http://www.bastiansolutions.com/blog Tue, 22 May 2012 18:24:20 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 http://www.bastiansolutions.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/22/its-a-long-race-how-the-indy-500-mimics-our-economy/ http://www.bastiansolutions.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/22/its-a-long-race-how-the-indy-500-mimics-our-economy/#comments Tue, 22 May 2012 18:24:20 +0000 Aaron Seamon http://www.bastiansolutions.com/blog/?p=6122 Motorsports, and especially IndyCar and Sprint Cup racing, have always been of great interest to me. At the age of eight, I was fortunate enough to be invited by my father and grandfather to the Indianapolis 500--The Greatest Spectacle in Racing. At the time, all I knew was the cars went fast and the crowd at the track was absolutely eye opening. As our country and economy climb out of “The Great Recession,” I have noted some similarities between the economic conditions of small businesses and the greatest spectacle in racing. Let me explain if I may. Continue Reading >>]]> http://www.bastiansolutions.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/22/its-a-long-race-how-the-indy-500-mimics-our-economy/feed/ 0 http://www.bastiansolutions.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/16/7-steps-to-a-successful-electrical-project/ http://www.bastiansolutions.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/16/7-steps-to-a-successful-electrical-project/#comments Wed, 16 May 2012 13:20:35 +0000 Ron Daggett http://www.bastiansolutions.com/blog/?p=6079 Are you contemplating doing a little electrical work at home? Maybe you’re looking at your old, discolored light switches from the ‘70s and are thinking you could change them out, or you would love to have another electrical outlet near the PC in your home office. How big of a deal could it be anyway? Just unscrew a few things, put in a new outlet, and away you go.... Hold on! Before you do any of your own electrical work, there are some really important things to consider... Continue Reading >>]]> http://www.bastiansolutions.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/16/7-steps-to-a-successful-electrical-project/feed/ 0 http://www.bastiansolutions.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/10/a-story-about-a-tree-and-inevitable-change/ http://www.bastiansolutions.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/10/a-story-about-a-tree-and-inevitable-change/#comments Thu, 10 May 2012 19:27:18 +0000 Rick Sills http://www.bastiansolutions.com/blog/?p=6058 As one of our wonderful blog readers, you were going to be in for a real treat this issue, as I was working on sharing all I knew about conveying aluminum-cast automotive wheels. (Look at your car, at the round things in the middle of your tires.) But you will have to wait until next time because I was inspired to share a story about something else: a tree. Continue Reading >>]]> http://www.bastiansolutions.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/10/a-story-about-a-tree-and-inevitable-change/feed/ 0 http://www.bastiansolutions.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/08/synergy-of-information-and-material-handling-automation-is-key-in-supply-chain-management/ http://www.bastiansolutions.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/08/synergy-of-information-and-material-handling-automation-is-key-in-supply-chain-management/#comments Tue, 08 May 2012 15:24:13 +0000 SPS Chauhan http://www.bastiansolutions.com/blog/?p=6030 The benefits of timely and accurate information in the supply chain are the driving force behind automation, but to achieve meaningful automation, the automation of material handling and the automation of information should go hand in hand. Business is ever changing and competition is always increasing, but the companies that can properly harness the power of automation in their supply chains will thrive into the future... Continue Reading >>]]> http://www.bastiansolutions.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/08/synergy-of-information-and-material-handling-automation-is-key-in-supply-chain-management/feed/ 0 http://www.bastiansolutions.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/03/using-legos-to-help-build-creativity-problem-solving-skills-for-your-children/ http://www.bastiansolutions.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/03/using-legos-to-help-build-creativity-problem-solving-skills-for-your-children/#comments Thu, 03 May 2012 19:14:26 +0000 Tyler Merrick http://www.bastiansolutions.com/blog/?p=5958 Many of us played with LEGOs when we were younger, and they are still pretty common today. However, if you haven’t kept up with what all LEGO offers in the recent years, you might be quite surprised. There are a few product lines that many people may not be familiar with that offer a tremendous amount of engagement and critical thinking for children and young adults. Continue Reading >>]]> http://www.bastiansolutions.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/03/using-legos-to-help-build-creativity-problem-solving-skills-for-your-children/feed/ 1 http://www.bastiansolutions.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/26/saving-a-troubled-project-and-re-gaining-the-customers-confidence/ http://www.bastiansolutions.