Illinois Manufacturing Firm Celebrates 70th Anniversary

Martin Engineering — a bulk material handling company based in Neponset, Illinois, is celebrating its 70th anniversary in business this month. The company was launched in 1944 when founder Edwin F. Peterson introduced the “Vibrolator”, the first industrial vibrator that used compressed air to propel a steel ball around a raceway. Since then, the company … Read more

“Bring Your Own Devices” a Future Trend in the Workplace?

Smart phones, tablets, laptops and Bluetooth devices and other electronics are becoming a more commonplace sight in the workplace. But how can you determine which devices should be provided by employers and which private devices should be allowed in working environments? It’s a conversation that is being held in workplaces nationwide. There’s even a name … Read more

What Will the Warehouse Robot Worker of the Future Look Like?

The use of robots in distribution centers is expected to ramp up substantially in the coming decade, but a leading industry analyst said recently that the first wave will probably look more like driverless forklifts than R2D2 or The Terminator. Tom Bonkenburg — a partner with St. Onge Co., a leading consultancy firm that works … Read more

Comedian/Impressionist Frank Caliendo to Entertain at ProMat 2015

In celebration of the 70th anniversary of MHI, impressionist and comedian Frank Caliendo has been scheduled to appear during ProMat 2015, to be held March 23 through 26 at the McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago. Caliendo has been featured on FOX’s “Mad TV” and “NFL Today”. He is known for his impressions of former … Read more

US Postal Service to Delivery 7 Days/Week Through Christmas

In anticipation of a record number of packages this holiday season, the US Postal Service announced earlier this month that — for the first time ever — it will be making deliveries to homes and businesses in major cities and high volume areas seven days per week until Christmas. Every day mail delivery began Monday … Read more

Excavator Reviving Connecticut Marshes One Bucketload at a Time

Officials in Connecticut are using a custom-built Volvo excavator to help restore ancient swamps that have been destroyed over the years to create landfills and other causes. The Volvo ECR88 D-Series excavator has been fitted with unique swamp pads and grapples so that it can spread its weight over the delicate marshlands located in Silver … Read more

New Hybrid Forklift Runs Entirely on Renewable Energy Sources

What if there were a hydrogen fuel cell-powered forklift that could run entirely on renewable energy sources? Well, now there is! The Japanese vehicle manufacturer Honda has partnered with the UK-based Briggs Equipment to create a new type of “green” forklift that is 100% powered by renewable energy. The current generation of hydrogen fuel-powered forklifts … Read more

Texas Company Explores “Last Chance” Mine for Rare Earth Minerals

Deep in the chiseled, rugged steppes of Lemhi Pass in the Beaverhead Mountains — a portion of the Bitterroot Range that straddles the border of Idaho and Montana — lies the Last Chance mine. In the 1950s, the Last Chance was first worked as part of the US Defense Department’s Minerals Exploration Administration. But by … Read more