Commentary and Opinion There are reality television shows featuring people from all walks of life, from the beautiful but inane residents of CBS’s popular “Big Brother” house to the nude survivalists of Spike TV’s “Naked and Afraid”. It seems everybody has their own reality show these days. So why not forklift operators? Here’s my pitch to any … Read more
Army logistics: Material handling on a higher level Many material handlers face challenges that can make the workday feel like a battle. You have to wrap pallets to prevent collapse, and you to negotiate obstacles carefully and quickly as you move your load across the warehouse floor-tasks the average person can’t understand if they’ve never … Read more
Here’s a special sneak preview of some of what you will find this week on the Bahrns blog: Summer’s here and so are pests like mosquitos, flies and birds that can infiltrate your warehouse. We’ll show you an innovative way to keep intruders at bay while still allowing sunshine and fresh air into your dock … Read more
If it seems like there have been more freight trains causing traffic tie ups in the Chicago area, that’s because there are. Union Pacific recently increased the frequency of its two main intermodal services — Portland, Oregon, to Chicago and Northern California to Chicago — by offering four-day delivery each morning. The move comes in … Read more
For decades, Memphis was known mostly as a sleepy mid-South city that had good barbecue, Beale Street and Elvis Presley’s home, Graceland. But today, it’s quickly becoming the primary beneficiary of the rise of web-based retailing. In the latest round of good news for the western Tennessee city, United Parcel Service announced that it will … Read more
A new study of the nation’s over-the-road trucking capacity concluded that while trucking freight is still tight, it’s not quite as bad as it was earlier in the year. The Shippers Condition Index (SCI) — which is compiled by FTR, a freight transportation consulting group — measures all market influences that affect shippers. A reading … Read more
The American Trucking Associations recently called on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to require that electronic logging devices be used to record drivers’ hours of service. In the ATA’s comments, which were filed with the FMCSA last month, the group argued that the devices were necessary to protect the safety of the nation’s highway … Read more
Traditional retail organizations have relatively predictable supply chain flow: Boost your inventories before anticipated busy seasons and keep it minimal during slower periods. But the rise in omni-channel shopping — in which customers can order products from their mobile devices, clients could be located anywhere in the world, and other modern retailing realities — has … Read more
Motion Controls Robotics has teamed with Combi Packaging Systems to create a new automated case packing product called the Ergobot. The robot is an automated version of Combi’s Ergopack ergonomic hand packing station. Motion Controls Robotics applied its expertise in robotic packaging, case packing and palletizing to expand the ability of both companies to fully … Read more
Former President George W. Bush will be the featured speaker at the 2014 Material Handling and Logistics Conference to be held later this summer in Park City, Utah. Bush will participate in a conversation with John K. Baysore, president and CEO of Dematic North America, as part of the conference, which is scheduled for September … Read more
