George Prest’s taking the helm of The Material Handling Industry of America is one of many fresh starts delivered with the New Year 2012. MODEX, MHIA’s new supply chain show and conference, is another—and during its February 6th through 9th run, other new opportunities with great economic potential for supply chain professionals and their customers will be shown and discussed. People who have been regular ProMat attendees will have an opportunity to network with professionals they might never have met before.
“We’re looking to a much broader audience with MODEX,” Prest says. “We have 19 co-located educational partners and we have the Georgia Logistics Conference going on at the same time.”
Even Prest, during the planning phases leading up to this event, has added new connections to his network. Many of them are involved in another event representing great opportunity for international shippers: the expansion of the Panama Canal.
“I was giving a presentation to the Atlanta Chamber and the people who were there said they got approval from the EPA for expansion of the Port of Savannah,” Prest says. “That was a big deal, because with the expansion of the Panama Canal, capacity will grow from 4500 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) per ship to 12,000. According to Jones Lang LaSalle [a financial and real estate services firm] that means about 25% of the goods and services that go into the west coast and are transported across country will now come into those east coast ports.”
And that could mean faster service and lower cost for shippers. The estimated $300 per TEU savings by using the Canal, multiplied by 8,000 TEUs per ship, is expected to cause rapid infrastructure development around east coast ports—including construction of distribution centers and implementation of new material handling and logistics technology.
But if that technology is to return to users what they spent on it, those users and the professionals supporting them will need strong supply chain smarts. Rick Blasgen, one of the keynote speakers at MODEX, will address the talent issue during his talk. He’s president and CEO of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) and he told MH&L that MODEX is coming at a time when the logistics and supply chain disciplines are coming into their own.
“There are now chief supply chain officers and we’re no longer viewed just as a necessary evil,” he says. “We should be talking about moving from a cost center to a revenue generating engine for our companies and the economies we serve. The kids coming out of universities today are so much better prepared. Now we just need to get them involved with the folks who built the logistics industry so we don’t lose that historical knowledge. They need to know about things like transportation deregulation and consolidation, all the things that made us more efficient over the years. Once they understand those things they can build on them.”
The technology to be displayed at MODEX will provide a good base upon which supply chain professionals can develop their business visions. The following pages offer highlights of what will be on hand.
Stacking Shelf Bins with Dividers
Quantum Storage Systems’ 900 Series of polypropylene Stacking Shelf Bins store large, heavy, and bulky items. When used with dividers they can be stacked to make better use of storage space. Available in blue, ivory, yellow and clear, the bins are manufactured in the U.S.A.
Quantum Storage Systems
Booth 2013
Circle 155 or go to www.mhlnews.hotims.com/40816-155
Sustainable Paper Void Fill
Sealed Air’s new paper void fill system FasFil EZ is designed to fit in a work cell packaging environment. It uses an advanced crimping system to deliver efficient, sustainable paper packaging solutions. The system operates by activating a simple footswitch, which allows the operator to dispense a continuous length of paper void-fill material. Operators also have the option of using a programmed length output mode that sets a timer to stop the paper flow, eliminating excess paper usage per pack.
A built-in cutting mechanism allows for desired lengths of paper material to be dispensed without the risk of repetitive motion injuries sometimes associated with tearing paper by hand.
The100 percent recycled crimped paper pads ensure durable protection and significantly decrease the risk of product shifting during the shipping cycle.
Sealed Air
Booth 2709
Circle 156 or go to www.mhlnews.hotims.com/40816-156
High-volume Picking
Dematic’s RapidPick System for high performance split case order fulfillment uses a goods-to-person design to deliver items to an operator. Users can achieve pick rates of up to 1,000 line items per operator, per hour.
Dematic
Booth 2300
Circle 157 or go to www.mhlnews.hotims.com/40816-157
Shuttle for Storage and Transport
Swisslog Warehouse & Distribution Solutions’ SmartCarrier is its newest generation shuttle system for the storage and transport of items in totes and trays. SmartCarrier consolidates and releases product at high rates in required sequences. Goods are presented at ergonomic goods-to-person picking stations either directly by shuttle vehicles or connecting conveyors. The light weight, autonomously operating shuttles deliver an excellent weight/payload ratio for rapid and efficient movement of goods.
Swisslog
Booth 3105
Circle 158 or go to www.mhlnews.hotims.com/40816-158
Faster Safer Truck Unloading
Engineered Lifting Systems will demonstrate a destuffing platform that addresses several issues associated with manual unloading of un-palletized product (boxes, bags, totes, etc.). Destuffing platforms are designed to make container & trailer unloading significantly faster, safer and more efficient. They integrate with common telescopic and flexible conveyor systems, to increase in-bound shipping dock efficiencies.
Workers stand on an adjustable height platform that improves position in relation to changing height of product being unloaded. They position the pivoting conveyor belt adjacent to the items being unloaded, thus reducing lifting and carrying effort.
