'08 Olympics Impacts Material Handling
At the recent CEMA (Conveyor Equipment Manufacturers Association) meeting, the topic of the 2008 Olympics was discussed with more than a focus on sports. With the world watching, China is going to great lengths to change its image and counter years of environmental pollution. To do this, they are restricting vehicle travel in and around Beijing and have shut down manufacturing for 4 months to help improve air quality for the athletes, media and global visitors.

In addition to challenging the scientific theory that environmental damage will take decades to reverse, China is also putting immense pressure on the material handling industry with these actions. Consider that the majority of the conveyor equipment is manufactured out of scrap metal and that China is the primary producer, there is a high degree of risk that raw materials for new equipment will not be available in the near future.

To protect business, you should be developing contingency plans, talking with your suppliers and working with customers to identify future need and reserving materials for high priority projects to minimize costs, ensure on time deliver and preserve the safety and quality of your product.

 Solution Focus: Power System Engineering