Features Archives - Material Handling Wholesaler

May Projects Rise 19.2% Year-Over-Year, Food and Beverage Remains Steady in 2026

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 11:00:34 +0000

Industrial SalesLeads released the May 2026 results from its monthly report tracking planned capital investment activity in the Food and Beverage industry. The report monitors new construction, facility expansion, and major equipment upgrade projects throughout North America. Research identified 51 new Food and Beverage projects in May 2026, representing an 8.5% increase from the 47 projects reported during the same period in 2025. Processing facility projects also continued to grow, rising 9.4% year-over-year from 32 projects in May 2025 to 35 projects in May 2026. The following are selected highlights on new Food and Beverage industry construction news. Food and Beverage Project Type Processing Facilities – 35 New Projects Distribution and Industrial Warehouse – 21 New Projects Food and Beverage Project Scope/Activity New Construction – 12 New Projects Expansion – 16 New Projects Renovations/Equipment Upgrades – 26 New Projects Plant Closing – 4 New Projects Food and Beverage Project Location (Top 10 States) Michigan – 8 New York – 6 California – 5 North Carolina – 3 Wisconsin – 3 Alabama – 2 Connecticut – 2 Georgia – 2 Indiana – 2 Louisiana – 2 Industrial Equipment Categories in Demand In the month of May, identified industrial manufacturing project managers are procuring the following equipment: 80% – 83% – Lighting, compressed air systems, material handling/storage, lift trucks 73% – 76% – Cranes & hoists, conveyors, networking/security equipment, HVAC 60% – 69% – loading dock equipment, mechanical construction, fire protection, control systems and instrumentation 52%- 56% – Air emissions control equipment, packaging equipment, process equipment, heat exchangers, tank/vessels, floor coating Largest Planned Project During the month of May, our research team identified 2 new Food and Beverage facility construction projects with an estimated value of $100 million or more. The largest project is owned by American Sugar Refining, Inc., who is investing $200 million and has recently started the expansion and equipment upgrades on their processing facility in ARABI, LA. Completion is slated for 2028. Top 10 Tracked Food and Beverage Projects NEW YORK: Food product MFR. is planning to invest $170 million for the expansion of their processing and warehouse facility in AVON, NY. They are currently seeking approval for the project. Construction will occur in phases, with completion of the 1st phase slated for Spring 2028. CALIFORNIA: Beverage MFR. is planning to invest $68 million for the expansion of their processing facility in SAN LEANDRO, CA. They are currently seeking approval for the project. MICHIGAN: Specialty beverage MFR. is planning to invest $56 million for the renovation and equipment upgrades on a 100,000 sf processing facility at 220 N. Alloy Dr. in FENTON, MI. They are currently seeking approval for the project. INDIANA: Beverage company is planning to invest $35 million for the expansion and equipment upgrades on their processing facility at 5000 W. 25th St. in INDIANAPOLIS, IN. They are currently seeking approval for the project. Construction is expected to start in late 2026. CALIFORNIA: Meat product MFR. is planning to invest $30 million for the expansion and equipment upgrades on their processing facilities in VERNON, CA and SAN BERNARDINO, CA. They are currently seeking approval for the project. MINNESOTA: Specialty restaurant chain is planning for the construction of a 75,000 SF processing, warehouse, and office facility in LAKEVILLE, MN. They are currently seeking approval for the project. Construction is expected to start in Summer 2026 and they will relocate their regional operations upon completion. NORTH CAROLINA: Beverage company is planning for the renovation and equipment upgrades on a recently acquired 177,000 SF warehouse at 1302 N. Salisbury Ave. in SALISBURY, NC. They are currently seeking approval for the project. ALABAMA: Food products MFR. is planning to invest $14 million for the expansion and equipment upgrades on their processing facility in BRUNDIDGE, AL. They are currently seeking approval for the project. CALIFORNIA: Food processing company is planning for the renovation and equipment upgrades on a recently leased 91,000 SF processing facility in MOUNTAIN HOUSE, CA. They will consolidate their operations upon completion. WISCONSIN: Frozen desserts and ice cream MFR. is planning for the renovation and equipment upgrades on a recently leased 43,000 SF of processing space at 5404 S. Pennsylvania Ave. in CUDAHY, WI. They are currently seeking approval for the project. About Industrial SalesLeads, Inc. Since 1959, Industrial SalesLeads, based in Jacksonville, FL is a leader in delivering industrial capital project intelligence and prospecting services for sales and marketing teams to ensure a predictable and scalable pipeline. Our Industrial Market Intelligence, IMI identifies timely insights on companies planning significant capital investments such as new construction, expansion, relocation, equipment modernization and plant closings in industrial facilities. The Outsourced Prospecting Services, an extension to your sales team, is designed to drive growth with qualified meetings and appointments for your internal sales team. Each month, our team provides hundreds of industrial reports within a variety of industries.

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400 New Planned Industrial Construction Projects Remain Steady in May 2026

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 15:24:27 +0000

Industrial SalesLeads has announced the May 2026 results for its planned industrial capital project spending report, tracking North American facility expansions, new plant construction, and significant equipment modernization projects across all major industrial sectors. The firm’s industrial market research team confirmed 400 new planned industrial projects during the month of May, representing a 2% decrease from the 408 projects reported in April 2026. The following are selected highlights on new industrial construction news and project opportunities throughout North America. Planned Industrial Construction – By Project Type: Manufacturing Facilities – 150 New Projects Processing Facilities – 76 New Projects Distribution and Industrial Warehouse – 187 New Projects Power/Energy/Oil and Gas – 13 New Projects Laboratory Facilities – 66 New Projects Mine – 0 New Projects Terminal – 0 New Projects Pipeline – 0 New Projects Planned Industrial Construction – By Scope/Activity New Construction – 130 New Projects Expansion – 95 New Projects Renovations/Equipment Upgrades – 183 New Projects Plant Closing – 24 New Projects Planned Industrial Construction – By Location (Top 10 States) Texas – 30 California – 27 New York – 23 Georgia – 22 Indiana – 22 Michigan – 19 Florida – 17 North Carolina – 17 Ohio – 17 Pennsylvania – 16 Largest Planned Industrial Construction Project During the month of May, our research team identified 42 new General Industrial facility construction projects with an estimated value of $100 million or more. The largest project is owned by JetZero, who is planning to invest $5 billion for the construction of an 8 million sf manufacturing facility at Piedmont Triad International Airport in GREENSBORO, NC. They have recently received approval for the project. Top 10 Tracked Industrial Construction Projects INDIANA: Pharmaceutical company is planning to invest $5 billion for the expansion of their two processing facilities in LEBANON, IN. They are currently seeking approval for the project. OHIO: Electrical energy company is planning to invest $2 billion for the construction of a 1,300 MW natural gas-fired power plant in WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP, OH. They are currently seeking approval for the project. Construction is expected to start in Fall 2026, with completion slated for 2030. TEXAS: Chemical MFR. is planning to invest $2 billion for the construction of a methanol processing facility in TEXAS CITY, TX. They are currently seeking approval for the project. Completion is slated for 2030. NORTH CAROLINA: Pharmaceutical company is planning to invest $1 billion for the construction of a processing, laboratory, and office campus in DURHAM, NC. They are currently seeking approval for the project. TEXAS: Pharmaceutical company is planning to invest $1 billion for the construction of a 600,000 SF processing facility in HOUSTON, TX. They are currently seeking approval for the project. MISSOURI: Battery MFR. is planning to invest $400 million for the expansion and equipment upgrades on their manufacturing facility in ST. JOSEPH, MO. They are currently seeking approval for the project. UTAH: Mining company is planning to invest $400 million for the construction of a lithium extraction and refining facility in OGDEN, UT. They are currently seeking approval for the project. Construction will occur in two phases. ALABAMA: Power transformer MFR. is planning to invest $300 million for the construction of a 600,000 SF manufacturing and warehouse facility in MUSCLE SHOALS, AL. They are currently seeking approval for the project. Completion is slated for early 2028. NORTH CAROLINA: Aerospace component MFR. is planning to invest $300 million for the construction of two manufacturing facilities totaling 272,000 sf in MONROE, NC. They are currently seeking approval for the project. NEW MEXICO: Oil and gas company is planning to invest $260 million for the construction of a natural gas processing facility in EDDY COUNTY, NM. They are currently seeking approval for the project. Completion is slated for early Fall 2028. About Industrial SalesLeads, Inc. Since 1959, Industrial SalesLeads, based in Jacksonville, FL is a leader in delivering industrial capital project intelligence and prospecting services for sales and marketing teams to ensure a predictable and scalable pipeline. Our Industrial Market Intelligence, IMI identifies timely insights on companies planning significant capital investments such as new construction, expansion, relocation, equipment modernization and plant closings in industrial facilities. The Outsourced Prospecting Services, an extension to your sales team, is designed to drive growth with qualified meetings and appointments for your internal sales team Each month, our team provides hundreds of industrial reports within a variety of industries.

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5.5% Decrease in New Distribution and Supply Chain Projects in May 2026, Holds Steady in 2026

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 14:10:48 +0000

Industrial SalesLeads has announced the May 2026 results for its planned capital project spending report covering the Distribution and Supply Chain industry. The Firm tracks North American planned industrial capital project activity, including facility expansions, new plant construction, and significant equipment modernization projects. This month’s research confirms 187 new projects in the Distribution and Supply Chain sector, reflecting a decrease of 11 projects, or 5.56%, compared to the 198 projects reported in April 2026. The following are selected highlights on new Distribution Center and Warehouse construction news. Distribution and Supply Chain – By Project Type Distribution/Fulfillment Centers – 20 New Projects Industrial Warehouse – 167 New Projects Distribution and Supply Chain- By Project Scope/Activity New Construction – 69 New Projects Expansion – 23 New Projects Renovations/Equipment Upgrades – 94 New Projects Closing – 6 New Projects Distribution and Supply Chain – By Project Location (Top 5 States) Georgia – 19 Texas – 13 Florida – 10 New York – 9 Connecticut – 7 Largest Planned Project During the month of May, our research team identified 14 new Distribution and Supply Chain facility construction projects with an estimated value of $100 million or more. The largest project is owned by Applied Digital Corp., who is investing $3.6 billion for the construction of two 150-MW data center facilities and an AI training campus in RAPIDES PARISH, LA. Construction will occur in multiple phases, with completion of phase 1 slated for Summer 2027. Top 10 Tracked Distribution and Supply Chain Project Opportunities Texas: Building materials MFR. is planning to invest $1.2 billion for the construction of a manufacturing and warehouse facility at 1750 IP Way Road in ORANGE, TX. They have recently received approval for the project. Texas: Aerospace company is planning to invest $650 million for the construction of a 1.3 million SF manufacturing, research, and warehouse complex in HUTTO, TX. They are currently seeking approval for the project. Alabama: Power transformer MFR. is planning to invest $300 million for the construction of a 600,000 SF manufacturing and warehouse facility in MUSCLE SHOALS, AL. They are currently seeking approval for the project. Completion is slated for early 2028. Florida: Global online retailer is planning to invest $240 million for the construction of a 1 million sf distribution center and office facility at 2300 S. Kings Hwy. in FORT PIERCE, FL. They are currently seeking approval for the project. Completion is slated for Spring 2028. Connecticut: Global online retailer is planning to invest $200 million for the construction of a 1.3 million SF distribution center in KILLINGLY, CT. They are currently seeking approval for the project. Florida: Global online retailer is planning to invest $200 million for the renovation and equipment upgrades on their 1 million sf distribution center at 7600 LTC Pkwy. in PORT ST. LUCIE, FL. Renovations are expected to start in Fall 2026, with completion slated for Fall 2028. Texas: Solar panel MFR. is planning to invest $200 million for the renovation and equipment upgrades on a 500,000 SF manufacturing and warehouse facility in HOUSTON, TX. Completion is slated for Fall 2026. New York: Food product MFR. is planning to invest $170 million for the expansion of their processing and warehouse facility in AVON, NY. They are currently seeking approval for the project. Construction will occur in phases, with completion of the 1st phase slated for Spring 2028. Georgia: Metal fabrication and manufacturing company is planning to invest $125 million for the construction of a 600,000 SF manufacturing, warehouse, and office facility on Barnes Ferry Rd. in MACON, GA. They have recently received approval for the project. Kentucky: Transportation and logistics company is planning to invest $113 million for the construction of a 346,000 SF warehouse and office facility in HILLVIEW, KY. They are currently seeking approval for the project. Completion is slated for 2028. About Industrial SalesLeads, Inc. Since 1959, Industrial SalesLeads, based in Jacksonville, FL is a leader in delivering industrial capital project intelligence and prospecting services for sales and marketing teams to ensure a predictable and scalable pipeline. Our Industrial Market Intelligence, IMI identifies timely insights on companies planning significant capital investments such as new construction, expansion, relocation, equipment modernization and plant closings in industrial facilities. The Outsourced Prospecting Services, an extension to your sales team, is designed to drive growth with qualified meetings and appointments for your internal sales team. Each month, our team provides hundreds of industrial reports within a variety of industries.

