DC Velocity - February 2013

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PHOTO COURTESY OF TOYOTA MATERIAL HANDLING

Here’s our monthly roundup of charitable works by companies in the logistics and material handling industries:

▪ Refrigi Wear and the World Food Logistics Organization (WFLO) have awarded the 2013 WFLO Scholarship to Raul Flores of Frez-N-Stor. Flores, who progressed from forklift operator to operations manager at Frez-N-Stor, has been active in safety promotion and human resources at his company. Flores will use the scholarship to further his professional education.

▪ Toyota Material Handling (USA) Inc. celebrated the end of its 2012 philanthropic giving year by donating two internal combustion lift trucks to the city of Columbus, Ind., and to United Way of Bartholomew County, Ind. Toyota forklifts are manufactured at Toyota Industrial Equipment Mfg. Inc. (TIEM) in Columbus.

▪ Logistics service provider C.H. Robinson once again sponsored WolvesCare month with the Minnesota Timberwolves FastBreak Foundation. Throughout the month of January, the company supported the foundation’s grant awards and community service events, which focused on assisting children suffering from chronic illnesses.

▪ The nonprofit Containerization & Intermodal Institute presented the Seamen’s Church Institute (SCI) at Port Newark with a $5,000 donation to assist in repairing damage to the center caused by Superstorm Sandy. SCI of New York and New Jersey provides pastoral care, education, and legal advocacy to mariners in North America and elsewhere. ;

Good deeds

Know someone who has made an exceptional contribution to the field of supply chain management? If so, you might consider nominating him or her for the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) 2013 Distinguished Service Award.

The award—the highest honor for individual achievement in supply chain management (SCM)—recognizes individuals for their long-term contributions to the profession. Nominees are evaluated against five criteria:

▪ Recognition as a leader in supply chain management (SCM)

▪ Contributions above the normal expectations of the job

▪ Recognition as an innovator in SCM

▪ Education of SCM professionals through both oral and written communications

▪ Distinguished record of contribution to the discipline of SCM

The recipient will be honored at CSCMP’s Annual Global Conference 2013, slated for Oct. 20–23 in Denver. Details of the nomination and award process, along with a list of past recipients, are available at CSCMP’s website ( cscmp.org). The deadline is April 30. Questions? Contact Sue Paulson at (630) 645-3469 or spaulson@cscmp.org. ;

Do you know a supply chain standout?

Intelligrated, a designer, manufacturer, and installer of automated material handling solutions, celebrated the grand opening of a new addition to its Mason, Ohio, headquarters on Jan. 9. At 122,000 square feet, the new wing nearly doubles the size of the building.

The addition includes offices, customer and staff training rooms, a demonstration and testing facility, and employee-friendly amenities like a restaurant. With the opening, Intelligrated will relocate some technical staff to Mason. The company currently employs 2,100 people and expects to hire some 200 new employees in 2013.

The expansion caps a heady couple of years for the 11-year-old company. Since buying FKI Logistex in 2010, Intelligrated has expanded facilities and added staff in its U.S. regional operations; opened an office in Brazil; expanded its presence in Canada; purchased Knighted, a supplier of warehouse management, warehouse control, and labor management software; and was itself acquired by Permira, a private equity firm. In 2012, the company saw bookings increase by a little over 20 percent, according to Jerry Koch, director of corporate marketing.

CEO Chris Cole said the company is pursuing several growth opportunities. One is improved integration of warehouse automation with warehouse management systems and order management systems. Others include providing more customers with complete automation solutions encompassing equipment, software, and technical support; new markets for robotics; expanded use of analytical software; and expansion in international markets, especially Canada, Mexico, and South America. Some of that growth will be organic, but Intelligrated also expects to make more acquisitions, Cole said.

Intelligrated’s product lines include conveyor and sortation systems, palletizers, robotics, order fulfillment systems, machine controls, and software. ;