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Efficiency

Every warehouse manager wants to boost operational efficiency, whether that means optimizing the shipping room or speeding up load-outs at the dock. These posts explain how.

Topics

  • Streamlining On-Site Forklift Battery Service for Dealers

    If you rent forklift batteries, you probably prefer to handle maintenance yourself. Reliable forklift batteries keep customers coming back — and regular service is essential for battery health. Besides, those batteries aren’t just sources of motive power. They’re also core business assets. Protecting them is also protecting your bottom line. But for many forklift battery dealers, service can be tricky.... Continue Reading

  • What Training Does OSHA Require? An OSHA Training FAQ

    When Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) inspectors investigate a workplace injury, they ask a lot of questions. One of the first is always, “Was the employee properly trained?” Employers who can’t say “yes” are much more likely to face fines and corrective actions. That’s because more than 100 OSHA standards — the regulations the Administration is tasked with enforcing... Continue Reading

  • Proactive Ergonomics Saves Money; Here’s How to Get Started

    Ergonomics is the science of matching the work to the worker. That involves adjusting workplace tasks, equipment, and facilities to keep employees safe and comfortable. We’ve covered the topic extensively in this blog, and while we often point out the safety benefits — appropriate ergonomics reduces the risk of common workplace injuries — there’s another reason smart business owners invest... Continue Reading

  • Platform Carts Vs. Furniture Dollies for Industrial Material Handling

    Every year between 2015 and 2018, well over 60 percent of warehouse and distribution center operators invested significantly in material handling equipment. That’s not a surprise; handling materials is the core function of these facilities, and unassisted manual material handling can be inefficient, costly, and downright dangerous. While forklifts and automated guided vehicles may be ideal for moving goods throughout... Continue Reading

  • How Often to Offer Ergonomic Training in the Workplace: FAQ

    In 1996, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) launched a strategy to improve workplace ergonomics — the practice of matching work to workers. The program’s goal was to reduce cases of work-related musculoskeletal disorders, injuries to the muscles and related tissues typically caused by repetitive, forceful, and awkward movements often associated with workplace tasks like material handling. Part of... Continue Reading

  • Ergonomics and Back Pain: Creating a Safer Material Handling Environment

    Lifting, carrying, and repositioning materials is fundamental to many jobs. It’s the whole job for many workers in warehousing, construction, and manufacturing. And this basic task, without which industrial work cannot proceed, is hard on the human body—particularly the back, where force from upper body movements comes to rest. The good news is that employers can take steps to improve... Continue Reading

  • Choosing Metal Sheet Storage Systems: A Guide for Warehouse Operators

    Sheet metal isn’t the easiest material to work with. It’s bulky, heavy, and lined with sharp edges. It’s hard to grip, which leads to a heightened risk of musculoskeletal injury during manual handling. Metal also conducts both heat and electricity, adding more hazards to contact between sheets and workers. To safely handle sheet metal at shops and warehouses, employers must... Continue Reading

  • IIoT Security for Electrical Wholesalers: Mitigating the Risks of Industry 4.0

    Every week, more low-cost sensors, devices, and analytics platforms hit the market. This is the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) — industrial equipment that tracks its own data, connects to a network, and transforms information into insight. And IIoT isn’t limited to high-profile use cases like smart manufacturing or asset tracking in the supply chain. It can also help electrical... Continue Reading

  • Cable Take Up Machines: An Introduction for Every Industry

    Manufacturers of cable and wire are always looking for ways to fill orders faster and more safely, which often boils down to one type of equipment: cable take up machines. Available in a wide range of designs and configurations, these devices rotate cable wheels to fill them with product, automating what would otherwise be a labor-intensive and ergonomically disastrous task.... Continue Reading

  • Manhole Openers and Ergonomics for Utility Workers

    Manhole covers can weigh from 90 to 250 pounds or more, which is essential for ensuring safety: Heavy materials like cast iron and concrete are less susceptible to damage or accidental displacement. However, when workers need to move manhole covers, they often undertake the task without specialized equipment — which creates a serious ergonomic hazard. While the Occupational Health and... Continue Reading

  • How a Battery Monitoring Solution Protects Forklift Fleets

    If you operate forklifts today, odds are your fleet relies on electric power. An estimated 65 percent of forklifts in the North American market run on electricity. In Europe, that figure is 80 percent. The market for electric lift trucks is expected to expand by a compound annual growth rate of 7.1 percent through 2030, reaching a value of more... Continue Reading

