Tri-Boro’s Fred DeMaio, Jr. passes at age 84
Frederick (Fred) DeMaio, Jr., 84 of Dillwyn, VA peacefully passed away surrounded by his family on August 27th, 2020. Fred was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. After graduating high school, Fred served his country honorably in the US Army. He was appointed to the New York City Police Department in 1956. Fred served with distinction and valor and was awarded several meritorious commendations. Upon his retirement from the NYPD, Fred embarked on a 47-year business career as owner and Chairman of the Board of Triboro Shelving and Partition Corporation and Triboro Rack and Storage Products located in New York City and Farmville, VA. In addition to the shelving business, Fred was an avid farmer and an active member of the Buckingham Cattlemen’s Association. Fred’s life was truly a success story. His loving family mourns his passing. Surviving are Fred’s wife of 41 years Antoinette, sister Barbara Miele (Mike), sons Frederick (Kristie) and John (Maria), daughter Joy Louise, grandchildren Michael, William, Amanda, and Brianna, and numerous nieces and nephews. Fred’s legacy will be felt by his family, friends, and peers for years to come.
Hannibal Industries adds Material Handling Systems to growing list of Master Dealers
Hannibal Industries, a North American provider in pallet rack manufacturing, has announced that Material Handling Systems, Inc. (MHS) as its latest Master Dealer to service Northern California. Material Handling Systems’ President Jim Warren states, “We chose to invest heavily in Hannibal to stock its selective pallet rack, cantilever rack and accessories exclusively because over the years of working together, we trust and can count on them. We look at Hannibal as our partner, not a supplier because that’s how they treat us.” As Hannibal’s Master Dealer, Material Handling Systems, Inc. currently carries more than 400,000 pounds of Hannibal steel available on-site that includes: pallet rack, cantilever rack, and racking accessories. Material Handling Systems, also known as Sacramento Rack and Shelving, has completed projects for Rite Aid, Raley’s, Pepsi, Cal Fire, NAPA, HD Supply, and AT&T as well as thousands of their other clients. Since opening its doors for business nearly 20 years ago, the team at Material Handling Systems provides customers with quality products and exceptional customer service.
Wildeck, Inc. launches Two-Day shipping for Guarding Products
Wildeck, Inc. has announced effective June 1, 2020, stocked guarding product orders less than $5,000 (list price) will ship in 2 days. Simply place your order prior to 12 PM CST and that order will ship on the second business day. Customers may contact their Wildeck sales representative directly for quick-ship options for orders greater than $5,000 (list price). “Material handling safety is front of mind for our customers,” said Dave Milner, Vice President Sales and Marketing for Wildeck, “Often times they need guarding products quickly to address a specific need. Wildeck commits to meeting those needs with the right product at the right time.” Wildeck manufactures a full line of guarding products, including steel guard rails, end-of-aisle protectors, rack upright protectors, bollards, shelving guards, machine guards, and much more. In addition to safety products, Wildeck manufactures and markets the most complete portfolio of material handling solutions in the industry structural steel mezzanine platforms, manual and automated vertical lifts (VRCs), rideable material lifts (RMLs), crossovers, catwalks, stairs and more. All products are made in the USA.
Beumer Corporation names new president and CEO
Dr. Christoph Beumer, Chairman, and CEO of BEUMER Group has announced that Joseph “Joe” Dzierzawski has been named president and CEO of BEUMER Corporation, effective April 27, 2020. Mr. Dzierzawski will be fully responsible for the business of BEUMER Group in the North American market in alignment with BEUMER Group business objectives, strategy, and key pursuits. Founded in 1935, BEUMER Group is an international leader in the manufacturer of intralogistics systems for conveying, loading, palletizing, sortation, and baggage handling. Headquartered in Germany, the privately held company has approximately 4,500 employees with annual revenues over $1 Billion USD in 2019. A graduate of the University of Michigan, with a degree in metallurgical engineering, Mr. Dzierzawski has attended Executive Management Programs at the University of Michigan School of Business and INSEAD in Fontainebleau, France. He joins BEUMER from Hatch Metals & Minerals group where, as a senior member of the Hatch metals team, he served as Global Director, Technology & Business Development. He had previously served at SMS, a German market leader where he held a series of positions, eventually serving as President & Chief Executive Officer for SMS USA and Chief Technology Officer for SMS Group, Inc. “I look forward to the challenge of expanding my career outside of metallurgical plant building by joining an organization that is highly diversified and successful in serving multiple industries,” said Dzierzawski. He brings to the BEUMER organization deep interest and experience in various aspects of corporate social responsibility, including community involvement and philanthropic initiatives.
