As tempting as it may be to toss the conference brochures piled on your desk or delete those incessant e-mail Webcast solicitations, think twice before you do. They may represent opportunities you can't afford to ignore.
Don Jacobson is the president of Optimum Supply Chain Recruiters, a recruiting organization that specializes in the placement of management personnel in the logistics field on a nationwide basis. You can reach him by calling Optimum SCR at (800) 300-7609 or by visiting the firm's Web site, www.OptimumSCR.com.
Shelley Safian is vice president of marketing for Optimum Supply Chain Recruiters, a recruiting organization that specializes in the placement of management personnel in the logistics field on a nationwide basis. You can reach her by calling Optimum SCR at (800) 300-7609 or by visiting the firm's Web site, www.OptimumSCR.com.
As tempting as it may be to toss the conference brochures piled on your desk or delete those incessant e-mail Webcast solicitations, think twice before you do. They may represent opportunities you can't afford to ignore. With advances like RFID looming, the practice of logistics and supply chain management is changing as quickly as the numbers at the local gas pump. Like it or not, you'll need to continue your education if you want to keep up with the times.
But where do you go? If time is an issue, you can register for seminars or annual conferences offered by groups like the Warehousing Education & Research Council (WERC), the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals, IWLA—The Association for Logistics Outsourcing, or the National Industrial Transportation League (NITL). You can sign up for educational Webcasts. Or you can enroll in certification program prep courses like the Certified Logistics Practitioner Program and the Computing Technology Industry Association's new RFID certification program.
If you're willing to make a longer-term commitment, you can look into courses offered by local colleges and universities. Many offer degree programs or certificates in areas like global logistics or supply chain management. Even if you don't live or work near a college campus, you can still pursue higher education—you just have to do it online. True, you may miss out on the classroom experience. But what you lose in atmosphere, you gain in convenience. With online programs, you can "take" a class at 3: 00 a.m. if you choose, and you can do it from the comfort of your home or even from a hotel room a thousand miles from home.
When deciding which route to take, you'll want to weigh the financial costs, time commitment and lasting value. What follows are some guidelines.
Financial costs. Attending seminars and conventions can cost anywhere from a couple hundred to a couple thousand dollars. If there's no money in this year's budget for professional development, make sure it's included for next year. It's not just a bumper sticker slogan: Knowledge really is power. Consider this an investment in your future.
Time commitment. Decide how much time you can devote to the pursuit of knowledge. Seminars typically take just a few hours, a convention can last as long as a week, and a degree program will probably take about 18 months. Whichever route you choose, be realistic about the time commitment. If you're considering a certification program as a potential short cut, for example, keep in mind that while the exam may take only a few hours, you must figure in study time. Sure, your work experience counts for a lot—you'd be surprised by how much you've learned all these years working in the real world. But you'll also need book learning to pass these exams. No matter how many years you've spent on the job, it's doubtful you've picked up the answers to such questions as "What year was the forklift invented?" or "Who created the prominent methodology used for the valuation of inventory?"
Lasting value. When weighing your options, consider what each will be worth in the long run— to the company and to you personally. A seminar or conference might give you some great ideas for boosting performance. Earning an advanced degree could add luster to a resume. But don't look at continuing education as a way to make points with your boss or a prospective employer. Whether it prompts you to think about your job in a new way or provides a chance to network with people who share your concerns and experiences, going back to school can revitalize you in ways you never envisioned.
Following the deal, Palm Harbor, Florida-based FreightCenter’s customers will gain access to BlueGrace’s unified transportation management system, BlueShip TMS, enabling freight management across various shipping modes. They can also use BlueGrace’s truckload and less-than-truckload (LTL) services and its EVOS load optimization tools, stemming from another acquisition BlueGrace did in 2024.
According to Tampa, Florida-based BlueGrace, the acquisition aligns with its mission to deliver simplified logistics solutions for all size businesses.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the firms said that FreightCenter will continue to operate as an independent business under its current brand, in order to ensure continuity for its customers and partners.
BlueGrace is held by the private equity firm Warburg Pincus. It operates from nine offices located in transportation hubs across the U.S. and Mexico, serving over 10,000 customers annually through its BlueShip technology platform that offers connectivity with more than 250,000 carrier suppliers.
Under terms of the deal, Sick and Endress+Hauser will each hold 50% of a joint venture called "Endress+Hauser SICK GmbH+Co. KG," which will strengthen the development and production of analyzer and gas flow meter technologies. According to Sick, its gas flow meters make it possible to switch to low-emission and non-fossil energy sources, for example, and the process analyzers allow reliable monitoring of emissions.
As part of the partnership, the product solutions manufactured together will now be marketed by Endress+Hauser, allowing customers to use a broader product portfolio distributed from a single source via that company’s global sales centers.
