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As the material handling industry continues to grow on a global scale, how does it evolve to satisfy the needs of a sophisticated and tech-savvy customer base? One of the industry leaders is launching a visionary program to analyze material handling trends and develop creative solutions.
A Groundbreaking Initiative
Toyota Material Handling North America, the world’s largest producer of lift trucks, recently announced the TMHNA University Research Program. Its ultimate goal is to develop a synergistic collaboration between TMHNA and the brightest members of the academic community in order to “find innovative solutions and technologies.”
TMHNA kicked off the initiative with a request for proposals from members of the country’s top research universities. Focus topics include forward-thinking material handling trends such as 3D metal printing, predictive maintenance and big data analysis.
Call for proposals closed August 31, and after a thorough review TMHNA will select several proposals to receive inaugural funding. Projects are expected to begin this month, and based on results, selected faculties may be invited to renew their contracts for up to three years.
In Search of Constant Improvement
Inspiration for the program came from Toyota’s practice of a process known as Kaisen, which means “constant improvement.” Brett Wood, president and CEO of TMHNA, believes the program will produce “breakthroughs that will elevate the entire industry.”
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