Wildeck, Inc. to showcase Suite of Access Products at MODEX 2020
Wildeck, Inc. has announced that their suite of custom access products will be on display at MODEX’s 2020 show in Atlanta, GA on March 9-12. Located in booth 5014, Wildeck’s team of material handling solution experts will be available to discuss the design, sale, installation and maintenance of the company’s access products, as well as their mezzanine, lifting and guarding solutions. Wildeck’s portfolio of access products includes stair crossovers, modular platforms, access ladders, pallet access gates, stairs, rolling ladders, work stands and aerospace/specialty products. Engineered to comply with OSHA and Cal-OSHA requirements, Wildeck’s access products are available in both standard and custom designs, reducing overreaching injuries and enhancing safety. Two products of especial interest to MODEX’s 2020 show attendees are Wildeck’s stair crossover products and Finger Gates. Wildeck’s crossover products improve access and mobility around material handling/automated systems (like conveyors). Available in a variety of configurations, Wildeck’s crossover products offer a safe and effective way to access various work areas, including manufacturing, fabrication, assembly and production. Wildeck’s Finger Gate is a durable steel gate that easy integrates into any facility and provides a strong, protective barrier at elevated work levels. Commonly used in pick modules and rack systems to help optimize the flow of products, materials and merchandise, the Finger Gate can be easily integrated into any new or existing facility operations.
Mac Rak joins the Rack Manufacturers Institute
Mac Rak, North America’s largest provider of engineered pallet rack repair and protection products, has joined the prestigious Rack Manufacturer’s Institute as an associate member. Mac Rak is a 19-year-old enterprise with manufacturing performed at a new 70,000 square foot facility situated on a 12-acre parcel in Moberly MO. Corporate SG&A office is headquartered in Lockport, IL. Mac Rak goes to market through the material handling distribution network. From inception and through today, the company has been driven and guided by engineering oversight on all products and processes. Mac Rak repair kits meet or exceed ANSI/RMI 16.1 guidelines. Mac Rak produces and provides nationwide installation services for ANY type of pallet rack system. Two of the three repair kit product lines carry a lifetime impact warranty. Mac Rak is excited to join RMI in order to aid in the continuing education of distribution center owners’ and operators’ identification of unsafe damaged rack components as well as their associated remedies. Additionally, Mac Rak looks to aid in the creation of meaningful, practical standards and procedures related to proper pallet rack repair with this new membership.
RMI Rack Safety: Relocation and Reconfiguration
Racking is incredibly versatile and can often be reconfigured and/or relocated to suit the needs of an evolving facility – however, it’s important to proceed with caution. Click to watch.
Salute to Women in Material Handling ‘A Rewarding Career’
Women talk about building their careers in material handling, along with some of the latest industry challenges and opportunities on the horizon, including technology and recruitment.Lori Palmer was in the office at REB Storage Systems International during a shift when the whole team of salesmen were out, and a sales call came in. “It was about shelving at a school,” she said. It was in 1982, when women in material handling were “very far and few between” and Palmer’s position was in administration. But a client was on the line, and so Palmer jumped into action. “I literally got in a car and went and did it. I really enjoyed the sales part of it,” she said. Intrigued by the possibility of working in sales, Palmer found her career moving in a new direction. “I started to deal with so many different types of businesses. It was fun to go to all these different places I knew and see what they really do and to be able to help them. I enjoyed it,” she said. At the same time, Palmer was aware of the disadvantage of being “young and a woman.” “I found that if I was bidding on a project, I literally would have to prove myself more than two men. There were early struggles that I had to overcome,” she said. But Palmer added that she was supported in her career by ‘the best team of men’ internally to keep working to advance. And as Palmer’s industry knowledge grew, she found advantages in being one of the few women in the industry and cultivated an approach to business that helped her make a mark. As Palmer’s industry knowledge grew, she found advantages in being one of the few women in the industry and cultivated an approach to business that helped her make a mark. “Through the years, I’ve always focused on being honest and open and truthful with clients and employees and suppliers. I really feel that’s what drove my career,” she said. Palmer is now president of the company where she began at 19-years-old. She journeyed from direct selling to marketing to executive vice president. She has been company president for just shy of a decade. REB Storage Systems International has over 50 employees and Palmer said would like to hire those with potential and interest in growing in the company. The company has its corporate office in Chicago, and offices throughout the U.S. and in Dublin. It bills itself as “designers, builders, and installers of storage and materials.” Building a path in material handling Palmer is one of many women who have carved a career path in material handling, and as Material Handling Wholesaler salutes their efforts this month, some of those in the industry said they are seeing new trends and challenges emerge. Annette Springer