TAB Industries introduces portability retrofit kits
Orbital wrapper manufacturer TAB Industries, LLC, Reading, Pa., has introduced portability retrofit kits. Developed to allow the company’s patented TAB Wrapper Tornado orbital wrapping machines to be moved safely without requiring a lift truck, the new kits feature four casters with companion mounting brackets and associated components, pre-assembled and ready for installation on units in the field. Once installed at each corner, operators simply turn a crank to raise the wrapping machine off the floor and engage the casters, roll the machine to the desired location, and then lower it back to floor level for return to service. Ideal for automating the wrapping process at multiple locations, the new portability retrofit kits allow one worker to move the wrapping machine from one assembly line, metalworking station, loading dock, or other location to another without investing in multiple orbital stretch wrappers. The built-in fork tubes that allow movement by forklift remain accessible after the casters are installed. The new retrofit kits are suitable for all TAB Wrapper Tornado models and are stocked in the company’s Reading, Pa. headquarters for quick delivery. The TAB Wrapper Tornado orbital wrappers apply stretch wrap 360 degrees around and under a pallet and its load to create a sturdy, unitized load without banding, boxing or strapping.
Containment netting for rack supported Mezzanine Safety Gates
Mezzanine Safeti-Gates, Inc., an innovator in the design and manufacturing of pallet drop safety gates that provide fall protection in distribution centers, warehouses, and manufacturing and material handling facilities, announced that the Rack Supported safety gate designs can now include product containment netting. The Product Containment add-on offers high strength, and high visibility netting on the ledge gate to prevent products from falling from elevated rack systems. Fall protection topped the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) list of most frequently cited standards in 2023, and in 2020 the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported almost 17% of worker injuries were caused by contact with objects or equipment, which includes being struck by falling objects. The Product Containment option for the Rack Supported safety gate design eliminates both the risk of employees and products falling from ledges of pallet drop areas in pick modules or large rack storage systems. “Today’s material handling environment emphasizes speed when moving products through facilities, which can sometimes lead to pallet jacks and other equipment accidentally knocking product out of place,” said Aaron Conway, president of Mezzanine Safeti-Gates, Inc. “This brings not only a risk of product falling and striking an employee but also the human tendency to reach into the loading zone to grab that object.” Product containment netting systems for mezzanine safety gates prevent items two (2) inches or larger from falling from the elevated pallet drop area. When the area is being loaded with material, the ledge gate is open with the netting compacted out of the way, into the system. After loading is complete, the ledge gate is closed and the netting extends from the deck to the top frame of the gate, providing full-length coverage on the ledge side. In addition, the netting prevents employees from inserting their hands into the loading zone. Used in thousands of locations throughout the world, pallet drop safety gate systems offered by Mezzanine Safeti-Gates fully comply with OSHA’s Walking-Working Surface Fall Protection regulations as well as ANSI fall protection standards. Safety gate designs can be purchased in a variety of sizes including standard stock single and double wide pallet widths, and custom-engineering to accommodate specific requirements. Power, remote operation, radio frequency sensors, photo eyes, and integration with WMS systems can be added to all models.
Movu Robotics launches a gripping innovation to transform robotic piece picking
Movu Robotics, a supplier for designing, developing, and implementing innovative and easier warehouse automation solutions, announces the launch of the innovative Movu eligo robot picking arm. A fully integrated robotic bin-picking solution, developed in close collaboration with Righthand Robotics, Movu eligo can automatically piece-pick from a single-SKU source bin and place the individual items into multiple mixed-SKU destination bins. Developed to close the gap between manual and fully automatic pick operation, Movu eligo provides warehouse operators with a huge step forward in order picking. It also provides a solution for labour shortage issues, with a robot that can work through inconvenient work hours at a reduced cost but with higher pick accuracy and quality. Other key benefits include: Reliable and effective robotic picking of up to 600 items per hour at any time; Enabling the picking and placing of a wide variety of SKUs; Providing a unique plug-and-play sub-system that is integrated with the Movu escala bin shuttle, resulting in an innovative end-to-end automated solution from storage to picking; Easy way to automatically pick SKUs that are suited for robotic picking, store the bins and then finish the order with a manual pick when the time is convenient Reduced cost per pick, resulting in a strong Return on Investment (ROI). Provided with seamless integration as a pick station option for the Movu escala bin shuttle, the Movu eligo combines advanced software with intelligent grippers and machine vision to ensure reliable throughput. Gently grasping an item from a bin retrieved from the escala while picking, the robot then places the item in a delivery bin. Providing feedback on grasp success, the intelligent grippers ensure an accuracy of 100%. In addition to a low gripping failure rate, the Movu eligo reduces the number of manual ‘touches’ required for order fulfilment or replenishment and can reach a pick success rate greater than 99%. Able to achieve 600 picks per hour, depending on the specific implementation, the robot can pick goods up to 2 kg and with dimensions of 1 cm minimum to a maximum of 30 cm. Being completely product agnostic gives it the flexibility to handle changing product mixes. The robot arm stands 2.2 metres high and has an operating radius of 1.3 metres. A safety interface makes robotic work cells safe when human interaction is required. Driven by software, the system leverages machine learning to continuously improve picking. Movu eligo runs on a plug-and-play Application Programming Interface (API) which integrates directly with the Movu escala bin storage solution. This user-friendly complete solution allows the seamless integration of robotic and manual picking operation for maximum efficiency. Movu escala interacts with overlying Warehouse Management Software (WMS), Warehouse Control Software (WCS) and Warehouse Execution Software (WES) as needed to mission the piece-picking operations. By planning tasks for the robot such as robot arm movements around the source and destination bin exchange phases, the software optimises pick cycle times to maximise throughput. Real-time operational data is presented to staff stationed away from the active systems to resolve exceptions quickly and efficiently. Performance dashboards enable warehouse operations to visualise current and historical data. Available with full 24/7 support, the Movu eligo allows customers, particularly those involved in pharmaceuticals, apparel, e-commerce, manufacturing and kitting, to realise the benefits of reliable robotic piece-picking without worrying about integrating all the elements. Stefan Pieters, CEO of Movu Robotics, commented: “Movu eligo is the next level for Movu Robotics to offer innovative and easier Automation solutions to our customers. It is a data-driven, intelligent piece-picking platform unlike any other. Automating the conventionally manual operation or piece picking results in a lower cost per pick, leading to a strong return on investment. Integrated seamlessly as a workstation for the Movu escala bin storage system, eligo offers a flexible and scalable automation solution for predictable and accurate order fulfilment, adding value for warehouses pursuing improvements in efficiency, productivity and customer service levels.”
