DC Velocity - January 2012

NEW LOGISTICS PRODUCTS & SERVICES EDITED BY DAVID MALONEY

rollouts

Pneumatic tire forklift: Nissan Forklift Corp. has introduced the GO6 Series to its Platinum line of industrial trucks. The heavyweight pneumatic tire GO6 Series forklift truck features a powerful diesel engine, allowing it to lift loads of up to 17,500 pounds to heights of up to 26 feet.

The diesel engine, equipped with a turbo charger, has a common rail fuel-injection system that uses the optimal amount of fuel for greater power and fuel economy. Its turbo charger creates more power by forcing compressed air into the cylinders. This constant pressure boost occurs over the entire rpm range, for greater torque at low speeds. To further maximize the turbo’s benefits, an intercooler chills the compressed air, creating a denser intake charge. As a result, more power is produced with a large reduction in nitrogen oxide emissions through its Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR). This design ensures that the GO6’s exhaust levels are well below what’s required by Tier III standards.

The GO6 Series forklift truck uses hydrostatic power steering for greater control and maneuverability. Operator comfort features include a full suspension seat, wide-view carriage, and two-speed automatic transmission. The seat-actuated power interrupt feature prevents lift and tilt functions when an operator is not on board. Platinum GO6 models include an engine protection and warning system that reduces the engine rpm when there is excessive heat generation. (Nissan Forklift Corp., www.nissanforklift.com)

Labor management software enhancements: World class supply chains require people, processes, and technology to be fully aligned in order to achieve superior operational performance. Optimizing the human component of this equation can be one of the most challenging facets facing companies today. Comprehensive workforce engagement is one of the most effective ways for organizations to ensure that all employees are united around common goals and have a vested interest in all positive outcomes.

To address this challenge for its customers, Manhattan Associates has developed Manhattan SCOPE Social, an engagement framework that enables companies to connect social networking capabilities and supply chain solutions. Manhattan SCOPE Social integrates actionable operational data with public and/or enterprise social networking tools such as Facebook, Twitter, Yammer, Moxie, and Rypple to engage the workforce in achieving superior operational results.

Manhattan SCOPE Social has been launched with Manhattan’s Labor Management solution, to enable collaboration between supervisors and associates, including two-way feedback, recognition, praise, and sharing of information to provide continuous operational improvement.

Manhattan’s Labor Management solution, part of the Distribution Management suite within the Manhattan SCOPE portfolio, is designed to reduce labor costs by objectively measuring employee performance against pre-defined standards while decreasing employee turnover by rewarding efficiency, quality, and safety. (Manhattan Associates Inc., www.manh.com)

Ergonomic worker platforms: Southworth Products Corp. has introduced worker platforms that bring the worker to the work. These platforms are appropriate for stock picking from higher shelves, such as the vertically stacked compartments of storage carousels. They are also suitable for assembly or maintenance operations where large structures, such as aircraft or heavy equipment, must be accessed at elevated or varying heights. Offering more flexibility and safety than scaffolding or ladders, Southworth’s custom-configured lifts can be designed into most production lines, according to the manufacturer.

Southworth produces stable scissor lifts in stationary or movable configurations and in a multitude of platform sizes and lifting ranges, working with the customer to accommodate budgetary limitations as well as unique, application-specific requirements.

Options include custom controls; soft start/stop; indexed lifting and lowering; slide-out sections that increase platform size when necessary; fold-down safety gates and handrails; custom deck treatments (non-skid, anti-static, etc.); and bellows skirting that keeps dust, debris, and moisture out of the lift mechanism. (Southworth Products Corp., www.SouthworthProducts.com)

Plastic divider sheets: Rehrig Pacific Co., a manufacturer of reusable packaging systems and plastic pallets and crates, has developed a new solid plastic divider sheet for the rigid-container industry. This new divider sheet is engineered to work seamlessly in automated systems by matching the required specifications for coefficient of friction, stiffness, flatness, and elasticity.

Rehrig Pacific Tier Sheets are designed specifically for the metal container industry and are a suitable replacement for fiber or corrugated sheets. These reusable sheets can be customized to users’ exact requirements, and a number of standard and FDA-compliant colors are available. Customized printing is also available to add logos or product specifications.

The company says its Tier Sheets won’t absorb moisture that can harbor bacteria and other contaminants. They can be cleaned and disinfected to deliver product protection and then reused for immediate cost savings.

These sustainable products are made with a 100-percent recyclable proprietary co-polymer polypropylene. (Rehrig Pacific Co., www.rehrigpacific.com)

Deep lane automated storage: SafeFlo Technologies is a new company that designs, builds, and retrofits material handling and storage systems, applying pneumatic controls and deep lane storage principles to many rapidly developing areas of material handling, distribution, and supply chain management.

SafeFlo can service and retrofit all existing pneumatic deep lane systems for customers looking for effective ways to minimize the storage space required to manage palletized inventory, increase throughput, and boost worker safety. (SafeFlo Technologies, www.safeflotech.com)