- Down on the farm. CROPP Cooperative/Organic Valley Family of Farms, the nation's largest cooperative of organic farmers, has selected an automated storage and retrieval system from Westfalia Technologies. The equipment will be installed in a new DC in Cashton, Wis., and will store milk, meat, eggs, produce and dairy products in both freezer and refrigerated areas.
- Terminal bliss. Looks like APL Logistics will be calling the Port of Oakland home for many years to come. The two parties have agreed on a 15-year lease extension for APL's Middle Harbor Terminal. The deal also includes two five-year extension options. As part of the agreement, the Port of Oakland will renovate the terminal over the next three years, increasing the annual handling capacity from 170,000 lifts to 460,000 lifts. APL has occupied the terminal since 1974.
- They scored a big deal. For the past four years, Ian Global Shipping has served the transportation needs of baseball's Baltimore Orioles. Now Ian Global Shipping is teaming up with the Orioles for distribution services as well. The Maryland-based logistics service specialist will now provide warehousing and transportation service for the club's promotional and giveaway items.
- Worth a salute. The U.S. Defense Distribution Center has awarded Psion Teklogix and GlobeRanger a $1.8 million contract to deploy GlobeRanger's iMotion Edgeware throughout defense distribution facilities by the end of next year. The system will provide the infrastructure layer for managing devices, networks, data and processes within the buildings. Under the three-year contract, Psion Teklogix will work with GlobeRanger, an RFID and mobility and sensor-based software specialist, to install the systems in 26 distribution sites worldwide. This will represent the largest passive RFID installation to date within the U.S. government.
- Well-crafted arrangement. FKI Logistex has been awarded a contract to supply picking, cross-docking and automated storage systems for Michael's Stores' new Northwest retail distribution center in Washington state. This will be the fourth facility that FKI has equipped for Michael's, a retailer of arts and crafts supplies and home decorating items.
- Raising their voices. Vocollect and Psion Teklogix have teamed up to create a handheld mobile computer with voice-recognition capabilities. Called the Workabout Pro Speech, the versatile device enables users to receive directions via voice as well as scan bar codes and read RFID tags.
- Port of call. Embarcadero Systems Corp. (ESC), a company that provides technology support for cargo containers, and Savi Networks, which supplies information systems, have created a strategic services partnership to implement RFID-based systems at port terminal facilities throughout the United States. Under the agreement, ESC will deliver solutions that include automated data collection points using Savi's SaviTrak information services.
- Bottoms up. Glazer's Wholesale Drug Co., the country's second largest distributor of wine and spirits, has implemented the Supply Chain Visibility and Event Management solution from Management Dynamics. The software will give Glazer real-time order and shipment visibility, while synchronizing critical logistics information across Glazer's supplier and trading partner network.
- Higher alert. Blue Sky Logistics, a supply chain visibility software specialist, and Optricity Corp., a developer of supply chain optimization engines, have formed a partnership. Under terms of the arrangement, the partners will embed Optricity's Juncture Optimization engines into Blue Sky Logistics' Insight executive decision dashboard. The resulting system will not only alert customers to real-time pending issues and trends within their supply chains, but also solve complex optimization problems.
- Mail call. The U.S. Postal Service has extended its contract with FedEx Express for domestic airport-to-airport express service through 2013. Currently, FedEx Express flies more than 4 million pounds of mail daily, which is the equivalent of 40 wide-body DC10 plane loads.
- Never Rohm alone. Specialty materials manufacturer Rohm and Haas has signed a three-year contract extension with Exel for logistics services at two facilities in Louisville, Ky. The two companies have worked together for 15 years.
- Sound idea. AutoExec, a supplier of distribution execution software, will incorporate Voxware voice-directed software into its DC software, AutoExec.Suite. Included will be Voxware's VoxBrowser client software solution, which can run on a wide range of mobile computing devices.
- Keeping their cool. T. Marzetti, a supplier of sauces, salad dressings, pasta and other edibles, has bought 25 new truck refrigeration units. The SB-210 Thermo King units replace other Thermo King reefers that the company had been using for more than 13 years.
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