Last holiday season, drones were one of the most popular gifts. Now businesses are discovering new uses for the remotely piloted flying machines. Online retail giant Amazon already has said it wants to use robotic drones to support its proposed same-day package delivery. Now Wal-Mart — the world’s largest real-world retailer — says it plans … Read more
Does it seem like there are a lot more drones buzzing around overhead lately? Well, get ready because there’s about to be a lot more. Thanks to improved technology and lower prices, pilot-less drones were one of the most popular gifts last holiday season. Go to YouTube or any other video-sharing site and you are … Read more
When new warehouse businesses start up or are in between spending tons of money for an overhaul of old equipment, then the temptation is to buy new equipment. Buying new is okay. However, it might not be the best move for your company under all circumstances. For example, a startup may have issues concerning financing. … Read more
People who work in a warehouse know that a center of major activity is the loading dock. Forklifts are moving in and out of the area picking up products for storage and delivering orders to trucks. Meanwhile, there is heavy pedestrian traffic milling about involved in the loading or unloading of trucks. Trucks are constantly … Read more
For many warehouses, docks and other businesses, the problem with pallets is stacking and storing them safely. All too often, storing pallets are an afterthought. While some slotted, nesting plastic pallets are a little easier to store, wood pallets offer more of a challenge for many operations. When not stored properly, wood pallets can break, … Read more
In the past year, there have been 10 deaths and more than 20 serious injuries involving scissor lifts. And now the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration is issuing a warning to companies that use the lift devices. Scissor lifts are widely used in warehouses, factories, docks, construction, and in the retail and entertainment industries. … Read more
Many companies today are looking to up their “green cred” among consumers by touting environmentally friendly policies and practices. Going “green” is not only good for business — many customers today will opt for businesses that they perceive to have the smallest carbon footprint — but it’s also good for the planet. The material handling … Read more
As any warehouse worker can attest, unloading a pallet by hand can be a backbreaking task. Repeated squatting, bending and lifting can easily turn an eight-hour shift into a torture session. In order to improve employee comfort — and, not coincidentally, increase productivity and reduce health care costs at the same time — many companies … Read more
A truck backs into a dock at the BASF warehouse in Breuil-le-Sec, France, just north of Paris. As the truck’s driver remains in his cab, an unmanned automated guided vehicle opens the truck’s gate and goes to work removing pallets of vehicle paint products. The AGV transfers the pallets to a conveyor system, which moves the … Read more
Many companies are responding to the increasing cost of real estate by building warehouses that are taller rather than wider. And makers of lift trucks and other industrial equipment are responding by offering more electrical powered vehicles that are designed for high-density facilities that feature narrow aisles. Why electric? Because unlike machines powered by internal … Read more
