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Announcement from within and around the Packing and Crating Industry

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Company focuses on difficult to ship items from fine art to industrial machinery

Lebanon, TN: Crate Pros (www.cratepros.net), a custom packaging, crating, and shipping provider, recently opened their 12,000 sq. ft. Nashville area facility aimed at providing turn key packaging and shipping solutions for industrial and residential customers in Nashville and Middle Tennessee.

In today’s digital world, people easily connect to others around the world through information and data, but when it comes to shipping possessions and freight, there often are not viable solutions for oversized, fragile, high value, heavy, or export items. “For residential customers our focus is helping them with their difficult to ship freight that might be too large for the UPS Store or too fragile or costly for movers to place on a moving truck,” says Tim Slicker, founder and general manager of Crate Pros. “Whether it be fine art and antiques or a grand piano, we go to great lengths to ensure the freight is expertly packaged, reasonably priced, and that it arrives safely and on-time to the destination,” says Slicker.

For commercial customers, Crate Pros aims to be seen of as an extension of an organization’s logistics and shipping team. This could mean providing just in time crates to support the production of finished goods or performing on-site packaging and crating of industrial machinery that is being relocated to a different facility. “Whether it is a commercial or residential job, we offer a turn key approach to customers that includes pick-up, packing, crating or boxing, shipping, delivery, and any other custom service that might be needed,” Slicker explains.

While Crate Pros is a new company, Slicker is not new to logistics and transportation industry, having begun his career as a logistics officer in the Army as a captain during the liberation of Iraq and Baghdad. He has held numerous other operational leadership roles in companies like General Mills and Bridgestone, and most recently was the general manager at a leading national crating franchise in Nashville. Slicker is a West Point graduate and holds an MBA from Vanderbilt’s Owen School of Graduate Management. He resides in Murfreesboro, TN with his daughters Ainsley and McKinsley.


BeA VTT Connector reduces time, costs and complexity

System solution for the construction of transport crates
  • Just one connector for the corners and long sides
  • More working safety thanks to standard solution

    Ahrensburg, 22 May 2017 – Transport and packaging crates have been assembled in the same way for decades. Joh. Friedrich Behrens AG, European market leader for industrial fastening technology, is revolutionising the construction of wooden packaging with the BeA VTT Connector. According to system supplier BeA the connector, which has utility model protection, reduces assembly time by up to 60 %, while at the same time reducing costs for fasteners by up to 15 %. The universal solution for connectors, corners and long sides also makes storage and recycling easier, prevents damage to the crates if they are opened during customs inspections and increases working safety through the defined fastening points.

    Packaging experts are convinced by the ingenious simplicity of the BeA VTT Connector. The shape of the component, made of high grade hot dip galvanised steel, allows sturdy corner and long side connections to be made using only one connector and with almost no tools being necessary. No drilled, milled or grooved profiles are necessary for a precisely fitting connection. The BeA VTT Connector is suitable for transport and packaging crates made of 12 and 15 mm board materials.

    For the base, the VTT Connectors are simply bent at the corner to create a firm base plate. For long side connections, the boards are butt-connected using the BeA VTT Connector. The connectors are fastened using BeFix TK screws and a cordless screwdriver which are particularly efficient in series assembly using BeA flare staples and the BeA tool 14/38-159 E VTT.

    In the next working step, the four side walls are inserted into the corners of the VTT Connectors. The crate can now be filled. Then the four side walls are connected across the corner using BeA VTT Connectors.  To close the crate, the lid is placed on the four VTT Connectors and the crate is secured for transport using packaging straps. With a little practice, experts can built a transport crate with customised dimensions in less than 5 minutes using this method.

    The assembly time for a standardised wooden crate to fit on a Euro pallet is even reduced to about 120 seconds. The side walls cut to the pallet size only need to be inserted, the lid connectors attached, the lid fitted and the crate fixed with a packaging strap.

    The BeA VTT Connector not only saves time, it also reduces the costs for reinforcements, fasteners and connecting elements compared with conventional crate building. The connector provides additional savings potential if it is used in a recirculating system. Since only one connecting element is required for corners and long sides, and only one fastener type is required, storage is made easier and the disassembly and separation of the materials for reuse is straightforward as well.

    Transport and packaging crates often have to be built under great time pressure, which is why the defined fastening points of the BeA VTT Connector significantly improve working safety during assembly.

    About Joh. Friedrich Behrens AG The Joh. Friedrich Behrens AG with the BeA and KMR brands is one of the leading manufacturers for fastening technology for wood and similar materials on the European market. The Behrens Group, which has been operating for more than 100 years, distributes machine tools (pneumatic and gas-operated nailers and staplers) as well as corresponding fasteners (collated nails, staples and screws) developed and produced in Germany via a global network of subsidiaries and affiliated companies. The products are characterised by innovative technologies, the highest quality standards and modern manufacturing methods. http://www.bea-group.com


  • PRESS RELEASE
    ENVIRONMENT


    65% corresponds to recycling material and 11% to energy valuation
    FEDEMCO, supported by ECOEMBES, has analysed the situation of waste generated from wooden crates, packaging and pallets in Spain in 2015 in relation to the recycling targets established by EU directive 2004/12/EC for 2008: 15% for wood and 55% for packaging material in general.

    The valuation rate in 2015 was 76%, the result of the percentage ratio between the 226 thousand tons valued and the 298 thousand tons that remain as waste in Spain. 65% corresponded to recycling material (195 thousand tons) and 11% to energy valuation (31 thousand tons).

    The recycling rate rose by one percentage point when compared to figures for 2014, as the volume recycled increased by 4%, whilst the volume of waste generated by companies in Spain increased by 3%.

    This is basically due to the fact that there has been an increase in the volume of wooden crates and packaging used by industry in Spain (+3%), despite a larger number of pallets being reused by used pallet managers (+2%) and the users themselves (+7%).

    On the other hand, the wood recovery sector (made up of over 490 companies) has managed 8% more waste than in 2014. Waste valuation has increased as a whole by 4% (recycling and energy valuation).

    More information:
    Roberto García,

    Marketing and Communication. rgarcia@fedemco.com


    eCommerce in India is growing like anything but infrastructure still needs to develop to really sustain it. I think its growing since market needs it and bridges are built only when rivers are being crossed. Effective Packaging and right logistics are critical for the survival, growth and sustainability of E-commerce.

    The Roles of Packaging in eCommerce:

    Ecommerce typically involves direct to consumer delivery and so packaging must perform number of critical jobs to maintain the expected value of the product. Some of the issues are:

    Inefficient packaging Frustration to open Frustration due to big boxes to fit into standard sizes and use of too many air pillows So what is the solution? We really do not know but one solution could be On demand Packaging or customised packaging supplies on short notice for the small orders etc.

    To fill this gap, we invite you to share your experience with us and also let us know if you are offering packaging solutions, materials, machines or anything to make eCommerce much more successful and we will then be happy to connect you with the right buyers.

    The details can be emailed to info@packagingconnections.com or posted at our blog http://www.packagingconnections.com/blog/2015/02/19/packaging-for-ecommerce-and-challenges-specially-for-india/

    Happy buying online!

    Sandeep Kumar Goyal Founder & CEO www.PackagingConnections.com


    MEI Chosen from thousands of companies to win award for the 10th year

    ALBANY, Ore. -- April 30, 2013 -- MEI LLC, manufacturer of semiconductor wet bench processing systems, announced today that it has received Analog Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADI) Supplier Excellence Award for 2012 in the category of maintenance and service support. Just 13 suppliers were selected from among more than 2,000 companies that contribute to ADI's global semiconductor manufacturing operations.

