Matthews International forms automation division

Memorials and graphics manufacturer Matthews International Corporation has announced the launch of a new division, Matthews Supply Chain Automation Solutions. The new division will be comprised of two long-standing business units, Matthews Marking Products and Holjeron, along with two recently acquired companies, Innovative Picking Technologies, Inc. (IPTI) and Lightning Pick Technologies.

All four companies are all leaders in their respective industry segments. By bringing them together, Matthews Supply Chain Automation Solutions will be able to offer manufacturing and logistics professionals a range of innovative and integrated technologies that increase efficiency through the complete supply chain evolution, from manufacturing to order fulfillment. With products and services ranging from marking/coding to conveyor controls and ordering picking/sortation, Matthews Supply Chain Automation Solutions can improve productivity, intelligent control, cost efficiency and traceability within almost all production, warehousing and distribution operations.

Lightning Pick Technologies, based in Germantown, Wisc., produces light-directed and advanced order picking fulfillment systems. Holjeron, out of Tualatin, Ore., creates and manufactures conveyor controls. IPTI, located in Ixonia, Wisc., produces paperless order fulfillment systems. Matthews Marking Products of Pittsburgh, Pa., specializes in custom and standard industrial marking and coding solutions. Combined, these four companies provide Matthews International with the industry’s broadest spectrum of leading brands and integrated supply chain systems.

“The establishment of this new division formalizes Matthews International’s initiative of acquiring leading-edge companies in material handling automation,” notes the new division’s president, Paul Jensen. “Our goal is to bring together unique, entrepreneurial and complimentary brands and then use the Matthews’ infrastructure to grow their business and provide integrated solutions for manufacturing and logistics professionals.”

“Our most recent acquisition, Lightning Pick Technologies, was a key element in this plan,” continued Jensen. “They provide us expertise at the facility database level that will allow us to integrate the cell level devices. We were particularly attracted to their commitment to a continuous software migration path for their customers, which allows customers to regularly upgrade to new versions, thereby protecting and extending their investment. Lightning Pick Technologies also has a significant base of customers in the large retail and direct-to-consumer business who are ideal candidates for several of Matthews’ technologies for case coding, pallet marking and material handling.”

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