Columbia Machine is excited to introduce the new Palletizer & Load Transfer Station blog. This will be a great source for keeping you informed on industry trends, upcoming shows, customer stories, service tips, after market modifications... and more! We are looking forward to posting on a regular basis and receiving your comments and feedback on what you would like Columbia’s Palletizer Division to blog about. Visit www.palletizing.com/blog to view recent posts about the palletizing industry.

For more than 50 years, Columbia Machine has manufactured high-level, floor-level, and robotic palletizers and load transfer stations in the USA.  Columbia features flexible, upgradeable designs to rates of over 150 cases per minute.  All Columbia palletizers are built in the USA and backed by 24-hour customer support and parts service.

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For more information please contact:
Julie Lindblad
(800) 628-4065 Fax: (360) 750-9221
jullin@colmac.com

Kardex Remstar has developed industry specific solutions including: temperature controlled units, clean room storage units and dry room storage units. Companies are always looking for opportunities to speed up intralogistics processes and increase productivity in these unique applications.

Storage at Constant Temperatures
Many stored goods are vulnerable to temperature changes. This applies to a very vast range of products, from frozen food articles to hospital supplies to pharmaceutical products, all of which require storage at constant temperatures. For these applications, the Shuttle XP Vertical Lift Module (VLM) and the Megamat RS vertical carousel both come equipped with an integrated air conditioning system to protect stored goods. The available temperature range is from -25 to +65 degrees Celsius (-13 to +149 degrees Fahrenheit). A model of the Megamat RS vertical carousel was also designed in particular for the storage of blood reserves at -30 degrees Celsius (-22 degrees Fahrenheit).  
              
Common applications are process technology (+60 degrees Celsius, +140 degrees Fahrenheit), warehouse temperature (+20 degrees Celsius, +68 degrees Fahrenheit), refrigerator (+5 degrees Celsius, +41 degrees Fahrenheit), and deep freezer (-25 degrees Celsius, -13 degrees Fahrenheit).

Two sealed off, airlock doors, one in front and a second door behind the access opening minimize external exposure to the internal environment of the system. These doors reduce the exchange of air during storage and retrieval processes. This temperature controlled environment can be contained within the unit, depending on the site constraints, requiring minimal floor space and cube, thus minimizing operating costs.

Clean Room Solutions for a Particle-Free Environment
Most semi-conductor manufacturers, hospitals and pharmaceutical companies need storage and retrieval systems that can operate in clean room conditions. Whether it's for sterile instruments in the operating room or particle-free components for semi-conductor production, clean room solutions from Kardex Remstar offer conditions in compliance with ISO 14644 Standards, covering clean room classes 5 to 8 (or classes 100 to 100,000).

To keep the amount of particles in the air as low as possible, the Shuttle VLM, for example, is now equipped with roller-based trays instead of slider-driven trays. The advantage of roller trays is that they utilize rollers which do not produce dust.  In both systems, the VLM and vertical carousel, controlled air streams ensure clean room conditions are maintained inside the machines.

Dry Solutions Save Resources and Costs
With a particular focus on the semi-conductor industry, Kardex Remstar has further developed its dynamic storage and retrieval systems into dry room applications with a relative humidity at or below 5 percent. In addition to a sealing system and an airlock in the access opening, a special dehumidification device is designed for use with the VLM and vertical carousel ensures humidity levels are maintained within the unit.

The solutions for special climate conditions have been designed as standard products that can be easily adjusted to meet individual and unique customer requirements. The solutions will ensure that stored goods are kept within the required parameters. With temperature control, clean room and dry room storage capabilities, dynamic solutions from Kardex Remstar have the capacity to control processes and increase productivity.

Kardex Remstar, LLC, a company of the Kardex Group is a leading provider of automated storage and retrieval systems for manufacturing, distribution, warehousing, offices and institutions. For information about our dynamic storage solutions, call 800-639-5805 or visit www.KardexRemstar.com .

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For more information please contact:
Christina Dube
207-591-3168
christina.dube@kardexremstar.com
www.KardexRemstar.com
 

The College Industry Council on Material Handling Education (CICMHE) and MHI announce the call for submissions for the 2013 Outstanding Material Handling, Logistics and Supply Chain Content Award. The award recognizes superior content published between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2012.

Submissions from material handling suppliers, consultants, trade press and industry professionals is requested. Content suitable for submission includes feature articles, white papers and case histories. We are focused on the use of material handling in manufacturing, distribution, warehousing, logistics, supply chain and service industries, ranging from the application of individual technologies to the improvement of entire operations.

Submissions will be judged on the basis of their educational value to the practice of material handling, clarity of presentation and contribution to the advancement of the material handling, logistics and supply chain industry. A committee of industrial and academic evaluators associated with the MHI will select the outstanding content.

Top content will be recognized, with the winning content's author (or other company representative) invited to attend the 2013 MHI Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida to accept the award.

Content Deadline is May 31
To make a nomination (up to three nominations per organization), provide an electronic copy of the submission and a one-page (maximum) summary of why the submission should be considered by May 31, 2013 to MHI Vice President – Educational and Technical Services, Mike Ogle at mogle@mhi.org.

The one-page summary should include justifications for the following three criteria explicitly:
• Who is the target audience and why are they interested in the material?
• What is the educational value to the practice in material handling?
• What is the novel contribution to the advancement of the material handling, logistics and supply chain industry?

Email submissions are preferred, but CDs or other media may be submitted by mail using the address below as well. The entire submission must be in English.

MHI
Attn: Mike Ogle
8720 Red Oak Blvd. Suite 201
Charlotte, NC 28217

Click here to learn more and to view previous winners of this award.

GREENVILLE, N.C. – Hyster Company is honored to announce its 2012 Dealer of Distinction award recipients. The 14 top performing Hyster® dealers will receive this award based on their focused leadership skills, which has helped their companies achieve an industry-leading level of performance in all areas of the materials handling business.

“The Hyster Dealer of Distinction Program raises performance standards to keep pace with our growing customer expectations and heightened industry demands,” states Don Chance, President, NMHG Sales. “The recipients of this award have clearly demonstrated their commitment to achieve this objective by consistently exceeding customer expectations, making them some of our most valuable assets and an integral part of Hyster’s success.”