  • Inventory Optimization (IO) for Cable Inventory Management

    In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the world entered a new era of supply chain disruptions, some of which introduced new challenges for electrical wholesalers. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Commercial Construction Index for the third quarter of 2021 found 93 percent of contractors faced material shortages for at least one product. While those shortages were mostly for steel,... Continue Reading

  • 5 Surprising Advantages of Automated Warehouses—and How to Start Realizing Them

    The broad advantages of automated warehouses are well-known. Automation cuts costs. It improves efficiency. It boosts productivity and accuracy and even sustainability. But what does that all mean to the DC manager looking to fill accelerating orders during a labor shortage? The view from 30,000 feet up is nice, but it’s not helpful when your challenges are up-close and highly... Continue Reading

  • Electric Forklift Fleet Management Solutions: Frequently Asked Questions

    The forklift fleet ranks high on any company’s list of valuable assets—and that’s especially true for electric lift trucks, which add high-tech batteries to the mix. Managers must ensure forklifts are safe, batteries are fully charged, and all your equipment is being maintained properly. In other words, you have to manage the fleet, and there’s a broad range of forklift... Continue Reading

  • Running Data Cable While Minimizing Product Loss

    Running data cable can be a tricky job, particularly in high-volume installations. Electricians may find themselves pulling network cable through branching conduit, complete with difficult twists and turns — and it’s not enough simply to make the pull. Installers must also be careful not to damage cable. Damaged cable can remain hidden all the way up to the certification check,... Continue Reading

  • Moving Light Fixtures Without Waste or Breakage

    Moving light fixtures in bulk can be a significant material handling challenge. Fixtures are fragile. That’s why they often arrive at installation sites wrapped and boxed — packaging that adds considerable job-site waste. Fixtures are awkwardly shaped, and don’t fit neatly onto most of the carts electricians keep around. And for big projects, like a new construction or a total... Continue Reading

  • Construction E-Commerce: Contractor Preferences for Omnichannel Sales

    As e-commerce continues to grow across verticals, construction contractors have begun to expect it from their distributors, too. In one survey from HMI Performance Incentives, 75 percent of contractors in the electrical, building, plumbing, HVAC, landscaping, and roofing industries said they bought at least some of their materials online. Perhaps more alarmingly for traditional distributors, 66 percent said they patronized... Continue Reading

  • Industrial Cable Spools and Cable Reels: Choosing Reels and Cable Handling Equipment

    In most industries, the terms “cable spool,” “cable reel,” and “cable drum” are used interchangeably.  Some manufacturers use “reel” to refer to the full unit, while “spool” refers to what’s left behind after the cable has been exhausted. For others, a “spool” refers to smaller units — for instance, data cables — while “reel” refers to larger drums. Regardless of... Continue Reading

  • Root Cause Analysis for Reducing Material Loss in Manufacturing

    Recognizing process failures is a key step in adopting the practices of lean manufacturing. Organizations must constantly look for inefficiencies that affect throughput, but in a busy facility, identifying the root causes of those issues can be difficult. Whether or not your operation has committed to a lean approach, a manufacturing root cause analysis can be extraordinarily beneficial, particularly when... Continue Reading

  • Installing Data Cable: Wire Spool Turntables, Jack Stands, or Reel Rollers?

    Electricians who install low-voltage wiring face two material handling challenges to handle at once: First, they have to move data reels throughout the facility. Then they have to pull the cable. For the second of these challenges, installers have a choice between wire spool turntables, reel rollers, or traditional jack stands. But which provides the greatest benefits, in terms of... Continue Reading

  • 3 Ways Pallet Positioners Improve Warehouse Throughput

    In warehouses, distribution centers, and other industrial facilities, pallet positioners are essential material handling equipment. As we’ve discussed in other articles, one out of every three dollars spent on worker’s compensation in the United States goes towards workers with musculoskeletal disorders. Also known as pallet turntables or pallet carousels, pallet positioners keep loads at a consistent height. Workers can comfortably... Continue Reading

  • Automated Warehouse Logistics: Plan for Supportive Material Handling Equipment

    Warehouse automation is more than a trend. Most professionals accept that automation will play a critical role in the future of logistics and the greater supply chain. However, there are significant discrepancies regarding what warehouse automation looks like at peak performance. Is an operation with a few automatic guided vehicles (AGVs) technically “automated,” if that equipment doesn’t interact with a... Continue Reading

  • The Semi-Automated Warehouse: A Task-Based Approach to Automation

    Warehouse automation is a major trend in the logistics industry, but the fact is that around 80 percent of fulfillment centers have yet to begin an automation journey. Maybe that’s because we tend to discuss automation as an all-or-nothing proposition; either you commit to smart warehousing with a greenfield construction or you’re stuck with manual order picking forever. This approach... Continue Reading

  • Intralogistics: What Is It And Why Is It Important For Warehousing?

