Modern Materials Handling - July 2011

PRODUCTIVITY SOLUTIONS FOR DISTRIBUTION, WAREHOUSING AND MANUFACTURING
SPECIAL REPORT
Top 20 supply chain management
software suppliers 28
EQUIPMENT 101 SERIES: UNITIZING
Keeping it together 32
INFORMATION MANAGEMENT
WMS providers reach
beyond the four walls 36
mmh.com
Rocky Brands:
Stepping up
productivity18
Barbara Sherbourne,
Rocky Brands manager
of direct operations
July 2011
®

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UP FRONT Breaking news you should know
new used container and
pallet packaging Web site
a new web SITe DeDICaTeD to the sale and resale of used containers
and pallets was designed to give plastic containers and pallets a second
life. This green initiative-based site, www.usedcontainersandpallets.com,
allows anyone who has containers or pallets that are no longer needed
to easily list their items on the site. buyers looking for used or overstock
product can find the container or pallet that meets their needs.
The site, run by Flexcon Container, aims to create value for the seller
and provide a good deal for the buyer while also helping the environment
by reusing instead of making new product.
isM sustainability
handbook now available
The “Sustainability and
Social Responsibility
handbook” is now
available from Institute
for Supply Management
(ISM). Written by the
ISM Committee on
Sustainability and Social
Responsibility, the book includes metrics
and performance criteria, as well as
unique stories from companies and organizations
including Bellwether Services,
herman Miller, IBM, MeadWestvaco,
RL environmental and University of
Washington. The publication was a top
seller at ISM’s 96th Annual International
Supply Management Conference in
Orlando, Fla. To purchase, visit ISM
Product Catalog online at www.ism.ws.
FAST FACT
$ 6.755
billion
The worldwide market for supply
chain management software
applications.
Read the Top 20 SCM software
supplier story, p. 28.
Source: Gartner
lift trucks found non-compliant at CeMat
MoRe Than 50 exhIbITS from the industrial trucks segment at CeMat
2011 did not meet the european directives requirements regarding
machine safety exhaust emissions and noise emissions, according to a
report from Forkliftaction.com.
The German engineering Federation’s (VDMa)
Materials handling and logistics Systems Sector
association discovered this during an inspection
at the expo and submitted the information to
local authority, the Trade Supervisory office,
in hannover for further investigation. noncompliant
equipment must be marked if exhibited
at a european show or sales room.
however, the sheer number of non-compliant products prevented the
market surveillance enforcement authorities from conducting a complete
inspection of all the exhibitors. Some of the manufacturers were confronted
with their product violations and several have to provide further
information to avoid sanctions, the publication reported.
Colson Caster receives new iso certification
ColSon CaSTeR, a leading
manufacturer of standard and custom
application caster and wheel products,
has been granted a new certificate of
quality assurance from the International
organization for Standardization (ISo).
The organization monitors manufacturers
for adherence to the ISo 9000 family
of standards for certification.
“It is a great accomplishment to once
again receive this certification for our
quality management system,” said
Vince Caligiuri, lead quality engineer
for Colson. “our goal is to satisfy the
requirements of our customers and this
is certainly one of our major references
for conducting business in today’s competitive
manufacturing environments.”
Chuck Harris, engineering
manager for Colson Caster,
holding a caster from the
company’s new light duty line
at ProMat 2011.
mmh.com Modern Materials Handling / J u l y 2 0 1 1 3

( )
Congratulations
Rocky Brands!
TM
A Smoother Path to
Supply Chain Excellence
Rocky Brands turned to enVista’s leading enterprise,
transportation and supply chain consulting services
to improve distribution processes, facility layout and
business growth.
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• 40% increase in storage volume
• Successful, major Manhattan Associates
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• 80% increase in outbound unit volume and
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• Improved customer service and satisfaction!
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and operations expertise for manufacturing brands and
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Contact us today!
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enVista | 11711 N. Meridian St, Suite 415 | Indianapolis, IN 46032
877.684.7700 | www.envistacorp.com

Barbara Sherbourne,
Rocky Brands’ manager
of direct operations
COVER STORY
PHOTO: CHRIS CONE
SYSTEM REPORT
18 Stepping up productivity
When footwear maker Rocky Brands integrated its WMS and WCS,
the results were improved visibility, better inventory control, and
impressive productivity gains.
24 How Rocky Brands makes it work
Warehouse management and control systems are the key components
to order fulfillment processes at Rocky Brands’ revamped DC.
FEATURES
SPECIAL REPORT
28 Top 20 SCM sofware suppliers
The supply chain software rebound is underway. Following a tough
2009, supply chain software was up in 2010.
EQUIPMENT 101 SERIES: UNITIZING
32 Keeping it together
There are many ways to unitize a load, but the common goal for most
operations is to stabilize and protect products while they’re in motion.
INFORMATION MANAGEMENT
36 WMS providers reaching
beyond the four walls
Companies in the warehouse management system software space are
no longer confined to the four walls of a warehouse. They are evolving
and reaching out into other areas of the supply chain, providing
functional and flexible tools to end users.
PRODUCTIVITY SOLUTION
40 Packers floored by ergonomic assist
Burke Flooring installs freestanding articulated jib crane to maintain
productivity, as well as improve safety and ergonomics.
41 Smooth sailing in plating process
SIFCO Industries installs an overhead monorail and trolley hoist
system to move aircraft parts safely through the electroplating process.
VOL. 66, NO. 7
PRODUCTIVITY SOLUTIONS FOR DISTRIBUTION,
WAREHOUSING AND MANUFACTURING
60 Seconds with... Ed Romaine
DEPARTMENTS & COLUMNS
3/ Upfront
7/ This month in Modern
16/ Lift Truck Tips: Leasing
42/ Supplement: DC network design
47/ Special Section: Corporate Profiles
64/ Focus On: Dock Equipment
69/ Product showcase
74/ 60 seconds with...
NEWS
8/ Skills for America’s Future program
expanded by President Obama
11/ Gartner announces Top 25
Supply Chain rankings
12/ Panjiva data shows seasonal economic
growth amid long-term concerns
14/ Blog@way
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mmh.com MODERN MATERIALS HANDLING / J U L Y 2 0 1 1 5
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®
Rocky Brands: Double the
size, double the challenge
Growing a company is one of the
most exciting prospects for business
owners and their management
teams. With it comes the challenge of either
expanding existing processes or folding an
acquired one into your operations—or, as
we see in this month’s System Report, do a
little of both and re-engineer for a productivity
revolution.
Back in 2005, Logan, Ohio-based footwear
manufacturer Rocky Brands acquired EJ
Footwear, a move that rolled a number of new
brands into the company’s portfolio and more
than doubled its size. With the acquisition
came EJ’s main distribution facility located in
eastern Pennsylvania as well as a 3PL relationship
designed to pick up any distribution slack.
This presented Rocky’s distribution team
with a pretty daunting network design issue as
well as a new customer service challenge. As
executive editor Bob Trebilcock explains: “Although
the company now owned the brands
made and distributed by EJ, a customer ordering
from multiple brands was still receiving two
shipments from one order, because different
brands were supported by different facilities.”
After weighing the two locations, it was
clear that Rocky’s central Ohio location was
preferred for all distribution operations since
the facility can service 50% of the U.S. within
fi ve days. But a full-out consolidation of the
two facilities, and the elimination of the 3PL
relationship, meant a redesign of the systems
and processes as well as a complete makeover
of Rocky’s 210,000-square-foot DC. “We
simply weren’t designed to handle double our
volume,” says Barbara Sherbourne, manager
of the company’s direct operations.
Starting on page 18, Trebilcock takes
us inside Rocky’s facility and shares how
Member
Member of
THIS MONTH IN MODERN
Winner
Jesse H. Neal
Certificates of Merit
for Journalistic
Excellence
MICHAEL LEVANS
GROUP EDITORIAL
DIRECTOR
Sherbourne and the team met the challenge
and redesigned their systems to improve
throughput of their existing sortation system;
increased storage capacity of their narrow
aisle rack; reworked their picking strategies;
and improved outbound shipping.
But perhaps one of the most impressive
improvements, and the key to making
the new processes work, was the upgrade
and integration of its warehouse management
system (WMS) and warehouse control
system (WCS). The integration afforded the
team the visibility it lacked in the past, and
allowed them to track orders and inventory
through the DC as well as throughout the
process, greatly improving inventory accuracy
and order fi ll rates.
“While there were some improvements
to the physical layout and materials handling
equipment in the facility, the real
gains were the result of upgrading its WMS
and then integrating it with the WCS,” says
Trebilcock. “They gained visibility and were
able to get more out of their automated
systems than in the past.”
And if you’re inspired by Rocky’s softwarelead
process revolution, I suggest you gain an
even better understanding of how Modern
readers are currently applying supply chain
management (SCM) software by tuning into
our 2011 Software Usage Survey Webcast.
Trebilcock and technology sage John
Hill join me in an insightful discussion of
the fi ndings or our recent Software Users
Survey in this online event. So, if you’re
curious to see how your peers are applying
SCM software inside their four walls and
working to justify their investment, pour
yourself a cup of coffee and go to mmh.
com/2011softwareusage.
Official Publication of
mmh.com MODERN MATERIALS HANDLING / J U L Y 2 0 1 1 7

BY NOËL P. BODENBURG, EXECUTIVE MANAGING EDITOR
LAST MONTH AT Northern Virginia
Community College, President
Barack Obama announced a major
expansion of Skills for America’s
Future. The program, an initiative of
the Aspen Institute, is structured as a
broad umbrella under which corporations,
labor unions, community
colleges and others can connect and
work together to train and develop
America’s workforce.
“Last year, we launched Skills for
America’s Future to bring together
companies and community colleges
around a simple idea: making it easier
for workers to gain new skills will
make America more competitive in
the global economy,” said President
Obama. “We are announcing a number
of partnerships that will help us
make this a reality, by opening doors
to new jobs for workers, and helping
employers fi nd the trained people
they need to compete against companies
around the world.”
One of the challenges in today’s
manufacturing sector is the lack of
a standardized credentialing system
that manufacturing fi rms recognize
as useful preparation for their unfi lled
jobs. As a result, students often
Di@blog
best of Modern’s blogs
Other Voices | Guest blog forum
How to submit a column:
www.mmh.com/article/how_to_
submit_a_column_to_other_voices
MANUFACTURING
Skills for America’s Future program
expanded by President Obama
EFFORTS AIM TO HELP PREPARE 500,000 WORKERS FOR
CUTTING-EDGE MANUFACTURING JOBS.
The Don Frazier Supply Chain Training Center at the
Applied Technical Center in Rocky Hill, S.C., serves as a
working laboratory to help high school students learn
warehousing and distribution basics and prepare for
entry into the skilled workforce.
spend time and money on training
that can have little value to potential
employers while employers have diffi
culty identifying which credentials
are of value and should
infl uence hiring and promotions.
As part of the program’s
expansion, The
Manufacturing Institute,
the affi liated non-profi t
of the National Association
of Manufacturers
(NAM) and partner of
the Skills for America
program, has announced
an effort to help provide
500,000 community
college students with
industry-recognized
credentials that will help
them get secure jobs in
manufacturing.
The Manufacturing
Skills Certifi cation
System, developed by
NAM with manufacturing
fi rms at the table,
addresses the defi cits in
manufacturing education
and training. The
system creates stackable
credentials applicable to
all sectors in the manufacturing
industry.
In addition, NAM and
8 J U L Y 2 0 1 1 / MODERN MATERIALS HANDLING mmh.com

the Manufacturing Skills Certifi cation
System, and several other partners
are helping enhance these efforts
through their own initiatives.
One of those is the Manufacturing
Skill Standards Council’s (MSSC)
Certifi ed Production Technician (CPT)
credential, which gives students the
opportunity to earn manufacturing
credentials that travel across state
lines.
“We are pleased to see this joint
action from industry, education and
the public sector to grow a skilled
manufacturing workforce within the
framework of a robust nationwide
program with macro-economic impact,”
said Leo Reddy, MSSC CEO.
“The manufacturing jobs of the 21st
century continue to become more
technical and require a higher level
of skill among front-line production
workers. Based on MSSC’s industrydefi
ned, nationally validated standards,
the CPT program addresses
this demand by certifying these
workers in the core technical competencies
of high performance manufacturing
common to all manufacturing
sectors.”
Some other programs include:
Boots on the ground help for
manufacturers to implement credentials:
Through the Manufacturing
Extension Partnership (MEP), the
Federal government will collaborate
with The Manufacturing Institute on
a program to promote a curriculum
based on NAM’s advanced manufacturing
skills certifi cation system
in community colleges in 30 states.
The 60 centers of the national MEP
system will serve as the “boots on
the ground” with local manufacturers
to educate them about the value
the NAM-endorsed skills certifi cation
system to their business so that
they utilize the skills certifi cation system
in recruitment and hiring. In addition,
the MEP will provide input to
The Manufacturing Institute about
aggregate skill needs of manufacturers
by industry and geography so
that certifi cation systems can remain
dynamic and evolving.
Building these credentials into
high school pathways: Given that
many students begin to seek manufacturing
training before college, Air
Products, a global manufacturer serv-
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Providing new online tools for
workers: Students and employees in
the manufacturing fi eld will not only
have a new, more meaningful certifi
cation program to take advantage
of, but a new career Web site called
Pipeline that will provide job seekers
with real-time data on job openings
and information on additional
education needed. This effort will be
headed up by Futures Inc. in partnership
with The Manufacturing Institute
in 17 partner states with plans to
expand nationwide.
Students at Gateway Technical College in
Wisconsin learn skills and earn credentials
they can take to the manufacturing floor.
A career awareness campaign:
Students and employees in manufacturing
will also be able to access critical
resources for obtaining marketable
job skills and expertise through Discover
Your Skills, a Discovery Communications
initiative designed to
raise awareness of career opportunities.
With collaborators including The
Manufacturing Institute, NAM and
Skills for America’s Future, Discovery
viewers will have a pathway to a world
of resources to help educate and
advance entry into the workforce.
Opportunities for at-risk youth:
At-risk young people will be provided
additional assistance through
Jobs for America’s Graduates’ (JAG)
new commitment to a fi ve-year goal
of helping 30,000 high-risk youth
obtain professional credentials in
high demand occupations including
Advanced Manufacturing. Archer
Daniels Midland Company, a leading
global agribusiness with operations
in 36 states and a JAG board
10 J U L Y 2 0 1 1 / MODERN MATERIALS HANDLING mmh.com

member, will serve as JAG’s national
business partner.
Creating our next generation engineering
workforce: In addition, more
than 5,000 young people will be able
to benefi t from a mentorship program
SUPPLY CHAIN
Gartner announces annual
Supply Chain Top 25 rankings
GARTNER has released the findings
from the seventh-annual Supply
Chain Top 25. The goal of the
research initiative is to raise awareness
of the supply chain discipline
and how it impacts the business.
Analysts announced the findings
from this year’s research at the
Gartner Supply Chain Executive
Conference. Apple held on to the
No. 1 position for the fourth year in
a row.
Apple continued to post strong
financials and top-of-the-line voting
scores. Research In Motion, which was
new to the list last year, rose to No. 4
this year with enviable financials and
solid votes. Amazon.com, another
newcomer last year, rose five spots to
No. 5 in the 2011 ranking. Colgate-
Palmolive, rising steadily since 2009,
moved to No. 13 this year.
The leaders took some very clear
lessons from the events of the past
couple of years, with one of them
being the need for supply chain
The Supply Chain Top 25
1. Apple
2. Dell
3. P&G
4. Research In Motion (RIM)
5. Amazon
6. Cisco Systems
7. Wal-Mart
8. McDonald’s
9. PepsiCo
10. Samsung
11. The Coca-Cola Company
12. Microsoft
and scholarships being expanded by
The Society of Manufacturing Engineers
(SME), the SME Education Foundation,
the National Action Council for Minorities
in Engineering and the National
Academy Foundation.
resilience—the ability to deliver
predictable results, despite volatility.
Gartner analysts said speed,
agility, efficiency, responsiveness
and innovation all remain critical,
but equally important is a resilient
supply chain. Companies like Cisco,
Dow Chemical, RIM, Unilever and
others are actively designing in
structures, processes and methodologies
to create and expand
this resiliency not only in their own
supply chains, but in those of their
trading partners, as well.
Gartner analysts said they see
companies such as Samsung, which
has always been vertically integrated,
weathering the ups and downs
through ownership of supply, and others
like The Coca-Cola Company and
PepsiCo becoming more vertically
integrated with the acquisition of their
largest bottlers. On the other hand,
companies such as Microsoft and
Cisco are managing an extensively outsourced
network of trading partners.
13. Colgate-Palmolive
14. IBM
15. Unilever
16. Intel
17. HP
18. Nestle
19. Inditex
20. Nike
21. Johnson & Johnson
22. Starbucks
23. Tesco
24. 3M
25. Kraft Foods
We
Manufacture
Warehouse Solutions
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www.interlakemecalux.com

