November 2022 Material Handling Network

West Point Rack is one of the fastest growing companies in the industr y Our customers recognize quality products, de pendability of service and competitive pricing

Our Primar y Goal is to suppor t our dealers, satisf y their customers, earn trust and be the “ Vendor of Choice” for rack products and racking systems.

We of fer a full line of light duty, intermediate duty, heav y and extra heav y duty cantilever racks We provide multiple configu rations of a wide variety of stacking racks Our structural pal let racks can be configured for a wide range of applications

West Point Rack h as the products that generates solutions for your storage needs

We also of fer specialty products such as bar cradle trucks, drum racks, hand car ts and other specialty transpor t and storage products. Give us a call at 866. 245. 3630. We may have what you need. Look forward to hearing from you.

Cover Story

Integrating Solutions: A look at how integrators work within material handling

solutions” for manufacturers, according to Castaldi. He said some integrators have been acquired by manufacturers because organizations saw the need to have a diversified portfolio.

DMW&H bills itself as “a premier automation material handling systems integrator.” The company has over 50 years of experience in “designing, integrating, installing and supporting market leading fulfillment solutions,” the website said.

As many facilities work to increase production, add stock-keeping units, and boost e-commerce, multiple partners are often needed. Integrators are frequently one of the keys to helping coordinate software and automation. But how to approach the process of selecting an integrator can raise questions for an organization. This month, Material Handling Network spoke with industry experts about the latest developments of integrators within material handling businesses.

Creating seamless solutions

Chris Castaldi, vice president of sales at DMW&H, has been involved with automation, warehousing, and logistics since the 1980s. “I’ve seen a lot of change over time in the concepts in the world of distribution. I’ve seen how integrators have changed and how they’ve grown to be a pretty substantial provider of technology,” he said. “What’s happened over the years is that integrators have developed software and controls to be able to act as dealer distributors, developing complex solutions for distribution centers,” Castaldi said.

Having integrators that partner across multiple technologies means the ability to create “seamless

When it comes to selecting an integrator, Castaldi believes the process is akin to picking a spouse. “You’re asking, ‘Do we have a connection? Do we believe in similar things? Do you understand me and my needs?” Castaldi said. He advocated having a transparent and close relationship with an integrator. Castaldi also recommended avoiding a strategy of sending out multiple bids to find the lowest price. “Be honest with them. Tell them, ‘This is what my budget is,” said Castaldi, who said sending out too many bids without knowing much about the companies involved won’t help narrow down which integrator would be the best fit.

When an integrator has been selected, he noted that the coordination needs to function as a business relationship. “You can’t presume to own the relationship. You have to work at it all the time,” said Castaldi, who noted he will advise customers frustrated with their integrators to consider whether more communication is needed before making a change.

A good integrator should not reinforce the gut instincts of an organization’s leaders on everything, according to Castaldi. An integrator should help a business question what they need and how they will use it, according to Castaldi.

As supply chain issues press on, he stressed that the process of finding and coordinating with an integrator may take additional time. “Do not leave it until the end. You can’t walk in and say, ‘I need you to fix my problem tomorrow,” he said.

Technology emergence

Keith Moore, chief executive officer at AutoScheduler, noted the variety of software currently in use within warehouses and distribution centers, from warehouse management systems to control systems to labor management systems. And within this framework, there are many differences depending on the operation.

“Each is unique and different,” said Moore, from the systems themselves to the layout of the operation, all the way down to the various product lines. “You have all these different interesting problems you run into, such as which dock door should I use and what inventory do I need to pick today,” Moore said.

Integrators take the knowledge of existing platforms and marry them with a practical outcome of making the site as efficient as possible, according to Moore, who noted companies like Manhattan Associates, Blue Yonder, Open Sky Group, and Orion Systems Integrators LLC working in this vein.

“All of these different companies that do this integration work, their whole goal is to take the system and make it valuable for the customer. It is a value-added service provider on top of a purchase platform,” Moore said. There are two schools of thought on how integrators will trend going forward, according to Moore.

“One is that there’s always going to be a business for these service providers. I have this platform, how do I take a solution and make it valuable for that site,” he said, describing the process. The second projection is that more technology will be brought in to automate the integration process and minimize customization, according to Moore, echoing Castaldi’s observation.

Moore said many WMS vendors are starting to bring the integration process in-house so that they can further develop their platforms and minimize customization externally. This is directly counter to their missive of modularity and openness, which is a unique juxtaposition, according to Moore. “There’s a whole other breed of company starting to emerge, it’s all about bridging the gap from what you have to what you need,” he said.

AutoScheduler is “a warehouse resource planning and optimization platform that dynamically orchestrates all activities” on top of existing warehouse management systems in real-time, according to the business website.

“AutoScheduler runs next to the warehouse management system, and still leverages integrators for some of the complex interactions with the WMS,” Moore said. The value a solution like AutoScheduler provides is that instead of having an integrator to write a custom code for each site, the platform provides an optimized plan of operation tailor-made to the site's constraints, according to Moore.

Moving towards modular

The need for the right technological fit within material handling remains strong. In the current supply chain, Moore said there is a phenomenon of companies trying to move items from point A to point B all while using slightly different tool sets.

“It’s customized so there is no clear way to share data between systems,” he said. “That’s why you have boutique integrators.” What is needed is a supply chain with clearly defined inputs and outputs, according to Moore, who said vendors are starting to get on board with this idea.

“You’re going to start to see, over five to ten years, that every solution can be treated as a black box. Here’s how you get data in and out. Data will be more readily available,” Moore said. He added that he knows this concept is conflicting with existing warehouse practices. “They all claim they want to be open, to get data in and out, while

simultaneously creating that service integration and revenue,” Moore said. He projects the supply chains will eventually have to move to modular systems to accomplish the desired goals.