Epiosde 438: Agile Supply Chain Management with Ryan Polakoff of Nexterus
The New Warehouse podcast recently welcomed Ryan Polakoff, the President of Nexterus, for a fascinating discussion on the evolution and challenges of supply chain and warehouse management. Nexterus, a fourth-generation family-owned supply chain, and logistics consulting firm, has been reshaping the supply chain landscape since 1946. With a focus on small to mid-sized companies, Nexterus specializes in outsourced supply chain management, offering innovative solutions ranging from warehouse layout strategies to inventory management and material movement. In this episode, Polakoff shares his unique perspective, gained from two decades of experience and the company’s longstanding history, on how supply chain management has transformed into a strategic component in business operations. This conversation is a must-listen for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of the supply chain’s pivotal role in today’s dynamic market environment. Embracing the Strategic Role of Agile Supply Chain Management Polakoff underscores the transformation of supply chain management from a background function to a strategic boardroom topic. This shift, particularly highlighted during the pandemic, has seen supply chains becoming the backbone of organizations, integrating sales and procurement strategies to achieve business goals. Polakoff noted, “Supply chain is no longer just a concern for the warehouse; it’s a vital part of our overall strategy and a key player in achieving our business objectives.” The Agility of Non-asset-based Based Supply Chain Solutions Another significant topic discussed was the advantage of being a non-asset-based company like Nexterus. Polakoff explains how this allows them to be agile, creative, and non-biased in providing tailored solutions to their clients. This approach is particularly beneficial in addressing small to medium-sized businesses’ unique needs, often lacking optimized tech stacks or established supply chain strategies. “Our main assets are our people and technology,” Polakoff remarks, highlighting the company’s commitment to delivering customized and innovative supply chain solutions. Key Takeaways Strategic Shift in Supply Chain: The evolution of supply chain management from a logistical function to a strategic business component. Non-Asset Based Agility: The benefits of a non-asset-based approach in supply chain management, offering flexibility and customized solutions. Focus on Small to Mid-Sized Businesses: Nexterus tailors supply chain solutions for smaller enterprises, addressing their unique challenges and growth aspirations. The New Warehouse Podcast EP 438: Agile Supply Chain Management with Ryan Polakoff of Nexterus
Nucor to build new mill stand at Tuscaloosa plate mill
Nucor Corporation announced that the company’s Board of Directors approved $280 million to modernize its steel plate mill in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The investment will enable Nucor Steel Tuscaloosa to strengthen its ability to serve key market segments that are part of the overall Plate Mill Group strategy. “We continuously invest in our teammates and facilities where we see opportunities to create value for our customers. This modernization project will bolster the plate group’s position as the most diverse and comprehensive product mix in the industry,” said Al Behr, Executive Vice President for Plate and Structural Products. “Our Plate Mill Group team has done a phenomenal job executing our strategic shift and greatly improving the profitability of our plate mills. The modernization and upgrade of the rolling mill at Tuscaloosa is an important investment that will keep our mill competitive in the global steel industry and open up new market opportunities for our team. We appreciate the support we have received from the Tuscaloosa County Economic Development Authority for this project,” said Brian Phillippi, Vice President and General Manager of Nucor Steel Tuscaloosa. Comprised of three production facilities located in Hertford County, North Carolina, Brandenburg, Kentucky and Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Nucor’s Plate Mill Group has an annual capacity of approximately 3 million tons of cut-to-length and discrete plate. Nucor produces plate for military applications and for manufacturers of barges, bridges, heavy equipment, rail cars, refinery tanks, ships, wind towers and other items that are primarily used in the pipe and tube, pressure vessel, transportation and construction industries.
AASHTO’s new President to emphasize workforce, safety and implementing the IIJA
The board of directors of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials have elected Craig Thompson, secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, as its 2023-2024 president. The board also selected Garrett Eucalitto, commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT), as its 2023-2024 vice president. “As transportation needs continue to evolve, I am honored to serve as AASHTO’s president as we navigate the future together,” Thompson said upon stepping into the role. “This is a very exciting and challenging time for transportation, but I see great opportunity for those of us in the industry to make a real impact for our communities. During my tenure, I will focus on taking advantage of the opportunities offered through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), working with any and all partners to move the needle on roadway safety, and recruiting and retaining top talent for the transportation workforce.” In January 2019, Governor Tony Evers appointed Thompson as secretary of the Wisconsin DOT, one of the largest state agencies in Wisconsin. The department supports all modes of transportation, including state highways, local roads, railroads, public transit systems, airports, and harbors. Thompson carries more than 28 years of experience working with Wisconsin businesses, communities, legislators and units of government, He previously led the Transportation Development Association of Wisconsin and served as the legislative director for the Wisconsin Counties Association. As AASHTO president, Thompson will prioritize three major areas of emphasis as he assumes his new role: Realizing the Promise of the IIJA: As we reach the mid-point of the five-year authorization of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), it is imperative that state DOTs work with federal partners to ensure that the promise of IIJA is fully realized. AASHTO and state DOTs need to demonstrate to all communities that government at all levels can work efficiently to apply these historic investments in a way that will positively impact their lives. Bolstering Safety: Despite enhanced efforts by state DOTs across the country, too many lives are still being lost on our nation’s roadways. Thompson will build upon the safety initiatives of Immediate Past President Roger Millar to ensure that state DOTs continue to make progress. It is imperative that AASHTO and all partners address this crisis using all means and methods at our disposal. Providing all users with safe multi-modal transportation options is the foremost priority. Reinvigorating the Workforce: As demographic trends continue to place significant strains on the labor pool across all sectors of the U.S. economy, state DOTs are seeking new ways to attract and maintain robust talent. Thompson will collaborate with state DOTs to establish effective practices for building a transportation workforce that meets the needs of today and tomorrow. AASHTO 2023-2024 Vice President Eucalitto was nominated by Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont and confirmed by the legislature as commissioner of the CTDOT in January 2023. From January 2020 until January 2023, Eucalitto served as the Deputy Commissioner of CTDOT. Prior to his time at CTDOT, Eucalitto served as the transportation program director for the National Governors Association, Undersecretary for the Connecticut Office of Policy and Management, and as a legislative assistant in the United States Senate. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the College of the Holy Cross and a master’s degree from Boston University. “We are ecstatic to welcome incoming AASHTO President Thompson and Vice President Eucalitto as they step into important leadership roles within our organization,” said AASHTO Executive Director Jim Tymon. “These accomplished leaders bring a wealth of knowledge that will benefit state DOTs across the nation and help AASHTO deliver safety, mobility, and access for everyone.” The full safety resolution is available here.
