WIXOM, MI, July 2025 — Integrated Systems Design (ISD), a distinguished systems integrator and OEM provider of advanced warehouse automation solutions, announces its comprehensive initiative to revolutionize supply chain resilience through strategically curated "Made in America" automation partnerships. This groundbreaking approach addresses mounting concerns over international supply chain vulnerabilities while delivering unprecedented operational excellence.Supply Chain Sovereignty Emerges as Critical Business ImperativeContemporary enterprises face escalating challenges stemming from protracted international supply chains, geopolitical instabilities, and pandemic-induced disruptions. ISD's revolutionary approach eliminates dependency on overseas manufacturing networks, establishing robust domestic partnerships that guarantee supply chain continuity and operational predictability. "Patriotism transcends sentiment—it embodies strategic wisdom," declares Ed Romaine, VP Marketing at ISD. "Our domestic manufacturing alliances eliminate intercontinental shipping delays, customs complications, and communication barriers that perpetually plague international sourcing strategies."Technological Prowess Meets Manufacturing ExcellenceISD's meticulously crafted portfolio encompasses cutting-edge automation technologies exclusively sourced from a number of leading American manufacturing powerhouses:UltraStore Mid-Load ASRS represents tried and true engineering achievements in automated storage solutions. This domestically engineered system optimizes mid-range applications requiring high-density storage coupled with lightning-fast retrieval capabilities. Superior technical support, expedited software updates, and streamlined system modifications distinguish this American-manufactured solution.Kardex Remstar Vertical Lift Modules maximize storage capacities through vertical storage optimization. These systems transform limited floor space into high-density storage capacity while delivering requested inventory directly to ergonomic workstations, dramatically enhancing productivity metrics.URBX ASRS showcases next-generation robotic ASRS storage system. These modular, scalable systems adapt seamlessly to evolving operational requirements, featuring real-time optimization algorithms that maintain peak performance regardless of fluctuating demand patterns.Raymond Material Handling Equipment continues decades-long traditions of American manufacturing excellence. Their product lineup encompasses traditional counterbalance forklifts, reach trucks, order pickers, and specialized narrow-aisle equipment designed for high-density storage environments.Reflex Robotics introduces groundbreaking humanoid automation from Brooklyn, New York. Founded by MIT alumni with prestigious experience from Tesla, Boston Dynamics, and Amazon, Reflex delivers cost-effective warehouse and manufacturing general-purpose robotics achieving operational capability within sixty minutes of deployment. Their affordable pricing structure—below annual operator salaries—democratizes humanoid automation across diverse warehouse operations.Strategic Advantages Compound Through Domestic PartnershipsISD's "Made in America" approach delivers multifaceted benefits extending beyond equipment procurement: Supply Chain Resilience: Eliminates international shipping vulnerabilities, port congestion delays, and customs complications Quality Assurance: Domestic manufacturers operate under stringent regulatory frameworks ensuring consistent, superior products Rapid Response Support: Time zone alignment, linguistic clarity, and cultural familiarity accelerate technical support resolution Regulatory Compliance: Intimate knowledge of American building codes, safety regulations, and integration standardsOptimalOps-Process™ Maximizes Automation Investment ReturnsISD's proprietary OptimalOps-Process™ framework orchestrates seamless integration across multiple automation technologies. This comprehensive eight-step methodology ensures optimal equipment selection, strategic implementation, and sustained operational excellence while maintaining vendor-neutral flexibility.Partnership Excellence Drives Sustained SuccessAs an OEM-agnostic systems integrator, ISD leverages extensive partnerships with premier American manufacturers to deliver customized solutions precisely matching operational requirements. This collaborative approach eliminates single-vendor limitations while ensuring unified system performance across diverse automation components. "Our domestic partnerships transcend transactional relationships," emphasizes Ed Romaine, VP Marketing at ISD. "We cultivate enduring alliances that deliver sustained value through comprehensive training programs, reliable technical support, and predictable upgrade pathways."Market Leadership Through InnovationISD's commitment to American manufacturing excellence positions clients advantageously amid intensifying global competition. Domestic automation solutions provide strategic stability, operational reliability, and performance consistency that international alternatives cannot match.Discover Revolutionary Automation SolutionsOrganizations seeking to mitigate supply chain risks through Made in America warehouse automation technologies are invited to schedule complimentary consultations exploring ISD's comprehensive capabilities and strategic advantages.About Integrated Systems Design - ISDIntegrated Systems Design is a comprehensive systems integrator of automated solutions for warehouses, manufacturing, distribution, retail, and wholesale applications, improving processes and productivity while reducing operational costs. Whether providing consulting services to meet current issues or developing future scalable plans to address industry challenges, ISD creates value for a broad range of industries by tailoring systems to clients' specific requirements.ISD expertise ranges from handling, storing, and picking pieces (eaches), cases, pallets, build lines, and special or custom handling solutions. Products and services include automatic storage and retrieval (ASRS), AMR, conveyor, robotics, batch stations, shuttles, pick-to-light, carousels, vertical lift modules (VLMs), controls, and software (including inventory management, WCS, WMS, and MES).ContactEd RomaineVP Marketing & Business Development215-512-2613eromaine@isddd.com

