MHEDA welcomes new Supplier/Associates Access Control Group of Mountainside, NJ, and Bluff Manufacturing of Fort Worth, TX.

John Cosgrove Reflects on Presidential Year

2007 MHEDA President John Cosgrove, president of Atlantic Handling Systems (Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ) ends his term as MHEDA's 53rd President on December 31. Cosgrove says he is grateful for the opportunity to serve the MHEDA membership and that the past year truly showed him that MHEDA members are united in common goals. "MHEDA brings together the cream of the crop," Cosgrove says. "These members—who could potentially be competitors—come together and share information." Cosgrove also thanks the staff of MHEDA and his fellow board members for guiding and shaping an organization which truly shines. "MHEDA truly serves all members, whether their company is large or small," he says.

2007 MHEDA President John Cosgrove (r) and MHEDA President-Elect Jack Phelan recently met at MHEDA headquarters in Vernon Hills, IL, for Officers Day. The purpose of this meeting was to prepare for a smooth transition as the incoming president assumes office on January 1.

Cosgrove is particularly proud of MHEDA's continued emphasis on education, whether through MHEDA-NET or MHEDA University's programs. During Cosgrove's tenure, the organization's diverse offerings grew with the first-ever conference focused specifically on the sales and marketing of storage & handling and engineered systems solutions.

Cosgrove notes that these successes are a tribute to the strength of MHEDA. "We are a trade organization that is recognized throughout the industry, and others look to us," he says. Cosgrove thanks the MHEDA staff, his fellow members of the MHEDA Board of Directors, the Manufacturers Board of Advisors, and most of all, MHEDA members.

Cosgrove will continue his service on the Board in 2008 as Immediate Past President.

Farewell, Board Members

MHEDA thanks Dave Griffith, Ron Rechenbach, Stan Sewell and Loren Swakow for their years of outstanding service on the MHEDA Board of Directors and Bryan Carey for his exceptional tenure on the Manufacturers Board of Advisors. Griffith, president of Modern Group (Bristol, PA), served on the Board since 2000 and was 2005 MHEDA President. Rechenbach, president of PeakLogix (Midlothian, VA), served on the Board since 2005. Sewell, president of Barloworld Handling (Charlotte, NC), joined the Board in 2004. Swakow, president of Scott Lift Truck (Elk Grove Village, IL), began his board service in 1998 and served as 2004 MHEDA President. Carey, president of Starrco Company (Maryland Heights, MO), served on the MBOA since 2004.

Dave Griffith

Ron Rechenbach

Stan Sewell

Loren Swakow

Bryan Carey

Updated I-9 Required by Dec. 26

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a reminder to employers that they must transition to the latest version of Form I-9, the Employment Eligibility Verification Form, no later than December 26. Employers are required to complete a Form I-9 for each employee hired in the U.S. Employers who fail to use the revised form after that date will be subject to applicable penalties. The revised form and instructions for completing the form are available at the USCIS Web site or by calling 800-870-3676.

Michael Rowe Jr.

Carolina Handling Adds New Equity Partner (Charlotte, NC) • Carolina Handling named Chief Financial Officer Michael Rowe Jr. its newest equity partner. Rowe, who joined the company in 2006, oversees the information services department in addition to his duties as CFO. "This is a well-deserved advancement for Mike," says Tim Hilton, CEO of Carolina Handling. "We are very fortunate to have an individual of his caliber on our team."

Larry Boroff

Advanced Handling Systems Selects New Project Manager (Lakeland, FL) • Advanced Handling Systems promoted Larry Boroff to project manager. In this position, Boroff is responsible for the planning, design, engineering, installation and delivery of projects to customers. Boroff, a graduate of Purdue University, has been with AHS since 2006.

Iowa Company to Assume MH Equipment Name (Des Moines, IA) • The material handling division of Iowa Machinery & Supply will assume the name of their parent company, MH Equipment, on Jan. 1. Iowa Machinery & Supply has belonged to the MH Equipment family since 2001. "Our name change allows us to share the strong brand equity of our parent company as well as create an umbrella to unify the company’s various operating units in our quest to become a better partner for our customers," says Darrell Randall, president of Iowa Machinery & Supply.

Ron Rogers

EBS Appoints New President (Houston, TX) • EBS named Ron Rogers president and chief operating officer. Rogers joined the company in 2004 as director of business development. "The EBS team is top-notch, our customers are outstanding, our partners are exceptional, and I look forward to working with them to lead EBS into the future," Rogers says.

SMH's Duncan, SC, distribution center

SMH Opens New Distribution Center (Olathe, KS) • Systems Material Handling (SMH) opened a new distribution center in Duncan, SC. The new center occupies 80,000 sq. ft. at 175 Spartangreen Blvd. The new distribution center will allow SMH to shorten ground-shipping times to customers throughout the Southeast—a valuable service as more companies look for ways to contain their freight costs.

Warren DiMarco

Quick Cable Names Sales Manager for Canada (Franksville, WI) • Quick Cable Corp. appointed Warren DiMarco sales manager for the company's Canadian sales office. Responsible for the company’s sales efforts throughout Canada, DiMarco will work out of the Quick Cable manufacturing plant in Mississauga, ON, Canada. He brings over 20 years of sales experience to the position.

