Cognex Corp., a vendor of machine vision systems, has introduced the In-Sight 7010. The entry-level vision system was designed for inspection tasks where vision sensors are too limited, and a standard vision system might not be cost-effective.

Nearly one-third of distribution centers are entirely outsourced, according to the survey-based Supply Chain Metrics Report released by the Tompkins Supply Chain Consortium.

Performance metrics for warehouses and distribution centers have steadily improved since 2003, when the Warehousing Education and Research Council first conducted its annual "DC Measures" study, says Joe Tillman, senior researcher at Supply Chain Visions and co-author of the study. Moreover, the gap has significantly narrowed between best-in-class companies and those lower on the performance scale, he says.

The worldwide market for warehouse management systems grew by more than 10 percent in 2011. Growth was broad-based, occurring in both emerging markets and mature market segments. The high growth in the mature market segments implies that the post-recession market rebound is still active. "Going forward, we expect longer-term user adoption and technology trends to drive growth within the WMS market, as the effects from pent-up demand from the preceding global economic recession diminish. Emerging markets, add-on functionality, and numerous end-user industries are expected to lead the charge," says Clint Reiser, enterprise software analyst and the principal author of ARC's "Warehouse Management Systems Worldwide Outlook."

BlueStar, a global distributor of automatic data capture, mobility, point-of-sale and radio frequency technology products, has entered into a new distribution agreement with Psion for Mexico.

Carrier Transicold has developed new transport refrigeration units and generator sets, to comply with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards for diesel emissions, which take effect in 2013.