Trucking the Slowest Mode to Recover from the Great Recession

While rail transport is enjoying a rebound and cargo ports prepare for more activity following the expansion and widening of the Panama Canal later this year, over the road trucking continues to gain traction. And some industry observers question whether it can grow fast enough to keep up with rising operating costs. Since the Great … Read more

Adaptability a Bonus with Warehouse Management System

With the speed at which the technology that supports warehouse and distribution centers has advanced, how can you know what your facility will look like in 20, 10 or even 5 years from now? That was the dilemma facing the owners of Sheetz, a chain of service station convenience stores with more than 470 locations … Read more

Truck Tonnage Increases During April by 1.5%

For the third consecutive month, truck tonnage posted gains in April, increasing 1.5% over the previous month, according to a report issued May 20 by the American Trucking Association. That follows a 0.6% gain in March. The ATA’s seasonally-adjusted index (SA) of truck tonnage rose to 129.1, which is just 1.9% below the all-time high … Read more

New Forklift Battery Never Needs Replacing

A forklift battery manufacturer in Europe has developed a new type of lithium iron phosphate battery that theoretically, at least, never needs replacing. The new battery was unveiled by BYD Europe at CeMAT, the materials handling trade show that was held this month in Hamburg, Germany. It requires significantly less time and energy to charge … Read more

Material Handling Equipment Industry Boosted by Higher Global Demand

Sales of material handling equipment is expected to grow steadily in the coming years thanks to increased demand from developing economics and a resurgence in global manufacturing, according to a new report from a leading industry watchdog. As many countries ramp up their industrialization, logistics and materials handling processes are increasingly being outsourced to Asia-Pacific, … Read more

RFID Devices Widely Used, But Do They Provide Too Much Information?

Just a few years ago, in the early 2000s, it seemed like everybody was talking about radio frequency identification (RFID) technology and how it was going to change the face of retail, manufacturing and many other industries. Now, more than a decade later, RFID is widely used in an enormous amount of applications, but has … Read more

Now You Can Call Him “Dr. Forklift”

Jason Dorsey, a forklift mechanic from Charlotte, North Carolina, is the first person to be awarded the master technician certification from UniCarriers Americas. Dorsey, who also was the first certified journeyman through the educational institute, has been a forklift mechanic for the past decade at Western Carolina Forklift. He completed the four year masters program … Read more

“Facebook for Engineers” Provides an Online Forum for Techies

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers has created a new social media platform where its members can engage, network, share knowledge and collaborate with other “mech-heads”around the world. Call it “Facebook for Engineers”. Just like Facebook, ASME’s new website allows users to create personal profiles, share links, post photos and schematical drawings, and comment on … Read more