Engineered Lifting Systems
Booth 4420
Circle 159 or go to www.mhlnews.hotims.com/40816-159
Safety at Heights
Wildeck, Inc. will feature safety products from Ladder Industries, the company it acquired in August. A rolling ladder will be displayed, which enables employees to perform maintenance and parts retrieval at height.
Wildeck products to be displayed include EdgeGard Dock Gates, which help protect personnel and equipment from falling off wide truck pits and loading docks. The gates are designed with a smooth cantilever that allows for easy operation and long service life. When raised, the gate completely clears the opening, offering unimpeded traffic flow and maximum accessibility.
Wildeck and Ladder Industries
Booth 3709
Circle 160 or go to www.mhlnews.hotims.com/40816-160
Track Logistics Services
Komyo Logistics will promote its 3PL services and patented reusable crates. It will also discuss its new service capabilities made possible through its use of RedPrairie On-Demand Warehouse software. Komyo services are tracked electronically with online reporting, enabling its customers to take advantage of logistics efficiencies while checking inventory and delivery statuses at any time in real time.
Komyo can address how inventory title can be transferred between customers without physical movement of the product. Other capabilities include load consolidation of freight for delivery to multiple customers at common or proximate locations.
Komyo
Booth FD1520
Circle 161 or go to www.mhlnews.hotims.com/40816-161
RedPrairie
Booth 450
Circle 162 or go to www.mhlnews.hotims.com/40816-162
Build a Lean Environment
Creform Corporation will feature products and services that help manufacturers strengthen their lean and continuous improvement programs. Items exhibited will include Creform’s latest AGV drive unit, the BST NSI Tugger model, as well as heavy-duty structures designed and built with the company’s 42mm pipe and joint system.
The BST NSI AGV’s control system can mobilize an entire fleet of carts for up to 50 courses, 128 commands each, programmable by onboard HMI touch screen or PC. It can also be part of a managed AGV system with traffic control. These units are suited for delivering carts of sequenced or kitted parts to assembly lines with very little human interface, eliminating the need for manned tuggers.
Creform Corporation
Booth 4705
Circle 163 or go to www.mhlnews.hotims.com/40816-163
Eliminate Wasteful Walks
Kardex Remstar’s dynamic storage solutions will be on display, including vertical lift modules, horizontal carousels, vertical carousels, mobile shelving and integrated software. Bringing goods to the worker increases worker efficiency and picking productivity. Eliminating wasted walk and search time commonly associated with standard picking and distribution applications, dynamic storage systems increase productivity.
These solutions can be integrated with pick to light technology to increase pick accuracy up to 99.9%. The company’s QuickPick pick to light technology will be used to demonstrate.
Kardex Remstar, LLC.
Booth 2914
Circle 164 or go to www.mhlnews.hotims.com/40816-164
Logistics Computing Solutions
Psion will offer a presentation on “Adaptable Computing Solutions for Supply Chain and Logistics: The Next Level of Workforce Productivity.” Attendees will learn about the latest in handheld and vehicle-mount computer solutions through case studies on current deployments.
Psion
Booth 1505
Circle 165 or go to www.mhlnews.hotims.com/40816-165
Warehouse Control Software Suite
Intelligrated will demonstrate InControlWare, a suite of warehouse control software products for material flow control, order and wave execution and machine control for automated material handling systems. The software manages both machine and operational resources, while increasing facility capacity and lowering distribution costs. InControlWare can be integrated as a complete warehouse control system or as individual products, including: Order Manager, Route Manager, Pick Manager, Carousel Manager and Crane Manager.
Intelligrated
Booth 2900
Circle 166 or go to www.mhlnews.hotims.com/40816-166
Movable Walls
Randall Manufacturing will showcase advances in its modular curtain wall system, Green InsulWall. It is a rigid modular wall system made from reclaimed Polyiso foam-plastic insulation. When paired with industrial vinyl it becomes a flexible, energy-conserving modular wall system. It can be moved, re-hung, and reused as business needs change.
Randall Manufacturing
Booth 5123
Circle 167 or go to www.mhlnews.hotims.com/40816-167
Automated Lift Trucks
The Raymond Corporation, in collaboration with Seegrid, will demonstrate automated lift trucks that integrate vision guided technology for both man-on and man-off automated functionality. The truck learns the individual steps of an operation while being driven through it. It does not require lasers, tape, wires or additional infrastructure. It can learn up to 15 miles of routes in unlimited configurations.
The Raymond Corporation
Booth 712
Circle 168 or go to www.mhlnews.hotims.com/40816-168
Overhead Handling
Demag will showcase its lines of overhead cranes, wire rope hoists, electric chain hoists, workstation cranes, Gottwald port cranes and crane service capabilities. The display will include KBK workstation crane construction kits that increase load capacity and spanning capability. The new track profile, called KBK II-H can be used for cranes, monorails and workstation cranes. Also featured will be an operational stepless high speed chain hoist designed for precise positioning and high speed. This hoist is suited for high duty assembly operations.
