May 2023 Material Handling Wholesaler

Robotics and technology bring expanded efficiencies to warehouses

As the material handling industry works to quickly and accurately meet customer needs while navigating labor and supply chain trends, in certain situations automation can fill some of the gaps. This month, Material Handling Wholesaler looks at a few of the latest developments in robotics and driverless forklifts, along with exploring overall warehouse automation strategy.

Transforming forklifts

Balyo specializes in transforming standard forklifts into driverless robots, offering tools that simplify the shift from manual to autonomous material handling, according to a company press release. The robot Balyo Reachy, for example, can pick pallets of up to 1.5 tons to a height of 37 feet and achieve a 360-degree turn in only 9.9 feet, the release said. Many companies are scaling up instead of out, according to Mark Stevenson, Balyo’s chief sales officer. “The only way to safely and efficiently be part of this vertical revolution in materials handling is to automate the storage and retrieval of goods,” he said, in the statement.

Rob Patey, marketing and digital director, said a two-shift operation sees a return on investment in utilizing Balyo technology in about two and a half years. “And if you’re a 24-7 operation, you’re going to get a return on investment right out of the gate,” he said. The company’s automated guided vehicles include all of the functions needed, according to Patey. “All of the brains are on board the robot,” he said, noting there are sensors and cameras and lasers on the AGV to identify what to pick and drop.

Balyo is a global company, according to Patey. “We started in France and Germany and two years ago shifted to start focusing on the U.S.,” he said, noting the focus in the States on alignment with consumer demands. “People want to get things to their house the minute they order them. There is a lot happening on the back end to make that happen,” said Patey, noting how the trend is driving the need for third-party logistics providers. He said Balyo is always improving the technology of the robots themselves, including better cameras, better lasers,

and guidance tech. “There are less errors and a smoother sense of operation,” said Patey, adding that the technology can “better identify and navigate and increase safety. “On the software side, we’re building tools, working on the tools to make the process go smoother,” he said. Other companies also offer options for warehouses.

Vanderlande, which bills itself as a global partner for future-proof logistic process automation in warehousing, airports, and parcel sectors, showcased a modular workstation leveraging an item-picking robot at the recent ProMat, according to a release. Some of the solutions showcased included: the Fastpick suite of goods-to-person picking solutions, which includes Goods-to-Picker 2.0 and Adapto, according to a press release.

The former is a second generation of Vanderlande’s modular workstation and is designed to simplify the picking process, the statement said. “Leveraging the benefits of 1:1 picking and exceptional ergonomics, it improves pick performance while reducing errors and training,” the release said. Adapto is a roaming shuttle-based automated storage and retrieval system, with advanced sorting and sequencing capabilities that work with a variety of cartons, trays, and totes, according to the company.

Dual-mode options

Others point to the advantage of equipment designed with dual-mode capabilities. At Crown Equipment, Jim Gaskell said automated forklifts provide the flexibility of operating in manual modes, further enhancing the flexibility associated with mobile automation.

Gaskell, director of global automation and emerging technologies for Crown, said the dual-mode operation should be considered an essential feature of an automated forklift. Dualmode forklifts have been designed “from the ground up as automated vehicles while retaining the flexibility to operate in manual mode when required,” Gaskell said. “With automated dualmode forklifts, warehouses can operate more predictably, have greater visibility into product

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movements, and don’t have to compromise the versatility that makes forklifts so valuable to warehouse operations,” he said. “Because the lift trucks are integrated with the warehouse management system, there is continuous visibility into their location as well as the loads on the forks, and the vehicles can perform consistently over multiple shifts.”

Other technological advances gaining speed include telematics and data analytics, according to Gaskell. “Telematic systems can play a vital role in implementing forklift automation, identifying potential use cases, informing your automation strategy, measuring performance, and helping you ensure access,” he said.

When to automate

Gaskell recommends strategically planning an automation investment. “Any effort to introduce automation into your facility should be guided by a realistic plan with achievable expectations that can also be scalable based on success and growth,” he said, adding that realizing tangible benefits requires “the right frame of mind.”

That means looking beyond industry hype and unrealistic expectations, Gaskell said.

What should be considered are the genuine operational challenges and the tangible goals sought to be accomplished, according to Gaskell. “You must also identify the tasks and equipment within your operations that are good candidates for automation,” he said. The more processes are standardized, the better the interaction of automated forklifts within the environment, Gaskell added.

“It is important to understand that not all warehouse tasks are candidates for automation. It depends on the available technology, the amount of customization and complexity involved, and how easy it is to incorporate new workflows and processes to integrate the automation,” he said. Warehouse managers need to identity tasks and equipment that are well-suited for automation, according to Gaskell.

“Some warehouse tasks that have shown to be ideal candidates for automation include load transportation throughout the warehouse, pallet put away and retrieval and order picking,” he said, advising considering how forklifts are being used and how and when pallets are moving when looking at automation. “Many of today’s challenges, including hiring issues, supply chain disruptions, and changing consumer demands can be resolved or significantly diminished with automation technology that exists today,” Gaskell said.

