LogistXGames to test contestants' material handling mettle

Teams in three cities will compete in such exotic events as the Pallet Jack Relay and Forklift Marathon.

By DC Velocity Staff

Forget curling, the caber toss, and log rolling. If you're looking for a truly exotic sport, why not give the Pallet Puzzle Sprint, Pick/Pack Hurdle, or Box Put a try?

You can if you work in the Louisville, Ky.; Cincinnati, Ohio; or Indianapolis, Ind., area and can field a team to compete in the third annual LogistXGames. The competition, which pits teams of warehouse associates representing shippers, carriers, and third-party logistics companies against each other, includes the following tests of skill and might:

• Pallet Puzzle Sprint. Three-person teams each take 36 different-sized corrugated boxes from floor locations, assemble them, and stack them on a pallet. The first team to finish wins.
• Pallet Jack Relay. Three-person teams compete in a timed pallet jack relay race through an obstacle course while keeping the boxes on the pallet.
• Pick/Pack Hurdle. Three-person teams move boxes from the pallet to a warehouse racking system while memorizing positioning and SKUs in a timed race.
• Forklift Marathon. Drivers pick up a pallet containing four small boxes and maneuver the load through an obstacle course to place it on a trailer at the opposite end of the course.
• Box Put. During the Pallet Puzzle Sprint event, teams will have packed one box with fragile, bottled liquid items (bottles of Kentucky bourbon, in the event we watched) using packaging material they select from a predetermined list of options. During the Box Put event, one team member throws the box for distance and accuracy without breaking the contents.

The games are fun, but that's not their sole aim, says Kevin Grove, a senior vice president and partner at the real estate firm CB Richard Ellis (CBRE) Louisville who originated the concept. "There's a serious purpose, and that is to publicize the importance of logistics and distribution, and to encourage more investment and development in this vital economic sector," he said in a statement.In addition to CBRE and the Greater Louisville Inc. chamber of commerce, the games have drawn such sponsors as UPS, Bastian Material Handling, ProLogis, RiteHite, and Premier Packaging, among others.

Eight teams from each city will compete, with the top three from each city advancing to the finals. The Cincinnati and Indianapolis games are scheduled for late June. Louisville held its preliminary games last September. You can watch highlights of that competition on DCV-TV. (Be sure to catch the "half-time show.")

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