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Stop Blaming the Economy: Five ways Smart Business Owners control in any market

Sat, 20 Jun 2026 05:00:45 +0000

Smart business owners focus on what they CAN control rather than worrying about what they CAN’T control. No amount of pacing and handwringing will change the current economy nor the pace of inflation. While it might be tempting to keep lamenting what’s not working, business owners whose doors will stay open will be putting on blinders and looking for ways to win. Here are five ways you can take control of key areas in your business without spending ANY additional money on staffing, marketing, or advertising. Take control of pricing and stop discounting. Everywhere you turn, prices are going up. The cost of supplies rises almost daily. When small businesses are talking about raising prices, it invokes the type of fear you felt as a child when you thought there were monsters under the bed. If a business hasn’t raised its prices in two or more years, it is past time. More importantly, there should never be an apology with a price increase. No grocery store on the planet puts a little note next to the butter saying, “Sorry about that extra 50 cents, we had no choice.” You noticed it, and you put it in the basket anyway. Now, about that discounting that business owners think “gets people in the door.” Stop doing that. Instead of a discount, what can you offer that has a high perceived value and goes with the purchase? Think cosmetic companies with their crowd-pleasing “gift with purchase” or a caterer offering a free dessert with the purchase of a family meal pack. Low cost, high value. Scrap those discounts and add value. Everyone likes “free.” Expense clarity Tough markets don’t create inefficiencies; they shine a light of interrogation on them. This is the time to put your P & L under a microscope. Where can you make some changes? Here are some areas to consider: employee redundancy, cost of supplies, shop your insurance, shop other services like internet, cell phone, and other regular expenses. Negotiate with your vendors. Ask if they would be willing to offer you better pricing if you sign a year-long contract instead of a month-to-month agreement. This will take a bit of time, but it could add up to big savings. One final note about expenses: many business owners use Amazon to purchase supplies and also veer into other areas when they need personal items. “We need printer paper, and I also need paper towels for the house.” Keep personal and professional purchases separate by using different cards for each. There’s more business in your existing customer base If you have a business with 1,000 customers and you add on a new product or service that costs $50, with only half of your customers taking advantage of this new offer, you’ve added $25,000 in revenue. Who better to make an offer to than the folks who already know, like, and trust you? The point here is that many businesses offer multiple services, but most of their customers use only one or two. How many times do you “make the sale” and stop asking if the customer needs or wants anything else? 34% of customers will spend more money at checkout time IF ASKED. Most business owners and sales professionals don’t ask. Take a good, long look at your current customers or clients. What else can you offer them to be of service, add more value, and, at the same time, make more money for yourself? The same fear that keeps business owners from raising prices also keeps business owners and sales professionals from asking, “Would you like fries with that?” We may not be offering fries, but you get the idea. Upsell and cross-sell. You’ll thank yourself later. Follow-up and conversion are grossly underutilized How many businesses go to the trouble of preparing a quote or a proposal for a prospect and then never follow up? Over 50% never follow up at all. The fortune is in the follow-up. That is an uncomfortable truth. Money is left on the proverbial table more often than it is picked up. Without a system in place for follow-ups, they will likely never happen. Create a system that makes all those proposals turn into closed deals. Studies show that it takes 8-12 contacts to even have a meaningful conversation with a prospect, much less close a sale. You might be surprised to learn how often people say, “I tried to call twice and then gave up.” You never know what is going on behind the scenes with a prospect. There could be someone who really needs you, and you gave up on them. Don’t give up. Know your numbers Business owners often leave the numbers to the bookkeeper and the accountant. Business owners must know their numbers. How can one track growth or address issues without knowing the numbers? While many an accountant says, “Let us worry about your numbers so you can run your business,” that often leaves the business owner in the dark, and problems become unwanted surprises. Consider monthly meetings with the bookkeeper and/or the accountant. The numbers are a clear indicator of how the business is running, and the owner should be up to speed in all aspects of the business. An unexpected benefit of knowing the numbers is the confidence that comes with it. A business owner will feel more in control of the business when there is financial visibility. The bottom line is that focusing on what you can control, rather than worrying about what you can’t, will put your business on a path to success and prosperity. Making small changes every day will lead to big improvements in every business and will diminish the overcast economic conditions. About the Author: Melissa Willis is a coach and consultant who has helped owners and sales professionals over her career. Melissa can shine a light on the areas that need the most work while acknowledging what has been successful. Specializing in profit acceleration and communication styles, Melissa helps businesses

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A goal is a dream with a plan. And other fairy tales

Sat, 20 Jun 2026 05:00:35 +0000

My mother never went to Europe. She talked about it, dreamed about it — even opened a travel agency at age 55. Never got there. She died 15 years later, never achieving the goal. Oh, she achieved plenty of other goals. But not that one. I went to Europe for the first time at age 20. One of the things I wanted to do there was study French. It’s a beautiful language. Romantic, expressive, cultural. Never did. Tried, never did. I’ve been to Europe 30 times, France 20 times. Never learned the language. Oh, I know a few hundred words, but can’t converse or understand conversation. Unmet goals. Got unmet goals? Personal goals start as thoughts and dreams. Business goals may have those attributes, but often they are handed to you by a superior. Sales goals, sales plans, sales numbers, pipelines, funnels, and various benchmarks for you to achieve for THEM. You then make a goal to achieve their goal. And many salespeople do. But many (most) do not. Management will refer to those who did not meet their goal as “weak.” That way, they don’t have to take any blame or responsibility for their “weak” people. Meantime, you have your goals. Whatever they are — visit Europe, speak French, go on a vacation, buy a house, get a new car, take off weight, stop smoking, get married, get divorced, have a child, get your child out of the house – you have your own PERSONAL goals. In the shower this morning, I came up with a thought about WHY goals are met or unmet. Achieved and not achieved. It centers around the old definition about goals that has always bugged me: “A goal is a dream with a plan.” That statement is not only wrong, but it’s also dangerous. It tells you you’ll never achieve your goals unless you make a plan. I don’t get it. I make very few plans, and I achieve tons of goals. There are lots of goals that are not “dreams.” Did you dream of your sales quota? No, you were sent an email or given a sheet of paper. No dream there. My first trip to Europe was never a dream. It was an opportunity that popped up, and I took advantage of it. No dream, no plan — just an airplane ticket, a passport, and some money. Here are the elements that I believe define and comprise the dream, goal, and achievement process: Thinking. Ideas pop into your head. Write them down. Dreaming and daydreaming. Thoughts make (let) your mind wander to desire, possibility, and “what if.” I love to daydream. Don’t confuse daydreams with pipedreams. You will never win the lottery. Observing. Looking closely at the world and your world to see what it is that you really want to be, do, and have. Opportunity. Recognizing it. Seizing it. And taking advantage of it. Risk tolerance determines outcomes. If you perceive the goal is too “risky,” you’ll pass. If you wanna achieve, you gotta risk. Coulda, woulda, shoulda. The words of people unwilling to risk. “I coulda been a contender,” “I coulda had class and been somebody.” Marlon Brando, in his role as Terry Malloy, playing in On the Waterfront – 1954. Desire. Your level of desire will determine the length of time to achievement. Want. Want it bad? Like desire, your level of “want” will determine the length of time to achievement. Need. Need is a stronger circumstance than desire or want. Your need-reality will generate your level of achievement action. Intention. Intentions PRECEDE actions. If you don’t intend to, you won’t achieve, even if you want to. What are your intentions? Dedication. If it’s a business goal, you have to dedicate the time to study and prepare. If it’s a personal goal, you have to dedicate small amounts of time to steadily achieve. Persistence. The sister of dedication, it’s the stick-to-itiveness that pushes you to achievement. Action for the day or the moment. Plans change, actions are in the NOW. Take some. An apple a day. Skill set. Maybe your skills are precluding you from achievement. Maybe you need to study, practice, or enlist the aid of others. Love of what you do, or what it is. Love breeds passion. Passion breeds action. Action breeds achievement. For who? Why? If you have a motive, it may provide additional motivation. Don’t be a martyr. Do it for yourself first. Understanding “for who” and “why” will help you achieve as much as any other aspect of this process. Self-belief in every aspect of the process. You must believe in yourself BEFORE you can believe in achieving your goals. Think you can. Mission. If your goal is different from your mission, it will lack the passion to become a reality. Visibility. Post it where you can see it. Keep your goals top-of-mind — top-of-mind ’s-eye. I have my goals on my bathroom mirror. Do you? Support and encouragement. When others are cheering you on and encouraging you to achieve, it’s a mental miracle. Serendipity. I have defined it before as “God’s way of remaining anonymous.” But it’s more than that. Serendipity is that moment when chance and opportunity collide. And it’s at that moment when you are challenged to grasp it, and make yourself and your loved ones better off. Successful. Fulfilled. You reached for the brass ring, and you caught hold. NOTE WELL: If you get what you want, you’d better be ready. Ready to capitalize, ready to grow, ready to take advantage of, ready to share, and ready to enjoy — but not over-indulge.

