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
Watch out! The Internet of Things (IoT) is growing and getting more involved in the warehouse and supply chain trade. According to Gartner, an industry research firm, there will be 26 billion devices that will connect all sorts of things to the Internet by 2020. These devices are sensors that are embedded in products that … Read more
A maintenance worker approaches a piece of machinery that has broken down. But instead of opening a heavy service manual, unfolding bulky schematics drawings, or struggling with outdated plans, he simply puts on a pair of glasses and has all the information and technical detail he needs instantly. A futuristic science fiction fantasy? No, this … 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
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
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
If you inspire to be a warehouse manager, then you need to understand what current managers already know. Things change rapidly and you need to adapt your management operation if you want to keep up. From the type of products you store and ship, to the type of software you use to streamline your operation, … Read more