Wilmington Machinery unveils new Dual Mold Pallet Molding System
Wilmington Machinery introduced the company’s first LUMINA Pallateer Series molding machine in 2010 because of the increased demand for plastic pallets. Today, Wilmington introduces the newest model of its popular LUMINA Pallateer Series of Plastics Pallet Molding Systems the Model PM-3S. The Model PM-3S is capable of molding two of the same or two different pallets of sizes “up to 52” X 48” and weighing from 16 – 50 pounds each. Hourly production rates of 48 – 72 pallets per hour are achievable with minimal labor, floor-space, and utility requirements. The PM-3S like the other LUMINA Pallateer Models is a low-pressure type injection-molding machine with a two-stage injection unit. The Wilmington two-stage unit processes 100% recycled plastics in either pelletized or flake form. It injects at mold fill rates up to 20 pounds per second with velocity and shot size control from Wilmington’s unique Versafil sequential injection control system. The result of these features is lightweight and low-cost pallets. A PM-3S System includes the molding machine, molds, robot, and all accessories plus know-how and training. It is very versatile with the capability to mold nestable, stackable, or rackable pallets of both one-piece and two-piece construction from a wide variety of virgin or recycled raw materials including blends. Wilmington Machinery has built pallet molding machinery, general-purpose low and medium pressure injection molding machinery, and high capacity extrusion blow molding machinery since its’ founding in 1972. From a modern 65,000 square foot facility in Wilmington, North Carolina, the company is well prepared to meet customers’ unique needs for large plastics machinery products for the circular economy. International shipments are commonplace and can be arranged via the nearby deep-water Port of Wilmington.
Steel King® announces 2019 Most Valuable Dealer
Steel King Industries®, a manufacturer of material handling products, announces RMH Systems as their Most Valuable Dealer for 2019 activity. RMH Systems, with locations in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Missouri, and Illinois, enjoys elite status as a Steel King Excalibur dealer. News of the award was made during Steel King’s attendance at the Material Handling Industry (MHI) MODEX tradeshow in Atlanta, Georgia. The MVD award was launched in 1996 by Steel King to recognize the achievement of top channel partners. A variety of factors were considered in determining the MVD, including the achievement of sales and marketing action items. In 2019, RMH Systems consistently ranked in the top ten producers by sales volume and experienced a 10% growth over 2018 totals. The dealer also differentiated themselves by not only the number of orders placed, but the number of different Steel King products sold. RMH Systems has continued its history of outstanding performance, having received the MVD award in 2013. Ryan Howard, General Manager When asked to comment on the honor, Ryan Howard, General Manager, stated, “RMH Systems is honored to be named Most Valuable Dealer for 2019! The relationship between RMH Systems and Steel King has been going strong for many years, and we could not be happier to receive this distinction. Steel King has been a top supplier for RMH Systems for decades. The partnership is proud to provide the highest quality, custom storage solutions for our customers across the country. Thanks to Steel King for their support and thank you to our customers for putting their trust in us. We look forward to continued success with the Steel King family!” Steel King congratulates the entire staff of RMH Systems on being named Most Valuable Dealer.