2012 Dealer of Distinction Award Recipients:
Dealer - Dealer Principal:
Arnold Machinery Co. (Utah) - Kayden Bell 
Equipco Division Phillips Corp. - Carl Swanson
Hilo Materials Handling Group - Steve LoPiccolo
Johnson Lift - David Ohm
LiftOne (South Division) - Bill Ryan 
McCall Handling Co. - Jim Kenny
MH Equipment Co. (Iowa Division) - John Wieland
Northland Industrial Truck Co. Inc. (Connecticut Division) - Alan Hammersley
Papé Material Handling, Inc. (Central Washington) - Chris Wetle and Ken Pollard
Papé Material Handling, Inc. (Eugene) - Chris Wetle and Brian Harris
Papé Material Handling, Inc. (Portland) - Chris Wetle and Paul Jensen 
Papé Material Handling, Inc. (Spokane) - Chris Wetle and Ken Pollard
Wajax Equipment (East Region) - Brian Dyck and Sylvain Belisle
Wajax Equipment (West Region) - Brian Dyck and Mark Coulbourn

To receive this prestigious award, dealers must meet defined business practices and performance standards, including elevated goals in customer satisfaction, dealer performance, general management, truck sales, short-term rental, training, aftermarket sales and parts and service operations. The 2013 Hyster Dealer of Distinction Program will again raise performance standards to keep pace with increasing customer expectations and heightened industry demands.

Hyster will honor these top-performing dealers at an awards celebration in Sea Island, Ga., on April 19. This will be the 19th year that the Hyster Dealer of Distinction Program has recognized its highest achievers.
   
About Hyster Company
Based in Greenville, N.C., Hyster Company (www.hyster.com) is a leading worldwide lift truck designer and manufacturer. Hyster Company offers 130 models configured for gasoline, LPG, diesel and electric power, with the widest capacity range in the industry — from 2,000 to 115,000 lbs. Supported by one of the industry’s largest and most experienced dealer networks, Hyster Company builds tough, durable lift trucks that deliver high productivity, low total cost of ownership, easy serviceability and advanced ergonomic features; accompanied by outstanding parts, service and training support.

Hyster Company is part of NACCO Materials Handling Group, Inc. (NMHG), a wholly owned subsidiary of Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc. (NYSE:HY). Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc., headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, and its subsidiaries employ approximately 5,300 people worldwide.

Hyster is a registered trademark of Hyster Company.

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For more information please contact:
Ryan Fisher
864-272-3023
ryan.fisher@jacksonmg.com
 

GREENVILLE, N.C. – Yale Materials Handling Corporation is honored to announce its 2012 Dealer of Excellence award recipients. The 23 top performing Yale® dealers will receive this award based on their focused leadership skills, which has helped their companies achieve an industry-leading level of performance in all areas of the materials handling business.

“The Yale Dealer of Excellence Program raises performance standards to keep pace with our growing customer expectations and heightened industry demands,” states Don Chance, President, NMHG Sales. “The recipients of this award have clearly demonstrated their commitment to achieve this objective by consistently exceeding customer expectations, making them some of our most valuable assets and an integral part of Yale’s success.”

2012 Dealer of Excellence Award Recipients:
Dealer - Dealer Principal:
Alta Equipment Co. - Steve Greenawalt
Berry Material Handling - Joe Wilson
Black Equipment Company, Inc. - Scott Bonnell
Burns Industrial Equipment, Inc. - Christopher Burns
Dougherty Equipment Company (North Carolina Division) - Michael Dougherty
Eastern Lift Truck Co., Inc. - Mike Pruitt
Fairchild Equipment Inc. (Wisconsin Division) - Gary Fairchild
Fitzgerald Equipment Co. Inc. - Kevin Fitzgerald
Harding Forklift Services Ltd. - Pete Harding
Hilo Materials Handling Group - Steve LoPiccolo
Insley-McEntee Equipment Company, Inc. - Philip Robinson
Key Material Handling Equipment Co., Inc. - Robert Kehley
MacKinnon Equipment and Services - Sandy MacKinnon
Medley Material Handling Company - Mark Medley
Northland Industrial Truck Co., Inc. (Massachusetts Division) - Steve O’Leary
Ohio Materials Handling, Inc. - James Orenga
Pacific Material Handling Solutions, Inc. (Bay Area Division) - Ralph Logan
Riekes Equipment Company - Duncan Murphy
Tynan Equipment Co. - John Tynan
Yale Carolinas, Inc. (West Division) - C. Gray Wheeler
Yale/Chase Equipment and Services, Inc. (North Division) - Roger Ketelsleger 
Yale Kentuckiana, Inc. - Barry Paul
Yes Equipment & Services, Inc. - Clifford Anglewicz

To receive this prestigious award, dealers must meet defined business practices and performance standards including elevated goals in customer satisfaction, dealer performance, general management, truck sales, short-term rental, training, aftermarket sales and parts and service operations. Each year, the program requirements are assessed and modified to ensure the performance standards keep pace with increasing customer expectations and heightened industry demands.

Yale will honor these top-performing dealers at an awards celebration in Sea Island, Ga., on April 21. This will be the 19th year that the Yale Dealer of Excellence Program has recognized its highest achievers.

About Yale Materials Handling Corporation
Yale Materials Handling Corporation markets a full line of materials handling lift truck products and services, including electric, gas, LP-gas and diesel powered lift trucks; narrow aisle, very narrow aisle and motorized hand trucks. Yale has a comprehensive service offering including Fleet Management, Yale service, parts, financing and training. Yale® trucks are manufactured in an ISO 9001:2008 registered facility and range in capacity from 2,000 to 36,000 lbs. For more information, or to find the Yale® lift truck dealer nearest you, call 1-800-233-YALE or visit www.yale.com.

Yale Materials Handling Corporation is part of NACCO Materials Handling Group, Inc. (NMHG), a wholly owned subsidiary of Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc. (NYSE:HY).  Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc. and its subsidiaries, headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, employ approximately 5,300 people worldwide.

Yale is a Registered Trademark of Yale Materials Handling Corporation.  People. Products. Productivity. is a Trademark in the United States and certain other jurisdictions.

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For more information please contact:
Ryan Fisher
864-272-3023
ryan.fisher@jacksonmg.com

FRANKSVILLE, WI - What happens when the power goes off?

In a world driven by big data and server rooms, that can be a very expensive question if you don't know the answer.  This has led to the explosive growth of back-up power systems, not just in traditional markets like hospitals and power generation control rooms, but telecom centers, financial institutions, manufacturers, distribution centers-everywhere power is critical.  These back-up systems frequently employ DC power, particularly stationary battery arrays.

With that in mind, Quick Cable Corporation has launched a targeted DC power program, beginning with a new online catalog of products designed for stationary battery dealers, installers and OEM suppliers, along with a dedicated sales force for this growing market segment.

For more than 65 years Quick Cable has been a leader in the DC power accessory industry focusing on battery connectors, cables and accessories. This additional offering brings new products into their catalog and expands the applications for the company's traditional core products.

