Given the current polarized climate in the US Congress, the chance that both sides will agree on a long-term transportation bill are slim to none, according to former US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. If a new bill isn’t passed before the current transportation bill expires, it could affect many freight transportation and logistic processes, LaHood … Read more
A new survey among small and mid-sized business owners offered a mixed bag on how they view the economic recovery. The survey, which was conducted by Sage North America, found that about one-third of the business owners saw the economy strengthening during the next six months while about half said it would remain the same. … Read more
Joel D. Anderson, the former president of the International Warehouse Logistics Association, has been awarded the group’s recently renamed distinguished service award. Although the IWLA has passed out the annual award for the past 19 years, it’s the first time it’s been awarded since it was renamed the Jock Menzies IWLA Distinguished Service and Leadership … Read more
Most warehouses and distribution centers rely on pallet racks to store loads of products until they are ready to be used or moved to another location. But a damaged or overloaded pallet rack can result in disaster, including damaged property, lost products and even injury or death. One of the tenets to maintaining a safe … Read more
US ports are preparing for two major events that could change the dynamic of where the largest cargo container ships make port calls, according to a leading industry analyst. Two events — the completion of the Panama Canal expansion and an anticipated labor action by West Coast dock workers — may mean big changes in … Read more
Orbis — the Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, based maker of plastic racks, pallets and other materials handling supplies — has introduced a new line of plastic pallets that are both lightweight and easier to stack. The 48X48 Stack’R pallet was engineered for use in the food and beverage, consumer goods, agricultural and pharmaceutical industries. “Due top its … Read more
Plug Power — the Latham, New York, based provider of fuel cells for forklifts — wants to expand into other types of vehicles, such as airport support vehicles and refrigerated trucks, company CEO Andrew Marsh told Bloomberg News. The move comes as the US Department of Energy expects to award $30 million in research grants … Read more
Here’s a special sneak preview of what you can expect this week on the Bahrns blog: There may be major shifts coming among the country’s largest ports. We’ll tell you what’s behind them and what big changes it could mean for the supply chain. Radio frequency tracking devices are big business. So why did Motorola … Read more
Zebra Technologies — the bar code and tracking company based in Lincolnshire, Illinois — has agreed to buy Motorola’s Enterprise scanner business for a whopping $3.45 billion in cash. The move allows Motorola to focus on providing communications equipment for the military and local police and fire departments, according to Motorola Solutions CEO and chairman … Read more
Getting products to consumers as quickly as possible is essential to maintaining high customer satisfaction, efficient resupply and increased profits. But manual picking fulfillment procedures is slow, cumbersome and inefficient. Automating simple picking processes is one of the best way to streamline the supply chain for businesses such as pharmacies, discount stores and other line-level … Read more
