Ninth Annual Report on Productivity

Three companies score outstanding productivity achievements with smart materials handling strategies.

By Staff -- Modern Materials Handling, 2/1/1999

At press time, productivity growth in the third quarter of 1998 showed an overall jump of 3.1%, exceeding earlier estimates. But manufacturing productivity during this period advanced 5.2%, so once again the manufacturing sector of our economy continued to lead productivity growth in the U.S. According to the National Association of Manufacturers, this achievement was realized by investments in people as well as technology.

Materials handling methods, equipment, and systems in particular help to fuel productivity improvements. It is smart materials handling-and the parallel flow of real-time information- that promotes efficient flow of materials throughout manufacturing, warehousing, and distribution operations.

This year, Modern Materials Handling once again recognizes three companies that have scored outstanding productivity achievements with their materials handling strategies. The winning companies were selected by members of our Editorial Advisory Board: Rick Bushnell, Quad II; Matthew Cohen, Polaroid Corp.; Thomas Cullinane, Northeastern University; Robert Pierson, Jervis B. Webb Co.; Michael Shamrell, Revlon; D. Bruce Wise, Integrated Technologies Group; and Howard Zollinger, Zollinger Asso-ciates.

Winners were selected on the following criteria: 1) Customer service as practiced both internally and externally, 2) The capability to re-spond quickly to changing market conditions, 3) The flexibility to alter operations in order to respond to unplanned events, 4) The ability to deliver consistently the right item to the right destination at the right time, and 5) A clearly demonstrated ability to improve overall operations.

The candidates were chosen from the companies that were profiled in Modern Materials Handling feature articles during calendar year 1998. The winners follow:

Manufacturing Excellence

Ascend Communications

Controller Manufacturing Plant

Alameda, Calif.

Warehousing Excellence

Lucent Technologies

Network Products Group

Mesquite, Texas

Distribution Excellence

Blockbuster Entertainment

Distribution Center

McKinney, Texas

Talkback

We would love your feedback!

Post a comment

» VIEW ALL TALKBACK THREADS

Related Content

• Topics
• Author

Related Content

There are no other articles related to this article.

By This Author

• AC drive demand indicates strong automation market
• Box prices rising
• Global trade solutions soar
• People to know
• Kiva Systems wins a customer and an award
• » MORE

Sponsored Links