After a tough 2006, North American robotics companies saw orders increase 25% in 2007 to 17,261 units. Materials handling robots accounted for 40% of the new orders, says Jeff Burnstein, executive vice president of the Robotic Industries Association (RIA, www.roboticsonline.com), which compiled the statistics.

Materials handling robot orders, Burnstein says, were up 14% in units and 20% in revenue in 2007. Materials handling tasks such as packaging and palletizing, and parts loading and unloading all showed healthy growth, he says.

The Material Handling Industry of America (MHIA, www.mhia.org) has set aside $100,000 in grant money to support industry-related academic research.

By supporting the work of materials handling professors, says spokesman Mike Ogle, MHIA hopes to keep those professors active in their universities, where they can train the next generation of materials handling professionals.

“We're looking at ways to supply significantly more funding,” Ogle says, possibly through a foundation with an endowment that could support materials handling, logistics and supply chain research and education on an ongoing basis.

A grocery DC that switches from corrugated boxes to reusable plastic containers won't need additional fire safety measures, according to a recent study by the Reusable Pallet and Container Coalition (RPCC, www.rpcc.us).

Researchers studied plastic containers filled with meat and produce in a variety of temperature environments. The tests showed commodities stored in reusable plastic containers ranked in Commodity Class I and II, indicating no need for special sprinkler provisions.

“There's been a lingering question about how plastic containers compare to corrugated,” says the RPCC's Dave Rogers. “Produce and meat are growing markets for plastic containers, and we want to make sure as we go forward into those markets that we've done our research.”