    "Receiving this award from Analog Devices for ten consecutive years is a great honor. It caps off another year of new products, new markets, and productivity for MEI," said Dan Capello, CEO, MEI LLC. "Our relationship with Analog Devices continues to evolve as their needs shift and expand. Our challenge is to anticipate our customers' needs during a time when the semiconductor manufacturing landscape is constantly changing."

    About Analog Devices' Supplier Awards

    The ADI Supplier Excellence Awards distinguish those companies that meet the rigorous standards of the ADI supplier program. The winners must demonstrate an exceptional commitment to manufacturing excellence and leadership, and the on-time delivery of goods and services. Those suppliers cited by Analog Devices must also maintain high quality and reliability standards, deliver cost reduction initiatives, and display a proven dedication to technology advancement and continuous improvement.

    "The 2012 ADI Supplier Excellence Award acknowledges 13 companies for outstanding adherence to rigorous manufacturing standards, supply continuity, and service. Our strategic suppliers are vital to ADI's mission to deliver high-performance signal processing products. We congratulate the 2012 Supplier Excellence Awards winners for their innovation and responsiveness," said Vince Simonelli, director of global purchasing, Analog Devices.

    # # # About MEI LLC

    Founded in 1990 and based in Albany, Oregon, MEI is a diversified manufacturing and service company serving the solar, semiconductor, and high technology industries. The company's specialties include automated and semi-automated wet process systems and services; linear and rotary wet benches for the solar and semiconductor industries; automated chemical delivery systems; and control automation software. MEI's products integrate clean room safety, ergonomics, and support equipment with unparalleled ease of use and ease of maintenance. MEI has built its reputation on a commitment to outstanding customer service. Visit: www.meillc.com.

    For more information, contact: Debra Seifert Debra Seifert Communications LLC Mobile: (503) 704-0998 debra@debraseifert.com Katherine Cleland MEI LLC Mobile: (541) 231-4445 katherine.cleland@meillc.com


    By Breakbulk Staff on March 25, 2013

    Negotiations progress with government

    Brazilian dockworkers have cancelled a national port strike scheduled for today (March 25).

    Union leaders late last week said they are willing to relax rules that allow unions to control labor assignments at terminals, following talks with the government over reform of the country’s ports.

    Several strikes over the past several months have disrupted operations at Brazil’s ports, including the Port of Santos. A Chinese cargo ship was held hostage for several days as part of a worker protest.

    Unions object to the government’s plan to overhaul its port system, which would lift a requirement to hire union workers through a public agency, OGMO.

    The Brazilian government says its port improvement plans are necessary to attract billions of dollars in private investment. In 2012, vessels calling the Port of Santos, waited an average of 16 days to unload their cargoes, according to government figures. The labor dispute has exacerbated an already troubling problem, causing prices for commodities to increase as buyers look to other more expensive sources, such as U.S. soybeans, amid fears of longer delays at Brazilian ports.


    We are proud to announce that we will be operating as DGM New York (Dangerous Goods Management, New York) effective March 11, 2013.

    The change of name does not affect the operation or ownership of Specialized Shipping, LLC.

    We have had a strong relationship with the DGM network for many years. DGM network offices are known for having earned an excellent reputation for compliance, capabilities, and customer service. By becoming the New York branch we will be able to provide our customers with expanded services, and a further reach with our project work.

    DGM is qualified to prepare and sign Shipper’s Declarations for air transport on behalf of shippers and/or freight forwarders.

    DGM also arranges ADR or IMDG paperwork for dangerous goods which are shipped as air cargo, but are carried by road on airline air waybills, or which must connect to ferry services (IATA / ICAO rules, versus ADR road, versus the IMO / IMDG maritime rules & regulations).

    All services fall under DGM responsibility and are covered by DGM’s corporate insurance blanket.

    DGM expanded its scope and now offers services related to: · Security · Software · Environment · Health and safety

    DGM is today an IATA Strategic Partner and its franchisees maintain many regional accreditations: E-License, Costha, DGAC, Air Cargo Netherlands, etc.) DGM companies share a Quality and Safety Manual in order to guarantee excellence in both products and services.

    For further information about the DGM network, please visit us www.dgmsupport.com


    ANSI A190.1-2012, American National Standard for Wood Products - Structural Glued Laminated Timber is now available from APA's online Publication Library. The Standard provides requirements for the production of structural glued laminated timber, including size tolerances, grade combinations, lumber, adhesives, appearance grades, and manufacturing information. It also describes the required quality control system for the laminator including: plant qualification, daily quality control, the functions of an accredited inspection agency and product marking.

    This 40-page brochure is only available as a free downloadable PDF. Click on the link to download ANSI A190.1-2012, Standard for Wood Products - Structural Glued Laminated Timber, Form ANSI A190.1-2012.

    The other two Standards, ANSI 405 – 2008 (previously AITC 405) American National Standard, Standard for Adhesives for use in Structural Glued Laminated Timber and ANSI 117 – 2010 (previously AITC 117) American National Standard, Standard Specification for Structural Glued Laminated Timber of Softwood Species will be available later this month




    By a novelty in the construction of the MP Box pallet cages the manufacturer of the MP Box succeeded in making a foldable pallet cage, which is fully functionally for loading and unloading with only 2 or 3 walls of its detachable walls snapped onto the pallet.

    Functional benefits

    Loading
    One or even two walls can be taken out during the loading of the pallet box. This gives the box an easy entry on one or two sides. The remaining standing walls can be used for the goods to be stacked against them. Your warehouse employees just walk into the pallet cage to stack or place the goods on the bottom. Goods do not longer have to be lifted over a folding window. Thus preventing possible physical back-problems and reducing absenteeism.

    Unload
    During unloading one or two walls are removed by simply clicking the 2 bench hooks from the pallet. With the easy access that is created, oversized or heavy items can safely removed from the pallet box by simply walking in and out through the open sides.

    Construction
    The four walls of this box pallet each have 2 clamps which attach them to the pallet edge. Furthermore, on the bottom rim of two (or four) walls are short pins which fit in holes which are made in the pallet. The MPbox has been constructed in a way to let one person quickly and easily assemble and disassemble the walls.

    Range
    This newly developed contruction is available on almost the entire range MP Multiboxes . The heights range from 35cm to 220cm (inside height). With these walls -as with our standard pallet walls- a pallet box of double height can be build, simply by putting 4 walls directly ontop of the first 4 walls. This creates a double net internal height of eg 1600 or 2200mm, from which with this new construction the front is still fully removable during loading and unloading. There is also a version available for use with nestable plastic pallets.

    Benefits & Well-being
    The well-being of warehouse employees at the respective loading and unloading processes will significantly improved with the use of the Walk-in Pallet box. Back-aches are prevented mainly because the goods can be loaded and unloaded without protruding the arms, but can be put on the pallet floor right at the feet keeping a straight back. For employees who regularly load or unload pallet boxes this modified workflow will lead to significantly less physical complaints or risc for future complaints. Financial benefits are achieved because the process of loading and unloading becomes not only more comfortable for the employees, it also just goes faster. And time is money.

    Videos & Photos
    Two videos of the Walk-In Pallet box are shown here. On the product page you can seed more detailed pictures.

    More info at: inf@MPpackaging.eu or call us: +31 (0)40 76 000 20


    RICHWISE AUSTRALIA, the Melbourne based importer of the premium Russian made birch plywood, is proud to announce its recent FSC certification.

