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Crane builder crafts riverside fish elevator

Salmon gain new appreciation for material handling technology.

When an equipment manufacturer builds a crane to lift fish, the job usually involves material handling operations in a temperature-controlled warehouse. But American Crane and Equipment Corp. of Douglassville, Pa., recently completed a job to design and manufacture a pair of outdoor, five-ton jib cranes to hoist live salmon over a hydroelectric dam near Tacoma, Wash.

Under natural conditions in the wild, young fingerling fish swim downstream to the ocean every year to feed, returning as mature three-year-old salmon to swim back upstream and spawn in the waters where they were born. On the Skokomish River, however, their journey was blocked by the Cushman Dam.


All that changed when dam operator Tacoma Power agreed during recent relicensing negotiations to restore river access for Lake Cushman's native salmon population. That's when the utility turned to a material handling equipment provider to help the romantically minded fish bypass the 275-foot-high dam.

American Crane delivered equipment that could lift the 9,000-pound holding tanks and carefully place them on carts and trucks to be driven around the huge dams. In addition to being able to do the heavy lifting, the cranes have corrosion-resistant components that allow them to operate in the aquatic environment.

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Mobile robots, drones move beyond the hype

Mobile robots, drones move beyond the hype

Supply chains are poised for accelerated adoption of mobile robots and drones as those technologies mature and companies focus on implementing artificial intelligence (AI) and automation across their logistics operations.

That’s according to data from Gartner’s Hype Cycle for Mobile Robots and Drones, released this week. The report shows that several mobile robotics technologies will mature over the next two to five years, and also identifies breakthrough and rising technologies set to have an impact further out.

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warehouse automation systems

Cimcorp's new CEO sees growth in grocery and tire segments

Logistics automation systems integrator Cimcorp today named company insider Veli-Matti Hakala as its new CEO, saying he will cultivate growth in both the company and its clientele, specifically in the grocery retail and tire plant logistics sectors.

An eight-year veteran of the Georgia company, Hakala will begin his new role on January 1, when the current CEO, Tero Peltomäki, will retire after a long and noteworthy career, continuing as a member of the board of directors, Cimcorp said.

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Securing the last mile

Although many shoppers will return to physical stores this holiday season, online shopping remains a driving force behind peak-season shipping challenges, especially when it comes to the last mile. Consumers still want fast, free shipping if they can get it—without any delays or disruptions to their holiday deliveries.

One disruptor that gets a lot of headlines this time of year is package theft—committed by so-called “porch pirates.” These are thieves who snatch parcels from front stairs, side porches, and driveways in neighborhoods across the country. The problem adds up to billions of dollars in stolen merchandise each year—not to mention headaches for shippers, parcel delivery companies, and, of course, consumers.

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image of board and prevedere software

Board acquires Prevedere to build business prediction platform

The Boston-based enterprise software vendor Board has acquired the California company Prevedere, a provider of predictive planning technology, saying the move will integrate internal performance metrics with external economic intelligence.

According to Board, the combined technologies will integrate millions of external data points—ranging from macroeconomic indicators to AI-driven predictive models—to help companies build predictive models for critical planning needs, cutting costs by reducing inventory excess and optimizing logistics in response to global trade dynamics.

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vecna warehouse robots

Vecna Robotics names Iagnemma as new CEO

Material handling automation provider Vecna Robotics today named Karl Iagnemma as its new CEO and announced $14.5 million in additional funding from existing investors, the Waltham, Massachusetts firm said.

The fresh funding is earmarked to accelerate technology and product enhancements to address the automation needs of operators in automotive, general manufacturing, and high-volume warehousing.

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