We have drilled into our minds the need to be a defensive driver. To always be aware of our surroundings, to look all around and focus on the task at hand. Not so easy when there are distractions – phone ringing, a child needing something in the back seat, the dog wants the window opened, weather conditions – the list is endless different for everyone!
Being defensive when working around automated material handling equipment is also not so easy.... Read more »
A family member asked me what I do for a living the other day. Instead of describing at length, I showed him a video created by MHEDA-TV. (View the MHEDA-TV video here) It does a great job of giving an overview of the aspects involved in our industry and how we play a major role in the support systems that move a product through its life cycle.
Watching the video reminded me that joining Retrotech years ago and working in this business was a great choice for me. It appears that I am not alone. In Modern Materials Handling’s 5th Annual Salary Survey (released in September 2012),... Read more »
We recently exhibited at the ProMat 2013 trade show, which showcases material handling, supply chain and logistics solutions in North America. After participating in many trade shows over the years, I believe there are always the “predictable” activities that occur as an exhibitor and as an observer of attendees. But, there are also the “unpredictable” elements, which can lead you to feel like you are gambling on winning potential ROI.
As an exhibitor, there are many known cost factors that go into what to showcase and they haven’t changed over the years. Two huge details:... Read more »
We will be exhibiting at ProMat next week in Chicago. If you are attending the show, please stop by and visit with our order fulfillment experts. We can help you imagine the business possibilities – then deliver guaranteed results. It’s an approach to intelligent order fulfillment systems that starts by focusing on your needs. And it ends only when your distribution center does what we promised it could.
ProMat: Discover the latest solutions to move your business forward as the industry's leading innovators showcase their latest manufacturing, distribution and supply chain equipment and systems at ProMat 2013 held January 21-24 at Chicago's McCormick Place.
ProMat 2013 is the one show where you will see in person, in action the best solutions and innovations the industry has to offer and meet the leading providers face-to-face. There is no cost to attend the exhibits and conference sessions. Register Today!
Today is the annual Thanksgiving Breakfast here at Retrotech. I'm always pleasantly surprised at the many traditions Retrotech has throughout the year to bring the employees and their families together. There are numerous staff members that have been here 15-20+ years. Many started fresh out of college. That speaks volumes about Retrotech. I thought it would be appropriate to repost last year's blog about our amazing Thanksigiving Breakfast. The “founder” of the breakfast, Ted Thompson provides us with the history behind the breakfast.
Enjoy and we all hope you have a safe holiday! Happy Thanksgiving! _________________________________________________
This November will mark the 21st Thanksgiving Breakfast celebration event here at Retrotech. The idea originated when the ladies of the office staff provided a thank you breakfast for the shop personnel. Read more »
Hello, please allow me to introduce myself. I am the new Chief Blogger, Maxum M. Velositi, but you can call me Max. I’ve been working at Retrotech since we opened our doors in 1985 and the landscape in the material-handling world sure has changed since I first started. Extraordinary pressures to deliver complex/custom orders faster, cut costs, reduce our carbon footprint and more - all while staying compliant with ever-growing regulations - have made success a tricky task.
As always, the goal for this blog is to provide insights for warehouse professionals and I’ll do so by sharing some of my experiences, in hopes that I can help you navigate some of the more challenging areas. I represent a combination of the skills, talents and expertise accrued over the past quarter century at Retrotech. I will be sharing input from a variety of Retrotech experts representing a range of skills, and views on topics such as business strategy, maintenance, ASRS modernizations, software, electrical engineering, safety, warehouse control systems, systems design, integration and more.
Be sure to check back often and provide me with your comments and suggestions, so we can continue the conversation.
Next week our first blog will be about safety issues.
At the close of 2011 we note that the world is changing in many different ways. To the extent this change is predictable, distribution center managers can anticipate and develop effective responses to these strategic challenges that will enable their operations to continue profitably serving their customers. As an example of predictable change we can cite demographic stats that show populations in most developed countries are growing and skewing older as people take actions to support living longer, healthier lives. Those who remember Mary Tyler Moore in prime time can recall a time when heavy smoking, drinking and unhealthy eating were fairly commonplace. Outside of the Frat House, that world has all but vanished.
More consumers are buying goods and services from trusted firms that demonstrate shared values such as environmental stewardship or social responsibility. As regions grow in affluence, the diet is also changing. According to the USDA Economic Research Service, global consumer spending in most foreign markets indicate that spending for staples such as wheat and rice is on the decline as spending grows on higher valued food items such as meat, dairy, fruits and vegetables.
To retain value, fresh food will need to move more rapidly from farm to fork. To ensure health and security, shipments will need to be traceable. Order errors and damaged goods must be eradicated. To extend the distance a driver can travel, trucks will need to be unloaded and loaded rapidly. Delays will incur penalties. The only other way to ensure food nutrition is uncompromised is through refrigeration and freezing. Steps must be made to make sure energy is used as efficiently as possible. Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems can use 70% less energy compared against manual operations using humans and forklift trucks. According to a recent presentation at CSCMP, the installation of LEDs to illuminate freezers yielded a 22% ROI for Walmart Canada.
It all stands to reason that investments to adopt automated order fulfillment systems or improvement to existing automated systems are superior because they can reduce operating costs as they improve the delivery of value to customers. This also enables firms to show measurable results, for example, reducing energy consumption which can help enhance the perception of value among consumers who purchase your goods.
Tomorrow is
the annual Thanksgiving Breakfast here at Retrotech. This will be my third year enjoying this
feast so I thought it would be appropriate to ask the “founder” of the
breakfast, Ted Thompson to guest post this week and provide us with the history
behind the breakfast. Read more »
After months of careful planning among a number of people I
am happy to present you with the inaugural post of AutomationNATION the
official blog of Retrotech®, Inc.
As our tagline states the purpose of this blog is to provide insights for warehouse professionals. I hope to accomplish this in two ways:
By providing
educational and unbiased information relative to automated material handling,
it’s pros and cons
Provide
a platform for open and honest discussion regarding #1
You can expect weekly posts from a variety of Retrotechexperts representing a diverse range of skills, specialties and view
points on topics such as ASRS modernizations, software design, electrical
engineering, warehouse control systems, reverse engineering and systems design
and integration.
In the end I want to make sure you get the information
that’s valuable to you. So please let me
know if the blog is hitting the mark or not.
If you have some ideas already feel free to share them, you might win a $50 American Express gift card for your troubles.
Rob Ewanow
Editor and Chief Blogger Retrotech® Inc
Hello, please allow me to introduce myself. I am the new Chief Blogger, Maxum M. Velositi, but you can call me Max. I’ve been working at Retrotech since we opened our doors in 1985 and the landscape in the material-handling world sure has changed since I first started. Extraordinary pressures to deliver complex/custom orders faster, cut costs, reduce our carbon footprint and more - all while staying compliant with ever-growing regulations - have made success a tricky task. 
At the close of 2011 we note that the world is changing in many different ways. To the extent this change is predictable, distribution center managers can anticipate and develop effective responses to these strategic challenges that will enable their operations to continue profitably serving their customers. As an example of predictable change we can cite demographic stats that show populations in most developed countries are growing and skewing older as people take actions to support living longer, healthier lives. Those who remember Mary Tyler Moore in prime time can recall a time when heavy smoking, drinking and unhealthy eating were fairly commonplace. Outside of the Frat House, that world has all but vanished.
