MHI Industry News
   
Emulate3D Ltd.
   
Top Story
Diversity, equity and inclusion in supply chains
  
Diversity is more than just a buzzword used when recruiting for a company. Today’s employers are looking for the best talent, and skilled workers will gravitate toward companies that embrace workers from all walks of life. In this MHI.cast podcast, we speak to Annette Danek-Akey from Penguin Random House and Dr. Randy Bradley from the University of Tennessee about why diversity, equity and inclusion are integral for supply chains and what you can do to create a workplace where employees are engaged, included and enjoy a high level of trust and job satisfaction.
Optimize. Connect. Automate.
The Raymond Corporation
Business is always changing. Always evolving. To keep pace you must run better, manage smarter. At Raymond we are committed to providing innovative intralogistics solutions that will optimize your business, increase productivity, accelerate insights through connectivity and transform operations through automation.
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MHI Updates
MHI to preview 2021 Annual Industry Report during ProMatDX keynote panel
  
MHI will preview the 2021 MHI Annual Industry Report "Innovation Driven Resilience" during the April 14 keynote at ProMatDX. During the keynote, Thomas Boykin of Deloitte will join John Paxton, CEO of MHI, to present the findings of the 2021 report that details the innovations that are driving this change from traditional to digital supply chains. This is the eighth MHI Annual Industry Report released by MHI in collaboration with Deloitte Consulting.
MHEFI announces Donors Club for 2020
The Material Handling Education Foundation, Inc. (MHEFI) is pleased to announce the 2020 Donors Club. These firms and individuals have contributed to MHEFI over the last year. MHEFI donations provide grants and scholarships to cultivate and educate tomorrow’s material handling, logistics and supply chain workforce.
   
Adrian's Safety Solutions
      
FOX IV Technologies, Inc.
   
New white paper shares findings from testing cold-formed steel in subzero temperatures
Cold-formed steel is used in the construction of both building structures and storage racks. It is also finding application in colder environments. These include key components of industrial steel storage racks used in cold-storage freezers and buildings in colder climates closer to the Arctic and Antarctic regions. To contribute to the knowledge on this subject, RMI sponsored research that resulted in the recently published white paper, “Material Properties of Cold-Formed Steel Under Subzero Temperatures.”
Technology and Innovation
MHI announces finalists for 2021 MHI Innovation Awards
  
MHI is pleased to announce the finalists for the 2021 MHI Innovation Awards. After receiving 92 submissions for this year’s awards, eight independent judges comprised of professionals from the material handling and supply chain industry completed the initial vetting process. Ten finalists were chosen as the most innovative products in each category - Best New Innovation; Best Innovation of an Existing Product; and Best IT Innovation based on concept, value, and impact. The winners will be announced during a ProMatDX keynote session at 11:00 AM CT on April 12 at promatshow.com.
Two ProMatDX 2021 education sessions explore how to select an automated storage and retrieval system and calculate ROI
During ProMatDX 2021, members of the ASRS industry group of MHI will present two separate education sessions covering the selection of automated storage and retrieval systems for an operation and how to most accurately calculate an expected return on investment (ROI) when purchasing this technology. Open to all ProMatDX attendees free of charge, the two sessions will each run for 30 minutes.
What to Know When Selecting Self-Driving Equipment
Vecna Robotics®
Autonomous material handling equipment like smart, self-driving fork trucks, pallet trucks, and tuggers are becoming a standard tool for facility operations and are often key for maximizing throughput and staying competitive. Download the easy-to-understand, side-by-side comparison of the different operating platforms – see what they are, how each works, and understand why the industry has moved on from AGVs & VGVs automation to the advanced fully autonomous AMR equipment.
See the Comparison
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Material handling in 2025: What will drive the growth of AGVs?
By the middle of this decade, warehouse and manufacturing facilities will be on pace to upgrading their material handling equipment to automated guided vehicles (AGVs). As firms continue to invest in automation, these independently guided machines will replace more traditional solutions.
   
Mezzanine Safeti-Gates, Inc.
      
Lean Factory America, LLC
   
Sustainability
Lithium-ion: A high ROI drives the future of the material handling solution
The European Union has a mandate to make all economic activity carbon neutral by 2050, and part of that plan is converting to power sources that are capable of running on lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries in place of gasoline engines and lead-acid batteries. That’s setting the table for U.S. firms to co-opt some of the energy-efficient power supply systems that original equipment manufacturers are producing for European customers, but for economic reasons.
Supply Chain Trends
The strategy of micro-fulfillment grocery
  
Micro-fulfillment has become crucial in meeting customer demand, especially as COVID-19 continues to change order fulfillment processes around the world. Industries such as grocery have greatly benefited from using micro-fulfillment to serve their customers. On this episode of MHI.view, learn how micro-fulfillment works, who benefits from it, and how to take the first steps in implementing it in your own operations.
University of Wisconsin-Platteville Online
UW-Platteville Online®
Earn a 100% online master’s degree in Integrated Supply Chain Management. Round out your degree based on career aspirations and earn graduate credit with professional credentials. 
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Brother International Corp
      
Tennant Company
   
Workforce
Refining the training process with VR
  
Virtual reality is becoming a valuable teaching tool in training new supply chain employees. With the ability to simulate a warehouse environment, new hires can familiarize themselves with their work stations and warehouse technology before even starting the job. In this video, learn about some of the benefits of training using VR.
Load handling device options for workstation cranes enhance ergonomics
When assisted by workstation cranes installed overhead in manufacturing and assembly work cells, operators can lift, lower, handle, position and move heavy objects safely and efficiently. As it serves as the connection between the workpiece and the crane’s hoist and trolley, choosing the optimal ergonomic handling device is critical.
Safety training best practices reduce risk of worker injuries
Nearly every warehouse and distribution center touts “safety first” as an operational mandate; yet some operations have better safety records than others. With the Bureau of Labor Statistics noting that annual warehouse fatalities doubled between 2015 and 2017, and warehouse injury rates hovering at 1.5 per 100 full-time associates, companies are increasingly turning to training tools that have proven to be most effective.