Essential Storage & Assembly Solutions from Rack Engineering Division
Rack Engineering Division released an Assembly Table customized for manufacturing Ventilators. Three well-known manufacturers from other industries in response to COVID-19 began an initiative to manufacture ventilators and needed an assembly table to support the process. The critical delivery required quick response and turnaround from Rack Engineering in order to meet the immediate need and ultimately provide this essential medical equipment. The specialized work tables featuring onboard power strip, adjustable leg heights, UHMW tops, tool rail, and bin shelf were designed, built, and shipped in a matter of days, all due to the quick response, commitment and attention to detail from Rack’s engineers and customer support teams. Rack Engineering is committed to every customer’s design during essential and standard working situations.
Episode 65 – Pallet Alliance at MODEX 2020
Episode 65 – Pallet Alliance at MODEX 2020 In this episode, I was joined by Tyson Steffens of The Pallet Alliance at MODEX 2020. Tyson is the Principal at The Pallet Alliance and talks to me about the necessity of warehousing, pallets! We discuss what pallet alliance does including audits, sourcing, and their smart IoT enabled pallet, the IntelliPallet. Key Takeaways The Pallet Alliance provides a tailored pallet program for your company. They go very in-depth in auditing your current pallet usage to determine the best way for your pallet program to operate. This includes looking at the actual pallets you are using and how you are using them, how they are being sourced, and how they are being retained and retrieved if needed. Through their audit, they are able to determine if there are custom pallets that would better suit your needs and help to improve your process. Their vast network of pallet suppliers allows them to design and create any pallet that could help to better your operation. This helps to make sure that your product is stored in the best possible way, prevents damage to the product if a standard pallet is not large enough for your product, and helps to ensure it is shipped properly with the exact footprint needed. One of the great things about The Pallet Alliance is that they become your point of contact for pallets. Often times operations will have a few suppliers for pallets and they need to remain in touch with them just in case the other one cannot deliver or supply enough on time. Having The Pallet Alliance as your one point of contact allows you to not worry about sourcing your pallets as they can tap into their extensive network and get you what you need when you need it. Basically, you get The Pallet Alliance to run your pallet program and you never really have to worry about pallets again. Their biggest innovation is the IntelliPallet which is an IoT (Internet of Things) enabled smart pallet. Yes, this is a regular wooden pallet that is now connected to your network! To me, this is really a huge innovation because it has so many different possibilities of how it can be used. When connected you now have the ability to track the pallet and essentially track anything that is on it. It also allows for the ability to track things like extreme movement for possible damage, humidity, and temperature. From an inventory control and loss prevention perspective, you can also figure out where that pallet is in your facility or outside of your facility depending on what type of tagging you have. The other important aspect is that if you invest in custom pallets and need to retrieve them or bring them back to your facility you can now track where these assets are located. IntelliPallet is really amazing technology and I am excited to see how it grows. Watch and listen to the episode below. Let us know in the comments what your pallet program currently looks like. The New Warehouse Podcast EP 65: The Pallet Alliance at MODEX 2020
The Protective Guarding Manufacturers Association: Know your barriers
The Protective Guarding Manufacturers Association (ProGMA) reminds professionals in industrial facilities of the importance of selecting fit for purpose guardrails. ProGMA is a product group within the MHI trade association. Nearly 100 workers are killed in the United States each year and a further 20,000 are seriously injured in powered industrial truck (PIT) incidents. Furthermore, impacts with pedestrians are the second most common accident involving PITs. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is responsible for investigating forklift-related deaths, and it reports that many workers and employers may not be aware of the risks of operating or working near forklifts. NIOSH further reports that individuals are not following the procedures set forth in standards or equipment manufacturers’ guidelines. This is a reality that impacts not only those unfortunate enough to be involved in an accident but also their colleagues, employers, families, and friends. Industry awareness is growing about the many protective guarding options available for warehouses, distribution centers, and other industrial facilities. However, as is the case with any product sector, it takes a greater appreciation of the available solutions to ensure you are using the most appropriate tool for the situation at hand. It’s always important to ask yourself whether the purpose of the guarding is to protect pedestrians and/or assets, or simply to separate areas of a facility. How might each scenario require a different level of protection based on a particular environment? Pedestrian barriers are