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As beverage companies look at ways to automate warehouse facilities, equipment manufacturers say that more beverage-makers are looking to automated guided vehicles (AGVs). The Automatic Guided Vehicle Systems Industry Group of the Material Handling Industry of America (MHIA) stated in its fall 2010 quarterly report titled “New Paths for Guided Vehicles” that automation today is more flexible and more accommodating to changing operational requirements.

Beverage companies are taking on new strategies in regard to the goals of their recycling initiatives. One would be hard pressed to find a beverage company not involved in recycling, but the industry continues to expand existing recycling programs. Craft brewer Boulevard Brewing Co., Kansas City, Mo., had to expand its recycling efforts in order to become a zero-landfill facility in January. In 2009, Boulevard’s Founder and President John McDonald, Chief Financial Officer Jeff Krum and Technical Director Mike Utz became co-founders and principals of Ripple Glass, a glass recycling company, to help close the loop in the brewer’s glass bottle consumption.

Vehicle repair and maintenance is only as good as the knowledge and skills of the technicians that perform the work. Consequently, the more successful fleets and maintenance operations invest in continuous training for their technicians to help them keep up with new vehicle technology and diagnostic and repair equipment. Fleet’s technicians can take part in TMCSuperTech, a national technician skills competition dedicated to both honoring technician professionalism and acknowledging the best of the best.

To stay competitive in the beverage world, multiple factors need to be considered. Is your product filling a need? Is it well received? Are you producing it in the most cost-efficient way possible? How’s the delivery?