Daifuku Webb restructures; highlights Harley Davidson project

In a press conference late Monday at Booth 2003, Daifuku Co., Ltd., announced that it has formed Daifuku Webb Holding Company to oversee all of its U.S. subsidiaries, including Jervis B. Webb Company and Daifuku America Corporation. Brian Stewart—who serves as president and co-CEO of the holding company, along with Takashi Hiramoto, chairman and co-CEO—said that the new organization went into effect on January 1. A new branding scheme was also unveiled.

Additionally, Stewart highlighted the firm’s installation of a Smart Cart manufacturing system at Harley Davidson in York, Pa.

“The project currently includes 64 carts running during a single extended shift in a continuous motion assembly line that went live on Monday and will ultimately include 105 Smart Carts when it’s fully implemented over the next few months,” said Stewart, who posed in front of a 2011 Harley Davidson Road King cycle prominently featured in the exhibit.

Also in the booth, a 3D movie theater with showings every 15 minutes of a 7.5 minute-long highlight reel of the company’s solutions in action at facilities throughout the country, and a demonstration of the latest releases of Daifuku Webb’s warehouse management and warehouse control systems.

ProMat 2011 will be held March 21 - 24, 2011 at McCormick Place South in Chicago. The tradeshow will showcase the latest manufacturing, distribution and supply chain solutions in the material handling and logistics industry.

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