ECONOMY
Panjiva data shows seasonal economic
growth amid long-term concerns
DATA FROM PANJIVA, an online
search engine with detailed information
on global suppliers and manu-
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growth on a seasonal basis from April
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Following a 7% gain in shipments
from March to April, April to May
showed an 8% increase at 1,037,365,
said Panjiva. The number of global
manufacturers shipping to the U.S.—
at 147,876 was up 6%, matching a
6% increase from March to April.
Both shipments and manufacturers
were down 1%, respectively, yearover-year.
While both shipments and the
number of global manufacturers
shipping to the U.S. are up over the
last two months, concern over a possible
double-dip recession remains
heightened in recent weeks, due to
energy prices, high unemployment
and several other factors.
“ There is a lot of caution
across the board regarding
the economy at the
moment.”
—Josh Green, Panjiva CEO
“I would describe this data as solid
but seasonal growth,” said Panjiva
CEO Josh Green. “If you look back
on previous years from April to May,
we always see growth. In 2008, April
to May growth was up 6% and up 3%
in 2009, and in 2010 it was 12%. As
healthy as 8% is, it is still not on the
level we saw a year ago at this time.”
Even though there was growth
from April to May, Green said that
this type of output was expected due
to seasonal variations.
But he said that with the various
reports of negative economic news
at the moment, there are companies
shifting into the mode of making purchases
for the holiday season amidst
these reports, which could lead to
fl at shipping trends throughout the
third quarter and into the fourth
quarter.
“There is a lot of caution across
the board regarding the economy at
the moment,” said Green.
12 J U L Y 2 0 1 1 / MODERN MATERIALS HANDLING mmh.com

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log@way
Do you want your kid to work in
operations?
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Excerpts from executive editor Bob Trebilcock’s
blog. Go to... www.mmh.com for complete posts
I read that quote in a Wall Street
Journal article on a flight last week.
It struck me for two reasons.
First, I was flying to Florida to
meet with Allan Howie, the director
of continuing education and
professional development for
the Material Handling Industry
of America, and a group of high
school educators who are teaching
a materials handling curriculum in
their technical schools.
Second, the quote was not from
a parent in a white collar town
like Keene, N.H., where I live. She
was not even from an area like
Northeastern Ohio where I grew up
and factory and warehouse work is
still a way of life...
Investing in people
How can we make working in a
warehouse more interesting and
appealing? That’s one of the questions
the industry needs to answer
if it’s going to attract, and retain, a
skilled workforce in the future.
One company that is answering
that question is The Container
Store, which will be the cover story
in the August issue of Modern.
The retailer is credited with originating
the storage and organization
category of retailing. The Container
Store employees between 240
and 300 associates in operations,
depending on the season...
Bringing sensors and RFID together
Supply chain software had a pretty
good year in 2010, up about 10% over
2009. While it sounds like old news,
one of the business drivers for new
investments in supply chain software
was the continued need for greater
visibility into the supply chain.
“The lack of visibility is forcing end
users to look at applications that
can be leveraged to track goods
in motion,” said Chad Eschinger, a
research director at Gartner.
That brings me to the promise of
RFID and a solution I came across
from TempTrip...
14 J U L Y 2 0 1 1 / MODERN MATERIALS HANDLING mmh.com

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lift truck TIPS
Be sure the lease fits
Changing business conditions are encouraging
customers to demand customized lease agreements.
By Josh Bond, Contributing Editor
Leasing can be a good way for lift truck
customers to manage the total cost of
a truck and keep up with new technology.
That said, a lease too short, too long
or too inflexible can still result in waste.
According to Eric Gabriel, manager of
financial merchandising and sales operation
for Mitsubishi Caterpillar Forklift America
Inc. (MCFA), customers and lift truck providers
must design customer-specific lease
agreements with a detailed understanding
of usage and objectives.
“The most critical aspect to leasing is
understanding the economic life of a lift
truck,” says Gabriel. “All equipment has
an economic life, so you should tailor the
lease to reflect that and have replacement
at the precise point that maintenance costs
surpass replacement costs.”
To find that precise point, an ideal lease
should consider the type of truck, the
application and the hours of use, among
other factors. Gabriel warns against standard, off-the-shelf
terms of 36, 48 or 60 months.
“Do not get locked into those intervals,” says Gabriel.
“If you’re in a low-hour application, that calls for a longer
term. The more intense the application, the shorter the
term. And, depending on your exact hours of use, 32
months might make more sense than 36.”
And although contracts extend into an unpredictable
future, leases can include a certain amount of flexibility
as conditions change. The structure of lease agreements
has been changing subtly for years, says Gabriel, but the
recent recession has had a significant impact on the expectations
of customers and the fine print that can meet
those expectations.
An ideal lease should consider
the type of truck, the application
and the hours of use.
“During a recession, customers tend to hold onto
fleets longer than they should,” says Gabriel. “That trend
is changing now, there’s been pent up demand.”
After extending lease agreements by necessity, many
customers ended up pushing trucks beyond their economic
life, he says, but they might also have learned useful
information about utilization.
“After stretching those trucks, customers might have
realized they were under-utilizing them and can go from,
say, 10 trucks to eight,” says Gabriel. “Managers are now
looking at being proactive, not reactive.”
Josh Bond is a contributing editor to Modern and can be
reached at josh.d.bond@gmail.com.
16 J u l y 2 0 1 1 / Modern Materials Handling mmh.com

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Barbara Sherbourne,
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18 J U L Y 2 0 1 1 / MODERN MATERIALS HANDLING mmh.com

productivity
When footwear maker Rocky Brands integrated
its WMS and WCS, the results were improved
visibility, better inventory control, and impressive
productivity gains.
By Bob Trebilcock, Executive Editor
You’ve heard the old phrase: The whole is greater than the
sum of its parts.
That phrase certainly applies to the makeover of a
210,000-square-foot distribution center in Logan, Ohio,
operated by Rocky Brands, a manufacturer and distributor
of work, western and outdoor footwear and apparel
brands such as Rocky, Durango, Michelin, Georgia Boot
and Mossy Oak.
Working with a systems integrator (EnVista, www.
envistacorp.com), Rocky Brands redesigned the processes
in its primary distribution center in central Ohio.
The redesign included a significant upgrade of its warehouse
management system (WMS) and the integration
of the WMS and the warehouse control system (WCS),
which control the existing conveyor and sortation system.
GraphicCaption Feature
MODERN system report
Most of the materials handling and software parts
were already in place, including the conveyor and sorter.
But by rethinking processes, integrating systems and
making better use of the available functionality, Rocky
Brands has seen significant improvements over the past
three years that exceed the sum of the parts, according to
Michael Walker, senior vice president of product fulfillment.
Those improvements include:
Improved turn times: Prior to the project, the average
order turn was 2.8 days. This year, 96.5% of orders
ship in 24 hours and 75% ship the same day.
Improved throughput: The facility is running
11,000 pairs of boots through the sorter during an
8-hour shift compared to 4,500 pairs per 8-hour shift in
the past with no addition to the head count average—
mmh.com MODERN MATERIALS HANDLING / J U L Y 2 0 1 1 19
PHOTOGRAPHY BY NAME

modern system report
like many suppliers to retailers, the
distribution center does have seasonal
spikes in temporary labor. Overall
throughput has increased from 1.6
million units annually to more than 3
million units per year.
Improved inventory accuracy:
Inventory accuracy has improved from
less than 95% to more than 98%, with a
goal to reach 99.5% accuracy.
Looking forward, the warehouse
management and control systems will
continue to drive further operational
efficiencies in the future. “We’re continuing
to look for ways to continue to
improve our processes,” says Walker.
“We believe software is a major part of
how we’re going to do that.”
Just this year, for instance, Rocky
Brands implemented slotting to
improve picking and wave efficiency.
There are also plans to implement each
picking functionality in the near future.
“That will allow us to pick small order
quantities and deliver them directly
to their own pack station rather than
send them through the sorter,” explains
Barbara Sherbourne, manager of direct
integrating the WMs and WCs systems has doubled the number of items
sorted to the packing stations.
operations. “That will improve the performance
of the sorter.”
Supporting growth
With its headquarters in Nelsonville,
Ohio, publicly traded Rocky Brands
Inc. designs, develops, manufactures
and markets premium-quality rugged
outdoor, occupational, and casual footwear,
as well as branded apparel and
accessories.
The original company was founded
in 1932 as the Wm. Brooks Shoe
Company by the grandfather of Rocky’s
current chairman, Mike Brooks.
The Rocky name was established in
1975. With manufacturing operations
in Puerto Rico and the Dominican
Republic and sourcing in Asia, the
company’s footwear, apparel and accessories
are marketed through several distribution
channels under a number of
brands including Rocky, Georgia Boot,
Lehigh, Durango and the licensed
brand Michelin. Most recently, Mossy
Oak was added to the slate.
Rocky has also been focused on
growing its business. In early 2005,
the company acquired one of its major
competitors, EJ Footwear, an acquisition
that added a number of brands
and more than doubled its size. That
acquisition led the company to rethink
its distribution strategy as well as the
to make better use of storage space,
rocky Brands picks from the lower levels
of the pallet rack area while using the
top levels for reserve storage.
technology that supports its order fulfillment
operations.
“At the time, we owned this facility
and EJ Footwear had a major facility
in eastern Pennsylvania. A 3PL location
was added a short time later,” says
Walker. “We realized that we had a real
opportunity to reduce our costs if we
could consolidate two facilities into one
and eliminate the need for a 3PL.”
There was also an opportunity to
improve customer service. Although
Rocky now owned brands manufactured
and distributed by EJ Footwear, a customer
ordering from multiple brands
was still receiving two shipments for one
order, because different brands were
supported by different facilities.
With one of the most extensive highway
networks in the country, the central
Ohio location was the preferred
location for distribution activities. The
facility can service 50% of the U.S.
population within five days. However,
consolidating facilities would require
a redesign of the existing systems and
processes. “We simply weren’t designed
to handle double our volume,” says
Sherbourne.
To accommodate the additional
inventory and orders, she adds, the
facility needed to:
• increase the throughput of the existing
sortation system,
• increase storage capacity in the existing
narrow aisle rack system, and
• redesign the existing picking strategies.
Most importantly, Rocky wanted
to accommodate additional inventory,
20 J u l y 2 0 1 1 / Modern Materials Handling mmh.com

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modern system report
brands and throughput without adding
to its head count or physical space.
“We wanted to create a flexible distribution
center that could accommodate
our new requirements and additional
growth in the future,” says Walker.
Redesigning processes
The new design created by Rocky’s system
integrator maintained the original
layout of the facility, but with some
physical changes, says Sherbourne. For
instance, to increase storage capacity,
the height of the very narrow aisle
racking area was extended all the way
to the ceiling of the building. A mezzanine
area was then installed, primarily
to manage an expanding line of apparel.
The most significant improvements,
however, were the result of redesigning
storage, picking and outbound shipping
processes.
Storage: “To get the storage capacity
we needed, we had to completely
change the way we stored goods,” says
Sherbourne. Under the old system,
cases could be stored anywhere there
was an open slot or room in a slot.
Picking was also done from storage
locations. That meant there were often
open cases in a location, limiting what
could go in any particular spot. In addition,
associates needed a cherry picker
to pick from higher locations.
With the addition of extra racking,
Rocky implemented a reserve storage
and active pick strategy. The first 7 feet
of space is designated as pick locations
for the fastest-moving active SKUs.
Those locations can be reached by an
associate on foot without any additional
equipment. The upper levels of
the storage area, which are serviced by
cherry pickers, are used for reserve storage
only. “There are no open cases in
the reserve storage area, which allows
us to make full use of the cube in an
available space,” says Sherbourne. And,
since picking for the fastest-moving
SKUs is all near the ground, associates
no longer need to go up and down to
pick at higher elevations, speeding up
the picking process.
Inventory management: Along
with creating an active and reserve storage
area, storage locations are also now
based on the velocity of movement for
a SKU. “We have been able to implement
an ABC product strategy,” Walker
says. The combination of tighter controls
over storage and an ABC product
strategy, where products are grouped by
how fast they move, led to more effective
inventory management.
Outbound shipping: Along with
changes to storage and inventory processes,
Rocky rearranged its carrier
pickup schedule for outbound shipments
to create a better flow through the facility.
Picking: One of the outcomes of
revamping the outbound pickup schedule
is that Rocky began to create order
picking waves based on a “ship via” basis;
orders are now grouped based on how
they will be shipped. “We used to pick
our orders by customer or the type of customer,”
says Sherbourne. “But how you
process something that will ship by small
parcel is different from how you pick an
order that will go out in a truckload or
LTL. By doing ship via waves, we can be
thanks to the redesign of warehouse
processes, rocky Brands doubled its
annual throughput from 1.6 million
units to more than 3 million per year.
nearly 97% of orders ship within
24 hours.
much more efficient about how we process
the orders after they are picked.”
Software makes the difference
To get the most from these new processes
and equipment, Rocky upgraded
and integrated its WMS and WCS systems.
That combination delivered significant
results. “As we worked with our
software systems, we had better visibility
into our operations than we had in
the past,” says Walker. “We also learned
that our systems included functionality
that we were not taking advantage of.”
The old WMS, for instance, created
something called transitional inventory:
When the sorter read an item or an associate
scanned a bar code label, that item
was in transition between processes. The
WMS lost visibility of that item until it
was read or scanned again at the next
step in the process. “If an item was supposed
to be sorted to a particular chute
but did not arrive, we would not know it
was still circulating until we got a report
at the end of the day because neither
system had visibility,” says Sherbourne.
With the integration of the two systems,
she adds, both the WMS and WCS are
tracking orders and inventory through
the distribution center and throughout
a process. “We have greatly improved
our inventory accuracy and our order fill
rates,” she says.
Upgrading the WMS, meanwhile,
enabled the new wave picking strategy.
More importantly, the integration
of the WMS and WCS improved
communication between the picking
operations and the automated materials
handling equipment. That, in turn,
allowed Rocky to increase the speed
on the sortation system. “Once they
were all speaking the same language,
we could sort at much higher speeds,”
Sherbourne says.
22 J u l y 2 0 1 1 / Modern Materials Handling mmh.com

modern system report
Next steps
The new processes and software went
live in 2008. A year later, Rocky’s management
made a decision to ramp up its
e-commerce sales to service direct-toconsumer
customers and also to provide
better service to its retail customers.
“About 25% of our wholesale business
is made up of a number of very large key
accounts, like Dick’s Sporting Goods
and Tractor Supply,” says Walker. “The
rest are primarily smaller retailers and
some direct-to-consumer.”
As it examined those smaller
accounts, Rocky realized that some customers
were only ordering once a month
to reduce their shipping costs. That
also meant that their shelves might be
empty until a replenishment shipment
was delivered, costing sales for both the
retailer and Rocky. To encourage more
frequent deliveries, Rocky rolled out a
free freight program for customers that
would order a minimum amount of
inventory every two weeks. Those customers
can also place their orders online,
making it easier to re-order. “That
motivated them to place smaller and
more frequent orders,” Walker explains.
While the change has driven more
business, it has also changed Rocky’s
order profile: Prior to 2008,
80% of orders were full cartons
and 20% were mixed
cartons. Today, those numbers
have reversed, with
only 17% of orders going
out as full cartons.
The new system has
been able to easily accommodate
that change in
strategy. “We have gone
from sorting 4,500 pairs
of boots per 8-hour shift
to 11,000 pairs with the
same number of associates,”
Walker says. This
was the result of managing
to service delivery expectations,
aligning processes
and infrastructure and realigning
associate roles.
“These were subsequently
4
Conveyor
supported by upgrading the WMS and
WCS,” he adds.
More evolutionary changes are
planned going forward, including
directed putaway and crossdocking. The
company will also continue to enhance
its e-fulfillment processes as e-com-
Stepping up productivity
Warehouse management and control systems are the
key components to order fulfillment processes at Rocky
Brands’ revamped distribution center.
By Bob trebilcock, Executive Editor
By bringing together a warehouse
management (WMS) and warehouse
control system (WCS),
Rocky Brands has seen a significant
increase in throughput and productivity.
The systems enable the manufacturer
and distributor of outdoor footwear and
apparel to quickly and efficiently manage
conventional replenishment orders
to retailers as well as a growing e-commerce
channel.
Receiving: Inbound trailers arriving
at receiving (1) are floor loaded
to maxmize the cube of the trailer
Mezzanine
area
2
Receiving
1
5 Sortation
6 Packing
Shipping
8
merce continues to grow.
“The market is changing,” Walker
says. “If we want to stay competitive, we
have to offer more to our customers and
we have to do everything quicker. Our
distribution systems and software are
what’s going to allow us to do that.” M
Rocky Brands, Inc.
Logan, Ohio
size: 210,000 square feet, including a
mezzanine area
Products: Footwear and apparel
stock keePing units (skus): 43,000
tHrougHPut: From 10,000 to 48,000
units per day
sHifts: 5 days/3 shifts
eMPloyees: 67 full-time employees,
plus seasonal fluctuations
7
Staging
for shipping
Reserve and
active storage
3
24 J u l y 2 0 1 1 / Modern Materials Handling mmh.com

