- H2O to go. Yale/Chase Materials Handling, the Yale Materials Handling dealer in City of Industry, Calif., has delivered a fleet of 32 hydrogen-powered lift trucks to Nestlé Waters' new Dallas distribution center. The electric rider vehicles use GenDrive hydrogen fuel cells manufactured by Plug Power Inc.
- Global reach. Powerwave Technologies, a company that offers wireless communication networks, has chosen CEVA Logistics to be its sole provider of worldwide forwarding services. Under the arrangement, CEVA will manage all of Powerwave's heavy air and sea freight. CEVA will also manage a distribution center in Hong Kong and ground transportation in mainland China for its client. In addition, CEVA will be laying the foundation for Powerwave's global brokerage business, focusing on expanding operations in India.
- Fits on a utility belt. Itron, a company that provides metering and data collection products for utilities, has contracted with LXE to develop Itron's next-generation wireless handheld computers. The multiyear deal, worth about $5.5 million annually, will give Itron exclusive rights to sell the LXE-developed rugged handheld computers in the water, gas, and electric utility markets.
- They've got the floor. Pergo, a company that sells laminate flooring, has chosen Transite Technology to provide it with transportation management solutions. Pergo will utilize Transite's My Freight POréal, Contract Manager, and other products and services to gain visibility into transportation and improve its carrier selection process.
- Storage by the Gross. Ferdinand Gross, a European industrial supplies wholesaler, has implemented a custom-made storage and order fulfillment solution featuring the new Dematic Multishuttle. The Dematic Multishuttle is a flexible automated storage and retrieval system for applications that require dynamic, high-rate product sequencing.
- Propose a toast. Stein Mart, a discount fashion retailer based in Jacksonville, Fla., has hired APL Logistics to manage two distribution centers it is opening this year in Atlanta and Dallas. The Atlanta facility will serve as both a consolidation center and distribution operation for 185 stores, while the Dallas facility will handle distribution for about 55 stores.
- Hear, here. Vocollect will soon offer a native voice interface to SAP's NetWeaver Warehouse Management and Extended Warehouse Management Solutions. Vocollect's VoiceWeaver gives SAP distribution centers the advantage of a native NetWeaver interface to their existing SAP infrastructure.
- Serious in Syria. Wared Logistics, a company that provides logistics and transportation services in the Middle East and North Africa, has secured new business for its Syria-based Wared Transport specialized truckload operation. New customers include Premco, a manufacturer of pre-cast concrete and steel beams; the Bahra Steel Co.; and the United Arab Aluminum Co.
- Bottoms up. New Belgium Brewing Co., a regional craft brewery based in Fort Collins, Colo., has implemented the browser-based Fluensee AssetTrack application and passive RFID tags to provide visibility into its keg fleet. Passive RFID readers installed on its fill lines capture data on the tagged beer kegs to help New Belgium determine how often kegs are used and for which beers.
- More in store. Polar, a manufacturer of paper-cutting machines, has installed a tray-based automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS) from Westfalia at its new distribution facility in Hoffheim, Germany. The miniload system stores some 20,000 items in its 3,345 tray positions.
- Few are called, many are frozen. Birdseye Foods, the well-known purveyor of frozen vegetables, has selected HK Systems to provide an automated guided vehicle (AGV) solution for a distribution facility expansion project. The AGVs will help Birdseye achieve higher levels of productivity and customer service.
- Smart move. Jervis B. Webb has signed a deal to provide automatic guided carts to two facilities operated by Western Container, a plastic bottle manufacturer. Webb will supply five SmartCart AGCs to the Western Container facility in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., and three SmartCart AGCs to its facility in Tolleson, Ariz. Webb previously installed four SmartCart AGCs at Western Container's facility in Fife, Wash.
- 'Slots of changes. Keogh Consulting has been hired to renovate the Greensboro, N.C., distribution center of FedEx Office (formerly FedEx Kinko's). Keogh is using Optricity OptiSlot product slotting software to identify and locate items within the facility's various storage areas.
- Betty Crocker would be proud. Exel has been chosen to run a new warehouse in Social Circle, Ga., for its long-time customer General Mills. The facility, due to open next year, will occupy approximately 1.5 million square feet of space and serve customers in the Southwestern states.
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Wreaths Across America