Modern Materials Handling

Date/Time Thursday, August 6, 2026 2:00PM Moderator Michael Levans, Group Editorial Director, Supply Chain Group, Peerless Media Panelists Jack Beadle, Director of Sales, Warehouse Automation, GEBHARDT Understanding the differences in these technologies and how they affect costs, ownership operations, and decisions for selection With the widespread adoption of robotic technologies in the warehouse automation market, the decision between which type of technology to pursue has become more complex.

Systems integrator Peak Technologies has appointed Joachim (Joe) Heel as its new CEO. Heel previously held senior leadership roles at Zebra Technologies, IBM, Avaya, Sun Microsystems, and McKinsey & Company. Most recently, he served as Chief Revenue Officer and Head of Services at Zebra Technologies, where he helped lead global growth across solutions, services, enterprise mobility, automation, asset visibility, and supply chain technology. Heel replaces Tony Rivers at the helm of the company.

Automation technology provider Comau has acquired Brazilian firm Invent Smart Intralogistics Solutions, which specializes in warehouse automation and intralogistics technologies.

Big Joe Forklifts, a leading North American provider of integrated lithium-ion forklifts, warehouse equipment and autonomous materials handling solutions, is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year. Founded in 1951, Big Joe has grown from a midwestern manufacturer of innovative warehouse equipment into a leader in the industry's transformation from internal combustion to electric and autonomous solutions.

Automate, North America’s largest robotics and automation event, celebrated its most successful show to date, drawing more than 50,000 registrants and 1,230 exhibitors to McCormick Place in Chicago from June 22-25. Hosted by the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), Automate 2026 filled 425,000 square feet of show floor space with the latest technologies in robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), machine vision, motion control and industrial automation.

From dust, fumes, vibration and noise to temperatures ranging from sweltering to freezing, intense industries put forklift operators to the test every day. And with skilled labor in short supply, operations can't afford injuries, discomfort or challenging conditions that make it harder to attract and retain talent.

Sustainability initiatives are fundamentally altering the relationship between consumer packaged goods companies and equipment OEMS, according to a new report from PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies.

When the National Motor Freight Traffic Association (NMFTA) updated parts of the National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC) system last July, many less-than-truckload (LTL) users started paying closer attention to pallet dimensions and weight. The changes affected more than 2,000 freight items, moving them from commodity-based to density-based classification.

AI is impressive. No argument there. It writes reports, summarizes documents, generates images, drafts emails, answers technical questions, and never asks for PTO or even coffee breaks. That’s the “new tool” part. But here’s the uncomfortable part most vendors won’t put into the slide deck: If you bolt AI onto old behaviors, weak processes, poor data hygiene and sloppy decision-making, you don’t get transformation. You get SSDD—Same Stuff, Different Day—at a higher cost.

There’s a lot to be said about the advantages of operating within wide, traditional aisles, but when space is limited, a very narrow aisle layout is likely the winning strategy. Wider aisle will always offer the most operational flexibility and operator maneuverability, but if there’s nowhere else to store inventory in your distribution center, the alternative can be extremely costly.