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The next growth opportunity in Aftermarket Distribution is better visibility

Sat, 20 Jun 2026 05:00:25 +0000

For years, growth in aftermarket distribution came mostly from breadth. More SKUs, more suppliers, and more geographic reach usually meant a stronger competitive position. Distributors and wholesalers now operate in a different environment. Customers still want selection, but they increasingly care about certainty. They want to know that the right part is available, that it can be found quickly, and that it can reach the right location without friction. In aftermarket distribution, that certainty matters because the stakes are often tied directly to service levels, equipment uptime, and customer retention. Aftermarket networks across industrial equipment, healthcare, automotive, retail, and other service-driven industries are under pressure to move faster on tighter margins, through unpredictable disruptions, and against rising customer expectations. End users have grown accustomed to real-time visibility and fast fulfillment in other parts of their lives. They now expect the same from the aftermarket operations that keep their equipment, facilities, and businesses running. For manufacturers and solution providers trying to expand through dealer and distributor partnerships, that shift is both a challenge and an opportunity. The companies gaining ground are not simply putting another product into the market. They are helping distributors solve operational problems that affect service levels, inventory performance, and customer satisfaction. Visibility has become one of the clearest differentiators. Aftermarket distribution is especially complex because demand is often difficult to predict. A distributor may carry thousands of slow-moving parts, many of which are ordered infrequently but become urgent the moment they are needed. Inventory may be spread across central distribution centers, branches, dealers, service locations, technician vehicles, and supplier networks. The part may exist somewhere in the network, but if teams cannot see it, allocate it, or move it quickly, the customer still experiences a service failure. Many distributors still run on fragmented systems that make it hard to maintain an accurate, real-time view of inventory across warehouses, branches, suppliers, and fulfillment channels. Teams burn time reacting to shortages, chasing down stock, or reconciling information by hand across disconnected platforms. Those inefficiencies create delays that spread through the supply chain. Technology, data, and operational intelligence are starting to change how the aftermarket runs. Real-time visibility tools, AI-driven forecasting, and smarter warehouse execution help distributors shift from reacting to predicting. Instead of discovering problems after a service commitment is already at risk, teams can see demand patterns, identify shortages earlier, rebalance inventory, and improve fulfillment across locations. The value is not only in knowing where the inventory is. It is also in knowing what to do next. If an urgent service order comes in, distributors need to understand where the part is available, which orders should be prioritized, whether an alternate location can fulfill it faster, and how warehouse teams can execute without causing further disruption. Visibility becomes more powerful when it is connected to execution. For distributors, that shows up in real results. Order accuracy improves. Stockouts drop. Turnaround times shorten. Service teams respond faster, and customers stay longer. For manufacturers and solution providers, helping partners reach those outcomes builds a stronger case than product features alone. The strongest channel relationships are built on operational partnership rather than transactional selling. That means understanding what distributors deal with day-to-day, including labor constraints, warehouse complexity, intermittent demand, and growing service expectations. It also means recognizing that distributors must support multiple fulfillment models simultaneously, from bulk replenishment and branch transfers to direct-to-customer shipping, technician replenishment, and urgent service calls. Partners who simplify that complexity and improve agility earn their value over time. Growth does not always mean entering new markets. Often, the bigger opportunity sits in helping existing partners operate more effectively and profitably. That can mean better inventory intelligence, improved warehouse workflows, smarter replenishment, more accurate allocation, or wider visibility across the supply chain. Even small operational gains add up when they scale across a large distribution network. The aftermarket has always run on relationships, reliability, and responsiveness. Those fundamentals hold. What has changed is the level of operational performance required to deliver them consistently. As distributors navigate economic uncertainty, supply chain volatility, and shifting customer expectations, they will favor partners who help them move with more speed, confidence, and resilience. The opportunity for growth is no longer about adding another line to the catalog. It is about helping distribution partners clear the operational hurdles that stand between them and better service. The companies that recognize that shift and build around visibility, intelligence, and execution will be positioned to grow. About the Author Vee Srithayakumar is a product leader in warehouse management at Tecsys, driving innovation through AI-driven and advanced warehouse execution system initiatives. His contributions to the supply chain industry earned him recognition as a 2024 Supply & Demand Chain Executive “Pros to Know.”

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Future-Proofing your business: Strategies for Integrating AI and improving Financial Performance

Sat, 20 Jun 2026 05:00:07 +0000

Don’t worry, this is not going to be an accounting lesson. Operating companies, such as material handling dealers, are made up of numerous financial metrics used to determine profits, cash flow, and let’s not forget your federal and state income tax payments. While these are typical company transactions, it seems your current “audit” needs to take on additional areas if you plan to generate profits and cash flow that produce a value at the high end of the market. It is no secret that AI and related functions are being used by just about every company (or should be), since a positive AI program should decrease the cost of sales, operating expenses, and payroll, while at the same time increasing the sales-per-employee metric. AI, because of the speed at which it can collect and analyze data and its alignment with your industry, is putting the development of an AI program high on the agenda of every C-Level member of the management team. I believe you got a feel for what is required to get your feet wet from the three previous columns I prepared, which outline the steps to start an AI program if your data meets the criteria to produce meaningful output. Supporting this new level of data collection and analysis could cost a lot of money and absorb financial office time, and probably the time of all department heads. Most companies would not have the expertise to execute such a program that produces accurate outcomes management can use to drive the business. Some of these potential areas, I believe, will produce positive results are as follows: BANKING RELATIONS It is no secret that most small businesses dislike their bank. Low yield, slow turnaround, tools tough to work with. If you are drifting along in this boat, you may want to check out a new relationship. The new relationship should supply LIQUIDITY- VISIBILITY- TRUST AND SPEED. As with any transaction these days, time is money… data is required to make timely decisions… loan rates should be reasonable. If the new bank fits in with your payroll and other systems, that is positive as well. FP@A PROGRAMS Financial planning and analysis data is getting more popular lately as AI is put in place, but it also provides knowledge and suggestions that your normal accounting department could not provide without help. In this era where speed and information can be reviewed quickly, getting your month close within 15 days, along with an explanation of what happened, how it compares to the budget, and details on each line item that has to do with the results, is certain to add to the C-Level information request and suggestions for improvement. These programs can also take any monthly report and, based on that report, adjust the forecast and cash flow. I can emphasize enough what you can do with this. I came across a couple of recent emails that you could review to see what could be done. One is YOUR CFO GUY, who develops Excel templates that produce these kinds of results, and when you look at his output options, I don’t imagine a C-Level who wouldn’t want data covering their area of responsibility. His email is Josh@yourcfoguy.com Oracle also has a program titled STORYTELLING WITH NUMBERS. Monthly reports are geared towards supporting schedules. These reports are designed to address the MAIN point on that slide. Again, really neat stuff. Of course, if you have bad data, these programs may not work for you. But if you are entertaining AI programs, that would be the time to get the data into shape to a trustworthy standard. CUSTOMER PLANS It is safe to say that a majority of manufacturing companies are investigating and have invested in AI and related technical advancements. The Grow or Die line does make sense. But it appears that a good percentage of manufacturers take steps before diving into more sophisticated operating systems and eventually robotic involvement. The data I am seeing suggests multiple changes are being made, primarily to test out more efficient results, and then move up to the next ladder that will eventually get them to a robot program of some sort. I still believe Lift Truck Dealers have the need to assist customers with input on these changes. If a dealer could produce a list of like-kind manufacturer customers, I would go to AI and ask what companies have models for these manufacturing types, and then offer to pass on what you get to them, or partner up with them to wind up being asked to cover the maintenance needs of the new system. EMPLOYEE PARTNERSHIP Keeping employees informed about company operations is something every company should do. Part of that education should be geared to a family’s personal requirements. I have received very positive feedback from employees for whom we have assisted with insurance, banking, tax planning, retirement planning, investment choices, and even ways to leverage the company’s relationships to support a transaction. In one case, we had a minimum health insurance cost for employees, which was associated with a “gold” plan. What helped was a broker who would provide input when necessary. Guess what? Turnover was very, very low. And if this type of program were held as a seminar or webinar, spouses were invited. Another topic of interest would, of course, be AI and its impact on the company and job stability. There are discussions on both sides of the street. You will improve your financial results and hopefully make more money. Recruiting will go down… but chances are, existing employees will stay, especially if they have a “PARTNERSHIP” with them, as noted above. TAX PLANNING I seem to be getting more questions about taxes these days, both business and personal issues. And when reviewing the YouTube discussions on the topic, the analysis gets a bit technical, and as a result, additional tax deductions are missed. I know I am going to review my returns and, at the same time, check what

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Industrial Manufacturing Project Activity climbs 7.6% MoM, reaching 156 New Planned Projects in May 2026

Fri, 19 Jun 2026 14:23:39 +0000

Industrial SalesLeads has found that planned capital investment activity in the Industrial Manufacturing sector continued its upward momentum in May 2026, with research identifying 156 new planned industrial projects across North America, a 7.6% increase compared to April. Manufacturing and production facilities accounted for the majority of activity with 138 new projects, while distribution and industrial warehouse developments contributed an additional 66 projects. Texas, Indiana, and California led the nation in new project activity, while 20 major projects valued at more than $100 million highlighted continued confidence in long-term industrial growth and investment Industrial Manufacturing – By Project Type Manufacturing/Production Facilities – 138 New Projects Distribution and Industrial Warehouse – 66 New Projects Industrial Manufacturing – By Project Scope/Activity New Construction – 36 New Projects Expansion – 49 New Projects Renovations/Equipment Upgrades – 78 New Projects Plant Closings – 14 New Projects Industrial Manufacturing – By Project Location (Top 10 States) Texas – 16 Indiana – 15 California – 14 Michigan – 8 New York – 8 Ohio – 8 Pennsylvania – 7 Arizona – 6 North Carolina – 6 Wisconsin – 6 Illinois – 5 Industrial Equipment Categories in Demand In the month of May, identified industrial manufacturing project managers are procuring the following equipment: 75% – 79% – Lighting, compressed air systems, material handling/storage, lift trucks, networking/security equipment 70% – 74% – HVAC Equipment, conveyors, cranes and hoists, mechanical construction 60% – 69% – Fire protection, loading dock equipment, control systems & instruments, air emissions control, heat exchangers, packaging equipment, manufacturing equipment 39% – Floor coatings Largest Planned Project During the month of May, our research team identified 20 new Industrial Manufacturing facility construction projects with an estimated value of $100 million or more. The largest project is owned by JetZero, which plans to invest $5 billion to construct an 8 million sf manufacturing facility at Piedmont Triad International Airport in GREENSBORO, NC. They have recently received approval for the project. Top 10 Tracked Industrial Manufacturing Projects INDIANA: A pharmaceutical company is planning to invest $5 billion to expand its two processing facilities in LEBANON, IN. They are currently seeking approval for the project. TEXAS: An automotive manufacturer plans to invest $2 billion to expand its manufacturing facility in SAN ANTONIO, TX. They are currently seeking approval for the project. TEXAS: A building materials manufacturer plans to invest $1.2 billion to construct a manufacturing and warehouse facility at 1750 IP Way Road in ORANGE, TX. They have recently received approval for the project. NORTH CAROLINA: A pharmaceutical company is planning to invest $1 billion in the construction of a processing, laboratory, and office campus in DURHAM, NC. They are currently seeking approval for the project. TEXAS: An electronic equipment manufacturer. is planning to invest $876 million in the construction of a one-million-square-foot manufacturing facility in FORT WORTH, TX. They are currently seeking approval for the project. MISSOURI: A battery manufacturer is planning to invest $400 million in expansion and equipment upgrades at its manufacturing facility in ST. JOSEPH, MO. They are currently seeking approval for the project. ALABAMA: A power transformer manufacturer is planning to invest $300 million in the construction of a 600,000-square-foot manufacturing and warehouse facility in MUSCLE SHOALS, AL. They are currently seeking approval for the project. Completion is slated for early 2028. NORTH CAROLINA: An aerospace component manufacturer is planning to invest $300 million to construct two manufacturing facilities totaling 272,000 square feet in MONROE, NC. They are currently seeking approval for the project. NEW JERSEY: A pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturer is planning to invest $200 million in the renovation and equipment upgrades of a recently acquired 320,000-square-foot processing and office facility in FLANDERS, NJ. They are currently seeking approval for the project. CALIFORNIA: A commercial EV manufacturer is planning to invest $140 million in renovation and equipment upgrades on battery manufacturing facilities in GARDEN GROVE, CA, and CYPRESS, CA. They are currently seeking approval for the project. Want to know the deadline and contact information for these or hundreds of projects going on? Click here. About Industrial SalesLeads, Inc. Since 1959, Industrial SalesLeads, based in Jacksonville, FL is a leader in delivering industrial capital project intelligence and prospecting services for sales and marketing teams to ensure a predictable and scalable pipeline. Our Industrial Market Intelligence (IMI) provides timely insights into companies planning significant capital investments in industrial facilities, such as new construction, expansion, relocation, equipment modernization, and plant closings. The Outsourced Prospecting Services, an extension of your sales team, is designed to drive growth by generating qualified meetings and appointments for your internal sales team. Visit us at salesleadsinc.com.