also has built her path in the industry. She has been in the material handling business since 1973, and in 1992 she and her husband Ted Springer started their own business out of their home. “We had one employee. We had no new lines, we sold used equipment” and offered service and forklift repair, she said, describing the origins of Springer Equipment. Eventually, manufacturers started seeking out the company, drawn to the business’ reputation. Today, Springer Equipment employees 62 employees. The business is currently “a Master Dealer for new Hyundai, Komatsu, Linde, Big Joe, CombiLift and Hoist machines and also one of the largest pre-owned forklift providers with over 300 late model trucks to choose from,” according to its website. Springer Equipment is a full-service dealership providing sales, service, rentals and parts for forklifts of all types serving the Birmingham area, the site said. “There were a lot of ups and downs but we were not going to be defeated. That was our motto,” said Springer, of building the business. Technological growth and challenges When she began her career, Springer said most women in the business who she knew were working in administration. But she has witnessed more women in the industry in recent years, particularly in service management positions. “I have seen great strides in the years I have been in the industry, but I still think there needs to be more,” she said, referencing what she sees as a need for more women in material handling. “There is room for improvement.” More women are in the industry in 2019 then when Palmer started four decades ago, but recruiting overall is more challenging, while robotics and automation present both opportunities and difficulties. From Palmer’s perspective, technological developments in particular present a recent industry challenge. “There’s a true learning curve, but for all of us now,” she said, describing her reaction to the new developments at the ProMat 2019 trade show. “The floor was completely different than anything I had experienced in the past,” Palmer said, adding that being witness to the technological gains also encouraged her to take action in implementing similar initiatives at her own company. To Palmer’s mind, this technological growth presents more of generational challenge as opposed to gender in the current industry. “Younger women and men basically have an advantage on us,” she said. A need to recruit more young workers At the same time, both Palmer and Springer added that the recruitment of younger workers remains a concern. Springer said she would like to see more emphasis in high school curriculums on the options trade careers offer and explanations to students about how high paying the trades can be, along with all of the opportunities currently available. She said the struggle at Springer Equipment, as throughout the industry nationwide, is in finding qualified service technicians. Palmer has found more young workers are interested in working for the tech giants like Amazon and Google as opposed to material handling companies. That hesitation may be because work in the material industry can be demanding, Palmer theorized. “This is hard work for staff people, project managers, engineers. It’s physical work, mental work,” she said. “For those of us who have experience and have grown up in it, we’re used to it and we enjoy the challenge and
UNEX Manufacturing showcases material handling equipment to keep the beer flowing
UNEX to highlight new ergonomic Keg Flow design which saves space, stores more kegs per pallet, allowing distributors to offer a greater number of beer variations UNEX Manufacturing, Inc., which provides innovative order picking and space-saving solutions, will be showcasing their new Keg Flow Solution at the National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) Conference for America’s Beer Distributors in Booth 1015. The 82nd Annual Convention & Trade Show will be held September 22-25, 2019 in Las Vegas. “Beer kegs are typically hard to handle in the distribution center because of their awkward shape and often distributors will store kegs on the floor, which means order pickers have to bend and lift the heavy keg,” said Chuck Doty, Product Manager, UNEX Manufacturing. “UNEX invented Keg Flow to better handle kegs in the warehouse to save space and reduce bending.” Keg Flow offers an alternative to palletized keg storage by storing 1/6 kegs in a manner similar to storing cases on flow rack. UNEX uses steel rollers that are strong enough to support kegs without bending. A custom hanger slows the keg down on the track and a high roller stop at the end keeps the keg from toppling over. Keg Flow now incorporates 6-inch high guards for the 24-inch tall by 9-inch (sixth barrel) and 11-inch (slim quarter) diameter kegs to give the kegs more stability on the racks. The tracks have been made more versatile – 11.75-inch wide tracks allow storage of 8 kegs of 9-inch or 11-inch diameter on a 96-inch wide beam. When the first keg is pulled for distribution, the next one slides in right behind it. Each lane is labeled reducing mis-picks for order pickers. Most importantly, where two or four kegs were stored on pallets, now users get 8 or 16 kegs in the same space allowing distributors to offer a greater number of beer variations in a small space. Using Keg Flow, distributors have been able to increase their warehouse capacity while improving efficiency and productivity. The NBWA Conference features Keynote Speakers and Educational Seminars on topics like Business Growth, eCommerce, Talent Management, and Analytics. Hundreds of exhibitors will showcase solutions for everything from fleet management to safety. Visit UNEX in Booth 1015 to learn more about Keg Flow and other UNEX space-saving solutions for distributors.