Moore acknowledged the challenge of the task. “The problem with logistics is you always have to deliver and the demand never stops. It’s like constantly changing the tires while driving 70 miles per hour down the highway,” Moore said. AutoScheduler speeds up projects by working on top of the existing system and integrating with the systems to send data, according to Moore.

“Most warehouse management system projects are going to be six months to one year. That’s per site,” he said. In contrast, AutoScheduler takes three to five months by working within the existing system. “Without that massive overhead of a big overhaul, it’s a smooth transition to the new system,” he said.

Moore noted that AutoScheduler has experience selecting integrators to work with. For operations currently looking to choose an integrator, Moore advises working with honest groups and understanding how the warehouse is designed to work.

Castaldi agreed. “When you’re picking an integrator, ask, ‘Does this person understand us? Do they understand what I do?” he said, stressing the importance of a “partnership model.” Castaldi also urged companies not to be afraid of the unknown. “Fear is the biggest challenge there is,” he said, noting the business cycles he has witnessed. “If you believe in your business, take advantage of the opportunities. If you’re fearful, you’re going to miss it,” Castaldi said.

Eileen Mozinski Schmidt is a freelance writer and journalist based in the Greater Milwaukee area. She has written for print and online publications for the past 13 years. Email Networkeditorial@ MHNetwork.com or visit eileenmozinskischmidt.wordpress.com to contact Eileen. If your company would like to be featured, email Networkeditorial@MHNetwork.com

Material Handling Network www.MHNetwork.com

Blocks the Spread of FireActivates the Sprinkler System

Today’s warehouse fire protection systems include more than just pipes and sprinklers. When the products being stored include highly flammable items such as plastics, aerosols, liquors or oils, fire barriers may be required inside the racking structure.

Solid steel rack decking and flat sheet accessories from DACS make effective fire or heat barriers in warehouse environments. They can be used on storage racks horizontally or vertically to block the spread of fire, or to capture heat for in-rack sprinkler activation.

Safety First

Industrial safety: preventing slips and falls virtually everywhere

A new type of durable safety coating is increasing traction and reducing maintenance on floors, loading docks, platforms, ramps, walkways, and truck trailers

Industrial manufacturing, warehouse, and distribution centers can have hundreds of thousands of square feet of production and storage space that is prone to dangerous slips, trips, and falls. The risk is heightened when surfaces are wet from cleaning, spills are present, and personnel are busy with work tasks. Cold storage can be slippery due to condensation or ice melt. Other areas can be also susceptible to slip and fall risk when subject to wet weather outdoors.

According to The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)’s Traumatic Occupational Injuries Fast Facts webpage, the “most recent traumatic injury data show [that] 27% of the 888,220 nonfatal work injuries resulting in days away from work in 2019 were related to slips, trips, and falls.”

Slips result from a loss of balance caused by too little friction between people’s feet and the surface they walk or work on. Loss of traction is the leading cause of workplace slips. Although conventional non-slip coatings have been used to improve traction, these tend to wear quickly and need to be reapplied often at considerable expense.

Fortunately, a new category of durable, hightech, all epoxy coating is dramatically increasing traction and improving safety in a wide range of slip and fall prone areas such as production floors, warehouse space, loading docks, platforms, ramps, walkways, emergency staircases, stair landings, and ladders. Beyond this, due to the extra traction the non-slip coating provides, it is not only being used to improve personnel footing on truck trailers but also to stabilize the heavy trailer loads.

This new type of coating is designed to last years even in areas heavily travelled on foot, which

reduces the need for maintenance and replacement. The coating type can be quickly and easily applied by facility personnel, minimizing cost and facility disruption.

Problematic Short-Term, Non-Skid Coatings

Improving the traction of workplace walking surfaces to increase safety is not a new concept. However, traditional options quickly become compromised in industrial settings.

When companies apply conventional non-skid coatings to these surfaces, aggregate is usually mixed in or sprinkled on top in an attempt to embed it in the coating to enhance traction. The challenge is that the aggregate quickly pulls loose from most coatings, impairing traction, for a couple of reasons.

When aggregate is mixed into the coating, a problem emerges with low viscosity, non-skid products.

“The coating thickness has to be substantial enough to hold the aggregate, the nonslip material, in suspension. However, most conventional coatings cannot keep the aggregate in suspension. With low-viscosity coatings containing a low percentage of epoxy, the aggregate falls to the bottom of the bucket during mixing, so you are essentially forced to apply it on top,” says Bob Finkenaur, owner of a Veteran Owned Small Business, who has years of experience providing high-value formulated products and solutions to a wide variety of professional and consumer markets.

“Most conventional non-skid coatings also shrink considerably after application due to water or solvent evaporation. Often, when the coating dries or cures, its thickness is only about half [the thickness] of when it was wet. The relative thinness of the coating is another reason that any embedded aggregate is prone to fall out, reducing traction,” he adds.

Consequently, a new coating with additional aggregate must be reapplied frequently, and internal safety standards may only be met only a fraction of the desired time.

Long-Term Prevention of Industrial Slips and Falls

As a solution, to improve traction and prevent slips and falls for the long-term in various industrial settings, innovators have developed a new category of extremely durable, all epoxy coatings designed to embed aggregate in the coating for years. The approach facilitates meeting internal safety standards and virtually eliminates the need for nonskid coating reapplication, reducing maintenance cost.

