- New port of call. Schneider Logistics has acquired American Port Services, a Savannah, Ga.-based company that provides port transloading/deconsolidation, warehousing and distribution services. With this acquisition, Schneider will be able to offer port-to-door import logistics service. American Port Services, which will retain its name, will operate as a Schneider subsidiary.
- Ten-hut! The Army & Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) has contracted with FKI Logistex to upgrade the material handling systems at its Dan Daniel distribution center near Newport News, Va. AAFES operates and supplies the PX and BX stores at U.S. Army and Air Force bases. The new contract includes a high-speed shipping sorter, two multilane high-speed merges, 33,000 feet of accumulating conveyor, and five-sided bar-code scanning capability. The upgrades will create a cross-dock operation with eight incoming and 68 outgoing lanes.
- Package deal. Sataria Distribution and Packaging, an Indiana-based third-party provider of warehouse and distribution services, has selected Provia to provide management software at a newly consolidated facility. The package includes Provia's ViaWare Warehouse Management Solution, Yard Management Solution and Labor Management Solution, as well as its ViaView Visibility, Alert Management and Performance Analysis Software.
- Fast results. DHL has signed a three-year contract with American Proficiency Institute, one of the world's largest medical laboratory testing companies. DHL will provide next-day, 2nd day and ground services for the company, which works with thousands of laboratories throughout the United States.
- Seeing the light. Cooper Lighting, a manufacturer of recessed lighting, stadium lights, parking lot lights, and residential and architectural lighting, has selected software from RedPrairie to optimize its distribution operations and workforce productivity. Included in the deal are RedPrairie's DLx Warehouse, slotting and Workforce Performance Management applications.
- Smart move. Printronix has teamed up with label manufacturer Nashua Corp. to provide smart labels designed to optimize performance in Printronix's line of RFID printers. The alliance assures that there will be superior interoperability between the RFID printers/encoders and the RFID label media.
- Increase in value. HK Systems has entered into a value-added reseller partnership with SAMSys Technologies, a provider of RFID hardware solutions. HK will offer SAMSys RFID readers and antenna equipment as part of its integrated RFID solutions.
- Planning ahead. Monsanto is implementing SmartOps' Multistage Inventory Planning & Optimization (MIPO) solution. The software is designed to help companies reduce inventory levels and improve supply chain performance.
- Hear, hear. FKI Logistex has incorporated the Voxware Integrated Speech Recognition Engine into its EASYpick Voice order fulfillment system. The system uses voice instructions delivered via worker-worn headsets to direct warehouse tasks.
- Take your pick. ATRIA OY, a Finnish company that makes meat products, has placed an order for five Ergonomic-Dynamic Picking Systems (E-DPS) from Witron. This storage and picking solution has the capability to handle 1,000 order lines per module per hour. It uses highly dynamic cranes that pick mini loads from a tote warehouse and deliver them to ergonomic pick stations. ATRIA already has installed Witron's Order Picking System in its facility. With both types of picking technologies in place, the company expects to keep up with its projected growth of 70,000 additional order lines per day.
- Dawn of a new era. Dawn Food Products, one for the world's largest suppliers to the baking industry, is partnering with ESYNC to deploy a WMS application at 17 of its sites in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The rollout will include complete lot control and visibility across the Dawn Foods supply chain, in response to new government rulings for tighter control and tracking of food products.
- Making its mark. MARC Global has expanded its reseller partnership with Alien Technology Corp. MARC Global will offer Alien's RFID readers and tags as part of its RFID Enabler solutions.
- Easy Ryder. The U.S. Postal Service has chosen Ryder System Inc. to develop and manage a customized transportation solution to optimize the USPS's non-mail freight transportation network nationwide. Ryder will provide transportation procurement, shipment planning and execution, compliance management and other related services.
newsworthy