    Intralogistics is today’s top buzzword in manufacturing and warehousing — but in some cases, buzzwords live up to the hype. Different companies define “intralogistics” in different ways, but the core concept is always similar. In short, intralogistics refers to optimization and automation of every piece of information within a distribution center or warehouse. It takes the lean methodology to its... Continue Reading

  • Coping with the Skilled Labor Shortage in Manufacturing, Electrical, and Other Industries

    The skilled labor shortage isn’t going away anytime soon, and industrial employers need innovative solutions to address the problem. Per a report from the American Action Forum (AAF), employers in nearly every state will face significant shortages of qualified workers by 2029. These shortages are not confined to skilled trades, but industrial employers — warehouses, manufacturing facilities, and electrical distributors,... Continue Reading

  • Pallet Turntables: Spring-Operated Vs. Pneumatic Turntables

    The manufacturing and warehousing industry completely depends on pallets, and that won’t change anytime soon. The global use of pallets is expected to increase through 2026, and pallet turntables allow operations to maximize throughput through better ergonomics. Improvements in pallet loading/unloading procedures can translate to a safer, more efficient facility. Manual loading & unloading of pallets causes more injuries than... Continue Reading

  • Palletizing and De-palletizing: What Employers Should Know

    Pallets are the basic building blocks of the global supply chain. They standardize shipments; they influence the design of material handling equipment; they make it possible to move goods from the manufacturer to the store or the consumer’s doorstep more efficiently. Without pallets, we might not have lift trucks. Without pallets, we might think of “unit loads” in radically different... Continue Reading

  • Cable Reeling Equipment: What It Is and Why It Matters

    Electrical wholesalers are always looking for ways to fill cable and wire orders faster and with less risk to workers. And while cable reeling equipment has come a long way since the days of hand-cranked reeling machines, it’s still highly varied, without the sort of industry standardization we see with, say, the industrial truck market. The Occupational Safety and Health... Continue Reading

  • Smart Parcel Lockers: How IIoT Technology Improves Last Mile Delivery

    The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) connects machinery and software platforms for predictive analytics, automated reporting, condition-based maintenance, and other Big Data-related tasks. So far, most studies of the IIoT have focused on manufacturing and business processes; this post is about how IIoT technology applies to the supply-chain challenge of last-mile delivery—which is to say, this is a post about... Continue Reading

  • In-Plant Logistics and Material Handling Efficiency

    The discipline of logistics is concerned with the whole process of managing, storing, and transporting products and materials. In-plant logistics refers to the same thing, but within a single manufacturing facility, not across global trade routes. Don’t be fooled by the smaller scale, though: in-plant logistics is just as crucial to manufacturing productivity as the broader supply chain. Think of... Continue Reading

  • Parcel Lock Boxes for B2B Materials Distribution

    With the continuing rise of e-commerce, consumers and shippers alike are looking for better ways to complete deliveries. Parcel lock boxes provide greater flexibility and security than traditional options like home delivery or retrieval from a staffed location, and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies make locker retrieval even more reliable and convenient. These advantages explain why the smart parcel lock... Continue Reading

  • Steel Reel Sizes for Bulk Cable Orders

    In 2008, the National Electrical Manufacturers Association published a new set of standards describing ideal steel reel sizes, along with other specifications for cable and wire reels of all materials. That was NEMA Standards Publication No. WC 26-2008, the Binational Wire and Cable Packaging Standard, and it remains the authority on sizing cable reels in North America today. This publication... Continue Reading

  • 5 Micro-Fulfillment Trends to Watch This Year

    Of all the micro-fulfillment trends developing in the first half of the 2020s, the most significant one is simple: rapid growth. Analysts at LogisticsIQ say there will be an installed base of around 2,000 micro-fulfillment centers (MFCs) by 2026, and the MFC industry is expected to grow from a worth of $1 billion in 2022 to $10 billion just four... Continue Reading

  • Industrial Reel Racks: 3 Key Factors to Consider

    Without proper storage, wire and cable reels can quickly become unmanageable. Industrial reel racks improve organization and maximize floor space, and they’re essential when workers pay out cable or wire from a consistent location. While shelving is a functional option for long-term storage, racking is the best option for reels that are used regularly — and the quality of racking... Continue Reading

  • How Do Scissor Lift Tables Work?