For example, the non-skid coating FormA-Tread® SL (Self Leveling) by Form-A-Tread Company is a combination of a low-to-medium viscosity epoxy binder consisting of 100% solids and a specialized aggregate broadcast on top. The coating can be used in a variety of manufacturing or storage environments on concrete, asphalt, metal diamond plate, wood, and other porous and non-porous substrates. The formulation along with its topically applied aggregate is designed for indoor and outdoor use and can last for years even when exposed to sunlight, chemicals, weather, and temperature extremes.

The patented coating provides a very durable, slip-resistant surface on industrial flooring, walkways, ramps, and other large areas with high pedestrian or vehicle traffic. The coating is easy to mix and apply by hand. Installation is fast and the surface is typically ready for use within hours. The coating has already been utilized by some giants of industry.

In the case of Consolidated Edison, Inc., one of the nation’s largest investor-owned energy-delivery companies, the company’s EH&S team proactively sought to reduce the risk of slip and fall incidents across multiple locations, as well as address an issue with shifting cargo loads while transporting equipment and supplies.

According to Richard Stewart, a Con Edison EH&S manager supporting Shared Services organizations, Con Edison has used the Form-ATread SL coating on a wide variety of surfaces and

Material Handling Network www.MHNetwork.com

applications. This has included many high traffic areas such as a receiving warehouse in Astoria; stairways in the Bronx; walkway ramps and dock loading ramps in Staten Island; and even plastic bumpers on utility vans that can become quite slick when wet.

The innovative use to secure tractor-trailer loads would also win the team that worked on this initiative a Con Edison 2021 Con Edison EH&S Team Award. This recognized the team’s extraordinary contribution to ensuring a safe workplace, achieving operational excellence, and improving how tractor-trailer loads are secured.

“When we got feedback from all the groups involved, they were impressed how the coating solved two issues at once,” says Stewart. “The drivers loved it because even on rainy, windy days the coating improved safety by providing sufficient traction and footing [on the aluminum trailer beds]. The improved traction also helped ensure large cargo would not shift on the trailer during transport.”

For his involvement with the project, Stewart was part of the team recognized in a Con Edison news article, and the project won Con Edison’s EH&S Sustainability Award.

He notes that as an EH&S Manager he often responds to issues with a solution or recommendation to help eliminate similar hazards across multiple locations.

“Working with a durable non-slip coating that can be applied to a variety of materials such as metal, concrete, asphalt, and wood, allows us to use the same solution to resolve many different issues,” concludes Stewart. “It is a very customizable product so wherever there is a need, we can use it. It gives us a lot of options.”

As industrial facilities seek to prevent slip and fall hazards across a greater range of workplace walking surfaces, implementing durable, non-skid, all epoxy coatings will effectively enhance safety for the longterm. Since the option is designed to withstand high foot traffic in many settings, it will also significantly reduce maintenance and replacement costs.

Del Williams is a technical writer based in Torrance, California.

Chain Reaction

Top 10 capabilities needed for Supply Chain Digital Transformation success

Gartner recently augmented its supply chain transformation study in 2021 to examine drivers, best practices, challenges, enabling technologies, and benefits. In a Gartner blog post from Michael Dominy, he concluded, “Building and improving capabilities to drive improved resiliency and other benefits take time — about three years — but can drive significant benefit, on average 32% improvement in supply chain performance.”

While the time to complete transformation is a multiyear effort, I firmly believe it’s an endeavor well worth the effort. Therefore, to help you on your journey, I thought it would be an interesting exercise to develop a list of the top ten core capabilities needed for supply chain digital transformation success. I’ve organized the capabilities into five key areas.

Key 1: Align to Strategic Forces

Supply chain digital transformation takes an average of 2.9 years, focusing on the strategic changes needed to satisfy the strategic changes you are seeing in your marketplace, company, or technology. Capabilities to focus on to enable a strategic approach to transformation are:

1. A dedicated team to document both current and future forces driving the transformation or estimated changes that will affect the supply chain.

2. Strategic thinkers who can visualize the supply chain of the future that will be able to satisfy the estimated requirements and take advantage of key opportunities.

Key 2: Target the Right Benefits

Having a clear vision as to how life will be once the supply chain digital transformation is complete is vitally important. Once that vision is defined, explaining the benefits of the outcome to the C-suite will help gain the engagement and cooperation needed to drive the transformation

project to completion. Capabilities to ensure the targets are well defined and communicated are:

3. Team members with resilience and clarity of vision to clearly express the value and goals of the supply chain digital transformation.

4. Quantifiable targets for the completion of the transformation (i.e., the value of the return on investment from the project).

Key 3: Assign the Right Leader

Any project as broad and lengthy as a supply chain digital transformation requires a leader that has the support and confidence of the C-suite. The critical capabilities of the leader of the transformation are:

5. Ability to select a team capable of completing the project rather than using the resources that are simply available.

6. A willingness to delegate the needed decisionmaking to the team.

Key 4: Identify and Overcome Your Top Challenges

There are guaranteed to be times when the project loses steam and starts to falter or runs into obstacles that threaten the supply chain's digital transformation. Take the time to catalog the challenges, both to the supply chain and to the completion of the transformation project. This will give the team time to prepare and build resilience strategies to address the issues. Capabilities needed in this key area are:

7. Ability to collaborate with adjacent teams to gain insights into their estimation of the key challenges, document them, and build strategies for remediation.

8. An agile and flexible approach to ensure challenges are addressed.

Key 5: Use Both Internal and External Resources

Transitions are difficult and solely using internal teams often leads to time constraints and incomplete efforts. Most successful projects use some external resources to take the load off the core team when required. External resources can also provide a fresh view of the supply chain's digital transformation and offer insights that are not clear from a purely internal view. Capabilities for both internal and external resources that you may lean on to help are:

9. Experience and expertise tightly relevant to your business and your transformation project.

10. Resources with sufficient technology vision to offer insights around both the supply chain and the digital elements of the transformation.

