Robert J Ever since the silent movie days of the 1920s, mankind has feared the coming of the robot. Science fiction writers and futurists have predicted that we will woe the day that machines that do job tasks were invented. They say that the future of mankind is to be slaves to machines or that we will … Read more
According to a study by the Freedonia Group, demand for the use of protective packaging will increase at a rate of about 5 percent a year through 2019. The rise in demand is due to a rise in sales over the Internet and the use of more environmentally friendly materials including air pillows, paper fill, … Read more
Linde Material Handling, a well-known global industrial truck manufacturer, has introduced a new driver assistance system to ensure the safe operation of forklift trucks. Called “Speed Assist,” the system helps forklift operators drive more safely by reducing their speed when entering a warehouse. The system includes radar sensors mounted to the overhead guard of the … Read more
In the first installment of Finding More Space When Expansion Isn’t an Option, I discussed what causes space issues in the first place. Here I will cover what you can do to alleviate the problem. Three things can alleviate space limitations in a warehouse. They include: 1. Creating storage areas outside the warehouse 2. Redesign … Read more
There is only a certain amount of space in a confined building. If that building is a warehouse, then what can a warehouse manager do when he finds himself in need of more space to accommodate more products? It is common for any size warehouse to experience space issues. These problems arise due to rapid … Read more
If you’ve been involved in business for any length of time, then you probably have heard of the 80/20 rule. What it means is that in anything a few (20%) is crucial and many (80 percent) is trivial. Business managers would interpret this as 20 percent of the work eats up 80 percent of time … Read more
Like it or not, this is the time of “big data.” Analytic software is helping businesses streamline their operations resulting in more profits and more efficient operation. Warehouse managers are already taking advantage of management systems including lift truck fleet management and labor management. These systems have been used separately to make forklift fleets and … Read more
It is not unusual for warehouse managers finding themselves in the need to buy replacement equipment for their warehouse. Equipment can breakdown overtime due to wear and tear and many become obsolete. The obvious action is to buy new equipment to replace the worn out or antiquated ones. However, there are options. For example, you … Read more
A forklift operator cannot tolerate failure of his forklift’s battery. Such an occurrence would be catastrophic because it would mean that the forklift is shutdown for repairs. For a busy warehouse, the shutdown of just one lift could have a major affect on its efficient operation and productivity. If the battery fails on more than … Read more
One could say that the heart of a warehouse operation is the loading dock. All sorts of trucks and trailers are coming and going and personnel are loading and unloading these vehicles. Not only are there a lot of busy workers focused on the task at hand, there are also an abundance of equipment that … Read more
