Before Jeff Piccolomini joined Henkel Corp. in 1997, he was dubious about corporate efforts to address environmental concerns - a "typical skeptical CFO," as he puts it. A CPA by training and a longtime finance executive, Piccolomini wasn't accustomed to dealing with the kind of green goals that the German-owned personal-care company had set in motion, such as reducing carbon emissions.

It's common practice for companies to view cold-chain management systems for pharmaceutical and bio-technology products as point solutions, whether related to packaging, training or carrier services, says Gary M. Hutchinson, president of Modality Solutions. Integration of all those elements, however, results in a "much more holistic system," he says. "You maintain product quality all the way from manufacturer to point of use. Until you integrate it into one system, you're not tackling it properly."

Labelmaster, a manufacturer and distributor of products for complying with rules for the handling of hazardous materials, has released a GHS (Globally Harmonized System) Product Guide, to help companies meet the newly revised Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Pushing the limits of an aging infrastructure, U.S. manufacturers face a future of increasing costs and instability unless new technologies and new investments can rejuvenate the system.