Third Party Logistics, or 3PL is a business arrangement whereby logistics services, often including warehousing, are contracted to an independent business that specializes in such services and is not connected through direct ownership to the producer or factory requiring the service. See also, Supply Chain, Supply Chain Management, Logistics and Material Handling. Note that all of referenced terms are highly interrelated and their definitions are frequently intermingled.

Material Handling is the movement, storage, control and protection of materials, goods and products throughout the process of manufacturing, distribution, consumption and disposal. The focus is on the methods, mechanical equipment, systems and related controls used to achieve these functions. See also, Supply Chain, Supply Chain Management, Logistics and Third Party Logistics. Note that all of referenced terms are highly interrelated and their definitions are frequently intermingled.

The organization, integration and utilization of the resources and transportation infrastructure needed to achieve the efficient flow of materials and information over the entire supply chain, or within selected subsystems. See also, Supply Chain, Supply Chain Management, Material Handling, and Third Party Logistics. Note that all of referenced terms are highly interrelated and their definitions are frequently intermingled.

Article from MHI Solutions Magazine The third-party logistics (3PL) industry is a complex and varied one that includes...

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ATLANTA – Feb. 6, 2024 — Canadian logistics company Groupe Robert opened a new Quebec distribution center in partnership with Dematic. The facility features one of the tallest Dematic Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (AS/RS) for a third-party logistics (3PL) facility in Canada, with 130-foot-tall cranes that support fulfillment of fresh and frozen products from high-density cold storage. The solution makes Groupe Robert the first 3PL provider in Quebec with an automated warehouse for both fresh and frozen foods. “We are incredibly excited about how this distribution center will serve Quebec’s entire agri-food industry and enhance supply chain efficiency,” says Michel Robert, president and CEO of Groupe Robert. “We have a unique opportunity, in partnership with Dematic, to establish the warehouse as a base of operations for manufacturers looking to store and redistribute their products throughout North America. This facility is a symbol of our dedication to pushing boundaries, fostering growth and delivering unparalleled service to our customers.” The facility’s AS/RS boasts a high-storage capacity of 60,000 pallets — 30,000 in fresh temperatures and 30,000 in frozen — and features a high-performance carbon dioxide refrigeration system and a low-oxygen system to manage fire hazards. Groupe Robert is committed to business practices that prioritize sustainability, such as solar panels and a rainwater collection system. The facility’s heat recovery system uses heat generated by the refrigeration equipment to warm the distribution center’s interior and melt snow. “We are immensely proud to collaborate with Groupe Robert on such a tremendous project and to help them reach new heights in meeting their customer needs,” says Mike Larsson, president, Dematic, KION group executive board member. “Our strategic partnership reinforces our commitment to leading technological innovation in the food and beverage industry at large. Serving as a trusted partner in the opening of this Groupe Robert facility marks a new era of efficiency in service for their community.” The project successfully completed in December 2023. For more information about Dematic, visit dematic.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and X. About Dematic Dematic designs, builds, and supports intelligent automated solutions empowering and sustaining the future of commerce for its customers in manufacturing, warehousing, and distribution. With research and development engineering centers, manufacturing facilities, and service centers located in more than 35 countries, the Dematic global network of over 11,000 employees has helped achieve successful customer installations for some of the world’s leading brands. Headquartered in Atlanta, Dematic is a member of KION Group, one of the world’s leading suppliers of industrial trucks and supply chain solutions. About Groupe Robert Founded in 1946, Groupe Robert has since become a leader in supply chain management in North America. The company's 3,200 employees are the cornerstone of its success – a success built on extensive knowledge and experience in logistics, distribution, warehousing, and transportation solutions. Groupe Robert operates more than 41 distribution centres, including 326,000 m² of warehouse space in Canada. The company has recognized expertise in warehouse logistics management, particularly in the aerospace manufacturing industry in Mirabel, and controls 100,000 m² of warehouse space in the Mirabel area. Contact Mandi Baronas Senior Manager, Marketing Communications mandi.baronas@dematic.com dematic.com

