Modern Materials Handling - April 2012
Modern Materials Handling - April 2012
Modern Materials Handling - April 2012
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VOL. 67, NO. 4<br />
®<br />
PRODUCTIVITY SOLUTIONS FOR DISTRIBUTION,<br />
WAREHOUSING AND MANUFACTURING<br />
Philip Thiemann<br />
(left) and<br />
Trevor Carlson,<br />
Federated<br />
Co-operatives<br />
COVER STORY<br />
PHOTO: NAYAN STHANKIYA/GETTY IMAGES<br />
SYSTEM REPORT<br />
18 Earth Day, every day<br />
Federated Co-operatives, a Canadian retail co-op, has embraced<br />
sustainability to reduce its costs and return the savings to its members<br />
and customers.<br />
24 Lean, green machine<br />
Federated Co-operatives uses technologies that are environmentally<br />
and worker friendly in its Saskatoon warehouse.<br />
FEATURES<br />
SPECIAL REPORT<br />
28 Top 20 systems suppliers<br />
<strong>Modern</strong>’s 15th-annual survey of the world’s leading materials handling<br />
systems suppliers shows a continued trend of increased revenue in<br />
2011 for the majority of the top companies.<br />
EQUIPMENT REPORT<br />
32 Conveyors: Gaining control<br />
and getting smarter<br />
Advanced controls and functionality are allowing conveyor systems<br />
to play an increasingly important role in complex materials handling<br />
processes inside our warehouses and distribution centers.<br />
BEST PRACTICES<br />
38 Health care reform<br />
Automated materials handling and data collection systems are<br />
transforming the health care supply chain.<br />
PRODUCTIVITY SOLUTIONS<br />
44 Vertical lift module keeps automotive<br />
parts moving<br />
46 Mobile storage solution optimizes<br />
storage density<br />
SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT<br />
S48 RFID surges ahead<br />
Proponents have changed the conversation and have started tagging<br />
at the item level in what is now called a “source-to-store” approach.<br />
60 seconds with<br />
Sean O’Neill<br />
PHOTO: ALAN WYCHECK/GETTY IMAGES<br />
DEPARTMENTS & COLUMNS<br />
3/ Upfront<br />
7/ This month in <strong>Modern</strong><br />
14/ Lift Truck Tips: Battery management<br />
16/ Packaging Corner: Palletizing<br />
52/ Focus On: Lift trucks<br />
58/ 60 seconds with...<br />
NEWS<br />
9/ Amazon.com to acquire Kiva Systems<br />
11/ Betman & Knapp acquire controlling<br />
interest in W&H Systems<br />
12/ CHEP USA to open U.S. headquarters<br />
in Atlanta<br />
13/ IWLA presents award to Rutgers professor<br />
<strong>Modern</strong> <strong>Materials</strong> <strong>Handling</strong> ® (ISSN 0026-8038) is published monthly by<br />
Peerless Media, LLC, a Division of EH Publishing, Inc., 111 Speen St, Suite<br />
200, Framingham, MA 01701. Annual subscription rates for non-qualified<br />
subscribers: USA $119, Canada $159, Other International $249. Single<br />
copies are available for $20.00. Send all subscription inquiries to <strong>Modern</strong><br />
<strong>Materials</strong> <strong>Handling</strong>, 111 Speen Street, Suite 200, Framingham, MA 01701<br />
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offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: <strong>Modern</strong><br />
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Reproduction of this magazine in<br />
whole or part without written permission<br />
of the publisher is prohibited.<br />
All rights reserved. ©<strong>2012</strong> Peerless<br />
Media, LLC.<br />
mmh.com MODERN MATERIALS HANDLING / A P R I L 2 0 1 2 5
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