The new program brings in UL listed cable (DLO, MTW/TEW) options up to 777 MCM, battery containment systems and additional chemical and maintenance products specific to the stationary battery market.

"Beyond a strong product offering, Quick Cable is able to add value to its customers through custom products in ways you can't get from other companies," explained Dave Henrichs, Vice-President of Sales and Marketing. "We build custom cables for specific applications and we do it quickly to meet our customers needs. We have excellent online tools on quickcable.com to make it easy for our customers to work with us and get the products they need, when they need them".

Quick Cable's battery containment systems were designed around a flexible, customizable, and easy-to-install model.  Their online configuration tool makes it easy to design a system based on battery rack dimensions. Field installation is hassle free since components can be adjusted on site for variations encountered in the field.

To learn more about Quick Cable's DC power products and stationary battery program, visit quickcable.com/pub/dc_stored_power.

About Quick Cable Corporation: Quick Cable Corporation (www.quickcable.com)  is a leading manufacturer of battery connectors, battery cables, battery accessories, electrical storage and connectivity solutions. For more than 65 years Quick Cable has been a leader in the industry with advanced product designs, better materials and a commitment to quality in every phase of production. Quick Cable is headquartered in Franksville, Wisconsin, with manufacturing plants in Franksville and Mississauga, Ontario.

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For more information please contact:
Rick Pastor
262-824-3100 x 368
rpastor@quickcable.com
quickcable.com
quickhowto.com
quickfigurator.com

ATTLEBORO, MA — Ergonomic XZ Series hydraulic floor-level lifts from Presto Lifts Inc. can handle loads of up to 6,000 pounds, are useful in all the usual lift-table applications (assembly, maintenance, palletizing, etc.), and can be easily loaded/unloaded with an ordinary hand pallet truck. 

The platform of an XZ lift lowers to floor level, leaving the pan-style platform no more than half an inch above the floor for easy roll-on/roll-off.  Accessible from all four sides, XZ lifts rise to a height of just over 35 inches to minimize bending and lifting, thus reducing employee fatigue, injuries, and production times.  A bright yellow 6-inch flexible strip is mounted to the lip of the platform to protect against toe injuries.  The lift motor can be controlled by a foot switch or pushbuttons, and a 10-foot lead is available at no additional charge.

Six models offer two standard platform sizes (44 x 48 and 50 x 48 inches) and lift capacities of 2,000, 4,000, and 6,000 pounds, but custom designs are available.  Bellows skirting is also available.  Any XZ Series lift can be relocated with a hand pallet truck.

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For more information please contact:
Rick daSilva
(508) 222-0177
(800) 343-9322
FAX: (508) 222-2996
www.prestolifts.com
info@PrestoLifts.com.
 

As the need for flexibility and adaptability throughout the supply chain continues to grow, a shift to robotics will comprise one of the biggest changes in material handling, says C. Dwight Klappich, vice president of research at information technology research and advisory firm Gartner Inc.

"The industry is getting to the point where people will be replaced with robots," he predicts. "Not for every process, but for the types of work humans are unwilling to do for eight hours a day, five days a week."

Industrial robots are already used in a variety of manufacturing and handling applications throughout the supply chain. These include:

• For handling and manipulation of products as diverse as car doors or eggs, robots are fast and powerful as well as dexterous and sensitive. Applications include pick and place from conveyor line to packaging and machine tending, where the robot feeds raw materials into processing equipment.
• Robotic palletizing uses robots to load corrugated cartons or other packaged items onto a pallet, building simple to complex layer patterns that maximize load stability during transport.
• Laser, plasma and water jet cutting systems frequently use robots for precision accuracy, flexibility and safety.
• Finishing processes—such as grinding, trimming, fettling, polishing and cleaning—employ multi-axis robots to produce a consistent quality finish.
• Sealing and gluing applications use a robot that follows a path accurately with good control over speed while maintaining a consistent bead of the adhesive.
• Spraying processes that apply volatile, hazardous solvent-based paints and coatings use robots to minimize human exposure.
• Spot or seam (MIG, TIG, arc and laser) welding robots produce precise welds, as well as exact control parameters such as power, wire feed and gas flow.

Klappich cites advances in vision technology that enable automatic guided vehicles (AGVs) to navigate their surroundings autonomously, coupled with vast improvements to robotic arm dexterity, as reasons for his assertion that robots are on the rise. Further, the capital costs associated with robotics are on the decline.

"In the past, the cost, time and complexity associated with a highly automated warehouse deterred companies from making that kind of investment," he says. "Now, costs are going down. Plus, the flexibility and adaptability of smaller scale robotic systems allow them to be easily reconfigured to accommodate changing business needs. Both of those factors make the investment easier to justify."

Klappich foresees an evolution to robotic case pickers riding atop AGVs as they fill orders from standard dimension cartons, for example.

"There is, of course, the argument that robots will put people out of work," he continues. "But, the reality for many established economies is that—if you exclude immigration—there is negative population growth. As the cost of labor goes up and the costs of robots go down, it will become economically viable to offload certain processes to robots."

Henrik I. Christensen, PhD, KUKA chair of robotics and director of robotics at Georgia Tech, agrees: "We've seen tremendous progress in robotics and automation in material handling over the last few years," he says. "There has been a lot of development in automation that does the handling tasks that don't require a lot of intelligence and are physically challenging."

Further, robotic technology decreases the amount of space a facility needs to store and handle products. "And real estate is getting increasingly expensive," Dr. Christensen notes.

Dr. Christensen—who served as the principal investigator of the Roadmap for U.S. Robotics report, published in 2009—has dedicated his 30-plus year career to robotics research and development. His studies show that although using automation for material handling can increase efficiency by 20%, challenges exist, such as how to integrate robotics into existing infrastructure and how to retrofit existing DCs with this technology.

Dr Christensen covered those topics in his ProMat 2013 keynote presentation on Monday, January 21 entitled "The Impact of Robotics on Economic Growth." Dr. Christensen also detailed how advances in robotics are revolutionizing manufacturing and distribution operations, as well as insights into how these developments will propel future economic growth. To listen to this speech and all the ProMat 2103 seminars and keynotes go to promatshow.com/seminars.

About the author:
Sara Pearson Specter has written articles and supplements for many industry publications. Specter has worked in the fields of graphic design, advertising, marketing, and public relations for more than 15 years, with a special emphasis on helping business-to-business industrial and manufacturing companies. She owns her own marketing communications firm, Sara Specter, Marketing Mercenary LLC.

AMHERST, N.Y. – Columbus McKinnon Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCO), a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of material handling products is proud to present its Universal Trolley (UT) designed to fit virtually all Columbus McKinnon electric and air chain hoists up to 3 ton capacities.

