WERC shines in Florida

From managing product returns to using voice systems, warehouse professionals heard the latest in practices and technology at the group's annual meeting.

By Corinne Kator, Associate Editor -- Modern Materials Handling, 6/1/2006

Roughly 1,200 warehousing professionals went back to work with a deeper understanding of their industry after returning from the Warehousing Education and Research Council (WERC) annual conference in Orlando, Fla., last month.

Executive Director Robert Shaunnessey says WERC staff members were ecstatic about the quality of this year's conference. "Education is at the heart of what we do," he says, "so providing good educational experiences for our members is something we take very seriously."

The three-day conference included presentations on 28 different topics, from managing product returns to warehousing in China. It also offered roundtable events where attendees could discuss such topics as implementing voice technology, hiring seasonal workers and dealing with port congestion.

In addition, WERC continued its tradition of offering tours of local warehousing and distribution operations.

Two of the facilities avaliable for tours were a McKesson Medical-Surgical DC that fills 13,000 orders per night for hospitals and nursing homes throughout Florida and a Burris Refrigerated Logistics DC, where temperatures range from 38F for storing produce to –20F for storing ice cream.

Employees process freight for putaway at the McKesson Medical-Surgical DC near Orlando. WERC conference attendees toured the facility, which serves hospitals, physician offices and nursing homes in Florida.	A lift truck driver replenishes inventory at the Burris Refrigerated Logistics DC in Orlando during a WERC conference tour.

"Overall, I really got a lot out of the conference," says first-time attendee Tom Ellinger, manager of distribution for Access Business Group.

Ellinger says he particularly enjoyed the business-savvy lunchtime speakers, and he plans to take their lessons about business culture and teamwork back to his staff.

WERC also took advantage of the lunch sessions to promote the launch of its enhanced Web site and to welcome the following new board members:

• Director of Membership David Zuern (Briggs & Stratton Corp.)
• Director of Education Amy Carovillano (The Container Store)
• 2008 Conference Director Catherine Cooper (World Connections)
• Director At-Large Scott McWilliams (Ozburn-Hessey Logistics)

WERC's 2007 conference is planned for April 22-25 in Nashville, Tenn.