Month: August 2013

Forklift and Crane Used to Transport Obese Man to Hospital

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Workers in Saudi Arabia used a forklift to transport a man weighing more than 1,000 lbs. to a local hospital for treatment, according to news reports. Khaled Mohsin Shaeri, who authorities said weighed 610 kg — or  1,345 lbs. — was transported from his hometown of Jizan to the Saudi capital city of Riyadh via a special-equipped military airplane and then off-loaded using a forklift, which then brought him to a hospital.

Because of his enormous weight, Shaeri, 20, had been unable to leave his bedroom for the past two and a half years, but thanks to Saudi King Abdullah, who personally financed the transport operation, he was able to get medical care for his condition. A cousin told Reuters that Shaeri had contracted an unspecified disease when he was a child that caused him to rapidly put on weight, and he soon became bedridden.

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Mitsubishi Caterpillar Launches Technologically Advanced Forklift Line

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Mitsubishi Caterpillar Forklift America Inc. has introduced a new line of Jungheinrich forklifts that can be integrated with its warehouse navigational system that allows manager to operate the vehicles using Radio Frequency Identification chips and Wi-Fi. The Jungheinrich EFX 510/413 man-down turret trucks offer enhanced process security to ensure correct product storage, according to a … Read more

Toyota Named Green Supply Chain Partner By Trade Publication

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Toyota Materials Handling USA Inc. has been named to Inbound Logistics’ list of Green Supply Chain Partners for 2013, according to a company news release. It was the fifth consecutive year that the manufacturer of materials handling equipment has been named to the list. The company – based in Irvine, California — was recognized for its … Read more

Rough Terrain Stacker, Once Reserved for Military, Now Available to Public

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military grade heavy equiipment
RT240 Rough Terrain Reach Stacker

Kalmar RT, a manufacturer of rough terrain lift stacker trucks that have been reserved exclusively for the United States military, announced that it now is offering some its vehicles to civilians as well.

The Kalmar RT240 is designed to be operated under practically any terrain conditions, including grades of up to 27 percent. It has the capability to stack 20- and 40-foot containers and can work in unimproved ground conditions, including marshy terrain, and any type of environment. The versatility of its applications is enhanced by available fork and sling lift attachments.

Four Purchased for Oil Field Project

Four of the vehicles already have been sold to Toll Group, an Asian integrated logistic services provider, and will be used on the Gorgon Project, a remote natural gas project in Australia’s Gorgon gas fields, considered to be one of the biggest in the world. The vehicle was selected because of its capacity and  efficiency and will be used both at the dock and at the construction site. Previous vehicles proved ineffective and the project fell behind schedule.

So far, Toll Group is the first to buy the vehicles, but Kalmar RT, based in Cibolo, Texas, is poised to market the rough terrain reach stackers to customers who are looking for equipment that already has been quite literally battle-tested.

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Walmart Hosts US Manufacturing Summit

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Walmart, the world’s largest retailer, hosted a conference for more than 1,500 manufacturing and government officials last Thursday at its US Manufacturing Summit. The event, which was held at the Orlando Convention Center, was co-sponsored by the  National Retail Federation. Scheduled participants included Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker, Walmart CEO Mike Duke, GE chairman Jeff Immelt and the governors of eight states. Walmart’s … Read more

Souped-Up Power Jack Provides Solutions for Company’s Unique Problems

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MHI, a manufacturer of power jacks and other materials handling equipment, recently created a customized power pallet jack that addressed problems one of its clients was having, according to a company news release. Trans-Ocean, a leading supplier of seafood products to the food industry, needed a pallet jack that was faster yet ergonomically safer than … Read more

Inexpensive Ways to Improve Employee Morale

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happy employees are productive employeesFor most companies, employees spend nearly as much time on the job as they do in their own homes. So providing a work environment in which your employees feel welcome and appreciated is an important part of maintaining employee morale.

Nobody wants to work someplace in which they aren’t made to feel welcome. Here are a few simple and inexpensive ways you can make your employees feel more at home while they are on the job:

1. Make Them Feel As Though Their Opinion Counts — One of the easiest things you can do to engage your employees is to install a suggestion box or find another way to gather their input. Studies have shown that workers who feel they have some say on how things are run in the workplace are happier and more satisfied in their work.

2. Provide a Clean and Comfortable Break Area — Your workers are most likely to be chatting with their co-workers during their breaks. To keep their conversations positive, provide a clean and comfortable break area. Some new cafeteria tables or break furniture is an excellent way to make your employees feel as if you genuinely care about their well-being.

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Make a Good First Impression with a Clean and Organized Reception Area

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desk and chairsWhen clients and visitors enter your business, what do they see?

If you aren’t sure how to answer that question, try this experiment: Pretend that you are a first time visitor to your business. Drive into your parking lot and act as if you have never been there before. Is your entrance easy to find? Are there signs to direct visitors where to go?

Walk into your reception area and look around. Does it look friendly and inviting? Is there a live person there to greet you? If so, what do they say? Are they personable and helpful?

Next, look at your waiting area, if you have one. Is the furniture clean and in good repair? Is there something to keep your visitors occupied while they are waiting, such as a television or some magazines?

Like anything else in life, first impressions mean a lot when it comes to your company’s visitors. So the way they perceive your business during their first visit can set the tone to how they feel about interacting with your company in the future. A few simple improvements to your visitor’s experience can determine whether or not they will become a lifelong customer.

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Retail Sales Up Again in July, Fed Says

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Retail sales in the United States increased 0.5% during July compared to June, according to statistics released by the US Department of Commerce and the National Retail Federation. It was the fourth consecutive month that retail sales went up, providing a sign of economic improvement. July’s retail sales of $424.5 billion were 4.0% higher than … Read more