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The new Aftermarket Playbook

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 11:00:51 +0000

Why the future of dealership growth depends on owning the entire customer lifecycle Walk through any dealership today, and you will hear the same pressures being discussed in different ways: margin compression, rising labor rates, more sophisticated equipment, and customers expecting faster answers with less friction. None of that is new. What is changing, and changing quickly, is how leading dealerships are responding. What has become increasingly clear in dealerships is that the aftermarket can no longer be viewed as a collection of separate departments or transactions. The most successful operations are beginning to think differently, viewing the customer relationship as a complete ownership lifecycle. Not just the sale, and not just the service call, but every interaction in between and every touchpoint that follows. That shift in thinking may ultimately become one of the most important strategies for sustainable aftermarket growth over the next decade. Most dealerships already participate in pieces of the lifecycle. The opportunity is to intentionally connect them. The Lifecycle Mindset Shift Too often, aftermarket operations are managed in silos. Parts focus on fill rate and counter sales. Service focuses on technician productivity and billable hours. Sales focuses on new equipment and occasionally pushes service agreements. Finance operates separately. Digital tools exist, but they are layered on top rather than integrated. The customer, however, does not experience your business this way. They experience one continuous relationship. From the moment they begin researching a solution to the day they retire a piece of equipment, they form opinions about how easy you are to do business with, how responsive you are, and whether you are helping them run their operation more effectively. That is the lifecycle, and the dealerships that win in aftermarket are the ones that take ownership of that entire journey. Stage 1: Discovery, Make It Easy to Find and Choose You The lifecycle begins long before a quote is requested. Customers today are researching online, comparing options, and forming opinions before they ever talk to your team. If your dealership is not visible or if your digital experience is clunky, you are already behind. This is where e-commerce and digital presence come into play, not as a side project, but as a core aftermarket strategy. It is not just about listing parts online. It is about making it easy for a customer to identify what they need, confirm availability, and understand pricing without having to pick up the phone for every transaction. For aftermarket leaders, the question is simple: Are you making it easier for your customers to do business with you than your competitors are? If the answer is no, you are losing opportunities before your team even knows they exist. Stage 2: Quoting, Speed, and Accuracy Win Once a customer engages, the quoting process becomes the first real test of your operation. How quickly can you respond? How accurate is your pricing? How easy is it for the customer to understand what they are getting? Too many dealerships still rely on manual processes that slow everything down. Quotes sit in inboxes, pricing inconsistencies creep in, and follow-up becomes reactive instead of proactive. Modern aftermarket operations are investing in centralized quoting tools and standardized processes, not because it is trendy, but because it drives results. Faster quotes increase close rates, consistent pricing protects margins, and clear proposals build trust. This is not complicated, but it does require discipline. Stage 3: Ordering, Remove Friction Once the customer approves the quote, the next step should be simple. In the aftermarket, that may mean ordering replacement parts, scheduling service, approving a repair, purchasing accessories, or adding safety items to a unit. Customers should not have to chase updates, resend information, or navigate multiple departments just to get what they need. The best aftermarket operations make every channel feel connected, whether the customer engages online, through inside sales, service, or an account manager. When ordering is easy, customers approve faster, buy more confidently, and rely on your dealership first. Stage 4: Power and Performance, Expanding the Conversation As equipment evolves, so does the aftermarket opportunity. Energy solutions, whether traditional or electric, are no longer just a product category. They are part of the performance conversation. Customers are asking different questions, such as how long this will last, what the total cost of ownership is, and what the operating implications are. Aftermarket leaders who understand these dynamics can move from being a supplier to being an advisor. That shift matters. Advisory relationships are harder to replace and far more valuable over time. Stage 5: Financing, Remove Barriers to Action One of the most overlooked elements of the aftermarket lifecycle is financing. Customers often delay necessary repairs, upgrades, or service agreements because of budget constraints, not because they do not see the value. When dealerships offer flexible financial options, they remove that barrier. This is not just about large capital purchases. It can apply to service agreements, major repairs, or bundled parts-and-service programs. Making it easier for customers to say yes accelerates revenue and strengthens relationships. Stage 6: Service Agreements, Lock in Value If there is one area where dealerships consistently leave opportunity on the table, it is service agreements. Too often, they are treated as an add-on rather than a core offering. Service agreements create predictability. For the customer, they reduce unexpected costs and downtime. For the dealership, they create recurring revenue and stronger retention. The key is not just selling them but structuring them to align with how the customer operates. That means clear scopes, transparent pricing, and defined value. When done right, service agreements become the backbone of the aftermarket business. Stage 7: Maintenance and Repair, Execution Still Matters All the strategy in the world does not matter if execution falls short in the field. Maintenance and repair are where your brand is truly tested. Are your technicians showing up prepared? Are parts available when needed? Are jobs completed right the first time? This is where operational KPIs matter. First-time fix rate, technician productivity, time from

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Four decades of Power Innovation: How Green Cubes became a trusted partner in Material Handling Electrification

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 02:03:04 +0000

For more than four decades, Green Cubes Technology has built its reputation on delivering reliable power solutions for demanding industrial environments. From early mobile power systems to today’s advanced lithium-ion platforms, the company has consistently evolved alongside the industries it serves. Throughout that evolution, Green Cubes has maintained a focus on safety, engineering discipline, and long-term customer partnerships. The numbers behind that evolution tell a meaningful story. Last year alone, Green Cubes shipped more than 90,000 batteries — a scale that reflects both the depth of the company’s manufacturing capability and the breadth of its customer relationships. As the material handling sector accelerates its transition toward electrification, Green Cubes continues to position itself not simply as a battery supplier but as a trusted partner helping customers navigate complex power challenges. A Legacy Built on Mobile Power Expertise Green Cubes’ history in mobile power technology spans more than forty years. That experience has shaped the company’s engineering philosophy: power systems must perform reliably in real operating conditions where uptime and safety are critical. Over the past two decades, the company has focused specifically on engineering lithium-ion solutions for industrial applications. That focused investment in lithium-ion technology has allowed Green Cubes to build platforms that go well beyond off-the-shelf battery products, supporting customers through the full lifecycle of their electrification transitions. The company has expanded its technology portfolio to support a wide range of industrial applications, including material handling equipment, healthcare devices, ground support equipment, and automated industrial carts. This experience across multiple sectors has deepened Green Cubes’ understanding of how power systems perform under demanding, real-world workloads. From Batteries to Integrated Power Systems A key differentiator for Green Cubes is its focus on delivering complete power solutions rather than standalone batteries. Modern lithium systems developed by the company integrate battery hardware, battery management systems, intelligent charging technologies, and cloud-based monitoring tools. This integrated approach is what makes the IoT monitoring capability particularly valuable. With more than 38,000 batteries currently connected through cloud-based platforms, Green Cubes and its customers can monitor performance in real time, track usage patterns, and identify potential issues before they cause disruptions. For warehouse operators running multi-shift distribution operations, that level of visibility translates directly into improved uptime and more informed maintenance decisions. By combining hardware, software, and service support, Green Cubes enables customers to transition toward lithium-based electrification while minimizing operational complexity. The result is a power system that operators can manage proactively rather than reactively. Engineering for Safety and Reliability Safety remains a central priority in the design of Green Cubes power systems. Industrial battery platforms must operate reliably in demanding environments where equipment performance and operator safety are closely connected. Green Cubes engineers its lithium-ion solutions using lithium iron phosphate (LFP) chemistry, a technology recognized for its strong thermal stability and safety characteristics. With 20 years of hands-on lithium-ion engineering experience behind the company’s product development process, those design decisions are grounded in a deep understanding of how these systems behave across a wide range of operating conditions. The company also incorporates advanced battery management systems that continuously monitor key operating parameters, including temperature, voltage, and current. These built-in protections help ensure batteries operate within safe parameters while maintaining optimal performance throughout their lifecycle. Rigorous testing and certification processes further reinforce the company’s commitment to delivering dependable systems that customers can trust in mission-critical applications. Innovation Driven by Collaboration Innovation at Green Cubes is driven by collaboration across engineering, operations, manufacturing, and service teams. Green Cubes puts people first because we know that motivated, valued employees take genuine pride in their work. That commitment to our team translates directly into sharp attention to detail and the consistent quality standards our customers depend on. The company integrates insights from field deployments and customer feedback into its product development efforts. Working with more than 25 OEMs has given Green Cubes a broad perspective on how its power systems are applied across different equipment platforms, operating environments, and duty cycles. Each of those relationships contributes feedback that informs product design — from connector configurations and thermal management to software interfaces and charging protocols. Service technicians and customer support teams also provide ongoing input based on real-world installations, helping engineers identify opportunities to improve system architecture, serviceability, and performance. By encouraging contributions from across the organization, Green Cubes has cultivated a culture in which innovation is grounded in the operational realities its customers face. Looking Ahead The continued growth of automation, electrification, and sustainability initiatives is reshaping industrial operations worldwide. In material-handling environments, reliable power systems are becoming increasingly important as facilities adopt more advanced equipment and higher-throughput processes. Green Cubes believes that companies embracing electrified power solutions will gain significant operational advantages in the years ahead. With more than four decades of experience in mobile power technology, 20 years of lithium-ion engineering expertise, and an installed base spanning tens of thousands of connected batteries, the company remains focused on delivering safe, reliable, and innovative energy solutions that support the evolving needs of the material handling industry. As warehouses and distribution centers continue to modernize their operations, trusted power partners will play a critical role in ensuring those systems run safely, efficiently, and reliably — and the depth of experience behind that partnership will matter more than ever. About the Author: Michael Walsh is the CEO of Green Cubes Technology. Michael brings over 40 years of Energy and Industrial business leadership experience to Green Cubes Technology. He began his career in sales as a graduate of General Electric’s Technical Sales Program and is a certified Six Sigma Master Black Belt. Michael successfully led several large, 1000+ employee, global technology and services businesses for GE, ABB, and Johnson Controls. He has an Electrical Engineering degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo and an MBA from Emory. Michael resides in Atlanta and is a passionate volunteer for leadership programs aligned with at risk youth.

