Aluminum Seeing a Resurgence as Car Makers Look to Lighten the Load

Aluminum is one of the most commonly used household metals, with foil covering leftovers in refrigerators worldwide. But not the lightweight metal is increasingly being used for other applications, including replacing steel in cars, trucks, and even airplanes. Shedding Unwanted Pounds Part of the reason for the increased popularity in aluminum has to do with … Read more

The Science Behind Scissor Jacks

Older drivers can remember when floor-standing jacks came standard with most cars. These devices used a lever — usually the crow bar — to jack a car’s bumper up inch by inch when changing a tire on the roadside. Floor-standing jacks went out of vogue about the same time donut spare tires started to become … Read more

Badges with Name Tags Can Build Organizational Unity

When you walk through your workplace, how many people do you actually know by name? Even when you work with people every day, it’s sometimes hard to know all of their names … or for older adults, to remember their names! Company badges that contain photos and workers’ names are convenient for timekeeping purposes. But … Read more

Storing and Handling Tanks of Gas Safely in the Workplace

Gases stored in heavy steel cylinders are common in all sorts of industries. Hydrogen, helium, nitrogen, and even propane are among the gases typically stored in workplaces. Because most gases are stored under high pressure, heavy steel is usually used for gas cylinder tanks. This makes handling and storing gas cylinders tricky and potentially dangerous. … Read more

How e-Commerce Is Changing Your Business

Right now, one out of every three people buy the products they want online directly from the manufacturer. This tidal wave of direct-to-consumers (DTC) trade is forcing many companies to rethink the way they do business. Many businesses today are investing in more sophisticated materials handling solutions that optimize and maximize throughput while minimizing mistakes … Read more

Suggestion Boxes Offer Immediate Benefits to Businesses

Adding a suggestion box to your workplace offers a number of immediate advantages. For one, it allows ownership and management to get recommendations from line level employees that can actually streamline operations and improve processes. But a simple suggestion box also offers workers the chance to have their voice heard, reinforcing the idea that they … Read more

Soda Makers Face Packaging Challenges in Internet Age

Enjoying a cold Coca-Cola or Pepsi on a hot summer’s day is as American as apple pie or baseball. But a changing marketplace and increased focus on the potential health risks of these sugary drinks has sent ripples through the soft drink industry in recent years. Amazon’s Effect on Soft Drink Sales More and more … Read more

Moving Objects from Here to There Easier with Conveyors

When you imagine a factory, one of the most common images that come to mind is a conveyor belt. Conveyor belts, ball transfer tables, and other conveyance devices have been a part of industrial manufacturing since the Industrial Revolution of the 19th Century. And they have been burned into the public consciousness in popular media, … Read more

Protecting Workers from Heat, the Silent Killer

Heat is one of the deadliest risks in any workplace. Whether it is working near red-hot smelting ovens in a steelmaking facility or laboring under direct sunlight outdoors, the risk to workers from heat is one of the most common dangers, causing more deaths than any other weather-related hazard. Each year, more than 65,000 people … Read more

Anti-Fatigue Mats Do More than Just Reduce Back Aches

Workers who have to stand for a long time on concrete, tile or other hard surfaces are at risk for back aches. This includes production line employees, food service workers, dockworkers, and many others. Standing on your feet for long hours at a time can be both exhausting and excruciating. At the end of their … Read more