The Integrated Systems and Controls (ISC) Council of Material Handling Industry of America has released a new report titled An Evaluation of Operational Performance in Warehousing, Distribution and Manufacturing., and it has some interesting information for those who operate warehouses, distribution centers, manufacturing, and commercial operations.

The key thing? You’re still being asked to squeeze more value from your operation – and you need to be able to do it with fewer resources.

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We’ve explained the advantages of 24-volt roller conveyor systems in the past, and wanted to get to you with this new product announcement from Hytrol: the Timing Belt Transfer. The E24™ powered timing belt strands and a pneumatic lift make this conveyor accessory powerful enough to sort up to 40 cartons per minute. The neoprene timing belts are coated with urethane to ensure positive grip when transferring the product. The drive sheaves come standard with ABEC-1 bearings, contributing to longer transfer life. The modular design of the transfer allows for simple system configurations.

Integrating an E24™ Transfer into your system is easy, as the standard configuration bolts into 3-inch roller centers in just minutes. For full bed width and extended configurations, an optional E24™ lineshaft kit is available so roll-to-roll o-rings are out of the way.

We have published a 2010 Cisco-Eagle Full Line Catalog, with 132 pages of ideas, concepts, and equipment for industrial, warehousing, manufacturing and commercial productivity. You can ask us for a print copy or choose to download PDF copies of the book, by section.

All of the listed catalog files below are PDF files and open in a new window.

• Systems & Services (p. 1-15)
• Conveyors (p. 16-38)
• Carton Flow Systems (p.39-44)
• Storage Racks – Pallet, stacking, cantilever (p. 45-55)
• Industrial Shelving (p. 56-70)
• Containers, Bins, Totes (p. 71-79)
• Shop Equipment.Workstations (p. 80-85)
• Security Equipment, Cages, & Lockers (p. 86-95)
• Safety & Ergonomics (p. 96-99)
• Mezzanines & Industrial Platforms (p. 100-104)
• Lifts, Balancers, Jib Cranes (p. 105-110)
• Dock Equipment (p. 111-115)
• Carts & Trucks (p. 116-120)
• Casters & Wheels (p. 121-132)

The catalog in its entirety is a very large PDF (12MB) download, and also available.

Please note that the catalog does not list prices. Almost every item in it is priced on this website, with extensive details, specifications, photos, and in many cases video. See our online catalog for comprehensive information.

This is an excellent resource for warehousing and distribution professionals. The presentations, originally made at April’s North America show, are available free of charge from the Material Handling Industry of America website. They feature a variety of topics, and include PDF files of the presentations, as well as videos from the NA2010 convention. A sampling of the topics includes:

• The Business Case for Sustainable Distribution Centers
• The Economics of Sortation:
• Save 15-20% in Operating Costs and Reduce Your Carbon Footprint
• The Next Generation in Voice Application Technology
• Optimizing Labor Schedules in a Dynamic Warehouse Environment
• Lean 2.0: The Next Generation in Lean
• Pallet Racks and Decking – Considerations for Selecting, Installing, Maintaining and Operating
• Five Massive Distribution Train Wrecks and How You Can Avoid Them in Your Operation

You should check these out. They’re all archived at the NA2010 site.

Just a quick tip of the hat to the The North Texas WERC (Warehousing Education and Research Council) Chapter. They are planning a 1-day convention on Thursday, September 23, 2010. Even if you’re not a member, you’re welcome to go. Cisco-Eagle will be there, so come by and see us if you attend. Besides our booth, you can visit 8,000 square feet of exhibit showroom and attend four educational presentations with a total of 12 topic options. For an inexpensive, quick, but informative day, it’s hard to beat. There will be raffles, continental breakfast, a hot lunch, and excellent networking opportunities.

The conference is sponsored by TCU and DCVelocity.

• Where: Grapevine Convention Center, 1209 South Main Street, Grapevine, TX 76051
• When: Thursday, September 23
• Cost: $20 to WERC Members, $25 to non-members. Free to students & faculty with ID’s (must submit info prior to the 23rd).
• More information: Visit the North Texas WERC site

We recently mailed thousands of dock equipment mini-catalogs, so you may already have a copy. If not, read on to download one.

It focuses on ways to improve productivity, safety, and security at the shipping & receiving dock. The focus is on equipment such as our exclusive truck-to-dock delivery vehicle conveyor,  dock bumpers, dockplates, and dock door security cages, plastic strip doors. We also toss in some basic storage equipment like shelving and racks, along with all kinds of protective equipment, including edge-of-dock safety gates, bollard covers, man trap dock door cages, column protectors, and more.

• Check out the mini-catalog here (966KB PDF, opens a new window). You can also contact customer service and request a hard copy.
• Article: Security at the Shipping Dock: How to Harden the Target.

Prices are fluid and subject to change in this day and age of energy and steel volatility, so check the part number on our website for any changes.

The Lean Logistics Summit kicks of on June 22 in Cincinnati. The Summit will gather the world’s leading authorities on the subject of lean logistics. Authors, researchers, and company representatives actually on their own lean logistics journey will share their insights. Learn from them and learn from your peers as you network with like-minded professionals. Sessions of interest to warehousing and distribution professionals might include “A Case Study in Lean Distribution,” by Sarah Giffin, Sr. Operations Improvement Manager of CEVA Logistics on 6/22. Also, check out “Implementing Lean Inside the Logistics Facility” later that day. The summit costs $995, but use the code “leannation” for a 25% discount.

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This has very little to do with warehousing, storage, or material handling – the normal stuff you’d see on this blog. It has everything to do with the debt we owe our veterans as the long weekend approaches.  This certainly isn’t original on our part, but it’s about the most apt thing I can think of to say. If you served, or have family who have served, thanks. We owe you everything.

It is the  VETERAN,  not the preacher,
who has given us freedom of religion.

It is  the VETERAN, not the reporter,
who has given us freedom of the press.

It is the VETERAN,  not the poet,
who has given us freedom of speech.

It is  the VETERAN, not the campus organizer,
who has given us freedom to assemble.

It is the VETERAN, not the lawyer,
who has given us the right to a fair trial.

It is the VETERAN, not the politician,
Who has given us the right to vote.

This is great news for small business. How great?

All businesses that purchase or finance less than $800,000 in business equipment should qualify for the Section 179 Deduction. To qualify for the Section 179 Deduction, the equipment purchased must be placed into service between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2010. The list of qualifying equipment includes machines purchased for business use, vehicles, computers, and property attached to your building that isn’t part of the structure (essentially, most material handling equipment). For more information, check out the Section 179 website – it has lists of qualifying companies and an online calculator that helps you figure out your position. As always, see a tax professional to ensure your company and purchase qualify.

Please Note - The HIRE Act does not extend the 50% bonus depreciation that was available in the 2009 tax year.  We’ll let you know if there is movement toward extending that credit.

• www.section179.org has calculators and detailed equipment lists to help you understand how this may affect you.
• Crest Capital Section 179 Calculator

The ESOP Association recently announced its 2010 Annual Awards for Communications Excellence (AACE) award winners, and Cisco-Eagle was among the companies honored. These awards recognize the outstanding communications and educational programs. The awards were presented at the Association’s 33rd Annual Conference in Washington, DC. Cisco-Eagle has been an ESOP (employee owned) company since 2000. Our awards include:

• 1st Place: Category 5-B, External ESOP Advertising – Website
• Runner Up: Category 3-A, Printed Materials, 250 or fewer employees

For more information on Cisco-Eagle’s employee ownership culture, see our ESOP area.

Read more about the AACE Awards.