Pendant and radio controlled electric chain hoists will also be on display.
Demag Cranes and Components
Booth 3318
Circle 169 or go to www.mhlnews.hotims.com/40816-169
Manage Yard Activity
4Front Engineered Solutions will showcase its 4SIGHT Yard and Dock Management System. It allows facilities to monitor, schedule, and communicate trailer movements, load assignment, and loading dock status in a simple, easy-to-use interface. 4SIGHT combines RFID, GPS, and sensor technologies to provide real-time yard and loading dock visibility, full automation, and optimization from the time a vehicle approaches the inbound gate to the time it exits the outbound gate.
4Front Engineered Solutions
Booth 209
Circle 170 or go to www.mhlnews.hotims.com/40816-170
Cut Handling by a Third
HAL Systems will demonstrate HAL WMS software and its advantages, including the ability to reduce material handling efforts by a third. Existing employees can do 30-50% more work or users can choose to have fewer people accomplish the same amount of work.
Inventory accuracy can be increased to 99.99%, eliminating or reducing the need for physical inventories, and orders can ship with no shipping errors.
The system tracks material handling productivity by capturing time, date and operator information every time a product moves.
HAL Systems
Booth 215
Circle 171 or go to www.mhlnews.hotims.com/40816-171
Full- and Split-Case Handling
viastore will show booth visitors how to use fewer people and less floor space in a split case order selection operation. Your discussion can focus on how to reduce labor costs associated with full case order selection while shortening order cycle time.
The company will also demonstrate how full case selection solutions combine the cost savings of automation while keeping the flexibility of manual operations.
viastore
Booth 3714
Circle 172 or go to www.mhlnews.hotims.com/40816-172
WMS Offers 3D Views
Westfalia will introduce Version 2.3 of their Savanna.NET Warehouse Management Software. It offers real time 3D visualization of the warehouse; a dashboard for tracking key statistics of warehouse operations; streamlined user rights management interfaces; and improvements to the order picking module for integrating third party picking solutions (i.e.; high speed layer picking and mixed layer picking). Savanna user screens apply actual warehouse data to produce 3D visualization of a warehouse from any angle, including walking through it and bird’s eye view.
Westfalia Technologies, Inc.
Booth 3611
Circle 173 or go to www.mhlnews.hotims.com/40816-173
Reusable Packaging Revisited
The Reusable Packaging Association will host a Reusables Conference at MODEX. Its session, titled “Reusable Packaging – Efficient, Cost Effective and Sustainable Solutions for Today’s Supply Chains,” will be a three-hour program offered Monday, February 6, 2012 from 1:00 p.m.– 4:00 p.m. It is designed for those who are new to reusable packaging as well as those who have already incorporated reusable strategies.
Topics include:
- - Reusable packaging’s benefits
- - Assessing the opportunities for reusable solutions
- - Financial implications of reusable packaging systems
- - Successfully preparing for and managing the change in business operations
- - Best practices for managing reusable packaging assets.
The seminar is based on a larger curriculum being developed by the Reusable Packaging Association to help supply chain professionals. The curriculum is supported with funds made available to StopWaste.Org through a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Climate Showcase Communities program.
Circle 174 or go to www.mhlnews.hotims.com/40816-174
While you’re at MODEX…the following collocated partner events are offered at no cost to MODEX 2012 attendees:
• Develop Your Talent and Strengthen Your Competitiveness in the Global Market Place— The American Society of Transportation and Logistics (ASTL)
• Supply Chain Management Careers: A Pipeline of Opportunity—Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP)
• Sustainability Metrics: How Leading Companies Are Measuring Their Environmental Impact— College Industry Council on Material Handling Education (CICMHE)
• PBD Fulfillment: A CEO’s Vision for Operational Excellence—CSCMP
• Using Metrics in the DC – Annual Workplace Study— Warehousing Education and Research Council (WERC)
• What’s New in the National Export Initiative— U.S. Commerce Department International Trade Administration
• Advancing Knowledge, Exploring Technology and Driving Efficiency with Automatic Identification and Mobility Solutions—The Association for Automatic Identification and Mobility (AIM)
• Acuity Brands: Fueling the Fire of Kaizen Throughout the Lean Enterprise—CSCMP
• Coca Cola: Alignment of Functional Supply Chain and IT Roadmap for Investment and Capability Building—CSCMP
• Building or Adding to your Tool Kit for Fulfillment Excellence—WERC
• Distribution Center Ergonomics, Assessing Back Injury Risk and Developing Interventions—CICMHE
• MODEX After-Hours Networking Event at Luckie Marietta District