    With the FSC certified plywood already being available from its Russian suppliers for quite some time, Richwise Australia decided it’s necessary to complete the FSC chain of custody (CoC) in order to offer fully FSC certified materials to the Australian and New Zealand markets.

    With the increasingly popular Russian made plywood already boasting such outstanding environmental credentials as CARB2 ULEF (Ultra Low Emission Formaldehyde) and E0 emission, local environmentally aware architects and designers will now also have a choice of the FSC certified material.

    For more information please review this article on the Selector


    Ozark Custom Crates has moved to a larger facility.

    Due to production demands we have moved into a larger facility in Lebanon, Missouri, on State Highway W. Owner Greg Argue says, “Due to an increase in customer base and the size of industrial equipment, we needed a larger facility. A lot of our customers’ crates are pre-fabricated in our shop and taken to the customer’s facility where crating takes place.”

    Ozark Custom Crates understands the frustration of not having crates or crating completed when ship date arrives. Ozark Custom Crates specializes in on-site crating in Missouri and surrounding states, but also provides customers with all types of crating and has a strong emphasis on customer service by providing quality crating on time.

    We are glad woodencrates.org is here as we have had many referrals come from customers searching this site. You can visit Ozark Custom Crates at www.ozarkcustomcrates.com or call us at 417.589.6659


    2014 for Heat-Treatment to US: The bilateral exemption for WPM moving between Canada and the US will terminate -not before- 2014, according to senior government officials. The Chief of Staff at APHIS told CWPCA that the proposed rule is currently in review and the requirements for WPM from Canada will be phased in over several months. The first phase will begin when the rule is published by USDA; full implementation -is not expected before 2014-.


    Historic event culminates with unveiling of the Trainer’s Crew Compartment in Seattle

    SEATTLE—June 30, 2012— MEI LLC announced today that the company was chosen to supply packaging and build crates to transport NASA’s Full Fuselage Trainer (FFT) Space Shuttle for its journey from Houston’s Johnson Space Center to Seattle’s Museum of Flight. The FFT was carefully wrapped, crated, and packed by MEI in 22 large sections and will be reassembled later by The Museum of Flight for permanent display. The public is invited to attend today’s celebration of the arrival of the NASA Super Guppy transport with the FFT crew compartment at The Museum of Flight beginning at 11:00am PDT.

    “This project is very important to MEI. We were selected in a competitive bid process. We used our many years of experience and project management to provide a hassle-free experience for NASA. We had to build the right custom crates for the unusual sizes and shapes, and fit the crates with the proper packing material to make certain there would be absolutely no damage to the Shuttle Trainer in transit,” said J.D. Silvers, general manager, MEI Rigging and Crating, Houston.

    The larger components of the FFT Space Shuttle will be flown to Seattle by NASA's Super Guppy transport aircraft. The expected delivery schedule includes the shrink-wrapped crew compartment arriving on June 30. The payload bay sections will arrive in August. The engine bells and the OMS pods arrived safely in April. The vertical stabilizer arrived safely in May.

    MEI supervised all of the crate construction and packaging at the NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston for each individual FFT section. An MEI representative will be on hand at the ceremony to answer any questions regarding the details related to protecting, crating, and packaging the FFT Space Shuttle.

    About the Space Shuttle Trainer
    After 30 years of training crews for every shuttle mission, NASA's FFT is leaving its long-time home at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. The FFT is a full-scale mockup of the space shuttle orbiter—without the wings. It was used as a test bed for upgrades to the shuttle fleet and for astronaut training, including extra-vehicular activity (EVA) and emergency egress. The FFT includes flight quality systems, such as a payload bay, lighting, and closed circuit television. The fully reassembled trainer will be on display in the museum's new Charles Simonyi Space Gallery later this summer.

    About MEI Rigging and Crating, a Division of MEI LLC
    MEI LLC is a diversified manufacturing and service company serving the semiconductor and high technology industries. MEI Rigging and Crating, a division of MEI, provides rigging services, machinery moving, crane services, factory relocation, shipping crates, and crating services for industrial and commercial clients.
    MEI Rigging and Crating serves customers around the world. With locations in Texas, Oregon, and Utah, our experienced teams utilize a wide selection of specialized equipment for export packing, crating, moving, or rigging for machine tools, production lines, or other equipment. For more information, please visit
    www.meiriggingcrating.com or contact JD Silvers at (281) 442-0544.


    The supply and quality of packaging GROW and prime flexo printing marks, recaptured a year, the attention of fruit and vegetable growers and packers, who attended the fair Fruit Logistica 2012 in Berlin, the largest international event of horticulture a total of 2,537 exhibitors from 84 countries and 56,000 visitors.

    The formats of consumer sales, are what most interested, especially packaging 20x20 cm. a kilo, 30x20 cm. of 2.5 kilos and baskets that provide a unique presentation of the product.

    Visits usually associated with wood quality products requiring special presentation and preservation. He also stressed the search for wood of those organic producers who seek more natural packaging for their products.

    Visits to the stand also reflect the attractiveness of wood for packing all kinds of agricultural products, fruits, vegetables, potatoes, garlic, onions, mushrooms, mushrooms, organic, nuts, seeds, flowers and plants.

    In the booth FEDEMCO, 82% of visitors came from Europe, highlighting Italian, Dutch and Spanish. He also highlighted the growing interest in wood from Eastern Europe and Turkey. The remainder came from Africa, East, America and Asia.

    FEDEMCO also used the show to introduce its new system of certification of good practice: FEDEMCO-GMP, and to distribute its new product catalog and report on the environmental, hygiene and quality offer wood packaging.

    More Information:
    Roberto García Teléfono: 96 349 57 13 e-mail: rgarcia@fedemco.com


    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    Media Contact: Matt Croson President (301) 986-9700 ext. 111 Matt.Croson@ascouncil.org ASC REQUESTS PROPOSALS FOR DEVELOPMENT OF “ASC TRAINING ACADEMY”

    Council to Develop “Fundamentals” and “Basics of” Training Modules to Support Industry Demands

    February 9, 2012– Bethesda, MD – The Adhesive and Sealant Council (ASC) requests proposals for developing the “ASC Training Academy,” a comprehensive, web-based training effort designed to educate new employees at member companies on the “fundamentals of adhesives and sealants” and to train end users on the “benefits of adhesives and sealants.”

    The ASC Training Academy will cover a full array of subject matter including: Adhesives 101, Sealants 101, Additives 101, and Rheology 101 to support member company needs. For end users, including design engineers and project engineers, the subject matter would focus on how adhesives and sealants can benefit specific market segments, including packaging, building and construction, transportation, and other top market segments that use adhesives and sealants.

    The formal Request for Proposals (RFP) is found here.

    “ASC’s Training Academy will become a powerful tool that can be used to ensure Member Company employees are fully aware of the fundamentals of the science behind adhesion and sealing, while also sensitizing the end user community to how adhesives and sealants can be leveraged to their advantage,” notes Matthew E. Croson. “In the future, ASC’s Training Academy will play a strong part of the Council’s efforts to fulfill its long standing vision of being the “essential center of knowledge…for suppliers, manufacturers and end users.”

    ASC believes consultants, professors and training professionals with a background in adhesives and sealants are ideal candidates to respond to specific Academy modules outlined by ASC’s Technical Committee.

    “ASC is willing to work with any and all organizations and individuals who believe they can deliver the information that industry is requesting,” adds Croson. “Because of the complexity and wide range of uses for adhesives and sealants, we expect that many different organizations and individuals will be part of the Training Academy as Content Providers.”

