In a move that some observers say may be a sign that the looming strike by West Coast longshoreman may be avoidable, a consortium of container shipping lines announced that it is moving ahead with a planned rate hike. The Transpacific Stabilization Agreement — which includes container lines that move cargo between Asia and West … Read more
The bar code — those 12 tiny black stripes that are now printed on practically every package and are used for everything from pricing to inventory to tracking through the supply chain — celebrated its 40th anniversary last month. On June 26,1974, the first bar code was used to ring up a 10-pack of Wrigleys’ … Read more
Retail sales gains between May and June showed relatively little growth, yet at least one economist from the National Retail Federation said the retail industry could be on the brink of the rapid growth everybody has been waiting for since the start of the Great Recession. According to statistics released earlier this month by the … Read more
The US Transportation Security Administration has lifted requirements for air cargo screening reports that were implemented in the wake of the World Trade Center attack on 9/11. The TSA no longer will require airlines carrying passengers and cargo to to provide air cargo screening volume reporting, which some industry representatives said was putting a strain … Read more
Honeywell International, the giant technology and manufacturing company, has hired robotic automatic guided vehicles to assist in operations at its alarm system and structured wiring products plant in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin Honeywell purchased the automated guided vehicles (AGVs) from Seegrid, a Pittsburgh-based manufacturer of robotic materials handling equipment., The driverless GP8 pallet trucks will be … Read more
If you own an iPad, Surface or another one of the popular tablet devices, most likely you probably use it to watch HD video, play games or check your Facebook page. But at least one Indiana company has found a unique use for the iPad and it’s one more and more companies are likely to … Read more
Summer has (finally) arrived and with it come warm temperatures, sunny days and easier living. But summer also signals the arrival of insects and other pests that can make your dock area a living nightmare. Fortunately, there are several products that are designed to protect your dock from insects, birds and even human invaders such … Read more
In busy warehouses, manufacturing facilities and other workplaces, forklifts, power jacks and other heavy materials handling equipment is often whizzing around quickly, creating a potentially dangerous environment for workers who are walking around the facility on foot. When workplace accidents occur, it’s usually the pedestrian who is the one that is injured. So it’s important … 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