Raymond continues pledge to give back to local communities through North America in 2023
From monumental charitable donations to building bicycles for children in need for a brighter holiday season, Raymond’s network continues to support communities The season of giving is yearlong at The Raymond Corporation. In 2023, Raymond has supported more than 100 nonprofit and educational organizations in communities throughout New York state, home to its headquarters. The giving extends across North America as the organization and its network of Solutions and Support Centers help numerous charitable efforts and communities. With an altruistic culture spanning over 100 years, Raymond continues to prioritize fundamental company values focused on respect for people and innovation, driving the company and its associates forward to make a positive impact on their local communities. “Raymond and our entire enterprise of Solutions and Support Centers have always been committed to a pledge of giving back and making a difference in the communities in which we operate and serve,” said Steve VanNostrand, executive vice president at The Raymond Corporation. “Generosity has long been exemplified throughout our operations, and it runs deep in the hearts of our team members. We appreciate our associates, who are absolutely key in helping bring these efforts to fruition.” Raymond and its Solutions and Support Centers contribute to nonprofit and educational organizations with monetary contributions, forklift donations and voluntary participation spanning from building bicycles to building out warehouse centers for food pantries. Here are some model examples of how Raymond’s Solutions and Support Centers have given back to communities across North America in 2023: Abel Womack, Inc. — Lawrence, Massachusetts Supporting Filling in the Blanks, Abel Womack donated racking and laid out plans to expand the warehouse storage space by going vertical, allowing the group to accommodate more food for weekend meal bags. Andersen Material Handling — Wixom, Michigan Andersen Material Handling was a Platinum Sponsor for the American Childhood Cancer Organization’s golf outing. Brauer Material Handling Systems, Inc. — Hendersonville, Tennessee Through its employee donation program, Brauer Material Handling Systems offers each team member $200 to donate to a charity or nonprofit of choice. These donations were awarded to organizations such as St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the local humane society and Boy Scouts of America. Carolina Handling — Charlotte, North Carolina Carolina Handling supports Ronald McDonald House Charities in six Southeastern cities by adopting a room at Ronald McDonald Houses in Atlanta, Georgia; Birmingham, Alabama; Greenville, South Carolina; Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Durham, North Carolina; and Charlotte, North Carolina. Funds donated to the Adopt-a-Room program help maintain guest rooms with all the comforts of home. Heubel Shaw — Kansas City, Missouri Through various events and internal fundraising, Heubel Shaw donated over $35,000 to the American Cancer Society in 2023. Over the past decade, Heubel Shaw has raised and donated over $350,000 to the organization. Hooper Handling — Hamburg, New York Contributing to a number of healthcare organizations focused on outreach care, research and more, Hooper Handling donated toward the Alzheimer Association of Western New York, Roswell Park Alliance Foundation to support breast cancer research, and Mental Health Advocates of WNY to support mental health in elementary schools. Johnston Equipment — Mississauga, Ontario Johnston Equipment has continued its long-standing support of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada, including sponsorship of the annual general meeting, charity golf tournament, educational scholarships and annual gala dinner. Malin — Addison, Texas Going on 10 years, Malin has supported Minnie’s Food Pantry in Plano, Texas, this year donating 12,000 cans of corn for the Thanksgiving meal giveaway. Malin also maintained all 11 pieces of the food pantry’s equipment and provided the Safety On The Move® Operator Training Program to its volunteers. Raymond de Mexico — Querétaro, Mexico Raymond de Mexico actively participates with donations to Casa María Goretti, a home for girls, adolescents and young people with intellectual or developmental disabilities in vulnerable situations, where they receive the necessities, medical care, psychological attention and more. Employees visited the home, gifted jackets and organized an uplifting event that included great food, music, singing and camaraderie. Raymond Storage Concepts, Inc. — Cincinnati, Ohio Raymond Storage Concepts enjoyed a memorable volunteer day at New Life Furniture Bank, sorting and packing houseware items into boxes to disperse to community members in need. New Life Furniture Bank provides gently used furniture and household items throughout greater Cincinnati and Dayton, Ohio, and northern Kentucky. Raymond West — Santa Fe Springs, California As part of Operation Santa Supply Chain, some 200 bikes were built by Raymond West employees as part of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve’s Toys for Tots® Program. Raymond West “elves” have been busy building bikes to support the 2023 holiday season. Welch Equipment Company — Denver, Colorado The Welch equipment team donated an all-terrain vehicle (valued at $38,000) to the Pueblo YMCA. This ATV will be useful in transporting supplies, as well as children with physical disabilities, to mountainous Camp Jackson — a beloved staple in the community since 1916. As total intralogistics solutions providers, Raymond Solutions and Support Centers offer a broad range of consulting, connected solutions, technologies, services, material handling equipment and more to support the ever-growing needs of their customers. To see more examples of how Raymond Solutions and Support Centers are giving back in 2023, visit Raymond’s Facebook or LinkedIn pages at www.facebook.com/TheRaymondCorporation or https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-raymond-corporation/.
Industrial Manufacturing Planned Projects held steady in Q3, October 2023 increases by 7%
Industrial SalesLeads has announced the October 2023 results for the new planned capital project spending report for the Industrial Manufacturing industry. The Firm tracks North American planned industrial capital project activity; including facility expansions, new plant construction and significant equipment modernization projects. Research confirms 161 new projects in October as compared to 150 in September. The following are selected highlights on new Industrial Manufacturing industry construction news. Industrial Manufacturing – By Project Type Manufacturing/Production Facilities – 137 New Projects Distribution and Industrial Warehouse – 84 New Projects Industrial Manufacturing – By Project Scope/Activity New Construction – 56 New Projects Expansion – 54 New Projects Renovations/Equipment Upgrades – 56 New Projects Plant Closings – 14 New Projects Industrial Manufacturing – By Project Location (Top 10 States) Indiana – 17 New York – 10 North Carolina – 10 Texas – 10 Michigan – 9 Ohio – 8 Tennessee – 8 Pennsylvania – 7 Florida – 6 Georgia – 6 Largest Planned Project During the month of October, our research team identified 17 new Industrial Manufacturing facility construction projects with an estimated value of $100 million or more. The largest project is owned by Northvolt AB, who is planning to invest $5 billion for the construction of a manufacturing facility in MCMASTERVILLE, QC. They have recently received approval for the project. Completion is slated for late 2026. Top 10 Tracked Industrial Manufacturing Projects INDIANA: Automotive MFR. is planning to invest $3.2 billion for the construction of an EV battery manufacturing facility in KOKOMO, IN. Completion is slated for early 2027. MICHIGAN: Battery MFR. is planning to invest an additional $3 billion for the expansion of their manufacturing facility in HOLLAND, MI. They are currently seeking approval for the project. QUEBEC: Specialty steel MFR. is planning to invest $1.7 billion for the construction of a manufacturing facility in SEPT-ILES, QC. They are currently seeking approval for the project. Construction is expected to start in 2026, with completion slated for 2029. MASSACHUSETTS: Consumer goods MFR. is planning to invest $1 billion for the expansion, renovation, and equipment upgrades at their manufacturing facility in ANDOVER, MA. They will relocate their manufacturing operations from BOSTON, MA upon completion. The project includes the renovation of their corporate campus in BOSTON, MA. INDIANA: Solar panel MFR. is planning to invest $800 million for the construction of a manufacturing facility in JEFFERSONVILLE, IN. Completion is slated for late 2025. TEXAS: Construction and agricultural equipment MFR. is planning to invest $265 million for the construction of a 720,000 sf manufacturing facility in SAN ANTONIO, TX. Construction is expected to start in early 2024. MISSISSIPPI: Truck MFR. is planning to invest $209 million for the expansion of their manufacturing facility in COLUMBUS, MS by 50,000 SF. They have recently received approval for the project. Construction is expected to start in late 2023. PENNSYLVANIA: Startup battery technology company is considering investing $160 million for the construction of a manufacturing facility and is currently seeking a site in the MERCER COUNTY, PA area. Watch Industrial SalesLeads for updates. ARKANSAS: Firearm and ammunition MFR. is planning to invest $150 million for a 250,000 SF expansion of their manufacturing facility in JACKSONVILLE, AR. They are currently seeking approval for the project. IDAHO: Semiconductor MFR. is planning to invest $114 million for the expansion of their manufacturing facility at 8000 S. Federal Way in BOISE, ID by 109,000 SF. They are currently seeking approval for the project. About Industrial SalesLeads, Inc. Since 1959, Industrial SalesLeads, based in Jacksonville, FL is a leader in delivering industrial capital project intelligence and prospecting services for sales and marketing teams to ensure a predictable and scalable pipeline. Our Industrial Market Intelligence identifies timely insights on companies planning significant capital investments such as new construction, expansion, relocation, equipment modernization and plant closings in industrial facilities. The Outsourced Prospecting Services, an extension to your sales team, is designed to drive growth with qualified meetings and appointments for your internal sales team. Visit us at salesleadsinc.com.
