As the Industry Matures, Costs Are Coming Down, Interest Levels Are Going Up and Companies Are Making the Commitment — By Fiona Soltes — Compared to new and flashy technologies, solar has enjoyed a fairly lengthy day in the sun. Photovoltaic solar energy has been around for roughly 50 years now. But it has continued to gain efficiencies—and acceptance in ...

These MHI Member Companies Share What Makes Their Generation-Spanning Business Operations Successful — By Brian Reaves, MHI Executive Vice President — Days before MHI was prepping to throw open the North and South Halls at McCormick Place in Chicago at ProMat 2017 this past spring, a Board of Governors’ member casually noted that multiple exhibitors—and indeed several MHI member companies—would ...

Gorbel’s Load Handling Technology Reimagined to Improve Patient Outcomes — By Carol Miller, MHI Vice President of Marketing and Communications — After watching her daughter endure painful gait and balance rehabilitation during her recovery from a motorcycle accident in 2011, one of MHI member Gorbel’s employees approached President and CEO Brian Reh to suggest the company adapt its G-Force® overhead ...

Sustainability Is Providing a Competitive Edge and Adding Value Well Beyond Its Environmental Benefits By Sarah B. Hood I would argue that 2017 is the year of supply chain sustainability,” says Lisa Geason-Bauer, chief communications and sustainability officer for MHI member Eco-Latch Systems, makers of Box Latch Products. She point out that sustainability has become a key theme at venues ...

Revolutionary New Features and Trends in Lift Truck Design Are Benefitting the Supply Chains That Rely on Them By Greg Baer, MHI Director of Sales Even a casual browser passing through the lift truck exhibits at ProMat 2017 could clearly see that today’s load handlers are packing every bit as much technology as today’s consumer cars. And not just operator ...

Companies Are Only Beginning to Leverage the Advantages, But the IIoT Is Already Producing Tangible Benefits for Many Corporations By Carol Miller, MHI Vice President of Marketing and Communications When the 2017 MHI Annual Industry Report, “Next-Generation Supply Chains: Digital, On-Demand and Always-On” was released last April, it included—for the first time—research and insight into the Internet of Things (IoT). ...

Growth in Natural Gas Usage in the Transportation Sector Expected to Increase in Coming Years By Sheryl S. Jackson When crude oil prices began rising in 2006, natural gas was seen as a cost-effective fuel alternative for members of the supply chain. The subsequent drop in oil-based fuel prices slowed the purchase of transportation that relies on compressed natural gas, ...

A Closer Relationship is Developing Between Auto Manufacturers and Suppliers—with Material Handling Playing a Key Role By Sandy Smith The U.S. automotive industry has been written off before. But today, technology, consumer demands and outdated business models are driving significant shifts—to the point where tomorrow’s car manufacturers might not look anything like they do today. As the automotive industry goes ...

MHI Member Panther Industries Partners with Neighboring STEM High School to Develop Next Generation Supply Chain Workforce By Angela Jenkins, MHI Director of Career & Technical Education (CTE) In addition to developing curriculum, MHI’s Career & Technical Education (CTE) program provides both resources and support to—as well as facilitates connections between—industry and academia at all levels: including students and instructors ...

Holes in Supply Chain Talent Recruiting Process Cause Missed Opportunities for Some College Grads and Companies in Our Industry By Jack Crumbly, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Tuskegee University, Andrew F. Brimmer College of Business and Information Science The demand for supply chain management talent continues to be an issue for many organizations, including consumer products and goods, transportation, manufacturing, logistics and ...