Plastic containers lower fire risksBy StaffA grocery DC that switches from corrugated boxes to reusable plastic containers won't need additional fire safety measures, according to a recent study by the Reusable Pallet and Container...

Mitch LandisBy Lisa White, Contributing EditorRapids Foodservice Contract and Design, MinneapolisOne could say that being a DSR in the foodservice industry is in Mitch Landis' blood; his mother worked for a small dealer in the industry...

CAMI breaks the moldStaffAutomatic guided carts and a wireless call button-enabled handling system radically changed parts delivery to the assembly line.Sometimes a break with the past is critical to future success. And that is exactly...

New Enodis President, Ice Group AmericasStaffEnodis plc appointed Kevin Fink to president of Ice Group Americas. Fink will continue to serve as president of Ice-O-Matic, and hold the interim position of president of Scotsman until a...

AGVs applying for healthcare dutyBy Tom AndelAmong the items on the research agenda being discussed by the Material Handling Industry of America (MHIA, www.mhia.org) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST,...

Distribution redesign at Urban Outfitters By Bob Trebilcock, Editor at LargeThis new Reno distribution center relies on high-speed sortation and light-directed picking to speed up the supply chain.Just as Urban Outfitters is redesigning...

Ricker Dining, Stanford University, Palo Alto, Calif.By Donna Boss, Contributing EditorA compact layout with essential pieces of equipment to produce a Mediterranean-style menu brings efficiency and labor savings to the comprehensive...

New Director to Oversee NSF's Food Safety Division StaffNSF Internationalhired Jennifer Tong as director of its Restaurant Food Safety Division. In her new role, Tong is responsible for the strategic development of the NSF Dine SaferTM...

UC Davis Expands Composting to StadiumsStaffFirst school kitchens, then dining halls, now ... stadiums? The University of California at Davis has expanded its composting and recycling program to include, not just the main dining areas,...

Robot orders up ##%By StaffAfter a tough ####, North American robotics companies saw orders increase ##% in #### to ##,### units. Materials handling robots accounted for ##% of the new orders, says Jeff Burnstein, executive vice president...

Former Tomlinson and NAFEM President PassesStaffJohn Chernak, the former CEO of Tomlinson Industries, and a past president of the North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers (NAFEM), passed away from complications related...

Can you afford "less is more?"By Ron Giuntini, Executive Director, OEM Product-Services Institute (OPI) Materials handling logisticians may find it hard to ask for fewer resources, but it could win their leadership team's trust and...

CHEP buys LeanLogisticsBy Jeff Berman of Logistics Management and Corinne Kator Pallet and container pooling company CHEP ( www.chep.com) acquired supply chain software provider LeanLogistics (www.leanlogistics.com) last month for...

Slow-Roasted SuccessBy Amelia Levin, Sr. Associate EditorEasy-to-use and -maintain equipment is allowing this emerging segment to feed consumers' appetites with smoky goodness. Barbecue styles differ from coast to coast, carrying with...

Crane basicsBy Bob Trebilcock, Editor at LargeWhen it comes to moving product overhead, cranes maximize floor space while increasing productivity. Mention materials handling, and most people think of moving materials at floor level,...

Timothy Cavanagh: Hospital handlingStaffOur first-annual Modern Thinker award honors an individual who brought materials handling science out of the DC. This magazine has come to define "modern" as something you are rather than something...

Productivity Achievement AwardsBy Staff Modern 's annual Productivity Achievement Awards honor companies that have made outstanding strides in improving operations through materials handling and related information systems....

Meet Modern's publishing directorBy StaffModern Materials Handling is proud to welcome Christopher Platt as its publishing director. Platt also heads up Modern 's sister publications in the supply chain group at Reed Business...

Get lean and greenBy Corinne Kator, Associate EditorSpeakers at the recent Scope East conference gave practical advice to help companies reduce waste.Eliminating waste is the goal of lean manufacturing initiatives. It is also the goal...

Good distribution is always in fashionBy Bob Trebilcock, Editor at LargeTo accelerate its distribution processes, Urban Outfitters brought outsourced logistics into its new Reno distribution center. The result: Faster turnaround times...

Hoods Go GreenGeorge Zawacki, DFS, CFSP Founder and Publisher Up Your Stack Arlington Heights, Ill.Those of us who looked at energy-saving devices #-to-## years ago were basically ignored. The only relevant factor was cost. Customers...

Step into the spotlightTom Andel, Editor in ChiefThere are things you enjoy but don't necessarily want to know how they came to be. Yogurt is one (with that live bacteria culture-yum!) A fast-food cheeseburger is another (assembled...

ProductsStaff Eagle Group The Security Module allows for secure storage of items subject to pilferage. The unit features open-wire construction, fits in between two wire shelves spaced ##" apart, and is available for shelving...

TriMark Acquires Economy Restaurant Fixtures, BigTray StaffTriMark USA Inc. announced it has acquired Economy Restaurant Fixtures Inc., a San Francisco-based dealership headed by Jeff Weinstock. The acquisition also includes Economy...

FE&S Announces #### Top Achievers and Hall of Fame Award WinnersStaff Foodservice Equipment & Supplies magazine announced the winners of the #### Top Achiever and Hall of Fame awards. Last month, the magazine announced that...

