1990 to 1991 - 10.5 million tons of equipment is delivered to the Persian Gulf to support Operation Desert Storm

Never before has a nation moved so much, so far, so fast

1993 to 1995 - Companies focus on ergonomics in anticipation of new OSHA guidelines

Tilters, balancers, turntables, pallet positioners, power-assisted dock levelers and other ergonomic equipment reduces harmful bending, reaching and pushing.

1993 to 1995 - Automation gets scaled back

A Japanese trend spreads to the United States, resulting in:

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1994 to 1995 - Compliance labeling becomes popular

Sears, Wal-Mart and other major retailers require suppliers to meet their bar coding specifications.

1995 - UPS starts world's premier crossdocking operation

This is but one example of the decade-long emphasis on flow-thru, crossdocking and other methods of increasing the speed of materials handling operations. In 1990, Rich's Department Stores tells Modern, "We don't store it - we ship it."
In 1995, videogame maker Sega begins its "virtual warehousing" strategy, taking orders for products the company never physically handles.

1995 to 1999 - Warehouse management systems (WMS) become popular and more powerful

Companies replace their stock locator software with more comprehensive warehouse management systems, which provide dock-to-dock inventory control and are later integrated with transportation and manufacturing software.

1995 to 1999 - Flexibility is key

Companies introduce new products at unprecedented speed, requiring flexible handling systems. Collapsible rack, modular conveyor, non-wire guided AGVs and vertical lift modules rise in popularity. Companies form close relationships with their supply chain partners.

1998 - OSHA introduces long-awaited forklift operator training regulations

Training program includes lectures, videos, interactive computer programs and practical instruction.

1999 - E-commerce starts to take off

Modern prints its first feature story about an Internet-based company. Streamline.com (now defunct) allows customers to order groceries, videos and ready-made meals for home delivery.

According to a Modern article from July 1999, typing the words "materials handling" into a Web search engine yielded "more than 220 matches." "Supply chain" returned 150 matches.

A similar search today returns nearly 4 millions hits for "materials handling" and 139 million for "supply chain."