Dan M

Columbus McKinnon Reports Record Revenue Growth

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Columbus McKinnon, a material handling manufacturer based in Amherst, New York, on Friday reported that its quarterly revenues had jumped 31.3% for the period ending June 30, 2013. It was among the largest one-quarter increases in the company’s history. Company President and CEO Timothy T. Tevens said the unprecedented growth was attributed to the company’s … Read more

New Pink Stepladders Raise Breast Cancer Awareness

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Now you can help fight against breast cancer every time you use an office ladder, rolling ladder or steel step stool in your warehouse or manufacturing facility.

pink ladder for breast cancer awarenessSpecial pink ladders are being offered for a limited time only by EGA Products, a materials handling and storage equipment manufacturer based in Brookfield, Wisconsin. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the distinctive ladders will be donated to the Susan G. Komen Foundation — a charitable group that raises money for breast cancer research — or to whatever charity the buyer designates.

Social Awareness in the Workplace

It’s not often that social issues awareness campaigns enter the workplace, but EGA Products CEO Dave Young said that the company felt strongly enough about the issue to join forces with the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure.

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Optimizing Labor in a Warehouse or Work Yard

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Today more than ever, every penny counts. So reducing costs as much as possible needs to be among warehouse management’s top priority. That’s why it can be so infuriating to see workers idling or being unproductive while on the clock. Every dollar wasted on non-productive labor ultimately gets passed on to the consumer in the form … Read more

How to Tell If Your Forklift Tires Need to Be Replaced

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Unlike cars and trucks, material handling equipment such as forklifts, power jacks and other heavy machinery don’t typically have suspensions. As a result, their tires take the full brunt of every impact, bump and scrape, causing them to deteriorate faster than car or truck tires. So how can you tell when your tires need to be … Read more

Purpose Built Material Handlers Eclipsing Cable Cranes in 21st Century

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Material HandlerIn the materials handling industry, time truly is money. The faster and more efficiently materials can be loaded or unloaded, the lower the operational costs. As a result, purpose built material handlers are rapidly replacing cable cranes as the vehicle of choice for many materials handling companies.

Purpose built material handlers are diesel- or electric-powered vehicles that combine the benefits of a cable crane with the mobility and versatility of a converted excavator.  They combine powerful track motors with steel booms to provide raw power and nimble ability to move materials quickly and effectively, resulting in lowered costs and increased productivity.

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Time Running Out on Tax Breaks on Packaging Machinery

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Two tax breaks benefit businessesThe clock is ticking on two new tax breaks that are scheduled to expire at the end of this year that benefit businesses that purchase packaging machinery and other capital equipment.

The tax breaks were extended or enhanced as part of the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 and went into effect on January 2. The revised tax laws allow companies that acquire new packaging equipment and other capital during 2013 the chance to substantially increase the value of their purchases.

With half the year now gone, there are only six months remaining to take advantage of these new tax breaks before they are scheduled to expire.

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Hoists and Balancers Purpose

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hoists and balancersHoists and balancers are attachments for bridge cranes and other material handling equipment that are used to lift heavy loads. Relatively simple in design, they provide stability and increased mobility and come in a wide range of capacities and can be used for a variety of purposes.

A hoist consists of a power source, a drive mechanism that turns a lift wheel or sprocket, and a length of chain or wire rope, known as the lift media. When power is supplied to the hoist, the drive mechanism turns the sprocket, which retrieves or extends the lift media. This, then, raises or lowers the payload. In most cases, the up and down functions are controlled by a hand-held pendant with buttons or levels for each direction.

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Outsourcing Your Cold Storage Could Save You Money, Time

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If your warehouse or manufacturing facility handles products that need to be held in sub-freezing temperatures, you probably are already familiar with the challenges that presents. Employees are required to work in severe conditions. Costs for power to constantly maintain temperature are already high and are always escalating. And the regulatory oversight involved with holding products below freezing can be a … Read more

Reusable Plastic Containers Can Help the Environment

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Reusable Plastic ContainersUsing Reusable Plastic Containers (RPCs) instead of corrugated boxes can result in substantial environmental benefits for manufacturers, according to a new study released last month by an industry organization specializing in measuring environmental impact.

RPCs are plastic boxes that can be used over and over again to ship fresh produce, perishables such as seafood, and other products. Franklin Associates — a leading consulting company specializing on life cycle analyses and solid waste management — was commissioned by IFCO, a manufacture or RPCs, to consider the environmental benefits of their use. The report was issued June 18.

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Increasing Warehouse Space for Less, Part 3

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how work platforms can make your facility more efficientEditor’s Note: This is the last in a series of blogs examining the benefits of work platforms in warehouse and manufacturing facilities.

Work platforms offer warehouse operators a fast, efficient and affordable way to increase their existing warehouse storage space. But they also can be used for a wide variety of operations.

Picking operations, value-added services, sorting systems, slow-moving inventory storage, fast-response processing and other functions can all be facilitated by work platforms. That’s because they offer the full functionality of new construction or the addition of a mezzanine or other renovations to existing facilities without the expense or downtime.

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