At Balyo, Patey agreed. Meeting labor needs is one of the biggest drivers of interest in automated technology, according to Patey. “That’s the number one conversation we have. People walk up to our booth and say, ‘I can’t get drivers,” he said.

Bridging the gap

Patey stressed that the learning curve for Baylo technology is manageable. “Everybody thinks of robotics and thinks it all is complicated,” he said, noting the marketing department for Baylo is working this year to help customers understand the technology is “not a big scary change.” “They really don’t need to fear it,” he said.

The other concern frequently raised about robotics is that the advancements will take over

jobs and operations, according to Patey. “We’re still so far away from that. The algorithms are just not there. Artificial intelligence does not have its own self-direction,” he said. Balyo’s robots can be operated fully manually and autonomously, the release said.

This helps bridge “the perceived gap between whether to use people or technology,” said Stevenson, in the statement. “This frees up people to focus on improving operations and other truly value-added activities. In this way, our technology is being used to vastly improve people’s working lives,” he said. Sometimes just getting started with automation is the hardest step, said Gaskell, stressing the importance of an informed, strategic approach.

“This clears the path to identify the right automation technologies and warehouse tasks to be automated,” he said. “It is

important to understand that you are not simply automating a manual task. You should look at the entire process or workflow impacted by the introduction of automation.”

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 14 years. If your company would like to be featured, email editorial@MHWmag.com

Aftermarket Chris Aiello

Taking a page from the video game industry to generate reoccurring revenue

If you play video games or have children that play modern-day video games, without even thinking about it, you are familiar with the video game industry’s revenue model. You are especially familiar if you are the one footing the bill for your or your children’s video game play.

The old-fashioned business model for gaming has been the console model. Video game console manufacturers sell their gaming consoles usually at cost or very low margin while making money by selling high-priced games. The rise of online gaming, especially as high-speed internet has become an everyday commodity in households, has further diversified the revenue models for video game companies.

One of these revenue streams is the subscription model, where a game requires continuous payments to play the game. Another revenue stream is what is called microtransactions, where there are features or aspects of a game that the player can purchase to upgrade gameplay or attain digital goods or premium features of the game.

Again, if you are into gaming or have children into gaming, you are probably all too familiar with these microtransactions if it is your credit card being billed. While companies might not necessarily be making high margins by selling consoles, or even if they provide some free-toplay games, these revenue streams outlined above continue to remain lucrative.

Now you are probably wondering what that has to do with the material handling industry and lift trucks. I wanted to draw the parallels between the revenue streams in the video game industry to the revenue streams within a traditional lift truck dealership. Think of the lift truck as being the gaming console for the purposes of this article. The sale of a new lift truck can lead to years of service maintenance and replacement parts business for the dealer.

As defined by MHEDA, the material handling aftermarket is the add-on revenue source from industrial truck equipment sales; parts, after-sales service, and rental fleet operations. So compare the

subscription and microtransaction revenue models I mentioned at the beginning of this article for the gaming industry to the lift truck dealer’s subscription and microtransactions.

They can include but are not limited to field service repair, preventive and/or planned maintenance, annual safety inspections, service shop work, sales of high mortality rate/high-wear parts and accessories, component replacements, rebuilds or remanufactured parts, and service and maintenance contracts.

According to the MHEDA data, a typical lift truck dealership revenue mix consists of the following:

• New Equipment Sales: 29.2%

• Used Equipment Sales: 7.9%

• Parts: 18.4%

• Service: 20.4%

• Rental Billings: 14.4%

• Other Revenue (not listed above): 9.7%

According to the same MHEDA data, the gross margin from new equipment sales for a typical dealership is 8.7% whereas the gross margin for parts sales is 34.9%, and the gross margin for service is 62.6%

Tight margins on the new equipment, similar to the console in the video game industry model I described earlier in the article. As the MHEDA data shows, the sale of parts and services is critical to the profitability of the dealership. This is especially true with the current climate of our industry. Extended lead times from new equipment manufacturers have led to the life of the older equipment within the market being extended past its normal operating life. This has led to an increase in parts and services needed to maintain the equipment that would normally be replaced during the normal equipment life cycles of your end-customer.

While new equipment manufacturers and lift truck dealers are aware of the importance of aftermarket/after-sale parts and services as shown in the data above, many dealers sometimes

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struggle to differentiate the role of an equipment salesperson and the role of a customer service sales rep.

Too often I see these roles rolled up into one function, where I believe these roles should always be separate functions and separate salespersons. Where an equipment salesperson’s objectives are the targeting and identifying of new equipment opportunities, along with quoting and selling of new/used equipment, if they are also tasked with providing aftermarket parts and service support that could lead to not having enough focus on one function over the other.

I believe having dedicated customer service sales reps will allow your dealership to provide focused and professional aftermarket parts support, along with dedication to targeting and obtaining service agreements and the upselling of service repair quotes.

Well-defined customer service sales rep function includes but is not limited to targeting

accounts to develop and ensure aftermarket sales, ensure the growth of a dealer’s existing service accounts, and develop new and maintain existing rental equipment customers.