    Scissor Lift Tables play a critical role in thousands of workplaces by ergonomically positioning loads where workers can reach them comfortably. That’s an important task in warehousing, logistics, and other industries, since proper ergonomics keeps workers safe while maximizing throughput. A quality Lift Table can substantially improve productivity, making it an excellent investment. However, while scissor Lift Tables have similar... Continue Reading

  • Plan For Every Part (PFEP) Material Flow: Where Data Meets Material Handling

    It’s common for manufacturers to practice the lean philosophy of continuous improvement. But typically, that improvement occurs only on the line, through changes in labor practice or manufacturing techniques. Material flow is often the last place managers look for innovation. That’s a costly oversight. The Lean Enterprise Institute reports that materials and material handling make up between 50 and 80... Continue Reading

  • 5 Electrical Sales Tips for Distributors

    Whatever salespeople learned in 2019, much of it didn’t apply in 2020, as the unconventional year changed most industries in profound ways. For electrical distributors, many of those changes were difficult; according to one April survey, the electrical distribution channel diminished 10 percent during the lockdowns at the beginning of the pandemic, with particularly steep declines in metropolitan areas and... Continue Reading

  • Warehouse Picking Strategies and Equipment

    Call it the Amazon Effect: Consumers expect quick, low-cost shipping on their e-commerce orders. If your warehousing operation is struggling to adjust to two-day, next-day, or even same-day delivery promises, it might be time to rethink the fundamentals. Start by considering alternate warehouse picking strategies. Every warehouse develops its own unique picking strategy based on a range of factors, from... Continue Reading

  • Pit-Mounted Lift Tables: Industries and Applications

    Lift Tables provide a solution for lifting heavy materials, whether the goal is to position them for ergonomic work or to elevate them to a mezzanine level. With the right safety features, Scissor Lifts can even lift personnel to improve work positioning. However, not all Lift Tables are suitable for all types of loading. Most BHS Lift Tables have a... Continue Reading

  • Vertical Sheet Racks for Warehousing and Materials Storage

    Lumber yards, steel manufacturers, and construction shops have to store large supplies of sheet material. It may be sheet metal, drywall, plywood or other sheet woods, or even plastic panels; the storage hazards remain similar. And where labor and material handling equipment is limited, the safest way to store these items is with a vertical sheet rack. Alternative storage options... Continue Reading

  • Reel Jack Stands and How to Handle Cable Reels Without Them

    Are reel jack stands necessary? Reel jack stands are the prevalent technology used for cable pulls, and for good reason. They’re relatively economical, easy enough to handle, and they usually get the job done. Electricians position stands beneath the reel, jack the reel hooks upward to clear the ground, and pull. But in this era of technological revolution, is this... Continue Reading

  • How a Hydraulic Scissor Lift Table Can Save Money and Boost Productivity

    A hydraulic scissor lift table is a multi-function ergonomic solution with clear benefits for manufacturers, warehousing operations, and other industrial applications. Employers provide lift tables for a variety of tasks, including safer work positioning, line feeding, manual assembly, and even picking orders. Of course, no investment in equipment is justified without proving a return. Scissor lift tables lower operational costs... Continue Reading

  • 5 Parcel Locker Uses for Industrial Distributors

    Electronic parcel lockers are all around us, whether we’ve started using them or not. With the rise of e-commerce, many consumers are looking for a secure, convenient pickup location for their orders. The parcel locker fills that niche. These units are much more than simple secure storage. They provide a simple way for recipients to pick up orders 24/7, without... Continue Reading

  • What Is a Parcel Locker and How Can It Help Your Business?