The Road to Supply Chain Digital Transformation Success

In conclusion, supply chain digital transformations are driven by company-wide

collaboration and technology. Leaders of transformation must prioritize strategy wins over tactical ones. Digital transformations require fulltime staffing resources and may need external resources for support. Be prepared for resistance to change by decision-makers — not employee resistance or mistrust of new technology —as that is most likely to be your top challenge to overcome. Best of luck!

Bill Denbigh serves as the vice president of product marketing at Tecsys. Bill started working in supply chain software some 30 years ago; his entire career has been laser-focused on designing and building pragmatic supply chain solutions that address the real problems that customers are facing in their supply chain operations. Bill has worked on virtually every aspect of the software in the supply chain, gaining insight into the inner workings of some of the industry’s most complex challenges; Bill, however, tackles those challenges with a no-nonsense levelheadedness that has earned him great repute both internally and among customers.

Business Management

The #1 thing businesses get wrong during a recession

It seems like the question on most business owners’ minds at the moment is, “are we headed for a recession?” Regardless of the answer to that question, one true thing is that even in times of recession, there are businesses that continue to grow and ones that barely survive.

Unfortunately, during tough times one of the first things that many businesses start to cut is their investment in the customer and employee experience. This is something that you should do as a last resort and it starts by understanding why.

Research conducted over the last 2 years by multiple organizations shows that 30% of customers will leave an organization after just one bad experience. Who is delivering the bad experience, your Team Members of course?

Let’s be clear, not every bad experience delivered by your Team is the fault of the employee, in most cases, it is the fault of the systems, processes, and/ or the training they are provided.

So, let’s assume that you can’t afford, or don’t want to lose 30% of your customers then turn your mind to how many customers you want to attract to your business. Consistently research shows that over 50% of customers will try another organization if they trust that their experience is going to be better than the one provided by their current supplier.

Either way, you look at it there is a compelling reason to continue to focus on, and where possible, enhance the customer and employee experience.

The good news is that once you’ve made the decision to continue to focus on the customer and employee experience there are just four areas that require your continued focus.

1 - Be Personal & Make It Relevant

The most personal word to each of us is our name; using it is the fastest way to get someone’s

attention, yet business systems are built around numbers.

Further injecting the person's name into the conversation, whether it be face-to-face, over the phone, or via a digital medium, is the first and easiest step in making the experience personal.

Beyond the use of the individual's name, you don’t need to spend millions on systems that allow for hyper-personalization but you do need to ensure that the communications you have with customers are relevant to them. At the very least start with grouping, your customer communications based on products enquired about or purchased.

2 - Keep Me (the customer & employee) Informed

Think about your own shopping experience; you click the payment button and then what happens? How do you feel when there are regular updates on the progress of your order versus few or no updates?

The simple rule here is to communicate often and in every message make it clear when the customer can expect the next communication from you. For example: thank you for your order, it is being processed and you can expect to hear from us within 72 hours with the shipping details, and so on.

However, it is not only your customers that need to be kept informed. First, your Team Members need to have timely communication so that they can provide customers with the right information the first time.

This is incredibly important when it comes to marketing and other public messages. Your Team Members would never be learning from a customer about the latest offer or problem before they have heard it internally. But it goes beyond just telling them about the offer/situation. You also should

CUSTOM TRAILERS

This one-of-a-kind was just what the customer ordered!

GENERAL PURPOSE TRAILERS

BUCKETS

AT TAC HMENTS

take the opportunity to reinforce how to deliver the marketing message or how to manage inquiries about the issue.

3 - Add Value Beyond The Sale

To create a relationship that generates repeat and referral business, you need to be finding ways to continually add value. The easiest way to do this is to provide free, relevant, resources that help the customer get the full benefit of the purchase.

An easy example in this space is to think of a customer taking delivery of a new car. The delivery day is full of excitement and a desire to get behind the wheel and experience the car. The customer probably is distracted and not listening to the instructions on how everything works. The leading Dealerships and Brands will communicate with the customer post-purchase to ensure that they are reminded about all the awesome features of the car so that they can maximize their enjoyment. It also creates a genuine reason for the brand to reconnect with their customer.

Think about your own business, what could you be communicating post-purchase that will provide a genuine benefit to the customer and a reason for the brand to further build a relationship?

4 - Enable the Employee

Employees turn up every day wanting to do great work and to do so they need their managers and leaders to enable their success.

As a manager or leader in an organization enables the success of your employees by:

• Defining what great looks like;

• Remove or minimize friction for the employee delivering on great; and

• Celebrate publicly great work and coach privately when something doesn’t go to plan.

As the economy goes through its cycles the above four principles will ensure that you continue to be a business that people want to spend their money with and tell their friends about while also attracting employees that want to be part of delivering a great experience.

Jason S. Bradshaw started his first business at the age of 14, differentiating himself by the service he provided. For the last 3 decades, he has worked with some of the world’s most recognizable brands, improving the experience to transform the business. Jason is a best-selling author and is considered a global guru on customer experience and a leading authority on experience management. www. jasonsbradshaw.com

Industry News

Alternative Fuel Tax Credit retroactively extended for propane vehicles

The Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) is encouraging warehouse operations managers to take advantage of the Alternative Fuel Tax Credit, which was passed as part of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA) by the U.S. Congress on August 16, 2022. The bill extended the Alternative Fuel Tax Credit through 2024, which gives a 37-cent credit for each gasoline gallon equivalent of propane purchased in the transportation sector. This includes off-road vehicles like forklifts. The bill not only extends the credits through Dec. 31, 2024, but fleet owners can also apply for credits retroactively for any fuel purchases made in 2022.

www.propane.com

Lincoln Electric signs definitive agreement to acquire Fori Automation, Inc.

Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Fori Automation, Inc. Fori Automation, a privately held automation engineering firm founded in 1984, is a leading designer and manufacturer of complex, multiarmed automated welding systems, with an extensive range of automated assembly systems, automated material handling solutions, automated large-scale, industrial guidance vehicles (AGVs), and end of line testing systems. Fori Automation primarily serves automotive and aerospace OEMs and is headquartered in Shelby Township, Michigan, the U.S.A. with additional operations in six international facilities across Europe, Latin America, and Asia.

www.lincolnelectric.com

RMH Systems acquires DAK Solutions

In a letter to clients, DAK Solutions Dave Kenealy shared acquisition news, “I am pleased to share that RMH Systems acquired DAK Solutions on August 29th, 2022.” Kenealy stated,  “For 28 years, DAK’s mission has been to provide our customers with the best possible service and solutions. This guiding principle fostered opportunities to design and install material handling projects in 45 states, Canada, and Mexico. It has been the key to our success and this principle will continue with RMH Systems. I have gotten to know the owners of RMH Systems over many years, and trust they will help grow DAK Solutions and sustain the great service you have been accustomed to with DAK. Their commitment to customers, strong core values and culture, industry expertise, and high-level project execution reflect what we have built at DAK over the last three decades.” he added.

www.rmhsystems.com

Southwest Material Handling Inc. acquires ProCon JCB

Southwest Material Handling Inc. has recently acquired ProCon JCB. Now Southwest JCB and ProCon JCB will operate as Southwest JCB under the parent company Southwest Material Handling Inc. The acquisition of ProCon JCB significantly expands Southwest JCB’s reach into four highgrowth western markets. Southwest Material Handling Inc. now has nearly 300 employees operating out of eight facilities across six states.

www.swtoyotalift.com

Durante Equipment joins LiuGong North America Dealer lineup

LiuGong North America has added another Florida-based dealer to its lineup, in the form of Hollywood, Fla.-based Durante Equipment. Durante Equipment is a general rent equipment operations company (it includes both construction equipment and material handling products) and boasts a 30-year track record of experience led by Dealer Principal/President John Durante and GM/ Sales Manager David D’Attilo. www.liugongna.com www.duranteequip.com

Toyota Material Handling and group companies contribute $100,000 to American Red Cross in Hurricane Ian Relief

Toyota Material Handling (TMH), along with its partner companies, is donating $100,000 to the American Red Cross to support communities affected by the devastation of Hurricane Ian. Toyota Material Handling (TMH), The Raymond Corporation, Toyota Advanced Logistics/Bastian Solutions, Toyota Industries Commercial Finance (TICF), and Toyota Industries Commercial Finance Canada (TICFC), have come together to make the combined contribution to disaster relief. www.toyotaforklift.com

H&E Equipment Services completes acquisition of One Source Equipment Rentals Inc.

H&E Equipment Services Inc. has announced the completion of its acquisition of One Source Equipment Rentals Inc. (“One Source”), effective October 1, 2022. With the closing of the transaction, H&E adds 10 equipment rental locations to its branch network, including initial locations in Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky. www.he-equipment.com

KION North America expands territory with dealer partner Granite Industrial Trucks, LLC

KION North America announces territory

expansion with dealer partner Granite Industrial Trucks, recently acquired by parent company BMH Equipment LLC. Granite Industrial Trucks, LLC’s expanded territory covers central Massachusetts and Rhode Island, including a new location in their established Massachusetts territory. Granite Industrial Trucks, LLC currently serves areas throughout New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine and is authorized to sell and service KION North America’s entire portfolio of Linde Material Handling and Baoli brands. www.kion-na.com www.graniteindustrial.com

People News

Plastics

Industry

Association names Charlotte Dreizen Director, Sustainability and Environment

The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) just announced that Charlotte Dreizen has been named Director, Sustainability and Environment, effective immediately. As a member of PLASTICS’ sustainability team, Dreizen will conduct direct oversight of activities that encompass Operation Clean sweep (OCS), a program founded by PLASTICS and operated in partnership with the American Chemistry Council’s Plastics Division, in which companies that handle resin commit to protocols designed to help reach zero resin loss in operations. Charlotte will also lead the association’s efforts on educational programs and external efforts.

www.plasticsindustry.org

Wolter, Inc. celebrates Sixty Years of business and growth

Wolter, Inc. celebrates sixty years of business and tremendous growth. Wolter continues to grow through the expansion of product offerings, superior customer service, acquisitions, and an extensive suite of operational productivity solutions Wolter has built over the decades. The Wolter, Inc. story began in 1962, when Otto Wolter, CEO, founded LPM Parts & Service, later named Wisconsin Lift Truck, out of a two-car garage in Milwaukee, WI. Starting as an aftermarket parts supplier, Wolter quickly expanded into service and used material handling equipment sales. From there, the company took on new lift truck lines and began to grow the business organically.

www.wearewolter.com

Industrial Manufacturing planned Project Report

Data provided by SalesLeads

154 New Industrial Manufacturing Development Projects Showed Improved Performance in September 2022s

IMI SalesLeads announced today the September 2022 results for the new planned capital project spending report for the Industrial Manufacturing industry. The 154 new projects increased from August 2022 140 manufacturing projects, however, down from 162 in September 2021.

The Firm tracks North American planned industrial capital project activity; including facility expansions, new plant construction and significant equipment modernization projects. Research confirms 154 new projects in the Industrial Manufacturing sector.

KENTUCKY: Automotive mfr. is planning to invest $700 million for the renovation and equipment upgrades at their manufacturing facility in LOUISVILLE, KY. They have recently received approval for the project.