The CM Universal Trolley is competitively priced, designed for maximum versatility, provides long service life, and is CE compliant for global appeal. Because it can be used with a wide range of hoists, it will reduce the need to have multiple types of trolleys in inventory, thus alleviating stock constraints at distributorships. Its flexible design allows the UT to be easily converted from a push to a hand-geared trolley configuration. For more product details and specification information, please check out www.cmworks.com/CMUniversalTrolley.

The Universal Trolley is a great addition to an already expansive Columbus McKinnon line of Trolleys and Beam Clamps. To learn more about the products and services offered and to find a list of distributors, please contact customer service at 1-800-888-0985 or go to www.cmworks.com.

About Columbus McKinnon
Columbus McKinnon is a global leader in the material handling industry, supplying products and systems that efficiently and ergonomically move, lift, position or secure materials. Key products include hoists, cranes, actuators, chain and forged attachments. The Company is focused on commercial and industrial applications that require the safety and quality provided by its superior design and engineering know-how. Comprehensive information on Columbus McKinnon is available on its web site at http://www.cmworks.com.

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For more information please contact:

Joshua Karczewski

716-689-5568

joshua.karczewski@cmworks.com

North Fargo, ND -- Lift'n Buddy is a revolutionary mobile lifting device that combines the best of a standard two-wheeler's durability and functionality, with automatic lifting and lowering capabilities. Lift’n Buddy was the recipient of the 2012 Wall Street Journal Technology Innovation Awards for Technology Design as well as the Edison Award; Lift’n Buddy was recognized for new product innovation, in the category of Industrial Design Tools. The Lift'n Buddy is designed with proper ergonomics and safety in mind for any person and any moving and lifting job. These mobile lifting devices, fabricated of durable, lightweight, extruded aluminum, help companies avoid the exposure of employee injury, litigation, and workers’ compensation claims.

The innovative Lift’n Buddy (http://www.liftnbuddy.com) and Southworth Products Corporation (www.southworthproducts.com),  one of the world's largest manufacturers of ergonomic material handling equipment, announced an agreement in which Southworth Products acquired Lift’n Buddy for an undisclosed amount. Lift’n Buddy will operate as a new division of the Southworth International Group. Steve Albert, VP Sales of SIGI, said, “Lift’n Buddy is an innovative product that is a natural extension of our broad lifting and positioning product line.”

Aaron Lamb, General Manager of Lift’n Buddy commented, “We are very proud of the product we have developed and the immediate market recognition of its usefulness. We know the importance of the distribution channel to truly bring the product to a larger market. By joining the Southworth Group, we have immediate access to the best distributor network available for ergonomic lifting and positioning devices.”

Lamb added, “We share the same customers and offer complimentary products. This is the right team at the right time. We will continue our sales of Lift’n Buddy and act as an additional arm to Southworth’s extraordinary material handling and ergonomic leadership. We are thrilled about the start of a great relationship with Southworth.” The addition of Lift’n Buddy provides access to Southworth’s global distribution channel.

Southworth Products Corp is one of the world's largest manufacturers of ergonomic materials handling equipment for vertical lifting and work positioning, designed to improve worker productivity while reducing the potential for worker injuries. From lifting and positioning work, handling pallets, to working with parts in containers or transporting loads, Southworth has a way to make the job faster, safer, and easier.

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For more information please contact:
Aaron M. Lamb
pr@liftnbuddy.com
701.499.5293
www.liftnbuddy.com
 

The development of the first-ever U.S. industry roadmap for material handling and logistics (MHL) was announced today. The MHL Roadmap is a broad, industry-wide effort to create a blueprint of market, technological and developmental priorities that are needed to accomplish long-term industry goals.

The MHL U.S. Roadmap effort will begin with four, two-day meetings to bring together a variety of market and technology experts in material handling and logistics from industry, universities and government.

Event dates are:

• April 16-17 in Atlanta
• May 7-8 Washington, D.C.
• June 4-5 in Los Angeles
• June 26-27 in Chicago

The results of each event will be rolled up into a single U.S. Roadmap for Material Handling and Logistics report and action plan that will be available for general release by the end of 2013.

Partners developing the Roadmap include:

Association Partners:

• Center for Excellence in Logistics and Distribution (CELDi)
• College Industry Council on Material Handling Education (CICMHE)
• MHI
• Warehousing Education and Research Council (WERC)
• Material Handling Equipment Distributors Association (MHEDA)

Publication Partners:

• CSCMP’s Supply Chain Quarterly
• DC Velocity
• Inbound Logistics
• Logistics Management
• Material Handling & Logistics
• Modern Materials Handling
• Supply Chain Brain
• Supply Chain Management Review

Call for US Roadmap for Material Handling and Logistics Participants
The MHL Roadmap is currently seeking thought leaders to participate in the upcoming workshops. Your participation will not only provide you with the recognition of being a part of the development of this strategic industry initiative but will enable you to:

• Network with thought leaders across a wide variety of backgrounds, interests and expertise
• Bring new ideas back to use in your business and in your career
• Directly influence the future direction of the industry
• Raise awareness of the importance of material handling and logistics to the US economy
• Gain new perspectives on the industry and how it should work in the future

MHI is providing administrative and financial support for the development of the Roadmap. For more information and to participate, visit www.MHLroadmap.org or email info@MHLroadmap.org.

AMHERST, N.Y. – Columbus McKinnon Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCO), a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of material handling products is very proud to present its In-Stock Guarantee (ISG).

The In-Stock Guarantee is a company-wide commitment to ship our most popular chain and forged attachment products in 3 days. If any ISG product is not shipped on time, Columbus McKinnon will offer a 5% discount and free shipping on a future rigging order.

The In-Stock Guarantee business model has been developed from the top down, with a focus on providing our Channel Partners and Distributors with best-in-class service on the chain and forged attachment products that they use every day.

“Today, we are changing the way we do business. These changes not only affect CMCO and our Channel Partners, but the entire material handling industry. We are committed, and now prepared, to ship our most popular chain and forged attachment products in days, not weeks – and we guarantee it. This is our In-Stock Guarantee. This is not a promotion, but a new industry-changing way of doing business,” states Tim Tevens, CMCO President and Chief Executive Officer.

Currently, Columbus McKinnon offers more than 135 chain and rigging product that are guaranteed to be in stock and ready to ship. For more information on the In-Stock Guarantee and to watch our video, please visit www.cmworks.com/In-StockGuarantee

About Columbus McKinnon

Columbus McKinnon is a global leader in the material handling industry, supplying products and systems that efficiently and ergonomically move, lift, position or secure materials. Key products include hoists, cranes, actuators, chain and forged attachments. The Company is focused on commercial and industrial applications that require the safety and quality provided by its superior design and engineering know-how. Comprehensive information on Columbus McKinnon is available on its web site at http://www.cmworks.com.

