy Cartwright, technical manager for Mentor, … Read more
Thanks to the globalization of the marketplace and the rise in mobile technology, businesses are being asked to handle a higher number of smaller orders and customers are expecting faster delivery than ever before, according to a new report issued by a materials handling industry company. “The Benefits of High-Speed Loop Sortation”, published by Beumer Groupo, … Read more
In business, getting supplies to your warehouses and manufacturing facilities efficiently is important. But in the military, it can mean the difference between life and death. The US Army’s 861th Quartermaster Company Detachment — nicknamed the “Army Riggers” — specializes in getting much-needed supplies to troops in forward positions using air drops. It’s the most … Read more
As the characters of the popular TV show “Game of Thrones” are fond of saying, “Winter is coming.” So it’s a perfect time to check your warehouse’s or manufacturing facility’s safety equipment, such as emergency lights and fire extinguishers. Batteries on emergency lights should be tested at least several times per year. And fire extinguishers … Read more
