As a business owner, you know that efficiency is the key to making money in business. Having efficient procedures lets your company generate higher revenues. If your company is involved in a warehouse or production process, you probably have several pieces of material handling equipment you want to get the most out of. Here’s how you can make it happen:
Ensure you Have the Right Tools for the Job
There is no point in having a big fleet of material handling equipment if you don’t have the correct tool for every stage of the process. For instance, if you have pallet jacks to use when transporting items stacked on piles, you need pallets that are easy to carry. Using pallets that require two men to be moved defies the efficiency of your equipment. As employees usually take short cuts in terms of using material handling equipment, ensure your people are using the right tool for the job at each stage of the production process. You can also use
Fibertech’s material handling guide to get more information.
Be Strategic when Planning your Storage Facilities
When handling materials, you need to store them somewhere before they enter the production process or get shipped if an order has to be fulfilled. The way you arrange your storage can significantly affect the overall efficiency of your company. Putting popular items in one tight spot will create bottlenecks because your operators ramp up to go and retrieve those items when they need them. Having items in a place far away from that point will leave your people wasting time as they go and get them.
Manage your Traffic
Motorized pallet trucks, pallet jacks, and forklifts are your warehouse’s automobiles. The lanes between your storage racks are the roads. Poor warehouse traffic management results in tail-backs, traffic jams, and increased chances of accidents. These aspects of your production facility affect your efficiency. Thus, ensure the warehouse or production facility is properly managed. Consider making separate lanes for items placements and retrievals. Ensure everyone in the facility understands the rules in terms of traffic management.
Train Everyone
You can get the most out of your material handling equipment if your employees know exactly how to use them. Ensure your employees are trained to use as many items as possible. This makes sure that there is always an employee who can step up to the plate when a staff member is not available because of an illness or vacation days. In addition, ensure your people have access to relevant information at all times.