In addition to professional programs, the Warehousing Education & Research Council now assesses members' processes so they know if they accord with industry best practices, says Michael Mikitka, CEO of WERC.

Order picking is indisputably the most labor intensive job in the warehouse, says Brian Keiger, global IT sales leader-logistics, KUKA Systems. But with SKU proliferation and the retirement of baby boomers, there will be more and more automation.

New, relatively inexpensive technologies can help you redeploy labor, cut costs, and remain flexible and performance-minded, says Frank Devlin, manager, advanced technologies, at The Raymond Corporation, a forklift manufacturer.

Kuehne + Nagel International AG has created KN PharmaChain, a new service tailored to the needs of the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry.

Hanjin Logistics Europe B.V. has opened a new on-airport distribution facility at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in the Netherlands.

DB Schenker Rail is now offering direct services to Paris, France. The company has opened a new rail logistics center at Blanc Mesnil on the outskirts of the city, linking the greater Paris area more closely to its European network.