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modern system report
or container. Once receivers verify
the load, the contents are manually
unloaded to pallets. Once a pallet is
complete, it’s staged under the mezzanine
(2) and a license plate bar code
label is applied. The product is now
ready for putaway into the reserve
and active storage area (3).
Putaway: Cases, rather than pallets,
are stored in the high bay, narrow
aisle reserve and active storage area (3).
The lower area of the storage area is
designated for active picking. Storages
areas above 7 feet are used for reserve
storage. Pallets are delivered to a cherry
picker servicing the aisle selected for
storage. Cartons are scanned then putaway,
updating the WMS. In addition to
the reserve and active storage area, slow
moving items and apparel are stored
and picked in the mezzanine area (2).
There, cartons are also scanned into a
storage location to confirm putaway in
the WMS.
Picking: Picking is RF
driven. Orders are received in
the WMS and grouped into
waves based on how they will
be shipped. Once the waves are
determined, tasks are created
and delivered to a work group
or area.
Footwear orders are picked
in the reserve and active stor-
age area (3). Associates pick to a table,
or large rolling cart, on a pallet jack.
Each table can hold up to 150 units.
Once all of the items for that table
have been picked, it is delivered to an
induction area for the conveyor (4) and
sortation (5) system. They are matched
up with any other tables belonging to
that wave and then inducted onto the
conveyor (4).
At the present, apparel orders are
picked to totes in the mezzanine area
(2). Like tables, totes are then matched
up with any other items for that wave
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and inducted onto the conveyor (4).
Shipping: Items are scanned and
sorted (5) to chutes and transported to
a pack station in the packing area (6).
There, the packing list and content and
shipping labels are printed and applied.
The shipping container is then sealed
and pushed back onto the conveyor (4)
for delivery to shipping (8). Depending
on the size of the order, product will
be palletized and staged (7) until it is
loaded onto a truck. Or, it will be automatically
conveyed into a truck (8) for
delivery. M
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WCS: Pyramid Controls, www.pyramidcontrols.
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Conveyor/Sortation: Hytrol, www.hytrol.com
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MODERN special report
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By Bob Trebilcock, Executive Editor
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1 1010 10 1 10 TOP
If you’re of a certain age, you may remember those crazy
bounces you could get from a Super Ball. The image is
an apt way of describing the bounce in the market for
supply chain management software in 2010.
The worldwide market for supply chain management
software applications, maintenance and services, or SCM,
came in at $6.755 billion in 2010, including applications for
procurement software, and nearly $4.6 billion without procurement,
according to Chad Eschinger, a research director
with Gartner (www.gartner.com). That’s an impressive 10%
bounce over 2009. “It was a good, up year,” Eschinger says.
That’s a bit of an understatement given that 2009 had posted
a 1.9% decline over prior year revenues, the first year-overyear
drop in revenues for SCM software since Modern began
publishing an annual Top 20 list in 2001.
When it comes to market leadership, 2010 reminds us of
the lyrics from that old Billie Holliday song, “God Bless The
Child:” “Yes, the strong gets more, while the weak ones fade.”
The market leaders look much the same as they did in 2009,
with SAP ($1.317 billion) and Oracle ($1.21 billion) still at
the top of the list and posting impressive gains over 2009.
They were followed by JDA Software ($362 million),
1
1Manhattan Associates ($136 million) and RedPrairie ($94 million),
according to Gartner’s analysis. If there was a surprise, it
was that Manhattan was once again atop RedPrairie; the companies
had switched places in 2009 following Manhattan’s
decline in revenues. Back then, Eschinger noted that despite
0 0101
1
the decline, he believed Manhattan was on the right path with
its platform approach to the supply chain space—an observation
that proved prescient as the company rebounded in 2010.
One other important note: As Eschinger points out, SAP,
01 0010 00 011
Oracle and JDA account for 43% of the total software market
while the remaining players—several hundred of them—
comprise the remaining 57%. The strong gets more indeed.
From a business standpoint, it was another year of status
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28 J U L Y 2 0 1 1 / MODERN MATERIALS HANDLING mmh.com
1 01010

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MODERN special report
The supply chain software rebound is underway. Following
a tough 2009, supply chain software was up in 2010.
1
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Supply chain
management
software suppliers
quo, with few mergers and acquisitions and few
technological breakthroughs. The most noteworthy
event was JDA’s purchase of i2 Technologies
that closed in early 2010. If that sounds like what
we published last year (or the year before), well,
it’s a reflection of the times.
Making the list
Modern began tracking this space in 2001, following
the Internet boom. The reason was simple:
while materials handling is in our name, information
about the movement of goods has become as
important as the physical movement of goods. That’s
where software comes into play. While we began by
looking at the top providers of warehouse management
systems (WMS), our focus has evolved along
with the interests and job description of our readers
as well as the supply chain software market. While the
lines between supply chain execution (SCE) and supply
chain planning (SCP) providers were once clearly
Top 20 supply chain management software suppliers
Supplier 2010 Revenue Web site SCP WMS MES/MRP TMS
1 SAP $1.317 billion www.sap.com x x x x
2 Oracle $1.21 billion www.oracle.com x x x x
3 JDA Software $362 million www.jda.com x x
4 Manhattan Associates $136 million www.manh.com x x x
5 RedPrairie $94 million www.redprairie.com x x x
6 IBS $83 million www.ibsus.com x x x x
7 Lawson Software $80 million www.lawson.com x x x x
8 Descartes Systems
Group
$75 million www.descartes.com x
9 Kewill Systems $64 million www.kewill.com x
10 Retalix $58.5 million www.retalix.com x x x
11 Servigistics $58 million www.servigistics.com x x x
12 Epicor $57 million www.epicor.com x x x
13 Infor $54 million www.infor.com x x x x
14 Totvs $50 million www.totvs.com x x x
15 GTNexus $48 million www.gtnexus.com x x
16 Sterling Commerce $43 million www.sterlingcommerce.com x x
17 Aldata $41 million www.aldata-solution.com x x x
18 e2open $39 million www.e2open.com x x x
19 IFS $37 million www.ifsworld.com/us x x
19 Logility $37 million www.logility.com x x x
Source: Revenue estimates provided by Gartner (www.gartner.com) with the exception of Retalix, which was provided by the company.
mmh.com MODERN MATERIALS HANDLING / J U L Y 2 0 1 1 29
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drawn, that is no longer the case.
To make our list today, a company
has to supply more than one of the
major categories of supply chain management
software—planning solutions
along with WMS, transportation management
systems (TMS) and manufacturing
execution systems (MES)—and
they have to do so in North America.
This is also a numbers game and not
a value judgment. We based this year’s
rankings on Gartner’s estimates of a provider’s
annual sales for 2010. The one
exception is Retalix, a provider not covered
by Gartner, but which is relevant to
our readers in the retail supply chain.
Admittedly, this is an imperfect science.
Gartner, for instance, strips out
hardware sales from the estimates it
provided us; it also strips out sales of
procurement software since that isn’t
relevant to our audience. Those are the
reasons, for example, Gartner is crediting
Manhattan Associates with $136
million when the company’s overall revenues
were nearly $300 million. What’s
more, Gartner does not follow the warehouse
control systems or manufacturing
execution spaces for their list. However,
this is an apples to apples comparison.
More importantly, whether you agree
with all of the numbers or not, the order
provides a good ranking of the major providers
across the supply chain management
space.
Although there was little business
news, there were several trends at work
in each of the four categories relevant to
our readers: ERP and SCP; warehouse
management; transportation management;
and manufacturing execution.
ERP and SCP: In the ERP/SCP
market, Eschinger says that much of last
year’s growth was the fulfillment of pent
up demand. “A number of projects that
had been stalled because of the recession
went forward last year,” he says. “The
sentiments for investing in supply chain
software for 2011 and 2012 are strong
and mirror what we were seeing in 2008
before the crash.”
He has also identified several business
objectives that are driving the inter-
Top SCM drivers
With the economy improving, companies
are once again implementing supply
chain software projects. Here are
the key drivers behind those projects:
1. Improve efficiency and/or
productivity
2. Reduce operating costs
3. Improve customer service
4. Target SCM contributions to
improve corporate profitability
5. Align supply chain with corporate
business
6. Target SCM contributions to drive
business growth
Source: Chad Eschinger, Gartner
est in supply chain software including:
• Lack of visibility: Large corporations
were left with too much inventory
when the recession hit and too little
when demand picked up in 2009. “Users
are looking at applications like sales
and operations planning, transportation
management and asset management
applications that can be leveraged to
track goods in motion,” Eschinger says.
• Enabling corporate strategy:
Everyone wants to reduce costs, but
increasingly businesses are targeting supply
chains to improve overall corporate
viability, especially customer service.
• Total landed cost: Blame high
transportation costs, increasing wages
in emerging markets and multi-channel
sales and distribution strategies, but
companies are taking a more analytical
look at what it costs to fill an online
order versus a store and what is the total
cost to source in Mexico versus China.
WMS: Like supply chain planning,
the market for WMS grew nearly 10% in
2010, from $1 billion to about $1.1 billion
last year, according to Steve Banker,
service director for supply chain management
for ARC Advisory Group (www.
arcweb.com). Looking forward, Banker
is predicting year-over-year single digit
growth for the next five years.
While there were no significant
mergers or acquisitions in 2010, Banker
notes that Manhattan Associates staged
an impressive comeback last year. In
addition, SAP’s EWM—it stands for
extended warehouse management—has
established a foothold in the market,
especially with highly automated warehouses
running SAP. “EWM is not best
of breed yet,” Banker says, “but SAP does
have some real differentiators, including
its warehouse control functionality.”
TMS: The market for TMS clocked
in at just under $1 billion, according to
Banker, with single-digit annual growth
rates expected to best the rate of inflation.
Driving that growth is the payback
from a TMS. “In some industries, you
can get a 20% savings on your freight
spend,” Banker says. “In other industries,
the savings aren’t as dramatic,
but you can still deliver single-digit
improvements in each of several different
areas like freight auditing and
strategic procurement. Aggregate those
areas and the savings are real.”
The primary news in the TMS market
may have been that SAP made significant
strides in its TMS offering. “They
now have an offering with best-of-breed
functionality at a high level,” Banker
says. “In some verticals, they have put
together a TMS that is integrated with
their global trade management and regulatory
compliance functionality that
really works.”
MES: The market for MES reached
an estimated $3.25 billion in 2010,
about half of which applies to solutions
for the discrete manufacturers that
comprise Modern’s audience, according
to Greg Gorbach, vice president of collaborative
manufacturing at ARC. Not
only has growth returned to the market,
Gorbach expects the MES space
to grow at roughly 10% a year for the
next five years. The most significant
driver for MES in recent years has been
the need to connect the plant with the
rest of the business. However, Gorbach
sees four “megatrends” driving MES,
including the rise of emerging markets;
changing workforce demographics; the
availability of cost effective technology
tools; and environmental concerns.
“Each of these is going to require manufacturers
to become more innovative
in their processes and that opens the
door for MES,” Gorbach says.
030 J U L Y 2 0 1 1 / MODERN MATERIALS HANDLING mmh.com

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modern Equipment 101: Unitizing
A primer for warehouse/DC managers
Keeping it
togetHer
there are many ways to unitize a load, but the
common goal for most operations is to stabilize and
protect products while they are in motion.
LBy lorie King rogers, Associate Editor
Last month, Modern reviewed some of the basic practices
and packaging equipment designed for palletizing a unit
load. This month, we’re taking the next step. Once you have
a palletized load, how do you maintain the load’s integrity as
it travels through the supply chain or your warehouse? Here’s
where unitizing comes into play.
Not only do sound unitizing practices help an organization
save money over the long haul, the right application
secures and stabilizes the load and protects the product
while in transit. It can also significantly reduce the amount
of product returned as a result of shipping damage and ultimately
reduce the overall cost of packaging while increasing
throughput, explains Tony Barr, vice president of Beumer.
Even though unitizing is the final packaging step before
product goes out the door, a great deal of consideration and
planning goes into selecting the right application before any
wrapping or strapping begins.
“There are a number of things to consider when making
a choice, but unitizing is always application specific,” says
Fred Hayes, director of technical services for the Packaging
Machinery Manufacturers Institute (PMMI). “While all
techniques are valid and each has a role to play, there’s no
magic bullet,” Hayes adds.
From manual operations to fully automatic equipment,
here’s a look at common ways to unitize a load.
Manual
Manual unitizing involves little in the way of equipment and
is done by hand. In this application, a worker moves around
the load holding the handles of a roll of film, unrolling, applying
and wrapping the product as they circle. Strapping, or
banding, can also be applied to a load manually using a handheld
device that cuts and secures the straps.
Manual unitizing can be cost effective in a very slow
speed process, but it’s not commonly used in most industrial
environments, explains Hayes. However, there are always
exceptions. Products that are unusual in shape and size, such
as curtain rods, doors and siding, are good candidates for
manual unitizing.
Semi- and fully-automatic equipment
An operation that unitizes more than 15 loads per day can
likely justify some level of automation based on savings in
labor, back strain and unitizing material costs.
In a semi-automatic unitizing operation, some degree of
worker involvement is required. This could mean that an
32 J u l y 2 0 1 1 / Modern Materials Handling mmh.com

Unitizing equipment manufacturers
stretchwrapping is the most frequently used method
to unitize a load. Whether being applied manually,
semi-automatically or automatically (shown here), film is
stretched during the wrapping process then contracts to
create the force needed to secure the load.
operator delivers a pallet load of product by lift truck to the
unitizing equipment or has a hand in applying, guiding and
detaching the binding material during the process.
In a fully automatic operation, product is delivered to the
unitizing equipment by conveyor. The four main types of in-feed
conveyor include roller, belt, chain and walking beam. Walking
beam conveyor is typically used when moving very heavy duty,
durable product such as concrete blocks and bricks. Roller or
belt conveyor are best when there are no pallets carrying the
load; roller or chain conveyor work well with pallets.
Stretchwrapping
So where is the conveyor taking the load? In many cases, it’s
feeding product into a stretchwrapping machine.
Stretchwrapping is the most common way to unitize a
load. Stretchwrapping equipment can range in price and in
sophistication, from semi-automatic turntable models to fully
automatic rotary arm or rotary ring models with automatic
programming. A semi-automatic stretchwrapper needs an
operator to tie the film to the load before wrapping begins
and to cut the film after wrapping is complete.
Fully automatic stretchwrapping systems attach and cut
the film without human intervention. Most systems use photoelectric
eyes to detect loads, so an operator is not needed in
the process. These systems are best suited for routine opera-
Company Web site stretchwrap stretch hood shrinkwrap strapping
ARPAC Group arpac.com x x
Beumer beumer.com x x
EAM-Mosca eammosca.com x
ITW Muller itwmuller.com x
Highlight Industries highlightindustries.com x x
Lantech lantech.com x
Nitech nitechindustries.com x
Möllers North America mollersna.com x x x
Orion orionpackaging.com x
Phoenix phoenixwrappers.com x
Premier Tech Systems premiertechsystems.com x x
Signode Packaging Systems signode.com x x
TopTier toptier.com x
vonGAL vongal.com x x
Wulftec wulftec.com x x x x
This table represents a sampling of leading unitizing equipment manufacturers.
mmh.com Modern Materials Handling / J u l y 2 0 1 1 33

modern Equipment 101: Unitizing
A primer for warehouse/DC managers
tions where the same product comes
down a conveyor line many times a day.
A number of stretchwrapping
machines are available. For example,
platform, or turntable, style equipment
spins the load as it is being wrapped.
These machines are the least expensive
and slowest, wrapping 40 to 50 loads
per hour.
Rotary arm machines wrap the film
around the load while the load remains
stationary. These machines are best for
heavy or unstable loads. They are also
faster than turntables, wrapping 100 to
120 loads per hour.
Rotary ring type wrapping machines,
which are similar to rotary arm
machines in speed, also have a mecha-
today’s strapping machines can run
thinner, narrower plastic strapping.
this means there’s less material, which
is especially important when it comes
to recycling or disposal in the landfill.
nism that moves while the load stays
still. In this case, a large mechanical
ring holding the stretch film moves up
and down the load while applying film.
The best stretchwrap solution
depends on two important factors:
stability of the load and the need for
throughput, says Guy Lopes, engineering
director for Wulftec. For
example, if the product being wrapped
is stacked in a column instead of an
interlocking pattern, turning it could
be risky. In this case, a rotary arm or
rotary ring machines work best. But
if the load is stable, any of the three
styles are acceptable, Lopes explains.
All three stretchwrapping solutions
also share the same laws of physics in
regard to the film. The film is stretched
during the application process and
when the process is complete, the film
returns to its original size. This contraction
creates the tension needed to hold
the load together.
Stretch hooding and shrinkwrapping
This law of physics also applies when
unitizing a load with stretch hooding.
With this method, the unitizing equipment
stretches a hood or bag over a
load, which then contracts back to its
original size once in place.
Like stretch hooding, shrinkwrapping
also uses a bag to unitize the load.
In this process, however, an over-sized
bag is placed over the load then heated
to shrink around the load. Heat can
be applied to the load manually with a
heat gun or the load can move by conveyor
through a heat tunnel to shrink
the material.
Both stretch hooding and shrinkwrapping
use only a single layer of
binding material which lends itself
to easy bar code scanning. Another
advantage is that both methods provide
product protection on five sides of the
load, which is a key factor if product is
going to be stored outdoors.
Strapping
Strapping is a good option for a variety
of products where surface protection
is not the primary concern, says Mark
Hughes, manager of application development
and research for Signode.
Strapping can be applied to a load
by hand using manual and pneumatic
tools, or using semi-automatic or fully
automatic strapping machines that
include strapping heads that unroll the
materials as needed.
“The strap’s joining method is dependent
on the type of strap and the joint
strength required by the application as
well as the equipment being used to
apply the strap,” says Hughes. In some
manual hand tool applications, plastic
strapping is joined by using metal seals
and special sealers to form crimp joints.
34 J u l y 2 0 1 1 / Modern Materials Handling mmh.com