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Forklift Battery Certification Standards: UL vs. SGS vs. TÜV

Thu, 04 Jun 2026 21:27:31 +0000

What matters most for Safety and Market Access? Published in recognition of National Forklift Safety Day, June 9 2026 Every June, National Forklift Safety Day serves as a reminder that material handling equipment is simultaneously one of the most productive and most hazardous categories of industrial machinery. Forklifts are involved in roughly 85 fatal accidents and nearly 35,000 serious injuries in the United States every year (even though batteries are very rarely the cause). As the industry accelerates its transition to electric from propane and diesel-powered machines (often bypassing lead-acid batteries) to lithium-ion power, battery certification safety standards are becoming increasingly important. The question facing fleet managers, procurement officers, and operations directors is not simply ” Is my battery safe, but ” How do I know it is safe, and ” Who validated that claim? The answer sits at the intersection of three globally recognized testing and certification bodies: UL (Underwriters Laboratories), SGS (Société Générale de Surveillance), and TÜV (Technischer Überwachungsverein). Each carries genuine technical authority. Each tests to rigorous standards. And each carries a different weight depending on where in the world you are doing business. Why Certification Matters More Than Ever Lithium-ion batteries for industrial forklifts represent a significant departure from the lead-acid chemistry that powered material handling for over a century. The energy density is higher, the charge cycles are longer, and the performance is superior. So is the potential risk if a battery is not engineered and validated correctly. Thermal runaway, the chain reaction that can cause a lithium cell to overheat, vent, and in worst cases, ignite, is the safety scenario that keeps engineers and risk managers awake. No certification eliminates that risk entirely. But rigorous third-party testing to recognized standards is how the industry separates batteries that have been proven safe under controlled abuse conditions from those that have not. For industrial applications, the applicable UL standards are specific. Forklift lithium batteries must be tested against UL 2580, the standard for battery systems used in electric vehicles, which subjects packs to high-intensity abuse conditions, including short circuit, elevated temperature, mechanical impact, and vibration. Aerial work platform batteries may be referenced in UL 2580 or UL 2271, depending on energy levels. Energy storage system batteries are covered by UL 1973, with full system certification under UL 9540. These are not interchangeable; the standard that applies to your product depends on the application, the voltage, and the energy class. The testing process itself, whether conducted by the factory or an external body, also requires an ongoing relationship: factory audits, annual reviews, and change management protocols whenever cells, BMS components, or structural elements are modified. Certification is not a one-time stamp. It is a living compliance relationship. UL, SGS, and TÜV: Side by Side All three bodies are recognized as Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratories (NRTLs) by OSHA, the U.S. agency with authority over workplace safety. That is the baseline regulatory requirement for electrical products used in American workplaces. From that shared foundation, the three diverge in ways that matter commercially. The table below captures the key dimensions. Dimension UL (UL Solutions) SGS TÜV (SÜD / Rheinland) Origin USA (1894) Switzerland (1878) Germany (1866) OSHA NRTL recognized Yes Yes Yes Can test to UL standards Yes Yes Yes Issues the UL Mark Yes (exclusively) No No Issues own certification mark UL Listed / UL Certified SGS Mark TÜV Mark Global lab network 125+ countries 125+ countries, 2,000+ offices 50+ countries China testing sites (OSHA-recognized) Yes (Suzhou) Yes (5 sites) Yes North American brand recognition Highest High High OEM call-out in specs Very common Less common Less common AHJ / insurance acceptance (USA) Highest High High European / international acceptance Strong Strong Strongest Strongest market region North America Global / Asia-Pacific Europe / Global Key battery standards covered UL 2580, 2271, 1973, 9540 UL 2580, 2271, 1973, 9540 UL 2580, IEC standards Ongoing factory surveillance Required Required Required What’s Under the Hood? (The Core Tests) Whether you choose UL, TÜV, or SGS, the battery must survive a “torture test” to ensure it won’t become a liability in your warehouse. These tests are standardized across all labs: Thermal Abuse. The battery is subjected to extreme temperature swings (e.g., -20°C to 70°C) to ensure it remains stable. Mechanical Torture. This includes crush tests (applying tons of pressure), impact tests (dropping weights), and a roll-over test to simulate a forklift collision. Electrical Safeguards. Testing the Battery Management System (BMS) to ensure it shuts down safely during overcharging or a short circuit. Fire Propagation. Ensuring that if one cell fails, the entire battery pack doesn’t trigger an uncontainable thermal runaway. The takeaway is straightforward: when it comes to technical rigor and the test items themselves, there is no essential difference between the three. What changes is the mark on the certificate, and the commercial weight that mark carries in a given market. The Geography of Trust Here is the practical reality: these are all legitimate, globally respected certification bodies. The testing they perform to UL standards is functionally equivalent. The difference is not safety; it is a commercial signal. North America’s Testing, Inspection, and Certification (TIC) market is projected to grow from $239 billion in 2025 to nearly $283 billion by 2030, driven in part by the electrification of industrial vehicles and tighter regulatory enforcement. Within that growth, one of the clearest regional dynamics is the divergence between U.S. market expectations and the rest of the world. In North America, and particularly in the U.S. industrial battery space, UL certification increasingly functions as the default market expectation. OEM qualification processes, insurance assessors such as FM Global, and local fire marshals with AHJ authority tend to align with UL. An absence of the UL mark does not automatically close the door, but it adds friction: more explanation is required, and more flexibility is needed from the buyer. Outside North America, the picture shifts. SGS and TÜV carry equivalent or superior commercial weight in European, Asian, and emerging market contexts. For a manufacturer supplying

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Your organization has an idea problem. Here’s what it’s actually costing you

Wed, 03 Jun 2026 16:12:24 +0000

Every offsite generates a dozen new initiatives. Every all-hands meeting produces a fresh wave of suggestions. Every leadership transition arrives with a new set of priorities. Ideas are everywhere. What’s in short supply is the ability to do anything meaningful with them. When an idea has nowhere to live, it does one of two things. It gets forced into execution prematurely, which is how you end up with half-baked initiatives draining resources before anyone has asked whether they actually serve the strategy. Or it gets discarded, which is how you lose the ideas that would have mattered if anyone had held onto them long enough to know. Neither outcome is good. Both are wildly common. What most organizations are missing isn’t a brainstorming process or an innovation pipeline. It’s a coherent framework for evaluating which ideas are worth acting on, which ones need more time, and which ones should be released entirely — with intention rather than by accident. A Filter Is Not a Cage The instinct when you have too many ideas is to start capturing them — notebooks, digital backlogs, Slack channels, shared drives. And while that’s better than nothing, a list isn’t a framework. Capturing an idea doesn’t tell you what to do with it. It just gives the chaos a filing system. The Steering Guide does something different. It gives your organization a shared set of criteria for evaluating ideas against what actually matters strategically. Not “Is this interesting?” — “interesting” is a very low bar. But: does this serve the customers we’ve committed to serving? Does it align with how we’ve decided to compete? Does it move us toward the outcomes we’ve said are the priority? (Learn more about the Steering Guide Framework here) When your team has internalized those questions, they don’t need a leader to sort their ideas for them. They can do it themselves. And the ideas that rise to the top aren’t just good — they’re relevant. And the ideas that rise to the top aren’t just good — they’re relevant. Not Every Idea Needs to Be Acted On. But Every Idea Needs an Answer. You need a space where ideas can exist without demanding immediate action, observed with curiosity rather than urgency. The organizational equivalent isn’t a backlog but strategic clarity. When people understand the strategy well enough to genuinely evaluate their own ideas against it, two things happen. The noise gets quieter because most ideas self-select out. And the signal gets stronger, because the ideas that do rise to the surface are ones with real strategic grounding. That’s not suppressing creativity, that’s directing it. The best ideas don’t need to be protected from rigor. They thrive because of it. About the Author: Trained as an organizational behavioral scientist and customer-centricity expert, Andrea Belk Olson helps companies operationalize corporate strategy through transforming mindsets and behaviors. She is the author of three business books, including her most recent, What To Ask: How To Learn What Customers Need but Don’t Tell You. She is a 4x ADDY Award winner and a contributing writer to Entrepreneur Magazine, Harvard Business Review, INC Magazine, the World Economic Forum, and more. Andrea is also an applied entrepreneurship instructor at the University of Iowa and a TEDx speaker coach. More information is also available on www.pragmadik.com and www.andreabelkolson.com.

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How not to waste years writing a business book

Fri, 22 May 2026 20:43:42 +0000

A haunting tale of the benefits of using a ghostwriter In the world of expertise-driven businesses, credibility is currency. For leaders who sell insight, a book can be one of the most powerful tools to attract the right clients. It signals authority, builds trust at scale, and creates opportunities for speaking, partnerships, and growth. This is the story of two business owners, let’s call them Pat and Sam, who understood that truth—and took very different paths to get there. As they say in Hollywood, this is based on a true story. Two Experts, One Goal Pat ran a successful advertising agency. Sam was a seasoned financial advisor. Both had built strong businesses, but they wanted something more: a way to attract right-fit clients rather than constantly chase them. Pat and Sam began researching how top professionals position themselves as authorities. Again and again, one strategy surfaced—a book. Not just any book, but a well-positioned business book that showcases expertise, tells compelling stories, and demonstrates real-world results. They learned that authors are often perceived as trusted authorities. A strong book could elevate their visibility, influence prospects, and even help recruit employees and partners. Pat and Sam also discovered something else: speaking about a book could become a powerful business development engine. A book opens doors. It gives audiences a reason to listen. Both Pat and Sam were convinced. They would write a book. The Fork in the Road That’s where their paths diverged. Pat chose the do-it-yourself approach. After all, who knew the business better than Pat? Writing seemed like a logical extension of expertise. Sam took a different route. After digging deeper, Sam realized that many of the most successful business books were not written alone. Behind the scenes, experienced ghostwriters and book strategists often played a critical role. Sam decided to hire a professional. Pat’s Long Road At first, Pat was energized. There were ideas everywhere—notes in a notebook, voice memos on a phone, half-written outlines on a laptop. But enthusiasm quickly met reality. Without a clear structure, Pat struggled to decide what to include. Should the book focus on strategy? Case studies? Personal stories? Industry trends? Each time Pat started writing, the direction shifted. Time became another obstacle. Running an agency demanded constant attention—clients, team management, deadlines. Writing slipped down the priority list. Weeks turned into months. Then came doubt. Was this even interesting? Would prospects care? Was it too basic—or too complex? Each chapter brought new second-guessing. Without feedback, Pat had no way to gauge what was working. Progress slowed to a crawl. One year passed. Then two. By the third year, Pat finally completed the manuscript. It was an achievement—but it came at a cost: time, energy, and missed opportunities to leverage the book as a business tool sooner. Sam’s Strategic Approach While Pat wrestled with the blank page, Sam approached the project differently. Sam partnered with a book strategist—a professional who was more than a ghostwriter. This was a business-minded collaborator, often with a background in journalism, who understood how to turn expertise into a compelling, marketable book. Instead of starting with writing, they started with strategy. What was the goal of the book? Who was the ideal reader? What specific problems would the book solve? How would it position Sam in the marketplace? This clarity changed everything. Rather than trying to cover everything, the book focused on what mattered most to the right audience. From Conversations to Content One of the biggest shifts for Sam was realizing that writing a book didn’t have to mean sitting alone at a desk. The strategist conducted in-depth interviews—structured conversations designed to extract Sam’s best thinking. They asked probing questions. They challenged vague ideas. They pushed for clarity and specificity. And something interesting happened. Insights emerged that Sam hadn’t fully articulated before. Stories surfaced—client transformations, pivotal moments, lessons learned the hard way. The Power of Story Every business has results. But not every business communicates them effectively. The strategist helped Sam identify and shape success stories into compelling narratives. These weren’t just anecdotes—they were structured case studies with clear before-and-after transformations. Readers could see themselves in those stories. They could recognize their own challenges—and imagine similar outcomes. This is where many DIY books fall short. They present ideas but lack the storytelling that makes them memorable and persuasive. Sam’s book didn’t just explain—it demonstrated. A Stronger Voice One of Sam’s initial concerns was losing authenticity. Would the book still sound like them? Through recorded interviews, transcripts, and multiple drafts, the strategist captured Sam’s natural tone and phrasing. But they also refined it. They removed unnecessary complexity. They sharpened language. They improved the flow. The result was a book that sounded like Sam—but clearer, tighter, and more impactful. Alignment with Business Goals Another key difference in Sam’s approach was alignment. The book wasn’t just a collection of ideas—it was a strategic asset. Every chapter reinforced Sam’s positioning. Every story supported the types of clients Sam wanted to attract. Every insight builds credibility in a specific niche. Publishing Is Just the Beginning When Pat finally finished the book after three years, there was a sense of relief—but also a question: what now? Sam, on the other hand, had planned for this from the start. Publishing wasn’t the finish line. It was the starting line. Sam used the book as a platform for speaking engagements, podcast interviews, and industry events. Each appearance reinforced authority and expanded reach. Instead of waiting to be discovered, Sam actively shared insights from the book. The result? Meaningful conversations with prospects who already trusted the expertise before the first meeting. The Real Difference Pat and Sam both achieved their goal of becoming authors. Pat’s DIY approach required three years of effort, uncertainty, and delays. The book was finished, but the opportunity cost was high. Sam’s collaborative approach transformed the process into a structured, strategic project. The book was completed more efficiently—and positioned to drive real business results. For those in the business of selling expertise, writing

