9527476 McGinnis The aim of this project is to hold a colloquium on material handling research in the Netherlands. The will be attended by a team of researchers drawn mostly from the US and the EC countries. At the meeting several topics in material handling research will be covered. This colloquium is the fourth of what is hoped will constitute a series of biannual colloquia on material handling research. All the three previous colloquia had been held in the US. This colloquium is the first to be held outside the territorial USA. Attendance is by invitation only and this has been the format used in all the three previous colloquia. The colloquium builds upon the first three colloquia in bringing together leading researchers to present their current research in the field, brain storm, debate, and assess the future needs and directions of material handling research. Specifically, researchers will assess and characterize the current state of research, identify critical research issues, and identify the future needs and directions of material handling research. It is hoped that the international dimension of the meeting will facilitate cross fertilization of ideas between researchers in the US and the EC countries and possibly foster new international collaborations. Material handling is a major activity in many manufacturing operations. Depending on the industry, it is often quoted that material handling accounts for about 25-75% of all manufacturing costs. With this proportion, it is obvious that improvement in the control of material handling functions in manufacturing will result in some large cost savings annually in manufacturing. Improvement in material handling control can be gained through research. Therefore, a meeting of researchers focused on issues of material handling can lead to better system understanding and control, improved research, and the strengthening of relationships between researchers at various institutions