for defining walkways but for areas where pedestrians and PITs share space, you should have a traffic-strength barrier. The strength of these products varies. ProGMA has 20 member companies, many of which provide polymer and steel guarding equipment for pedestrian and vehicle protection. Options include single and double guardrails; pedestrian gates; steel and polymer designs; flexible and bounce-back bollards; and polymer and steel bollards. Properly spaced guardrails are an excellent way of protecting pedestrians adjacent to mobile equipment aisles. They also prevent individuals from straying into areas where they are not permitted: for example, where PIT traffic is operating. Without guarding in place, distracted pedestrians and drivers might not always be aware of the dangers present. ProGMA frequently engages with industry about what decision-makers need to know to make an informed judgment about the installation and use of guarding. There is nothing random about choosing the right solution. We must understand the weight and speed of PIT and potential angles of impact. Other important considerations include the consequences of having no such protection for pedestrians; the environment and the layout of the facility. It’s also crucial to understand that where one guarding solution might be adequate, another will be less so, or even redundant. These are all significant details that often get overlooked. Some manufacturers don’t distinguish at all between pedestrian and traffic guardrails; they talk of barriers and guardrails in general terms. In contrast, other product manufacturers have different ratings for different ranges of products. The most important message for industry to digest is that it matters greatly which barrier you choose. For proof, we should consider the science (without getting too technical). A vehicle traveling with a certain mass and velocity has a calculable amount of kinetic energy (measured in joules). Some manufacturers only state that their product is capable of withstanding an impact of 10,000 lbs. (4,536kg) at 5mph: this allows someone to calculate the energy in principle, but what if the vehicle is traveling with less mass and going faster? It is important to calculate the energy and speed of every PIT in circulation in a facility because not all trucks weigh 10,000 lbs. or travel at a constant 5mph. By looking at these variables purely in terms of energy, we get a truly empirical calculation. For example: 10,000 lbs. @ 5mph = 11,331 joules but 6,945 lbs. at 6mph also equals 11,331 joules. Energy is inescapably dependent on both factors: the more speed, the less weight for the same energy, and vice versa. Speed actually has the biggest influence on this calculation. If someone uses a pedestrian guardrail with a lower rating, it will not perform in the event of an impact from a heavier / faster PIT. The result is a complete failure of the guardrail – and potentially life-threatening consequences for any pedestrian on the walkway at the time. One point to keep in mind as you search for guarding solutions is that an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirement states that guarding must have a height of at 42 inches to be considered a true barrier. This is often confused with OSHA’s requirement for fall protection above a height of 48”. In conclusion, responsible individuals must always analyze the scenario and the role of protective guarding both in incident prevention and in the event of an accident occurring. This includes ensuring that the product selected has been independently tested and rated to its stated performance data.
Riekes Equipment and Pallet Shuttle Automation enter into strategic partnership
Riekes Equipment and Pallet Shuttle Automation are pleased to announce they have entered a partnership to provide automated warehouse solutions to the manufacturing, food and beverage, cold storage, and warehousing industries throughout the Midwest Region of the United States. “We’re excited to combine our consultative, solution-driven approach with Pallet Shuttle’s innovative and breakthrough warehouse-automation technology. Together, we’ll offer solutions that provide greater profitability and productivity to our customers,” said Dave Harnett, Riekes Executive Vice President. “With robotics and automation playing an increasingly important role in our customers’ success, we recognize the need to proactively seek out partners with innovative solutions that can help our customers reach their productivity and financial goals. We are excited to partner with Pallet Shuttle and to share their great solution with our client base.” Through this partnership companies can take advantage of the simplicity and cost-effectiveness of the Pallet Shuttle® “Omni-Directional” automated storage and retrieval system. Leveraging the computer-controlled retrieval system allows companies to automatically place and retrieve loads from storage locations with precision, accuracy, and speed. Not only does this improve inventory tracking, but it also reduces warehouse accidents by decreasing the need for redundant manual labor in the inventory retrieval process. The Pallet Shuttle system eliminates the need for warehouse aisles by replacing large areas of shelving and dramatically increasing the cubic space which is vital to profitability. Steve Cappella, President of Pallet Shuttle Automation, LLC says, “We have selected Riekes Equipment as our Pallet Shuttle Midwest partner based upon an outstanding reputation in the marketplace and their extensive parts and service capability and support.”