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Industrial News and Planned Industrial Construction Projects – April 2026 Recap

Thu, 21 May 2026 10:00:44 +0000

Research by Industrial SalesLeads’ experienced industrial market research team, shows 408 new planned industrial projects tracked during the month of April. Planned industrial project activity decreased 3% from the previous month. The following are selected highlights on new industrial construction news and project opportunities throughout North America. Industrial Equipment Categories in Demand In April, identified industrial manufacturing project leads are procuring the following equipment: 90% – 99% compressed air, lighting, HVAC, heat exchangers, material handling / storage equipment, mechanical construction, fire protection, networking / security and lift trucks. 80% – 89% air emissions control, manufacturing, control systems & instrumentation, conveyors, loading dock and cranes & hoists. 70% – 79% packaging equipment 50% – 59% floor coatings 40% – 49% building construction 20% – 29% building renovations 10% – 19% equipment relocation Planned Industrial Construction – By Location (Top 10 States) Texas – 29 Ohio – 23 New York – 21 Georgia – 20 Indiana – 20 North Carolina – 19 Pennsylvania – 19 California – 18 Florida – 17 Connecticut – 15 Top 10 Tracked Industrial Construction Projects UTAH: Data center energy infrastructure company is planning to invest $17 billion for the construction of a natural gas-fired power plant and data center campus in DELTA, UT. They have recently received approval for the project. ALABAMA: Automotive MFR. is planning to invest $4 billion for the expansion of its manufacturing facility in VANCE, AL. They are currently seeking approval for the project. VIRGINIA: Defense contractor is planning to invest $1.3 billion for the expansion and equipment upgrades on their manufacturing facility in CULPEPER, VA. They are currently seeking approval for the project. SOUTH CAROLINA: Candy MFR. is planning to invest $675 million for the construction of a 750,000 SF processing, warehouse, and office campus in ORANGEBURG, SC. They have recently received approval for the project. Completion is slated for early 2029. ALABAMA: Electronic component MFR. is planning to invest $500 million for the construction of a 540,000 SF manufacturing, research, and office facility in GUNTERSVILLE, AL. They are currently seeking approval for the project. NEBRASKA: Municipality is expanding and planning to invest $411 million for the expansion, renovation, and equipment upgrades on its wastewater treatment processing plant in OMAHA, NE. They are currently seeking approval for the project. LOUISIANA: Industrial gas supplier is planning to invest $350 million for the expansion and equipment upgrades on their processing facility in ST. JAMES, LA. Completion is slated for 2028. SOUTH CAROLINA: Solar panel MFR. is planning to invest $350 million for the renovation and equipment upgrades on a 620,000 SF manufacturing facility at 1200 Commerce Blvd. in LAURENS, SC. They are currently seeking approval for the project. Completion is slated for Spring 2027. WISCONSIN: Specialty ingredient MFR. is planning to invest $270 million for the construction of a 144,000 SF processing facility in EAU CLAIRE, WI. They are currently seeking approval for the project. Construction will occur in 3 phases. IOWA: Kitchen appliance MFR. is planning to invest $196 million for the expansion of their manufacturing facility in CEDAR RAPIDS, IA by 230,000 sf. THey have recently received approval for the project. Planned Industrial Construction – By Project Type: Manufacturing Facilities – 150 New Projects Processing Facilities – 71 New Projects Distribution and Industrial Warehouse – 198 New Projects Power/Energy/Oil and Gas – 7 New Projects Laboratory Facilities – 16 New Projects Mine – 0 New Projects Terminal – 0 New Projects Pipeline – 0 New Projects Planned Industrial Construction – By Scope/Activity New Construction – 159 New Projects Expansion – 77 New Projects Renovations/Equipment Upgrades – 184 New Projects Plant Closing – 25 New Projects Largest Planned Industrial Construction Project During the month of April, our research team identified 27 new General Industrial facility construction projects with an estimated value of $100 million or more. The largest project is owned by Tesla, Inc., who is planning to invest $20 billion for the construction of a semiconductor manufacturing facility in AUSTIN, TX. They are currently seeking approval for the project. Completion is slated for 2028. About Industrial SalesLeads, Inc. Since 1959, Industrial SalesLeads, based in Jacksonville, FL is a leader in delivering industrial capital project intelligence and prospecting services for sales and marketing teams to ensure a predictable and scalable pipeline. Our Industrial Market Intelligence, IMI identifies timely insights on companies planning significant capital investments such as new construction, expansion, relocation, equipment modernization and plant closings in industrial facilities. The Outsourced Prospecting Services, an extension to your sales team, is designed to drive growth with qualified meetings and appointments for your internal sales team. Visit us at salesleadsinc.com. Each month, our team provides hundreds of industrial reports within a variety of industries.

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You’re Tracking Everything—Except What Actually Matters to Customers

Wed, 20 May 2026 06:00:20 +0000

It is hard to believe we’re almost halfway through 2026. As I look back on the conversations with customers, industry colleagues, and attendees of industry events so far this year, most of them center around the same themes: labor shortages, margin pressure, inventory strategy, and the growing role of technology in our business. All important. All real. But one idea I came across recently had nothing to do with KPIs, dashboards, or pricing strategy, and it may be more impactful than all of them. It came from a story about Toyota Motor Corporation from back in the day. In an effort to better understand American customers, they built a full-scale mock dining room to show their executives how people in the U.S. actually live and use space. The point was simple. Stop guessing what the customer experience looks like and start experiencing it firsthand. That idea should resonate with every aftermarket leader, because too many parts and service operations today are being managed from behind the counter, or worse, from behind a report. The Disconnect That’s Costing You Money Let’s be honest about how most aftermarket departments operate. We measure fill rate, track technician productivity, monitor response time, and review parts sales by category. All necessary. None of it tells you what your customer is actually experiencing. Your customer does not feel your fill rate; they feel whether they got the right part the first time. They do not see your technician utilization; they feel how long their equipment is down. They do not care about your internal process; they care about how easy or difficult it is to do business with you. That gap between what you measure and what they feel is where margin quietly erodes. Lost follow-up work, parts sourced elsewhere, and customers who stop calling, and you never know why. That is not a pricing problem; that is an experience problem. Build Your Own “Reality Check” You do not need to build a mock showroom to fix this, but you do need to stop assuming your process works and start testing it. Here is a simple exercise that every dealership should be doing. Have your team act as a customer. Call your parts department and try to identify a part without using internal shortcuts. Submit a service request and track how long it takes to get a clear answer. Ask about a backordered item and see how it is communicated. Then document what actually happens, not what should happen, but what actually happens. This is where things get uncomfortable. You will find delays longer than you expected. You will see unclear or inconsistent communication. You will uncover additional steps that add no value. None of this shows up cleanly in your KPIs, but your customers feel it every day. Where Dealers Win Right Now Today, most dealers are fighting the same battles. OEM pressure, aging inventory from the past few years, higher floorplan costs, technician shortages, and customers watching every dollar. You are not going to outprice everyone. You are not going to outstaff every competitor. But you can be easier to do business with, and that is where the opportunity is. Dealers that reduce friction win more parts business, capture more service work, and retain customers longer. Not because they are the cheapest, but because they are the most reliable and the easiest to work with. Three Moves That Actually Drive Profit If you take a hard look at your customer experience, it usually comes down to a few core areas. Focus here first. Make Parts Ordering Simple If your customer has to call twice, wait on hold, or send multiple emails to get the right part, you are already behind. Whether it is through better internal processes or e-commerce tools, the goal is simple: to reduce the effort it takes to buy from you. Every extra step is an opportunity for them to go somewhere else. Get Better at Communicating the Bad News Backorders and delays are not going away. What separates strong dealers is how they handle them. Silence creates frustration. Overpromising destroys trust. Clear, proactive communication keeps the relationship intact. Customers will tolerate delays; they will not tolerate uncertainty. Connect Service to Customer Impact Closing a work order is not the finish line; confidence is. If your customer does not fully understand what was done, why it was done, and what to expect next, you are leaving money on the table. That is where follow-up work, PM agreements, and long-term loyalty are built. Train Your Team to Think Like the Customer This is where most dealerships miss. We train on systems, parts, and processes, but we rarely train on perspective. Your team needs to understand what downtime actually costs your customer. They need to feel the urgency behind a down truck, not just process the ticket. When that shift happens, priorities change. Speed improves, communication sharpens, accountability increases, and the customer notices. This Is a Leadership Issue At the end of the day, this is not a process problem; it is a leadership decision. It is easy to manage from reports. It is comfortable. It is clean. But reports do not tell you where friction exists. They do not show you frustration. They do not capture lost trust. That only comes from getting closer to the customer experience, walking your own process, talking to customers directly, and challenging the way things have always been done. The best aftermarket leaders I see today are not the ones with the most sophisticated dashboards. They are the ones who stay closest to the customer. A Simple Challenge with a Real Payoff If you want to make this practical, start here. In the next 30 days, run a full customer experience audit inside your dealership. Have your team go through the process as a customer, identify where friction exists, and pinpoint where confidence breaks down. Then fix one thing. Not ten. One. One improvement that makes it easier for your customer to do business with

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AI adoption is no longer optional: Dealers face a shrinking window to compete

