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When it comes to health and wellness, there is no shortage of data and literature for beverage-makers to consider when formulating new products. However, wellness is not reserved only for packaged products in the beverage market.

Traditionally an occasion for much of the truck industry’s news each year, the annual Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS) was as noteworthy this year for its lack of news as it was for the news that did come out of the show.

A plethora of market trends continue to impact the global supply chain including automation. In PwC’s “Global Supply Chain Survey 2013,” the market research firm found that 54 percent of companies surveyed in the retail and consumer goods industries listed automation as high importance with an additional 5 percent listing it as high importance by 2015.

As the temperatures begin to rise, it’s certain that spring is on its way. Although winter is a tough time for trucks, a bit of spring cleaning to an electrical system can prevent problems when the summer heat can be enough to sideline trucks with a variety of electrical system ailments.

Today’s business environment requires distributors to constantly pursue opportunities that improve the efficiency of their fleet operations. At Orion, Mich.-based Powers Distributing, this pursuit of efficiency pre-dates the economic roller coaster of the past decade and extends into other areas of the business.

With petroleum fuel prices at their lowest in recent history, the cost of being “green” has been driven higher than ever. Like any technology, green technology must pass the return-on-investment (ROI) test to justify its purchase. Altruistic or community relations have motivated some fleets to invest in the technology, but many fleets insist on a measurable ROI before investing.

Back when side-load equipment ruled the beverage industry, refrigeration generally was an afterthought, with just a few refrigerated trucks dedicated to delivering dairy products and limited varieties of draft beer. But as product mixes have expanded, a paradigm shift is taking place in the equipment world.

Earlier this year, Beverage Industry conducted its third annual Fleet Study to offer a snapshot of the size and makeup of today’s delivery fleets, as well as an understanding of the operational concerns and strategies that beverage fleets face every day.

With the exception of the Ford Super Duty launch coming later in the year, new truck model news will be comparatively thin for 2016, but that’s not to say that all is quiet. Most truck manufacturers have announced at least one or two refinements for 2016, while others have been more prolific.

A common expression in marketing is “Sell the sizzle, not the steak.” Although the consumer might need food for sustenance, it’s the sound of the sizzle that makes them want a steak instead of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.