    Parcel lockers are bulkstorage units with multiple lockable compartments, designed to facilitate delivery and collection of orders at any time of the day or night. This 24/7 accessibility makes parcel lockers a powerful tool in an era of increasing e-commerce. A customer can order an item online, for instance, and travel to a nearby parcel locker to retrieve their order.... Continue Reading

  • How Warehouse Equipment Helps to Prevent Workplace Injuries in Winter Weather

    Advanced, ergonomic warehouse equipment is designed to do two things: Make work safer and boost productivity. The best material handling solutions accomplish both of these goals simultaneously, year-round. However, as the snow, sleet, and ice pile up on our docks and in our yards, there’s even greater reason to rely on mechanical assistance for warehouse workers. Extreme weather has all... Continue Reading

  • Picking without Pallets: Flat Deck Carts and Turntables

    For nearly a century, the humble pallet has been the lifeblood of the supply chain. With the rise of the pallet, patented in 1939 by George Ramond, Sr. and Bill House, came the concept of the unit load, the ubiquity of lift trucks, warehouses lined with pallet racking, and many other familiar features of today’s supply chain industries. But what... Continue Reading

  • Moving Construction Materials to Upper Stories without an Elevator

    It’s exceedingly common for construction crews to move materials, tools, and equipment to upper floors, both in new constructions and rehab projects. Between January and June 2017, for instance, the average number of floors in a U.S. residential home was 2.12. Meanwhile, the floor space in commercial buildings has grown by 70 percent since 1979, and much of that extra... Continue Reading

  • Wire and Cable Inventory Management for Cut-to-Length Distributors

    There was a time, early in the advent of cut-to-length wire distribution, when you couldn’t enter an electrical warehouse without hearing that familiar call: “How much wire is left on that reel?” Cut-to-length imparts tremendous value to electrical contractors, but it introduces logistical headaches to distributors. Rather than purchase a whole reel, contractors ask only for what they need to... Continue Reading

  • Optimizing Inventory Levels in Retail: The Role of Material Handling

    Matching inventory to demand is always a challenge in retail. Too much, and you hemorrhage money in storage and handling costs. Too little, and you miss out on make-or-break opportunities. The trouble is, an optimal inventory level is always a moving target. As we write this, there seems to be some anxiety regarding retail inventory at the national level. The... Continue Reading

  • Store Electrical Materials for Easy Access at Job Sites

    Where do you store electrical materials during a construction project? As just one contractor sharing space with all the other trades, electrical firms can quickly run into storage limitations. Add to that the challenge of sharing elevators, navigating narrow aisles, and the multiple trips usually required, and the scope of the material-handling challenge becomes apparent. You don’t want access to... Continue Reading

  • Managing Industrial Batteries in Cold Storage Applications

    While electric forklifts are ideal for cold storage facilities, low temperatures aren’t great for battery performance. The battery that provides a full eight hours of power in ambient temperatures might give out after just half that time in below-zero temperatures. The additional charge cycles wear on batteries and cut down on overall performance life. Users can address and minimize these... Continue Reading

  • Should Manufacturers Replace Forklifts with Tugger Trains?

    Manufacturers need to feed their lines, which requires a reliable material handling operation within the plant. Historically, material flow has depended almost entirely on forklifts. More recently, another type of industrial truck is showing up at assembly lines around the world. Whatever you call them — tuggers, tow tractors, tugger-cart systems, Warehouse Trailers — this new approach has plenty to... Continue Reading

  • Why You Should Always Keep Electrical Materials Off the Floor

    During the course of a long, complex electrical installation, the fastest, easiest way to store tools and building materials is to pile them up on the floor. It may be messy, but you can’t argue with the efficiency…or can you? In fact, stacks of conduit, connectors, circuit breakers, light fixtures, and other electrical products may do more harm than you... Continue Reading

  • How Material Handling Containers Make the Retail Industry Safer (And More Efficient)

    For retailers, nothing’s quite as important as efficiency. However, when trying to improve productivity, retailers often focus on improving training and sales tech — without considering the obvious impact that high-quality material handling containers can have on their bottom line. Material handling containers are essentially a much-needed upgrade to cardboard boxes, plastic bags, and other holdovers from the pre-digital era.... Continue Reading

  • Energy Savings for Green Warehousing Operations

    Whether you run a warehouse, a cold-storage facility, or a regional distribution center, odds are you’re pursuing aggressive sustainability goals. The fastest way to reduce your business’ carbon footprint is to invest in energy efficiency — and that doesn’t necessarily mean costly redesigns. Here are a few ways you can cut your warehouse energy bill while also contributing to a... Continue Reading