Modula Inc., a leading manufacturer of automated storage and retrieval solutions, has appointed Orfeo Finocchi as CEO of Modula North America, effective January 1, 2025. Based in Franklin, Ohio, he will focus on operational excellence, innovation, and market expansion in the U.S..Franklin, Ohio – January 2025 – Modula Inc., a leading manufacturer of automated storage and retrieval solutions, is pleased to announce the appointment of Orfeo Finocchi as its new CEO, effective January 1, 2025.Based at Modula’s North American facility in Franklin, Ohio, Orfeo will focus on strengthening the company’s commitment to operational excellence and innovation while driving expansion in key geographical areas to meet the evolving demands of the intralogistics market and support Modula’s continued growth in the United States.Orfeo brings over 20 years of global leadership experience in business strategy, sales development, and corporate management. His history with Modula is well-established, having previously served as General Manager of System China, a subsidiary of System S.p.A. originally focused on the ceramics industry. During this time, when Modula was still part of the System group, Orfeo was responsible for expanding sales networks for Modula across China and for ceramics across the broader Asian region, including Japan, India, and Thailand.Following the strategic decision to separate the Modula business unit from System China, Orfeo was appointed General Manager of Modula China. He successfully led the spin-off and the creation of a new legal entity and independent manufacturing facility. Under his leadership, Modula China built a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility. His leadership significantly contributed to expanding Modula’s market presence in China and establishing the brand as a recognized name in the region.Reflecting on his return to Modula, Orfeo shared: “I am honored to return to Modula and lead the next phase of growth. I have always shared with Mr. Franco Stefani a deep commitment to excellence and continuous innovation in production and manufacturing processes. I look forward to collaborating with the exceptional teams in North America and beyond to deliver innovative solutions and expand our market presence.”With Orfeo’s leadership, Modula aims to continue its mission of providing advanced automated storage solutions that improve warehouse efficiency, safety, and productivity across diverse industrial sectors.About ModulaModula is a leading manufacturer of automated storage solutions, designed to optimize space and improve picking and storage operations for any industrial sector or environment. Modula vertical lift module (VLM) line maximizes the storage potential of high-ceiling facilities, securing items in enclosed units up to 54 feet tall. Our horizontal carousels are ideal for low-ceiling environments, as well as those seeking maximum throughput. For both solutions, automated delivery dramatically increases productivity and saves operators from unnecessary bending, walking, and reaching for parts.Today, Modula counts on more than 30,000 customers around the world and 4 production plants in Italy, the US (Lewiston, Maine & Franklin, Ohio), and China. In addition, Modula has a network of twelve subsidiaries (located in France, UK, Spain, Poland, Denmark, Germany, Sweden, India, Singapore, Australia, Colombia, and Mexico) and more than 100 authorized dealers worldwide. This guarantees a local presence to clients, allowing the company to serve all markets in a personal and timely manner.For more information please visit the official website: www.modula.us/.ContactValentina CecchiMarketing Directormarketing.usa@modula.com

