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Electrification and Controls Manufacturers Association (ECMA) members are the Industry’s leading suppliers of electrification and controlling devices. They supply solutions worldwide and in virtually every major manufacturing and distribution sector.
Just as the name denotes, these controlling devices utilize laser, radio and infrared medium to a relay information to various types of material handling equipment.
Controls refer to the control devices (and software) required to operate powered, mechanical material handling equipment. It is the emphasis on control that ultimately leads to an integrated system and brings about the level of coordination in material and information flow that is desired. With automated information handling, the word "controls" embraces specific pieces of hardware, software, a communication network and the human user interfaces used to capture and transmit data and instruction and invoke action. See also Integrated Systems & Controls .
The technologies that support the identification and direct collection of data into a computer system or other micro-processor-controlled device without using a keyboard. Such technologies include bar code, radio frequency data communication, radio frequency identification and other emerging technologies.
The Electrification and Controls Manufacturers Association (ECMA) proudly announces its rebranding as Automation, Controls, and Electrification Association (ACE), signifying a new era of innovation in industrial automation and material handling. This rebranding signifies ACE's steadfast commitment to growth, innovation, and excellence in the domains of automation, controls, and electrification solutions. ACE members are at the forefront of delivering solutions across the globe, spanning significant manufacturing and distribution sectors. This includes a range of cutting-edge offerings such as controls systems, drives, motors, I/O’s, HMI’s, safety devices vision systems, sensors, weighing mechanisms, cabling solutions plus all the included software, all working synergistically to elevate productivity in material handling. Chairman of ACE, Jason Looman with Scanreco, spoke on the significance of this rebranding, stating, "Our transformation into ACE harmonizes with our journey of inclusivity, innovation, and safety. The shift to Automation, Controls, and Electrification Association resonates with our comprehensive approach to automating and integrating material handling facilities." Skyeler Smith, Industry Development Specialist, with the Murrelektronik team expresses their excitement as well. "This transformation underscores our unwavering commitment to pioneering controls and electrification solutions. It mirrors collective growth and innovation within material handling sectors, strengthening ACE's thought leadership and industry advancement." Steve Cunningham, Director of Sales and Marketing for Microtronics, LLC, concurs. "ACE succinctly captures our identity as automation, controls, and electrification companies, echoing our technological drive and brand prominence." This evolution encapsulates ACE's dedication to evolving with technological progress while upholding brand significance. ACE stands as the definitive representative of the industry's leading suppliers of automation, electrification, controlling devices, and solutions. For more information about MHI Industry Groups, please visit mhi.org/industrygroups. To learn more about ACE, please visit mhi.org/ace. About MHI MHI is an international trade association that has represented the material handling, logistics and supply chain industry since 1945. MHI’s over 970 members include material handling and logistics equipment and systems manufacturers, integrators, consultants, publishers and third-party logistics providers. MHI offers education, networking and solution sourcing for their members, their members’ customers and the industry as a whole through programming and events. The association sponsors the ProMat and MODEX expos to showcase the products and services of its member companies and to educate manufacturing and supply chain professionals. The Warehousing Education and Research Council (WERC) is a division of MHI and provides education and research to the warehousing, distribution, and logistics community.
ARC's Device Management Solution to Roll Out Across All ShipBob Locations Following Successful PilotPhiladelphia, PA – April 2026 – ARC (Asset Recharge Center) today announced a full network deployment of its smart locker technology across all ShipBob fulfillment centers, following a pilot program at ShipBob's North Aurora, IL facility that delivered a 40% increase in associate productivity.ShipBob, a leading global supply chain and fulfillment platform, deployed ARC's system to address a pervasive operational challenge: managing the thousands of handheld devices that associates rely on every shift. When devices go missing, lose battery charge, or require manual oversight from managers, the result is lost time, reduced output, and frustrated teams. ARC's smart locker system eliminates these friction points by ensuring devices remain charged, secure, and ready for use at all times.The North Aurora pilot delivered immediate, measurable results across three key areas: Asset control: Device shrink reduced by 63% within the first month Associate efficiency: Device pick-up and return times dropped by 84%, reducing congestion at shift changes and ensuring consistent access to charged devices Manager productivity: Time spent handling and tracking devices cut by 97%, freeing leadership to focus on higher-value operational prioritiesCollectively, these improvements enabled ShipBob's warehouse teams to increase overall productivity by 40%."Implementing ARC's smart locker system has made a material difference for our business," said Divey Gulati, Co-Founder & President at ShipBob. "We've dramatically reduced time spent managing devices while giving our associates reliable access to the tools they need to stay productive every shift."ARC's solution combines smart charging lockers with proprietary device management hardware, firmware, and software to drive accountability and remove operational friction. The system is designed to anticipate user and device issues before they occur — a critical capability for high-volume fulfillment environments where edge cases and enforcement gaps can cascade into broader productivity losses."ShipBob continues to set the standard for operational excellence in modern fulfillment, and we're