Still Waiting for YourGreen Investment to Pay Back?In today’s eco-conscious environment, solutions that are both financiallyand environmentally responsible shouldn’t be the stuff of mythology.One system has delivered capital and operatingsavings to the largest companies in North America.And by improving the effi ciency of batteries andeliminating battery changing rooms, that samesystem also saves 1 its customers: 32 million kilowatt-hours per year 50 million pounds of CO2 per year Over 2.5 million pounds of lead 500,000 pounds of steel 30,000 gallons of sulfuric acidTo fi nd out how North America’s #1 fastcharge manufacturer has helped its highprofile customers reduce energy consumptionand operating expenses, please visitwww.posicharge.com. For a custom fi nancialanalysis, please contact 1-866-POSICHA(1-866-767-4242) or email us atinfo@posicharge.com.That system is PosiCharge. The stuff oflegend…not mythology.1<strong>Materials</strong> and energy consumption savings are estimates basedon total number of installed systems. Total lead, steel, andsulfuric acid savings are cumulative estimates since 1999.www.posicharge.com | info@posicharge.com | 1-866-POSICHA (866-767-4242)© 2009 AeroVironment, Inc.
EDITORIAL OFFICES225 WYMAN STREETWaltham, MA 02451(781) 734-8000®THIS MONTH IN <strong>Modern</strong>Michael LevansGroup Editorial Directormichael.levans@reedbusiness.comBob TrebilcockExecutive Editorrobert.trebilcock@myfairpoint.netNoël P. BodenburgExecutive Managing Editornoel.bodenburg@reedbusiness.comLorie King RogersAssociate Editorlorie.rogers@reedbusiness.comSara Pearson SpecterEditor at Largesara@moxiemarketingllc.comRoberto MichelEditor at Largerobertomichel@new.rr.comTom AndelColumnistJeff BermanGroup News EditorRobert EckhardtSenior Art DirectorDaniel GuideraSenior Art Director/IllustrationNorman GrafDirector ofCreative ServicesBrian CeraoloGroup PublisherEDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARDRon GiuntiniOEM Product-Services InstituteJohn HilleSyncSusan RiderRider & Assoc.Ken RuehrdanzDematicDr. John UsherUniversity of LouisvilleCol. Alan B. Will2d Marine Logistics GroupBrett WoodToyota Material <strong>Handling</strong> USABOSTON DIVISIONMark FinkelsteinPresident - Electronics &Manufacturing DivisionREED BUSINESS INFORMATIONTad SmithChief Executive OfficerJohn PoulinChief Financial Officer &Executive Vice PresidentMAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTIONSFREE magazine subscriptionsavailable at:www.getFREEmag.com/MMHSend magazine subscriptioninquiries to:8878 Barrons BlvdHighlands Ranch, CO 80129-2345Phone: 303-470-4445Fax: 303-470-4280E-mail: subsmail@reedbusiness.comTwo automation playbooksIF YOU’VE BEEN SEARCHING for extraordinaryexamples of companies that haveembraced materials handling automationyou need to look no further than <strong>Modern</strong>’scover stories from this month and last. Andif you read between the lines, you’ll learnthat there’s a little more behind these impressivesystems than just cool technologyand productivity improvements.Last month we had a first-hand lookinside Kroger’s “lights out” facility designedto receive and putaway full pallets, breakthem down and rebuild them into storereadymixed pallets according to how they’llbe placed on the store shelf—and do itall with practically no human intervention.Their goal was to change the way grocerywarehousing is done—and their system mayvery well get them there.This month Executive Editor BobTrebilcock takes us inside Valpak’s newproduction and distribution center in St.Petersburg, Fla., a greenfield facility that’sbeing called one of the most advanced andautomated manufacturing centers in theworld (page 7). On the surface it sounds likea terrific example of inspired innovation outof pure necessity; but when you dig a littledeeper you’ll find that this Herculean effortis paying off on multiple levels since thedesign was tied directly to the company’s20-year growth strategy.Valpak, the direct marketer responsiblefor the familiar blue envelope of couponsand promotions that arrives on the doorstepsof more than 45 million U.S. and Canadianhomes, has not been generally known as ahigh-flying, technologicalinnovator. In fact,Trebilcock reports thatMICHAEL LEVANSGROUP EDITORIALDIRECTORthe last major system upgrade took place intheir older facility, which is nearby the newsite, back in the 1960s and 70s.But when the company went through a10-year stretch of significant growth, it wasfinding that antiquated printing processesand labor-intensive envelope stuffing werebeginning to put a drag on productivity.According to David Fox, the company’svice president of manufacturing, “We hadto add so much labor to keep up with ourgrowth that we were getting less efficient aswe grew.”What follows is not just a detailed storyof a company applying automation androbotics to improve day-to-day processes.Rather, it’s a tutorial on integrated thinking,where the long term goals of the boardroomare being executed inside the fourwalls of the manufacturing and distributioncenter.“The thing that interests me the mostthese days is when we can show the intersectionbetween materials handling andthe business strategy,” Trebilock told meafter he finished this piece. “This story, likethe Kroger story last month, is about muchmore then moving product around withgreater efficiency.”So, if you’re looking to champion a newautomation project, put new life into oldsystems, or handle meteoric growth withminimal additional labor, you may want totake a page from these two playbooks.ENEWSLETTER SUBSCRIPTIONSKeep up with the latest industrynews and resources—sign-up for ourFREE eNewsletters at:www.mmh.com/subscribe.aspMemberMember ofWinnerJesse H. NealCertificates of Meritfor JournalisticExcellenceOfficial Publication ofmmh.com MODERN MATERIALS HANDLING / JUNE 2009 7
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