Manufacturers and Dealers will have to make hard decisions in 2024
December has arrived and as we close the books on another great year, there is again uncertainty for what is to come in 2024. At the end of last year, I wrote that most likely your business strategies for 2023 might have included contemplating aspects such as consolidation and engaging in merger and acquisition endeavors as this was indeed a noteworthy trend highlighted by MHEDA for 2023. The growing significance of business valuation and succession planning, particularly as business owners weigh retirement options with consolidation remains a prevalent theme. The delicate balance between the manufacturer and dealer relationship remains relevant as our industry experiences a surge in mergers and acquisitions among forklift dealerships. Consolidation of dealers and rental companies purchasing dealers looking to quickly acquire equipment has led to manufacturers on a quest looking for new dealers to grow in different markets or shifting to factory stores. This will continue to be a challenge for leaders of both dealer and manufacturers in the pursuit of growth in the coming year. This is one reason why there is uncertainty for what 2024 will bring. Another dynamic currently going on is that dealers are mostly flush with inventory of new equipment. The manufacturers want to know what the dealer’s plan is for the coming year as it relates to their new equipment orders. The manufacturers want more orders to keep the factory floor busy but the interest rates of the inventory currently on the dealer floor plan are high. Increased depreciation expense of those assets is certainly impacting dealer’s profitability. Dealers must practice careful financial management to optimize profitability while accounting for all of these factors. That fine line between the dealer and manufacturer relationship becomes delicate as noted, especially as new equipment pricing is beginning to come down on new orders and manufacturers are catching up with recent demand. In many cases the price of a new forklift today from the factory is less than the purchase price of the forklift the dealer purchased that is currently sitting in inventory at their dealership. If you keep up with MHEDA’s Material Handling Business Trends, one of the trends that has been noted for 2024 states, “There is a correlation occurring as it relates to forklift inventory. Orders are declining, used equipment pricing and rental utilization are decreasing and there are increased requirements to order new equipment. This is placing pressure on the forklift distributor and cash flow.” New Equipment Dealer truck inventory levels are at an all-time high with more on order. This combined with the drop in the market is a ‘perfect storm’ leading to the end result of the manufacturer (factory) not receiving many new orders. Simultaneously, the factory inventory levels continue to rise as well, albeit varying based on specific models, as the supply chain has normalized, and the manufacturers are catching up with previous demand. The factory is finally shipping the new truck orders that have been previously sitting on extended lead times. Therefore, dealers are placing less ‘fill the pipeline’ orders’, until they have clear visibility of what they will sell from the inventory they have now and into 2024. The dealer discounting has already begun. New truck inventory at a factory store (manufacturer owned dealer) is also interesting to note. The factory controls the distribution and the orders placed for inventory are kept on the floor of the factory store. The rise of the factory store model has been a result of independent dealer owners not having a succession plan in place, coupled with the manufacturer not able to find a suitable buyer to buy said dealership, so the manufacturer buys the dealer and converts it to a factory store. This leads to the question of what will it look like 5-10 years from now as the manufacturer continues to consolidate and buy up independent dealers and continues to have increased new truck inventory levels at their factory owned stores while there is a lessened end-customer demand? Do the factory stores have the proper controls in place to manage these inventory fluctuations? Interesting indeed. The recent decline of consumer spending certainly has an impact on the demand for new truck orders. Consumer spending makes up about 70% of the U.S. GDP according to the National Retail Federation. In one of their recent economic reviews, it was noted by NRF Chief Economist, Jack Kelinhenz, “There are ongoing economic challenges and questions, and the pace of consumer spending growth is becoming incrementally slower.” He goes on to state, “Consumers are still spending but are under financial pressure and have been adjusting how much they buy while also shifting from goods to services, while job and wage gains have counterbalanced inflation, the stockpile of savings accumulated during the pandemic is dwindling and is no longer providing as much spending power as previously available.” Less retail goods being purchased by consumers certainly creates a domino effect on our industry as it impacts the demand for new lift truck orders. Some of the same economic challenges and inventory gluts that the dealer and manufacturer are facing are also true to the end-customer. Wages are high, their customers are reaching their threshold for cost increases, and capital is expensive. Consequently, the end-customers are resorting to traditional cost management tools. Such cost management tactics they are practicing include delaying capital expenditures (i.e., new forklifts) and renegotiating prices with their suppliers (dealers) all which impact the demand for new lift trucks. Used Equipment The pricing on the used equipment market is beginning to soften and more used equipment will hit the market for sale. As noted, the manufacturers have caught up with recent demand, new truck shipments are up significantly. The shipment of these new trucks replacing older trucks or trucks coming off lease, causes an increase in used equipment inventory for the dealer. When a dealer has excess used equipment inventory of a specific type of truck, this leads to a reduced market sale price. Parts When lead times on new trucks
What is your biggest fear? Speaking, Rejection, or Failing?
It is said that speaking in public is a bigger fear than death. I don’t buy it. I think if someone put a gun to your head and said speak in public or die — you’d find that lost William Jennings Bryan oration within you. By far the biggest fear of salespeople is fear of failure. It has a cousin — fear of rejection. Rejection is the pathway to failure — if you fear it. While failure itself is real, the fear of it is a condition of the mind. Earl Nightingale’s legendary recording, “The Strangest Secret” says, “You become what you think about.” If that’s true, why doesn’t everyone think “success?” The answer is a combination of what we expose ourselves to, and how we condition ourselves. We live in a world of negative conditioning. The three big motivators are fear, greed and vanity. They drive the American sales process — and they drive the American salesperson. Our society preys on the fear factor. It’s in 50%of the ads we see (the rest are greed or vanity). Ads about life insurance for death and disability, credit cards stolen, anti-freeze for stalled cars, tires that grip the road in the rain, brakes that stop to avoid hitting a child on a bike, and security systems so your home won’t be robbed. You see that crap enough, you become “fear-conditioned.” We are constantly reminded to carry mace, get a burglar alarm, and be sure we have The Club. To make matters worse we now see police at ATM machines, metal detectors in schools, and can rely on the local news to promulgate the trend. They are dedicated to promote issues of fear every minute they’re on the air. Once society gives you fear, it’s natural that you take it with you into the workplace. It transmutes into a fear of failure. This fear intensifies in workplaces with hostile environments. Bosses and managers who threaten, intimidate and ridicule. In the midst of this, we struggle for success. And while we think we fear failure, or at least don’t want it around us– we all face it in one form or another every day. Everyone fails. But failure is relative. Its measurement is subjective. Mostly it occurs in your mind. If you exchange “I failed” for “I learned what never to do again,” it’s a completely different mindset. The status of failure is up to you. Over the years of my failures, I have developed a great way of looking at it (lots of practice). I learn from it, or I ignore it. Thomas Edison failed 6,000 times before the light bulb, Donald Trump had monumental failures on his way to the top, Mike Schmidt – third baseman for the Philadelphia Phillies failed at the plate (at bat) two out of three times for 20 years, and was inducted into baseballs Hall of Fame as one of the greatest ball players of all time. Were these men failures? Did they fear failure? There are degrees of failure in sales. Here are some external ones: Failure to prepare Failure to make contacts Failure to make a sale Failure to meet a quota Failure to keep a job External (outside) fears, lead to internal (inside) fears — fear based on what happens when you fail or are close to failing. Your reaction to internal fear determines your fate. It’s not what happens to you, it’s what you do with what happens to you. Here are the five typical reactions to rejection or failure: Curse it. Deny it (a nice way of saying lie about it). Avoid it. Make an excuse about it. Blame others (the easiest thing to do). Quit. Failure actually only occurs when you decide to quit. You choose your results. Here are a few simple things you can do to avoid getting to the “quit” stage: Look at failure as an event not a person. Look for the why and find the solution (If you look at “no” hard enough, it will lead you to yes). List possible opportunities. Ask yourself what have I learned, and try again. Don’t mope around with other failures — go find a successful person and hang around him/her. Here are a few complicated things you can do to avoid getting to the “I quit” stage: Create a new environment. Cultivate new associations. Access new information. Get a new mind set — create new background thoughts. It’s always too soon to quit. Afraid to speak, or afraid to fail? Which is the greater fear? When you consider the complications and ramifications of failure, making a speech to 1,000 people, by comparison, is a walk in the park. About the Author: Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of twelve best-selling books including The Sales Bible, The Little Red Book of Selling, and The Little Gold Book of Yes! Attitude. His real-world ideas and content are also available as online courses at www.GitomerLearningAcademy.com. For information about training and seminars visit www.Gitomer.com or email Jeffrey at salesman@gitomer.com or call him at 704 333-1112.
