In this month’s employee spotlight, we interview Eric Dodd, Assistant Director of Field Services. He talks about challenges our service group faces, why training matters, and his favorite Houston sports moment.

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In the cold and frozen food sector, tremendous growth combined with a serious shortage of capacity is severely constraining companies today. “The frozen food market is currently experiencing remarkable growth, with its global value soaring to $265 billion. In the U.S. alone, new frozen food sales have impressively surpassed the $72 billion mark,” states Rick Kingery in the Colliers’ article “Capitalizing on the $265 Billion Frozen Food Market: Cold Storage’s Crucial Role.”

Adding to the challenge, “We estimate the U.S. will need up to 100-million-square-feet of additional cold storage space in the coming years,” states Marty Khait in an article posted on the Refrigerated & Frozen Foods Magazine website, “The Cold Reality: Why America’s Cold Storage Capacity is Running Low.”

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You’ve seen the statistics about labor shortages over the last few years. The reality for recruiters on the ground is more obvious: there have been plenty of no-shows for job interviews (or for the first day of work). Candidates ghost companies throughout the process. You may have to take down a job posting only to put it right back up when someone quits. Particularly for the roles warehousing and manufacturing companies need to hire, the difficulties are real – and only growing.

So how do you attract and keep the right candidates for your company?

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Your pallet flow system produces a smooth, orderly process first-in, first out product flow. To ensure it performs, regular inspections and timely repairs are essential. Although pallet flow systems typically require minimal maintenance, proper employee training and consistent checks can help avoid misuse and prolong the life of your equipment. Pallet flow systems are built to flow heavy pallets from infeed to picking, using brakes and dampeners. Over time, these components must be inspected, maintained or even replaced for optimum, safe performance.

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Most every automated warehouse system utilizes programmable logic controls control systems that interface between hardware and other software. PLCs easily integrate with other control systems – Human-Machine Interfaces (HMIs), WMS, WCS and enterprise resource planning software for better monitoring, data collection and overall system management. They provide robust, local and flexible programming that can evolve as needs change.

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In this month’s employee spotlight, we chat with Lori Knaeble, Accounts Payable Manager within our Finance Department. Lori is vital to ensuring our accounting processes run smoothly and keep flowing, all with a smile or a laugh!

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Initiating an automation project can be daunting. You have to ask for a budget. You have to justify your ideas. Inertia and tradition are your enemies. If you find yourself staring at a blank page, intimidated by the idea of beginning to automate, you’re not alone.

As we have discussed before, there’s no reason you must automate all at once when incremental steps will serve. You can set yourself up for success and start a project with greater confidence with careful thought and planning. What does that process look like?

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Conveyors are the beating heart of any industrial or distribution facility. Their daily operation is critical for moving product through your facility and to the key functional areas. They must flow seamlessly, each one performing its task to move forward.

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In this month’s employee spotlight, we sit with Chris Henry, an engineering manager with our Systems Technology Group. Chris is a key member of this group, working with his colleagues to design controls solutions to customer specifications and create impactful programming.

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This month’s Insights focuses on top states for new factories, autonomous technology and the latest on manufacturing workforce development.

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