This dedicated function aligns with the dealer’s workflow to ensure a steady stream of service, rental, and parts business while working cross-functionally with said departments within the dealership. Having this dedicated customer service sales rep function allows the for the new/used equipment sales rep to focus on the functions of selling equipment.

In addition, as with the sale of new/used equipment to your end-customer leading to service maintenance and parts sales for your dealership, you could also see how targeting new customers through a dedicated customer service sales rep can also lead to the future sale of new/ used equipment to those end-customers as well.

Combining this with a great customer experience as I discussed in last month’s article, will lead to the continued growth of these revenue streams for your dealership.

Chris Aiello is the Business Development Manager at TVH Parts Co. He has been in the equipment business for 16-plus years as a service manager, quality assurance manager, and business development manager. Chris now manages a national outside sales team selling replacement parts and accessories in various equipment markets such as material handling, equipment rental, and construction/earthmoving dealerships..

Bottom Line Garry Bartecki

Are you prepared to talk MTM to your banker?

Hey, let’s talk MTM, otherwise, known as Mark to Market. You will soon become very familiar with this phrase. Especially if you are renewing your banking arrangements or are looking for a new loan or loans for 23 and beyond.

How about we see if your banker has a sense of humor? When he/she asks for your latest Balance Sheet, how about your ask to see the bank's Balance Sheet to see if they are liquid and will be able to process your payroll when it comes due? But if you are in serious negotiations with the bank you may want to skip this idea.

A number of banks are worried about what is going on in the banking arena. Thus, they will take steps to increase their liquidity which in turn reduces any incentive they have to make loans. NOT GOOD FOR YOU if you have not finalized your arrangements for this year.

This is where MTM comes into play because banks will scrutinize the individual categories on your balance sheet to determine whether they are valid, correctly accounted for, and properly valued. Gee, that sounds like what they were doing regarding SVB. They may even ask you to have an audit performed by an agreed-upon accounting firm, hopefully, one that understands your business. They may also ask for annual equipment valuations encompassing both used equipment as well as rental assets. Do not be surprised if they ask for both orderly liquidation values (OLV) and forced liquidation values (FLV).

They need these values to mark your assets to market. Which in turn is processed as part of their MTM calculation. And you can imagine how difficult the process can be with the past as well as current used values increasing because of a standard demand/supply situation. If you were in the banker's shoes, how would you value used equipment as well as recently purchased rental units in terms of loan collateral? I find the answer to this question perplexing. Think about it.

Let’s consider some assumptions.

• Cost of a unit five years ago at $20,000

• The cost of the new unit is currently at $26000 to $28,000

• Book value of the five-year-old unit. $6,000

• The current auction price is $10,000

• New EV units coming into market……$30,000

This is a rough idea of what is going on with all types of business equipment. The point is that used prices and demand/supply force prices higher. Lack of new units forces used prices higher. EV units are more costly than current units. Put this all into a blender and I would hate to be the banker required to provide MTM numbers for these units, especially if their loan portfolio stretches over 5-6 years, which is probable in an industry that supplies both short and long-term rental activity.

If I were the banker I would be saying. …..here is a used unit that was probably worth $6,000 a few years ago which is now selling for $10,000. What will it be worth (OLV or FLV) five years from now? What if we enter a recession? What if inflation cools or deflation takes hold because of a recession? How much of the inflated costs will stick if there is a recession? If I could build that new machine in 2024 or 2025 for using costs for materials with a cost close to what they were the year before the pandemic hit, what would the value be assuming the labor costs would stick? Would the increase in the used units remain higher than it would have been if the pandemic and related demand/ supply issues did not materialize?

In the end, the banker is interested in collateral value he can use as a market. What is that market today and what will it be like four or five years from now? He/she will err on the conservative side which means lower collateral value and thus fewer assets to use to make loans. I guess the annual equipment valuations will eventually smooth out and stage the used units

by age and hours which will be lower than what you would have to pay for the unit today. Make sense?

In the end, it will be tougher when it comes to negotiating with the bank this year. Remember it will be LONGER and HIGHER for some time which translates into higher interest rates for maybe years to come. And that BALANCE SHEET management I keep harping about will provide what the bank needs to support your loans or it will not. I would do my homework regarding the market of the collateral you are providing and how that collateral will provide liquidity as the loan is amortized.

This will be a very crazy year. Do your homework and be prepared to show your historical GP margins from used equipment sales including the used rental units as well.

One last issue to discuss. It pertains to the commercials about the ERC credits available to companies that qualify. If you did not receive any ERC money to date and you qualified for it, somebody screwed up. But if you didn’t qualify, then nobody screwed up. So, before you sign up with a third-party ERC consultant make absolutely sure you qualify for the funds. I would take the docs to either an independent accounting or law firm familiar with this program.

Because

• There is a lot of money involved.

• It is taxable

• The consultants take a hefty fee

The IRS will audit these transactions and you may have to pay it back if they find you are not entitled to the payment. You do not want to be in this position.

