The total cost of ownership of lasers is cheaper than camera technology, says Jon Stiles, product marketing manager, Accu-Sort systems. But there are decided advantages and drawbacks to each method. He walks the viewer through them.

The Food Shippers of America Association (FSA) has become an association partner and gold-level sponsor of the American Logistics Aid Network (ALAN).

Horizontal carousels are the most cost-effective technology for each picking, says Ed Romaine, chief marketing officer, Sapient Automation. Benefits include rapid ROI, and huge savings on floor space and labor. Smaller companies should be especially interested.

Canadian logistics firm J.D. Smith and Sons has completed a six-month trial of radio frequency identification technology to track the loading, shipping and receipt of bagged pet food for a pet-product retailer. The company is now offering an RFID-based service to track its customers' goods, based on reads of RFID tags embedded in J.D. Smith's pallets.

Intelleflex Inc. has entered into a partnership with DeltaTRAK Inc. to enhance cold-chain technology for the food, pharmaceutical and processing industries.

The unloading dock is all important to boosting efficiency and productivity throughout one's warehouse and distribution facility, says Ryan Howard, vice president of business development for Inbound Technologies. Labor-management technology uses the best of team and individual incentive methodologies to increase productivity, maintain quality standards and keep workers safe.

In addition to professional programs, the Warehousing Education & Research Council now assesses members' processes so they know if they accord with industry best practices, says Michael Mikitka, CEO of WERC.

Order picking is indisputably the most labor intensive job in the warehouse, says Brian Keiger, global IT sales leader-logistics, KUKA Systems. But with SKU proliferation and the retirement of baby boomers, there will be more and more automation.