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.
Forklifts are reaching new heights of functionality. The demand for vehicles that are efficient, safe and have the flexibility to operate effectively in a host of environments is leading to the development of models with enhanced designs and features.
Not all that long ago, fleet software defined a relatively narrow range of products that primarily were designed to track maintenance schedules and the related costs of vehicle operation/ownership.
In 1976, the United States was celebrating its bicentennial, the National Basketball Association and the American Basketball Association agreed to a merger, and the CN Tower was built in Toronto, making it the tallest free-standing land structure at the time.
Campaign focus on getting better control of asset loss
August 31, 2015
Despite increasing awareness, milk crates, plastic pallets, bakery trays, beverage shells and other containers made from high density polyethylene (HDPE) and polypropylene (PP) are disappearing at a rate that costs retailers and CPG businesses $500 million per year. Ultimately, consumers end up paying this $500 million annual expense in the costs of goods purchased.