proud to support their teams with solutions that solve real-world challenges like device management at scale," said Douglas Baldasare, CEO of ARC. "Seeing ShipBob achieve immediate, measurable gains in productivity, visibility, and asset control is exactly the kind of impact we always strive to deliver for our partners."ARC is currently rolling out across all ShipBob fulfillment centers, with full deployment expected by July 2026.To learn more about ARC's smart locker solutions, visit ExperienceARC.com. To learn more about ShipBob, visit shipbob.com.About ARC by ChargeItSpotARC® (Asset Recharge Center) is a leading smart locker system for managing company-owned handheld devices that employees use to do their jobs. When devices go missing, become non-functional, or consume excessive manager time through manual processes, productivity slows and costs rise. ARC's tech-enabled solution combines smart charging lockers with proprietary device management hardware, firmware, and software to drive accountability, reduce friction, and keep teams operating at full capacity.Headquartered in Philadelphia, PA, ARC is a division of ChargeItSpot. Since its founding in 2011, ChargeItSpot has managed millions of consumer and associate devices for the world's largest brands. To learn more, visit ExperienceARC.com.About ShipBobShipBob is a leading global supply chain and fulfillment technology platform designed for SMB and mid-market ecommerce merchants. ShipBob's technology provides merchants a single view of their business and customers across all sales channels to manage products, inventory, orders, and shipments — leveraging real-time analytics, dedicated support, and access to over 100 technology and retail partners. Merchants can outsource their entire fulfillment operations, utilize ShipBob's proprietary warehouse management system for in-house fulfillment, or leverage a hybrid solution across ShipBob's 60+ fulfillment centers in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, European Union, and Australia. Learn more at shipbob.com.
Beckhoff Automation is pleased to announce the recent approval of their application to join the Electrification & Controls Manufacturers Association at their latest meeting, held May at the 2023 Spring Meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina. MHI member companies have the opportunity to join any of MHI’s Industry Groups or the Solutions Community. Industry Groups share information and conduct research to stay at the forefront of their industry. Typical Industry Group activities include industry statistics collection, standards development, technical publications, public relations, promotion of safety, and member and user education. The Solutions Community brings MHI members together with equipment and systems users to collaborate and address common challenges and opportunities in manufacturing and supply chain in a safe harbor environment. ECMA members are the Industry’s leading suppliers of electrification and controlling devices. They supply solutions worldwide and in virtually every major manufacturing and distribution sector and work to develop and promote quality electrification systems, electrical equipment and control systems, for the safety and reliability of material handling. For more information about MHI Industry Groups, please visit mhi.org/industrygroups. To learn more about ECMA please visit mhi.org/ECMA. About MHI MHI is an international trade association that has represented the material handling, logistics and supply chain industry since 1945. MHI members include material handling and logistics equipment and systems manufacturers, integrators, consultants, publishers and third-party logistics providers. MHI offers education, networking and solution sourcing for their members, their customers and the industry as a whole through programming and events. The association sponsors the ProMat and MODEX expos to showcase the products and services of its member companies and to educate manufacturing and supply chain professionals. The Warehousing Education and Research Council (WERC) is a division of MHI and provides education and research to the warehouse, distribution and logistics community.
The AUTOMATION CONTROLS ELECTRIFICATION (ACE) Industry Group of MHI is pleased to announce the approval of Regal Rexnord’s application to join ACE at the 2025 Annual Conference held October 12-15 in Tucson, Arizona.MHI member companies have the opportunity to join any of MHI’s Industry Groups or the Solutions Community. Industry Groups share information and conduct research to stay at the forefront of their industry. Typical Industry Group activities include industry statistics collection, standards development, technical publications, public relations, promotion of safety, and member and user education. The Solutions Community brings MHI members together with equipment and systems users to collaborate and address common challenges and opportunities in manufacturing and supply chain in a safe harbor environment.For more information about MHI Industry Groups, please visit mhi.org/industrygroups. To learn more about ACE, please visit mhi.org/ace or contact Rose Haire at rhaire@mhi.orgAbout ACEACE – A UTOMATION CONTROLS ELECTRIFICATIONACE members are the industry’s leading suppliers of electrification and controlling devices. They supply solutions worldwide and in virtually every major manufacturing and distribution sector. Their mission is to bring together the leading suppliers and component manufacturers to educate, promote, specify and properly apply safe and reliable solutions for an automated world and aim to be recognized as the guiding authority of electrical control systems in automated solutions.About MHIMHI is an international trade association that has represented the material handling, logistics and supply chain industry since 1945. MHI’s over 1,000 members include material handling and logistics equipment and systems manufacturers, integrators, consultants, workforce solution providers, publishers and third-party logistics providers. MHI offers education, networking and solution sourcing for their members, the members’ customers, and the industry as a whole through programming and events. The association produces the ProMat and MODEX expositions that showcase the products and services of its member companies to educate manufacturing and supply chain professionals. The Warehousing Education and Research Council (WERC) is a division of MHI and provides education and research to the warehousing, distribution, and logistics community.