COLUMBUS, OH (Jan. 5, 2023) -- Hy-Tek Holdings (Hy-Tek), a portfolio company of Dunes Point Capital, LP (DPC), has acquired Winchester Industrial Controls LLC (“Winchester”). Winchester, located in Bristol, CT, is a provider of control systems and installation for automated material handling systems. Hy-Tek, doing business as Hy-Tek Intralogistics, is a material handling automation integrator serving clients in diverse end-markets and applications, including ecommerce, third-party logistics, and parcel. The acquisition was announced by Hy-Tek’s CEO, Sam Grooms. “Hy-Tek’s acquisition of Winchester Controls broadens our offerings as the predominant player in material handling. With the addition of Winchester Industrial Controls’ highly experienced team, Hy-Tek further enhances its ability to execute concurrent large-scale projects in support of our enterprise logistics platform, ” said Grooms. About DPC DPC is a family office and private investment firm pursuing control investments in companies operating in the general industrial and business services sectors. DPC targets companies with enterprise values of up to $1 billion. For more information, please visit www.dunespointcapital.com. About Hy-Tek Intralogistics Headquartered in Columbus, OH, Hy-Tek is a material handling automation technology integrator serving clients in diverse end-markets and applications, including e-commerce, third-party logistics, and parcel. Hy-Tek was established as a combination of Hy-Tek Material Handling, WorldSource, BP Controls, Fascor, LCS, Johnson Stevens Consulting, AHS, and Winchester Controls. Together, they operate as Hy-Tek Intralogistics. Hy-Tek is the premier single-source provider of material handling solutions for a wide range of industries, including manufacturing, distribution, retail, construction, food, electronics, and automotive. Since 1963, Hy-Tek and its best-in-class industry partners—including manufacturers of industrial equipment; conveyor systems; automated storage and retrieval systems; rack and shelving—have provided customers large and small with turnkey solutions. From customized one-of-a-kind handling and storage systems to pre-assembled buildings and off-the-shelf products—Hy-Tek’s experienced engineering, sales, operations, and project management professionals partner with customers to help enhance productivity, streamline processes, and boost profitability. With over 650 employees, Hy-Tek serves customers in the United States, Canada, and Mexico from offices in Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Tennessee. For more information, visit www.hy-tek.com. About Winchester Industrial Controls Located in Bristol CT, Winchester Industrial Controls designs, engineers, and integrates controls systems and software for warehouse automation applications. Winchester Industrial Controls further facilitates the success of its clients with (UL) panel fabrication, electrical installation, and dedicated support. Winchester Industrial Controls employs approximately 30 people to serve clients in North America. For more information, visit www.winchestercontrols.com.

Joint solution promises to unify operations for sellers and 3PLs so they can support more channels.CHICAGO, Ill., JUNE 5, 2024 — Logiwa Inc., a leading cloud based Fulfillment Management System (FMS) for high-volume fulfillment businesses, and Pipe17, a pioneer in ecommerce integration solutions, announce their strategic and technological partnership aimed at streamlining ecommerce operations for sellers and third-party logistics providers (3PLs).The partnership announces the availability of a joint solution designed to enable seamless integration of Logiwa’s FMS, Logiwa IO, into ecommerce businesses and 3PLs. This solution empowers users to efficiently scale up their selling efforts by expanding their selling channels and better aligning their ERP and financial operations.Traditionally, integrating a Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) with selling channels and ERPs was a complicated and expensive process, often taking months to complete. However, with this joint solution offered by Logiwa and Pipe17, ecommerce businesses and 3PLs can integrate Logiwa IO FMS seamlessly and affordably, in a fraction of the time previously required.Pipe17’s unique hub and spoke architecture allows Logiwa users to connect with any existing Pipe17 connection effortlessly without involving developers. Moreover, businesses can swiftly expand their selling channels, such as TikTok Shop, leveraging the rapid integration capabilities provided by this partnership. Logiwa customers can also harness Pipe17's automation features, including order routing, to address complex business requirements efficiently."We are thrilled to be partnering with Logiwa on this solution. Sellers and 3PLs understand the value of unifying their Logiwa FMS with their selling and back office but have been put off by the cost and complexity,” said Mo Afshar, Founder and CEO of Pipe17. “With this new solution, they can now realize the full value of their investment in Logiwa faster than they ever thought possible.""We are excited to join forces with Pipe17 to deliver a groundbreaking solution that simplifies the integration process for our customers,” said Erhan Musaoglu, Founder & CEO of Logiwa. “With Pipe17's strong ecommerce integration, our customers can now easily connect systems and expand operations quickly and confidently."Gain deeper insights into the functionality of our collaborative solution by securing your spot for our partner webinar on June 27th at 1 p.m. CT. Don't miss out—secure your spot now.About LogiwaLogiwa is a leader in cloud-native AI-driven fulfillment technology, revolutionizing high-volume fulfillment for fulfillment networks, direct-to-consumer brands, and third-party logistics (3PLs). Our flagship product, Logiwa IO, is an advanced Fulfillment Management System (FMS) designed to scale operations in the digital era. Logiwa elevates digital warehousing to new heights, ensuring dynamic and efficient fulfillment processes. Our commitment to AI-driven technology, combined with a focus on customer-centricity, equips businesses to adeptly navigate and excel in rapidly changing market landscapes. Discover the future of smart fulfillment and how you can fulfill brilliantly with Logiwa WMS at logiwa.com.About Pipe17About Pipe17 Inc.Pipe17 Inc. provides Ecommerce Order Operations solutions for modern merchants and fulfillment service providers. Based in Seattle, Pipe17 is the fast and easy way to make omnichannel order flows touchless and cost-efficient, from order to inventory to fulfillment across DTC, B2B and Retail. Pipe17 is the only ecommerce order ops solution that combines rapid deployment, seamless orders-to-anywhere automation, real-time visibility, and elastic scale. Learn more at Pipe17.com.