Crimp joints are formed by compressing
the seal onto overlapping straps.
The holding power of the joint is generated
by squeezing the straps and the
seal together.
Strapping materials include steel
and plastic, with plastic having a number
of benefits. According to Hughes,
plastic strapping has excellent elongation
and recovery characteristics, stays
tight and absorbs impacts without
breaking. It’s also safer to handle than
steel and reduces indentation at unprotected
package corners.
Cornerboard
As its name implies, cornerboard can
protect product corners by adding a
strong, hard edge to the load. It also
serves to support the load, add stacking
strength and improve load stability during
transit. Cornerboard, which comes
in 90-degree angle strips of a variety of
materials, can be sized for the demands
of the environment and task required.
Cornerboards can be a good
option any time you have layers
of small boxes (think of a
pallet of strawberry bins) that
when stacked are not stable,
says Pat Fitzgerald, new market
development manager for ITW
Angleboard. At the same time,
cornerboards provide significant
benefits when shipping lumber,
plastics, metal, furniture,
appliances and other products
that need edge protection from
strapping that secures the unit
or simply from transit induced
damages.
In the majority of cases, says
Fitzgerald, cornerboards are
hand-applied to loads; however,
Protective materials can be
placed on the top, bottom and
corners of a unit load to prevent
the product from being marked
by strapping or damaged during
transit.
there are automatic wrapping
machines that apply the protective
product automatically to the
load and then secure it in place
with stretch film.
Greener unitizing
Over the last decade unitizing
machines have evolved in performance,
speed and quality, says
Wulftec’s Lopes. “Today’s machines
are more durable than they were 10
years ago. We’re seeing better construction
and better choices in components
across the industry.”
One of the most recent
enhancements is the introduction
of sensors and computer logic that
optimize the machine’s energy
usage. These new tools are able
to look at the product coming
into the machine and determine
whether or not there’s a backlog.
If there is a backlog, the machine runs
fast, if there’s no backlog, it runs at a
slower, energy-efficient speed. M
Understanding
containment force
Containment force is what keeps a load
together. Too much force could damage the
product, too little might mean load failure.
There are equations to help calculate the
right containment force. For example, light
loads like empty plastic bottles might only
need about 2 pounds to 4 pounds of force;
stable loads like boxes and cartons might
need about 5 pounds to 7 pounds of force;
but unstable loads that are tall or have low
column strength could require anywhere from
8 pounds to 18 pounds of containment force.
To be 100% sure how much containment
force your loads need, consult a professional.
mmh.com Modern Materials Handling / J u l y 2 0 1 1 35

modern information management
WMS providers
reach beyond
the four walls
Companies in the warehouse management system
software space are no longer confined to the
four walls of a warehouse. they are evolving and
reaching out into other areas of the supply chain,
providing functional and flexible tools to end users.
CCharles Darwin said the key to survival is being responsive
to change. And in many ways, that’s also a key to being a
successful software provider.
Once upon a time, a typical warehouse management system (WMS)
would make sure inventory was where it’s supposed to be—and in the
right quantities—then oversee the order fulfillment process. At the
time, that was pretty good, and many WMS providers focused solely
on offering that solution to its customers. But today, providers have
expanded beyond WMS to offer supply chain management solutions,
which suggests a larger suite of products.
“This is a funny space,” says David Landau, vice president of industry
marketing for Manhattan Associates. “When I started in the 1990s,
there were probably about 200 companies doing WMS. Now you can
count them on one hand. Some companies were innovators and some
were well managed: Those were the ones that survived,” Landau says.
This evolution of the WMS space was a topic of conversation at the
By lorie King rogers, Associate Editor
36 J u l y 2 0 1 1 / Modern Materials Handling mmh.com

2011 Material Handling Industry of America (MHIA) Spring
Meeting held recently in Charlotte, N.C. In one meeting of
the supply chain execution group, John Hill, vice president of
TranSystems, discussed how the WMS industry has changed.
He said providers of warehouse management software used
to be WMS companies, but today they are something far different,
offering software that goes well beyond the four walls
of a warehouse.
“In order for Tier 1 WMS providers to grow, they have
to find more things to bring to the party,” says Hill. “It only
makes sense for them to expand outside the four walls if
they’re going to provide users with supply chain systems that
provide visibility from source to consumption. That’s what’s
driving large providers.”
Conceptually, providing complete visibility through the
entire supply chain is not a new idea. “We only dreamed of
modern information management
this 20 years ago,” says Hill. “What’s new is the collection of
tools that’s available today, particularly the tools used in the
collection of real-time information and the ability to share
that data across multiple supply chains or supply chainrelated
systems.”
As the technology catches up with the concepts, end users
want more than a traditional WMS, they want an integrated
solution that enables them to effectively manage the flow of
product across the entire supply chain.
“There has been an evolution in terms of the business
processes that customers are trying to support,” says Jennifer
Sherman, senior director of logistics product strategy for
Oracle. “Five years ago, the holy grail would have been a
WMS that could talk to transportation, but to a large extent
that’s done. Customers are asking how they can leverage
their platforms, and we’re talking about bringing those appli-
mmh.com Modern Materials Handling / J u l y 2 0 1 1 37
Daniel Guidera

modern information management
cations to other areas of the business.”
Here’s a look at how four of the
leading supply chain software providers
view the evolution of the supply
chain execution space and how they are
approaching their customers.
HigHJuMp
In general, companies that were once
primarily WMS companies have
expanded into other areas and are repositioning
themselves as supply chain
management companies, explains Chad
Collins, vice president of marketing for
HighJump. “There’s really been an evolution
from traditional distribution and
logistics offerings into the broader supply
chain with some form of inventory
planning and moving out all the way to
the store shelf,” he adds.
According to Collins, one reason
for the shift is that buyers and users of
these systems would prefer to get their
products from a single source. Having
fewer vendors makes the process easier
from a technical perspective. Getting
the solution from one provider means
visibility of the data on a common
application platform, says Collins.
This is especially important in the
U.S. food and beverage sector. Being
a $2.1 trillion dollar industry with very
thin profit margins, there’s a constant
demand from users to find tools that
efficiently manage the flow of goods
while boosting the bottom line.
HighJump is responding to that
demand by connecting distribution
activities with in-store activities
through direct store delivery, or DSD.
In DSD, product is delivered directly
to the retailer and merchandised by the
manufacturers themselves on the retailer’s
store floor.
“In food and beverage, there are
suppliers that don’t ship to intermediary
warehouses, they go directly to the
retail store,” explains Collins. “With
DSD, the manufacturer controls the
entire process from product readiness
through order taking, shipping and
merchandising.”
There are benefits in shipping
Head to the clouds
Investing in only what you need is also the
philosophy driving on-demand services,
software-as-a-service (SaaS), and computing
in the clouds. Whatever you call it, this
IT option makes it possible for the little
guys to realize big improvements.
“Small companies have the same
requirements and the same levels of compliance,”
explains RedPrairie’s Kozenski.
“This option affords them the opportunity
to access the same tools as Tier 1 users.”
Computing in a cloud reduces the cost
of entry for small to mid-sized companies.
Rather than customers deploying and managing
software at their facility, a provider
handles it for them over the Internet. Not
only does this option take the hardware
out of the store, it leaves administration,
maintenance and upgrades to the provider
with the core competency.
Small and large companies alike are
seeing many benefits to computing in the
clouds. In fact, HighJump’s Collins believes
the majority of new installations of WMS
or any other software deployments are
likely to be in the clouds rather than on the
premises.
directly to the store, Collins adds. From
the supplier side, returns are lower, and
profitability and sell through are much
higher. From the retailer side, studies
have shown that DSD products can be
the most profitable because the supplier
is responsible for the costs for
delivery, inventory management and
merchandising. And from the customer
vantage point, it means product is
where they want it, when they want it.
redprairie
The shoppers’ experience is possibly
the most important factor of all, says
Tom Kozenski, vice president of product
strategy for RedPrairie. That is especially
true in today’s world where the immediate
impact of communication can work
for or against an operation.
The site operations inventory tool
from RedPrairie helps to ensure that a
customer has a positive experience by
making sure the right product is at the
right place at the right time.
That’s today, but back in the 1970s
and 1980s Kozenski explains that
WMS was a customized solution built
to an end user’s individual specifications.
It connected the software
to a warehouse’s materials
handling devices like automated
storage and retrieval systems, for
example. Now, WMS providers
are expanding applications out
into the stores.
It’s a logical progression,
Kozenski says. WMS manages
three major components—inventory,
labor and transportation—
which happen to be the same
three components in a store.
It’s not a major challenge for
a WMS to manage the canned
peas, says Kozenski. The challenge
comes when managing more
demanding products and departments.
The site operations inventory
tool can tackle the most complex
departments of an operation
like a deli counter, for example, by
providing perpetual store inventory,
which is especially critical
when dealing with fresh food items,
perishables and expiration dates.
Take a number, order a ham and
swiss sandwich on rye, and the inventory
management application will consume
the recipe of components used to
make up the order, track accurate levels
of what’s in store, what’s been sold
and what needs to be replenished. “As a
result,” Kozenski says, “the integration
of WMS with inventory management
creates a lot of power for the end user.”
ManHattan associates
End users need as much power as they
can get to be successful in today’s
competitive marketplace. According
to Manhattan’s Landau, “WMS helped
get the right product to the right price
under the right criteria. Most WMS
were focused on being retail compliant,
but never really talked about optimization.”
However, in the last few years,
WMS has gone from supporting the
business to enabling the business by
moving out into yard and labor management
efficiencies, for example. Labor
38 J u l y 2 0 1 1 / Modern Materials Handling mmh.com

management solutions can address
questions like: Can I take labor out of
the process? How can I optimize the
workforce? How can I grow the business
without growing the bottom line?
WMS has reached a point where
there’s a top line and a bottom line
factor.
“In the bottom line, you can only
squeeze so much blood from a stone,
but businesses are always asking for
more,” says Landau. “CFOs are asking
how they can get a lower cost per unit.”
One answer lies in connecting the
three silos of inventory, distribution and
transportation.
“All three silos are optimized individually
to the hilt, but reality is that all
three are inter-related and we have to
look at them with a broader view. Our
vision is a bigger picture of the supply
chain,” says Landau.
For example, retailers ordering
more frequent, smaller shipments
can affect all links in the supply
chain, says Landau. It impacts the
inventory, the labor needed to handle
more shipments, and transportation
with less-than-truckload shipments,
all of which could affect the product’s
cost per unit.
So, Manhattan, once focused on
order fulfillment for retailers, has
expanded into supply chain planning,
offering a full suite of products from
planning and execution that enable
an operation to make intelligent decisions
around all factors that are aligned
toward the ultimate business, not just
one silo.
ORACLE
“People are recognizing efficiency gains
as you bring WMS to other places,”
says Oracle’s Sherman. They’ve tackled
the warehouse, now it’s time to tackle
another area.
Customer demands are certainly
driving this change, but arguably the
biggest single change driving the evolution
of software, according to Sherman,
is in buyer behavior.
Operations once required to handle
MODERN information management
store replenishment now have to replenish
stores and ship individual orders to
customers shopping online, from catalogues,
or even ordering at the store but
shipping elsewhere. The question, says
Sherman, becomes: Do I have a flexible
order management system framework
that can understand those orders and
handle the multiple fulfillment channels
under one roof from the back end
without interrupting the flow?
Oracle’s answer is “yes.” An online
purchase from an individual is different
than one from a retailer in terms of
quantity, but Oracle’s order management
solution uses the same logic to process
the order while recognizing and supporting
the order’s different requests.
When an order is placed, it launches
the wave within the WMS solution.
The system knows where the order is
coming from and what it needs in terms
of packing, labeling and shipping. It’s
the same infrastructure to take in an
order, but it knows to fill it in a different
way, bypassing a lot of outbound
steps and dropping it in a different outbound
location for shipping.
This sounds great for the big guys, but
can the little guys afford it? Again, yes.
Increasingly, large monoliths like Oracle
are providing services to the small and
mid-sized companies with plug-and-play
solutions that allow a user to build on
what they have or pick and choose only
the components they need.
“The onus is on the vendor to prove
to the little guys that the solutions
can scale as up and down and to meet
needs of their business process,” says
Sherman.
Companies mentioned in
this article
HighJump, www.highjumpsoftware.
com
Manhattan Associates, www.manh.
com
Oracle, www.oracle.com
RedPrairie, www.redprairie.com
TranSystems, www.transystems.com
We
Manufacture
Warehouse Solutions
www.interlakemecalux.com

modern productivity solution
packers floored by
ergonomic assist
Burke Flooring installs freestanding articulated jib crane
to maintain productivity, as well as improve safety and
ergonomics in its manual end-of-line palletizing process.
By lorie King rogers, associate editor
Burke Flooring, a large manufacturer of flooring
materials, is dedicated to using sustainable
materials in its products wherever possible. While
the operation is earth friendly, its ergonomic practices
were suffering in its manual palletizing process,
and reports of worker wrist and shoulder injuries
were on the rise.
In Burke’s Orlando area DC, multiple conveyor
lines deliver boxes of finished flooring products to
packers, who manually pick them up and place them
onto lift tables to be palletized for shipping. The
boxes can be 4 feet long and weigh up to 50 pounds
each. With employees moving close to 8,000 pounds
each per shift, palletizing was becoming a weighty
problem.
Contributing to the problem was the Florida
heat and the manufacturer’s aging workforce, which
is about 70% female.
The search was on for a safer, reliable method
of unloading the conveyors and building the pallets.
“Reliability means you can count on something
every day, every shift,” says Jerry Glatz, Burke’s vice
40 J u l y 2 0 1 1 / Modern Materials Handling mmh.com

president of operations. “Once
we open the doors Monday morning,
we don’t stop production until
Saturday.”
Burke chose a freestanding
articulating jib crane (Gorbel,
www.gorbel.com) with a 150pound
capacity, 9-foot height
under boom and 12-foot span.
Paired with a vacuum lifter, the
articulating arm allows one worker
to use a single device to unload
two conveyor lines, while reaching
around two building columns
between the two conveyors.
After the first year, Glatz reports
the freestanding articulating jib
crane is meeting productivity and
safety expectations while minimizing
the potential for injuries. This solution
enables workers at “end of line”
to do their job more effectively without
fatigue being a factor, he says.
Adjusting to the new process
was easy. One female operator
says, “I’ve been working here for 17
years, and it’s the best improvement
we’ve made since I started. It’s like
I’m not even lifting anything anymore.”
M
Smooth Sailing in
plating proceSS
SIFCO Industries installs an overhead
monorail and trolley hoist system to
move aircraft parts safely through the
electroplating process.
in 1913, five entrepreneurs in Cleveland formed the Steel
Improvement and Forging Co. SIFCO Industries continues
to produce special parts for the aviation industry and other
general industrial parts and operates in the same facility.
Electroplating aircraft parts is just one of the functions
performed in its operation. But before parts can
be plated, they have to be cleaned and prepped, which
involves submerging them in a series of tanks containing
cleaning and quenching solutions. SIFCO was using
a standard bridge and single hoist system to cycle the
parts from one side of the area to the other, which was
a lengthy process. It was also unsafe as operators would
often be directly in the path of tanks and exposed to
splashing and dripping totes moving across the main
operator platform.
SIFCO addressed a number of issues with one overhead
handling solution by installing two 2-speed motorized
extended duty trolley hoists and a manual chain-fall hoist
mounted on a closed loop monorail (Columbus McKinnon,
www.cmworks.com). Both electrics and the hand-chain
hoist are equipped with a zinc-plated chain for added cor-
modern productivity solution
rosion resistance, and a manual chainfall
hoist serves as a back-up in the
event of a power failure.
The new system’s motorized trolleys
move seamlessly around the monorail
and can negotiate its curves. Traveling
on the oval loop makes off-loading
easier and keeps operators inside the
path of the totes. And, the system’s
low travel speed minimizes sway when
moving between the tanks, which were
repositioned so that minimal time is
lost between consecutive processes.
Additionally, the smaller, intuitive
pendants on the hoists provide operators
with single-handed control so they
can help guide the parts totes with the
other hand.
The single-operator functions of
running the plating line have improved
productivity by 100%, since two hoists
in operation can lift twice as many
totes in any given shift. M
mmh.com Modern Materials Handling / J u l y 2 0 1 1 41

