Logistics articles

  • ALAN: Wired For Relief

    December 11, 2014

    The American Logistics Aid Network (ALAN) is a not-for-profit organization that plays matchmaker between supply chain professionals and relief agencies in times of emergency. But it isn´t just an organization that looks for ladders and functioning trucks when the Red Cross is too swamped to do it themselves. It is one of the few organizations always preparing for disaster by wiring existing networks and tapping into groups or regions in which ALAN doesn’t have a strong presence.

  • Choosing the clean path

    December 11, 2014

    Manufacturers address their hazardous waste byproducts in a way that enhances productivity while still complying with environmental regulation. Interlake Mecalux owns vital environmental devices that are helping it make great strides in the fight against industrial waste. To give an example, at the Sumter and Pontiac facilities in the South Carolina and Illinois respectively, an “all-in-one” and “worry-free” pretreatment solution was put into practice to reduce, not only the amount of effluent and environmental hazards, but also the number of stages required in a pretreatment process.

  • QRC: The evolutionary barcode

    December 11, 2014

    Like the more recognizable Universal Product Code (UPC) or bar code, QRCs are scannable images that hold information. QRCs are everywhere, but few recognize their use and even fewer recognize their potential to recast the material handling industry’s preferred method of scanning and tracking. The information available in a QRC is not only more robust and accurate than any other label code, but also shares more advantages than any other label code, even when has been slowly implemented in the US industry.

  • Readers Between the Lines

    December 11, 2014

    The introduction of high-speed, superior- accuracy image-based ID readers (IBR) has compelled the trend for business owners to consider transitioning their business toward a more scanner-ready operation. Image-based ID readers work by taking a picture of the entire image and reconstructing any damaged or unclear sections in an effort to override issues associated with unreadable barcodes (faded, scratched, uneven, badly printed, warped, etc...). Furthermore, the increasing capabilities of image-based ID readers are capturing more than just the attention of the materials handling industry.

  • Semi-automatic solutions

    December 11, 2014

    Between 2000 and 2007 there was a period of widespread warehouse automation, but by 2008 the demand for automation decreased significantly, due to the financial crisis. Nowadays,we are seeing the first signs of recovery, instead of spending on full automation or sitting tight until the storm blows over, some warehouses are benefitting from creatively and systematically automating just portions of the facility.

  • Taking the Dents out of Bolted Rack

    December 11, 2014

    Until 2001, the United States was an entirely pro-weld country, primarily because of the belief that welded steel is stronger, more reliable and costs less to install. The differences between welded and bolted racks range from their structure and connections to their safety, affordability and resistance. Welded structures are quicker to install and they are hard to transport to the warehouse, and any repair must be done safely and costs much more than repairing/replacing a bolted rack. These differences, among others, make bolted racks more attractive for the upcoming North-American warehouse industry.

  • 5 Easy Pieces

    December 11, 2014

    A recent study illuminating how the industry views its own economic recovery, suggests that companies are more focused now on making investments to succeed. As an answer to the current industry trends, Interlake Mecalux has developed a five-point approach to meeting its customers’ broad spectrum of needs through the Easy WMS, such as multi-site functionality and software on-demand.