What happens in the auto industry…..
OEM’s and Lift Truck dealers have always been paying close attention to what is happening in the auto industry, thinking that these large major industrial players that also sell via dealer networks are a step ahead of the equipment industry, and that most of the current as well as any expected financial and economic changes incurred by the car industry will eventually wind up on the equipment dealer’s doorstep. And you know what, that is probably truer than you think. For example, let’s consider the latest auto industry adventure called the latest UAW contract renewal terms. They are asking for some substantial pay increases as well as benefit adjustments. The Ford contract asked for 25% increases over the term of the contract which will put the top rate up to $40 an hour, with a 68% increase for starting wages to over $28 an hour. That makes the top wage salary alone $83000, plus health and retirement benefits. All in, you are probably pushing $140,000 to $150,000 a year. This will not take place upon the agreement by the workers to accept the plan, but over the term of the new contract. So how will this new contract impact the auto industry? The PRICE of cars will increase, as if they haven’t already. The cost of REPAIRS will increase, as if they didn’t already. PARTS costs will increase for parts generated by the OEM. And my best guess is they will sell fewer cars annually compared to the past. OEM’s will reduce the number of employees by automating the build process along the lines of Tesla. Their stock prices will feel the negative impact of all the above. So, if what happens in the auto industry eventually winds up in your office, what can you expect and what can you do about it. I will bet you a cigar (Dean will provide them for you) that every manager reading this column will hear about the UAW deal from employees expecting to receive a comp adjustment starting January 1, 2024. Most of you have probably received these requests already. And since your techs, parts and rental folks drive your absorption factor, you probably will have to do something to keep them on board since we all know there is demand for experienced techs and parts personnel. So where does this leave you, the material handling dealer? Let’s compare the list above to your operation. If you increase your any fixed or variable costs (like payroll and benefits) you will have to sell more or INCREASE PRICING, thus increasing margin dollars to cover the new cost levels. The cost of your REPAIRS will have to be increased to maintain service margins, including work performed on maintenance contracts. Any PARTS department cost increases will also have to be covered via pricing upgrades. Seeing how all these factors impact new unit sales, I suspect customers will shop for the units and in the end your new unit sales will be lower than expected. Used sales and pure rental transactions should increase. Probably the biggest issue a dealer will have to investigate is how his/her competitors are doing regarding the same issues. If they hold to their current pricing, you have a problem. You will have to predict your competitor’s next move. You will need to find ways to improve productivity which will improve profit margins on a high percentage of your sales. To add to your problems, you will need to assist manufacturers and warehouse customers to improve productivity (this may come with a substantial cost component). Your CFO will need to play around with these various budget and cash flow implications. You could wind up with two or three versions to track, depending on how the sales numbers work out. Monthly and quarterly budgets are required along with the related cash flow analysis. We are talking about quite a bit of work here which may need to be outsourced. When you ponder your options long enough you come to realize that no matter what happens you need to take steps to improve productivity. Improve productivity and all the other problems become manageable because you have the flexibility to adjust as necessary without putting yourself in a bind financially. I also wanted to comment on last month’s column. In the Material Handling Wholesaler reader survey conducted in July you asked for more current info regarding ESOP’s. Consequently, I asked Nathan Perkins to provide some comments on the current state of the ESOP market and he produced a small book doing it. In any event it is a readable overview of the current ESOP market. If enough of you have questions, we can have a ZOOM meeting to discuss any questions you may have. So let us know if such a meeting would be beneficial and we will put it together. And, as mentioned before, there would be no disclosure of who is asking the questions. Next month, we will provide our annual tax report, current taxes as well as potential changes to the code. If you have any tax questions you would like addressed, please contact me and we will follow up and report next month. About the Columnist: Garry Bartecki is a CPA MBA with GB Financial Services LLC and a Wholesaler columnist since August 1993. E-mail editorial@mhwmag.com to contact Garry.