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/26/saving-a-troubled-project-and-re-gaining-the-customers-confidence/#comments Thu, 26 Apr 2012 12:21:25 +0000 Nathan Jackson http://www.bastiansolutions.com/blog/?p=5936 We've all been there...working on that project, which never seems to go right. The project has passed hands multiple times. There is miscommunication between the customer, salesman, and the engineers. Every new idea you attempt doesn't seem to work as expected, and when you finally find a solution that works, it decides to stop working when the customer is watching. While no one enjoys being in these positions, at one time or another every company will experience one. And the question is how do you save face? Continue Reading >>]]> http://www.bastiansolutions.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/26/saving-a-troubled-project-and-re-gaining-the-customers-confidence/feed/ 1 http://www.bastiansolutions.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/24/how-to-harness-the-power-of-gen-y-employees-in-your-dc/ http://www.bastiansolutions.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/24/how-to-harness-the-power-of-gen-y-employees-in-your-dc/#comments Tue, 24 Apr 2012 12:36:59 +0000 Marvin Logan http://www.bastiansolutions.com/blog/?p=5914 Generation Y currently makes up the second-largest workforce in U.S. history at 70 million people, so it is likely that current and future hires into your distribution center will include many in this generation. Although it is difficult to talk in all-encompassing generalities about a group of employees, understanding Gen Y's needs and their generational/cultural attitudes toward a work/life balance and engagement can make for an overall better workplace. Read More >>]]> http://www.bastiansolutions.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/24/how-to-harness-the-power-of-gen-y-employees-in-your-dc/feed/ 0 http://www.bastiansolutions.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/19/buy-low-sell-high-16-tips-for-evaluating-your-investments/ http://www.bastiansolutions.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/19/buy-low-sell-high-16-tips-for-evaluating-your-investments/#comments Thu, 19 Apr 2012 18:03:11 +0000 Bill Bastian II http://www.bastiansolutions.com/blog/?p=5879 Throughout our lives, we are faced with several investment decisions. It might start off with a car in high school or college, and then go on to a house. It might be retirement investments, a business, a boat, vacation home, etc. In any case, I have found it is helpful to have a framework to evaluate these investments, so their value goes up and you and your family can enjoy life from a more financially secure position. Here are my 16 tips for evaluating your investments... Read More >>]]> http://www.bastiansolutions.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/19/buy-low-sell-high-16-tips-for-evaluating-your-investments/feed/ 0 http://www.bastiansolutions.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/11/getting-air-new-vertical-conveyors-raise-the-bar/ http://www.bastiansolutions.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/11/getting-air-new-vertical-conveyors-raise-the-bar/#comments Wed, 11 Apr 2012 15:36:39 +0000 Derek Cribley http://www.bastiansolutions.com/blog/?p=5849 Who doesn’t have fond childhood memories of jumping over objects, whether it was on a bicycle, sled, skis, or dirt bike? Well, “getting air” is not just a kid’s dream; our customers want it, too. It seems like almost every project has some requirement to elevate product from one level to another. It makes sense considering customers want to make the most of their available floor space, and there typically is more than enough available space overhead. Sometimes the need to go vertical is simply to gain clearance for personnel or vehicles that need to travel on the ground level. Other times, it is the more complex requirement to move product between multiple levels of a pick module or mezzanine... Read More >>]]> http://www.bastiansolutions.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/11/getting-air-new-vertical-conveyors-raise-the-bar/feed/ 0 http://www.bastiansolutions.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/06/9-tips-for-tackling-an-international-project/ http://www.bastiansolutions.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/06/9-tips-for-tackling-an-international-project/#comments Fri, 06 Apr 2012 19:32:45 +0000 Rich Halvorsen http://www.bastiansolutions.com/blog/?p=5821 A few years ago, I had the pleasure of working with an international team on a major material handling project in India. Being born and raised in Michigan, this project provided a great opportunity to expand my experience with international programs. Our project involved a broad spectrum of specialists from around the world. We worked with major suppliers in Sweden, Germany, Belgium, the United States, and India as we designed and implemented the project. The team discovered many challenges along the way, so I wanted to share a few tips to get you off to a great start on your next international project... Read More >>]]> http://www.bastiansolutions.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/06/9-tips-for-tackling-an-international-project/feed/ 0