To complement a new educational video, thought leaders representing the Protective Guarding Manufacturers Association (ProGMA), an MHI product group, discuss the importance of protecting personnel, equipment, and inventory in industrial facilities.ProGMA has recently launched the second in a series of videos about the importance of protective guarding products in the material handling industry. The video titled “Proper Safeguarding for Elevated Work Platforms” followed the inaugural, educational video titled, “Essential Safety Barriers for Automated / Robotic Workcells”. (http://www.mhi.org/progma/videos)Here, representatives of member companies expand on the themes explored within the latest video in the group’s first blog.Before we start, says Arlin Keck, corporate research and development engineer at Steel King (a manufacturer of pallet racks, mezzanines and guardrails), it’s important to clarify what we mean by “mezzanine” in this context. “The technical term for what my company and other members make is work platforms. Mezzanine was an old term for these systems; however, the word mezzanine had to be dropped because mezzanine, as defined in the building codes, refers to a specified type of floor within a building structure and carries with it added requirements for fire safety, egress, parking, and so on,” Keck explains.A typical work platform is design to support the site-specific load that will be placed on the floor, be it palletized loads, pallet jacks, foot traffic, work equipment, filing cabinets, racking or shelving units, to name just a few possibilities.Keck says that the main purpose of an elevated work platform is to add additional floor space into a building or room by taking advantage of surplus ceiling clearance that may exist in a warehouse or manufacturing facility. Aaron Conway, president at Mezzanine Safeti-Gates Inc. (a manufacturer of safety gates to secure the ledges of pallet drop areas on mezzanines and rack picking systems), says, “A company that has utilized all of its ground space can build upward. An elevated platform allows one to use the space for workflow or to store product.”As Hue Schlegel, director of marketing at Wildeck Inc. (a manufacturer of mezzanines and work platforms), puts it, “Move up, not out.” He adds, “Depending on the available height in a building, platforms can be one, two, or three levels high, with the most common height being 10 ft. top-of-deck and supporting a floor load of 125 lbs. per square foot. Their length and width are only limited by facility size.” Importantly, he explains, they cannot occupy more than two thirds of a fire-rated area within a building.Keck says work platforms are also used to create catwalks between separated platforms, and to serve as sortation and conveyance areas for mechanized systems. Conway agrees, adding, “Companies that supply elevated work platforms can fabricate them in virtually any configuration. They can be designed to accommodate specific workflow operations or to fit with existing structures in the building.”Industrial buildings are getting bigger and elevated work platforms are scaling up with them. Say, 50 years ago, facilities were much smaller and ceilings lower so there were fewer requirements for elevated platforms. Further, the equipment to load at such heights didn’t exist. Now, the capability of equipment is greater and taller structures are being utilized as a result. Within them, work and storage takes place on multiple levels.These multi-level work platforms present a danger of personnel and objects falling from height.As the latest video warns, the pallet drop area of elevated work platforms can lead to accidents if the ledge is open without adequate guarding. Falls to lower levels cost employers $5 billion annually in compensation claims in the U.S. alone. OSHA reports that it costs on average 16 lost working days per injured employee.Conway says, “Falling from an elevated level, whether it be people or products, is a serious danger and both should be addressed proactively, securing the situation before an incident occurs.” Schlegel adds, “The worst case, of course, is death; while the best scenario is that a worker survives a fall from the typical mezzanine height of 10 ft. sustaining only broken bones, fractures, and other injuries from hitting the concrete floor below. It is a serious matter not to be taken lightly.”Traditional railing or guarding systems are effective at preventing falls from height as long as they include a kick plate that is installed in conjunction with ANSI MH 28.3-2009. Adding