Hannibal Industries Tuberack performs in 5.7 quake
The patented racking system performed as expected in Salt Lake City’s most recent 5.7 earthquake Hannibal Industries has announced its patented TubeRack system performed as expected during the magnitude 5.7 earthquake in Salt Lake City. Much like the other TubeRack installations throughout Utah, American Crafts’ warehouse racking was left undamaged. TubeRack Inventor, Andrew Kirby states, “As an engineer, I believe my job is to design safer products that can prevent accidents and ultimately save lives. I was really pleased to hear TubeRack lived up to its design specifications during this seismic event.” “When the team at Liftrucks, Etc. came to us and provided us with the benefits of TubeRack, it was a no-brainer to go with the patented TubeRack system. We are just miles away from the epicenter and the racking system outperformed my expectation,” said Jason Harrington, American Crafts’ Distribution Center Manager. Hannibal’s Stocking Distributor, Liftrucks, Etc. is a full-service material handling sales and service company that also provides professional warehouse design services to a variety of companies like American Crafts. Based in Utah, American Crafts was founded in 1994 by Steve and Alma Mitchell with their sons to cater to the general crafting market. Since its inception, the company has transitioned focus from scrapbooking to art supplies, card making supplies, food crafting and more. TubeRack is known to provide a stronger, safer, smarter and more cost-effective solution to warehouse racking. In addition to its many benefits, the system’s dual-moment frame allows flexibility both front-to-back and side-to-side giving it the ability to withstand impacts and seismic events while handling greater capacity.
MODEX 2020 Day 1: Good leads, smaller attendance as expected
As expected the first-day attendance at MODEX 2020 was down but the quality of attendees was” good” said many of the exhibitors when talking with Material Handling Wholesaler staff. The exhibitors who were interviewed were very sympathetic to the show producer MHI and to the pre-registered attendees who choose to not participate this year due to the unforeseen circumstances caused by the COVID-19 virus. MHI officials have been working at ways to bring the MODEX 2020 to the people who pre-registered by giving them a digital format to view the many exhibitors at this year’s show through a virtual experience to compliment the MODEX 2020 experience as if they were attending. Anyone who has registered with the show consisting of manufacturing and supply chain professionals will get links through a daily e-newsletter to participating exhibitors video recordings of what they are presenting at MODEX. The newsletter will also provide links to the sessions through podcasts from every MODEX show floor educational session. These podcasts will be posted on MHI’s new podcast portal available at videos.mhi.org/category/mhi-cast While some seminars have been canceled, many sessions are still going on throughout the show. When coming into the show floor or when you get your MODEX badge there are seminar boards that will tell you if a session is canceled. The MODEX 2020 show goes through Thursday, March 12th at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Ga. Click here for a recap of Day 1 activities.
Frazier shows off new Wire Screen Design at MODEX
Frazier Industrial Company, a manufacturer of structural steel storage systems, presented a new wire screen design at MODEX 2020, courtesy of J&L Wire. The new design utilizes an internal flare “tuck-in” style, as opposed to the industry’s current external flare style. It was conceived to create a solution for user issues – warping wire beds and jagged pieces of wire – commonly associated with the industry’s current design. “The biggest warehousing challenges faced with the current design are wires bending under the weight of products and being torn apart by fork trucks when loading ” explains Domenick Iellimo, Executive Vice President. “These two challenges result in the further issue of lost capacity. Furthermore, the wires can become jagged when they are warped. This creates the potential to cut the clothing of warehouse workers, or worse, cause an injury. The new “tuck-in” design immediately eliminates these risks and provides greater safety across the warehouse operation. It is valuable to warehouses in any industry, especially those that include hand-stacking or egress via tunnels as part of their applications.” The new design is a more cost-effective solution than its predecessor as well, which is a great value to warehouse leadership. A reduced manufacturing expense, allows us to pass along savings to the end-users. Whether a hand-stacking aficionado or full pallet storage pro, Frazier’s new wire screen design is for you. Come see and learn more about the new design during MODEX 2020. Frazier is located at Booth #8288 at the Georgia World Congress Center from March 9th – 12th.