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For more information please contact:

Joshua Karczewski
716-689-5568
joshua.karczewski@cmworks.com

DC VELOCITY recently held a webinar on the impact of the Panama Canal expansion on our industry.

During the webinar, DC VELOCITY's Mark Solomon, J. Christopher Lytle of the Port of Long Beach, maritime consultant Ted Prince, and Curtis Spencer of IMS Worldwide Inc. discuss how the expansion will impact U.S. importers, exporters, and the seaports that serve them.

Click here to view the webinar.

Atlanta, GA —enVista President and CEO Jim Barnes has been selected to participate in the fifth annual Georgia Logistics Summit March 19-20, 2013 in Atlanta, GA. Barnes will moderate a retail panel focusing on the impacts of omni-channel distribution on retailers on March 20 at 10:15 a.m. Panelists include retail executives: Anton Van Steenwijk, Dell; Greg Tuthill, NYK; Mark Holifield, The Home Depot; Jim Franz, Haier; and enVista client Dave Haessly, Hibbett Sports. Barnes will also participate in an “Ask the Experts” panel at 2 p.m. that day where he will answer questions about trends in tomorrow’s supply chains.

Barnes said, “Atlanta is a key region for the supply chain and logistics industry. This event presents an important opportunity for supply chain and logistics professionals throughout Georgia to examine the factors and trends impacting their businesses from a regional perspective but also at a more macro level. I look forward to facilitating a meaningful conversation about the impact of omni-channel fulfillment on retailers among the stellar line-up of executive participants and attendees and to provide the audience with ideas and tools to use when facing their own omni-channel challenges.”

The Georgia Logistics Summit offers a diverse list of industry executive presenters to share ideas about what supply chains will look like in 2013, industry opportunities and challenges, and what they look for from logistics partners to help pull it all together. The two-day event features four interactive panel discussions, three industry focused opportunity sessions, and a keynote speech exploring the challenges, opportunities, and future impact of multi-channel commerce.

About the Georgia Center of Innovation for Logistics
The Center of Innovation for Logistics is a leading statewide resource for fueling logistics industry growth and global competitiveness. The Center directly helps companies to overcome challenges and capitalize on opportunities related to the movement of freight. We provide focused expertise, specific industry data, connections to state resources, and an extensive cross-sector industry network. The Center is an industry focused component of the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) and has main offices in Savannah and Atlanta, but has activity in all parts of the State.
www.georgialogistics.com

About enVista
enVista is a leading supply chain consulting and IT services firm, delivering innovative solutions that improve profitability, enhance customer service and reduce waste from source to consumption. enVista provides exceptional value in its unique ability to consult, implement and operate. enVista’s unrivaled consulting experience, deep vertical industry expertise and comprehensive solutions portfolio, enable clients to leverage one strategic partner that consults, implements and operates across Supply Chain, Transportation, Retail, IT and ERP.

For more information about enVista, please call 877-684-7700 or contact info@envistacorp.com.

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For more information please contact:
Jessica Kruse
(317) 208-9100 x322
jkruse@envistacorp.com
www.envistacorp.com

MONROVIA, Calif. - AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVAV) and the United States Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), managed by Battelle, today announced a commercial license agreement for a technology that supports widespread adoption of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) by helping to stabilize the electrical grid -- the network of electricity generation, transmission and distribution that powers the nation.

The technology may result in lower-cost electricity for plug-in vehicle drivers due to the grid support functions provided during vehicle charging.  AeroVironment will use a portion of the licensed PNNL technology in a new prototype version of its industry-leading Level II charging systems.

Wahid Nawabi, AeroVironment senior vice president and general manager of its Efficient Energy Systems (EES) business segment, said, “We are working to broaden the adoption of plug-in vehicles to help achieve America’s environmental, economic and energy security goals.  While easily and reliably recharging PEVs, this grid-friendly charging system will also improve grid performance, turning PEVs and their chargers into a valuable solution to a broader challenge.”

The licensed PNNL technology can help stabilize the electrical grid by continuously monitoring the grid’s alternating current (AC) frequency and varying the vehicle charging rate in response.  Additionally, in the event of a rapid drop in grid frequency, the charging system stops charging, providing a grid “shock absorber.”  Such rapid frequency drops, while small in overall magnitude, indicate that a fault condition has occurred somewhere on the grid and that there is an imbalance between load and electricity generation.  By reducing load the system can be rebalanced.

Conventional power plants make continual power generation adjustments based on precisely measured grid frequency in order to maintain a nearly constant frequency of 60 cycles per second. As renewable generation sources such as wind and solar grow in overall share, the overall frequency-responsive generation capability provided by conventional power plants is gradually decreasing.  AeroVironment and PNNL’s frequency-responsive technology brings this same grid frequency support capability to PEV charging stations.

AeroVironment and PNNL share the vision that with millions of plug-in vehicles charging at any given time, modulating the aggregate charging rate of PEVs can help control grid frequency and support the integration of variable renewable generation sources, such as wind and solar.

“These technologies will result in a triple-win,” said Dr. Alec Brooks, chief technology officer of AeroVironment’s EES business segment. “First, reducing the cost of integrating variable renewable generation reduces electricity costs for all ratepayers.  Second, plug-in cars can be powered by renewable generation that might not have been possible to add to the grid without the charging rate flexibility offered by vehicles and this technology.  Third, the reduced cost of electricity to plug-in vehicle drivers will further improve on the cost advantage of driving on electricity as compared to gasoline.”

“Vehicle charging infrastructure is important for the market adoption of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles,” said Dan Ton, DOE’s program manager of Smart Grid Research and Development.  “We need charging stations and we need them to be intelligent in order to work with smart vehicles and smart grid infrastructure to avoid potential strain on the grid and to provide flexible billing transactions for energy and grid services.”

Prototypes of the new AeroVironment charging system are available immediately for beta testing. The prototypes include Bluetooth wireless connectivity for data streaming and local control functions.  Contact sales@avinc.com for information.