Five Most Popular Articles in The MHEDA Journal Online During the Last Two Weeks Is Software-Based Diagnostics for Equipment Impacting You? Everybody's looking at the forum... New responses have been added. Why not add your opinion? Forklift Trucks— The Backbone of The Industry The history of the forklift truck continues to be a favorite read month after month. The Greening Of The Industry Learn more about becoming environmentally friendly and see what others have already done. "Power Companies" Profiles of four companies that exemplify the traits of highly successful companies. Distributors and Manufacturers Join Forces For Sales Success Members discover the power of working together to complement each other and their customers. Click on the titles to read these articles or here to view other articles in The MHEDA Journal Online

FloStor Sorts It Out

The Gymboree Corporation's direct-to-consumer business experienced so much significant growth over a five-year period that the company's distribution center was unable to maintain acceptable service levels. In order to increase the capacity of the distribution center and maintain the current staffing level, Gymboree, with the help of a consultant, concluded that a high-speed sortation solution was needed to support the company's planned growth for their pick-and-pack operation.

A EuroSort dual split-tray sorter provides the ability to sort 14,400 pieces per hour while saving 10,000 sq. ft. of facility space.

The first step was selecting a sorter. Gymboree chose EuroSort's unique dual-split tray sorter, which would allow the company to sort up to 14,400 units per hour to one of 186 double/double chamber packing chutes. EuroSort's solution saved over 10,000 square feet of warehouse space when compared to other sorting solutions, allowing Gymboree to utilize the space for other plant operations.

The next challenge was to design and fabricate a comprehensive tote delivery and complete conveyor system that would not bottleneck the sorter's high throughput capacity. Based on past successful projects, Gymboree had a solid relationship with FloStor Engineering (Hayward, CA). Thus, FloStor was selected for its design, high-quality product and past relationship with the Gymboree Corporation.

FloStor Vice President of System Sales Chuck Ireland worked with EuroSort and the customer to put together an integrated solution, which today has exceeded The Gymboree Corporation's expectations. The project and the partnership has proven successful due to the cooperation, relationship and expertise of all three companies involved. "We worked together as a team to put this solution together, and it has worked successfully for the customer," says FloStor President Bob Weeks.

2008 MHEDA University Schedule
When it comes to education, MHEDA University has a variety of opportunities for you to choose from to meet all of your training needs. Visit this page for the 2008 MHEDA University schedule.

2008 Convention Info Online • Complete details are now available online for MHEDA's 2008 Annual Convention & Exhibitors' Showcase, "Accelerate in 2008" May 3-7, 2008, at the Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando in Orlando, FL. To learn more about the presentations and networking opportunities, visit the Convention Web site.

Tap Into Technology With MHEDA Edge • Effective use of rapidly changing technology can greatly enhance a company’s competitiveness in today's market. The December issue of MHEDA Edge, MHEDA's monthly online magazine for up-and-coming professionals, looks at technology’s ability to attract new business and streamline the business you already have. Edgers share their insights on the designing the ultimate material handling Web site to put customers first and the power of fleet management software is examined. This month's Edge also reviews MHEDA's inaugural Selling Storage & Handling and Engineered Systems Conference, whose participants discovered new models for adding and enhancing these industry segments to their business, including incorporating the latest technology. In addition, an Edger reviews Objective Based Selling, by industry veteran Gary T. Moore. The December issue of MHEDA Edge is available online now at www.mhedaedge.org. Check it out today!

2008 Employee Compensation Report • Distributor members have the opportunity to participate in the largest distributor compensation study ever undertaken when they complete the 2008 Employee Compensation questionnaire and submit their data to Profit Planning Group by January 15, 2008. This survey is a distributor member benefit and participation costs nothing. Everyone who submits a form will receive a free copy of the results—a $400 savings—and the Cross-Industry Report.

In today's competitive marketplace, hiring and retention of employees is essential to your success. You can't afford not to participate. Do it today! Your participation will help ensure a report that provides a comprehensive picture across the material handling industry. If you haven't received your questionnaire, contact MHEDA at 847-680-3500.

MHEDA-NET IRIUM Users Group Formed • MHEDA is pleased to announce the formation of a new MHEDA-NET group for Edgerton’s IRIUM software users. MHEDA-NET is a confidential networking forum where members can meet periodically with other members via conference calls. This is a great opportunity to gather tips, exchange best practices, and increase your knowledge through shared experiences with fellow IRIUM users. If you are interested in joining this group, please fill out the MHEDA-NET registration form. Don't miss out on this free member benefit, sign up today!

For more information on MHEDA-NET, please contact Natalie Cobb at MHEDA by e-mail at ncobb@mheda.org or at 847-680-3500.

Season's Greetings! During this Holiday Season, we gratefully turn our thoughts to our members who make MHEDA possible. In this spirit, the MHEDA staff says thank you and best wishes for a beautiful holiday season and a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year! Your friends at MHEDA, Liz, Cindy, Natalie, Shirley, AnnaMaria, Susan, Joanne, Kathy & Luann

Many MHEDA member manufacturers offer their distributors co-op funds that can be used toward their MHEDA dues. This is a great time of year to check with your primary suppliers for any unused co-op funds or other types of reward programs that could expire at the end of the year.