Warehouses & distributioN CeNters
6 Tips
Whether driven by reducing costs or by new business
strategies, our panel of experts says that rethinking your
distribution network has become more important than ever.
By Maida NapolitaNo, ContriButing Editor
Transportation, warehouse and logistics professionals
can’t seem to get a break. Just
when we thought that the economy was
finally experiencing a slow albeit unsteady
upturn, fuel prices began creeping higher,
forcing freight rates back on the front burner.
According to the U.S. Freight Rate Index—an
indicator tracking the average cost per mile of land
transport in the U.S.—the double-digit increase in
the price of fuel has pushed the average cost per
mile from $2.22 in 2010 to $2.39 in 2011, up 7.7%.
That means a manufacturer with an annual transpor-
U.S. freight index
(Average cost per mile)
$2.65
$2.55
$2.45
$2.35
$2.25
$2.15
$2.05
$1.95
$1.85
$1.75
A spECiAl supplEmEnt to
for optimizing
the distribution
network
tation operating expense of $100 million in 2010 can
expect to add $7.7 million more for 2011.
And there’s more bad news: Many are predicting
the cost per mile to get even worse with the global
demand for oil increasing and the availability of truck
drivers decreasing. To help us sort out how these factors
are affecting America’s distribution networks,
we turn to four network strategy experts from three
leading supply chain and logistics consulting firms.
According to Marc Wulfraat, president of Montreal-based
MWPVL International, the key question
many companies are now evaluating is: At what point
2007 2008 2009
2010 2011
Data source: Freight Rate Index www.freightrateindex.com. Index derivatives include the following: US Federal Reserve, US Department of Labor and Bureau of Labor Statistics,
US Consumer Price ndex (CPI), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) and the US Department of Transportation (DOT).
The double-digit increase in the price of fuel has pushed the average cost per mile
from $2.22 in 2010 to $2.39 in 2011.
42S J u l y 2 0 1 1 / Modern MaterialS Handling mmh.com

does it make economic sense to add
more distribution facilities to reduce
inbound and outbound miles?
Paul Evanko, senior vice president
of York, Pa.-based St. Onge Company,
agrees with Wulfraat’s question. “Many
are making the move toward smaller
distribution centers located close to
major markets, to ports, and to inlandintermodal
logistics centers.”
But it isn’t only the price of fuel that
has shippers rethinking their distribution
networks. The implementation of
new business strategies has also been
another major driver. “Almost every
company that we’ve helped with logistics
strategy in the last two years is
reengineering their logistics network to
either enhance customer service or to
help launch a new customer channel,”
says Todd Soller, retail strategist for
global firm Kurt Salmon.
Mike Jones, president of St. Onge, is
also seeing the same changing business
strategy scenario play out in many of the
studies that his firm is doing. “Recent
network studies have not only been
initiated by ongoing mergers or acquisitions,
but also by corporate edicts
looking for cross-divisional synergistic
opportunities,” says Jones. “With the
latter, while the individual businesses
may operate with great autonomy, the
corporate parent still wants them to
look at opportunities to share distribution
and supply chain resources.”
Whether driven by reducing costs
or by new business strategies, rethinking
your distribution network has now
become more relevant than ever. With
typical cost savings of 15% and more,
these studies also result in allowing
companies to service their customers
more quickly. “This can make a huge
difference with how a company is perceived
by its customer,” notes Soller.
“The ability to get product to market
in one to two days when the competition
can only deliver in three to five days
is considered to be a serious weapon,”
says Wulfraat. “It may be worth it to
spend more to buy more market share.”
Which begs the question: Is your
network up to par? In the next few
pages, our experts share six essential
tips for network modeling success.
With a combined 83 years of experience
and more than 150 network studies
under their belts, you might want to
heed their advice as you optimize your
network.
Tip 1
Tip 1
Involve high-level
management
Tip 2
Traditionally, in many DC projects,
business owners and stakeholders don’t
get involved until the very end when
they give their approval on the overall
output. But in a network strategy study,
our experts agree that engaging high-
level management early on is a must.
“Don’t have them show up on the
15th week of a 16-week study and start
throwing curve balls and challenging
the assumptions,” explains Jones. “Get
them involved from the beginning to
establish your assumption sets.”
Soller also recommends involving
managers from sourcing, product development,
merchandising, and sales to
get all of their perspectives for inclusion
in the overall solution design.
“These managers bring perspectives to
the table that make the overall result
much more effective; it also ensures
buy-in and belief that the new network
is a good decision for the business.”
Soller cites, for example, how a sales
manager can bring to light specific
needs of individual customers, allowing
you to address them within the network,
rather than creating a one-sizefits-all
solution for all customers.
Tip 2
Ask the right
questions
Tip 3
A good distribution network redesign
encompasses a number of key areas of
the business that all need to be considered
and questioned.
Wulfraat lists some of critical ques-
Tip 3
Tip 4
Tip 4
Tip 5 Tip 6
Tip 5 Tip 6
Commercially available software tools for supply chain design and network modeling
Name Supplier Year released Web site
CAST Barloworld 1989 www.barloworldscs.com
4flow vista 4flow AG 2001 www.4flow.de/en/logistics-consulting.html
LogicNet Plus XE IBM ILOG 1995 www-01.ibm.com/software/integration/sca/logicnet-plus-xe
LOPTIS Ketron Optimization N/A www.ketronms.com/loptis.shtml
NETWORK Supply Chain Associates 1968 supplychainassoc.com/NETWORK.htm
Opti-Net Technologix 1993 www.technologix.ca/software/opti-net
Voyager Network Design Logility N/A www.logility.com
PRODISI Prologos 1985 www.prologos.de/English/Prodisi.htm
SAILS Insight 1984 www.insight-mss.com/_products/_sails
SCM Network Design Infor N/A www.infor.com/product_summary/scm/network-design
Supply Chain Guru LLamasoft 1998 www.llamasoft.com/Technology/NetworkOptimization.aspx
Network Design & Optimization JDA Software N/A www.jda.com/solutions/network-design-optimization-overview
OptiSite MapMechanics N/A www.mapmechanics.com
Source: Updated from “State of the Art Survey of Commercial Software for Supply Chain Design” by Kenichi Funaki from Supply Chain and Logistics Institute,
Georgia Institute of Technology
mmh.com Modern Materials Handling / J u l y 2 0 1 1 43s

A SPeCIAL SuPPLeMeNT To MoDerN MATerIALS HANDLINg
Warehouses & Distribution Centers
tions that need to be answered: What are the storage and
throughput capacity constraints associated with my existing
distribution network? What perceived service level requirements
are required for major markets being served in order
to be competitive? If the delivery lead-time is changed then
what is the anticipated impact on sales revenues for a given
market? What are the logistics operating expenses, one-time
expenses, inventory assets and capital investments required
for the baseline scenario? How do these compare to alternative
scenarios?
Evanko then points to a few questions concerning different
forms of sourcing: Should you be sourcing your products
locally, importing or returning manufacturing to the U.S. or
to countries closer—also known as near-shoring?
Our experts agree that despite the buzz, near-shoring is not
imminent. In fact, they expect most companies to continue
to outsource the manufacturing of low-value items such as
toys and clothes to China. “As labor becomes more expensive
in China, then manufacturing isn’t moving back here.
It will move further south in Asia into Indonesia, Malaysia,
Vietnam and India,” says Evanko. “Those countries still have
a labor cost advantage over China.”
Up to a certain scale, modeling
your network in house
using home-grown spreadsheets
and databases can get
cumbersome—if not impossible.
Choose one of many commercially
available network
modeling tools.
“These tools can help a company
develop a very robust initial
solution and build the capability within your organization to
continually monitor what’s happening within the logistics network,”
explains Soller.
Wulfraat cautions, however, against solely depending on
these tools to optimize the network. “A software tool will
help to figure out a small but important subset of the overall
information that is needed for a study,” he says. “But truthfully,
the CEO does not care if you used a hammer or a drill
for the job. The CEO wants to understand the financials,
customer service impacts, and risk sensitivities.”
What’s the consensus? In any good network model redesign,
you need both. “It’s important to involve the business owners
within the organization in conjunction with using the analytics
available in the tools,” concludes Soller. “The business owners
help you ask the right questions and the tools assist you
in developing more sophisticated answers to those questions.”
Tip 1
Tip 3
Use an effective
network modeling
packaged tool
Tip 6
Tip 2
According to St. Onge’s
Evanko, one of the most overlooked
areas in many network
designs is inventory. While adding
more DCs may reduce transportation
costs, it also requires
you to carry more inventory—
and many times this inventory is
More thoughts on U.S.
distribution networks
Marc Wulfraat, president, MWPVL International
“The concept of the 12,000-mile supply
chain whereby goods produced in China
and Asia are shipped into North America
is here to stay for any industry with
a high labor time component involved
in the production of goods. We expect
to see a shift toward near-shoring and
domestic production for products that
are characterized by high cube/weight/
value as businesses look for ways to reduce inbound transportation
expense and to increase inventory turns caused by
25-30+ day delivery lead times inbound.”
Mike Jones, president, St. Onge Company
“Ten years ago, people were hung up
on inventory reduction. That desire to
reduce inventory drove the consolidation
of facilities. Now, with low interest
rates decreasing the carrying costs
of inventory versus the rising costs of
freight, many have argued for more facilities.
The more facilities you have,
the shorter the lead times, the lower
your outbound freight. However, the
more important your inventory sizing and deployment strategy
becomes.”
Paul Evanko, senior vice president, St. Onge Company
“More companies have expressed interest
in sustainability as corporate
citizens and also as wanting to be perceived
by their customers as ‘being
green.’ So when we do a network study,
one of the things we’ve been looking at
is the impact of various network configurations
on greenhouse gases. You can
see what the incremental cost would be
to add a facility that might yield a significant reduction in
greenhouse gases.”
Tip 3
Tip 4 Tip 5 Tip 6
Perform an
inventory
optimization study
Todd Soller, retail strategist, Kurt Salmon
“In the past many companies would
have their own internal network and not
leverage any logistics service providers
or 3PLs. Companies are becoming
much more sophisticated. They’re using
3PLs and integrating them into their
own internal network of DCs. 3PLs have
a greater capacity to scale and ramp
with regard to seasonal volume, assist
with rapid geographic expansion, and
handle certain product flows that allow a company to level
load its existing network while meeting the demands of a
changing environment.”
44S J u l y 2 0 1 1 / Modern MaterialS Handling mmh.com

A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT TO MODERN MATERIALS HANDLING
Warehouses & Distribution Centers
far from optimal. “But it can be made
optimal by coordinating an inventory
optimization study with the network
design study,” says Evanko.
After the modeling tool identi es the
number of facilities needed and roughly
where they should be located, Evanko
suggests using algorithms to determine
the right amount of inventory to achieve
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Tip 1
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a speci c level of service that can be customized
for each of the facilities.
Jones points out that how you deploy
inventory becomes more and more
important the more facilities you have:
What products are you going to stock?
Where are you going to stock them?
“We’re getting customers wanting us
to supplement the network study to
Tip 2
Tip 1
Fax us at:
1-412-621-3059
Tip 2
answer more tactical level questions,”
says Jones. “It’s not just how many facilities
and where they’re located, but how
am I going to deploy the inventory, route
my trucks, and in some cases look at the
design of the facilities themselves.”
Certain areas have become hotbeds
for distribution primarily because of
their proximity to the U.S. population.
Evanko points out, however, that
these popular areas that companies
gravitate toward means that there could
be erce competition for the labor
force. Turnover rates become high
because workers would rather work
down the street for another DC that’s
offering 25 cents more an hour.
Tip 3
Tip 4 Tip 5 Tip 6
Tip 3
Tip 4 Tip 5 Tip 6
Make sure
there’s labor
He recommends analyzing the local
labor market of the candidate locations
to determine not only if there’s
an adequate labor supply, but also to
determine if socio-demographic characteristics
are amenable to jobs in light
manufacturing and distribution.
Take your
time
Depending on the complexity of the
network, the availability of the data,
and the experience of the project team,
a typical network study can take up to
six months.
“I’m amazed at how many companies
are making big, multi-million
dollar decisions, but for some reason
don’t spend the time to do it right,”
says Jones. “They have to do it in
ve to six weeks. Most of these studies
rarely take less than three or four
months to do right.”
Maida Napolitano is a Contributing
Editor to Modern Materials Handling.
mmh.com

MODERN CORPORATE PROFILES
Welcome to Corporate Profi les,
a special advertising section of Modern
Materials Handling.
Listed alphabetically in the pages that
follow, companies from throughout the
materials handling industry tell you about
themselves, their services and products.
This section is designed to provide
you with information and insight into
companies that can help you meet your
materials handling challenges.

MODERN CORpORatE pROfilE
Dear Modern Materials Handling Readers:
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You need someone who is proactive, cost competitive, flexible, and has sophisticated
information technology.You need someone who collaborates with your
overseas suppliers. Above all, you need a trusted partner who has best-in-class
professionals managing your transportation requirements, who understands
your business model, and is committed to working on your behalf 24/7.
Wesley B. Kemp
President and CEO
With a resource-rich, transnational infrastructure built over nine decades, ABF is an integrated source for
comprehensive supply chain solutions. Uniquely qualified, ABF is the architect of single-source solutions
that create value by maximizing logistical performance.
Utilizing an innovative dual-system network, ABF is the clear leader in cargo care, security, safety, and
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We can provide extended storage options for shipments in transit—ensuring precise delivery and recall
during starting and ending dates. Maybe you need synchronized, time-sensitive deliveries to all stores in
the retail chain. ABF has the solution.
Real-time visibility and our laser-focused ABF team help to minimize the effects of supply-chain
challenges, thereby improving logistics accuracy and inventory management. Our network locations
are strategically positioned to handle seasonal overflow at established facilities.That helps you better
manage spikes in inventory. And it helps you better manage inventory that has a tendency to clog your
primary distribution channels. To avert trucking capacity challenges, particularly during peak season,
ABF coordinates product storage near the end market. Then we move product quickly and in large
quantities just in time for the selling season. No more lost selling days or late-arriving inventory.
The primary objective of ABF is to bring value to its customers by working closely with them in developing
unique solutions to the logistical challenges they face on a daily basis. ABF customer service centers and
distribution facilities are located throughout North America and reach around the globe. ABF employees
are trained to think critically and to proactively respond to each customer’s unique situation. ABF customers
benefit from a partner who helps them anticipate supply-chain challenges and meet them head on with
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Sincerely,
Wesley B. Kemp
President and CEO

NO EQUAL
MODERN CORpORatE pROfilE
As the recipient of the 2011 Inc. Magazine “New Economy
Hero” award, Big Ass Fans’ owner and president, Carey Smith,
was recognized for promoting his company through a recession.
By looking to the future, Smith continued to invest in his
employees as well as dedicate time, money and research to
the development of new products. As a result, Big Ass Fans has
increased their product line to include residential, mobile and
outdoor wet-rated fans. Every Big Ass Fan is custom engineered
with patented, award-winning aerodynamic designs, improving
air circulation in spaces with or without existing HVAC systems.
Though large and powerful, they are also incredibly energy
efficient, relying on very small motors, particularly relative to
the volume of air movement generated. Choosing to buy locally
sourced products gives the company the ability to promote and
maintain a final product that assures quality.
ADVERTISEMENT
Using the voice of the customer along with sound engineering
has allowed the Big Ass Fan Company® to continue its growth
spurt, introducing new products in line with customer desires.
Big Ass Fans were originally designed for agriculture settings,
and quickly customized their products for use in industrial settings
to help regulate temperatures and provide comfort, enhancing
both natural ventilation and HVAC systems. Ranging in size from
6- to 24-ft in diameter, Big Ass Fans are not your ordinary fans, and
the Big Ass Fan Company is not your ordinary company.
Big Ass Fans has amassed
numerous awards for both product
design and a favorable work
environment 5 years running.
Along with a comprehensive library of installations from agriculture
to industrial, residential to commercial, Big Ass Fans has amassed
numerous awards for both product design and a favorable work
environment 5 years running. In 2011 Christian Taber, senior
applications engineer, was awarded Consulting Specifying
Engineer’s 40 Under 40 Award for excellence in engineering
and service. Taber is a member of Big Ass Fans engineering
team that develops and tests the company’s portfolio of large
diameter, low-speed fans.
Continued ISO certification reinforcing our commitment to overall
product integrity is on par with the Pacesetter Recognition Award
spotlighting companies that lead the community. Along with
providing LEED® credits for applications when Big Ass Fans are
installed, we practice what we preach with our own LEED Gold
Certified Research and Development facility which won the
ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and
Air-Conditioning Engineers) Technical Award for innovative
building design, incorporating occupant comfort, IAQ and
energy conservation.
Check out the entire product line and learn more
about the company at www.bigassfans.com
Covered by one or more of the following U.S. Patents: 6,244,821; 6,589,016; 6,817,835; 6,939,108; 7,252,478; 7,284,960; D587,799; D607,988; 7,654,798 and other patents pending.
©2011 Delta T Corporation dba the Big Ass Fan Company. All rights reserved.