Player enters fuel cell marketBy Corinne KatorWhile the lift truck industry has been buzzing with news about hydrogen fuel cells, a California company called Oorja Protonics ( www.oorjaprotonics.com) has been quietly developing...

Getting Honored for Giving Value through RelationshipsLorne Gaffe Principal Hamilton Store Fixtures Ltd. Hamilton, Ontario Canadalgaffe@hsfltd.comIam pleased to be part of a third-generation, ##-year-old family business. My grandfather...

Labor management: Don't forget the peopleBy Corinne Kator, Associate EditorEven the most sophisticated labor management program requires more than good software. You need the right training, tools and incentives for employee buy-in.Sales...

In BriefStaffAFC Enterprises Inc., the franchisor and operator of Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits, appointed Ralph Bower as chief operations officer and Richard Lynch as chief marketing officer ... The VollrathCo. appointed David Hogan as...

The making of a lift truckBy StaffEver wondered how a lift truck is made? Watch the Travel Channel on Wednesday, May ##, to find out.Illinois-based Hoist Liftruck will be featured that night on "John Ratzenberger's Made in America."...

A Healthy Dose of Practicality Joseph M. Carbonara, Editor in ChiefWith the subject of "green" seemingly dominating all aspects of conversation, it feels as if every day is St. Patrick´s Day. If only the green beer would last as long...

The Changing Face of the DSRBy Lisa White, Contributing EditorDealers, suppliers and operators are realizing that working together as partners is the most effective way to do business.Technology has changed the pace of business. Paper...

Staples' robotic retrieversStaffThe office-supply giant installed the industry's first robotic fulfillment system, taking a novel approach to break-pack picking.Each picking. Piece picking. Split-case picking. Whatever they call it,...

People to knowBy StaffThe electric drives and controls technology group of Bosch Rexroth Corp. named Ted Thayer PLC and HMI product manager...William Kiel passed ownership of Carron Net Company to his son William Kiel, Jr., and...

Green Tip of the MonthStaffEarth Day is April ##, so what better time to examine one's carbon footprint. Visit the Food Service Technology Center web site for an energy-saving calculator, life cycle cost calculators and other tools...

Fuel cell R&DLeo PlonskyThe environmental impact of fossil-based energy use has inspired the Department of Defense (DoD) and the U.S. Congress to explore new energy technologies. Because the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) is a key...

Focus on storageBy Staff Cabinets store multiple sizes, shapesStaffModular combination cabinets store, secure and move items of varied sizes and shapes. Offered in seven full sidewall heights, the cabinets hold up to ### pounds....

IC engine lift trucksBy Tom Andel, Editor In ChiefIt's always important to follow OSHA guidelines, but when it comes to IC lift trucks, further guidance is in order. Keeping the following pointers in mind will help you get the most...

American Eagle reinvents retailStaffThe retailer's multi-use DC outfits store and direct-to-consumer deliveries for three clothing brands.American Eagle Outfitters has long been a fashion trendsetter. With a new ###,### square foot...

Top ## system suppliersBy Corinne Kator, Associate EditorModern's ##th-annual ranking of worldwide materials handling system suppliers reveals #### was a big year for most of the industry's top players.If revenue figures among the industry's...

Strategic Equipment & Supply Names New CEOStaffDallas-based Strategic Equipment & Supply named Martin Monnat president and chief executive officer. A ##-year industry veteran, Monnat joined SESC in ####, following the dealershipa€...

#### Distribution GIANTSBy the EditorsOur annual snapshot of the industry's top ### dealersIn a year when most everyone is holding their breath over the status of the nation's economy, FE&S ' #### Distribution Giants offers...

MHIA pledges $###K to academic researchBy StaffThe Material Handling Industry of America (MHIA, www.mhia.org) has set aside $###,### in grant money to support industry-related academic research.By supporting the work of materials...

Free furniture offered to Cubs fansClint EngelAlgonquin, Ill.- Another furniture retailer is tying free furniture to a home team sports victory.SuitePlay, a four-store Chicagoland retailer of home entertainment furniture, games and...

Books Retain Hold in Cambridgeby Judith RosenDespite challenges, Harvard Square remains a bookselling meccaDuring the Golden Age of bookselling in the early ####s, Cambridge´s Harvard Square boasted that it had more bookstores in a...

Hall County Man Promoted To Assistant Area Engineer For Construction In Dawson, Forsyth And Hall CountiesStaffGeorgia Department of Transportation's Jason Dykes is now the assistant area engineer for Construction in Dawson, Forsyth...

Capped Newark Bay Landfill Development EmergingStaffAfter being capped years ago by OENJ Cherokee, ## acres of landfill adjacent to the Jersey Gardens Mall is being converted into a massive mixed-use development called Celadon. Featuring...

$#-Billion Upstate New York Revitalization PlanStaffA broad-based community coalition of more than ### business, labor and agricultural organizations from throughout Upstate New York has endorsed the proposed $#-billion Upstate Revitalization...

Landscaping With Compact EquipmentBy Eric MorseGulf Coast Landscaper uses Compact Equipment to landscape a property drastically changed by Hurricane KatrinaAlong the Gulf Coast, recovery from Hurricane Katrina continues more than two...

A Measure of SuccessBy Jonathan Sweet, Senior EditorIf You're Hoping to Benchmark Your Company, Look no Further; Our Annual Business Results Survey will HelpMost remodelers struggle to know how they measure up against other firms. Are...