AI finds the route out of planning and scheduling problems and into unrivalled service delivery
There’s no escaping it—service delivery is a key business driver and not just for Amazon, but across asset-intensive industries where getting day-to-day planning, scheduling, and routing managed competently, and fully optimized, is becoming the make-or-break point for many businesses. According to a PwC report, 55% of customers would stop buying from a company that they otherwise liked after several bad experiences. It’s become a tough balancing act for businesses to optimize this need for customer experience with employee engagement, meeting SLAs, and not impacting bottom line costs. For Bob De Caux, VP Automation at IFS, it’s all about harnessing a PSO (Planning and Scheduling Optimization) system, powered by the latest AI and ML technologies to take the employee and customer experience to the next level. Excellent service delivered on time, and with a smile on the face of customers and employees alike, is key. In today’s service economy, customers demand rapid responses, flexible appointment slots, and guaranteed first-time fixes. Yet with skill shortages continuing to impact businesses attempting to roll out servitization initiatives and organizations looking to support outcomes-based service, field service teams often find themselves seriously stretched. Dispatchers are frequently overburdened and under a lot of pressure as they must manage many different scenarios. But service delivery doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Service optimization becomes even more essential when it comes to assets, where service delivery, parts, and logistics often require complicated planning and scheduling, and the bellwether of successful management of all those pieces is a powerful AI-enhanced PSO (Planning and Scheduling Optimization) solution. A truly optimized schedule can mean the difference between operating profit and loss, so it’s important that businesses pinpoint crucial areas for improvement. Asset-intensive businesses that leverage the capabilities of AI-enhanced PSO can streamline operations, enhance service delivery, optimize resource allocation, and improve customer satisfaction. When time is of the essence, ensure the right technician is always on hand The intensity and complexity of a service dispatcher’s work means decisions with different contexts need to be made quickly to maximize efficiency. The primary reason why optimization in the moment matters comes down to the impact of delays on customer experience—such as when customers cancel, appointments run over, and parts need to be allocated. Businesses need a system that can react in minutes, not hours. This is where the importance of AI-powered optimization demonstrates its value, as an effective system can do in fifteen minutes what some systems need overnight to compute. An AI-enabled PSO system can schedule large amounts of jobs in real-time to ensure the right engineer or field worker is in the right place at the right time and with the right skills and parts to successfully complete any job. AI PSO technology has the capability to continuously analyze real-time events, considering everything from job location to duration, technician availability, skills, parts, tools and other dependent tasks to automatically deliver highly optimized plans in seconds. AI can go one step further to enhance the experience of the dispatcher by giving them information they can understand, particularly when something goes wrong. The dynamic route optimization function of PSO technology assigns jobs to technicians that will optimize drive time by taking the most efficient route and assign jobs that are as close together as resource availability will allow. The system achieves this by using AI to calculate time needed to complete each task based on existing data for each technician, so that an appropriate timeframe is given to jobs that are more complex or have a larger scale. This guarantees that there is enough time for completion and prevents costly overruns. Prioritize where it counts to keep employee morale high Prioritizing jobs is difficult when multiple tasks are coming in continuously and encompass a wide range of different geographical regions. Service dispatchers are forced to firefight, which can be highly stressful and likely to negatively impact employee retention. Added to this, field workers may become disillusioned, having to deal with significant travel requirements, short notice changes to job requirements, and problems in completing allocated work. Morale across the entire field workforce is likely to suffer as a result—but asset-intensive businesses can turn the tide with AI. The right AI-powered scheduling tool can tailor the chosen approach to meet the precise needs of each business. There will typically be a need to efficiently blend appointments with reactive and planned work, so businesses will need an effective way of aligning appointment times around existing committed work. But that is not sufficient in itself. Organizations need to go beyond this to deliver target-based or value-based scheduling. This approach allows the organizations to focus their scheduling directly on the key performance indicators (KPIs) that matter most to the business. An AI-powered PSO system for instance, allows organizations to layer specific values, such as company rules (KPIs) or regional rules (regulatory) over the engine powering its planning optimization to ensure that appointments are triaged effectively. This could be a reduction in the average cost per job for a white goods repair firm or an increase in the percentage of calls responded to within the target SLA (time window) by a regional ambulance service. Typically, it is a question of managing complex and even competing priorities to ensure SLA compliance and maximize profit. Cut down on wasted time and eliminate human error Service dispatchers often have to manage planned maintenance with new jobs coming on stream in real-time. To complicate matters further, many try to optimize the workforce using traditional processes, which is time-consuming and error prone. So where can businesses cut down on inefficient and time-killer tasks? Today’s enterprises continuously collect asset performance data but industries from manufacturing to service all struggle with similar dilemmas: how to put data collected in the right context and act in real-time. Autonomous enterprises that incorporate AI and ML into their processes can manage data at scale more quickly and accurately than a sole human workforce. Equally, AI and ML models with self-learning asset performance anomaly detection can deliver the predictive analytics
Unlocking the Power of Organizational Culture: Fulfilling people’s needs to create a thriving workplace
Dealing with troubling workplace environments can be difficult. It’s not always clear what the deeper issue is and the friction and conflict it breeds can be tough to reverse. At the heart of any organization are its people. Without a dedicated, aligned, and fully engaged workforce, no progress can be made. High-performance organizations excel in creating an environment that recognizes and addresses the fundamental human needs that drive their members. The Hierarchy of Needs Psychologist Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, once revolutionary, is now widely embraced and frequently applied to organizational psychology. Leveraging this framework to identify what individuals require for success and taking the necessary actions to fulfill these needs can support the cultivation of an emergent culture that fosters growth, success, and satisfaction in your organization. Physiological The lowest level in Maslow’s hierarchy is physiological needs. These are the most basic human requirements, encompassing necessities like food, water, and shelter. Although it isn’t the organization’s responsibility to directly provide for these needs, it is crucial to ensure they are met indirectly. This involves paying a living wage so that these basic needs are met and offering a sense of certainty to employees about their job security and expectations regarding their roles. Establishing effective lines of communication between employees and their superiors is a great way to create certainty. When integrating new hires, make sure they have clarity on what their role is and what their responsibilities are. Encourage them to ask questions. For existing employees, having occasional check-ins ensures they are aligned with their jobs and not struggling to fulfill their physiological needs or produce at work. Safety Individuals need to feel secure both psychologically and physically in the workplace. This means that constant yelling or outbursts from superiors or colleagues cannot be tolerated. There cannot be fear of physical or psychological harm. Having rules and guidelines that discourage and have consequences for this type of behavior is often necessary. Optimizing the hiring process and having the right people in the organization is also big part of promoting feelings of safety. If someone is incredibly capable but ruins the productivity of others by spreading fear and/or anger, they are a net negative to the organization. It is impossible for people to be productive or creative in a state of fear. Boundaries need to also be respected. Treating people how they want to be treated goes a long way towards making them feel safe in their environment. An organization that provides safety for its employees earns trust, thus possessing a foundational element of a healthy, high-performance culture. Love and Belonging Love is a fundamental emotional need for people. While this is commonly thought of as something that relates to relationships with friends, family, and significant others, there are also ways to fulfill this emotional requirement in the workplace. An organization that has an environment of kindness, respect, and inclusivity is able to satisfy this basic human desire. Everyone has a need to belong and be accepted for who they are. Understanding the motives of new hires for joining the organization and what they believe they will gain from their work can aid in fostering a sense of belonging. Organizations can further support this need by asking existing employees various questions and attempting to better understand each individual. Some questions to ask are: Are they happy in their role and doing their work? Is it aligned with what’s important? How do they feel they are contributing through their work? What matters to them? What causes do they care about? What do they want to be doing with their life? How can their job help them experience belonging? Asking about their job satisfaction, contributions, and personal aspirations emphasizes the importance of each individual’s role in the organization’s success, cementing a feeling of belonging and increasing engagement and satisfaction. Esteem Needs “I feel significant,” “I feel respected,” and “I feel like I’m contributing,” are all feelings that are necessary to meet the level of esteem. When people feel recognized and valued, they are motivated to continue being effective and