Last year, sales of automated guided vehicles (AGVs) were the highest since pre-Recession years, according to the Automatic Guided Vehicle Systems (AGVS) Industry Group of the Material Handling Industry of America (MHIA). 

 Efficiency is an important part of any business model.  

 Bulk, portion-control, lightweight, flexible and additional packaging innovations have placed a strain on production equipment such as palletizers.  

 Beverage-makers employ a variety of methods to get their products from the manufacturer or distributor into the retailers.  

With its four-county territory in southeastern Wisconsin incorporating special event venues such as sports arenas, concert venues and festival grounds, Beer Capitol Distributing Co. Inc., Sussex, Wis., offers enhanced service to these accounts during busy time periods, explains Aldo Madrigrano, chief executive officer of the company. 

 Similar to the products that are shuttled across its rollers and belts, conveyor systems are working to stay on top of the trends in material handling in order to better serve its clientele.  

When Dogfish Head Craft Brewery opened its brewpub in 1995 in Rehoboth Beach, Del., Founder and President Sam Calagione brewed on a homemade machine dubbed “Sir Hops Alot.”  To keep up with the restaurant’s demand, Calagione used “Sir Hops Alot” to brew two to three times a day, five to six days a week.