    The ASC Training Academy will be a primary part of the new adhesives.org website being developed for a March 2012 launch. Adhesives.org was produced in 2008 to serve as an educational portal supporting the end user community.

    “ASC’s Training Academy is a natural extension of the good work that has been done via adhesives.org to educate the end user community on how adhesives and sealants work,” notes Croson. “The Training Academy will give end users a reason to come back to use the site, to share it with co-workers and colleagues, and make it an active part of their continuing education effort, which is needed with so many innovations happening within the space.”

    The RFP asks for responses by March 30, 2012. Proposals will be reviewing ASC’s Technical Committee and Executive Committee. The goal is to develop modules in a timely manner and launch programs in 2012. The sessions will be designed for a web interface, and will include “live” presentations with “on demand” ability via adhesives.org.

    The full RFP, developed in collaboration with the ASC Technical Committee, is found here.

    Questions can be directed to Matt Croson, ASC President, at matt.croson@ascouncil.org or 301-986-9700, ext. 111.


    New Technology Controls Moisture In Containerized Cargo.

    Contact: Ken Petsch
    Tel: 904-696-0010
    Email: ken@buffersusa.com

    New moisture control technology overcomes limitations of traditional pouch type desiccants to reduce product loss from moisture damage during shipment.

    Buffers USA is the exclusive supplier of a new line of moisture control products that prevent damaging buildup of moisture in containerized shipments. The products -- based on technology developed by Swedish firm Absortech™ International AB-- remove moisture from the air and trap it in built-in collectors.

    According to John Hove, President of Buffers USA, “traditional pouch type desiccants do not permanently remove moisture from inside a container but rather continually absorb moisture until they become oversaturated then release it back into the air. Eventually the pouches loose their absorbing ability and can actually leak water onto the cargo. This new technology incorporates built-in collectors that trap the moisture as it is absorbed, preventing its re-release.”

    The technology is available in a variety of product designs that meet the needs of specific container load configurations and types of cargo. ABSORPOLE™ is designed for any type of crated cargo or tightly stuffed containers. ABSORBAG™ is configured for any type of cargo that allows about 4” space (100 mm) between the cargo and the sidewalls and not loaded higher than about 5’ (1500 mm) from the floor. ABSORTOP™ is the most compact unit, designed for very tight bulk or packaged cargo loads. All these products are effective with both bulk and packaged loads, for items ranging from sensitive electronics to household furnishings to agricultural commodities.
    Mr. Hove observed, “When moisture damage occurs, the business loses money in two ways. First they lose the value of the spoiled cargo and the money spent on shipping that spoiled cargo. They also incur additional costs since they now have to rework or replace the damaged goods and reship them. In the past, businesses were resigned to absorbing these losses, but with today’s higher transportation costs that is no longer a viable option. Reducing moisture spoilage in the original shipment is the best way to protect revenues and profitability.”

    More information about the new technology and its applications is available on the company’s moisture products website (http://www.desiccant-solutions.com) and on a CD available upon request from the company.
    About Buffers USA: Buffers USA designs, manufactures and distributes products for the intermodal transportation industry including ship’s lashing and hatch cover parts, container, van trailer and chassis parts, chassis twistlocks and pinlocks, cargo control for trucks and flatbeds, moisture control technology, thermal bulkheads, anti-theft products for containers and packaging and cargo handling products for warehouse operations. It operates through a dealer and distribution network in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Central and South America. It has warehouses in Florida, Michigan and California. Headquarters are located in Jacksonville, Florida.


    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Colorado Association for Manufacturing and Technology Recognizes Cascade TEK Front Range Test Facility for Innovative Product Testing.

    Longmont, Colorado - January 9, 2012: Environmental test provider Cascade TEK’s Front Range environmental testing facility in Longmont, Colorado was recognized this month by the Colorado Association for Manufacturing and Technology (CAMT) for its innovative product testing services. The Colorado test facility began offering product reliability testing in July of 2011.

    “The response to the new Front Range facility has been very positive,” said Cascade TEK Vice President Mary Babitz. “With the closing of the Oracle – APT Testing Lab to outside customers, Cascade TEK jumped on the opportunity to meet Colorado’s need for environmental testing services. Between our Hillsboro, Oregon and Longmont, Colorado laboratories, our test capabilities continue to expand.”

    By mid January the Longmont, Colorado Laboratory will add:
    • 2500lb capacity incline impact tester for ISTA package testing. Cascade TEK is ISTA Certified for package testing.
    • 150g – 8’ arm centrifuge for crash safety tests associated with RTCA DO-160 Avionics (The 2nd centrifuge at the Colorado lab)
    • 40,000lbf electro-dynamic vibration system. (The 4th vibration system to come on line) • Free Fall Shock Tower
    “Making sure we continuously expand test capabilities is crucial to the success of Front Range,” noted Babitz. “Our customer’s test requirements are ever changing. It’s our job to have the test equipment they need to help bring products to market as quickly as possible.”

    It is this dedication that has made the Colorado testing facility so successful. Front Range recently acquired certification from the International Safe Transit Association (ISTA) for package testing. Cascade TEK provides a broad range of testing services for the automotive, aerospace, electronics, medical and packaging industries.

    Testing services available at Cascade TEK’s Front Range (http://www.cascadetek.com/testing-services.html) include vibration, shock, temperature and humidity, thermal shock, sand and dust, UV exposure, salt-fog, altitude, rapid decompression, g-force acceleration, IP (ingress protection)and ISTA package testing. Read more about Cascade TEK’s testing services on the CAMT website (http://camt.com/content/innovative-manufacturer-cascade-tek).

    About Cascade TEK: Cascade TEK is dedicated to product reliability testing, specializing in vibration testing, shock testing, package testing, and salt spray and fog testing. The company was founded in 1992 and has become the Northwest's premier environmental testing lab and recently expanded into the great Denver, Colorado area. Visit Cascade TEK (http://www.cascadetek.com) to learn more about Cascade TEK’s product testing services.

    Press Contact: Kathleen Martin
    Phone: (971) 533-7223 kathleen@outliersolutions.com


    ORLANDO, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Wooden Crates Organization has announced a comprehensive project to provide clean, easy-to-use, free copies of government standards for wood shipping containers and transport containers of all types in a convenient online database. The project is the first of its kind from the only organization in America dedicated to the wood shipping container industry, and provides a much-needed service.

    Most of the logistics and transportation specifications in the transport packaging industry were developed and refined by the U.S. government from the 1950s to the 1980s. Because of technological limitations, these documents were typewritten and had minor flaws that made them difficult to read — and often unusable — after multiple photocopies.

    A newer yet similar set of standards has been available for a fee from ASTM International, but because of the fees, many packing and crating companies have opted to simply avoid following the protocol altogether.

    “My experience in the industry over the past 20 years leads me to believe that more than 50 percent of the people that make wood shipping containers have never even seen the standards for them, and more than half of those that have seen them have great difficulty in understanding them," said Wooden Crates Organization founder Jeff Duck.

    The database at WoodenCrates.org provides a clean, organized and more accessible version of the specs for wooden shipping crates and more. Extensive proofreading has eliminated errors that could lead to serious design flaws, and crating standards are easier to understand in their new version. Links have been added that provide further information, as well as helpful sources. The documents are simpler to find and search through than ever before, as they're named and organized logically to allow for easy, permanent access.

    "The importance of streamlining military specs is tremendous," explained Paul Vieria, chief engineer at Specialized Packaging Solutions in Newark, California. "The new index will allow quicker discovery and more efficient production, which will give all companies involved greater profitability. I applaud WoodenCrates.org for taking on this time-consuming step."

