Despite one of the worst winters in recent history, the operators of the nation’s largest ports are predicting increased import volumes as we head into the spring, according to a new report. The Port Tracker report compiled by the National Retail Federation predicts that imports at the nation’s largest ports will increase 6.1% to 1.38 … Read more
More than 23,000 people attended this year’s MODEX materials handling trade show, setting an all-time record, according to a news release from expo organizers. The event was held March 17 to 20 at the Georgia World Congress Center, in Atlanta, and featured more than 800 exhibitors. More than 100 countries and six companies were represented at … Read more
The Swedish automaker Volvo has created an inflatable child safety seat that is fully portable, weighs less than 11 pounds, and can be fully inflated in just 40 seconds. According to news reports, the new seat is made from a special drop-stitch fabric that is commonly used in the construction of boats. The material has … Read more
Stone Brewing Company — which has been brewing craft beers in its Escondido, California, production facility for more than 16 years — recently installed an intelligent LED high-bay lighting system in an addition to the plant that cut its lighting costs by 79%. The addition’s original design plans called for the installation of traditional T8 … Read more
Here’s a special sneak preview of some of what you will find this week on the Bahrns blog: Winter is (slowly) making way for Spring and the nation’s port operators are optimistic that economic conditions are improving and that port traffic will increase. We’ll tell you why that’s good news for both manufacturers and retailers. … Read more
Having the right forecasting tools and other supply technologies is the best path to profitability, according to a survey if industry executives conducted recently by Bloomberg Business Research Services. Because customers are demanding more and an increasing number of businesses are looking at global markets, the demand for accurate forecasting and planning software has … Read more
Ken Bowyer, a crane operator for ALL Crane Rental of Florida, based in Tampa, has been named champion of the 2014 National Crane Rodeo. The event was held during the ConExpo/CONAGG 2014 trade show in Las Vegas. Bowyer said his favorite Stetson cowboy hat brought him the luck he needed during the event, even though … Read more
Avery Products — the Brea, California, based manufacturer of labels, name badges, business cards, dividers and other products — recently unveiled a new free app that can be used with Google Docs to make a variety of popular Avery labels and name badges. Called the Avery Label Merge, the new add-on lets you do everything … Read more
If your business works with any type of chemicals — from industrial solvents to cleaning supplies — you are legally obligated to provide access to Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for each and every chemical at all times. The reason for this is simple: In the event of an accident or exposure to a chemical, … Read more
Managers at Asmus Farm Supply, in Rake, Iowa, had a problem. The heating and cooling bills for their 40-foot-high warehouse were unbearable. But just as unbearable were the oppressive heat and cold that their employees had to endure. The solution? Asmus installed two high-volume, low-speed fans that recirculated heated air back down the floor level, … Read more
