Product Spotlight BY SANDY SMITH Consider them the workhorse of material handling, and not just the monorails themselves. The nine‑member Monorail Manufacturers Association (MMA) is a small but productive group. Over the last two years, the MMA has worked to update two ANSI standards, one related to patented tracks and another for enclosed tracks. “It’s quite a process to get ...

Feature Humanoid robots are poised to gain traction in warehousing and manufacturing. BY NICK FORTUNA The first humanoid robots for manufacturing plants and warehouses were “expensive,” “cumbersome,” “clunky” and “slow,” but newer versions promise to be much more versatile and effective, driving stronger adoption in the coming years, according to Dwight Klappich, vice president of research at Gartner. Klappich, a ...

Feature Utilizing AI to optimize inventory management, demand forecasting and route planning BY SHERYL S. JACKSON ISTOCK.COM/CHAYADA JEERATHEEPATANONT While most are generally aware of the potential benefits of AI for their organizations, the value of specific applications of AI for supply chains is less clear. Recent research by Accenture found that companies using generative AI, advanced machine learning and other ...

Where Are They Now? Catching up with an MHEFI Scholarship Recipient JOSHUA LINE, FIELD ENGINEER II, SEEGRID CORP. Students who graduated college in 2020 faced challenges that previous graduates did not, including maneuvering requirements to complete their degrees along with pandemic-related restrictions and a shrinking job market. “I graduated with an industrial engineering degree in 2020, and I was looking ...

Industry Focus BY TOM GRESHAM ISTOCK.COM/GUVENDEMIR As an industry, aerospace plays a starring role in commercial travel, shipping and national defense. That makes the effectiveness of its supply chain integral to stability and everyday life in the United States and across the globe. “The aerospace supply chain is vital not only to our economy but also to U.S. national security,” ...

Angela Alston‑Jenkins Jayesh Mehta The people who work at MHI and its WERC division are the gears that keep the association moving. They ensure MHI continues to be a valuable association and resource for people involved in the industry and do so with wit, competence and a smile on their face. The goal of this column in MHI Solutions magazine ...

Feature BY JASON SCHENKER, PRESIDENT OF PRESTIGE ECONOMICS®, CHAIRMAN OF THE FUTURIST INSTITUTE® ISTOCK.COM/PETMAL The supply chain community should expect 2025 to be a year of greater focus on sustainability. While a number of U.S. government policies are likely to be shaped by the new administration, other sustainability stakeholders have been applying consistent pressure across the economy and supply chains. ...

It’s Time to Assemble for the Biggest Supply Chain Experience of 2025 Come spend four inspiring and eye‑catching days with the people, technologies and ideas that are shaping this industry’s future. With over 1,100 exhibits, 200 educational seminars and four keynote talks, ProMat has all the equipment, systems and software you need to make your operations more resilient, transparent and ...

DEI Update Veterans Bring Leadership and Logistics Skills BY CHRISTY DULA, CHIEF EXPERIENCE & DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY OFFICER, MHI ISTOCK.COM/JACOB WACKERHAUSEN Supply chain organizations that embrace diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) hiring initiatives often focus solely on race and gender. Yet, persons from a range of different talent pools remain underrepresented in warehousing and distribution. One such overlooked population? Military veterans. ...

The event is where the supply chain industry comes together to discover the latest equipment and tech, learn the latest trends and connect with key suppliers. When the premier manufacturing and supply chain trade event of 2025, ProMat, returns to Chicago on March 17, it will include over 1,100 exhibits from leading solution providers and a comprehensive Educational Conference of ...