    However, the project is not complete. WoodenCrates.org has plans to upload, update, and refine over 100 additional documents to offer visitors a complete resource for shipping container standards and guidelines.

    "We hope that our website allows manufacturers to make safer, more reliable products that meet and exceed guidelines," Duck said. "This type of free resource has been in demand for a long time, and we're happy to finally provide it."

    The refined standards are available free of charge on the Wooden Crates Organization's website, www.woodencrates.org.

    About The Wooden Crates Organization:
    The Wooden Crates Organization (WoodenCRATES.org) was founded in 2002 to promote the use of renewable and eco-friendly wood packaging. WoodenCRATES.org is a web based industry community that provides informational and educational resources to both manufacturers and consumers of wood transport containers. WoodenCrates.org strives to fill the needs of the transport packing and crating industry by connecting all relevant parties via one established website.

    The Wooden Crates Organization
    Crystal Monet, 800-577-2447 x703
    crystal@woodencrates.org
    or
    Marcel Gauthier, 800-577-2447 x704
    marcel@woodencrates.org


    Navis Supports the Troops
    Navis Pack & Ship of Dallas (TX-1062) has landed an on-going contract to crate and ship truck axles ordered by the Afghan national army. Axles are in big demand in Afghanistan due to frequent damage from land mines.

    The axle manufacturer requested quotes from TX-1062 along with several other companies they found on the Internet. But franchisee Kevin Wortley said the customer quickly narrowed the field to Navis "after we demonstrated that we knew what we were doing with international and military crates." Kevin called fellow franchisee Marc Guttman of CO-1002 for advice on designing the "mil-spec" crates. He had met Marc during training and remembered Marc's experience as a logistics officer for the Air Force Reserve. The Navis Help Desk also helped TX-1062 Operations Manager Marc Oxford quickly locate a supplier of certified heat-treated lumber and design the cradles and bracing that would immobilize the axles.

    TX-1062 is shipping the axles to a temporary storage facility in Wisconsin where they will be consolidated with other goods going to Afghanistan. Kevin said he expects to receive jobs of similar size from the axle manufacturer about every other month.

    Careful...careful...careful!
    The Navy hired Navis Pack & Ship VA-1048 to build crates and assist in packing two 500 lb. circ 1960 “antique” MK 16-8 Torpedoes that were on display at Dam Neck Navel Facility in Virginia Beach, VA. Ron Reid, VA-1048’s Warehouse Manager and “Master Crate Builder” designed and built the crates in the warehouse, then transported them to the base on a flatbed truck. The Navy was pleased with the work and now has asked for an estimate to crate and pack the two much larger white missiles on display, (seen in the back of the larger photo). That should be a real bomb!

    Navis Pack & Ship of Dallas (TX-1062) has landed an on-going contract to crate and ship truck axles ordered by the Afghan national army. Axles are in big demand in Afghanistan due to frequent damage from land mines.

    VA-1048 Helps Physicians Group Ship Wheelchair
    This disabled El Salvadoran girl now has a wheelchair, thanks to Eric Lackey's Navis Pack & Ship in Norfolk, VA, and Physicians for Peace, a group that sponsors medical education and donates medical equipment and supplies to developing nations. Eric packed and shipped the wheelchair to Ohio and Physicians for Peace then sent it on to El Salvador with other goods. A thank you note from the girls mother said, in part, "...she was in need of rehabilitation equipment and thanks to the solidarity and support of people like you, she now has what she needs...I send all of you an immense hug


    Brussels, October 12th - The European Federation of Wooden Pallet and Packaging manufacturers (FEFPEB) has announced a new public relations campaign to promote wood as the raw material of choice for pallets and packaging.

    Entitled ‘Packaging from Nature’, the initiative will communicate the economic and environmental benefits of timber use in packaging and pallets, particularly compared with alternative materials such as plastics. It will be active across Europe, with the aim of presenting “a powerful, accurate and consistent message” about timber use in the industry, in countries represented by FEFPEB, including Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, and the UK. It is being funded by FEFPEB members, representing the manufacturing sector, as well as pallet pools and associate members.

    The campaign will be in contact with the major industry and logistics magazines and online news sites across Europe, targeting packaging users and decision makers, as well as NGOs. FEFPEB is also encouraging its members to include the logo and website on their company websites, and to make use of the other resources to educate customers on the benefits of timber pallets and packaging.

    The campaign resources are based online to give maximum accessibility throughout Europe, and have been launched in FEFPEB’s first language, English. They will be available in French, German, Italian and Spanish by the end of the 2011.Versions of the Packaging from Nature logo (above, right) will also be produced.

    A website, www.packagingfromnature.com, has been set up featuring information about timber’s benefits for the environment; questions left unanswered about plastics, key facts and figures about timber use; as well as news, media resources, downloads and further useful links, including social media sites.

    Information sheets about the benefits of timber, plastics, facts and figures, and the issue of biomass have been produced. These sheets are now available to download free of charge from the website.

    Gil Covey, FEFPEB President, said: “The launch of a Europe-wide campaign is great news for the European timber packaging and pallets industry. Timber is the first choice in the manufacture of these essential products because it is better for the environment, is less expensive and sustains many more jobs – at least half a million in Europe alone – than any other packaging material.”

    “We estimate that €40 billion worth of product is moved on wooden packaging and pallets every year in Europe alone. In the face of increasing competition from plastics and other competing materials we need to ensure that businesses across Europe have a good understanding of the clear advantages of using wood.”

    “The Packaging from Nature campaign gives us a universal message and means of communicating it in countries represented by FEFPEB, through news and contact with the European press. We are encouraging our members to make full use of this activity, and to use the logo and link to the website to make sure their customers are aware of the compelling environmental and economic reasons for using timber.”

    Following the launch of the campaign this month, news releases will be issued to European media throughout the coming year. A press office based in the UK will handle all queries from European media.

    FEFPEB currently represents more than 20 associations, which account for 1,000 companies.


    The MEP visited last Friday the companies, FUSTEK, CATENVA and SERRAENVÁS with D. Francisco Pons, Secretary General of CONFEMADERA, and representatives of FEDEMCO.

    By FEDEMCO’s invitation, MEP Andrés Perelló visited last Friday three companies of the wood packaging sector in the province of Valencia, to learn first hand their manufacturing processes. He was accompanied by D. Francisco Pons, Secretary General of CONFEMADERA (Spanish Confederation of Wood) and D. Fernando Trénor, General Manager of FEDEMCO.

    At the company FUSTEK SL, the process of peeling poplar and veneer manufacturing was explained highlighting the national origin of this important timber crop.

    Then at the company CATENVA SL, Mr. Perelló met D. Juan Aquino on behalf of D. Jose Aquino, CEO and member of the Governing Board of FEDEMCO, and saw the different stages of manufacturing plywood from veneer.

    As a member of the Environment Committee of the European Parliament, Mr. Perello was particularly interested in the efficient drying of veneer from the generation of heat energy in a boiler by the recovery of wood waste generated by the industry itself .

    Already at SERRANVÁS SL, D. Eleuterio Donat, Manager and Executive Committee member of FEDEMCO accompanied the MEP on a tour of their facilities to show the assembly process of wooden crates. Mr. Perelló asked about the different materials used, the quality of printing marks, the high performance of the assembly line and service capability in time developed by the sector.

    Finally, D. Bernardo Lorente, President of FEDEMCO, gave a dinner to Mr. Perello and his companions. In a relaxed atmosphere, the current issues of EU were discussed and especially the recent challenges in the management of food safety and consumer protection (Mr. Perello is also a member of the Food Safety Commission). Moreover, Mr. Perelló confirmed its commitment to continue to defend claims in Brussels of timber industry and packaging, especially with regard to food compliance of wooden crates for fish.