  • Balancing Wellness and Efficiency in the Physical Plant

    Physical plant managers at universities must maintain an efficient workforce, but that can’t be accomplished without adequate wellness programs that also keep workers healthy. In that sense, the university physical plant department occupies a meeting point between the principles of both hard and soft facilities management. Managers must consider infrastructure, equipment, and the valuable employees who use that equipment to keep facilities clean and well-maintained. On the productivity side, injured workers can’t do their jobs. From the human perspective, jobs should never contribute to illness or injury. Improving workplace ergonomics accomplishes both goals, and often at a limited cost to employers. That’s why the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA), the state’s occupational health program, published a pamphlet... Continue Reading

  • Electric Forklifts at Construction Material Warehouses

    Construction professionals are probably familiar with gas-powered rough-terrain forklifts, but electric counterbalance lift trucks are often the best option for indoor applications like a firm’s materials warehouse. Electric forklifts offer many advantages over the construction industry’s standard rough-terrain lift truck, at least when operating in a strict material-handling capacity on warehouse floors designed for such traffic. The benefits of going... Continue Reading

  • Mulch and Soil Recycling for Landscapers

    At a certain point in any landscaping company’s growth, it becomes more profitable to produce mulch and topsoil in-house. Initial costs amount to capital investments that can start producing a return within just a few seasons. Even better, landscapers who produce their own soil products can avoid the inevitable bottlenecks that accompany late shipments from third-party producers. Manufacturing topsoil and... Continue Reading

  • Supply Chain Trends for 2019

    Labor shortages. Automation. The growth of omnichannel retail. The trends that transformed the global supply chain over the past few years are likely to continue for some time; these forces also provide hints as to what’s to come in the near future. In fact, some of 2019’s challenges are clearly on the horizon. Here are a few of the market... Continue Reading

  • Rising Construction Material Prices: Tips for Electrical Contractors

    Market forces have aligned to create rising construction material prices, and electrical contractors in the industry are faced with a dilemma: Do they pass those prices onto builders, and, ultimately, the customer? Or do they take the hit themselves? A handful of trends combine to create these price increases. There are the tariffs on steel and aluminum, of course. New... Continue Reading

  • Electric Forklifts in Multichannel Retail Facilities

    Brick-and-mortar retailers that run e-commerce channels out of existing stores have a competitive advantage, especially if they operate multiple locations. The combined retail space/distribution center offers retailers incredible access to customers, whether they’re picking items up in the store or having them shipped directly. There is one challenge, however: Space. The retail store and the distribution center have totally different... Continue Reading

  • Eliminate Supply Chain Bottlenecks at Distribution Centers

    Supply chain bottlenecks can slam the brakes on a booming economy, say economic analysts. Currently, market capacity is limited by a shortage in labor; there simply aren’t enough truck drivers on the road to move goods in sufficient quantity. However, the shipping industry is responding. Trucking firms are offering pay hikes and hiring bonuses in an effort to attract new... Continue Reading

  • Government Contractors: Strategies for First Quarter Spending

    The Fiscal Year 2018 ended on September 30. The traditional wisdom in the industry holds that the fourth quarter is by far the busiest for government contractors, and for the most part, that’s true. However, according to GSA Schedule sales figures, Q1 is nearly as active as Q4. In fact, the first quarter is a remarkable time to go for... Continue Reading

  • Preparing the Shipping/Receiving Area for DC Peak Season

    The holiday peak season for distribution centers encompasses both shipping and receiving, making this area a potential efficiency bottleneck. Every DC manager needs a plan for scaling up outbound orders while simultaneously processing returns. The good news is that the elements of this plan don’t need to be expensive or difficult. We’ve already looked at a few strategies for preparing... Continue Reading

  • Preparing the Forklift Battery Room for DC Peak Season

    Every retailer has a peak season, and distribution centers are no different. Certainly, the peak can differ between one outlet and another — an office-supply store may experience peak season during the final days of the summer, when parents stock up for back-to-school season, while most general ecommerce DCs brace for the winter holidays. Whenever peak-to-average order ratios soar, it’s... Continue Reading

  • How Automotive Manufacturers Can Improve Material Flow Systems During Plant Shutdowns

    Automotive manufacturers can’t push out the next big model without retooling plants, and that means periodic shutdowns at factories across the U.S. But while teams of workers busily upgrade assembly lines, plant managers also stay busy planning to move the entire operation forward. Disruptions of day-to-day plant operation create tremendous opportunities for improvement. This is especially true in the automotive... Continue Reading