Hannibal Industries cancels participation at MODEX
As the largest tradeshow in the supply chain, MODEX, kicks off next week in Atlanta, Hannibal Industries issued the following statement by President, Blanton Bartlett: “The health and safety of our ESOP members and our extended and valued business partners is of paramount importance. Due to the recent and growing developments related to the Coronavirus (COVID-19), we have decided to cancel our participation in the MODEX 2020 tradeshow and after-party. We will continue to monitor this global situation closely and provide updates related to any changes related to the manner in which we conduct our business. There was a tremendous amount of planning that went into this show thus far and we want to thank our team, business partners, customers and show attendees for understanding the situation and our position at this time.” According to the CDC, as of March 3, 2020, the respiratory disease has been verified in almost 70 locations globally – including the United States. With cases reported in California, Washington, Oregon, and Chicago, most individuals in the United States will have a little immediate risk of exposure to the virus and it is not currently spreading widely in the U.S. For more information and status of the Coronavirus, please visit: cdc.gov. Throughout this time, Hannibal Industries will continue to conduct business as usual. If there are any questions regarding existing or future orders, please contact your local sales representative for more information.
The Cashier-Less Retail Store
DXC Technology, HARTING Systems, and Murata presented an innovative, RFID-based concept at “EuroShop 2020”, the world’s largest retail trade fair, held February 1 – 20, 2020 in Düsseldorf. Developed by DXC, HARTING Systems and Murata, the RFID self-checkout counter enables a single scan of a complete shopping basket, providing a fast and seamless in-store shopping experience. The concept aims to eliminate the long waiting lines at the cash register during grocery shopping, a “norm” consumers had to live with since the rise of big retailer stores. The RFID counter simplifies product scanning and shortens the time consumers spend at the self-checkout counters. The customers simply place their shopping bag/basket on the counter, all the products get scanned at once and the counter monitor displays a full list of the products together with the final bill. This improves the self-checkout experience, as customers no longer have to scan each product individually, which is time-consuming and sometimes requires several scans until the product’s code is read. The RFID-based checkout solution developed jointly by DXC, HARTING Systems and Murata captures the shopping basket with a single scan. Using the RFID counter, customers can pay by card, via an app, and optionally, if added to the counter, in cash. To pay using an app, the customers will connect to the checkout counter through the retailer’s app. They will just scan the counter’s QR code and confirm the payment via the app. The entire checkout experience takes less than 30 seconds. Apart from grocery markets and shops, this technology can be used for fashion and hardware retailers to improve their customer experience. The RFID technology has evolved significantly over the past years, and former issues such as label cost or readability limitation for products that contain metals or liquids have been resolved. An all-RFID strategy delivers its ROI through adding value in multiple use cases along the product lifecycle: Starting in production – for the retailer’s private labels, in the supply chain, in compliance processes, and in the store. Label costs are significantly lower when using the technology in high volumes specifically in-store, RFID technology can be used for multiple use cases such as precise inventory management, implement dynamic pricing scenarios, intelligent shelving, digital shelf assistants and anti-theft protection. Using RFID can also help retailers get better customer insights. The concept developed by DXC, HARTING Systems and Murata is based on an RFID middleware layer. The scanner station, payment processes, the mobile app, and the retailer’s back-end systems (e.g., ERP or inventory management system) are connected to that layer via secured APIs. It also maintains a digital twin of each product.
