Topic: This Month in Modern

This issue was designed to be a bit of a primer, a push to inspire those readers who’ve been on the fence, but are now moving forward on their plans to evaluate and apply some level of robotics and automation into their operations.

Well, it’s time to brush the dust off the suitcase and hope the khakis and blazer aren’t too snug, because early reports suggest ProMat 2023 (March 20 to 23) is going to be a whopper.

This month, our editorial team takes us inside a facility, explore the multiple methods companies are using to create more sustainable warehouses; snapshot of the Top 20 warehouses; power choices available for lift truck fleets; and we share our annual look at bins, totes and containers.

This month in Modern, we continue to track the evolution of robotics and IoT and the roles these technologies are playing to help the labor force respond to and interact with supply chains.

The economy has maintained strength, e-commerce is booming, and companies with distribution operations are struggling to keep up.

This month in Modern, two features take the temperature of where we are in the application of robotics in warehouse/DC operations. Executive editor Bob Trebilcock takes us inside Top Notch Distributors, a leading supplier of architectural door hardware

While the technology has been available for a decade, autonomous lift trucks have been slow to catch on. That may be changing.

It’s now clear that one of silver linings of the past year is that the pandemic has hastened the adoption of the software and automation necessary to streamline operations to meet rising e-commerce demands—especially in the face of shrinking labor availability.

As this level of accelerated innovation continues to evolve, we’re going to start seeing more System Reports like this month’s featuring Bergen Logistics , an operation benefiting from early robotics and automation investment.

I believe there’s going to be a lot of companies looking to revitalize their supply chains, each company will have their own journey to define the areas of operation that need to be strengthened.”

Group Editorial Director Michael Levans discusses the main topics covered in the March Issue of Modern Materials Handling

You can let yourself get caught up in this whirlpool, or you can take a step back, think through what your operation needs to keep pace with today’s demands, and then take action to control what you can control.

This month, editor at large Bridget McCrea uses The Big Picture platform to look at how far women have come in supply chain management. She explores the inroads women are making; re-acquaints us with several of the organizations and networks advocating for the advancement of women in leadership roles.

This month in Modern, we find a couple early indications that this positive wave will continue, and the buzz at Promat 2019 could be even louder.

Find out what is happening this month in Modern Materials Handling

By all reports, the majority of the U.S. leading economic indicators are pointing to a fairly robust year, as manufacturing is growing; consumer confidence continues to climb; and the National Retail Federation just projected 2018 retail sales to head up 3.8% to 4.4%, adding that e-commerce sales are projected to jump up 10% to 12% during the next 12 months.

Modern has maintained a heavy focus on the new processes, technology and automation that’s necessary to improve item-level picking and handling on the way to meeting today’s ever-finicky e-commerce service demands.

Find out the latest news on innovation in the Materials Handling industry for the month of October 2017.

In effort to beat the drum and continue to push the “packaging revolution” forward, Modern offers our 5th-annual Packaging Issue—a field guide you can slip in your bag if you’re attending PMMI’s Pack Expo Las Vegas (Sept. 25-27).

As executive editor Bob Trebilcock deftly points out in this month’s cover story, nearly every company—no matter what the industry—is looking to position itself as an “innovator.”