Buckhorn Inc.
MODERN CORpORatE pROfilE
ADVERTISEMENT
Product
(photo, Illustration)
Buckhorn, a Myers Industries, Inc. company (NYSE:
MYE), is one of North America’s leading providers of
reusable plastic packaging systems, helping
customers in the manufacturing, distribution and
food industries improve supply chain performance
and reduce material handling costs. Focused on
customer-driven innovation, Buckhorn offers an
unmatched selection of bulk and hand-held
containers, pallets and transport products.
Buckhorn products are designed to reduce your
packaging costs and improve your material
handling performance.
Buckhorn has more than 40 years of reusable
packaging experience. Our comprehensive market
knowledge, collaborative relationships, continuous
innovation and robust solutions add value at every
step of your supply chain. Plus, we have a
commitment to protect the global environment
through not only reusable packaging systems, but
also the use of environmentally-friendly, 100%
recyclable materials.
Put that package together and you get Buckhorn:
your reliable, single source for high-quality,
cost-effective reusable packaging and material
handling systems that protect your products,
improve workflow, lower operating costs and move
more profit to your bottom line.
Full pg. S pecs:
Image area
7" wide x 8.875" tall
Finished art
To be provided by
advertiser
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That’s the value promise Tiff, E P S , JP the G or Buckhorn brand
delivers for you — Press packaging ready P DF and performance
that satisfies your customers and ensures a healthy
future for your business.
Take, for example, Buckhorn’s Caliber IBC. The
Caliber is reusable, easy to clean and cost-efficient.
It can be used for both liquid and dry products, and
it is available in three sizes: 270, 300 and 315
gallons. Buckhorn IBCs are constructed from
materials approved for use with food and feature
smooth, hygienic designs that are easy to keep
clean. Caliber also saves valuable floor space. It can
be stacked five high or collapsed for storage.
And most recently, Buckhorn unveiled the
Maximizer, a new class of pallet-sized, collapsible
containers. Visit www.buckhorninc.com to see how
you can maximize your company’s productivity,
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US: 1.800.543.4454
Canada: 1.800.461.7579
www.buckhorninc.com

FACILITY DOOR SOLUTION
MODERN CORPORATE PROFILE
ADVERTISEMENT
Since 1990, DBCI has remained a leading
manufacturer of commercial-grade steel
curtain roll-up doors, components and
solutions. Focused on providing customers with
the highest quality products and services, we
understand value is just as important as quality,
so we design our doors to be both strong and
efficient while maintaining superior durability.
Guided by our commitments to partnership,
service, innovation and the manufacturing of
superior products, DBCI continually strives to
offer solutions that best accommodate our
customers and add value to their business.
We believe that DBCI is where you’ll find the steel
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Industry preferred DBCI doors are quickly becoming an important part of many commercial businesses.
Whether you are a transport facility owner, commercial facility operator or just in need of a new
commercial-grade roll-up door, we have more than 20 years of experience and knowledge to
help you find the right solution.
DBCI’s 5000 Series commercial doors are designed to
meet the most stringent of building codes throughout the
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as increasing insurance costs, DBCI continually works on
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costs and increasing performance for our valued customers.
Through the use of our in-house wind certification laboratory
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that exceed environment performance and industry
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For more information about DBCI doors please visit us online
at DBCI.com/dcv or call 877-928-1333.
Manufactured with hard, Grade E steel ensuring
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rays and are warranted up to 25 years based on
the chosen color. Available in a wide variety of
models and colors, our commercial doors have
electric motor capabilities and multiple mounting
options including steel, wood, masonry and
concrete which provides for easy install and
minimal maintenance.

MODERN CORPORATE PROFILE
ADVERTISEMENT
Solutions from Receiving to Shipping
Engineered systems built on process improvements,
material handling automation and software
Receiving • Put-Away • Storage/Staging • Sequencing • Replenishment • Order Fulfillment • Packing • Palletizing • Shipping
WCS Software • Voice & Lights • Mini-Load & Unit-Load ASRS • Package & Pallet Conveyor • Sorters • AGVS •
Trailer Loaders
Dematic designs, builds, and life cycle supports logistics solutions that optimize material and information flow — from
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Dematic offers a consultative holistic engineering approach. This method drives the development of non-biased, data-driven
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Our single source, vertically integrated capability reduces time, cost, and risk. This is accomplished by owning and
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Dematic is dedicated to improving logistics results. To that end, we guarantee successful system performance.
Visit www.dematic.us or call 1-877-725-7500 to learn how we can create logistics results for your organization.

MODERN CORPORATE PROFILE
ADVERTISEMENT
For over 100 years, the square tubular design of EnerSys Ironclad
batteries has outperformed round tubular and flat plate design
batteries. The unique square tube technology will help you get
your work done faster, more efficiently, and more profitably.
The secret behind the performance of our batteries is the
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depending on the duty cycle.
We also offer the largest, strongest company-backed service and
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of your motive power needs.
1-800-ENERSYS
www.enersys.com
Exlusively Square I Exclusively Powerful I Exclusively Ironclad

MODERN CORpORatE pROfilE
ADVERTISEMENT
( )
enVista
Supply Chain
Consulting
www.envistacorp.com
enVista is a leading enterprise, transportation and
supply chain consulting services firm, delivering
innovative solutions that improve profitability,
enhance customer service and reduce waste from
source to consumption.
Consult. Implement. Operate.
Clients Include:
• BodyBuilding.com
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Distributors
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enVista | 11711 N. Meridian St, Suite 415
Indianapolis, IN 46032
877.684.7700 | www.envistacorp.com
Consulting
Strategy
• Supply Chain Network Design
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Enterprise Solutions
• Microsoft Dynamics AX Gold
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• Microsoft Dynamics AX Upgrades and
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• Microsoft Dynamics Cloud Services
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MODERN CORpORatE pROfilE
ADVERTISEMENT
Leading edge Power SoLutionS
HAWKER is the leading provider for advanced motive
power solutions customized to reduce operational
costs and increase efficiencies for any motive power
application. With more than 85 years of motive power
experience, innovation, and expertise, HAWKER is the
industry leader in quality, performance, technology, and
cost-saving solutions.
Single-Source Solutions. HAWKER manufactures
a complete line of batteries and chargers. This allows
HAWKER to assess and design complete power
solutions to enhance each customer’s operation and
optimize productivity, improve efficiency, and minimize
cost. HAWKER’s exclusive “Harness the Power” on-site
assessments analyze operations and provide specific
customized solutions for improving material handling
productivity. These assessments address all aspects
of motive power: maintenance, operational costs,
productivity, safety, OSHA compliance, and electrical
consumption and demand.
World’s Largest Industrial Battery Brand.
HAWKER manufactures the broadest line of lead-
HAWKER power solutions are designed to:
• Reduce environmental impact
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acid batteries, providing solutions for controlling and
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HAWKER offers a complete line of battery and charger motive power solutions.
To Learn More about HAWKER’s Leading Edge Power Solutions, contact us by:
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MMH Corp Profile Ad 7x9 6.29.11.indd 1 6/30/11 12:34 PM

we manufacture
WAREHOUSE
Blencor
replicated the success it found with
Mecalux in Spain by partnering with
Interlake Mecalux in the U.S.
• Cold Storage Drive-In Rack System
• Nearly 3,200 Drive-In positions
• Four levels of storage
• 97 total bays, all 30-feet high
• Seismically enhanced beams
• Concrete-enforced guard rails
STANDARD RACK SOLUTIONS
MODERN CORPORATE PROFILE
SOLUTIONS
ISLD
increased storage from 350 SKUs to
1,200 SKUs.
• 55,000 square foot area
• 17,200 square foot area extension
• Additional 3,000 pallet storage locations
• Three 160-foot long aisles
• Three 50-foot double-mast, double-deep,
AS/RS stacker cranes
AUTOMATED SOLUTIONS
ADVERTISEMENT
Interlake Mecalux is a market leader in warehouse solutions specializing
in the design, manufacturing, sale, services and integration of industrial
shelving, automation and warehouse management software.
Prodelec
increased its production capacity
by 21 percent in terms of
per-person line preparation capacity.
• 8,200 square foot area
• Enough height to create three levels
of storage
• 19,685 square feet of storage space
• 8,000 active in-stock references
• Six radio frequency terminals and
three antennas
SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS
www.interlakemecalux.com

MODERN CORpORatE pROfilE
ADVERTISEMENT
New Levels of Intelligence in Automated
Storage & Retrieval Systems
Changing the Paradigm to Provide Fast, Flexible & Low Cost Automation
Being one of the newest companies in
the automation market has allowed
Sapient Automation the ability to
“think out of the box” and create
solutions, products and services
which challenge how facilities think
and act about handling:
• Order Picking
• MRO
• Parts Storage
• Inventory Handling
• Tool And Die Storage
• Kitting
• Buffering Systems
• Sample Storage
• Order Consolidation
Sapient Automation System Benefits:
• Reduces labor by up to 2/3
• Saves up to 85% of floor space
• Increases accuracy to 99.99%
• Extends order cut off times
• And many more!
Range of Products
A complete line of state of the art
automated storage and retrieval
solutions including Horizontal
Carousels, Vertical Lift Modules,
Vertical Carousels plus Inventory
and Warehouse Controls Software
allows Sapient Automation to provide
the best solution.
Corporate Headquarters
The Sapient Automation Advantages:
• Free Intelligent Machine Health Monitoring (IMHM) system on its equipment
to help keep systems up and running 24/7 requiring less than 5 minutes of
IT support.
• Cost effectively update ALL new or old carousel control systems to state of the
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• Full suite of inventory management to warehouse controls software that grows
as your business requirements change.
• Each product has a full range of unique features and benefits to optimize
all applications.
877.451.4044 | Fax: 215.489.7820 | www.GetSapient.com | info@GetSapient.com Subsidiary of MDCI

MODERN CORpORatE pROfilE
ADVERTISEMENT
Steel King Industries, Inc.
Introduction
Since 1970, Steel King has earned a national reputation
for designing and manufacturing quality material
handling solutions at a competitive price. Our product
line includes pallet racks, flow storage systems, multilevel
pick modules, cantilever racks, portable racks,
custom shipping racks, along with mezzanines, industrial
steel containers and guard railing. In addition, we have
extensive experience with AS/RS storage systems and
rack supported building projects.
AS/RS Systems
AS/RS or Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems
allow customers to store and retrieve loads using
automation to increase the speed and precision of
material handling. AS/RS systems can help customers:
• Minimize a building’s footprint
• Maximize available storage space
• Reduce energy costs
• Reduce labor costs
• Increase accuracy and efficiency
Steel King is an industry leader in providing AS/
RS systems for both “captive” and “non-captive”
transport systems. AS/RS systems are made-up of
one or more narrow aisles of Steel King rack and a
computer controlled transporter, such as a crane or
shuttle system. Steel King works in close conjunction
with the transporter manufacturer on the integration
of the two components..
Steel King offers two styles of AS/RS systems:
Unit loads, which are large systems storing complete palletized loads.
These systems can be single or multiple pallet levels deep.
Mini loads, which handle smaller loads such as trays, containers or totes.
Steel King AS/RS Capabilities
• In-house PE Engineered designs
• CAD Design Services
• Support up to 120 ft high
rack structures
• Rack Supported Buildings
• Multiple aisle configurations
• Meet FEM specifications
• Installation Services
• Turnkey project management
2700 Chamber Street • Stevens Point, WI 54481
(715) 341-3120 • Info@steelking.com • www.steelking.com

MODERN CORpORatE pROfilE
ADVERTISEMENT
– based in Waukesha, WI, USA, is a subsidiary of Holden Industries,
a 100% employee-owned company. Wildeck celebrates its 35 th Anniversary in
2011 as a quality manufacturer of material handling, lifting, and guarding
products that meet specific requirements for increased capacity, efficiency and
safe operations. Wildeck doesn’t design products using just any materials; it
designs in the strength, durability and quality that demanding applications
require. Wildeck storing, lifting and guarding products can streamline supply
chain operations and help you meet your customer’s needs.
Wildeck is recognized as an industry leader of industrial steel work platforms (mezzanines), vertical material
lifts (VRCs), and safety guarding products (guard rail, rack protectors, loading dock and mezzanine safety
gates, machine guards, and related products). Wildeck innovations, such as the patented AutoSenz® VRC
Overload Detection control (U.S. Patent No. 7,408,317); MezzCrane Material Handling System; EdgeGard
Safety Gates; V-Lift value-priced hydraulic material lift; and both standard and high-tolerance structural
steel mezzanines that can be custom-designed to support conveyor systems, dynamic loads, machinery, inplant
offices, and a wide range of storage and rack systems for maximum capacity, efficiency and profitability.
All Wildeck products are manufactured in the U.S.A. and are designed to improve the efficiency and
competitiveness of small to large industrial, commercial and government facilities, including distribution
centers, warehouses, manufacturing, and retail backroom operations.
Wildeck structural can be designed for a wide range of applications from small, light-duty
work platforms to large-span heavy-duty industrial mezzanines for dynamic loads and the optimum
utilization of existing overhead space. Five framing systems are available to meet specific load
requirements and all Wildeck mezzanine designs meet OSHA safety standards and applicable industry
codes. Options include: multiple decking configurations, code-compliant safety railings, welded or knockdown
stair systems, stair landing platforms and towers, crossovers, catwalks, safety ladders, mezzanine
access gates and more.
Wildeck (VRCs) are ideally suited for efficient movement of carts, totes,
or palleted materials to a mezzanine or elevated work platform, rack storage system with catwalks or any
new or existing upper floor level. Wildeck VRCs are safer than using a forklift truck or manpower to
move materials from one elevation to another. VRCs are classified as material-only conveyors (no riders
permitted) and operators do not require OSHA forklift training.
Wildeck include industry-leading, high-strength Wilgard® guard rail, Wildeck
rack protectors, column protectors, machine guards, bollards, pedestrian pass-thru gates, and numerous
safety gates. All Wildeck guarding products feature high-strength steel, designed and fabricated to
withstand severe impacts from fork trucks or other moving equipment (13,000 lb load impact at 4 mph).
Wildeck prides itself in its ability to provide a higher level of customer support, problem-solving, error
resolution and manufacturing flexibility than other suppliers. The company works closely with a strong
network of qualified representatives and systems integrators to provide the quality products, systems and
support services that keep customers coming back.
With more than 35 years of material handling expertise, Wildeck has developed innovative storing, lifting and
guarding solutions that meet the demands of site-specific applications. Its highly qualified team of engineers
analyzes the problems to be solved and provides the best possible solution. Distributors and customers can
rely on Wildeck to meet their material handling needs with the right designs, the right products and the
long-term support they deserve.
Wildeck, Inc.
405 Commerce Street
Waukesha, WI 53186
800-325-6939
www.wildeck.com
info@wildeck.com

MODERN CORpORatE pROfilE
ADVERTISEMENT
OPERATING IN THE GREEN
Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, NACCO Materials Handling Group continues to drive the industry
forward. Our partnerships with experts in areas such as hydrogen fuel cell and advanced battery
technologies are helping bring more sustainable and greener technologies to the market while
increasing productivity and decreasing operational costs.
NMHG designs, engineers, manufactures, sells, and services a portfolio of materials handling equipment
that is among the most comprehensive in the industry. We cover over 600 end-user applications in
more than 600 industries. Our products include a full range of electric and internal combustion engine
lift trucks for nearly all indoor and outdoor applications. From narrow aisle warehouse trucks to the
toughest cargo handling equipment, our counterbalanced lift trucks are recognized as some of the most
productive in the world.
NACCO Materials Handling Group, Inc.
1400 Sullivan Drive, Greenville, NC 27834
nmhg.com 11NMHG4017
3060_11NMHG4017_Sustainability_MMH.indd 1 6/29/11 2:30 PM

MODERN CORPORATE PROFILE
ADVERTISEMENT
Akro-Mils: Everything You Need
to Store, Organize & Transport
Akro-Mils is a leader in storage,
organization and transport products
used to shorten assembly times,
maintain accurate inventories,
optimize storage space and improve
parts protection. These products
support 5S Lean practices and other
initiatives to increase productivity
and profitability in any setting,
from industrial to healthcare.
Innovative new products, including
Indicator two-toned bins, InSight ultra-clear bins and new Super-Size
AkroBins ® have been designed with
your needs in mind. Bin systems –
including shelving, cabinets, racks,
rails, carts and louvered panels –
take back your floor space and
improve storage efficiency.
A variety of custom products, OEM
solutions and unique merchandising
systems are available. Our unrivaled
Battery Watering Technologies Offers New 35mm Valve
Battery Watering Technologies, a leader in battery filling systems for lead acid
batteries, now offers a 35mm push-in valve with hydrometer port. This unique
hydrometer port slides easily to check the hydrometer reading without having
to remove the valve from the battery. The slider eliminates the chance of the lid
being removed and getting lost, exposing the internal workings of the valve to
outside elements. Simply slide the hydro-slider back in place after checking the
electrolyte levels.
The 35 mm valve is molded with the same quality features to satisfy the strictest
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Manufactured under rigorous ISO
standards, Akro-Mils products are
quality tested to ensure they continuously
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expectations. Akro-Mils is proud
of the quality and service awards
from our customers, and we apply
the recognition we receive to work
toward continuous improvement.
For more information,
call 800-253-2467 or visit
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AKM112 MMH Akro-Mils Advertorial.indd 1 6/22/11 4:09 PM
For more information on the new
35 mm valve or to request a catalog,
contact Battery Watering Technologies
at 877-522-5431, fax 336-714-0449, or
visit the company’s website at www.batterywatering.com.

