Raymond celebrates a century of innovation with induction into the Logistics Hall of Fame

Group posthumously recognizes George Raymond Sr. for his transformational contribution to the logistics industry

The Logistics Hall of Fame posthumously lauded The Raymond Corporation’s founder, George Raymond Sr., as an inductee for his invention of the first double-faced wooden pallet. The organization celebrated this year’s honorees at a gala reception with German Transport Minister Volker Wissing on Nov. 29 in Berlin.

“It’s an honor to have our founder recognized for a pivotal innovation that changed the trajectory of the logistics industry,” said Michael Field, president and CEO of The Raymond Corporation. “The invention of the double-faced wooden pallet centered on helping customers bring their operations to a new level of performance. Today, we continue George Raymond’s legacy by finding innovative intralogistics solutions that help customers run better and manage smarter through our lean-based approach of optimize, connect, and automate.”

Just this year, The Raymond Corporation has unveiled advancements that allow warehouse managers to get more out of every square foot of their operation — from the iWAREHOUSE® FieldSense, a robust proximity notification system designed to alert pedestrians and lift truck operators when they come within a predefined distance of properly equipped trucks and pedestrians — to the High Capacity Orderpicker, which allows picking a full rack higher than most models on the market. The intralogistics leader also launched its next-generation Virtual Reality Simulator, an award-winning, flexible, scalable teaching tool that uses the latest immersive technology to bring new hires up to proficiency more quickly and continue expanding operator skills for reduced turnover.

“It’s incredible to see the lasting impact my grandfather had and how his spirit of innovation lives on today at The Raymond Corporation,” said Steve Raymond, retired president of Raymond Handling Concepts Corporation and grandson of Raymond’s founder. “One hundred years later, the double-faced wooden pallet remains an industry standard, helping to transport an ever-increasing amount of goods around the globe. Thank you to the Logistics Hall of Fame for this honor.”

Developed in the 1930s by George Raymond Sr. and his colleague, William House, the double-faced wooden pallet permits the high stacking of crushable goods. In a show of commitment to the industry, Raymond Sr. donated the patent to the industry soon after it was awarded.

The Logistics Hall of Fame honors leading figures who have made outstanding efforts to promote the development of logistics and supply chain management. In addition, the organization aims to document outstanding logistics achievements and encourage and promote industry innovation. In this way, it raises public awareness of the logistics industry’s performance capability and innovative drive, helping to underpin the competitiveness and improve the image of the entire sector.