    More information:
    Roberto García, Marketing & Communication
    rgarcia@fedemco.com
    FEDEMCO


    GROW INTERNATIONAL, an organization that brings together the European sector of light wood packaging in Germany, Spain, France and Portugal held last Tuesday, May 31, a briefing with members of the European Parliament and European Commission representatives and other business organizations based in Brussels.

    The event whose main objectives were to raise awareness of the sector and their priorities and challenges in food safety and environment, was sponsored by Mr. Andrés Perelló, Spanish MEP and member of the parliamentary committees of the referred areas.

    Mr. Perello in his welcome speech highlighted the international integration of GROW, the traditional value of wood packaging, its quality, sustainability and links with the origin of products, the positive evolution of the sector, strategic in the climate change fight, in a context of strong competition from other materials. The MEP Advocated a more active promotion of the sector within the Parliament and the European Commission, referring to the case of fish packaging.

    BONPHIL office General Manager, consultant of GROW in European affairs, Bruno Guichart, presented to the members, objectives and activities of the organization, emphasizing its integration into FEFPEB, European Wood Packaging and Pallets Federation, and the latter in CEI-Bois, European Wood Industries Confederation.

    The presentation on food security was provided by Fernando Trénor, General Manager of FEDEMCO / GROW (Spanish Federation of Wooden Packaging) in Spain, which also made an analysis and assessment of European legislation on hygiene and food contact materials and its interpretation, focusing his message in different arguments and scientific references about the compliance of wood industry and timber in contact with food. Trénor asked those present to strong support for the sector, especially in the defense of wood packaging for fish.

    Olivier de Lagausie, General Delegate of SIEL-GROW, Union of Industrial Light Wood Packaging in France, defended the environmental superiority of wood packaging from life cycle analysis comparison with cardboard and plastic fruit and vegetable packaging (CO2 capture, low energy and water consumption, etc.). He defended the use of this tool to question the principle of hierarchy of reuse compared to prevention and recycling of packaging waste management. Using real examples of advertising, showed how different corporations, such as Carrefour, have taken environmental positioning of wood packaging.

    Finally, Uwe Groll, General Manager of the association GROW Germany and Filipa Pico, Secretary General of the association EMBAR GROW Portugal, presented the environmental benefits and cascade valuation of wood waste, showing the high degree of compliance with the European target of wood packaging recycling in different countries. They challenged the common interpretation of the legislation on packaging and packaging waste, which tends to prioritize the reuse against material recycling without sufficient justification. They also highlighted the possibilities of extending the storage effect of CO2 through recycling of waste in other products as well as the effect of replacing fossil fuels with wood residues.

    The presentation concluded with a cocktail-lunch on the premises of the Europeann Parliament, decorated with attractive displays of wooden packaging and fresh produce. In this context, and in a more relaxed, MEPs, GROW members and representatives of other organizations based in Brussels, confirmed in a more relaxed atmosphere the interest and commitment of all to promote and defend the interests of the sector.

    FEDEMCO
    Federación Española
    del Envase de Madera
    www.fedemco.com
    Tel.: +34 96 349 57 13
    Fax: +34 96 348 56 00


    Wichita Business Journal - by Daniel McCoy

    Crate Tech Inc. is hiring workers and adding production space following the introduction of a new metal container fabrication business.

    Dan McDonald, vice president of the Wichita-based crate manufacturer, says metal containers are more in demand among the aerospace companies he serves because of the increasing complexity and cost of the composite parts being shipped.

    He also says the distances the parts have to travel in today’s globalized aviation market have placed more of an emphasis on guarding against damage.

    Crate Tech will continue to make wooden shipping crates, but McDonald says the metal containers will have a big impact ...

    Read more: Crate Tech expands operations to include metal containers for aerospace shipping in the Wichita Business Journal


    Tejas Packing and Crating, LLC is proud to announce the grand opening of Tejas Packing and Crating – Dallas/Ft. Worth; Proudly serving the entire DFW Metroplex.

    You have come to expect great service from our Houston location. Now you can get the same excellent service in the Dallas/Ft. Worth corridor. And it is easy to get! You do not need to do anything different than you do now to book an order. Just call us at the toll free number 866-688-3527.


    Sep 30, 2010

    Jeff Campagna, President of FCA, recently announced a new facility in Edgecombe County, North Carolina. As the leader in custom designed industrial packaging solutions, FCA offers a broad range of custom packaging that includes wood, steel, corrugated and hybrid products. The Kingsboro-KanBan facility will manufacture skids that will house advanced manufactured engines for Cummins, a large industrial company in the region. The facility will begin operations within the next 60 days and initially employ 20 individuals with plans to expand to 40.

    According to Leonard Wiggins, Chairman of the Edgecombe County Board of Commissioners, “the creation of 40 new jobs is great news for us.” “The Partnership is pleased to have assisted FCA in the location of their first North Carolina operation. We also thank the NC Department of Commerce for their assistance on this project," said Carolinas Gateway Partnership Chairman, Frank Harrison. “FCA will be providing jobs to the area workers and that is so important in these tough economic times.”

    The official Press Release from Carolinas Gateway Partnership is available for more information.


    Nefab, a global industrial packaging company headquartered in Sweden, today announced the acquisition of Chick Companies, the preeminent US industrial packaging company, headquartered outside of Dallas, Texas. Chick is the North American leader in industrial packaging solutions and services, with over 600 employees at 17 different locations in the US and one in Germany.

    “Strategically, Chick is a key acquisition for Nefab, giving us a strong presence in the important North American market. This significantly increases our global capability in delivering complete packaging solutions worldwide to our customers. Through Chick’s expertise and excellent reputation, we can add solutions and services for a number of important customer segments including power generation, medical and telecom/electronics packaging”, commented Stefan Ekqvist, President and CEO of Nefab. Continue Reading


    On Thursday evening of July 23rd Craters and Freighters was honored to receive the award for The Best of Southwest Florida as the Best Crating and Logistics Company in Southwest Florida.

    2010 is the twentieth year The News-Press in Fort Myers has held the event and it is also the 20th anniversary of Craters and Freighters. Gary and Evelyn McKinley are the owners of Craters and Freighters of SW Florida located at 1136 Pine Island Road in Cape Coral, Florida.

    The Southwest Florida location has specialized in art and antique shipping since its beginning. Over the years, the location has naturally evolved into shipping industrial equipment, medical equipment and household goods nationally and internationally.


    The Wooden Crates Organization is getting an increasing amount of notice in the transport packing industry. The development teams goal was to provide a single resource using the power of the internet, for wood crate & case manufacturers, companies that support crate manufacturers and consumers alike. This goal is coming to fruition quickly. In the future, through member support, The Wooden Crates Organization, plans to co-sponsor crating focused events throughout the US and Canada!

    In February 2010, eighteen new geo-located sites were launched to promote and benefit our members. A geographically or geo-located sites means the site is hosted on servers physically located in that country or geographic region. This provides a tremendous benefit for the companies promoting their services outside of North America. Search engines are much more friendly to sites hosted in their own regions versus "foreign" servers.

    These sites are targeted for consumers. All advertisers on the Wooden Crates Organization main site will see their banner ads rotate through all the geo-sites, plus sponsor ads will appear in an enhanced format on the sites that are applicable to the regions they advertise in. There are no additional fees for WCO member companies to appear on the geo-sites.

