This Month in Modern

Over the next three months, executive editor Bob Trebilcock will continue this coverage by looking at three retailers that are redefining their categories and their operations by applying highly automated distribution systems to meet the needs of a demanding, ever-fickle online consumer.

This month, Trebilcock takes us inside the Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky (TMMK) facility to get a glimpse at one of the most innovative applications of AGVs we’ve seen to date.

This month in Modern we find two eye-opening stories that paint a clear picture of how materials handling systems and the people who manage them are evolving to meet the needs of today’s more dynamic business environment.

It would be difficult to find a more comprehensive snapshot of the current state of lift truck usage, best practices and technology than the issue of Modern that you’re holding in your hands at this very moment.

In business, as in life, the tougher the challenge you face the smarter you have to work to see your way through to a resolution—and never did the readers of Modern meet a tougher battle than “doing more with less” during the recession.

There’s a significant trend that has been unfolding over the first half of the year that’s given me hope that the economy has finally turned the corner: Professionals representing all facets of supply chain management are starting to step out of their facilities and offices to attend live trade shows and events.

I can’t think of a better System Report to grace the cover of this Special Technology Issue than Musikhaus Thomann, one of Europe’s leading retailers of musical instruments and accessories.

The general interest level and media attention given to the concept of “sustainability” has traditionally ebbed and flowed with the price of fuel.

Last year, executive editor Bob Trebilcock launched a series of feature articles that we titled “The Big Picture: Where business meets materials handling.” This series has allowed us to break out of the traditional “how-to” and “case study” mold to offer an objective, broad-sweeping look at how materials handling technologies and best practices are affecting overall business strategy.

One of the many satisfying benefits of covering a market over many years is watching trends evolve into operating procedures that revolutionize how companies conduct business.

We break the Modern mold a bit this month by focusing this issue firmly on one piece of equipment—the tried and true backbone of the materials handling industry, the lift truck.