valuable. Making sure every person in your organization feels they play an important role in the organization’s success, no matter their job, is paramount. However, it is crucial to distinguish between significance (feeling important and making a difference) and contribution (being a part of something bigger than you or your ego and making a difference, even without recognition or significance). The latter is the pinnacle of Maslow’s Hierarchy and the highest level of effectiveness, known as self-actualization. Self-Actualization Self-actualization involves realizing one’s potential, fully developing one’s abilities, and having a true appreciation for life. It encompasses fulfilling the spiritual needs of growth and contribution, preventing employees from feeling like mere automatons solely focused on financial gain and only going through the motions. Self-actualized people are at their most capable, productive, and fulfilled selves and regularly tap into their highest level of thinking and creativity. According to Maslow, individuals must fulfill lower needs before pursuing higher ones. To reach self-actualization, every need in Maslow’s hierarchy must be addressed first. Because of this, Maslow asserts that less than 1 percent of the adult population ever achieves this level. Keep in mind that this was published over 50 years ago. In today’s world, psychologists think it is closer to 5 percent, solely because there is a deep desire in humans to contribute and feel a sense of fulfillment – the more people evolve, the more they want to experience these higher feelings of satisfaction in their work. Importance for Culture Meeting people’s needs is essential for creating an emergent culture. Consider the three fundamental elements of an emergent culture: Cause, Framework, and Energy. Cause revolves around making a difference and defining the organization’s noble cause. Framework pertains to the structures in place for optimizing employees’ creative potential and ability to produce, including hiring processes, delegation, team assignments, and utilizing individuals’ strengths. Energy is how people treat each other, the moods they bring to work, and how the work
Orbis Corporation and Prairie Farms receive 2023 QCS Collaboration Award
Award honors initiatives that deliver excellence through the joint efforts of a member and a supply partner working together to either solve a problem or achieve the desired outcome ORBIS® Corporation, an international provider in reusable packaging, and Prairie Farms, a well-known farmer-owned dairy cooperative, were awarded the 2023 QCS Purchasing Cooperative Collaboration Award for their continued collaborative efforts in developing a reusable cheese container and delivery system that prioritizes sustainable practices and product integrity. The QCS Best Collaboration Award is a prestigious honor that celebrates joint initiatives between a member and a supply partner that have excelled in addressing industry challenges or achieving desired outcomes. The award was presented at the 2023 QCS Annual Conference in Orlando, Florida, in October. Since 1938, Prairie Farms has been committed to producing fresh dairy products of the highest quality and exceeding the expectations of customers, consumers and partners. Recognizing an opportunity to enhance product integrity, reduce waste and prevent contamination in the supply chain, Prairie Farms initiated a collaborative project with long-time collaborator, ORBIS Corporation. The objective was to create a reusable packaging solution for the dairy industry, specifically tailored to maintain product quality and safety. “We do feel we have a true partnership with ORBIS,” said Chris Hackman, chief operating officer at Prairie Farms. ORBIS Corporation, with its extensive experience serving the dairy industry, has a strong commitment to environmental stewardship and reducing its customers’ environmental impact. “This innovative system not only replaces single-use material, but also offers enhancements in efficiency, output capacity and the overall utilization of the production facility,” said Matthew Beeman, VP Sales RSC at ORBIS Corporation. “We are honored this initiative was recognized by QCS. At ORBIS, we remain committed to not only addressing customer challenges but also setting a new standard across industry sectors.” Through this collaboration, Prairie Farms and ORBIS Corporation have demonstrated the power of partnership in delivering solutions that benefit the entire supply chain. In 2019, ORBIS and Prairie Farms were also nominated and won the QCS Best Collaboration Award for work they did with a leading national grocery retailer to optimize delivery of fluid milk in-store. The solution was the ORBIS XpressBulk™ Milk Dolly & Tray System, a retail-ready fully reusable delivery system.
Cargo volume rises at Port of Long Beach
October lifted by holiday season, ongoing efforts to recapture market share Cargo moving through the Port of Long Beach in October rose for a second consecutive month amid preparations for the upcoming holiday shopping season and ongoing efforts to recapture market share. Dockworkers and terminal operators moved 755,150 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) last month, up 14.7% from October 2022. Imports increased 23.6% to 363,300 TEUs and exports decreased 24.8% to 90,073 TEUs. Empty containers moved through the Port grew 23.3% to 301,777 TEUs. “Cargo is rebounding and we are continuing to collaborate with our industry partners to recapture market share and invest in infrastructure that will position us for future growth,” said Port of Long Beach CEO Mario Cordero. “We are anticipating moderate growth through the rest of the year as retailers continue to stock shelves for the winter holidays.” “We appreciate the hard work of our terminal operators, truckers, dockworkers and all of our supply chain partners who keep the goods moving through our Port and delivered to our communities, region, state and nation,” said Long Beach Harbor Commission President Bobby Olvera Jr. “As we are closing out 2023, we are excited for 2024 and continuing to deliver top-notch customer service while being sustainable and a good community partner.” The Port has moved 6,577,815 TEUs during the first 10 months of 2023, down 17.8% from the same period last year. Cargo flows this year have been on pace with pre-pandemic levels, when the Port of Long Beach moved more than 6.36 million TEUs through October 2019. For complete cargo numbers, visit polb.com/statistics.
U.S. Rail Traffic for the week ending November 11, 2023
The Association of American Railroads (AAR) has reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending November 11, 2023. For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 497,348 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.4 percent compared with the same week last year. Total carloads for the week ending November 11 were 233,745 carloads, up 2.3 percent compared with the same week in 2022, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 263,603 containers and trailers, up 4.4 percent compared to 2022. Seven of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2022. They included coal, up 1,793 carloads, to 69,213; motor vehicles and parts, up 1,707 carloads, to 16,542; and metallic ores and metals, up 1,520 carloads, to 19,705. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2022 were nonmetallic minerals, down 1,168 carloads, to 31,294; farm products excl. grain, and food, down 113 carloads, to 16,801; and chemicals, down 95 carloads, to 30,673. For the first 45 weeks of 2023, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 10,154,581 carloads, up 0.1 percent from the same point last year; and 10,929,010 intermodal units, down 6.8 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 45 weeks of 2023 was 21,083,591 carloads and intermodal units, a decrease of 3.6 percent compared to last year. North American rail volume for the week ending November 11, 2023, on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 347,446 carloads, up 4.5 percent compared with the same week last year, and 345,647 intermodal units, up 3.2 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 693,093 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.8 percent. North American rail volume for the first 45 weeks of 2023 was 29,526,956 carloads and intermodal units, down 3.2 percent compared with 2022. Canadian railroads reported 96,878 carloads for the week, up 6.9 percent, and 69,605 intermodal units, down 5.9 percent compared with the same week in 2022. For the first 45 weeks of 2023, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 7,174,607 carloads, containers and trailers, down 3.3 percent. Mexican railroads reported 16,823 carloads for the week, up 25.9 percent compared with the same week last year, and 12,439 intermodal units, up 45.5 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 45 weeks of 2023 was 1,268,758 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 3.9 percent from the same point last year. To view the traffic charts, click here.
Ferri Equipment joins LiuGong North America Dealer lineup
Ferri Equipment is the latest East Coast construction equipment dealer to join the growing LiuGong North America dealership network. Ferri Equipment owners, Boone Ferri and Carley Bockmeyer, have been looking to add a heavy equipment line for several years to keep up with the growing construction projects along the New England coastline. Mr. Ferri confirmed LiuGong was the right manufacturer for them after meeting the corporate team and seeing the machines in person at this year’s CONEXPO-CON/AGG in Las Vegas. “This is going to be our only heavy line, and we’re going to put our entire focus behind it to help grow our business and theirs. Customer Service is our primary focus, and we are excited to have the opportunity to partner with an OEM who has the same primary focus.” Established in 2014, the family-owned company provides equipment sales and rentals for construction, landscaping, forestry and material handling applications. Ferri Equipment is headquartered in Wareham, Massachusetts with rental operations across New England. LiuGong North America President Andrew Ryan said they are thrilled to bring on a competitive dealership in a thriving market of the United States, especially one with an excellent reputation for service, like Ferri Equipment. “We feel incredibly positive about this dealer-manufacturer relationship because we’re invested in the same goals,” Ryan said. “We’re constantly looking for dealers, like Ferri Equipment, that focus on building customer relationships, growing their businesses and representing the LiuGong brand with excellent machines and service.” Ferri brings a career’s worth of experience to the dealership network as a former heavy equipment mechanic. He said part of what drew him to LiuGong is the emphasis they place on the quality and service of their machines. “I get the feeling that they’re a very proud company, and they’re proud of their product,” Ferri said. “Their goal is building long-lasting relationships with quality dealers who are going to support their customers.”
