inbound

Here’s our monthly roundup of some of the charitable works and donations by companies in the material handling and logistics space.

; Oconomowoc, Wis.-based reusable packaging specialist Orbis has donated 300 gallons of milk to the Greater Chicago Food Depository. This donation was inspired by the recent ProFood Tech 2019 food and beverage trade show in Chicago, where Orbis donated three gallons of milk for every booth visitor it received.

; Following catastrophic flooding in the Midwest in March, truckload and logistics giant Werner Enterprises stepped up to assist with relief efforts in its home state of Nebraska, donating money as well as 19 pallets of water. The carrier also supplied two temperature-con-trolled trailers to hold perishable donations and provided drivers to help move relief supplies.

; In observation of Earth Day 2019, Westerville, Ohio-based contract logistics service provider DHL Supply Chain donated $17,600 to provide 6,000 trees for the greater Columbus, Ohio area.

; Green Bay, Wis.-based transportation and logistics services company Lubenow Cos. Inc. raised more than $5,000 in its inaugural “Hauling for Good” fundraising campaign. The company donated the proceeds to the Littlest Tumor Foundation, an Appleton, Wis.-based nonprofit that supports children with the genetic disorder neurofibromatosis.

; To support the Utah Food Bank’s initiatives to fight hunger and food insecurity, cold-chain transportation equipment provider Carrier Transicold has provided a new-generation Supra truck-refrig-eration unit that will be used for delivering perishable items to food pantries around the state.

Logistics gives back All fly away

We’ve all been warned not to pick up hitch-hikers, but sometimes that’s harder than it sounds. Take the case of the spotted lanternfly (SLF), an invasive pest that spreads by hitching rides on trucks, railcars, and other vehicles.

The tiny moth-like insect has spread quickly since its initial detection in 2014, threatening billions of dollars’ worth of agricultural commodities, including grapes, hops, and hardwoods, in Pennsylvania and neighboring states.

To help stop the SLF’s spread, several states have placed restrictions on businesses moving goods to, from, or within a spotted lanternfly quarantine zone. For example, SLF training is now required for drivers operating routes in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. But keeping track of the various rules and regulations can be complicated for both fleet managers and drivers.

Now, one trucking technology company has stepped up to offer a solution for its customers. Tampa, Fla.-based Transflo recently developed an “SLF compliance package” for its mobile apps that includes quarantine requirements, training information, and other data needed to stay compliant. The app also includes photos of the colorful pest for ID purposes as well as tips to prevent the spread of the SLF (examples: avoid parking under trees, and keep windows rolled up while parked). It even allows for one-touch reporting of insect sightings to agricultural authorities, the company says.

Visit any construction site or distribution facility, and you’ll likely see workers wearing safety vests, work boots, and the ubiquitous hard hat. Though perhaps the most recognizable safety product worn at job sites today, the hard hat is a fairly recent addition to the protective-work-gear lineup, marking its 100th anniversary just this year.

A Cynthiana, Ky.-based protective-equipment manufacturer named Bullard claims credit for the invention. According to company lore, the founder’s son, E. W. Bullard, returned from World War I with the idea of adapting his iconic “doughboy” army helmet for use as protective headgear for miners. The result was the “Hard Boiled hat,” introduced in 1919 for industrial and emergen-cy-response applications.

The hard hat has evolved over the decades from a leather-and-fabric contraption to the lightweight polyethylene-plastic version we know today. “The original ‘Hard Boiled hat’ was manufactured out of steamed canvas, glue, a leather brim, and black paint,” said current CEO Wells Bullard in a statement. “My great-grandfather built a suspension device into what became the world’s first commercially available industrial head-protection device. We may take it for granted today, but we are proud to be celebrating 100 years of an innovation that truly helped our country grow and keep the hard-working women and men who built it safer.”