Hy-Tek Material Handling appoints Integrated Systems Division President & EVP
Donnie Johnson and Mark Bruner promoted Hy-Tek Material Handling’s Integrated Systems (IS) division has announced the appointment of Donnie Johnson as president and Mark Bruner as executive vice president. Based in Greater Cincinnati and serving customers nationwide, the Hy-Tek IS division has the experience and expertise to engineer, design, and implement strategic plans for any material handling application. Hy-Tek IS solutions include integrated conveyor systems, engineered storage systems, receiving and shipping systems, robotic palletizing cells, automated picking technologies including pick-to-light, and complete turnkey projects. As Integrated Systems division president, Johnson is responsible for sales and marketing and serves as key account executive for major system users. He oversees a team of experienced professionals working out of offices in Georgia, Kentucky, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee. A seasoned professional with over four decades of industry experience, including 18 years with Hy-Tek, Johnson previously held the position of executive VP, sales. He is charged with growing the IS division nationally. As executive vice president, Bruner oversees all Hy-Tek IS division operations and installation services, excluding sales and marketing. With 40 years of industry experience, including 18 years with Hy-Tek, he previously held the position of executive VP, operations. Bruner and the IS team are dedicated to delivering innovative engineering solutions that integrate technology, equipment, and the latest industry practices. “Hy-Tek has been delivering exceptional material handling support to our customers for 57 years. On behalf of Mark Bruner and the entire Integrated Systems team, I am committed to making our customers more competitive, efficient, and productive for the next half century—and beyond,” said Johnson.
The importance of matching Pallets to Rack type for safe handling
Products arrive in warehouses and distribution centers on any number of pallet types these days: two-way entry, four-way entry, skids, slip-sheets, nine-block, and more. Some pallets are designed with multiple boards—or stringers—spanning the bottom surface; others have a foot in each corner. Pallets also come in a broad range of materials: wood, plastic, steel, paper, presswood, and others. They can come in various dimensions depending on the type of load and industry-specific requirements. To ensure that a rack system will safely support the type(s) of pallet(s) an operation is using, it’s critical to share all pallet construction and load details with the rack design engineer to ensure a safe operation and work environment. That’s because the storage rack system is designed specifically to work with a given type of pallet and load, taking into account—among many additional factors—the distribution of the load weight. Implementing comprehensive pallet rack safety protocols, including regular inspections and proper load placement, is crucial for Some facilities will even have different storage rack systems engineered to accommodate different pallets and loads in order to maximize the operation’s capacity. That’s one reason why ANSI MH16.1-2012 requires load capacity plaques: Specification for the Design, Testing and Utilization of Industrial Steel Storage Racks, published by RMI. Section 1.4.2 states that the rack “owner is responsible for displaying in one or more conspicuous locations a permanent plaque(s)” with the following details: The maximum permissible unit load (the combined weight of the product and its storage container or pallet) and/or maximum uniformly distributed load per level. The average unit load (calculated as the maximum total weight of product expected on all beam levels in any row, divided by the number of beam levels in that row), if applicable. The maximum total load per bay. Indication of storage levels that support stacking of multiple unit loads. As different rack configurations might be engineered to accommodate different pallet types used within the same building or even the same aisle, it’s a good practice to place a plaque on every aisle for every configuration. The rack manufacturer usually provides plaques for installation. Want to learn more about the considerations rack engineers take into account when designing a pallet rack structure? Purchase the ANSI MH16.1-2012: Specification.