U.S. Department of Commerce issues preliminary Antidumping Duty Determinations on Fabricated Structural Steel from Canada, China, and Mexico
Today, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced the affirmative preliminary determinations in the antidumping duty (AD) investigations of imports of certain fabricated structural steel from China and Mexico, finding that exporters from China and Mexico have dumped fabricated structural steel in the United States at margins ranging from 0.00 percent to 141.38 percent and 0.00 percent to 30.58 percent, respectively. The Department also announced a negative preliminary determination in the AD investigation of certain fabricated structural steel from Canada. As a result of today’s decisions, Commerce will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection to collect cash deposits from importers of fabricated structural steel from China and Mexico based on the preliminary rates noted above. In 2018, imports of fabricated structural steel from Canada, China, and Mexico were valued at an estimated $722.5 million, $897.5 million, and $622.4 million, respectively. The petitioner is the American Institute of Steel Construction Full Member Subgroup (Chicago, IL). The strict enforcement of U.S. trade law is a primary focus of the Trump Administration. Since the beginning of the current Administration, Commerce has initiated 182 new antidumping and countervailing duty investigations – a 231 percent increase from the comparable period in the previous administration. Antidumping and countervailing duty laws provide American businesses and workers with an internationally accepted mechanism to seek relief from the harmful effects of the unfair pricing of imports into the United States. Commerce currently maintains 492 antidumping and countervailing duty orders which provide relief to American companies and industries impacted by unfair trade. Commerce is scheduled to announce the final determinations in these investigations on or about January 24, 2020. If Commerce’s final determinations are affirmative, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) will be scheduled to make its final injury determinations on or about March 9, 2020. If Commerce makes affirmative final determinations of dumping, and the ITC makes affirmative final injury determinations, Commerce will issue AD orders. If Commerce makes negative final determinations of dumping, or the ITC makes negative final determinations of injury, the investigations will be terminated and no orders will be issued. Click HERE for a fact sheet on today’s decisions. The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Enforcement and Compliance unit within the International Trade Administration is responsible for vigorously enforcing U.S. trade law and does so through an impartial, transparent process that abides by international law and is based on factual evidence provided on the record. Foreign companies that price their products in the U.S. market below the cost of production or below prices in their home markets are subject to antidumping duties. Companies that receive unfair subsidies from their governments, such as grants, loans, equity infusions, tax breaks, or production inputs, are subject to countervailing duties aimed at directly countering those subsidies.
Beumer celebrates 10-year anniversary serving Mexico Industrial Clients
BEUMER announced that this fall will mark the firm’s 10-year anniversary serving industrial customers in Mexico. BEUMER opened its Mexico City office in November 2009 to provide services for airport baggage handling systems. Since that time, the Mexico-based operations have expanded to include manufacturing and logistics industry clients in Mexico and Latin America as well as the Caribbean. “Thriving tourism is leading to a need for increased baggage handling capacity across Mexico’s airports,” said Ralph Buchholz, Executive Director of BEUMER Mexico. “This increase, along with the rise of e-commerce and the growing need for manufacturing automation, has allowed us to provide solutions that benefit our clients and the local economy as a whole,” he continued. BEUMER’s offerings in Mexico reflect the company’s material handling capabilities and range from providing concept engineering for airport renovations and expansions through developing sortation and distribution solutions for parcel centers to designing conveyor systems for the cement and mining industry. BEUMER’s signature projects in Mexico include designing and providing a fully adaptable packaging line for Cooperativa La Cruz Azul S.C.L, the country’s third-largest cement manufacturer, and upgrading the baggage handling technology at Mexico City International Airport’s Terminal 2. BEUMER’s Mexico operations currently include a main office in Mexico City and a satellite location in Cancun.
Baker Industrial Supply becomes Hannibal Master Dealer
Now Serving Material Handling Dealers Coast to Coast Baker Industrial Supply is expanding and getting ready to open their new 50,000 SF facility in Brookshire TX this fall. This new facility will include an office, inventory warehouse, an automated powder-coating line and fabrication area. Along with this new location they are announcing their new relationship with Hannibal as a Master Dealer. Baker is currently warehousing a huge quantity of uprights and beams ready to ship. Baker is excited to begin this Quick Ship arrangement for Hannibal products. “This new facility allows us to serve more dealers in the Southwest,” said Jason Lefave, owner of Baker Industrial Supply. Lefave is celebrating fifteen years in business in the Houston area. Over time, they have become one of the leading suppliers for pallet rack as well as custom fabrication, rack repair and installation. Baker is one of the few suppliers to offer complete turnkey service for customers needing full-service warehouse products and installation. They even provide customized integration for wire guidance systems and shuttles. Baker Industrial Supply is one of the few material handling distributors that sells wholesale pricing to dealers. This is a big plus to many dealers as they bid on projects requiring turnkey service. “It has always been our goal to service dealers to install Hannibal’s R-Mark certified rack in their customers’ facilities,” said Jason Lefave. Baker Industrial Supply currently serves customers in Texas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Illinois. “Dealers will soon get access to our quick ship products 24/7 and the best part is they can download their quote as a PDF or Excel document. This allows our dealers to quickly markup the products to send to their end users,” said Lefave. Baker Industrial Supply sells Hannibal, Mecalux and Nashville Wire material handling products. Their quick ship pricing is very competitive in the industry due to the volume they buy and inventory they have on hand. Dealers can access 10s of 1000s of uprights, beams, rivet shelving, structural cantilever and more and have it shipped in less than 5 days.