Wed, 20 May 2026 05:00:38 +0000

The last month or so, I was following up on where dealers stand in terms of AI, Automation, Robots, etc., and how benefits are being produced in terms of quicker turnover, cost reductions, better customer experience, improved sales per employee, and above all, the sales results along with EBITDA data. The results so far, as I am concerned, seem good for those companies and dealers who have invested in and can actually deliver results from AI and other available automation products. And when I inquire about the employee headcount, two possible outcomes result. The AI results are so good that the increase in business requires keeping employees and having them produce more sales per employee, rather than reducing headcount. A nice outcome: an increase in sales and margins, without increasing headcount. In those cases where headcount is reduced and we keep hearing the potential increase in unemployment, it appears that because we basically find ourselves in a position where more workers are required, with some new potential ways now available for minimum cost, and as result a recent Fed report stated that in the last six months the USA has had more new business start-ups up to this point in our existence. In fact, many folks are quitting their jobs and finding an opportunity to start a business with a $599 Mac and access to AI, all of which can be accomplished in 48 hours. As they say, all is hackable now, and with AI, data can detail how each type of business works, which in turn provides revenue-producing opportunities by hacking a segment of some form of transaction. In other words, get rid of the middleman in a transaction. Starting a business in the past would cost six figures. Almost every industry has a middleman collecting fees, rent, etc. Cut the time and cost of these expenses, and you are in business: tools for a specific operation, tools for a type of business, expertise in business management. And, of course, there are systems out there specifically for these types of business. So, we have some dealers working with AI to reduce cost, improve turn around and customer relations who have invested up to this point and are reaping he rewards of doing so, But what I am hearing is that while the initial investment is manageable and producing a real ROI, the costs are starting increase as a result of a lack of “compute” time as well as cost increases for power. Consequently, your initial investment and ongoing expenses will be much higher compared to those already started. And the longer you wait, the more it will cost. So, what happens in a territory where dealers are involved with and using AI systems to reduce costs and increase margins? In the same territory, dealers who are avoiding this opportunity will soon find it tough to compete with more competitive dealers with lower cost structures and superior customer service. The dealers who have not made the changes to AI can certainly compete with the more technically advanced dealers, but with lower margins, which in turn reduce net income and cash flow. This is how the performance gap begins. To deal with the performance gap, dealers have to take the AI plunge, which will cost more the longer they wait. Do nothing, and performance remains strained, while the AI cost continues to increase. A recent article I read noted that if a conversion is not completed by 2027, the only result will be to sell or shut down the business. In short, no turning around to start over. I also made some inquiries about the OEM involvement in these conversion scenarios. They are not pushing for the required changes. CANNOT UNDERSTAND THAT RESULT?? It would be much easier and less costly to assist their dealers, thereby protecting their market in the territory. Or do the dealers not want the OEM’s involved? Last month, we introduced Columbus Global, a small, experienced AI conversion consulting group with dealer experience that could help evaluate your needs and provide a cost and ROI estimate for the project. They would prepare a three-part report: a project report based on their review of your data and systems; an AI Governance report and outline in plain language; and finally, a Scorecard detailing time and cost using real numbers. I don’t think it’s correct to say your employees aren’t interested in this topic. The discussion above regarding the 48 Business tells us that employees understand what is going on and can either stay on the ship or try to make a buck by making another company more efficient. In fact, I would suggest that management sponsor in-house seminars on AI and related topics to both introduce employees to AI and explain how it will impact the company and their jobs. The Bottom Line here is that management needs to drive this project to a conclusion, including moving ahead, how to fund it, the expected ROI, and the impact on the company’s value over the next five years or so. As I said at the beginning…..TIME IS RUNNING OUT! About the Columnist: Garry Bartecki is a CPA and MBA with GB Financial Services LLC, and a Wholesaler columnist since August 1993. E-mail editorial@mhwmag.com to contact Garry.

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Designing Safer Workflows in the Warehouse

Wed, 20 May 2026 05:00:28 +0000

Safety in material handling rarely breaks down because people do not care. It breaks down when the operation places too many judgment calls in the middle of a busy shift. When work piles up, equipment is shared across zones, and supervisors are focused on service levels, the floor becomes a chain of fast decisions. Most of those decisions are reasonable on their own. The risk builds as they stack up, and the pace leaves little room to pause. A warehouse management system (WMS) can reduce that decision load by shaping how work is released, sequenced, and verified. When the system is designed with that in mind, it limits the number of moments where associates need to improvise. It also makes it easier to see when a process starts to drift. Near misses tend to follow patterns before an incident. The same aisle gets crowded at the same time each day. The same exceptions repeat. The same shortcuts appear when the volume rises. Designing for safety starts with a simple constraint. Conditions on the floor will not stay steady. The work needs to hold up when it changes. Where safety slips Most facilities can identify the obvious risks. Lift equipment and pedestrians share the same lanes. Tight aisles. High racks. Mixed case work requires constant stops and starts. The more common issues sit in the gray areas. A pick face runs empty, and someone pulls from reserve without confirming the pallet. A driver cuts through a cross aisle because the next task is nearby, and time is tight. A heavy item gets handled by one person because the team lift path is unclear, and the order needs to be moved. These choices do not come from bad intent. They show up when the system does not make the safe option clear and efficient. That is where WMS design has a direct impact. Work released into crowded areas forces people to manage traffic on the fly. Except for handling that leaves too much discretion invites shortcuts. Task assignment that ignores certification eventually pushes someone into work they are not trained to handle. Congestion-aware work release Most operations know where congestion forms. Narrow aisles that carry both picking and lift traffic. Cross aisles that connect zones. Staging areas that fill when inbound and outbound overlap. Even with that awareness, work release can still send too much activity into those areas at once. A more controlled approach examines where activity is building and adjusts the release pace. Work does not need to be pushed out the moment it becomes eligible. Sequencing can also group replenishment by aisle or zone, reducing crisscross movement and limiting mixed interactions in tight spaces. The goal is to keep the floor stable enough that people do not have to manage traffic in real time. When congestion is controlled, supervisors can focus on issues that actually need attention. Safer travel paths in task logic Every warehouse has preferred routes. Some are documented; others exist through habit. One-way aisles often develop informally, even if enforcement varies. Problems tend to arise when task assignments run counter to those patterns. Task sequencing can keep people in the same zone longer and reduce unnecessary crossings. It can also support one-way travel and preferred paths by how work is grouped and dispatched. This matters most at intersections and cross aisles where lift equipment and pedestrians share space. Consistency matters more than precision. A travel pattern that only works during slower periods will not hold when volume increases. When the system supports safer movement under pressure, there is less need for people to improvise. Risk-based task assignment Labor constraints are part of the reality. Turnover happens. Cross training is often incomplete. Under pressure, work tends to be assigned to whoever is available. That approach breaks down when equipment and load types carry different levels of risk. A WMS can support more controlled assignments by restricting certain tasks to certified operators. This includes work tied to specific equipment classes, attachments, or conditions, such as narrow-aisle travel or elevated handling. Heavy and awkward picks also benefit from clearer direction. In some operations, that means routing them to trained associates. In others, it means directing them into a team lift workflow instead of leaving the decision to the moment. Traceability supports this process. Supervisors need to understand why a task was blocked or rerouted, and associates need to know why it cannot be accepted. Clear rules reduce the chance that workarounds become the default. Exception handling that removes the temptation Exceptions are where safe habits are tested. When locations do not match, inventory is missing, or a pick face runs dry during peak activity, people look for ways to keep work moving. That is when unsafe reaches, unstable pulls, and unverified substitutions start to appear. Exception workflows can be structured to reduce that pressure. Substitute locations can be limited unless verification steps are completed. Exceptions can be routed into a defined resolution process instead of leaving them as judgment calls in the aisle. This does not add friction everywhere. It places control where shortcuts create the most risk. Forward pick and replenishment design also influences how often these situations occur. When pick faces are undersized, and replenishment does not reflect the actual workload, the floor shifts into a reactive mode. Work builds up, priorities change, and people look for faster ways through the problem. Stabilizing those processes reduces the need for those decisions in the first place. Using signals without turning work into surveillance Most operations already have the signals they need. Repeated congestion in the same aisle. Clusters of substitute picks. Spikes in exceptions tied to a zone. Unusual task times that suggest searching or confusion. These patterns point to where the process is pushing people into difficult choices. Not every deviation needs a response. Too many alerts create noise and lead to disengagement. Focusing on patterns with a clear link to risk is more effective and makes it easier to address the cause. Safety culture still plays a role. People still make a difference. Strong workflows help that culture hold up under pressure. When safe execution is built into how work is

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The relationship edge…Are you on it, in it, or over it?

Wed, 20 May 2026 05:00:17 +0000

Beginning a relationship is easy. Exploration is predominantly on the surface. Nothing too deep. Nothing too wide. Nothing too revealing. In the beginning, all is well. Friendships blossom. Feelings emerge. And life is good. It’s like fast dancing at a bar. You kind of get to know the other person without touching them. Watch them move, see their rhythm, exchange smiles, scream a word or two, and at the end of the song, thank the person for their time. You get to know them and decide if you want to dance again. If you like them and believe you have some things in common, you may dance again. And again. If you feel good about the relationship and a bit of trust emerges, you may permit a transaction to take place. A meeting, a dinner, a sale, or in a social setting, even a kiss. As the relationship matures, facts and truths begin to reveal themselves — prompting decisions about the future of the relationship, including its length. And one day you begin to see things you’ve never seen before, because life and business life take over and reality sets in based on daily transactions and interactions, coupled with patience, emotions, feelings, and responses. Measuring value, worth, and trust of the relationship in business. I’ll refer to these elements as edges. You have edges or levels, past which you will not go. Tolerance levels, social levels, service levels, philosophical levels, and business levels. If someone tries to go past your edge, your tolerance level, you, in some manner, rebuff or deny them. Maybe even dismiss them. Your compatibility with the other person’s edges, combined with your acceptance of the other person’s edges, will determine how the relationship grows or dies. For example, I’m not a smoker. Nor am I much of a drinker. If I’m around a drinking smoker, it’s past my edges, and I don’t want to be around them much. I didn’t say ever. I just said much. I may have a business relationship with a smoking drinker, but I’d never have a social relationship with him or her. There are ethical edges, both personal and business. If someone goes past your ethical edges, you have a reaction, often acute, that says “danger.” It can be as “innocent” as cheating on your golf score, or as serious as cheating on your taxes or not paying your bills. It can be an erroneous invoice or an unmet crucial (promised) delivery date – but whatever it is, it’s a relationship breaker. And then there’s the emotional edges. How someone reacts when something goes wrong or responds to an argument. And how you feel about or judge their reaction. Are they whiny? Are they quick-tempered? Are they abrasive? Are they abusive? Are they somewhat of a wildcard? Flying off the handle. Or worse, showing characteristics that you either don’t like or fear. A temper. A hostility. A vindictiveness. An anger. An insult. Even the threat of physical violence. In other words, are they inside (safe) or outside (unsafe) your emotional edge? Edges have a counterpoint: tolerance. You can tolerate almost anything for a short space of time. But each time someone goes over your edge, you become less and less tolerant, either verbally or silently. Personally, I believe that “past the edge” silent thoughts are more dangerous and more powerful. Dangerous because they’re left unsaid, and allow the present situation to continue. More powerful because they begin to deepen and build emotion. And like any latent power, eventually, it explodes. What are your edges? Where do you draw the line? What are you willing to accept in others in order to continue a relationship? Many spousal relationships become petty before they end. Leaving the cap off the toothpaste. Dirty laundry lying around. Dirty dishes in the sink. The gas tank is empty. Dumb little things that erode love because after a hundred abrasive times, it’s over someone else’s edge. Of course, there are worse edges in personal relationships. For the purposes of this writing, I’d rather not get into them. And if you’ve forgotten what they are, any local news program will remind you of them nightly. Rather, I’m challenging you to widen your field of acceptable edges. Extend your patience. Figure out how you can help first rather than complain, nag, bicker, nitpick, or whine. Figure out how you can compromise just a bit more. Figure out how you can have a bit more understanding and empathy for the other guy’s position or situation. And figure out how you can be more of a resource than a resister. More of a yes than a no. Your personal edges determine your business and career edges. And your happiness. About the Author: Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of twelve best-selling books, including The Sales Bible, The Little Red Book of Selling, and The Little Gold Book of Yes! Attitude. His real-world ideas and content are also available as online courses at www.GitomerLearningAcademy.com. For information about training and seminars, visit www.Gitomer.com, email Jeffrey at salesman@gitomer.com, or call him at 704 333-1112.

