Smartphones have definitely changed the way most of us live our lives. There’s probably one in your pocket right now. You may even be reading this on your iPhone or Galaxy. But while smartphones offer unprecedented access to information, shopping, entertainment and more, there’s still one thing that’s very, very stupid about smartphones: Their batteries. … Read more
Kevin O’Leary, one of the featured entrepreneurs on ABC-TV’s “Shark Tank”, has been chosen to present the keynote address at MODEX 2016, the material handling industry’s biggest trade show to be held in Atlanta next month. Frank and opinionated, speaker O’Leary is one of North America’s leading business moguls. On Shark Tank, he invests in … Read more
Developing innovative products is not enough for long-term success for manufacturers. There also has to be simultaneous innovation in processes and business models. That’s the takeaway from a new survey of more than 380 manufacturing business leaders conducted by the Chicago-based consulting group Grant Thornton. True, long-term success requires a balanced approach to innovation that … Read more
Protecting products when they are shipped is essential to any manufacturer’s success. But using wood, metal and other heavy, bulky shipping materials adds to the product’s weight, takes longer to prepare, and can sometimes lead to more goods damaged during shipment. That’s the lesson learned by Tuscan Iron Entries, a Tennessee manufacturer of high-quality iron … Read more
Ever since the silent movie days of the 1920s, mankind has feared the coming of the robot. Science fiction writers and futurists have predicted that we will woe the day that machines that do job tasks were invented. They say that the future of mankind is to be slaves to machines or that we will … Read more
Many materials handling businesses (including this one) have turned to social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, blogging, and others to promote their businesses and products. But simply having a social media presence is not enough, according to a social media expert. The timing of your promotional posts may be more important than what you have … Read more
If you earn less than $20/hour, there’s an 83 percent probability that automation will take over your job at some point in the future, according to a new report issued last week by the White House’s Council of Economic Advisors (CEA). If you earn between $20 and $40 per hour, the chance of your being … Read more
According to a study by the Freedonia Group, demand for the use of protective packaging will increase at a rate of about 5 percent a year through 2019. The rise in demand is due to a rise in sales over the Internet and the use of more environmentally friendly materials including air pillows, paper fill, … Read more
Nearly half of all manufacturers are concerned about their ability to prevent a cyber attack on their business, according to a new poll of US factory owners. The MPI Internet of Things Study — which was commissioned by BDO, a network of accounting firms — also found that only 8 percent of manufacturers were “very … Read more
Opening hatches to check levels in oil and gas tanks at oil refineries and other businesses can be fatal, according to a new alert issued by the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Since 2010, at least nine workers have been killed as a result of hydrocarbon gases and vapors that can leak out of … Read more