Our Material Handling Business Unit
offers automated warehouse solutions
including AS/RS, AGVs, Turnkey Conveyor
Systems, and WMS software. AS/RS systems
have been supplied to handle products
such as plastic totes, cartons, pallets—
even rolls of paper weighing 13,000 pounds.
With over 25 years of experience in material
handling, Efacec has the capability to
design and manufacture products and
systems to match our customer’s needs.
For more information on our automated
warehouse solutions or to request
literature, contact us at 770.446.8854, or
visit our website at www.efacecusa.com.
MODERN CORpORatE pROfilE
ADVERTISEMENT
technology that moves the world
2755 Northwoods Parkway
Norcross, Georgia 30071
Telephone: 770.446.8854
usa.logistics@efacec.com
Phone: 877-532-9070 Ext. 301
E-mail: info@capitolconveyorsinc.com
Web: www.capitolconveyorsinc.com
28121 Scippo Creek Rd. • Circleville, OH 43113
CCI Corp Ad_.indd 1 6/24/10 2:13 PM

Seegrid. Revolutionizing
Material Handling
Seegrid ®
was founded in 2003 to bring vision-guided
technology to the material handling industry. With more
than 30 years of innovation and research by the world’s
foremost robotic scientists, engineers, programmers and
logistics practitioners, Seegrid’s exclusive vision-guided
technology is revolutionizing the movement of materials
in manufacturing and distribution environments. Seegrid’s
technology transforms industrial vehicles into un-manned,
automated Robotic Industrial Trucks that operate without
the need for wire, tape, laser or other costly guidance
systems. Seegrid’s solutions optimize workflow processes
by increasing productivity and reducing costs, creating
economic and operational advantages.
Place your press directly in the
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Modern Materials Handling magazine.
800.290.5460 x136 I mmh@theYGSgroup.com
MODERN CORPORATE PROFILE
ADVERTISEMENT
Contact us today to reserve a VIP appointment at Scope West and Robotic Trends tradeshows.
Visit us at:
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Email us at:
sales@seegrid.com
PRODUCTIVITY SOLUTIONS FOR DISTRIBUTION, WAREHOUSING AND MANUFACTURING
The Apparel Group:
Dressed for distribution
success
Page 18
Kirk Longo, vice president
of supply chain, The
Apparel Group
SPECIAL REPORT
Top 20 SCM
providers 26
EQUIPMENT REPORT
Green unitizing
practices 30
The YGS Group is the authorized provider of custom reprint products from Modern Materials Handling magazine.
mmh.com
Seegrid Vision-Guided Robotic Industrial Trucks
Where to find us next:
Las Vegas, Nevada
August 21st - 23rd, 2011
Virtual
September 14, 2011
Call us at:
1-877-SEEGRID
®
July 2010
INFORMATION MANAGEMENT
Five trends in WMS 34
Special corporate
profile issue
Fax us at:
1-412-621-3059
Develop greater
brand awareness and
showcase your featured
editorial from this
industry-respected
publication.
Event Collateral
Media Kits
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Online Marketing
Recruiting Packages
Presentations

FOCUS ON dock equipment
retrofit kit stops energy
loss at the dock leveler
By creating a perimeter seal along
the sides and rear hinge of a dock
leveler, the Energy Guard retrofit kit
blocks dirt, debris and pests while
preventing energy loss. The device
incorporates a series of triangularshaped
side seal assemblies, combined
with a two-ply rear hinge
seal, to restrict mass airflow. The leveler seals the gaps between the dock leveler
and concrete pit walls up to 9 inches above dock level. No parts or assemblies are
installed under the dock leveler or on the pit floor, and no fabric is exposed to the
face of the loading dock wall, eliminating tears and damage by trailers and debris.
aPs resource, 262-518-1000, www.apsresource.com.
dock door fabric offers
natural light
Dyna-Lumin fabric doors enable day-lighting
functionality in a line of high-speed, roll-up
doors. For use on the supplier’s doors up
to 18 feet wide and tall, the fabric allows
natural light to illuminate interior spaces to
maximize visual comfort and reduce energy
consumption. It replaces the first row of
traditional interior lighting that would typically be affixed to the ceiling in front of
an opaque door. Doors equipped with this fabric can withstand wind loads greater
than 100 miles per hour. dynaco, 800-459-1930, www.dynacodoor.us.
Barricades prevent forklift run-offs
To prevent loading dock run-offs, a line of three dock barricades for 8- or 10-foot
wide doors feature an electric or hydraulic power unit for quick, easy operation.
The barricades stop a 4,000-pound, loaded fork truck traveling at up to 4 miles
per hour. Equipped with electric operation, the units feature a 1-horsepower,
115-volt single-phase motor; 24-volt control; and electrical bumper-style safety
stop circuit to sense obstructions when lowering. The device installs to the floor
with anchors, while the control is wall-mounted and plugs in to a standard outlet.
A mechanical version features a manual hand crank winch to raise and lower barricade
arm. Vestil Manufacturing, 800-348-0868, www.vestilmfg.com.
doors accommodate
changing seasons
Featuring easily replaceable, exchangeable
panels of vinyl, mesh and clear PVC,
the G2 line of high-speed, roll-up dock
doors permit fast swap out of sections of
the door with the changing seasons. The
doors are rated for 45-mile-per-hour wind
loads and automatically reset after impact
or blow out. Constructed of fiberglass
extrusions that slide securely in custom
extruded aluminum side beams, the
doors may be operated manually or by a
motorized chain hoist at a rate of 12, 28
or 36 inches per second. For safety and
durability, the doors include a reverse
safety function, welded seams and
rubber side seals and baffle.
goff’s enterprises, 800-234-0337,
www.goffscurtainwalls.com.
leveler smoothes transition between truck bed and dock floor
By incorporating a parallelogram linkage system, the Flex-Lip dock leveler reduces equipment
maintenance, personnel injury and fragile goods damage while increasing safety and productivity.
The linkage system prevents low clearance grounding and excessive impact, as well as forklift
wear and tear during loading and unloading. Automatically activated, the lip extends as the leveler
deck descends and maintains the lip horizontally on the trailer bed in all positions—even in below
dock loading—to maintain a smooth transition between the truck bed and the dock. The leveler is
offered in air-powered and hydraulic models. nordock, 866-885-4276, www.nordockinc.com.
64 J u l y 2 0 1 1 / Modern Materials Handling mmh.com

Rotating hook system restrains vehicles for safety
An off-the-ground vehicle restraint, the model RVR32, features a front extension bar that
provides a service range of 9 inches. Fully electric in operation, the restraint’s rotating hook
sports a 32,000-pound draw bar rating for maximum holding strength capability. To protect
the gear box from shock forces associated with loading and off loading the vehicle, a slip
clutch is integrated into the restraint’s construction. Pentalift Equipment, 519-763-3625,
www.pentalift.com.
©Wildeck, Inc 2010 Required safety gates and guarding removed for clarity.
Hydraulic pit leveler for heavier loads
Capable of accommodating heavier loads, the HDH hydraulic pit leveler offers
dynamic capacities up to 80,000 pounds. The leveler is constructed with 55,000pound,
minimum yield steel and uses extra heavy rear angle with strategically
placed gussets for maximum structural support and frame strength. To provide
structural reinforcement and safety, the leveler features base frame support
struts and yellow and black, diagonal-striped full range toe guards. Pioneer
Loading Dock Equipment, 800-251-3382, www.pioneerleveler.com.
Zinc-plated vehicle restraint resists corrosion
Featuring a zinc-plated housing and zinc dichromate plated restraint arm, the Hold-Tite automatic
vehicle restraint resists corrosion from weather and dirty dock environments. The system
includes the restraint mechanism, full feature controls, inside and outside light communication
package and signage. Hydraulically powered, the unit seeks and finds the rear impact guard
of the trailer, then applies continuous pressure to secure the vehicle during loading and/or
unloading. McGuire, 800-624-8473, www.wbmcguire.com.
VERSATILITY MATTERS
WL 1002 AD
Quality Wildeck construction and versatility make the
V-lift the ultimate lifting solution.
In today’s ‘green’ building designs, floor space is at a premium
and moving up, not out, is definitely preferred. Look no further
than the V-Lift from Wildeck – the industry leader in space
optimization. The single cylinder hydraulic system eliminates
all moving hoses, cables, and chains. Fewer components means
easy installation, reduced maintenance and longer service
life. To get more value out of your operation, contact a Wildeck
representative today.
MEZZANINES
LIFT SYSTEMS
Capacity Matters Efficiency Matters
800-325-6939 | WWW.WILDECK.COM
GUARDING PRODUCTS
Safety Matters

Automated
Vertical
Storage Systems
It All Adds Up
To VALUE
Small parts are expensive. Traditional
shelving eats up valuable ß oor space
and exposes parts. WhatÕs more, parts
can be tough to Þ nd and reach; keeping
accurate inventories a challenge.
The Lauyans Small Parts Storage
System (SPSS) is a USA manufactured
solution offering high density storage
utilizing vertical space for greater
footprint capacity, worker safety,
security, labor savings and the most
competitive pricing available.
Before you decide to buy any
Automated Storage System, go online
and check out our pricing.
www.SPSSonline.com
It All Adds Adds Up To VALUE VALUE
Lauyans & Company, Inc.
1-866-LAUYANS (528-9267)
USA Manufactured
FOCUS ON Dock equipment
Cradle stores wheel chocks
Capable of working with any style wheel chock, a storage
cradle prevents the damage and loss associated
with wheel chocks left lying around the loading dock
approach. The wheel chock cradle stores both the
wheel chock and chain off of the drive approach—away
from snow plows, sweepers and trucks that can rip
them from the wall and displace them from the dock.
For easy installation, the device quickly mounts to
any foundation wall. Allied Solutions, 800-643-5423,
www.alliedproductsolutions.com.
Air cylinder powers dock leveler
Propelled by a tankless, oil-free compressor,
the U-Series air cylinder dock leveler operates
as safely as a hydraulic dock, but without fuel
refill costs or risk of environmental contamination.
The deck and lip cylinders are completely
air-powered with independent lip control to
cut operator cycle time and energy use. The
lack of airbags or trays under the deck yields a
clean pit, ideal for food-processing applications. Rated for 30,000- to 45,000-pound
capacities, the deck structure is supported by six U-beams, with 12 distributed
load points. Features include a touch-screen control panel with LCD menu displays
for operating and troubleshooting instructions, and a stop button to freeze the
dock in mid-deployment in an emergency. Blue Giant Equipment, 905-457-3900,
www.bluegiant.com.
Protect cargo, workers from bad weather
Offered as a complete unit or for retrofitting existing seals and shelters, the
WeatherGuard 1600 series header protects cargo and loading dock workers from
inclement weather. The system is ideal for applications with a drive approach
sloped toward the dock opening—causing rain or other precipitation to funnel into
the dock area. To allow natural light to illuminate the loading operation, the unit’s
structurally supported rigid head member is translucent. Other features include a
spring-loaded, foam-filled, pivoting head member that ensures a watertight seal at
the top of the vehicle. Fairborn, 800-262-1188, www.fairbornusa.com.
Explosion-proof dock
leveler options
Explosion-proof options may be selected
from the supplier’s line of hydraulic dock
levelers, including motor and controls.
Intrinsically safe, adding this feature
allows the attendant to operate the leveler
without creating sparks that could
ignite flammable substances or explosive materials. The customizable protection
package matches unique application specifications at the location, including class,
division and group. To ensure that only low voltages and currents enter the hazardous
area, the system employs electrical safety barriers to protect all electric supply
and signal wires. Poweramp, 800-643-5424, www.poweramp.com.
mmh.com

galvanized construction
prolongs dock lift life
Dura-Dock lifts transfer loads quickly and
safely from any truck bed to any dock
height without ramps or inclines. Offered
in 5,000- and 6,000-pound capacities, the
dock lifts include corrosion-resistant, galvanized
base and legs. Rising from grade
level to a maximum height of 59 inches,
the lift can accommodate any dock or
loading configuration. Platform sizes
range from 6 x 8 to 8 x 12 feet. Features
include a weatherproof pushbutton
NEMA-4X control with 20 feet of cord,
a diamond-tread, steel platform with
toe-guards, removable steel handrails,
and hardened steel pins in self-lubricated
bearings at all pivot points. southworth,
207-878-0700, www.southworthproducts.com.
Visibility panels let light
pass through dock door
To permit sunlight to pass through, while
providing an exterior view for monitoring
of truck traffic, a full visibility panel
section can be added to the supplier’s
line of impactable dock doors. The
1.75-inch panel consists of a double
section of 0.125-inch thick polycarbonate
bonded to an extra-strong tubular
frame. Panels ride along a V-grooved
track on retractable plungers. If the
vision panel or any other part of the door
is hit by a vehicle, the door separates
from the guide track to avoid damage
and energy loss. To reset, the separated
panel can be pulled easily back into the
track. tKo dock doors, 877-408-6788,
tkodoors.4frontes.com.
Centralize dock’s hydraulic,
electrical power source
To reduce the complexities and costs associated with new
loading dock installations, the CentraPower unit reduces
the number of hydraulic pumps, disconnects and associated
power feeds by a factor of 10 to 1. The system places the hydraulic power source in
a convenient location inside the building for cleaner access and simplified maintenance.
For continuous uptime, the system is supported by a full back up pump and motor
system. systems inc., 800-643-5424, www.docksystemsinc.com.
Efacec Products
AS/RS Stacker Cranes
(for pallets or rolls;
single, double and
multiple depth storage)
AS/RS Miniloads
(for totes and cartons)
Aisle Switching for
both Stacker Cranes
and Miniloads
Conveyors and Transfer
Cars (for pallets, totes,
cartons and rolls)
Rail Guided Vehicles
(RGV)
Automated Guided
Vehicle (AGV)
Handling Control
Systems
Warehouse
Management Systems
technology that moves the world
2755 Northwoods Parkway Norcross, GA 30071
Tel: 770.446.8854 Email: usa.logistics@efacec.com
www.efacecusa.com
mmh.com Modern Materials Handling / J u l y 2 0 1 1 67

FOCUS ON dock equipment
MAKE ROOM
NA 2010
Cleveland
High-speed fabric door
impervious to
Cabinet
impacts
for lean manufacturing
For better workspace organization and
Reaching retraction and lowering speeds of up to 100
management, the 5S cabinet offers clear
inches per second, the HS200 high-speed fabric dock
acrylic doors for instant visibility and at-
door requires minimal maintenance while providing
a-glance accounting of tools and parts at
easy access and low operating cost. The door is vir-
point of use to support lean manufacturing
tually indestructible when impacted due to a break
philosophies. The durable cabinet case fea-
away bottom bar that releases easily from the side
tures metal pegboard inserts. Alternately,
guides. This prevents damage to the door and guides.
solid hinged doors with additional peg-
The bar can be easily reset in seconds minimizing operational downtime. To
board storage may be specified. Stanley Vidmar, 800stop
heat loss or gain, the door features an airtight, double-brush side guide
523-9462, www.stanleyvidmar.com, Booth 2532.
Manual device secures
multiple trailer types
To safely secure a variety of trailer types—
including lift gate trailers and trailers with
damaged or missing rear impact guards—
to the dock for loading and unloading,
seal. aBC docks, 800-394-5944, www.aaronbradley.com.
the Wheel-Lok provides full-time communication
Maximize to dock storage personnel space with and ProHANGER driver.
The manual, wheel-based restraint is easily
Manual wheel restraint
positioned with minimal force and uses a
Ergonomically constructed for
19-inch high barrier that resists more than
easy maneuvering and accurate,
32,000 pounds of pullout force. Wheel
safe operation, a manual Safetyguides
provide on-center trailer position-
Chock provides up to 32,000
ing and ensure dock seal effectiveness.
pounds of restraining force to
Features include interior and exterior LED
engage and secure trailers and
lights, audible alarms and minimal mov-
trucks with lift gates, damaged
ing parts to enhance reliability and reduce
rear impact guards or different
maintenance. rite-Hite, 800-456-0600,
axle configurations. The restrain-
www.ritehite.com.
ing arm connects with a handle
and is released from the wheel with a foot pedal to eliminate
chock pinch. Features include LED interior and exterior lights
Longer Lasting Belts and an exterior audible alarm for communication between dock
employees, yard jockeys and truck drivers. To interlock and
sequence the restraint with other dock equipment, proximity
and photo cell sensors are integrated into the unit. serco,
877-933-4834, www.sercocompany.com.
dock board easily placed,
Better than retrieved by lift truck
Lifetime Allowing the forklift operator to place a dock board without dismounting
the vehicle, the Speedy Board includes two fork cutouts
Warranty
on the leading edge. This design permits the driver to scoop up
the board and move it into place for loading, or easily retrieve it for
storage after loading is complete. By keeping the forklift operator
Abuse Resistant Belts work where others fail. in the seat, the risk of injury is greatly reduced and productivity
Super Strong Joints are virtually unbreakable. is increased. The
board is offered in
High Tension Belts move heavier loads.
27 different sizes,
Super Red Belts double conveyor capacity.
from 60 x 30 inches
New Split Line-shaft Spools
to 72 x 78 inches,
High precision. Reasonable price.
and creates grades
Easy to install. Zero downtime.
up to 19%. Bluff
Can be locked to shaft. Eliminates
Manufacturing, 800-
433-2212, www.
need for keyed spools and shafts.
bluffmanufacturing.
800-770-2358 614-777-0295
Dura-Belt com.
Fax: 614-777-9448 www.durabelt.com
Treatment prevents mold growth on pallets
… the perfect E-fusion mold and mildew resistant coating and treat-
solution for storing and organizing long parts and supplies.
ment system for wood pallets inhibits the growth of
mold, preventing product recalls and refused shipments.
The treatment bonds with wood during an electrostatic
application process, making it ideal for pallets
used in food and beverage handling, consumer products,
pharmaceuticals and paper products. X-Mold,
866-581-6653, www.xmold.net, Booth 625.
Vertical storage system
U.S. Patent Pending Featuring a stabilized shelf system
with high storage density at an affordable
price, the motorized vertical pan
carousel offers storage and retrieval of
inventory with push-button control. The
system delivers inventory to the operator,
yielding retrieval time savings up
to 90%. Included standard are lifetime
sealed bearings, shielded motors, security
keypad, one-touch forward/reverse,
wire mesh guarding and obstruction
detectors. Vidir Machine, 800-210-0141, www.vidir.
com, Booth 3018.
Software directs, analyzes
paperless picking activity
Executives, managers and supervisors can easily view
pick rate productivity, accuracy and throughput with
the version 6.0 release of LP dashboard.
The software displays realtime,
updated key performance
indicators with drill-down granularity
for facility, area, zone and employeelevel
views. Featuring a rich graphical
interface with drag-and-drop
widgets for custom template views of performance
data, the system offers an automatic slide-show
style display of multiple, user-configured templates.
Lightning Pick Technologies, 262-250-2143, www.
lightningpick.com, Booth 1543.
68 J u l y 2 0 1 1 / Modern Materials Handling mmh.com
44 M ARCH 2010 / MODERN MATERIALS HANDLING mmh.com