Garry Bartecki is a CPA MBA with GB Financial Services LLC and a Wholesaler columnist since August 1993. E-mail editorial@ mhwmag.com to contact Garry.

The Isolation Process: A powerful path to more sales

Psst — hey — c’mere! I’ve got a secret to tell you…Sometimes prospects will stall you, sometimes they will lie to you, and sometimes they won’t tell you the real reason why they won’t purchase. When a prospect gives you some lame excuse (stall) about why they won’t buy now, he’s really saying, “not yet.”

There are two basic types of stalls: People stalls and Thing stalls.

Thing stalls are when prospects say — I’m too busy now, your price is too high, I have too many other obligations.

Frustrating, isn’t it? Want to make the stall go away? Simple. Here’s the strategy: Isolate the stall or objection as the only obstacle, and then eliminate it from the situation by asking, “what if it was gone, or was not the situation…would you buy?”

Isolating and eliminating creates a new situation AND a possible sale.

You repeat the stall back to the prospect and then take it away. For example — you say, “I understand, Mr. Johnson. So, what you’re telling me is if it wasn’t the fact that you were too busy, this would be a perfect opportunity for you, is that correct? (get the commitment). (then double qualify) In other words, if you had the time, you would get involved? (then say) Well let’s look at the situation closer, you say you have no time, but you also said that you’re not earning all the money you need. Maybe there’s a way to use this opportunity to buy back some of your time with increased earnings.”

Another example is — The prospect says, “I don’t have the money.” You say, “If you had the money, would you buy it?”

The best way to handle a stall or objection is to take it away and consider new options or solutions.

You say…If it wasn’t for…then insert the stall — price, timing of workload, other obligations — would you buy it?

People stalls are worse. Does this sound familiar? Sounds good Jeffrey, but I have to

talk this over with my wife, husband, boss, accountant, lawyer, the executive committee, the home office, my cat whiskers, my two-year-old son, or my girlfriend. People not being able to decide on their own — Don’t you hate that?

Well, here’s how to overcome it.

First, isolate the person to a decision that does not include the others. “Bill, if it was only you…what would you decide?” This gives you a chance to find out how they really feel (will they support you).

Second, double qualify the commitment. Ask – “Is there anything you would change or object to if it was only you?”

Third, secure the prospect’s support when he meets with the third party. “Bill, when you go to the others, will you support the purchase?”

And fourth, find other ways to get a decision now. Suggest alternatives that might get Bill to act now without risk. “Bill, since you’re in favor, and we only need your spouse’s approval, how about if we fill out the paperwork — give it to me so you can be in before the end of the month, and when your spouse says OK, we’ll be ready to go (and if your spouse says no, we’ll tear up the papers — no obligation.)” Hard to say no to that.

One of the most interesting things about objections is that even though they continue to recur, they continue to stymie or dumbfound salespeople. I don’t get it. You put your hand on the stove once, you get burned, and you don’t do it again. You learn the lesson.

Salespeople continue to get burned. If you think about it for any length of time, it’s kind of silly.

The isolation process is a powerful way of getting to the truth, finding out the real objection, AND in about 30% of the cases actually making the sale. But it’s only one of an arsenal of weapons available to salespeople for stalls and objections.

You can prevent them by covering them in your presentation, or you can at least prepare

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Sales Trends continued

“best responses” for the ones that happen all the time.

Most of the time an objection is actually a buying signal. They’re saying, “I’m interested, but you haven’t sold me yet. And the sale is always made. Either you sell them on yes, or they sell you on no.

Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of twelve best-selling books including The Sales Bible, The Little Red Book of Selling, and The Little Gold Book of Yes! Attitude. His real-world ideas and content are also available as online courses at www.GitomerLearningAcademy.com.

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The Impact of Inflation

It is a generally accepted principle that moderate inflation is good for business. Moderate inflation has been a fact of life and the natural economic state for more than a century. For one thing, inflation is usually a sign that the economy is growing, which leads to higher demand. Inflation often encourages consumers to make purchases now rather than later. A small but positive inflation rate is economically useful; however, a high inflation rate tends to feed on itself and impair the economy’s long-term performance.

What exactly is inflation? Inflation is the overall rise in the prices of goods and services over time. The rising of prices leads to a reduction of purchasing power. The rise in the general level of prices often expressed as a percentage, means that the dollar buys less than it used to in prior periods. As mentioned before, inflation can have a positive impact on the economy. In fact, the Federal Reserve sets an inflation target. They want a healthy core inflation rate of 2%, which takes out the effect of food and energy prices. The central bank wants a little inflation, which also leads consumers to believe prices will continue rising. When inflation rises faster than expected, problems can arise.

Now how does inflation impact business owners? Naturally, with inflation costs will rise, putting pressure on gross and net profits. However, the impact of rising prices will vary for different cost types. The rising cost of raw materials will erode gross margins if sales prices are not increased. Keep in mind, the reduction in gross margins may not be immediately apparent. This is because an existing stock that was purchased at lower prices will be used first. However, that inventory will eventually need replenishment. It is best recommended to use the current or predicted cost of raw materials when making pricing decisions when inflation is high. An important note about inflation is that it varies by region and country. It may be possible for a business to source materials from regions where inflation is lower.