Mitsubishi Logisnext Americas and Darr Equipment revolutionizing the Dallas Cowboys stadium logistics and warehouse efficiency
Mitsubishi Logisnext Americas (Logisnext), a North American provider and manufacturer of material handling and innovative automation and fleet solutions, has partnered with the Dallas Cowboys and Darr Equipment Company, the Official Lift Truck Provider of the Dallas Cowboys, to transform its material handling processes. The Dallas Cowboys have relied on a fleet of over 50 Cat® lift trucks and Jungheinrich® warehouse products to keep AT&T Stadium and The Star in Frisco football-ready, while making sure its Merchandising Distribution and Sales Center move at peak performance to keep up with the demand of its fans. “Mitsubishi Logisnext Americas is excited to play a role in supporting the Dallas Cowboys’ commitment to delivering an exceptional game-day experience for their fans,” said Eric Gabriel, vice president, North America Dealer Sales, Mitsubishi Logisnext Americas. “The Dallas Cowboys are known for their intense commitment to win – on and off the field – and running a smooth operation is a critical part of their success.” Darr Equipment Company, Mitsubishi Logisnext Americas’ authorized dealer in Dallas, Texas, has served as the Official Lift Truck Provider of the Dallas Cowboys since 2009. This long-standing partnership with Darr Equipment strengthens the Cowboys commitment to excellence and contributes to the advancement of logistics and technology that drive operations for the Dallas Cowboys. Cat Lift Trucks: The Powerhouse Behind AT&T Stadium Game-Day Performance AT&T Stadium, home to “America’s Team”, hosts a wide range of events, from international soccer games to record-breaking NBA All-Star Games and more. To maximize peak performance, the Stadium relies on Cat lift trucks to keep its operation moving. The Dallas Cowboys uses Cat DP120N and GP25N internal combustion pneumatic tire lift trucks to perform its ongoing stadium processes year-round, including maintenance and changeover of its 46 stadium turfs, each weighing 12,000 pounds. The Cat lift trucks are able to effortlessly move, set up and skillfully navigate the stadium’s tight corners, ensuring the field is perfectly primed for the Dallas Cowboys to take over. “Our collaboration with Mitsubishi Logisnext Americas and Darr Equipment has been a game-changer,” said Andy Crerar, Stadium Project Manager, Dallas Cowboys. “Cat lift trucks have streamlined our operations, allowing us to be more effective, efficient and safe while completing our work on a daily basis. Our conversions have gone from 12 to 10 hours per changeover since switching to Cat.” Jungheinrich Warehouse Products: Streamlining Warehouse Distribution At the Dallas Cowboys’ 400,000-square-foot merchandising warehouse, connected to the Dallas Cowboys Pro Shop, Jungheinrich pantograph reach trucks and high-level order pickers have become a vital component in daily tasks. The massive facility is designed to create, store and ship branded merchandise from Frisco, TX, to destinations around the world. Capable of operating two eight-hour shifts on a single charge, the Jungheinrich lift trucks offer a variety of cutting-edge features that ensure seamless warehouse efficiency. “Jungheinrich has revolutionized the way we manage in the warehouse,” said Alex Luviano, product movement manager, Dallas Cowboys. “These trucks not only operate efficiently, but also provide a heightened sense of security, significantly elevating our overall productivity. The Dallas Cowboys is all about tradition and excellence, and these trucks are now part of that tradition.” Based in Houston, Texas, Mitsubishi Logisnext Americas remains at the forefront of the material handling industry. This partnership with the Dallas Cowboys represents Logisnext’s dedication to helping keep America’s Team and premier sports entertainment center moving forward.
Episode 437: Warehouse construction and retrofitting with Jamie Dorland of Cadell Construction
In this episode of The New Warehouse podcast, Jamie Dorland, a seasoned construction executive at Caddell Construction, joins the show. In its 40th year, Caddell Construction is a diverse construction firm in multiple states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, and Arizona. The company specializes in three primary business units: international, governmental, and commercial projects, emphasizing warehouse and data center work in the commercial sector. This episode is particularly engaging as it marks the first time the podcast has delved into the construction aspect of warehouses, an essential component of the warehousing industry. Dorland’s insights shed light on the intricate relationship between construction and warehousing, making this a must-listen episode for industry professionals. The Evolution of Warehouse Construction Dorland highlights the dynamic nature of warehouse construction, emphasizing the increasing trend toward automation and the shift from new builds to retrofits. Dorland, leading the automation business unit at Caddell, emphasized the growing focus on retrofitting existing structures to incorporate advanced technologies. This trend reflects the industry’s response to evolving market demands and technological advancements. For instance, Dorland noted the European influence on warehouse construction, where going vertical has become a norm to maximize space utilization. “As the market continues to evolve with technology, there’s a transitionary period where clients weigh new builds against retrofits. Our role often involves evaluating these components, understanding their pros and cons for each scenario.” Navigating the Challenges of Retrofitting The conversation then pivoted to the challenges and intricacies of retrofitting warehouses for automation. Dorland described how Caddell Construction collaborates closely with clients and automation vendors during pre-construction to tailor solutions to specific needs. This collaborative approach is vital in retrofitting projects, ensuring minimal disruption to existing operations while maximizing the use of current infrastructure. Dorland shared, “Our mission in retrofits is not just about construction. It’s about being a partner in the transition, ensuring the new systems integrate seamlessly with the client’s existing operations.” Key Takeaways on Warehouse Construction The Shift to Retrofitting: The warehouse construction industry increasingly focuses on retrofitting existing structures for modern automation needs, reflecting a balance between leveraging current investments and embracing new technologies. Collaborative Approach: Successful warehouse construction, especially in retrofits, requires close collaboration between construction firms, clients, and automation vendors to address unique challenges and ensure seamless integration. Vertical Expansion Trends: Influenced by European models, there is a growing trend towards vertical expansion in warehouse construction, aiming to maximize space efficiency in response to evolving market demands. The New Warehouse Podcast EP 437: Warehouse Construction and Retrofitting with Jamie Dorland of Cadell Construction
Plastics Industry Association celebrates America Recycles Day
The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) is celebrating America Recycles Day, the official national observance dedicated to promoting recycling across the United States on November 15th. “For the plastics industry, every day is America Recycles Day,” said PLASTICS President and CEO Matt Seaholm. “Our industry is dedicated to recycling which is why we work tirelessly to improve recyclability and invest billions of dollars into new technologies to recycle. “Recycling is real, and the plastics industry is proud to be a part of the solution, but we need to do more. We need partners at all levels, including government, the private sector and communities working together to recycle even more valuable materials every day,” concluded Seaholm. Recently, PLASTICS launched an advocacy campaign, Recycling is Real, dedicated to promoting and defending plastic recycling in America. The campaign provides content to help elected officials and policymakers understand that recycling is a vital link of the sustainability and circularity chain, enabling them to make more well-informed decisions about recycling resources for their constituents.