Most businesses have items they want to keep safe. These can be products, parts, tools, or commodities. Food and beverage operations usually want to lock up their liquor, for example. Manufacturing plants may want to lock up expensive components or finished products ready to be shipped. Protecting high-value items is important. But most businesses don’t … Read more
Right now, one out of every three people buy the products they want online directly from the manufacturer. This tidal wave of direct-to-consumers (DTC) trade is forcing many companies to rethink the way they do business. Many businesses today are investing in more sophisticated materials handling solutions that optimize and maximize throughput while minimizing mistakes … Read more
When you imagine a factory, one of the most common images that come to mind is a conveyor belt. Conveyor belts, ball transfer tables, and other conveyance devices have been a part of industrial manufacturing since the Industrial Revolution of the 19th Century. And they have been burned into the public consciousness in popular media, … Read more
Maximizing efficiency and safety of warehouses, docks, and other work areas require designating specific areas for certain uses. For example, lanes that are used by fast-moving forklifts and other industrial equipment should be separated from pedestrian walkways. Warehouse aisles should be similarly marked to prevent collisions, alert workers to overhead dangers, and maximized workplace order. … Read more
What in the world did we do before stretch wrap? It’s now one of the most commonly used methods of pallet wrapping. Stretch wrap isn’t just effective. It’s also relatively cheap, easy to use, and convenient. And it can be either low-tech or high-tech: In small operations, it can be slid onto a broom handle … Read more
Up until now, most pallets were little more than a few scraps of wood nailed together to provide a durable platform to accommodate materials handling. But some pallets used in warehouses and docks today are much, much smarter than that. Many are embedded with radio frequency identification (RFID) tags that allow global positioning systems to … Read more
A lot of different types of materials handling equipment rely on casters or wheels to get the job done. Casters and wheels come in many different sizes and materials. Plus, they attach to the materials handling vehicle or other devices in different ways. For example, casters and wheels used on furniture dollies are typically bolted … Read more
Drones are everywhere … both figuratively and literally. Millions of people received drones as holiday gifts last year, capping the best year on record for the pilotless flying vehicle industry, according to news reports. And as Amazon finalizes testing in the UK of its automated drone delivery system for packages prior to launching the program in … Read more
The rise in online shopping has put dock and warehouse managers under the gun to improve operations. Mega-retailers like Wal-Mart and Amazon and package delivery services like UPS and FedEx can afford to spend billions on research and development of faster, more efficient ways to get products to consumers faster and more accurately. The result … Read more
Stretch wrap is one of the most widely used packaging products on docks, in warehouses, at manufacturing facilities, and other places where products and packages are prepared for shipment. Plastic film is convenient for holding boxes and products together on a pallet, or preventing them from shifting or becoming damaged as they make their way … Read more