Product showcase
Vehicle-mount computer
offers ease-of-use functions
The Thor vehicle-mount computer includes an Intel
Atom processor with a dual Windows operating system
and half-screen/full-keypad form factor. For time and
cost savings, the computer
includes a field-replaceable
front panel that can be
changed with a screwdriver
while maintaining consistent
IP 66 protection against
water and dust. Removable
from the vehicle mount
with one hand, the computer’s quick mount smart dock
can be detached for software updates or to transfer
between vehicles. Ignition control saves time during
startup by eliminating an extra operator step. The computer’s
preferences may be set to sleep, shut down, or
stay powered up on battery backup when the forklift
powers down. lXe, 770-447-4224, www.lxe.com.
Vision-guided tow tractor
with 10,000-pound capacity
The GT10 tow tractor moves 10,000-pound loads
throughout a facility without an operator to optimize
and automate workflow processes. Vision guided,
the system does not require wires, tape or lasers to
navigate. Because of this independence, the robotic
unit’s travel route can be flexibly
reconfigured to accommodate
changing processes, multiple
routes in a single shift, or different
routes per shift. Affordably
priced, the system generates
rapid payback while reducing
non-value-added manned travel
time. seegrid, 877-733-4743,
www.seegrid.com.
Flip-top battery watering cap
The Water Wise flip-top battery watering cap limits an automatic watering gun’s
nozzle depth without the aid of an O-ring or mechanical stop that requires tools
to adjust. This design allows for reliable electrolyte levels upon filling, while
prohibits interference with the battery’s moss shield. Easily installed by simply
pushing the unit into the battery, the low-profile caps sit well below the inter-cell
connectors, reducing the chance of accidental dislodgement. Further, by not
requiring operators to estimate the O-ring/stop position for every watering cycle,
the cap saves both time and training. Flow-rite Controls, 616-583-1700, www.
flow-rite.com.
as/rs picking tray system
for order picking, buffering
The PTS storage and retrieval system for fast and accurate
order picking and buffering is flexible and scalable. The
fully automatic, high-density storage and retrieval mini-load
system uses standard modular components for increased
pick and replenishment productivity and accuracy. Features
include an ergonomic interface; optimal cubing to accommodate
various sized cases, totes and/or trays; accommodation
of multiple throughput variations; and expandability
to support future growth. savoye, 847-519-9630, www.
savoye.com.
mmh.com Modern Materials Handling / J u l y 2 0 1 1 69

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Product showcase
Containers nest and stack
POWER TRANSMISSION-PART CONVEYING
PYRATHANE ® BELTS
With Lifetime Warranty Against Manufacturing Defects
Samples available at little or no cost • Colors Available
Very Clean in Operation • Eliminates Tensioning Devices
Exceptional Abrasion Resistance
LINE SHAFT
CONVEYOR BELTS
ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT & CONNECTABLE
Try our
PYRATHANE
CUSTOM MADE IN INCH, METRIC & O-RING SIZES
Round, Flat and Connectable Polyurethane Belts
® durable, portable
Convert rider pallet truck to agV
fan stands up to
Two suppliers have combined forces to produce LaserTrucks+, an
impacts
integrated solution that combines a picking and voice software
Backed by a limited life-
suite with automatic guided vehicle guidance technology and
time warranty, the Yellow
applies it to the PC 4500 series rider pallet truck. To increase case
Jacket portable fan’s dura-
picking productivity, the vehicle automates non-value adding activible
construction resists
ties, including retrieving a new pallet, driving a pallet mover in the
damage and collisions,
pick aisle, and transporting a completed pallet to shipping. This
while its high-efficiency
allows pickers to remain in the pick aisle and concentrate on the
design cuts energy use
task at hand. In the pick aisle, the vehicle simultaneously moves
in half. Features include
with the picker to pick
a heavy-gauge steel car-
locations, with pick confirriage
engineered to withmations
directing the truck
stand Nest harsh and environments,
stack containers save space by stacking when to move to the next loca-
Powerfoil full and blades nesting for when maxi- empty. Offered in a variety of tion. The center control
mum materials efficiency to accommodate and airflow coverage, a range and of an needs, acoustithe
formu- pallet truck can handle up
callylations quiet include fan, motor resistance and carriage. to chemicals, For easy maneu- electrostatic dis- to 8,000 pounds. dematic,
vering,charge the and fan degreasers, incorporates autoclavability, oversized wheels flame and an retardance, 877-725-7500, www.
ergonomic and food handle. handling. To maintain To facilitate speed movement, and direction matched of doldematic.com;
Crown
airflow, lies with an easy-to-operate 3-inch diameter locking swivel position casters mechanism may be specified. equipment, 419-629is
Dimensions included. The range fan may from also 25.25 be mounted x 18 x to 6 inches ceilings, to 42.5 x 2311, www.crown.com.
walls 20 x or 14.25 floors. inches Big ass and Fan include Co., 877-244-3267, optional lids www. to protect
bigassfans.com.
contents from dirt and damage. Molded Fiber Glass
Tray Co., 800-458-6050, www.mfgtray.com.
Modular laser scanner captures standard
and high-density bar codes
The AccuLazr AL5010 laser bar code scanner employs a modular
configuration that includes a scan head, mounting base,
power supply and choice of interface modules. Housed in a
rugged IP65 enclosure, the AL5010 is easily integrated into
most applications including pick modules, print and apply,
routing, and sortation systems. It measures 4 x 5 x 2 inches
and provides scanning coverage from 5 to 48 inches in standard
and high-density configurations. Connectivity options
include power, scanner and trigger inputs, Ethernet-EtherNet/
IP, two RS232/422 serial ports, tach input and up to four I/O
BELTS modules. The scanner is maintenance free, other than keep-
on your conveyor; they have
become the standard of the industry. ing the scanning window
clean. In the event of
failure, the scan head is
hot-swappable and can
be replaced in less than
5 minutes without reconfiguration
or alignment.
accu-sort systems, 800-
227-2633, www.accusort.
com.
AN ISO 9001
CERTIFIED COMPANY
www.pyramidbelts.com
(P) 641.792.2405 • E-mail: sales@pyramidbelts.com
522 North Ninth Avenue East, Newton, IA 50208
70 J u l y 2 0 1 1 / Modern Materials Handling mmh.com

Organize small parts with shelf bins in five colors, seven sizes
A line of shelf bins has been expanded to include new sizes and colors. The 6-inch
high ShelfMax storage bins now come in footprints of 11.625 x 8.325 inches, 17.875 x
8.325 inches, and 23.625 x 6.625 inches, for a total of seven different sizes to accommodate
more part sizes and shapes. For quick visual indication of contents, five colors
are offered: red, blue, yellow, green and white. With 85% more capacity than traditional
4-inch shelf bins, the units feature a rolled ridge for enhanced strength and durability
when filled to maximum capacity. Optional width dividers further expand sorting options
and efficiencies. The bins can be used alone or in conjunction with the supplier’s steel
shelving, wire shelving, pick racks and bench racks. Akro-Mils, 800-253-2467,
www.akro-mils.com.
Electric-powered scissor lifts for lean process lines
Ideal for automatic loading and unloading of totes and in automatic process lines, an electricpowered
scissor lift system provides greater thrust efficiency than comparable hydraulic
units. Requiring minimal drive force, thrust force is directly transmitted to the lift platform at a
90-degree angle for better efficiency. The system runs at a constant speed, even for varying lift
heights. It is easy to install and maintain, and features limit switches and encoder for safety and
programmability, rugged steel construction, and programmable logic controller in the operator
interface panel. Measuring 16 x 37 x 15 inches, the table lifts loads up to 1,250 pounds in
ambient, cooling or high-temperature applications at rates up to 30 feet per minute. Almac
Industrial Systems, 800-265-3094, www.almac.com.
Ergonomic handle on pusher helps
operators move up to 150,000 pounds
A new, more ergonomic handle has been added to the super
power pusher pedestrian-operated, battery-powered load
pusher. The handle encircles the operator’s hands for greater
protection when maneuvering a load or turning corners. It also
includes fingertip speed control, built-in belly kill switch, and
easy directional switching. The pusher assists a single person
to push, pull and maneuver rolling loads up to 150,000 pounds
up a 5% grade without
forklifts or other
ride-on equipment.
Features include
automatic braking,
anti-runaway control,
three rechargeable
batteries, and transaxle
construction to
smoothly traverse
uneven surfaces.
NuStar, 800-800-
9274, www.powerpusher.com.
SUPPORT
Cubic Designs makes it
easy to integrate a single-
or multi-level platform
into your valuable project.
We offer professional
engineering, manufacturing,
and installation to support
you at every level.
© 2011 Cubic Designs
at every level.
the perfect fit
855.241.0258 www.cubicdesigns.com
mmh.com MODERN MATERIALS HANDLING / J U L Y 2 0 1 1 71

Product showcase
sealed hand truck ball bearing rolls silently, easily
For use in quiet and clean environments, a new hand truck bearing integrates with the supplier’s
Performa hand truck wheels. When paired together, the wheels and bearings provide
smooth, quiet and reliable operation. The bearings feature durable carbon steel construction.
Because they are completely sealed to keep grease in and debris out, no maintenance or
lubrication is required. The bearings are offered in two sizes: 0.625-inch inner diameter/
1.325-inch outer diameter and 0.75-inch inner diameter/1.325 outer diameter. Colson Caster,
800-643-5515, www.colsoncaster.com.
Multiple wireless connectivity options in rugged tablet computer
With communications options including wireless USB, integrated ZigBee wireless technology
and Qualcomm’s Gobi 3000 module for roaming on any carrier network, the rugged M9000
tablet computer ensures wireless connectivity, simplifies data transfer and connects to multiple
peripherals. Features include an Intel E660T industrial processor, 1 GB DDR2 RAM, 16 GB
solid-state drive, and operation in temperatures between -4°F and 122°F. The device can be
upgraded to include a 7-inch, sunlight-viewable touch screen display that automatically switches
from landscape to portrait views, based on how the tablet is held. For seamless migration
into enterprise software, the computer runs either Windows Embedded 7 or Windows CE 6.0.
daP technologies, 800-363-1993, www.daptech.com.
Boost productivity with affordable,
semi-automatic stretch wrapper
Constructed with basic components, the SW-10 semi-automatic
stretch wrapper is offered as an affordable, easy-tooperate
packaging system that enhances productivity. The
unit requires no formal installation. To simplify film threading,
the machine includes a manual, mechanical core braking
film tensioning system. An integrated, simple control
panel and photo eye generate soft starts and fixed stops
for precise control. To minimize shipping costs, the stretch
wrapper’s column is hinged to recline for compact transport.
Combi Packaging systems, 330-458-2886, www.
combi.com.
WMs with drag-and-drop functionality
Version 3.2 of FootPrint warehouse management system
includes new functionality to aid in reporting. Its
simple, user-friendly system permits drag-and-drop
selection of data fields to create customized reports.
The reports can be exported to Excel and to a variety of
formats (including TIFF and PDF). Once data is in Excel,
it can be further manipulated into charts and graphs.
This advanced, ad hoc reporting system is ideal for the
average, non-technical user or for 3PLs that need to
quickly create specialized reports for multiple internal
or external customers. datex, 800-933-2839, www.
datexcorp.com.
72 J u l y 2 0 1 1 / Modern Materials Handling mmh.com

Load clamp reduces stretch
wrap film breaks
Offered standard on the supplier’s SL
automatic stretch wrapper series (or as a
retrofit to the S series), the load-seeking
clamp reduces film breaks to increase
uptime and productivity. The device
travels to the edge of the load to create
clamp-to-load contact—regardless of
load width or distance of load to wrapper—to
eliminate sagging issues and
maximize containment at the bottom. It
also holds the film securely to prevent
releases and maintain wrap force while
lowering film costs. Low maintenance,
the clamp does not require pressure
or misalignment adjustments. Lantech,
800-866-0322, www.lantech.com.
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modern 60 Seconds with...
Ed Romaine
title: Chair of the Supply Chain
Execution Systems & Technologies
Group for the Material Handling
Industry of America; chief marketing
officer for Sapient Automation
Website: www.mhia.org/industrygroups/scestg;
www.getsapient.
com
experience: 30 years working
with materials handling and logistics
companies, primarily in marketing
duties: Build awareness through
education of the software and control
systems that drive warehouse
and supply chain processes
Modern: You have been around
the industry for a long time. When
it comes to supply chain execution
software, what are the most important
changes you’ve observed?
romaine: You have to start off with
the ability to communicate across
systems and not just control islands of
automation. When I started working
in the industry, we had data systems
and equipment control systems.
Today, we are developing a seamless
flow of information and data that
starts in the warehouse and flows
to transportation, manufacturing,
customer service, and accounting and
finance. Today’s systems are much
easier to use, and we’re now moving
from software behind the firewall to
the cloud. Those are major changes.
Modern: You just mentioned the
ability to connect software systems
to create seamless processes across
the supply chain. How far along are
we in that kind of connectivity?
romaine: That depends on your
terms of measurement. If you look
at where we were 30 years ago,
it’s night and day. But, there is
still a long way to go. The limiting
factor has been the capabilities of
hardware systems. That’s where a
lot of research and development
has been, especially on the software
side of automated systems. It’s
truly been a building block process.
The second limiting factor has
been delivering value. Linking a
warehouse management system
(WMS) and a warehouse control
system clearly delivers value. We
have talked about linking WMS
and transportation management
systems (TMS) for years, but for
a long time, gas was cheap and
there wasn’t any urgency. With gas
pushing $4 a gallon, TMS has huge
opportunities to deliver value and
you have companies looking to link
systems with the TMS. Needs drive
innovation.
Modern: at MHia, you represent
software providers and equipment
manufacturers. How important is
software to the equipment side of
the materials handling business?
romaine: It’s essential. When you’re
talking about very sophisticated
systems, the software allows users to
get what they really need out of the
system. In recent years, the industry
has focused on adding software to
hardware to create a solution that
delivers an ROI. That is especially
important now that companies are
looking to automation to replace labor.
Again, software is delivering the ROI. M
74 J u l y 2 0 1 1 / Modern Materials Handling mmh.com

Warehouse Labels & Signs
salesmmh@idlabelinc.com
Toll-free: 800.541.8506 x100
www.idlabelinc.com
WAREHOUSE SIGNS
Solutions for all your bulk storage identifi cation
needs for indoor or outdoor applications.
• Long-range retro refl ective
• Flat, bent or two-sided Z shaped
sign fabrication
• Dock door
• Aisle
• BullsEye oval fl oor plates
RACK LABELS
Durable polyester rack labels help insure
consistent bin location year after year. We produce
and install over 5 million rack labels annually.
• Horizontal and vertical upright
• Magnetic
• Protective laminates standard
• Special adhesives — cover up and
freezer applications
• Color coding for tier identifi cation and
directional arrow graphic images
PREPRINTED LPN LABELS
Preprinted barcode pallet id labels save signifi cant
time and money compared to print-on-demand
thermal transfer.
• Run and hold inventory programs
• Same day shipping
• 2-D and linear barcodes
• Corner-wrap
NATIONAL
INSTALLATION SERVICES
The most comprehensive installation services
in the industry. With over 40 years of
combined experience, our installation team
provides nationwide coverage that delivers
great value, guaranteed quality and on-time
engineered solutions.
• Customized installation solutions
• Data fi le manipulation
• Fully bonded and insured
Positive feedback...Every time
FREE white paper
on the benefi ts of preprinted
labels VS. print-on-demand
CALL TODAY!
FREE samples available. Channel partner inquiries welcome.
ID LABEL INC.
425 Park Avenue
Lake Villa, Illinois 60046

New Hornet Horizontal Carousel
Order Picking System
Lowest Cost, Highest Value Automated Solution Available!
Looking to Update Your Existing Carousel System?
SAPIENT
A U T O M A T I O N
The Intelligent Material Handling Company
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system designed for flexibility, durability
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888-451-9711 | www.GetSapient.com | info@getsapie nt.com
Free Intelligent Machine Health Monitoring
(IMHM) system to remotely monitor the health
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problems before they impact performance.
Just A Few System Benefits:
• 12 Month Or Under ROI
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• Pick Up To 550 Lines/Hour Per Operator
• Save Up To 65% Of Your Floor Space
• Increase Accuracy To 99.99%+
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Business Changes
• Extend Order Cut Off Times
Plug and Play SSC controller provides a fast and economical means to upgrade old Horizontal Carousel systems
for pennies on the dollar. Improves reliability and performance WITHOUT COSTLY (gear box & motor)
hardware changes and upgrades. AC or DC compatible.
Call or Email Today for a FREE Space, Productivity & ROI Analysis