August 14, 2008 | Link This | Email this | Comments (0)

Summertime, and the livin’ is easy

Anyone who writes a column on a regular basis runs out of steam (or ideas) now and then.

For me, this is now, not then. The weather here is beautiful, and it seems like everyone I’m interested in talking to about automated materials handling, the supply chain, software or RFID – my favorite subjects – is on vacation.

Still, a couple of questions have been on my mind the last few days.

Are materials handling projects about to hit the skids? The other day, a headline i...Read More

August 13, 2008 | Link This | Email this | Comments (0)

When Bill Clinton ran for his first term as president, his campaign had a four-word mantra: “It’s the economy, stupid!”

In retrospect, it seems obvious that your average voter cares about his wallet first, especially during tough economic times. But at the time, it was a revolutionary concept.

Steve Mulaik, a partner with The Progress Group, has a mantra for consultants, systems integrators, warehouse managers and anyone else involved in the design and implementation of a new automated materials handling system: It’s ...Read More

August 7, 2008 | Link This | Email this | Comments (0)

My mother has a saying: Nothing good happens after midnight.

Kevin Gue would disagree: He says that sometimes innovation happens at 4 AM.

Gue is an associate professor of industrial and systems engineering at Auburn University. For the past few years, he has been working with Russell Meller, a professor of industrial engineering and director of the Center for Engineering Logistics and Distribution at the University of Arkansas, on non-traditional aisle designs for warehouses. You can read about Gue’s a...Read More

August 5, 2008 | Link This | Email this | Comments (0)

In the Old Testament, the city of Babel brought together people from all over the known world, all speaking one language. They decided to build their crowning achievement, a tower that would reach to the heavens.

Unfortunately, for those of you who know your Bible, it didn’t work out so well.

What’s Genesis got to do with the supply chain software, you might wonder? “Everything,” says Steve Christensen, founder of Babbleware, a startup which Christensen describes as an alternative to replacing or modifying outdated software applications.

July 31, 2008 | Link This | Email this | Comments (0)

The economy may be down, but tech spending is up. Go figure. 

This month, we published our annual list of the Top 20 providers of supply chain management software. On the one hand, there were few surprises. SAP and Oracle remain kings of the hill; Manhattan Associates is still the market leader among the providers of supply chain execution solutions, which includes warehouse management solutions.

Those findings were expected. In fact, with one or two exceptions, the rankings were pretty much the same as we reported in 2007.