    To provide some perspective on the value of the geo-sites we'll use Alexa ratings. Alexa is a common web site rating tool used to determine popularity of a website as a whole. While not the only rating tool it's easy to understand and starts scoring almost as soon as a site is launched. (Google is another common tool. Google ranks individual pages of a site instead of a site as a whole and isn't available for a period of time after a site is launched.) With Alexa, the closer to #1, the greater popularity of the site, hence, Google.com and Yahoo.com rank #1 and #2 respectively. Scores will fluctuate any given day based on a large number of factors but any site scores below one million are considered VERY good as there are currently over 60 million websites.

    When the US site, Packing-and-Crating.com was launched we started see scores around 50+ million. Five days later to around 20 million to, 8 days after launch, in the 4 million range! This is ahead of where we expected to be. The non-USA sites are also moving quickly in the ratings. Keep in mind, it will still take several months for all the pages in each site to be indexed by search engines, which will improve member companies web exposure further.

    How can your company get the greatest benefit?
    1. Make sure your company information is correct on The Wooden Crates Organization site
    2. Confirm you have a 2-3 sentence concise description of your products/services in the 'Summary of Services' field located in your member control panel
    3. Strongly consider promoting your products and services via a very inexpensive Sponsor ad or a banner ad. Sign up through your member control panel or call a representative at 1-800-577-2447 Ext 704.


      1. The Wooden Crates Organization is YOUR organization. It's success depends on you! Please take the time to promote it among your staff, your vendors and suppliers. Our best form of advertising is YOU!


    Nefab Inc., a global leader in complete packaging solutions, is introducing their LogPak pallet collars to the North American market.

    LogPak is a resource-friendly alternative for packing, transporting and warehousing products. Pallet collars circulate between different companies and are used multiple times, thereby reducing the need for new packaging and the impact on natural resources. By using the proper materials, pallet collars can last up to 15 years. A worn pallet collar can also be broken down into its component parts and incinerated or melted down. Additionally the low weight and collapsibility of the collars reduces transport requirements, thus reducing fuel consumption.

    Nefab pallet collars are currently available and in stock in two standard sizes. LogPak can also be made to order with options such as printing, color, and customized lengths and widths. Additionally, pallets, lids and accessories like dividers and spacers are available to meet customer requirements.

    LogPak is a flexible wooden pallet collar system that has been used across Europe for many years; however in North America the awareness of pallet collars and their advantages has been somewhat limited. Originally developed by the Swedish automotive industry, pallet collars are a flexible, lightweight and environmentally friendly packing alternative.

    The collars can be utilized during initial packing, in transport, in a warehouse, and for delivery to the end user. This makes for safe, efficient handling that reduces the risk of damage, injury and waste. Ideally the receiver of the pallet collars will re-use them for their own transport, or alternatively they can be collapsed and returned to the original sender. Low volume equals low-cost return freight. The basic components also make LogPak an inexpensive packing solution. Pallet collars are relatively light compared to iron cages and other types of container, and are ergonomically sound when loading and unloading, as their height adapts as required. Pallets with collars can be easily stacked, so space on trucks can be used more efficiently, and loading is also fast.

    More information can be found at http://www.nefab.us.




    Albany , OR– May 1, 2009

    Analog Devices has presented semiconductor equipment manufacturer and service provider MEI LLC with its sixth consecutive “Supplier Excellence Award” in the Local Site Services category. The “Supplier Excellence Award” is Analog Device’s highest honor, and MEI is honored to have won the award for six consecutive years. Based on an exacting supplier-rating program, MEI was one of just 16 suppliers worldwide to receive the honor from ADI, the global leader in high-performance semiconductors for signal processing applications, chosen from among a supplier base of more than 2000 vendors. This award recognizes MEI for its consistent, outstanding performance and continuous improvement; strategic contribution to ADI’s technology and market leadership; anticipation and delivery of cost reduction initiatives; and exemplary commitment to manufacturing excellence.

    “Receiving a Global Supplier Excellence Award from Analog is an honor particularly given the breadth of products and services we supply to this important customer. We know that in order to maintain this relationship and the level of business it accompanies, we have to re-earn Analog’s trust and loyalty each and every day and our employees are dedicated to that goal.” Said Dan Cappello, CEO of MEI LLC. Liam McCaffrey, Director of purchasing, Worldwide Manufacturing for Analog Devices noted, “MEI LLC is a consistent high performance supplier to ADI, providing multifaceted support as an equipment manufacturer and retrofitter together with providing technical support.”

    "Receiving the Analog Devices Supplier Excellence Award for the sixth consecutive year is an honor, and caps off a great year of new products, new markets and productivity for MEI," said Cappello. "Our relationship with Analog Devices continues to evolve as their needs shift and expand. MEI’s capabilities are broad and deep. Our challenge is to constantly anticipate our customers’ needs given that the semiconductor manufacturing landscape is constantly changing”.

    About MEI LLC

    MEI is a diversified manufacturing and service company serving the semiconductor and high technology industries. The company’s specialties include automated and semi-automated wet process systems and services; chemical delivery systems, control automation software; industrial and process equipment moving, rigging and crating services; clean room safety, ergonomic and support equipment; as well as a variety of manufacturing services, including CNC machining, metal and plastic fabrication and powder coating. MEI has built its reputation upon a commitment to outstanding customer service since 1990. For more information about MEI, visit www.meillc.com.

    About Analog Devices

    Innovation, performance, and excellence are the cultural pillars on which Analog Devices has built one of the longest standing, highest growth companies within the technology sector. Acknowledged industry-wide as the world leader in data conversion and signal conditioning technology, Analog Devices serves over 60,000 customers, representing virtually all types of electronic equipment. Celebrating over 40 years as a leading global manufacturer of high-performance integrated circuits used in analog and digital signal processing applications, Analog Devices is headquartered in Norwood, Massachusetts. http://www.analog.com

    Editorial contact, Dan Cappello, MEI LLC. Dan.Cappello@meillc.com (541) 704 2427

    PR Contact: Katherine Cleland, Cleland Marketing ; Katherine@clelandmarketing.com 541-231-4445


    Leading plant engineering company to move most of its packaging and spare part operations and its distribution warehouse to Duisburg / Cooperation with the VTS Group / Modal shift from road to rail

    Duisburg, 17 March 2009 – Polysius AG, a company of the ThyssenKrupp Technologies Group, will cooperate more closely with the duisport organization and move its packaging and practically all of its shipping services to the Port of Duisburg. The company will in future transport parts weighing as much as 120 tons directly by train from the Polysius manufacturing facility in Neubeckum to Duisburg, taking substantial heavy truck traffic off the road.

    The new logistic strategy of Polysius will above all benefit from the trimodal capabilities and the hub function of the Port of Duisburg. Supplies from anywhere in Europe can be bundled in the Ruhr city. At the same time the efficiency of outbound shipments will be improved substantially by access to transportation service providers connecting Duisburg directly with all major destinations in Europe.

    VTS, a company of the duisport Group, will take responsibility for all packaging logistics operations and the management of the Polysius warehouse for semi-finished parts. In autumn this year, all logistics operations will be centered in a new multi-purpose building in the North port area.

    “We are very happy about the commitment of Polysius to the Port of Duisburg. Polysius has been a premium customer of our packaging logistics companies for many years. The project we have now agreed widens the range of products we offer and makes us a full service supplier for the mechanical and plant engineering industries,” said Duisburger Hafen AG’s Chief Executive Officer Erich Staake.

