Endangered? Not yet!

Yesterday, a rumor that Twinkies will go out of production appeared online following news that Hostess plans to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy this week. For now, this just means they will be restructuring finances, but some Twitter users went straight into panic mode, lamenting the tragic loss of the snack cakes.

While the presence of the internet means that news, and rumors, travel very quickly, it also means that companies can easily communicate one-on-one to dispel them. Hostess is using its Twitter handle to respond to individual tweets on the subject, reassuring fans that Twinkies will remain in production “for the foreseeable future.”

This is just another example of how the digital age affects all businesses. Are you using online media to communicate with your customers?

AK Material Handling

We always love seeing our customers’ photos of Wildeck products in action, and we’re really excited to be able to interact with our dealer network and end users through social media. This is a great photo example of Wildeck @ Work! And shared on Twitter, where sharing is instant.

Officially, Wildeck @ Work is the title of our full case studies. The library of case studies can be found on our website.

Interested in following @Wildeck on Twitter and keeping up with Wildeck news? Click here!

Wildeck@Work
• Painters Union Utilizes Custom Wildeck® Mezzanine as Training Framework (pdf 2.76mb)
• Milwaukee Police Dept. Radio Shop Gets Much Needed Space (PDF 417 kb)
• Wildeck Helps REHAU Transport Customer Service to the Next Level (PDF 1.01 MB)
• Ferguson Box Implements “Core” Operation Philosophy (PDF 1.32 MB)
• Musician’s Friends – Direct Marketer Expands DC (PDF 1.55 MB)
• CDW Doing ‘IT’ Right, Right Away (PDF 1.25 MB)
• Things are Looking Up at AAA American Storage (PDF 1.23 MB)

Recently, we were out to dinner with friends and we availed ourselves of the wine list, we needed the help of our waiter. After much discussion and negotiation, a wine was finally selected. There had been commentary on how certain types of wines age and what that did to the character and quality of the wine as time went by.

It got me to thinking (of work) about how relationships between Manufacturers and Distributors can be likened to fine wine and the aging process. Hopefully, Distributors and Manufacturers look at their relationships in a long-term sense (i.e. the aging process). This is where they partner together to work their way through all the ups and downs that occur in dealing with a multitude of customer applications.

Not everything goes 100% perfect on every job, but with a partnering relationship, they work through all the challenges to get the job done and satisfy their customer’s requirements. It is part of the “aging process” where Manufacturers and Distributors get used to working together as a team and can anticipate their partners’ requirements needed to insure project success.

Switching between new Distributors or Manufacturers results in the “aging process” having to be started all over again, akin to drinking cheap wine with a twist top, because it suits only immediate needs rather than long-term goals.

So…pop the cork on a bottle of fine wine, one that has aged, and drink in some long-term satisfaction.

End-of-the-year tactics commence as the frantic December days are filled with planning family gatherings, celebrations with friends, and finding the perfect gifts for your close ones.

Per the usual, December can be filled with extraordinary stress unless combat techniques are implemented.

Add an easy step to your work day. Start by planning out your facility funds for 2012. If you need any assistance to discuss adding space, organization or improving safety, Wildeck is one call away.

Cheers to an organized December!

People approach Halloween with varying levels of enthusiasm, ranging from “I pretend it doesn’t exist” to “I’ve been working on my costume since July.” As with many things in life, if you’re going to participate, Halloween is worth doing well. My personal enthusiasm fluctuates wildly from year to year. When I spend a bunch of time thinking about and crafting my costume, I always have a much better time at whatever festivities I attend.

At Wildeck, our enthusiasm for solving your material handling dilemmas never fluctuates. We always spend the necessary time and energy making sure our mezzanines, VRCs, and safety guarding products are the best they can be.

What’s your costume this year?

We are proud to operate in a community that garners such positive national recognition. As a growing, employee-owned company, we also put forth an effort to give back to our community. We have various opportunities for employees to donate their time and resources, including participation in the United Way, an annual food drive, and a seedling exchange that benefits both gardeners within the company as well as a local school. A recently formed community service community promises to present new and frequent volunteer opportunities.

So congratulations, Waukesha! Wildeck plans on doing our part to keep you on that list for years to come.

Today is the last day of the regular season for Major league baseball. I can’t wait for this weekend to see the best teams in baseball face off against each other.

Let’s take a look at who is playing who shall we?….. OH WAIT, I don’t know. Has there ever been a more exciting end to a regular season in any sport. Going into the last game of the season, in both the American league and the National league, it’s up in the air. Arizona and St Louis are tied for the wild card spot in the national league. Boston and Tampa Bay are tied in the American League.

Having been in Wisconsin most of my life, there has never been a more exciting year. The Brewers win their division. WOW. I don’t think I have ever been able to say that before.

The excitement of what we are feeling is a lot like working at Wildeck every day. Now we all know that Wildeck is an industry leader in providing capacity, efficiency and safety, but we never know what is coming tomorrow.

Whether it is needing guarding products to complete your project, or you need a mezzanine to improve capacity, or a vertical reciprocating conveyor in improve your efficiency, Wildeck is prepared to meet your needs. We are also here to prove to you we are the industry leader and know our products.

Every day at Wildeck it is a challenge to be prepared to meet your needs, but after 35 years in the industry, Wildeck’s dugout and bullpen are ready to meet your needs and challenges to come up with the right solutions.

GO BREWERS!!!!!

Typically, we get ice cream from the store. We don’t go for anything terribly fancy, and usually a container of vanilla chocolate swirl pleases both of us.

So, I coerced him into my car and we drove the 15 minutes to the closest Cold Stone Creamery. It was a quiet weeknight, and the sun was setting on the lake. Both of us were overwhelmed with the unlimited ice cream options. We asked the attentive ice cream specialist a few questions and flavor suggestions.  She willingly offered a few samples and combination ideas and we took a moment to select our servings.

Cold Stone does have the creamiest, most satisfying ice cream. And their process is neat to watch as the ice cream specialist mixes up the add-ins with her double spatulas.

We took time to slow down for the night, get away from the house, and go out to enjoy our company over ice cream.

We stayed to enjoy the parlor experience and let our taste buds revel in the quality ice cream taste. It might be hard to go back to soft serve from other unmentionable fast food locations and grocery store buckets. Getting the specialty experience made going out for ice cream exceptional. Our taste buds and tummies were very happy.

Much like working with Wildeck, a quality material handling manufacturer, it is a pleasure doing business with a quality company with a quality product. One teeny taste and it is hard to go back to subpar. And unlike a fleeting cup of ice cream, a Wildeck Mezzanine, Vertical Reciprocating Conveyor, and Wilgard® guard rail are there to make every day in your facility a quality experience. Why settle for subpar when you can have amazing every day?

I am proud to be ordering the company holiday cards this week, ensuring that I will be able to hand-address and stamp each one, getting them out to our customers and distributors on time without pulling an all-nighter.

At Wildeck, we strive for proper planning for each one of our material handing projects. We work with our dealers to learn all the pertinent details we can during the quoting and approval drawing process, so that the shipping and installation go smoothly.

Of course, sometimes planning ahead is a luxury we don’t have, and being able to adapt and respond quickly is a valuable skill as well. In material handling, we know that customer needs can change, and we do our best to accommodate them. This could mean substituting a gate on a mezzanine, or adding some last minute guard rail to a shipment.

Let Wildeck help you plan your next storing, lifting, or guarding project, and we’ll perform for you!