When the prices of energy are affected by inflation, distribution costs will likely increase. Such rising costs will impact both shipments to customers and suppliers. While service providers may be able to avoid certain negative impacts, they will experience an increase in the cost of travel. As expected, all overhead costs will rise under high inflation periods. These rising prices will begin to eat into net profit that is already being impacted by raw material and distribution costs. While it will take longer for inflation to increase the cost of long-term fixed-price contracts (rent, maintenance contracts, etc.), you could see significant annual increases in these costs if inflation remains high for an extended period.

With the impact of rising inflation on businesses, consumers will begin feeling the effect as well. This can lead to pressure from employees to increase wages and salaries. Businesses that do not adjust pay in line with inflation often risk losing workers. When the employee turnover rate is high, recruitment and training costs will be incurred and a drop in productivity will often occur. This encourages businesses to increase wages and salaries to retain employees. An erosion of spending power will affect both businesses and consumers alike. B2B (businessto-business) and B2C (business-to-consumer) companies could very well experience a drop in demand. The degree of the drop in demand will depend on the sector of products or services. Demand for luxury and non-essential products will tail off quickly and demand for low-cost alternatives could rise.

As inflation grows higher, so will interest rates. Consequently, servicing existing debts will become more expensive. It very well may become a challenge to obtain new financing. Additionally, inflation devalues money. As a result, you will be repaying the capital element of loans at face value with money worth less than when you took out the loan. Along with this, businesses will likely see a rise in overdue accounts receivable (AR). Customers will have less money to pay their bills and will try to

Ian Perry Roman Basi

manage their limited available cash. The effects of this will be high collection costs, a squeeze in cash flow, and possibly the need for increased borrowing. As a result, there could be higher bad-debt risks.

Considering all the effects of inflation listed above, businesses will ultimately increase sales prices. Consumers and companies will be fully aware that prices are rising and with competitors having to follow suit, it is generally best to adjust prices in line with the inflation rate. With periods of high inflation not being a suitable time for most businesses to expand, it would be advisable to retain cash reserves as a cushion against rising prices and possible bad debts. As mentioned earlier, the cost of borrowing will be high, so most business sectors need to avoid any increases in borrowing during a time of high inflation.

High inflation certainly presents challenges to businesses. However, the effects of rising prices can be managed. If costs are controlled, cutbacks are made when needed, and sales price increases are made in a timely manner, margins can be maintained.

Ian C. Perry is a staff accountant for the Center for Financial, Legal, and Tax Planning, Inc. Roman A. Basi is an expert on closely held enterprises. He is an attorney/CPA and the president of the Center for Financial, Legal, and Tax Planning, Inc. For any questions about how to prepare yourself or your business for rising inflation, do not hesitate to reach out to the professionals at The Center for Financial, Legal, and Tax Planning, Inc at our website, www.taxplanning.com, or by phone at 618 997-3436

Nuts & Bolts Acquisitions, expansions & other business news

ProMat 2023 returns as biggest supply chain event in its history

The manufacturing and supply chain community came together in a big way after four years for a record-setting ProMat event, according to show producer MHI. With an overall registration count of 50,924 and 1,051 exhibitors, the event featured 562,700 net square feet of exhibit solutions and over 150 educational sessions encompassing 1.2 million square feet at Chicago’s McCormick Place.This was the largest ProMat event to date for MHI, with 12% more registered attendees than the last prepandemic show – ProMat 2019. The event also saw a rebound in international attendance with attendees representing 178 countries. The next major material show will be March 11 - 14, 2024 with MHI's MODEX show in Atlanta, GA.

www.promatshow.com

ForwardX Robotics offering a chance to win a free fleet of robots

ForwardX Robotics announced at ProMat that it will give away a 10-AMR system to a lucky winner in the United States. The 10-AMR system will consist of ForwardX’s Flex autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) along with the appropriate accessories and its f(x) Fleet Manager. Flex AMRs are primarily used for piece picking or smaller case picking in 3PL, retail, and eCommerce warehouses. Companies can visit forwardx.com/ other/enter-for-a-chance-to-win to enter by April 30, 2023.

www.forwardx.com

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Nuts & Bolts Acquisitions, expansions & other business news

TVH hit by cyber attack

On Sunday, March 19, parts specialist TVH determined that it was the target of an organized cybersecurity attack. The attack allowed hackers to partially encrypt the company's systems. As a result, TVH experienced problems accepting, processing, and sending orders via its web platform. In a statement, TVH said they are very serious about the confidentiality of its employees and their business partners’ data and understand that this might be of concern to them. "We continue to work hard on the recovery of our systems to be operational as soon as possible. We're also taking in the meantime many preventive measures to reinforce our IT environment to the maximum" the statement continued. "We are confident that we will come back stronger than ever."

