Wal-Mart, Fingerhut Ink Web Deal
t Stores here signed a deal to have Federated Department Stores' Fingerhut Business Services subsidiary handle order fulfillment for its on-line business.
Wal-Mart is considered technologically advanced on many fronts, but has been slow to commit to building volume on-line. While terms of the deal were not released, industry observers speculate that this will be a short-term arrangement until Wal-Mart puts its own fulfillment systems in place.
Fingerhut has about 2 million square feet of excess capacity in its three distribution centers in the United States, which have a total of 3 million square feet.
Wal-Mart's site, www.wal-mart.com, currently offers a small sampling of food items, including fresh fish, gourmet foods and bakery items as well as floral and health and beauty care products. The site is expected to be relaunched in the fall with a broader range of merchandise.
Reusable-Pallet Group Formed
WASHINGTON -- The Reusable Pallet and Container Coalition has been formed here to expand the use of pooled and reusable pallet and container systems in North America. The coalition will focus on demonstrating the commercial potential and the source-reduction benefits to the solid waste stream of these systems. The coalition will also work to build on the environmental success the "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" campaign has achieved by implementing "source reduction-based" reusable material-handling systems in the various supply chains across the continent.
"Up to now, there has been no organization effectively advocating the use of reusable pallets and containers, which is one of the most environmentally beneficial processes available to nearly every industry," explained Bob Reivik, president of material handling at Cookson Plastic Molding, Latham, N.Y., and president of the RPCC.
In addition to Cookson Plastic Molding, the membership of the coalition includes Ifco-U.S., Bradenton, Fla.; Chep, Orlando, Fla.; IPL Products Ltd., North Borough, Mass.; Macro Plastics Inc., Fairfield, Calif.; Rehrig Pacific Co., Los Angeles; Ropak Corp., Fullerton, Calif.; Paxton North America, Frederick, Md; Perstorp Plastic Systems, Tacoma, Wash.; and Pallet Management Systems, Cary, N.C.
Keebler Gets Category System
ELMHURST, Ill. -- Keebler Co. here has unveiled software that will enable the supplier to perform customized category and account reviews with retailers. The system will be automatically updated with customer-specific data, including information from the retailer's enterprise resource planning and space management systems as well as scanner, consumer panel and marketing data.
The system is based on sales automation and marketing software from Proscape Technologies, Fort Washington, Pa.