INDIANA: Automotive mfr. is expanding and planning to invest $491 million for a 6,000 sf expansion, renovation, and equipment upgrades on their manufacturing facility in MARION, IN. They are currently seeking approval for the project. Construction is expected to start in early 2023.

The following are selected highlights on new Industrial Manufacturing industry construction news.

Industrial Manufacturing - By Project Type

• Manufacturing/Production Facilities - 133 New Projects

• Distribution and Industrial Warehouse - 61 New Projects

Industrial Manufacturing - By Project Scope/Activity

• New Construction - 59 New Projects

• Expansion - 43 New Projects

• Renovations/Equipment Upgrades - 44 New Projects

• Plant Closings - 16 New Projects

Industrial Manufacturing - By Project Location (Top 10 States)

• North Carolina - 10

• Indiana - 9

• California - 8

• Wisconsin - 7

• Alabama - 5

Largest Planned Project

• Ohio - 10

• Texas - 9

• Pennsylvania - 7

• Michigan - 6

• Georgia - 5

During the month of September, our research team identified 19 new Industrial Manufacturing facility construction projects with an estimated value of $100 million or more.

The largest project is owned by Micron Technology, Inc., who is planning to invest $15 billion for the construction of a manufacturing facility in BOISE, ID. They are currently seeking approval for the project.

Top 10 Tracked Industrial Manufacturing Projects

MICHIGAN: Battery component mfr. is planning to invest $3.6 billion for the construction of a manufacturing facility on 18 Mile Rd. in BIG RAPIDS, MI. They are currently seeking approval for the project.

November 2022 Material Handling Network www.MHNetwork.com

TEXAS: EV mfr. is planning to invest $365 million for the construction of a lithium-hydroxide refining plant in ROBSTOWN, TX. They are currently seeking approval for the project. Construction is expected to start in late 2022, with completion slated for 2024.

ARIZONA: Plant-based packaging product mfr. is planning to invest $280 million for the renovation and equipment upgrades on their manufacturing facility in GILBERT, AZ. Completion is slated for late 2023.

SOUTH CAROLINA: Automotive component mfr. is planning to invest $200 million for the renovation and equipment upgrades on their manufacturing facility in ANDERSON, SC. Completion is slated for 2026.

MISSOURI: Consumer products mfr. is planning to invest $180 million for the expansion, renovations, and equipment upgrades on their processing facility in ST. LOUIS, MO. They are currently seeking approval for the project.

OHIO: Truck mfr. is planning to invest $150 million for the expansion of their manufacturing facility in NEW PHILADELPHIA, OH. They are currently seeking approval for the project.

TEXAS: Steel tube mfr. is planning to invest $75 million for the construction of a 125,000 sf manufacturing facility in SEGUIN, TX. They have recently received approval for the project.

ALABAMA: Laminated timber products mfr. is planning to invest $62 million for the construction of a 140,000 sf manufacturing facility in DOTHAN, AL. Completion is slated for 2024. The project also includes equipment upgrades on their existing manufacturing facility in DOTHAN, AL.

Since 1959, 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.

Distribution and Supply Chain Project Report

Data provided by SalesLeads

166 New Distribution and Supply Chain Development Projects Showed Decrease Performance in September 2022

IMI SalesLeads announced today the September 2022 results for the new planned capital project spending report for the Distribution and Supply Chain industry. The 166 new projects decreased from August 2022, and also down from 172 in September 2021.

The Firm tracks North American planned industrial capital project activity; including facility expansions, new plant construction and significant equipment modernization projects. Research confirms 166 new projects in the Distribution and Supply Chain sector.

MICHIGAN: Graphite product mfr. is planning to invest $75 million for the expansion and equipment upgrades on their warehouse and manufacturing facility in BAY CITY, MI. They are currently seeking approval for the project. Completion is slated for 2027.

KENTUCKY: Distillery is planning to invest $51 million for the construction of a 55,000 sf warehouse and production facility in GEORGETOWN, KY. They are currently seeking approval for the project.

The following are selected highlights on new Distribution Center and Warehouse construction news.

Distribution and Supply Chain - By Project Type

• Distribution/Fulfillment Centers - 21 New Projects

• Industrial Warehouse - 147 New Projects

Distribution and Supply Chain - By Project Scope/Activity

• New Construction - 85 New Projects

• Expansion - 33 New Projects

• Renovations/Equipment Upgrades - 41 New Projects

• Closings - 6 New Projects

Distribution and Supply Chain - By Project Location (Top 5 States)

• Texas - 15

• New York - 12

• California - 10 • Indiana - 9

• Florida - 8

Largest Planned Project

During the month of September, our research team identified 2 new Distribution and Supply Chain facility construction projects with an estimated value of $100 million or more. The largest project is owned by Igus Inc., who is investing $200 million for a 707,000 sf expansion of their manufacturing and warehouse facility in EAST PROVIDENCE, RI. They are currently seeking approval for the project.

Top 10 Tracked Distribution and Supply Chain Project Opportunities

TEXAS: Healthcare service provider is planning for the construction of a laboratory, processing, warehouse, and office campus on a 500-acre site in HOUSTON, TX. The project is in the early design phase. Construction is expected to start in 2025.

PENNSYLVANIA: Port authority is planning to invest $34 million for the construction of a 100,000 sf warehouse at their port in PHILADELPHIA, PA. They have recently received approval for the project. Construction is expected to start in 2024.

MASSACHUSETTS: Decor printing company is planning to invest $28 million for the construction of a 54,000 sf warehouse in PITTSFIELD, MA. They have recently received approval for the project.

