Technology

Safer Handling   BY TOM GRESHAM Among the most prominent ways that sophisticated technology has helped make warehouses safer for workers is the emergence of Automated Storage/Retrieval Systems (ASRS). An ASRS is a combination of equipment and controls that handle, store and retrieve materials under a defined degree of automation. Systems vary from relatively simple, manually controlled order‑picking machines operating ...

Feature   BY MARY LOU JAY   Wearable technologies for warehouse and distribution center operations have been around for more than a decade, but it’s only in the last five years, as the tech has matured, that their adoption has become more widespread and real‑world efficiencies are being seen. Wearables for picking and/or putting come in a variety of configurations. ...

Feature   Collaborative robots branching out from manufacturing applications   BY NICK FORTUNA   Today, you’re more likely to find collaborative robots (cobots) in manufacturing plants, but across industries, companies are increasingly turning to cobots as a solution for their warehouse and distribution center operations. Facing a stubborn labor shortage, safety issues, the need to boost throughput and SKU proliferation, ...

Solutions Spotlight   BY KATIE KUEHNER‑HEBERT For members of MHI’s Hoist Manufacturers Institute (HMI), emphasizing safe work practices involving the use of hoists is always top‑of‑mind. “From providing materials such as fact sheets and tip cards to OSHA and continuing to strengthen our relationship with this body, to examining dos and don’ts of hoist use at the user level, HMI ...

October 12‑15, 2025Tucson, AZ JW Marriott Tucson Starr Pass3800 W. Starr Pass Boulevard, Tucson, Arizona LEAD CHANGE. DRIVE INNOVATION. The 2025 MHI Annual Conference is an interactive thought leadership event for manufacturing, material handling and supply chain professionals that focuses on the technology innovation taking place across the supply chain industry—and the associated workforce challenges highlighted in the 2025 MHI ...

The digital transformation of supply chains promises to supercharge performance, improve efficiency and resilience, slash operating costs, increase customer satisfaction and boost sustainability efforts. However, a persistent shortage of workers with the right skillsets has become a major roadblock to realizing these much‑ballyhooed benefits. It’s time, experts say, to focus on the people side of the human‑tech equation.   BY ...

CEO Update Technology and talent are the fuel of any successful supply chain operation. However, in terms of priority, the human element trumps technology. The talent gap has become one of the biggest barriers to technology adoption. According to the newly released 2025 MHI Annual Industry Report, 83% of the manufacturing and supply chain professionals surveyed said that the ongoing ...

What tools are available to make supply chain hiring run more efficiently?   BY SANDY SMITH   Robots in the warehouse. Artificial intelligence (AI) for predictive analytics. There is no doubt that the supply chain industry is embracing today’s technology. But just how ready is the industry to use AI‑enabled tools in another area—that which deals with all aspects of ...

Digital scheduling tools give companies greater access to available workers.   BY NICK FORTUNA ISTOCK.COM/A STOCKPHOTO Amid low unemployment and stubbornly high turnover, many material‑handling companies have grudgingly concluded that there just isn’t enough talented labor available. Across industries, employers have stepped up recruiting efforts and increased wages but still lack sufficient manpower for their growing operations. It’s easy to ...

CEO Update  Just as a conductor brings together a musical group into a cohesive performance, orchestration strategies keep your data, people and processes continually in sync. This powerful pairing of humans, robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) provides an end‑to‑end, data‑driven view of your supply chain that boosts accuracy and improves efficiency. Adoption of new technology can be daunting for your ...