About AeroVironment, Inc.
AeroVironment is a technology solutions provider that designs, develops, produces, operates and supports an advanced portfolio of electric transportation solutions and electric-powered Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). AeroVironment’s power cycling and test systems provide EV developers and EV battery manufacturers with market-leading simulation and cycling capabilities.  AeroVironment’s industrial electric vehicle charging systems support thousands of electric materials handling vehicles in mission-critical supply chains for Fortune 500 enterprises. AeroVironment’s comprehensive EV charging solutions include EV home charging, public charging, fast charging, data collection, grid-integrated communications and complete installation, training and support services for consumers, automakers, utilities, government agencies and businesses. Agencies of the U.S. Department of Defense and allied military services use the company’s electric-powered, hand-launched unmanned aircraft systems to provide situational awareness to tactical operating units through real-time, airborne reconnaissance, surveillance and communication.  More information is available at www.avinc.com and www.evsolutions.com.

About Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Interdisciplinary teams at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory address many of America's most pressing issues in energy, the environment and national security through advances in basic and applied science.  PNNL employs 4,500 staff, has an annual budget of nearly $1 billion, and has been managed for the U.S. Department of Energy by Ohio-based Battelle since the laboratory's inception in 1965. For more information, visit the PNNL News Center, or follow PNNL on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

Safe Harbor Statement
Certain statements in this press release may constitute "forward-looking statements" as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  These statements are made on the basis of current expectations, forecasts and assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, economic, competitive, governmental and technological factors outside of our control, that may cause our business, strategy or actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied.  Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: the activities of competitors; failure of the markets in which we operate to grow; failure to expand into new markets; failure to develop new products or integrate new technology with current products; and general economic and business conditions in the United States and elsewhere in the world.  For a further list and description of such risks and uncertainties, see the reports we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission.  We do not intend, and undertake no obligation, to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

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For more information please contact:
Steven Gitlin
(626) 357-9983
pr@avinc.com

Greg Koller
(509) 372-4864
greg.koller@pnnl.gov

Additional AeroVironment News: http://avinc.com/resources/news/
AeroVironment Media Gallery: http://avinc.com/media_gallery/
Follow us: www.twitter.com/aerovironment
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/AeroVironment-Inc/91762492182
 

From major retailers to trucking and shipping, companies are making major strides in emissions control, reduced energy consumption and cost savings. Leaders from around the logistics industry detailed these important shifts in sustainable practices at the recent 2013 Georgia Foreign Trade Conference (GFTC).

“American companies and ports are working together to reduce the environmental footprint of the transportation sector,” said Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) Executive Director Curtis Foltz. “From building the first ever LNG-powered ships and electric-powered rubber-tired gantry cranes to improving truck move efficiency, reducing idling and employing cleaner burning fuels, the panel provided far-reaching examples of environmental sustainability.”

James Jack, executive director of the Coalition for Responsible Transportation (CRT), said “greening” the supply chain is a common theme.

“It’s no secret that shippers have begun to factor environmental performance into their supply chain decisions,” Jack said. “It goes without saying that ports like the GPA have also responded to this challenge. As we have seen, they have implemented a variety of different ways to address air and water quality challenges.”

TOTE President and CEO Anthony Chiarello said the steamship company has two 3,100-TEU container ships under construction to serve their East Coast to Puerto Rico trade. They will be the first containerships designed specifically to burn LNG fuel, Chiarello said. The company is also in the process of converting existing vessels on its Pacific Northwest to Anchorage, Alaska, route from heavy oil bunker fuel to liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Chiarello said point-to-point routes are the logical first step in LNG container ships because refueling stations are easier to establish. He added that while LNG offers approximately 40 percent cost savings, the major impetus was environmental stewardship. “When you can cut your sulfur burn by 99 percent vs. what it would be with bunker fuel, for us, it becomes a classic no-brainer,” he said.

Foltz said the GPA is also considering a move to LNG-fueled vehicles. “We operate 200-plus marine tractors every day inside the port complex,” Foltz said. “I would suspect in the next two to four years, the vast majority of those will be operating on an alternative fuel other than diesel. We believe that’s going to be either LNG or CNG (compressed natural gas).”

Panelists also discussed other major trends in sustainability, such as working with their contracted trucking companies to have them shift to newer, cleaner running trucks, as well as a greater emphasis on two-way truck moves.

Traditionally, trucks have carried loaded containers to distribution centers and empties back to the port. Now, however, retailers are working to fill those return boxes in two ways. The first is by partnering with nearby companies that need to move goods for export. Another method is to bundle wood and cardboard packaging, which is then shipped overseas to be recycled.

Rick Gabrielson, director of international transportation for Target, said the retailer instituted a “no-idle” policy for trucks at its distribution centers. Working closely with carriers, vendors and other partners, Target is transitioning to greener trucks, including test programs for hydrogen- and electric-powered vehicles. “Sustainability is really integrated throughout our business — from how we build our stores to our distribution centers and supply chain operations,” Gabrielson said.

He noted that a number of shippers are beginning to convert a portion of their truck fleets to natural gas, and Target is also moving that direction. He said cross-country routes are not yet possible because filling stations are sparse.

“Where you have one-day delivery for stores in the range of 50 to 100 miles, we’re beginning to see more and more interest in it and more organizations taking a look at it,” Gabrielson said. “Target is no different.”

GPA Board Chairman Robert Jepson said emission controls will become increasingly important in the transportation industry.

“We expect to see almost a 75 percent increase in freight tons moved between 2000 and 2020,” Jepson said. “This phenomenal growth calls for proactive strategies, and the Georgia Ports Authority will remain at the forefront of sustainable practices in the maritime industry.”

The GPA has voluntarily undertaken a series of initiatives designed to increase the productivity and capacity of the port in environmentally responsible ways. Through efforts such as electrifying ship-to-shore cranes and refrigerated container racks, the Port of Savannah avoids the use of more than 5.8 million gallons of diesel annually.

• During FY2012 the GPA developed an electric-powered rubber-tired gantry crane (ERTG) system, the first of its kind in North America. The ERTGs reduce diesel consumption by up to 95 percent per crane.
• The GPA is also cutting emissions with the use of refrigerated container racks. Its current 64 racks power more than 1,500 containers at a time. Supporting poultry and other chilled produce exports, each rack avoids the use of 54,000 gallons of diesel annually. Twenty more racks will be added in FY2013.
• A new lighting control system and new container yard light fixtures installed in FY2012 reduce light pollution and cut energy consumption by 30 percent. Savannah was the first port to use such lighting energy controllers to reduce electricity consumption and CO2 emissions.
• Georgia Ports won a federal grant to retrofit 11 locomotives with automatic engine stop-start devices. These reduce idling and cut an estimated 50,000 gallons of diesel consumption and nearly 18 tons of emissions each year.
• GPA also works to reduce the physical impact of port operations. GPA tested panels of a new type building material called ECOncrete that provides a better foothold for aquatic plants and animals. The new concrete will help Georgia’s port infrastructure serve as an incubator for marine life.
• More than 100 million gallons of storm water treated each year, removing up to 80% of pollutants and protecting the Savannah River.