www.tvh.com

Wildeck unveils new modern logo as part of company rebrand

Wildeck has announced the launch of its new Wildeck logo as part of the ongoing revolution of its company brand. With many creative sessions, Wildeck has selected a logo that is modern, with key elements that look toward the future. Wildeck’s new logo will begin being phased into new and existing company assets and materials this month and will be fully integrated into the company by the end of 2024.

www.wildeck.com

Combilift donates its 75,000th truck to international charity

As part of Combilift’s celebrations for its 25th anniversary, the Irish materials handling specialist has announced that it is donating its 75,000th truck - an Aisle-Master articulated forklift - to Convoy of Hope, a non-profit humanitarian and disaster relief organization. The announcement was made at a gala dinner in Chicago during the ProMat trade fair, and Combilift’s CEO and Co-Founder Martin McVicar said: “The work that Convoy of Hope does is invaluable to relieve suffering around the world and we wanted to make our own contribution by donating our 75,000th truck to this very worthwhile charity.”

www.combilift.com

Toyota Material Handling, Cornell Engineering unveil world’s first Forklift Learning Studio

Toyota Material Handling (TMH) joined representatives from Cornell University’s College of Engineering to officially dedicate the revolutionary Toyota Forklift Learning Studio at Cornell University’s Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. This is the world’s first Forklift Learning Studio and the result of a unique and dynamic partnership between TMH and Cornell, bringing students a creative outlet for real-world application in a revolutionary and immersive learning experience that could become a model for impactful change in higher education. www.toyotaforklift.com

Shifting Gears Industry personnel and organization news

Irion named CEO of TNT Crane & Rigging

TNT Crane & Rigging LLC (TNT) has announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Mark Irion as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. Irion succeeds Mike Appling, who has served as TNT's CEO since 2007. Appling will remain at the Company until April 30, 2023, to ensure a smooth transition and will step down from the Board of Directors at that time. Irion served as Chief Financial Officer for Herc Holdings since June 2018. The company operates through Herc Rentals Inc.

www.tntcrane.com

TVH promotes new Sales Manager for Latin America

TVH Americas has announced that Adolfo Gutierrez has been promoted to the position of Sales Manager for Latin America. Adolfo began his career at TVH as the Sales Manager for TVH Mexico, where he distinguished himself with his dedication to providing excellent customer service to our customers. In his new position, Adolfo will oversee the Latin America Sales Team.

www.tvh.com

RBW Logistics promotes Randolph to Vice President of Operations

RBW Logistics has announced the promotion of Patrick Randolph to Vice President of Operations. With two decades of operations and fulfillment experience, including nine years as the Managing Partner of his own fulfillment company, Randolph

is well-equipped to lead RBW Logistics as it continues to provide world-class supply chain solutions. Randolph previously served as RBW’s Director of Operations for nearly two years. In his new role, he will focus on people, processes, positivity, and profitability, ensuring that RBW remains a leader in the industry.

www.rbwlogistics.com

Tompkins Solutions names Steven Nickel Senior Director of Operations

Tompkins Solutions announced that Steven Nickel has joined the company as senior director of operations. In addition to leading the implementation team, Nickel will be responsible for developing policies and procedures that improve performance and drive productivity. Nickel brings over 30 years of project management experience to Tompkins. Prior to joining Tompkins, Nickel was senior project manager for Material Handling Systems, Inc.

www.tompkinsinc.com

Barcoding Inc. hires Michael Tassinari as new Chief Revenue Officer

Barcoding, Inc. announced the hiring of Michael Tassinari as the firm's new Chief Revenue Officer (CRO).

In this role, Tassinari, a key member of the Barcoding leadership team, will be focused on growing relationships with customers and key partners, and driving growth strategies across North America. As CRO of the supply chain automation and innovation company, Tassinari will measure and analyze revenue growth as Barcoding continues to expand its solution portfolio into areas like enterprise software, mobile worker experience, supply chain visibility, and automation.

www.barcoding.com

Shifting Gears Industry personnel and organization news

Markus Schmidt named CEO of BEUMER Corporation

BEUMER Corporation has named Markus Schmidt as president and chief executive officer. Schmidt joins the company effective immediately.

BEUMER Group is pleased to welcome a seasoned leader with a proven track record of collaborative partnerships. With more than 30 years of industry experience and 18 years of executive experience, Schmidt brings to BEUMER decades of expertise in intralogistics automation, market segment-oriented strategy, an understanding of the unique challenges facing operations throughout North America, and a dedication to collaboration with both internal and external partners.

www.beumer.com

Yale announces recipients of the 2022 Dealer of Excellence award

Yale Lift Truck Technologies announces winners of the 2022 Dealer of Excellence award, the company’s top honor for members of the Yale® dealer network. The award recognizes lift truck dealers that have exhibited focused leadership and continue to drive their organizations to the highest level of performance in all functional areas of materials handling. To receive the award, dealers must meet rigorous business practice standards and performance criteria which are assessed and modified annually for alignment with evolving customer expectations and heightened industry demands.