    Jürgen Kohnen, the Logistics Manager of Polysius AG, commented: “The concentration of our Neubeckum manufacturing operations on heavy parts and large plant components necessitated a review of our logistics system. The Port of Duisburg is an ideal location for us and the duisport companies have for many years been dependable partners of Polysius AG.”

    Duisburger Hafen AG is the holding and management company of the port of Duisburg, the largest inland port in the world. The duisport Group offers full service packages in the areas of infrastructure and superstructure for the port and logistics location, including relocation management. Furthermore, its subsidiaries provide logistics services, such as the development and optimization of transport and logistics chains, rail freight services, facilities management and packing logistics. www.duisport.com




    Nefab Celebrates its 60th Anniversary!

    Nefab would like to thank its long-term customers for their support over the years.

    Having grown from a simple wooden box making company to one of the only global companies offering complete packaging solutions hasn't come without its obstacles.

    Nefab has survived;

    • The difficulties in developing a company internationally so early on in globalization
    • The decline in the early 80's on Swedish Military goods
    • The Telecom bust in the early 2000's
    • To the most recent automotive and financial crisis
      • And this is just to name a few!


    How has Nefab been so successful?

    Nefab focuses on long-term relationships with global customers. They aren't interested in making a 'quick buck' and then hoping their designs make it to their final destination.

    Instead, Nefab offers world class industrial packaging products, has packaging development centers in each continent, sales people who focus on total cost savings for the customer, asourcing organization that performs on a global level to secure both materials and relationships and overall a flat level organization which allows for quick actions to be made avoiding internal bottlenecks.

    For more information, please visit Nefab's History section.


    Deploy Tech Services has just relaunched WoodenCRATES.org, the first web based community for the wood box and crate industry.

    Although this community was conceived for wood box and crate makers, it is expected that more than 80% of the visitors will be from other industries such as transportation and logistics companies as well as large product manufacturers and resellers.

    Web based communities are nothing new and some industries have hundreds of them, but they are most effective in small communities such as the packing and crating industry, and are more effective when there is only one community website in the industry.

    Jeff Duck, founder of the site says “It’s surprising that in 2006 this is the only place where crate makers can come together with each other and their customers. We are an industry without a trade organization so that puts WoodenCRATES.org in a unique position of responsibility and opportunity.”

    The WoodenCRATES.org community concept is based around a discussion forum where crate makers and consumers can discuss issues relating to the industry. What makes this website unique is that a visitor can locate crating companies around the world as well as support service providers such as transportation providers and other representatives.

    Having your company listed on WoodenCRATES.org is free and for a small fee, you can add some text and photos to your listing; providing the benefit of a web page right on the site. The site also offers banner advertising and a classified section. WoodenCRATES.org uses these to generate the revenue required to manage the site. Other than paying to place a classified ad, use of the entire site is free for all visitors.

    “It was important to us that we keep our products free for everyone” says Jeff, “Anyone who comes to our site can find other companies, read our articles, browse through our standards and diagrams, and have a discussion with crate makers or anyone else who stops by. By keeping the service free, more people will visit and will stay longer. That helps the crating industry and improves communication with everyone we do business with.”

    Web communities can be difficult to get started. Most start with little or no content and depend on one person to make it grow. WoodenCRATES.org has taken a different approach. They have recruited top people from inside and outside the crating community to assist in the content expansion.

    Carey Smith of Nefab said “This is just what our industry needed and we are glad to be a part of it. Nefab is dedicated to helping our industry grow and I hope my participation can make a major impact.” Jeff has even gotten other industries involved right from the start. Ashley Trewman of Legacy Transportation, a full service logistics firm said “It’s not unusual for us to need to find partners somewhere in the world on short notice. WoodenCRATES.org can provide us with the contact information we need. This is why I got involved. I have no doubt it will grow fast.”

    The web site will no doubt be one to watch. Currently the crating industry is only about a $1 billion USD industry in the United States and an estimated $2 billion USD worldwide. Growth has been stagnant for many years while growth of plastic shipping containers has grown steadily. Deploy Tech Services, LLC the parent company of WoodenCRATES.org states that the wood shipping container industry in the US could become a $4 billion USD industry within 15 years and expects most of that growth to come from the plastics side. Jeff Duck feels strongly that wood engineering will improve as consumer awareness of wood recyclability increases. Jeff likes to joke about crating by saying “Wood… It’s the only thing that DOES grow on trees!”


    Deploy Tech, the leading provider of technology solutions to small and medium-sized businesses, announced that Jeffrey R. Duck, founder and CEO of Deploy Tech, was invited to present his recommendations and findings for the wooden crating industry at the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM International) Committee D10 on Packaging’s semi-annual meeting held on October 13-15, 2002 in Norfolk, VA. The ASTM International is a not-for-profit organization that provides a global forum for the development and publication of consensus standards for materials, products, and systems. The Committee D10 on Packaging is the lead entity that holds jurisdiction of over 135 packaging related standards published in the Annual Book of ASTM Standards.

    “We are privileged to have such an esteemed colleague in Jeff Duck to present at our meeting,” said, Mr. Roger Young, Chairman of ASTM’s D10.26 Subcommittee. “Our industry has been overwhelmed with a number of issues regarding the lack of common standards and regulations that are easily accessible and transferable. Mr. Duck has offered a set of recommendations that I believe will help to alleviate many of the current issues and improve the transport packaging industry, including wood box and crating, as a whole.”

    Mr. Duck is a veteran in the crate packaging industry. He has spent numerous years developing solutions that benefit manufacturers and freighters within the crating industry. His hands-on experience and research within the industry, where 75% of wood box and crate manufacturers do not use terminology set forth by both government and/or military standards, formed the basis of his recommendations to Committee D10. The presentation delivered to a group of 15 top industry professionals that form the influential D10 Committee, focused on simplifying the convoluted classifications and terminology inherited by ASTM International from archaic military specifications, by proposing a new guideline to create a common set of crate definitions. The key recommendations delivered in the presentation included:

    1) Providing a new set of standards for wood boxes and crates built outside of current parameters/standards;
    2) Redefining standard terminology by simplifying terms and defining acronyms;
    3) Developing a common set of classifications for wood box and crate specifications; and
    4) Instituting assembly method standards for container applications.

    “Jeff’s presentation is a good start in further refining the standards in the packaging industry,” said Elmer Kuhlman, founder of the American Wood Packaging Association. “The D10’s role is to develop and define standards that benefit the industry and I believe Jeff’s hands-on experience provides solid insight for the future. Jeff has always been a visionary in developing new solutions to improve our industry.”

    “I am thrilled to have had the opportunity to present my recommendations to the Committee,” said Jeffrey R. Duck, CEO and founder of Deploy Tech. “My presentation was developed based on my research work and experience with manufacturers and freighters, where efficient processes and quality construction is key. My proposal is focused on simplifying manufacturing standards and developing a common ground to ensure the container industry is ‘speaking the same language.’ There are so many different classifications and definitions that the current regulations and standards are rarely instituted in the manufacturing process. I believe my recommendations will be a solid foundation to further strengthening the wood box and crating industries.”

    When we were looking for a way to introduce our new SCRAIL® fastener product to the crate manufacturing community, we were very pleased to find WoodenCRATES.org. We see it as being an excellent venue for bringing suppliers together with manufacturers in a way that will increase the strength of the market via education and relevant information about crating. We can directly see who's who in the industry, and introduce them to our extended line of pneumatic tools and collated fasteners specifically designed for crating applications. No other media gave us this type of access to get our message across like WoodenCRATES.org.
    Brett McCutcheon
    General Manager
    BECK America