FLORIDA: Aerospace company is planning to invest $26 million for the construction of a 147,000 sf warehouse and maintenance facility at Cecil Airport in JACKSONVILLE, FL. They are currently seeking approval for the project.

CALIFORNIA: Online fashion retailer is planning for the renovation and equipment upgrades on a recently leased 1.8 million sf distribution center in CHERRY VALLEY, CA. Completion is slated for 2023.

GEORGIA: Discount retail chain is planning for the renovation and equipment upgrades on a recently leased 712,000 sf distribution center at 500 Business Center Dr. in STOCKBRIDGE, GA. Completion is slated for late 2022.

SOUTH CAROLINA: Furniture mfr. is planning for the construction of a 500,000 sf warehouse facility in MARION, SC. They are currently seeking approval for the project.

ILLINOIS: Trucking company is planning for the construction of a 214,000 sf warehouse in HUNTLEY, IL. They are currently seeking approval for the project.

Since 1959, 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, IMI 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.

2022 Material Handling Network www.MHNetwork.com

Product Showcase

TAWI announces new mobile lifting solution for freight container unloading and portable lifting applications

TAWI, the inventor of the vacuum lift (also known as a vacuum tube lifter) has launched a new, portable vacuum lifter designed to be used inside of any ocean freight or box truck to reduce the manual lifting of materials during the loading or unloading process. This solution enables a more flexible workforce by reducing the need to team lift heavy objects while also minimizing the opportunity for injury. www.tawi.com

Hyster

port

Hyster Company announces testing of a top-pick container handler powered by hydrogen fuel cells (HFC) at Fenix Marine Services in the Port of Los Angeles. Building on the industry standard Hyster® H1050-1150XDCH top-pick container handler design, the truck is powered by two 45kw hydrogen fuel cells from Nuvera, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hyster parent company Hyster-Yale Group. www.hyster.com

Quick and safe transport of AMRs between multiple floors

Qimarox, a manufacturer of components for material handling systems, introduces a vertical conveyor for automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs). The Prorunner PR12 is ideally suited to transporting these vehicles between different floors. The high positioning accuracy, the rigidity of the construction, and the possibility of mounting a second carrier result in a safe and reliable high-capacity transport solution. www.qimarox.com

Rice Lake’s new iDimension® Pallet Dimensioning System

Rice Lake Weighing Systems has launched a new pallet dimensioning system specifically designed for over-length freight. The iDimension LTL XL uses advanced sensing technology to capture Legal for Trade measurements in seconds. The iDimension LTL XL accurately measures freight up to 12 feet long, 8 feet wide, and 8 feet tall, helping shippers avoid fees and expensive chargebacks for extra-long freight that may be misclassified with improper dimension. www.ricelake.com/idimltlxl

New dual gate safety system from Mezzanine Safeti-Gates ensures elevated ledges and pallet drop area are always protected

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, has announced a new safety gate design, the Roly® Total Control Access (TCA) safety gate. The new safety system improves upon the original dual-gate design by ensuring that at least one gate is fully closed at all times, even as the opposite gate moves into position. The operation ensures that an elevated ledge is never left unprotected, providing employees with failsafe fall protection in any material handling environment. www.MezzGate.com

begins first-ever real-world pilot of hydrogen fuel cell-powered container handler at Los Angeles

Product Showcase

Mitsubishi-Logisnext-Americas-GroupIntroduces-Industry-Exclusive-5-yearPowertrain-Warranty

Mitsubishi Logisnext Americas group, the exclusive distributor of Jungheinrich® lift trucks, narrowaisle, and automated guided vehicles in the United States, Canada and Mexico, announced today the launch of its new industry-exclusive powertrain warranty. The new 5-year powertrain warranty comes standard on all Jungheinrich-branded Class I and II warehouse products.

www.logisnextamericas.com/en/logisnext

It’s a triple threat of Hamilton casters

Good things come in threes: This beast of a triple caster Hamilton designed for an engineering design firm. Each 21-inch wheel is impressive in its own right. But when banded thrice together to support four corners of an 80,000-pound movable assembly, it’s a threesome worthy of Godzilla, Rodan and Mothra combined. This customer needed to make it mobile at speeds up to 3 mph to travel through various docks and concrete roadways around an outdoor shipyard. So, they added the three-wheel concept to provide maximum footprint and load distribution.

www.hamiltoncaster.com

Side Kick Attachments forklift & pallet fork extensions designed for long-term use

You’ve probably experienced the frustration and inefficiency of not having fork extensions when you have a long or bulky load to move. Or, the generic extensions you have in your shop are beginning to bend, break, or cause unnecessary wear-andtear on your forks and machine. At Sidekick Attachments, they know you want to be assured of your investment in quality fork extensions made for long-term use. To do that, you need reliable and strong fork extensions that make moving longer loads easier and safer.

www.sidekickattachments.com

New Fall releases from KEEN Utility

The KEEN Utility San Jose Oxford perfectly bridges the gap between board meeting and floor meeting. Introducing the fan favorite San Jose in a work shoe silhouette, KEEN Utility’s latest release includes the safety, performance, and comfort features the brand has become known for. With an air-infused Luftcell midsole, lightweight aluminum safety toes, siped oil- and slip-resistant rubber outsole that easily sheds water, this style is ready to help keep operations running smoothly.