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56 Food & Beverage Industrial Projects Advance in April 2026

Tue, 19 May 2026 17:50:31 +0000

Industrial SalesLeads announced today the April 2026 results. The month saw weaker activity across the food and beverage sector than the previous month. April 2026 saw 56 newly identified planned industrial capital projects ranging from poultry farm construction and brewery renovations to large-scale candy and ingredient manufacturing facilities. The pipeline spans bakeries, beverage companies, meat processors, dairy operations, produce facilities, and specialty ingredient manufacturers, with Ferrara’s $675 million candy campus in South Carolina and ABF Ingredients’ $270 million processing facility in Wisconsin. Across all identified food and beverage projects, decision-makers are actively procuring equipment with Stainless Tanks & Vessels, Process Equipment, and Packaging Equipment above 60% of the capital projects. The following are selected highlights on new Food and Beverage industry construction news. Top Industrial Equipment Categories in Demand During the month of April, identified industrial manufacturing project leaders are procuring the following equipment: 90% – 99% Material Handling / Storage Equipment, Lift Trucks, Compressed Air Systems Lighting and Networking / Security Equipment, and HVAC Equipment 80% – 89% Loading Dock Equipment, Conveyors, Cranes & Hoists, Mechanical Construction, and Fire Protection Equipment 70% – 79% Air Emissions Control Equipment, Packaging Equipment, Process Equipment, Heat Exchangers, and Control Systems & Instrumentation 60% – 69% Tanks / Vessels – Stainless 50% – 59% floor coatings 40% – 49% Building Construction, Tanks / Vessels – All Types 30% – 39% building renovations 10% – 19% equipment relocation Food and Beverage Project Location (Top 10 States) Florida – 6 North Carolina – 5 Pennsylvania – 3 Connecticut – 2 Georgia – 2 Illinois – 2 Indiana – 2 Kentucky – 2 Massachusetts – 2 Missouri – 2 Food and Beverage Project Type Processing Facilities – 36 New Projects Distribution and Industrial Warehouse – 27 New Projects Food and Beverage Project Scope/Activity New Construction – 18 New Projects Expansion – 10 New Projects Renovations/Equipment Upgrades – 28 New Projects Plant Closing – 8 New Projects Top 10 Tracked Food and Beverage Projects WISCONSIN: Specialty ingredient MFR. is planning to invest $270 million for the construction of a 144,000 SF processing facility in EAU CLAIRE, WI. They are currently seeking approval for the project. Construction will occur in 3 phases. TEXAS: Non-profit organization is planning to invest $145 million for the construction of a 305,000 SF warehouse, processing, and office facility at 2121 W. Mt. Houston Rd. in HOUSTON, TX. They are currently seeking approval for the project. They will relocate their operations upon completion in late 2027. CALIFORNIA: Non-profit organization and food bank is planning to invest $115 million for the construction of a 215,000 SF warehouse, cold storage, and office facility at 4553 1st St. in SAN JOSE, CA. They have recently received approval for the project and will consolidate their operations upon completion in 2027. IOWA: Food processing company is planning to invest $75 million for the renovation and equipment upgrades on a 281,000 SF processing and warehouse facility at 401 Des Moines St. in WEBSTER CITY, IA. They are currently seeking approval for the project. TEXAS: Restaurant chain is planning to invest $50 million for the construction of an 86,000 SF distribution center at 407 Business Park Boulevard in LUBBOCK, TX. They have recently received approval for the project. Completion is slated for Spring 2027. MISSOURI: Food products MFR. is planning to invest $38.5 million for the expansion and equipment upgrades on their processing and warehouse facility in ST. LOUIS, MO. Completion is slated for Fall 2026. OHIO: Bakery products and equipment MFR. is planning to invest $33 million for the construction of a 175,000 SF processing facility at 1700 E. 17th Ave. in COLUMBUS, OH. They are currently seeking approval for the project. NEW YORK: Specialty food products MFR. is planning to invest $19 million for the renovation and equipment upgrades on a recently acquired 55,000 SF processing facility at 1800 Motor Pkwy. in ISLANDIA, NY. They are currently seeking approval for the project. KENTUCKY: Nutritional supplement mfr. is planning to invest $11.4 million for the renovation and equipment upgrades on a laboratory, processing, warehouse, and office facility in ERLANGER, KY. They are currently seeking approval for the project. ARIZONA: Nutritional supplement MFR. is planning for the renovation and equipment upgrades on a recently acquired 70,000 SF processing facility in PHOENIX, AZ. They are currently seeking approval for the project. Largest Planned Project During the month of April, our research team identified 4 new Food and Beverage facility construction projects with an estimated value of $100 million or more. The largest project is owned by Ferrara Candy Company, who is planning to invest $675 million for the construction of a 750,000 SF processing, warehouse, and office campus in ORANGEBURG, SC. They have recently received approval for the project. Completion is slated for early 2029. About Industrial SalesLeads, Inc. Since 1959, Industrial SalesLeads, based in Jacksonville, FL is a leader in delivering industrial capital project intelligence and prospecting services for sales and marketing teams to ensure a predictable and scalable pipeline. Our Industrial Market Intelligence, IMI identifies timely insights on companies planning significant capital investments such as new construction, expansion, relocation, equipment modernization and plant closings in industrial facilities. The Outsourced Prospecting Services, an extension to your sales team, is designed to drive growth with qualified meetings and appointments for your internal sales team. Visit us at salesleadsinc.com. Each month, our team provides hundreds of industrial reports within a variety of industries.

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198 New Distribution and Supply Chain Planned Capital Projects Signal Strong Investment for April 2026

Tue, 19 May 2026 17:21:00 +0000

April 2026 saw significant activity across the distribution and supply chain sector, with our research team tracking 198 newly identified planned industrial capital projects ranging from large-scale fulfillment center construction to warehouse renovations and equipment upgrades. From a $160 million freight and logistics campus in Griffin, GA to a $145 million warehouse and processing facility in Houston, TX, the pipeline reflects broad and sustained capital investment in supply chain infrastructure across the country. The following are selected highlights on new Distribution Center and Warehouse construction news. Industrial Equipment Categories in Demand In April, identified industrial manufacturing project teams are procuring the following equipment: 90% – 99% Lighting, Compressed Air Systems, HVAC Equipment, Networking / Security Equipment, Mechanical Construction, and Fire Protection Equipment 60% – 69% Material Handling / Storage Equipment, Lift Trucks, Loading Dock Equipment, and Conveyors 50% – 59% Floor Coatings 40% – 49% Cranes & hoists, building construction 20% – 29% Control Systems & Instrumentation, building renovations 10% – 19% Air Emissions Control, Packaging, Heat exchangers, equipment relocation Top 10 Tracked Distribution and Supply Chain Project Opportunities Georgia: Freight transport and trucking company is planning to invest $160 million for the construction of a warehouse, training, maintenance, and office facility in GRIFFIN, GA. They are currently seeking approval for the project. Construction will occur in multiple phases, with completion of phase I by late 2027. Texas: Non-profit organization is planning to invest $145 million for the construction of a 305,000 SF warehouse, processing, and office facility at 2121 W. Mt. Houston Rd. in HOUSTON, TX. They are currently seeking approval for the project. They will relocate their operations upon completion in late 2027. Missouri: Aerospace company is planning to invest $117 million for the expansion of their warehouse and paint facility at 6161 Aviation Dr., Bldg. 69 in ST. LOUIS, MO. They are currently seeking approval for the project. California: Non-profit organization and food bank is planning to invest $115 million for the construction of a 215,000 SF warehouse, cold storage, and office facility at 4553 1st St. in SAN JOSE, CA. They have recently received approval for the project and will consolidate their operations upon completion in 2027. Mississippi: Technology company is planning to invest $100 million for the construction of a warehouse in MERIDIAN, MS. They have recently received approval for the project. Georgia: Automotive MFR. is planning for the renovation and equipment upgrades on a recently leased 806,000 sf distribution center at 801 Logistics Parkway in JACKSON, GA. They are currently seeking approval for the project. Completion is slated for Spring 2027. California: Data center equipment MFR. is planning for the construction of a 714,000 SF manufacturing and warehouse facility in SAN JOSE, CA. They are currently seeking approval for the project. Illinois: Bathroom products MFR. is planning for the construction of a 600,000 SF manufacturing, distribution, and office facility in LIBERTYVILLE, IL. They are currently seeking approval for the project and will consolidate their operations upon completion. Texas: Restaurant chain is planning to invest $50 million for the construction of an 86,000 SF distribution center at 407 Business Park Boulevard in LUBBOCK, TX. They have recently received approval for the project. Completion is slated for Spring 2027. Indiana: Global engineering, repair, and logistics company is planning to invest $44 million for the construction of a 400,000 SF warehouse and repair facility in CHARLESTOWN, IN. Construction is expected to start in Summer 2026. The site allows for a future 260,000 SF addition. Distribution and Supply Chain – By Project Type Distribution/Fulfillment Centers – 18 New Projects Industrial Warehouse – 181 New Projects Distribution and Supply Chain- By Project Scope/Activity New Construction – 82 New Projects Expansion – 32 New Projects Renovations/Equipment Upgrades – 93 New Projects Closing – 4 New Projects Distribution and Supply Chain – By Project Location (Top 5 States) Florida – 15 Texas – 14 California – 12 Connecticut – 11 New Jersey – 11 Largest Planned Project During the month of April, our research team identified 8 new Distribution and Supply Chain facility construction projects with an estimated value of $100 million or more. The largest project is owned by Ferrara Candy Company, who is planning to invest $675 million for the construction of a 750,000 SF processing, warehouse, and office campus in ORANGEBURG, SC. They have recently received approval for the project. Completion is slated for early 2029. About Industrial SalesLeads, Inc. Since 1959, Industrial SalesLeads, based in Jacksonville, FL is a leader in delivering industrial capital project intelligence and prospecting services for sales and marketing teams to ensure a predictable and scalable pipeline. Our Industrial Market Intelligence, IMI identifies timely insights on companies planning significant capital investments such as new construction, expansion, relocation, equipment modernization and plant closings in industrial facilities. The Outsourced Prospecting Services, an extension to your sales team, is designed to drive growth with qualified meetings and appointments for your internal sales team. Visit us at salesleadsinc.com. Each month, our team provides hundreds of industrial reports within a variety of industries.

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