Price: $25.00This standard provides the minimum requirements and guidelines for cable-less controls of electric overhead traveling cranes. A cable-less control device as referenced in this standard uses radio frequency signals to control the movements and actions of said cranes for applications such as material handling. This standard is referenced in CMAA Specification #70, Specifications for Top Running & Gantry Type Multiple Girder Electric Overhead Traveling Cranes, and CMAA Specification #74, Specifications for Top Running & Under Running Single Girder Electric Traveling Cranes Utilizing Under Running Trolley Hoist. This standard provides information and references specific to electric overhead traveling (EOT) cranes.
This is a paid advertisement.Keys, devices, and shared assets—always available, always accounted for. Traka keeps access controlled and workflows moving across retail floors and distribution environments. No delays or guesswork, just clear accountability from every interaction.
This is a paid advertisement. As the global leader in key and equipment management solutions, Traka delivers centralized control and visibility over the physical keys and shared devices critical to any retail, logistics, or warehousing operation. Say goodbye to manual management processes, missing keys and devices, and unauthorized access to sensitive areas and assets. When every step in your process affects profitability, Traka delivers intelligent access solutions to keep your operations secure, efficient, and transparent.
This is a paid advertisement. In this warehouse, the best solution for connecting devices on a Wireless LAN proved to be Cradlepoint's NetCloud Private Networks — an end-to-end private cellular network solution designed for the needs of today’s dynamic enterprise IT ecosystems. For control, reliability, reach, and security, private cellular was a better option than Wi-Fi.
The following Guidelines are presented to you by the Crane Manufacturers Association of America. They are intended to provide you with general procedures for installation, inspection, maintenance and repairs, operation and operator training for lifting devices. Lifting devices, sometimes called below-the hook lifters, attach hoists to their loads. In addition they may attach, hold, protect, control and orient the load in the material flow process. They are independent of the crane, hoist, trolley and carrier hook. Samples of included equipment appear below. Most lifters can be categorized as either supporting (*3), indentation type pressure gripping (*4), or friction type pressure gripping (*5) lifters. However, many lifters within these categories have been designed for the particular requirements imposed by specialized lifting tasks.
When a machinery manufacturer making microchips needed a device to precisely position parts in a clean room test situation, the EMH AL System™ Aluminum Crane with motorized Low Headroom End Trucks provided the ideal solution. Since completion, the customer could not be more pleased with the installation. The machine manufacturer has already contracted for a second EMH AL System.
BackgroundA seed company in Iowa had workers spending all day unloading palletized boxes onto a gravity conveyor. The conveyor moved each box to a staging area where workers would lift them individually onto a workbench for testing and repackaging if needed.The ProblemWith workers manually moving boxes onto and off the conveyor, the ergonomic drain on the company was significant. Each box weighed about 70 lbs, so workers were experiencing frequent back problems and fatigue throughout the day. Production was also slowed because manual lifting was time-consuming and unpredictable.The SolutionA Gorbel® Work Station Crane outfitted with a G-Force® Intelligent Lifting Device was installed. The Work Station Crane helped move the boxes ergonomically through all stages of processing, while the G-Force® provided workers with precise handling abilities. What previously took substantial physical strength could now be achieved with a slight touch of the hand. Workers were particularly grateful that this system was easy to use, with no complicated controls or unnecessary buttons – load sensors on the G-Force® took care of that.
Explore the fascinating history and multifaceted benefits of air curtains, from conserving energy to ensuring thermal comfort and even controlling flying insects. Discover how these unassuming devices have evolved to meet diverse needs and provide cost-effective solutions.
This 32-page manual has been published by CMAA with the intent to provide information for the operation of overhead and gantry cranes. Operation of an overhead or gantry crane involves more than operating the controls of the crane. The operator must consider and anticipate the motions and actions that will occur as a result of operating the controls. CMAA 79 also lists qualifications required to be a crane operator, as well as “shall and shall nots” for operators.Secure PDF This standard is distributed as an encrypted PDF with a license for up to two separate devices. You will receive one email for registering a device and another email with the document attached. You will need administrative privileges in order to install the FileOpen plug-in for Adobe Acrobat/Reader. Administrative privileges may also be necessary to disable protected mode in Adobe Acrobat/Reader when printing to network printers. FileOpen Plug-In FAQ http://plugin.fileopen.com/faq.aspx FileOpen Troubleshooting FAQ http://www.fileopen.com/products/troubleshooting-faq
This 32-page manual has been published with the intent of providing additional information for the operation of overhead and gantry cranes. The operator must consider and anticipate the motions and actions that will occur as a result of operating the controls. Specification 79 also lists qualification required to be a crane operator, as well as “shall and shall nots” for operators. Secure PDF This standard is distributed as an encrypted PDF with a license for up to 2 separate devices. You will receive one email for registering a device and another email with the standard attached. You will need administrative privileges in order to install the FileOpen plug-in for Adobe Acrobat/Reader. Administrative privileges may also be necessary to disable protected mode in Adobe Acrobat/Reader when printing to network printers. FileOpen Plug-In FAQ http://plugin.fileopen.com/faq.aspx FileOpen Troubleshooting FAQ http://www.fileopen.com/products/troubleshooting-faq