Visit the GPA web site at www.gaports.com.

Houston, Texas – LiuGong Construction Machinery N.A. LLC, headquartered in Katy, Texas, is pleased to announce that CSL Equipment Ltd. has joined them as a new forklift dealer in Western Canada.

CSL Equipment has been in operation in the material handling industry since 1993 and will cover Southern Alberta Province for LiuGong forklift distribution and service.  They are based in Calgary, Alberta and have 10 employees, many of which have been with CSL Equipment since they opened.  “This is our 20th year in business and we will continue on for many more years” noted Al Chan, President of CSL Equipment, “We have a very knowledgeable staff and many loyal customers”.

Mr. Chan has had success distributing Chinese made forklifts for the past 8 years but felt a change was required for him to take his business to the next level.  “The most important thing is the after sales support” said Mr. Chan, “LiuGong has knowledgeable people in the industry and also the dedication to support the products much better than our previous supplier”.  Mr. Chan estimates that his business will increase over 40% this year due in no small part to his new partnership with LiuGong.  They are expecting to add several new positions as their business grows.

LiuGong Construction Machinery N.A. LLC is a subsidiary of Guangxi LiuGong Machinery Co. Ltd. which was founded in 1958 in Liuzhou, China.  LiuGong is a premium manufacturer of construction and material handling equipment that is easy to own and easy to operate, and features technologies with well proven reliability.  LiuGong products therefore provide a great deal of value for the price, and are easy to maintain, even in rigorous and isolated environments.

The company supports its global product lines with a rapidly-growing, worldwide network of more than 380 dealers across six continents in over 115 countries. The firm employs over 14,000 including more than 1,000 R&D engineers and operates 24 manufacturing facilities. Supporting the dealer network are 10 regional offices with sales, marketing and service support, coupled with 10 parts depots located strategically throughout the world, which ensure rapid replacement of parts and servicing of equipment.

To learn more about LiuGong, visit www.liugong.com

To learn more about CSL Equipment, visit www.cslequipment.com.

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For more information please contact:
LiuGong Construction Machinery N.A. LLC
lifts@liugongna.com
(281) 579-8882

CSL Equipment, Ltd.
(403) 248-0005
alchan@cslequipment.com

GREENVILLE, N.C. – It’s not every day that you come across a lift truck that has been in continuous operation for more than six decades. Yale Materials Handling Corporation has located the oldest-known operational Yale® lift truck in the U.S. at J.A. Cunningham Equipment Inc. in York, Penn. The lift truck was manufactured in 1945.

“The fact that this lift truck has been around so long attests not only to the history and quality of Yale lift trucks, but also to the quality of our dealer service,” said Bill Pfleger, president of Yale Distribution. “We’re proud of our trucks and especially our technicians and dealers that keep our trucks in good condition for many years of dependable service. A great truck doesn’t end at the forks, but extends to the Yale team that supports it.”

“My father purchased the forklift used in 1966,” said Paul Cunningham, president of J.A. Cunningham Equipment Inc., “When I took over the family business, there was never a need to replace the truck. It has always been as durable as the other Yale models we have.”

The Yale model K41-4M forklift has the capacity to lift approximately 3,000 lbs. and has carried skids of welding wires and other equipment for more than 60 years. The lift truck has never required extremely expensive repairs and functions right alongside their newer model Yale lifts trucks. J. A. Cunningham uses Eastern Lift Truck Company, a Yale® dealer headquartered in Maple Shade, N.J., with 11 locations, including York, Penn., to service their lift trucks.

“I first learned of this forklift when I joined our dealership back in 1986 and remember this truck quite well,” said Mike Edmonds, Marketing Manager of Eastern Lift Truck. “We used to joke about our road technicians not being ‘real’ mechanics until they serviced this forklift: locating and lubing all 75 high-pressure grease fittings.”

While the lift truck is still operational when called upon, J.A. Cunningham has mainly retired the truck in lieu of another Yale lift truck. The previously oldest-known lift truck in operation was discovered at Kliegal Machine Company in Big Flats, N.Y. that was manufactured in 1953. 

A family-owned business, J.A. Cunningham Equipment Inc. was established in 1945 as a welding supply distributorship. Now, the company specializes in welding equipment and welding supply, selling their products nationwide. Later, J.A. Cunningham Equipment also started WeldSale, a sister enterprise that sells welding platens, welding tables, acorn style tables and assorted tooling.

Yale welcomes information and images regarding potentially older operational models of its lift trucks. Those materials can be submitted by completing the Yale contact form, or by emailing Ryan Fisher at ryan.fisher@jacksonmg.com.

About Yale Materials Handling Corporation
Yale Materials Handling Corporation markets a full line of materials handling lift truck products and services, including electric, gas, LP-gas and diesel powered lift trucks; narrow aisle, very narrow aisle and motorized hand trucks. Yale has a comprehensive service offering including Fleet Management, Yale service, parts, financing and training. For more information, or to find the Yale® lift truck dealer nearest you, call 1-800-233-YALE or visit www.yale.com.

Yale Materials Handling Corporation is part of NACCO Materials Handling Group, Inc. (NMHG), a wholly owned subsidiary of Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc. (NYSE:HY).  Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc. and its subsidiaries, headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, employ approximately 5,300 people worldwide.

Yale is a Registered Trademark of Yale Materials Handling Corporation.  People. Products. Productivity. is a Trademark in the United States and certain other jurisdictions.

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For more information please contact:
Ryan Fisher
864-272-3023
ryan.fisher@jacksonmg.com
 

The complexity of global supply chains, increasing costs, explosion in order and delivery channels, rising customer expectations and new consumer behavior have all contributed to the growing challenges faced by organizations when it comes to order fulfillment operations.

Capgemini, in partnership with Oracle recently announced the findings of its global supply chain and logistics management study entitled: "From Customer Orders through Fulfillment: Challenges in Manufacturing, High Tech, and Retail." The study surveyed almost 600 top supply chain executives in manufacturing, high-tech and retail businesses worldwide to analyze common fulfillment challenges and areas in need of improvement.

The research reveals that with increasing risk and system complexity, order fulfillment processes are becoming more intricate and inventory management and delivery performance is slipping. Only one in three manufacturers is happy with their order promising and 50 percent of respondents say exception handling needs improvement. As a result, customer satisfaction and retention are put at risk and businesses are forced to allocate additional spending on resources to address the situation, which, coupled with rising prices of raw materials and transport costs, are a growing threat to businesses’ bottom line.

