inbound
Here’s our monthly roundup of some of
the charitable works and donations by
companies in the material handling and
logistics space.
b In June, transportation and logistics
giant FedEx and humanitarian organi-
zation Direct Relief teamed up to ship
20,703 pounds of requested medical aid
to Paraguay, where intense seasonal rains
have caused widespread flooding, dis-
placing tens of thousands of people. The
25-pallet shipment included respiratory
supplies, IV fluids, cardiovascular med-
ications, antibiotics, prenatal vitamins,
and other medical items requested by
Paraguay’s Ministry of Health.
b Lake Success, N. Y.-based Transervice
Logistics Inc., a customized transpor-
tation solutions provider, conducted a
month-long drive that col-
lected nearly 400 books,
CDs, DVDs, and magazines
for The Book Fairies, a Long
Island, N. Y.-based nonprofit.
The Book Fairies will dis-
tribute the donations to people in need
throughout metropolitan New York.
b Employees of Rockford, Ill.-based
supply chain and technology integrator
SupplyCore Inc. raised $15,430 for local
charities this year, setting a new record.
SupplyCore matched the amount raised,
bringing the total to $30,860. All pro-
ceeds were donated to four not-for-profit
organizations, including Youth Services
Network, the disability services group
RAMP, Walter Lawson’s Children’s
Home, and the Veterans’ Drop-In Center.
b A team of 68 walkers and volunteers from Maxim Truck & Trailer,
a Canadian retailer of new and used
trucking equipment, raised $230,024 for
CancerCare Manitoba at the foundation’s
2019 Challenge for Life event. Maxim has
raised $1,527,244 for the organization
since the event’s inception in 2008. The
CancerCare Manitoba Foundation helps
patients and their families throughout
Manitoba, northwestern Ontario, and
Nunavut who are dealing with a cancer
diagnosis.
Logistics gives back
AR tool lets mechanics hone their skills on
virtual trucks
Transportation fleets face the constant challenge of keeping their trucks
in peak operating condition, all while ensuring that their technicians
are up to date on the latest technology. Now, a training platform might
make those tasks easier by using augmented reality (AR) to let techs
study digital versions of equipment from any location.
The Virtual Equipment Training
product from Orlando, Fla.-based
Design Interactive Inc. is designed to
be used in conjunction with the company’s Augmentor transportation-focused AR software. Training content
can be supplied to technicians on either
smartphones or HoloLens virtual-reality headsets, enabling managers
to distribute transportation-focused training modules across multiple
maintenance locations.
“Virtual Equipment Training gives technicians the ability to train even
when a vehicle or piece of equipment is not available,” Matt Johnston,
division head of commercial solutions for Design Interactive, said in a
release. “This new capability improves shop productivity because technicians no longer have to waste valuable time waiting for equipment to
be available or for suppliers to schedule classroom training. Technicians
can train using augmented reality anywhere, anytime using nothing
more than the phone already in their pocket.”
Workplace theft costs U.S. employers
$50 billion annually, due to the loss
of valuable assets such as electronic
devices and construction equipment.
Despite the scale of the problem,
many small to mid-sized businesses
(SMBs) have had limited access to cost-effective solutions, according to
the label and printing solutions supplier Avery Products Corp., a former
unit of Avery Dennison that is now owned by CCL Industries Inc.
To address the problem, Brea, Calif.-based Avery has launched a line
of high-performance asset tags that serve as affordable theft-prevention
labels. The PermaTrack Asset Tags give small businesses access to the
asset-tracking tools needed to deter workplace theft, allowing asset managers to print customized tags on demand with an existing laser printer,
according to Avery.
The product line ranges from lightweight white tags to durable printable metallic label sheets, with prices starting as low as 15 cents per
label. That price point could be attractive in a market where traditional
heavy-duty asset tags usually require large minimum order quantities
and cost over a dollar per label on average, Avery says.
Tag, you’re it
