Usually, when a company cre-
ates a breakthrough product,
process, or technology, it seeks
to make a profit from it. But The
Raymond Corporation, a Greene, New
York, warehouse equipment manufac-
turer and solutions provider, has been
known to take their innovation-driven
patents and donate them back to their
industry. Their goal is to encourage
innovation and forward-thinking ideas
that can fuel change and growth.
When Raymond patented the first
double-sided wooden pallet in 1939, the
invention was a game-changer in stack-
ing products and optimizing storage
space. The company allowed others to
use the design free of charge, benefit-
ting the entire industry, says CEO Mike
Field. Raymond also recently developed
and patented a standard for energy
storage systems. Now, other logistics
companies may use that innovation
to create a universal standard for the
lithium-ion batteries used in forklifts.CHANNELING CONSTANT
IMPROVEMENT
Weaving together equipment, technol-
ogy, and expertise, Raymond’s success
is due, in part, to its ability to develop
unexpected warehouse improvements.
The intralogistics solutions provider
is No. 10 on Fast Company’s 2019 Most
Innovative Companies list in the Vir-
tual and Augmented Reality Companies
category. Its Virtual Reality Simulator
is a realistic and game-like solution that
helps companies attract new lift truck
operators and educate them quickly
and efficiently. Online learning tools,
such as Sa fet y on t he Move™, a lso sup -
port employee development.
Raymond’s other innovations
include applying technology to its
iconic forklifts to turn them into data
centers. The iWAREHOUSE telemat-
ics solution provides deep insight intoeverything from a vehicle’s utilization to maintenance needs. Using the ware-
house’s own data, Raymond’s expert team simplifies and streamlines operations.
“We first need to clearly understand how the warehouse needs to work, as well
as the next generation of process f low needed,” Field says. Then, the team uses
Lean process management approaches to improve work f low, automate tasks, and
help warehouses run more efficiently.FOCUSED ON THE FUTURE
Innovation doesn’t grow without nurturing, however. “Constant improvement” is an
organizational mantra, which has led to several award-winning initiatives. The com-
pany has received the prestigious Frost and Sullivan Manufacturing and Leadership
Award for Operational Excellence multiple times, as well as an Edison Award for its
virtual reality simulator. The Raymond Virtual Reality Simulator also is a finalist for an
International Forklift of the Year award. And their game-changing iWAREHOUSE also
won a leadership award. “People want to work in a winning environment,” Field says.
Raymond works with some of the biggest companies in the world but prides
itself on being a global leader with long-standing family values. Field says the
company prioritizes education and training, so employees are prepared for an
ever-changing industry landscape.
And the company continues to contribute to that change. Field’s team has contrib-
uted to the U.S. Roadmap for Material Handling & Logistics: Version 2.0. The initiative
taps the expertise of leaders in transportation and logistics to look at how the indus-
try is changing. In addition, Raymond is expanding its virtual reality training. Soon,
iWAREHOUSE will transform from a telematics platform to a true intralogistics tech-
nology solution, enabling the next generation of connected warehouses.
Innovation, quality, and service have been in Raymond’s DNA since the begin-
ning and are the pillars of their business.
Raymond has a deep commitment to innovation, quality, and service. The com-
pany’s goals are to maximize customers’ intralogistics performance and create
insights to keep them moving well beyond the warehouse. “We were never just
about the forklifts,” Field says.THE RAYMOND
CORPORATION’S
VIRTUAL REALITY
SIMULATOR
turns learning
to drive a forklift
into a virtual
reality game.Driving Innovation
with Data
THE RAYMOND CORPORATION’S QUEST FOR EXCELLENCE IS ROOTED IN ITS VALUES AND GENEROSIT Y.
CRE ATED BY FASTCO WORKS CONTENT STUDIO AND COMMISSIONED BY