DECEMBER 2014
VOLUME 12 NO. 12
inside
26 R is for “robot”: interview
with Tom Bonkenburg
BY JAMES A. COOKE
We’re likely to see more robots in DCs within
the decade. But Tom Bonkenburg says the first
wave will probably look a lot more like driverless
forklifts than R2-D2 or C-3PO.
31 Shippers show “grudging
acceptance” of truck rate
hikes
BY MARK B. SOLOMON
Shippers, carriers conclude contract talks, with
shippers resigned to rates heading upward one
way or another.
36 Heading for zero
BY PETER BRADLEY
Ace Hardware worked with its waste and
recycling contractor to get one DC to the point
where it ships nothing to a landfill. A second DC
is close behind. And that’s only a part of the
hardware cooperative’s sustainability efforts.
39 A complicated question
BY TOBY GOOLEY
Which is better: one centralized reverse logistics
processing center or several regional ones?
Experts say the answer depends on a lot more
than just cost and efficiency.
46 How to avoid a DIM future
BY DAVID MALONEY
Don’t panic. Parcel dim weight pricing is coming,
but there are things you can do to skirt parcel
Armageddon.