Key conclusions from the report show:

• Key challenges face manufacturing, high-tech and retail companies including maintaining customer satisfaction (44 percent of respondents), order management complexity (42 percent), and inaccurate order promise dates (39 percent)
• Companies need adequate multi-channel management systems – almost nine out of ten manufacturers (86 percent) reported their customers are ordering through multiple channels (with on average 3.1 order-taking channels including e-commerce, call centers and EDI)* and this trend is on the rise – with 45 percent of respondents saying that multi-channel ordering has risen by 45 percent in the last year. The need for a platform that can provide consistent fulfillment process control regardless of the ordering or fulfillment channel used is necessary.
• Outsourcing among manufacturers is expected to continue to rise, particularly in transportation, production and warehousing – just over one third of respondents expect to increase outsourcing of production and warehousing tasks while 46 percent will subcontract more transportation and logistics activities
• Increasing consolidation of the market – one half of manufacturers (47 percent) surveyed have either been acquired by or have purchased another company in the last five years and 56 percent report the merging onto a single ERP system
• Costs are increasing across all sectors – and are up 76 percent on transportation, 70 percent on raw materials, 65 percent for labor-related costs and 41 percent on warehousing. In the retail sector companies report costs associated with fulfillment have risen by 78 percent. Delivery delays and resultant expediting is the largest driver of fulfillment costs
• But at the same time order cycle times are reduced. For example, in manufacturing the period from order receipt to the outgoing shipment to the customer has contracted for 43 percent companies surveyed
• In terms of future challenges, generally accurately promising dates based on fulfillment planning lead times was the top issue overall. Among retailers the top issue was having visibility to planned inventories to commit. Among hi -tech firms 58 percent of respondents say the top future challenge will be data accuracy while 46 percent say this will be the timeliness of data

“It’s clear that given the growth of multi-channel complexities, it’s time for industries to consider the impacts that these requirements place on their businesses," says Ben Pivar, Senior Vice President and head of North America Supply Chain Technologies at Capgemini. "Manufacturers should consider following retailers in embracing the new multi-channel reality by evaluating up-sell and cross-sell opportunities across product lines to create a consistent and profitable customer experience across all channels. In order to truly make this work, manufacturers need to consider how to integrate multi-channel requirements throughout their supply chain operations.”

“Value chain integration is a long-term trend and there is an urgent need for more collaborative planning and execution," says Jennifer Sherman, Senior Director of Applications Strategy, at Oracle. "The threats of volatility and change in the marketplace can be mitigated by the existence of an agile and scalable supply chain platform. Businesses need to consider investing in a technology platform to create a centralized view and single face to the customer and to ease the adoption of new business processes without mandating a replacement of existing supply chain execution systems.”

Click here to download the full report.

The Steel Erectors Association of America (SEAA) has agreed to support CRC/ICHC to be held May 29-30 in Indianapolis, Ind., announces MCM Events, the conference organizer. SEAA comes on board as a Supporting Organization at the same time that MCM Events finalizes the agenda.

SEAA represents contractors engaged in building with steel and promotes safety, education, and training programs for steel erector trades, assists with development of standards, and cooperates with others to impact the commercial construction business. SEAA joins the Construction Users Roundtable (CURT) and the Ohio Manufacturers Association, other professional organizations that have agreed to promote the conference to their respective members.  Two industry publications are supporting the event as Media Partners. They are Wire Rope Exchange, a publication for distributors of crane, rigging, lifting and load securement products, and Construction Superintendent, which is geared toward the needs of commercial construction superintendents, offering current news, technology, and methods.

“Ongoing education is always important, but with OSHA’s Nov. 10, 2014 deadline looming for the certification of crane operators, we strongly encourage our members to attend CRC/ICHC in order to stay abreast of industry trends and educate themselves on issues specifically related to this mandate,” said Tom Underhill, Executive Director of the SEAA.

Crane and Rigging Experts to Speak on Business, Safety, Operations, and Technology
Technology and timeless safety topics top the 2013 agenda, which includes presentations from a variety of industry leaders and experts, as well as crane and rigging professionals with jobsite experience. Setting the tone for the event will be the keynote address by Matthew Wallace, President and CEO of VRSim.

Wallace, who is a 2011 Engineering News-Record Top 25 Newsmaker, will share how simulator technology is valuable for recruitment and training. Attendees will get an opportunity to experience crane simulators first-hand during an interactive session hosted by North American Crane Bureau Group, the conference Event Partner. A case study from Bechtel Equipment Operations will demonstrate how it is bringing mobile learning to the jobsite using tablets and rigging and lift planning apps.

New to this year’s conference is a Lift Planning Vendor Vignette where attendees will hear from a member of the ASME P30 committee about a new standard on Lift Planning, followed by short features and benefits presentations from several lift planning software providers, including Lift Planner, Cranimax, and 3D Lift Plan.

Other sessions deal with safety and operational issues. “Practical Applications of the OSHA Crane Regulation” will provide implementation strategies to help safety and risk managers comply with 1926.1400. “Lift Planning for Heavy

Lifts” will address logistical considerations and site preparation for intermodal transport of loads with ASME B30 and ASME P30 standards as a backdrop. Other topics deal with specifying overhead crane hoist brakes and establishing good signaling and communication practices.

Good rigging practices are central to safe lifting operations with both mobile and overhead cranes. Mike Riggs of the Rigging Institute will present a workshop on load control with multi-leg rigging and he will host a hands-on session for participants to practice their rigging gear inspection skills. Brett Woodland of Associated Wire Rope will discuss working with heavy lift shackles in extreme environments. And Patrick Clark from Lifting Gear Hire will explain spreader beam selection.

The complete agenda can be found at http://www.craneandriggingconference.com/crc-ichc/crc-agenda/.

CRC/ICHC would not be possible without the financial support of its sponsors. Many of this year’s sponsors, including Liebherr Cranes and Morrow Equipment, are returning from last year in support of the conference. They join Event Partner North American Crane Bureau Group, an international crane, hoist, and rigging training company, which conducts nearly 400 training seminars annually. A limited number of sponsorship and exhibitor spots remain available. For information, contact Mark Bridger at mbridger@maxcapmedia.com.

About MCM Events
MCM Events is a division of Maximum Capacity Media, publisher of Crane & Rigging Hot Line, Industrial Lift & Hoist, Lift and Access, and other lifting equipment industry publications. MCM Events produces the MCM-CIC Crane Operator Rodeo, Lift and Access Showcase & Symposium, SAF-T Conference, and other live and virtual events. For more information about CRC/ICHC visit www.craneandriggingconference.com.

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For more information please contact:
Franci Motz
fmotz@maxcapmedia.com
602-368-8552