  • Alternatives to Going Forklift-Free at Automotive Manufacturing Facilities

    Automotive manufacturing facilities have long been at the forefront of lean manufacturing — after all, the practice was born out of Toyota’s process of continual improvement, or kaizen. But unlike some other sectors, many auto manufacturers are choosing not to go forklift-free to achieve their goals. That’s because automakers have discovered how to become leaner without sacrificing the muscle of... Continue Reading

  • Retaining Skilled Workers

    America’s supply of skilled workers isn’t as young as it used to be, and the trend has no end in sight. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that, by 2024, 41 million workers will be 55 or older. For the manufacturing sector and other industries with higher physical demands, this trend could mean more sick days and reduced productivity. While... Continue Reading

  • Skilled Labor Shortages in Manufacturing: Doing More with Fewer Employees

    There’s a skilled labor shortage in manufacturing and it’s likely to get worse before it gets better. Deloitte and the Manufacturing Institute teamed up for a study of the industry in 2015. They found that over the next decade, manufacturing companies will need 3.4 million workers — but will have a 2 million-worker shortfall. This precipitous drop in skilled talent... Continue Reading

  • Women in Warehousing: The Value of Building and Retaining a Diverse Workforce

    March is National Women’s History Month, but that’s not the only reason that this is a great time to talk about women in warehousing. We’re also at a crucial point in the development of logistics workforces, which aren’t keeping up with the industry’s growth. If businesses can’t attract new employees, we’ll start to have serious problems keeping up with the... Continue Reading

  • The Electronic Logging Device Rule and Faster Truck Turn Times at Docks

    Pretty soon, the federal Electronic Logging Device rule that (mostly) went into effect on December 18 of last year will unleash full penalties for violations. As you’ll recall, late last year, truck drivers protested the oncoming mandate, which requires drivers to track all hours in the truck through electronic logging devices. Officials with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration hope... Continue Reading

  • Lift Tables vs. Tilt Tables: Ergonomics for Various Applications

    Lift Tables vs. Tilt Tables: Which is right for your application? Both improve the fit between workers and the tasks they must complete, which is the core of ergonomics. By adjusting loads to a more agreeable height or angle, these positioning tools reduce injuries, conserve human energy, and increase productivity. These adjustments can have tremendously positive effects on worker health... Continue Reading

  • Customize Shipping Room Desks to Optimize Shipping/Receiving Tasks

    Workstations make a difference, and standard, off-the-shelf shipping room desks could be cutting into your productivity in more ways than one. People think of ergonomic improvements in the workplace as benefitting the employees. While that’s undeniably true, that doesn’t mean that employers don’t benefit as well—and we’re not just talking about reductions in sick days and injuries. By eliminating the... Continue Reading

  • Forklift Battery Maintenance During Peak Season

    The holiday season is in full swing, and that means warehouses are working overtime to fulfill orders. While permanent staff and temporary workers put in extra hours, don’t forget that your equipment is working hard, too. To get the most out of it, a little preventive maintenance can go a long way. Washing Batteries Improves Forklift Performance It’s a bit... Continue Reading

  • How Warehouse Ergonomics Can Help You Cope with Labor Shortages

    The logistics and warehousing industries are facing substantial labor shortages. A 2015 study presented at the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) conference showed issues with labor availability throughout the sectors; however, the CSCMP’s 2018 survey noted that the vast majority of 3PL professionals agreed upon an increased need “to respond to customers more quickly and with complete, accurate,... Continue Reading

  • Forklift Battery Handling Equipment for the Coming Year’s Budget

    Improved battery room configurations and new equipment can yield big gains in productivity and profitability. As the end of the year draws closer, managers of large forklift fleets consider placing an investment in this type of infrastructure in the coming year’s budget. BHS custom designs its battery handling equipment for safety, efficiency, and lifetime cost savings. A complete system can... Continue Reading

  • Handling and Storing Construction Tools at High-Rise Building Sites

    The hazards of working on high-rise construction projects have been well-documented. While self-climbing perimeter protection systems, or “cocoons,” protect workers from falls, there’s another safety risk that cocoons can’t eliminate: injuries involving construction tools. A safety guide from the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health offers a few rules to keep construction tools safe: Cal/OSHA requires employees to keep... Continue Reading