Under terms of the contract between the two companies—which was signed in the summer of 2024— around 800 Sick employees located in 42 countries will transfer to Endress+Hauser, including workers in the global sales and service units of Sick’s “Cleaner Industries” division.
“This partnership is a perfect match,” Peter Selders, CEO of the Endress+Hauser Group, said in a release. “It creates new opportunities for growth and development, particularly in the sustainable transformation of the process industry. By joining forces, we offer added value to our customers. Our combined efforts will make us faster and ultimately more successful than if we acted alone. In this case, one and one equals more than two.”
According to Sick, the move means that its current customers will continue to find familiar Sick contacts available at Endress+Hauser for consulting, sales, and service of process automation solutions. The company says this approach allows it to focus on its core business of factory and logistics automation to meet global demand for automation and digitalization.
Sick says its core business has always been in factory and logistics automation, which accounts for more than 80% of sales, and this area remains unaffected by the new joint venture. In Sick’s view, automation is crucial for industrial companies to secure their productivity despite limited resources. And Sick’s sensor solutions are a critical part of industrial automation, which increases productivity through artificial intelligence and the digital networking of production and supply chains.
He replaces Loren Swakow, the company’s president for the past eight years, who built a reputation for providing innovative and high-performance material handling solutions, Noblelift North America said.
Pedriana had previously served as chief marketing officer at Big Joe Forklifts, where he led the development of products like the Joey series of access vehicles and their cobot pallet truck concept.
According to the company, Noblelift North America sells its material handling equipment in more than 100 countries, including a catalog of products such as electric pallet trucks, sit-down forklifts, rough terrain forklifts, narrow aisle forklifts, walkie-stackers, order pickers, electric pallet trucks, scissor lifts, tuggers/tow tractors, scrubbers, sweepers, automated guided vehicles (AGV’s), lift tables, and manual pallet jacks.
"As part of Noblelift’s focus on delivering exceptional customer experiences, we are excited to have Bill Pedriana join us in this pivotal leadership role," Wendy Mao, CEO at Noblelift Intelligent Equipment Co. Ltd., the China-based parent company of Noblelift North America, said in a release. “His passion for the industry, proven ability to execute innovative strategies, and dedication to customer satisfaction make him the perfect leader to guide Noblelift into our next phase of growth.”
An economic activity index for the material handling sector showed mixed results in December, following strong reports in October and November, according to a release from business forecasting firm Prestige Economics.
Specifically, the most recent version of the MHI Business Activity Index (BAI) showed December contractions in the areas of capacity utilization, shipments, unfilled orders, inventories, and exports. But on the upside, there were expansions in business activity, new orders, and future new orders.
The report gave an array of reasons for those quantitative results, judging by respondents’ accompanying “qualitative responses.” That part of the survey included positive references to lower interest rates, the clear outcome of the election, and improved abilities to retain workers. But those were counterweighed by downside mentions featuring multiple references to tariffs, reflecting broad skepticism in the business community to trade threats made by the incoming Trump administration.
Looking into the future, forecasts for a drop in interest rates and a likely accompanying drop in the dollar are likely to support material handling and manufacturing, which have been held back in recent quarters by high interest rates and a strong dollar, the report from Austin, Texas-based Prestige Economics found.
Likewise, hiring ease was strong in the survey, as a record high 81% of respondents reported hiring in December was “easier” than in November. That improved ease of hiring will be particularly important as the “new orders” category is likely to rise in the year ahead, the report found.
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Carolina Handling awards motorized pallet jack to hunger relief organizations
To celebrate its 58th year in business, the North Carolina-based intralogistics company Carolina Handling has awarded 58 motorized pallet jacks to hunger relief organizations throughout the Carolinas, Georgia, and Alabama. Combined, the organizations receiving the pallet jacks serve 11.2 million individuals and distribute an average of 290 million pounds of food a year.
Logistics services company DHL has partnered with Amsterdam’s Van Gogh Museum to expand the museum’s Heart for Art educational program to Buenos Aires, Argentina. Launched in the U.S. in 2022, the Heart for Art initiative is designed to make art accessible for all and introduce students with limited access to art education to the works of Vincent van Gogh. DHL is providing full-service international shipping and logistics coordination to ensure instructors have all the materials they need.
Rail transportation company CSX Corp. has contributed $100,000 to the American Red Cross to support its ongoing relief efforts in communities impacted by Hurricane Helene.
National moving company Atlas Van Lines, along with Atlas Interstate Agent Paxton International and Paxton Van Lines, partnered with the nonprofit organization Move For Hunger and corporate relocation specialist WERC for a meal-packing initiative in October. During the event, attendees helped assemble meal kits to support local families in need.