When dealing with material handling solutions you have to make use of the various materail handling equipment. Like any of the other manufacturing companies, the makers of the material handling equipment like the conveyors, lift trucks, order-picking equipment, automated storage and retrieval systems, etc. Also have it pretty rough, especially during the recession period.
But since then, most of the companies have witnessed a significant increase in orders which went up to 18% in 2010 and is still expected to go up another 11% to 12% in 2011 looking at the forecast of how the market is flowing in America. So, here are five vital factors you need to know about material handling this year.
- Look for a partner, and not a vendor
You should look for a material handling partner who can also listen to and implement your business strategic objectives as well and not just stay filling equipment orders, explains Pascarelli. Having a good partner by your side will help make the whole business processes and operations easier and help you find solutions to some of the problems hindering you from achieving your overall mission.
- You probably have too many lift-trucks
Another factor you need to look into is your business fleet optimization protocols. You end up cramped with dozens of lift trucks and nowhere to put them, which can, in turn, greatly affect your company’s operating cost-efficiency. You may want to have a metal handling partner in this case who can evaluate and determine how your business can run at maximum efficiency and uptime. This business requires that you always have, at your fingertips, accurate and real-time data about the business and which can be vital when needed to make decisions about how best you can manage your lift-truck fleet.
- Optimizing your operations doesn’t necessarily mean you are accepting trade-offs
The purchasing and operations functions of most companies always work hard to ensure that each independently meets the goals set by the business and that is to minimize all costs and maximize output. As a company, you can better position yourself to lower costs and even enhance your efficiency simultaneously by comprehensively analyzing all your asset purchases and moving products.
Accomplishing this puts you in a competitive lane in the market, which is al pretty good news for the business.
- Embrace new technology
Technology advancement is on the rise and very soon, will take over the whole world. Well, maybe. But until then, you can try and look into how the new tech can help with your battery options and even give you added advantage on how you can test alternative-energy options as well. In fact, research has found that the companies which have embraced and adapted the use of technology in their business are more productive and efficient than the ones that haven’t. Systems are now automated and data collected more effectively and faster than when they were being collected manually.
- A lift-truck is not just some piece of capital equipment
If you look at the life cycle of lift-trucks, you will realize that their initial costs only always sum up to about 10% of their total expenditures. Which means that their total operation and maintenance costs, with parts included, are way higher.
