McCormick & Company, the Maryland-based manufacturer of cooking spices and other food products, was recently presented with a prestigious sustainability award for operating its mega-distribution center with “net zero” energy usage. The company’s 363,000-square-foot warehouse in Belcamp, Maryland, actually generates more electricity than it uses by means of a 1.8-megawatt rooftop solar power system, as … Read more
Self-dumping hoppers may be low-tech, gravity-activated tools, but they offer a highly effective way to load, transport and dump bulk and waste products safely and conveniently. Self-dumping hoppers typically attach to the forks of a lift truck, powered pallet lifter, or even onto casters. Others are designed to sit permanently on top of dumpsters, storage … Read more
When new warehouse businesses start up or are in between spending tons of money for an overhaul of old equipment, then the temptation is to buy new equipment. Buying new is okay. However, it might not be the best move for your company under all circumstances. For example, a startup may have issues concerning financing. … Read more
Traffic congestion on I-75 between Macon and Atlanta is some of the worst in the US. But Georgia drivers may soon get a reprieve when the state completes a 40-mile-long, trucks-only freeway that runs parallel to the highway. The first-of-its-kind publicly-funded highway is designed to help ease existing traffic and prepare for the anticipated increase … Read more
The third annual national “Safety Stand-Down” — in which businesses nationwide take a time-out to review safety procedures with employees — is scheduled for May 2 through 6. The event, which is sponsored by the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration, will once again focus on recognizing the hazards and prevention of falls in the … Read more
Working in a warehouse environment can be a dangerous undertaking. Workers who move heavy loads from one place to another can suffer injuries to the back, neck, shoulders, or legs. Workers assigned to the dock are susceptible to accidents due to lack of concentration or quick closing doors. Two new products have been introduced that … Read more
Businesses that expose workers to potentially hazardous chemicals that could cause blindness or damage to their eyesight are required by law to have working emergency eyewash stations available at all times. In some cases, an emergency shower that can wash hazardous materials — especially corrosive chemicals or radiation — from workers’ bodies also should be … Read more
The cargo container shipping industry is scrambling to comply with new international regulations that are about to go into effect. In less than 90 days, any shipping container leaving from any port in the world will need to have a verified shipping document that is signed either electronically or by hand by the shipper on … Read more
People who work in a warehouse know that a center of major activity is the loading dock. Forklifts are moving in and out of the area picking up products for storage and delivering orders to trucks. Meanwhile, there is heavy pedestrian traffic milling about involved in the loading or unloading of trucks. Trucks are constantly … Read more
In the coming decade, eight so-called “disruptive technologies” are going to change the way businesses in the materials handling industry operate, according to a new report based on interviews with industry executives. These transformative changes will create “always-on” supply chains that will provide more efficiency, improved visibility, and better customer service. The report — “Accelerating … Read more