Kardex will present its latest developments designed to enhance intralogistics efficiency at Promat 2025 at McCormick Place in Chicago March 17 – 20, 2025. We invite attendees to visit booth S3562 to experience our innovative technologies first‐hand. Our demonstrations will feature integrated software solutions and advanced picking assistance tools working seamlessly with our ASRS technologies to improve inventory management, order picking accuracy, performance and ergonomics.One of the key highlights will be our Kardex Shuttle – a Vertical Lift Module designed to optimize space, improve efficiency, and increase flexibility in warehouse operations. It will be working together with Kardex Power Pick Cloud – a new software solution offering greater data security with simplified implementation, agile process adaptation, fast onboarding, and an overall improved user experience. Our experts will demonstrate how the Kardex Shuttle integrates seamlessly into existing operations, reducing storage space by up to 85% and accelerating order picking times.Further, test drive our newest innovation, the Wearable Task Assistant – a portable device that takes picking efficiency and ergonomics to the next level. Equipped with a hands‐free scanner, pick and place support, and a color‐coded wrist display, the Wearable Task Assistant minimizes errors and improves the overall quality of the picking process.Learn how to keep your existing machines up and running using Kardex Connect. Kardex Connect provides a secure industrial internet of things platform offering smart connected services like remote support, analytics, monitoring, and video conferencing for your Kardex solutions. See it all in action!Additionally, Kardex empowered by AutoStore will feature a full‐size AutoStore grid connected to Kardex FulfillX, an innovative warehouse execution system designed to remove the unpredictability from system go‐live, allowing new AutoStore systems to ramp‐up faster and achieve or exceed business objectives in as little as 6 months.Visitors can also experience a live demonstration of Kardex’s Intuitive Picking Assistant, which projects relevant picking information directly onto the surface of the AutoStore access port. This interactive and user‐friendly picking display responds to hand movements and facilitates ergonomic, high speed, error-free picking – setting Kardex empowered by Autostore apart from other integrators.Lastly, stay ahead of the latest industry trends and up to date on technologies by attending our on‐floor seminars during Promat:• Maximizing Warehouse Efficiency by Leveraging Automation Throughout your Facilities on Monday March 17 at 1:00 PM in Theater B• Achieving ROI on Day 1 with a 6‐Month Cube ASRS Deployment: Revolutionizing Warehouse Automation on Wednesday March 19 at 11:15 AM in Theater CCan’t make it to Promat? Explore our virtual exhibition.About Kardex Remstar, LLCKardex is a leading global partner for intralogistics solutions in an attractive and growing market. The Group offers premium automated products, standardized systems and lifecycle services that guarantee high availability and low total cost of ownership. Kardex provides an intelligent entry into automation with its dynamic storage and retrieval systems, offers integrated material handling systems, small parts storage systems and automated high‐bay warehouses and acts as a global AutoStore™partner, offering flexible and modular storage and order fulfillment solutions. The Group employs around 2’500 people in over 30 countries. Kardex Holding AG has been listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange since 1989.ContactChristina DubeDirector Marketing & Communications Americachristina.dube@kardex.com

The mezzanine platform from Steel King is a combination of single and two-level platforms that creates a triple-mezzanine structure, providing more than 230,000 square feet of working space to support operations, conveyor and vertical lift module (VLM) picking stations along with other means of automation.

Since 1953 Park Industries, located in St. Cloud, MN has manufactured stone working machines that cut, polish and edge stone into slabs for commercial and home use. Knowing they needed to expand warehouse efficiencies to support their growth, Park Industries turned to automation. The warehouse today has 4 Shuttle XP Vertical Lift Modules (VLMs) from Kardex Remstar; with pick to light technology integrated Power Pick Global (PPG) inventory management software.[caption id="attachment_10492" align="aligncenter" width="485"] Click Image to See Video[/caption]

Stihl dealer in the Midwest can expect fast, accurate service when they need equipment, accessories or spare partsMississippi Valley Saw was founded in 1978 by Bob Joynt in Peoria, IL. It began serving the nation’s heartland by shipping chain saws, log splitters and accessories to about 70 independent dealers and lawn centers. Growth was swift, and in 1981 the company moved into a new location. Soon after, Mr. Hans Peter Stihl visited and asked them to drop all other lines and become an exclusive Stihl dealer. Mississippi Valley Stihl (MVS) was born.MVS investigated all possible solutions to their time, inventory and space issues and chose the Lean-Lift® Vertical Lift Module from Hänel Storage Systems. A bank of three units were installed initially, with a fourth lift added shortly after to keep pace with demand.The benefits of the Lean-Lifts® were immediate. Before the lifts, five or six people would work well into overtime to fill the day’s orders.After the lifts, a single person could get all orders received by 2 p.m. out by 4 p.m. the same day. Orders are picked faster with less walking and no more overtime.The lifts work together to cue the next part automatically so that the operator can move from lift to lift, minimizing any potential wait time for trays to be delivered to the access point. Totes and boxes are used to collect the various parts for each order, with a put-to-light system ensuring the right parts go into the right container. A pick-to-light system is used to pull fast moving items from bins nearby.The increased speed and accuracy afforded by the Hänel Lean-Lifts® allowed MVS to keep its commitment to its dealer network to provide the right part within 24–48 hours, even while stocking an ever-increasing inventory of parts.

A Vertical Lift Module, or VLM is a storage system that consists of two parallel columns each of which is divided into fixed shelf locations that can hold a single storage module such as a tray or tote. The shelving locations are single deep. A tray or tote is inserted, extracted and transported between storage levels and picking locations via an elevator-like device with an automatic shuttle that travels up and down within the space between the storage columns. See also Carousels and/or AS/RS .

Carousels are a technology used to store items for eventual picking or retrieval. There are two primary types of carousels and one related technology, all of which operate under some form of computer control. Since the late 1990s, carousels have been placed under the more general category of AS/RS. See also Horizontal Carousels , Vertical Carousels , Vertical Lift Modules and/or AS/RS .