www.keenfootwear.com

Toyota Material Handling releases upgraded 3-Wheel Electric Forklift

Toyota Material Handling has launched an updated version of Toyota's 3-Wheel Electric Forklift. The update adds new features and technology to the top-selling forklift in the segment. The updates have raised the standard on innovation and versatility with more than 30 advances, including improved ergonomics, operator-assist features, and onboard programming and diagnostics. Energy-efficient improvements offer a 40 percent longer run time on a single charge. A slope-sensing auto power mode automatically switches power mode to maintain speed while traveling up a slope. An optional Toyota Lithium-Ion battery minimizes maintenance costs and downtime for improved productivity. www.toyotaforklift.com

www.MHNetwork.com

Ace Attachments 7 www.aceattachments.com

All Industrial Engine Service 27 www.all-industrial.com

American Industrial Transmission, Inc. 13, 34 www.aittransmission.com

Bristol Manufacturing ..................................... 15 www.bristolsteel.com

Collision Awareness ................................... Insert www.save-ty.com

DACS, Inc. ....................................................... 10 www.dacsinc.com

Dyna Rack ..................................................... A4 www.dyna-rack.com

Flight Systems Industrial Products (FSIP) A3 www.fsip.biz

FMH Material Handling Solutions ................... A1 www.fmhsolutions.com

Forklift-international.com ............................... 25 Forklift-international.com

Hader Industries Inc ........................................ 29 www.haderind.com

Joseph Industries, Inc. .................................... 23 www.joseph.com

Mezzanine Safeti-Gates Inc 5 www.mezzaninesafetygates.com

MFG Tray Company 17 www.mfgtray.com

Phillips Mine & Mill 19 www.growthhive-strategy.com

Phoenix Lighting 20 www.phoenixlighting.com

Superior Engineering 11 www.superioreng.com

Superior Tire & Rubber Corp. 21 www.superiortire.com

Thombert, Inc. ................................................ A2 www.thombert.com

West Point Rack, Inc. ....................................... 3 www.westpointrack.com

White Blaze Equipment ................................... 24 www.whiteblazeinc.com

Wy'East Products ............................................. 9 www.clearcap.com

The advertisers’ index is an extra service to the advertisers. The publisher does not assume liability for errors.

www.MHNetwork.com

Alert Employees of Dangerous Collisions BEFORE They Occur!

Currently, we have 42 standard package offerings, ranging from one-way to fourway intersections. These units can be mounted to racks, walls, or ceiling hung for the large units.

Additionally, our new DUAL USE series consists of units that can be used INDOORS and OUTDOORS.

Our units are Essential for Traffic Control

Our LOOK OUT™ product line offers a versatile line of safety sensors that will alert workers and pedestrians if a forklift or other moving object is approaching just around the corner. Our sensors are great for any traffic area and are quickly becoming a standard for warehouse traffic control.

Avoid accidents and potential liabilities to your facility. We have LOOK OUT™ products for just about every safety application for your warehouse, yard, or office needs. Additionally, if you need a custom solution, we will work with you to assure that your safety needs are met to complete satisfaction.

When the sensors detect motion in blind spots around a corner or a door way, it begins to flash a warning to the pedestrian or operator who is approaching that intersection. Additionally, sensors will signal the lights on either side of the unit to flash as to indicate someone is approaching the same intersection. Thus, everyone approaching that intersection is informed of movement and will know to proceed with caution.

The sensors may be adjusted to specific angles and lengths that will meet the needs of your facility. Signals are sent via bright flashing red LED lights on each visible side of the units.

Protect your employees, visitors, and guests from dangerous collisions with forklifts or heavy equipment while walking through your facility. Safety and caution should be an automatic response to your implemented systems.

We offer both interior and exterior sensors on our systems that can be mounted anywhere. They help control traffic concerns and communicate that someone is approaching from a spot that may not be otherwise visible.

AVOID DEADLY AND COSTLY FORKLIFT COLLISIONS

As workers juggle more projects and deadlines with shorter time constraints, safety can become jeopardized. As this happens, so do accidents.

40% of all forklift fatalities are caused by an individual being struck or run over by a forklift. Many of these accidents and fatalities can be avoided by warning pedestrians and forklift operators of approaching danger.

Our LOOK OUT™ sensor alert warning system allows for quick and easy recognition of possible hazardous situations. Why take chances of liabilities when you can avoid accidents and protect your most valuable assets: your employees!

Sensor detects up to 35 feet away,24 hours a day

Shown: Hall Door Monitor Basic

Blind spots, corners, and dangerous intersections can cause series accidents. Wouldn’t it be great if someone was always there to alert you of oncoming traffic? Despite Safety Supervisors efforts, they cannot always be there to prevent collisions. Thankfully, our units are there to scan traffic areas and alert 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

• The Look Out units cover 2, 3, and 4-way intersections.

• The Hall Door and Overhead Door units cover hallways and overhead doors.

• The Basics detect on one side and alert on the other.

• The Dual Use series of units can be used for interior/exterior applications.

Examples of these units are shown below.

OVERHEAD DOOR 4

The ‘FIT’ Height Awareness Sensors

The Fit height Awareness Sensors alert truck drivers of overhead obstacles that may be in the line of an elevated mast. When the sensor beams are broken, the ‘FIT’ lights and audible alarm continuously alert the driver of potential danger.

• Choose from 70’, 130’, and 200’ options for distance between sensors.

• Sensors and selectable audible can be used for interior or exterior applications.

• Great for protecting overhead sprinklers, heaters, lights, and storage; ceiling fans; loading dock awnings and industrial canopies; overhead bridge cranes; interior doorways; and parking garages.

Portable Stacking Racks

• For storing or transport, these long-wearing racks save space & time.

• Utilize vertical storage space by safely stacking these racks up to 5-high.

• Forklift portable for easy handling of loads up to 4000 lbs & more.

• Rugged construction features stand up to heavy industrial requirements.

• Save time by moving more material with fewer moves.

• Store product up and off the floor preventing product damage.

• Racks store easily with little storage space required when not in use.

• Standard rack designs/sizes can be changed to meet your specific needs. “Ideal