2022 Dealers of Excellence - North America

• Alta Material Handling – Eastern Michigan

• Alta Material Handling – Western Michigan

• Alta Material Handling – New England Central

• Berry Material Handling

• Black Equipment – North

• Burns Industrial Equipment – Pittsburgh

• Eastern Lift Truck – Baltimore, District of Columbia, Delaware

• Eastern Lift Truck – Philly - South Jersey

• Fairchild Equipment – Wisconsin North

• Gregory Poole – Carolinas

• Insley-McEntee

• LiftOne – North

• LiftOne – South

• Medley Material Handling – West

• MH Equipment – Iowa

• MH Equipment – Ohio North

• Riekes Equipment – Legacy

• Wheeler Material Handling – Carolinas

2022 Dealers of Excellence - Latin America

• Serv Iman – Panama

• Disagro – Costa Rica, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras and Guatemala

Industrial Manufacturing planned Project Report

Data provided by SalesLeads

New planned Industrial Projects spikes up 82% in March 2023 from previous month

IMI SalesLeads announced the March 2023 results for the new planned capital project spending report for the Industrial Manufacturing industry. The Firm tracks North American planned industrial capital project activity; including facility expansions, new plant construction, and significant equipment modernization projects. Research confirms IMI SalesLeads in the Industrial Manufacturing sector.

INDIANA: A pharmaceutical company is planning to invest $2.1 billion in the construction of a processing and research complex in LEBANON, IN. They are currently seeking approval for the project.

SOUTH CAROLINA: Automotive mfr. is planning to invest $2 billion in the construction of a manufacturing facility in BLYTHEWOOD, SC. They are currently seeking approval for the project. Construction is expected to start in the Summer of 2023.

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

Industrial Manufacturing - By Project Type

• Manufacturing/Production Facilities - 171 New Projects

• Distribution and Industrial Warehouse - 77 New Projects

Industrial Manufacturing - By Project Scope/Activity

• New Construction - 61 New Projects

• Expansion - 56 New Projects

• Renovations/Equipment Upgrades - 76 New Projects

• Plant Closings - 18 New Projects

Industrial Manufacturing - By Project Location (Top 10 States)

• North Carolina - 15

• Ohio - 14

• Michigan - 10

• Texas - 9

• Alabama - 7

Largest Planned Project

• Indiana - 14

• South Carolina - 11

• Tennessee - 9

• Ontario - 8

• California - 7

During the month of March, our research team identified 20 new Industrial Manufacturing facility construction projects with an estimated value of $100 million or more.

The largest project is owned by LG Energy Solution, which is planning to invest $5.5 billion in the construction of a manufacturing facility in QUEEN CREEK, AZ. They are currently seeking approval for the project. Completion is slated for 2025.

Top 10 Tracked Industrial Manufacturing Projects

ONTARIO: Automotive mfr. is planning to invest $5 billion in the construction of a manufacturing facility in ST. THOMAS, ON. They are currently seeking approval for the project.

MICHIGAN: Automotive mfr. is considering investing $4 billion in the construction of an EV battery manufacturing facility and currently seeking a site in MICHIGAN.

INDIANA: Battery component mfr. is planning to invest $1.5 billion for the construction of a 1.4 million SF manufacturing facility in TERRE HAUTE, IN. They are currently seeking approval for the project. Completion is slated for late 2027.

NOVA SCOTIA: Tire mfr. is planning to invest $303 million for the expansion of its manufacturing facility in BRIDGEWATER, NS. They are currently seeking approval for the project.

ALABAMA: Ammunition mfr. is planning to invest $250 million in the construction of a manufacturing facility in VALLEY, AL. They have recently received approval for the project.

NORTH CAROLINA: Railroad car mfr. is planning to invest $220 million for the construction of a manufacturing facility in LEXINGTON, NC. They have recently received approval for the project. Completion is slated for early 2024.

OHIO: An energy company is planning to invest $220 million for the renovation and equipment upgrades on a 1.1 million SF solar panel manufacturing facility at 3600 Etna Pkwy in PATASKALA, OH. They have recently received approval for the project. Completion is slated for late 2023.

TENNESSEE: Automobile parts mfr. is planning to invest $147 million for a 55,000 SF expansion and equipment upgrades on their manufacturing facility in MORRISTOWN, TN. They are currently seeking approval for the project.

Since 1959, SalesLeads, based out of Jacksonville, FL has been providing Industrial Project Reports on companies that are planning significant capital investments in their industrial facilities throughout North America

New Products

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HeroWear announces the launch of Its latest Exosuit to help reduce risk of back Injuries

HeroWear set a new standard for exosuits in 2020. In 2023, they're set to do it again. The industry-leading company has unveiled the highly anticipated Apex 2 — the latest version of its back-assist exosuit. Back injuries and related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) cost American companies $225.8 billion per year, according to the CDC — that’s an average of $1,685 per employee every year. The 2022 Liberty Mutual Safety Index ranked strains from moving heavy objects as the number one source of injuries, accounting for 1 out of every 5 workplace injuries.