Wildeck, Inc. to present Space Utilization seminars at MODEX 2020
Wildeck, Inc. has announced that Kelly Kamlager, Wildeck’s Director of Marketing, and Merlyn Jarman, Wildeck’s Systems Integration Sales Manager, will present two on-floor seminars during MODEX’s 2020 show in Atlanta, GA. www.wildeck.com in Theater B and Theater E at the Georgia World Congress Center on Monday, March 9th at 11:15 AM and Thursday, March 12th at 10:30 AM, respectively. Across the nation, warehouses, distribution centers and manufacturing facilities are under an increasing amount of pressure to increase throughput without compromising the bottom line. Jarman and Kamlager’s presentation will provide insight into the sustainable tactics used by “best in class” warehouses, distribution centers, stock rooms and manufacturing facilities to achieve productivity and efficiency goals. Seminar attendees will leave with a better understanding of how to optimize space, workflow, material handling and safety within their current facility’s footprint. “As we work with our dealers and customers throughout the country, we see a tremendous amount of untapped facility potential,” said Jarman. “With this presentation, we hope to showcase solutions and best practices that can be readily applied to any facility and that create a healthy return on investment.”
Steel King Industries hires new Director of Engineering
Steel King Industries, Inc., has announced that Tom Koontz, P.E., joined Steel King Industries last month as its new Director of Engineering. Tom brings to the position a solid history of structural engineering knowledge gained through many years in the Material Handling Industry, with Managerial and Director responsibilities in many of his previous positions. Tom holds Professional Engineering licenses in 11 U.S. states and has experience with a roll-formed and structural rack, rack supported buildings, shuttle racks, and RISA design software. A member of the Rack Manufacturers Institute (RMI), Tom will be a great asset to Steel King’s management team. Tom is driven by the dynamics in the material handling industry and keeping up with the ever-changing building code requirements. In his new role, Tom will be responsible for managing the efforts of Steel King’s engineering department, providing expertise to all three manufacturing locations: Stevens Point, Wisconsin, New London, Wisconsin and Rome, Georgia. Tom earned a Bachelor of Applied Science degree from Youngstown State University and is an AISC professional member.
AK Material Handling Systems named MHEDA MVP for tenth straight year
AK Material Handling Systems (AKMHS) has been awarded MHEDA’s (Material Handling Equipment Distributors Association) prestigious MVP (Most Valuable Partner) Award for 2020, based on their accomplishments in 2019. The award marks the 10th consecutive year AKMHS has earned MVP distinction from MHEDA. Award recipients must satisfy a rigorous set of criteria with less than 10% of the association’s membership earning the award. As a 2020 MVP, AKMHS has successfully demonstrated a commitment to business excellence, professionalism, and good stewardship. To qualify for the annual MVP Award companies are required to provide evidence of their commitment to customers, employees, and suppliers. They must satisfy criteria in the following important areas: • Industry Advocacy • Customer Service & Safety Practices • Business Networking • Continuing Education • Business Best Practices “Achievement of MHEDA’s MVP status represents members who have demonstrated a commitment to their business and its employees, their industry and also to the communities within which they serve,” said Mike Vaughn, 2019 MHEDA Chairman of the Board and Chief Financial Officer of Liftech Equipment Companies in East Syracuse, N.Y. David E. Laskey Director of Facilities & Operations at Second Harvest Heartland (SHH), applauded AKMHS’s staff for their current work at the SHH food banks: “We are building a new facility in Brooklyn Park, Minn. and moving our main headquarters and distribution center operations from Maplewood, Minn. into this new (fully remodeled) facility. The project is extremely complex which required AK to plan and coordinate very closely with several of our contractors (i.e. GC and Architect) as well as internal SHH staff to execute flawlessly. AK’s “Turn-Key” service has made this piece of the project easy to manage.” AKMHS President, Joshua E. Smith, credited his staff’s “exemplary company culture and dedication to customer service” as key to AKMHS’s success. This same culture nurtures their long-time relationships with manufacturers and suppliers. “We are who we are because of our business partners.” “To me, the relationship we have with AK Material Handling is what a true partnership is all about” wrote Tom Wagner, Central West & Canada Region Manager at UNEX Manufacturing. “My experience with AK over the past six years as their UNEX Regional Manager has been fantastic. AK’s dedication to sales representative training, joint customer calls, trade shows, and featuring their products on their social media platforms has made them one of my top distributors.”