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By James M. Apple, Jr. and published in Modern Materials Handling Magazine.

When my partners, and sometimes our clients raise the issue of trade-offs, it is my normal habit to challenge them and ask, ”why can’t we figure out a way to have both?”
It’s rewarding to all of us when we wrestle with the design and find a creative solution that eliminates the need for the trade-off. I will remember these work sessions as the most fun of my career. more...

By James M. Apple, Jr. and published in Modern Materials Handling Magazine.

Not by a long shot, but it has changed.
I had the pleasure of sitting on a panel at the Materials Handling Short Course at Georgia Tech last month. This course is the granddaddy of short courses, celebrating its 55th year.
Dale Atkins, the course director, surprised us with the first question; “Is materials handling, as a profession, dying out?” more...

By James M. Apple, Jr. and published in Modern Materials Handling Magazine.

One of the most common, and surely, the most mundane of all storage methods is the stacking of pallets on the floor. With no racks to buy, and little space devoted to aisles, it seems like a natural. Perhaps, because it is viewed that way, there is some untapped potential for improving its usefulness. more...

By James M. Apple, Jr. and published in Modern Materials Handling Magazine.

All successes in materials handling systems projects are dependent upon the quality of the partnership between the customer and the supplier, and sometimes, a consultant. Within the past month, I have been party to the beginning of a new partnership and the demise of an existing one. There are lessons, and many unresolved questions, too, in both. more...

By James M. Apple, Jr. and published in Modern Materials Handling Magazine.

If you passed the test for “readiness for automation” in the January issue, and have been to PRO-MAT to see all of the options available to you, then now is the time to think about choosing the right “level of mechanization” for your operation. more...

By James M. Apple, Jr. and published in Modern Materials Handling Magazine.

There certainly has been a lot of discussion about who will handle products for the last mile of the supply chain – and how they will do it cost effectively. Pre-occupation with the last mile causes this to be defined as a transportation issue. But, I find in my observations that there seems to be at least as much cost in handling products the last 50 feet as there is in the first 5230 feet of that last mile. more...