Posted on Fri, Jun 11, 2010 @ 08:33 AM
The movement of material and goods has long been a feature of human history. From the pyramid builders of Egypt, to the Meso Americans of Central America, to the intricate building of the Great Wall of China, the objective of moving large rocks to complex structures hundreds of miles from their source was always a major challenge. Indeed, how these huge rocks were moved with such precision is still a mystery.
Whether it was moving spices and silk along the East India trade route in the 15th century or moving automotive parts and coils in North America in the 21st century, the central focus of logistics is to get material efficiently and expeditiously to the market. Not much has changed since those days in terms of the objective. However, the means and the systems have obviously evolved.
Gone are the days of the Pony Express and the Triangular Trade, these have been replaced with complex and modern computer systems which integrate EDI processes and web-based formats. Today’s logistics are much more complex and operate within multi-national contexts, as ADS Logistics does with its facilities across North America. The paper-based formats of thirty years ago are even disappearing as electronic processes now guide most logistics functions. Of course this means more efficiency and increased productivity, but it also implies that employees must continue to be multi-dimensional in order to keep up-to-date. ADS Logistics has been at the forefront of implementing new solutions for the metals industry. Our innovative software, such as our Lomas program, enhances our ability to operate in a competitive environment and bring the best in class service for our customers.
Of course technology is great at improving the human condition and breaking barriers, but it also means that the heavy reliance on electronic processes can have a downfall. Remember the Blackout of 2003?
I try to stay up-to-date, but always keep a few paper BOLs and a flashlight just in case…
Posted by Sean Bobb: Roll & Hold Warehousing
Posted on Mon, Jun 07, 2010 @ 11:12 AM
Roll & Hold Warehousing & Distribution has always reached out for better ways to service their customers. In fact, many of our customers have previously stated that Roll & Hold is the benchmark for the metals industry. With that in mind, let me tell you about our warehouses:
• Roll & Hold Portage, Indiana is located inside the Port of Indiana (Burns Harbor). It is close to many major steel mills and has easy access to major expressways. There is over 200,000 sq ft of inside space with an additional 5 acres of outdoor space. The warehouse has a processor’s line in-house for slitting/inspection of coils.
• Roll & Hold Indianapolis, Indiana is located just off of I-465 close to the airport. There is over 140,000 sq ft of inside space with an additional 2 acres of outdoor space.
• Roll & Hold Shreveport, Louisiana is located inside the Port of Shreveport/Bossier City. There is over 60,000 sq ft of inside space with an additional 10 acres of outdoor space.
• Roll & Hold O’Fallon, Missouri is located close to major expressways. There is over 89,000 sq ft of inside space and an additional 2 acres of outdoor space.
• Roll & Hold Pickering, Ontario is located close to major expressways. There is over 52,000 sq ft of indoor space and an additional 2 acres of outdoor space.
Roll & Hold Metals Warehousing Ammenities and Features
All of our warehouses are equipped with RF barcode scanning equipment, with complete EDI Suite and inventory tracking. Our facilities are ISO 9001:2008 certified and are temperature-controlled. We have experienced employees who have both the desire and capability to do much more than store your product. Listed below are other areas where Roll & Hold can further assist their customers:
• Just-In-Time (JIT) deliveries
• Real time visibility of customer’s inventory via our ADS Database
• Packaging/Unpackaging product to meet customer’s specifications: (paper/metal/canned export, etc.)
• Physical inventories
• EDI inventories/ hand offs
• Micing and measuring to customer tolerances
• Product transferring to meet customer’s line specifications
• Printing of barcode code tags
• Warehousing a diverse range of product; including lumber, ingots, bricks, dies, etc.
For further information and additional service capabilities, please contact Matt Brinkley, Director of Operations at mbrinkley@adslogistics.com or view our website, www.adslogistics.com. As always, we appreciate your past, current, and future business!
Posted by Rose Cyphert: Billing & Collections- ADS Logistics
Posted on Fri, Mar 26, 2010 @ 01:13 PM
The Howard Hanson Dam is an earthen dam located near the headwaters of the Green River in Washington State. It was built by the Army Corps of Engineers in 1961 for flood control in the Green River Valley. The dam has performed well up until last year when we had an unusual amount of rain and structural weaknesses were discovered in it. The first reaction was preparation for and planning of an impending flood of the valley. So to protect the cities along the river, a 3 foot high wall of sand bags was constructed along the top of the levee.
The following link shows current flood gage data, a map, alert phases and recent high water flows which indicates that currently the flow is well below the initial alert level. The map shows the area that could experience flooding. The alert phases are determined by the amount of flow going through the Howard Hanson Dam and are regulated by the Army Corps of Engineers. The recent high-water flow tables show the historically high levels. Repairs made this year have lowered the flood threat considerably since the Army Corps of Engineers found the Dam to be leaking through the earthen bunker on January 9th 2009. We at ADS Logistics are also on a reverse 911 call list in the event of an alert we will be notified by cell phone.
In the event of a flood, the Washington State DOT has developed evacuation routes to get people out of the area quickly with the least amount of restriction and to keep trucking moving where possible within the valley. As a preventative measure, everyone in the Green River Valley community came together to sandbag and build a 6 foot high barrier. Fortunately this flood season is about over and we did not see a hint of flooding.
We here at ADS Logistics Co LLC have developed a failsafe plan to follow in the event of an impending flood, even though records indicate that our warehouse is 1 foot higher than the waters would rise because of a complete dam failure. The failsafe encompasses protecting our customers' inventory for high water by elevating it another 14 inches. Long product would be raised using 6x6 wooden blocks and palletized product would be raised by putting additional pallets underneath them. To stay sharp, we routinely practice executing the Failsafe as well as the evacuation plan established by the Washington State DOT.
The Army Corps of Engineers has said it will be another 4-5 years before repairs are completed and the dam capable of retaining the amount of water it was designed to hold. While we can't do anything to speed up government work, rest assured to know that your product is as well-protected as it can be when under the careful watch of ADS Logistics.
Posted by Dale Prior- Manager, ADS Logistics Co, LLC.
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