www.HeroWearExo.com

LEDtronics introduces new Tunable LED Linear High Bay Luminaires for versatile lighting solutions

LEDtronics® announced its latest line of LED Linear High Bay Luminaires. These versatile lighting solutions offer a wide range of features and benefits that make them ideal for various applications.The new Linear High Bays are available in both 2-foot and 4-foot lengths and feature multi-wattage and multicolor temperature tunable units. With the ability to choose from three different CCTs – 3500K Medium White, 4000K Natural White, and 5000K Pure White, and wattage options ranging from 15 to 60 watts.

www.ledtronics.com

EnerSys® debuts NexSys® AIR Wireless Charger at ProMat® 2023

EnerSys® unveiled its NexSys® AIR wireless charger at ProMat 2023. As the latest solution in the Company’s line of virtually maintenance-free motive power products, the NexSys® AIR wireless charger will help customers drive productivity with a safe, convenient, hands-free charging solution. Suitable for a variety of applications, the NexSys® AIR wireless charger is chemistry independent and capable of charging flooded lead acid, Thin Plate Pure Lead (TPPL), and Lithiumion batteries.

www.enersys.com

Concentric introduces PowerHIVE® the industry’s first Automated Forklift Battery System

Concentric is launching PowerHIVE™, the industry’s first automated forklift battery and charger system, providing on-demand, sustainable, and scalable battery power whenever it is needed. Their newest innovation in equipment power management marries automation with forklift battery systems - eliminating the need to think about forklift charging or battery maintenance. An automated, three-minute battery reload is all that’s required to provide a safer, more cost-effective solution designed to support forklift operations in a way that’s easily scalable and flexible.

New Products

See more new products online at www.MHWmag.com

Trelleborg’s new XP900 tire ideal for handling high intensity applications

Trelleborg launches its newest tire, the XP900, made for high-intensity material handling applications. The new tire increases efficiency and performs well above average in cornering, cycle length, average speed, and working time during high-intensity applications. As the newest tire in the XP range, XP900 guarantees longlasting wear and provides exceptional stability in heavy load operations and long workdays. It is designed to perform across a variety of conditions, including warehouses, shop floors, and other material-handling ground services.

www.trelleborg.com

Pettibone hits 15,000-pound-capacity benchmark with new Extendo 1544X Telehandler

Pettibone brings its X-Series telehandler lineup to the 15,000-pound lifting class for the first time with the introduction of the Extendo 1544X telehandler. The added load capacity is ideal for material handling tasks in highway construction, and extended load requirements on traditional building sites. The 1544X is powered by a 117-horsepower Cummins QSF 3.8 Tier 4 Final turbo diesel engine. Mounted onto a side pod, the engine offers easy accessibility to components and daily service checks, while still allowing for exceptional curbside visibility and a ground clearance of 19 inches.

www.gopettibone.com

Raymond expands energy solutions portfolio with new 48V drop-in lithium battery

The Raymond Corporation has expanded its line of advanced energy solutions with the launch of the Energy Essentials Distributed by Raymond® 48-volt drop-in lithium-ion battery (48V LIB), which is available in multiple configurations to meet a variety of customer demands. Designed as a direct, plugand-play replacement for conventional lead acid batteries, the new 48V LIB fits lift trucks with battery compartments of 13 inches and larger and requires no additional modifications.

www.raymondcorp.com

Kivnon to introduce its latest edition of K55 forklift AGV at Advanced Factories 2023

At Advanced Factories this year, which runs from April 18-20th in Barcelona, Kivnon will highlight one of the latest additions to its AGV portfolio, the K55 Pallet Stacker. Kivon’s range of AGVs is renowned for robustness, safety, and accuracy, and this new addition to the portfolio provides customers with a vehicle that can automatically transport stack pallets. Equipped with lifting forks, the K55 Pallet Stacker will automatically transport palletized loads of up to 1200 kg and can lift to a height of up to 1500 mm.

www.kivnon.com

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Electric tugger capabilities reach new heights

Advances in AC technology pave the way for a safer, more efficient, and more productive work environment as Electro Kinetic Technologies unveils its newest high-capacity electric tugger. The AC Tugger 25K+ boasts an impressive 25,000 lb. payload capacity on casters and up to 100,000 lbs. on rails, making it the manufacturer’s most highly versatile material handling solution available, even for the heaviest of loads. The solid-state sensor prevents tugger operation when its mast is in the vertical position, and other built-in sensors allow the control to throttle back the tugger’s motor, protecting it from thermal overload. www.ek-tech.com

Advertiser's Index

KEEN Utility’s Fort Wayne is a Wedge Boot for the next generation

With the introduction of the Fort Wayne, KEEN Utility reinvents the job site-classic moc toe wedge work boot with 21st-century materials and construction methods. Featuring a wrapover rubber cap, the Fort Wayne offers flexibility, protection, and traction that blends proven grit with modern design. Other standout features include a direct-attached Luftcell air-infused, PU midsole for weightless comfort, a Barnyard Resistant leather upper, and KEEN.DRY waterproof, breathable membrane.