netting or expanded metal and safety products to traditional railing systems provides added protection by capturing small objects that might otherwise fall into the work area below.OSHA Standard 1926.502, meanwhile, requires paneling or screening where tools, equipment, or materials are piled higher than the top edge of a toe-board or kick plate. ProGMA members also manufacture both netting and wire mesh panels that comply with that standard.However, David Brentz, chairman of ProGMA and vice president of member company Industrial Netting (a manufacturer of plastic netting), says, “That’s only a minimum requirement; added protection is financially prudent. The cost to install netting or wire screens around the perimeter of an elevated work platform pales in comparison to the cost of a single lost time accident. ProGMA members offer several simple, cost effective solutions to protect employees below loose objects that may fall or be kicked off work platforms.”Conway says, “In the past, properly guarding a pallet drop area or installing netting or wire was something that would be retrofitted, either after an incident occurred or after someone pointed out the issue. Designing proper safety guarding for the structure at the time of purchase makes for a much better fit; when retrofitting, there is often insufficient room for proper guarding and concessions have to be made. But, it is important to note that even if proper guarding wasn’t designed with the structure, it still should be installed. There are companies in the ProGMA that can customize solutions to fit these areas.”He continues, “Don’t confuse luck with judgment. If I visit a facility that was built, say, 20 years ago, I’m sure to find open pallet drop areas or insufficient guardrails. Just because these areas have been around for a while isn’t a reason not to properly secure them. I’ve heard the line, ‘Well, we’ve been doing it this way for 20 years and nobody has gotten hurt’. To that I say, ‘You’ve been lucky!’”Schlegel says, “The biggest safety risk is when a forklift access gate on mezzanine is left open creating a fall hazard for someone off-loading a pallet at the upper level. There are many products, provided by ProGMA members, that prevent the gate from being left open or that keep the operator at a safe distance, which should always be installed.”ANSI says, “Any gate that provides an access opening through the guards for the purpose of loading and unloading material onto a work platform shall be designed such that the elevated surface is protected by guards at all times. Gates that swing open, slide open, or lift up, leaving an unprotected opening in the guarding are not acceptable.”Dual gate systems such as a rolling gate ensure that the operator is separated from the ledge as well as the load. A pivoting gate ensures the operator is never exposed to the ledge and does not require him or her to walk near an open ledge to operate the gate.Unfortunately, sometimes it can take an incident and a facility to be shut down during an investigation for companies to understand the serious financial consequences of a workplace injury. There are many other companies that understand the risks and proactively secure their work areas. These diligent companies end up ahead in the long run:1. They typically get better solutions because they had the time to design them correctly;2. They get a better price because they can take their time and research the solutions;3. Safety solutions are in place before they need them.Conway concludes, “The large majority of people don’t want to get hurt and are not acting recklessly on the job. Typically, they are performing a repetitive operation, and in their process miss a step or push something too far and someone gets hurt. Proper guarding should be in place to prevent injury if this happens.”About ProGMAThe Protective Guarding Manufacturers Association (ProGMA) members are the industry’s leading suppliers of fixed protective guarding products designed to protect personnel, equipment, and inventory in industrial facilities. Member companies meet regularly to review, discuss, and revise the standards for design and performance of protective guarding products used in the material handling industry. ProGMA member companies are committed to the development, maintenance, and publishing of industry standard specifications for these systems. Visit the website at http://www.mhi.org/ProGMAAbout MHIMHI 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. http://www.mhi.orgContactAnupam Berry Boseabose@mhi.org704-676-1190