  • Improving Manure Management for a Safer “Manure Share”

    Manure management has always been a problem for farmers. A little bit of nature’s fertilizer is a wonderful thing. When it accumulates in large stockpiles, though, the natural byproduct of munching cows can pollute the waterways and poison the air. Recently, farmers have introduced a novel way to distribute the 335 million tons of manure that America’s agricultural animals produce... Continue Reading

  • Utilizing Vertical Space in E-Commerce Fulfillment Centers

    Vertical space has been a hot-button issue in warehousing for a long time, but with the rise of e-commerce, boosting clearance height is virtually required for fulfillment operations to remain competitive. The increased value of vertical space in fulfillment centers stems from a sea-change in shopping culture, driven by online shopping. Mail-order catalogs like the iconic Sears, Roebuck, and Co.... Continue Reading

  • The Easiest Way to Carry Drywall at Construction Sites

    Ergonomics in the construction industry has come a long way, but there are still materials that present particular handling challenges. Large panels are among the most difficult to transport and install; there’s simply no easy way to grasp them. At least with windows and other plates of glass, you can use a vacuum lift. Moving drywall is another story. Even... Continue Reading

  • Customize Lift Tables for Any Task With Tabletop Attachments

    A Lift Table from BHS may be the most versatile piece of material handling equipment in your facility. These hydraulic-powered lifts incorporate into just about any production line, they allow you to create variable-height work stations for any task, and, of course, they effortlessly lift loads of up to 6,000 pounds. In short, Lift Tables are an ergonomist’s dream. Thanks... Continue Reading

  • Forklift Battery Handling Equipment for Smaller Fleets

    Not every forklift user operates a vast fleet of hundreds. In fact, most don’t. A 2010 survey by industry journal DC Velocity found that the bulk of their respondents (57 percent) operated fewer than 25 lift trucks. Only 12 percent regularly used more than 100 trucks. The same survey uncovered another key statistic: almost 90 percent of the respondents said... Continue Reading

  • Battery Changing Solutions For Existing Pallet Trucks

    Most of the published advice on forklift battery management is aimed at larger fleets. But what about the small operation — the kind that only runs one or two forklifts? Facilities with smaller forklift fleets — even down to a single truck — probably realize that an extensive forklift battery changing system doesn’t make sense for their bottom lines. After... Continue Reading

  • Solving the Forklift Battery Room Power Puzzle

    A lot of disparate pieces go into an efficient battery charging area, especially when it comes to power distribution. Facilities should be free to add and remove chargers whenever they need to, without the expense and delay of bringing in electricians for every change. Wouldn’t it be great if you could just plug in a forklift battery charger like a... Continue Reading

  • Electrical Distribution for Forklift Battery Rooms

    Every battery room has distinctive power requirements, but these can change as operations grow. Don’t just wire the charging areas for your current needs; plan ahead for future changes — or, even better, ongoing expansion. Powering The Fleet’s Power Source Think of the battery charging area as the power source for your entire forklift fleet. In a way, charging systems... Continue Reading

  • Designing a Better Forklift Battery Room

    So you’ve decided you need a new battery room. Maybe your current battery charging area is outdated, or perhaps your fleet is just now large enough to justify the expense. Regardless of the reason, your new battery room’s success depends on a great plan — from choosing the ideal location to optimizing equipment. Battery room planning tools from BHS help... Continue Reading

  • Using Battery Wash Equipment to Optimize the Washing Process

    You know you have to wash your forklift batteries, but what’s the best way to go about it? The right gear can save your operation time and money, while preventing costly accidents. Here are a few guidelines for creating a battery wash procedure that’s simple, effective, and affordable. For optimal safety and efficiency, choose an automated solution. Washing forklift batteries... Continue Reading

  • Efficient Battery Rooms Start On The Ground Floor

    There’s one easy way to tell how efficiently a battery room is operating — just look down. Battery room floors that are pitted, cracked, or uneven can tell you a lot about the operation as a whole, and what they have to say isn’t good. For flawless battery changes every time, you really need a flawless floor in the battery... Continue Reading

  • Five Tips for a More Scalable Battery Room

    “Scalability” is a popular buzzword for logistics professionals, and the concept is especially useful for keeping warehouse operations competitive. It refers to the ability of systems — and, by extension, businesses — to expand as needed, with a minimum of added costs. Highly scalable operations can accommodate increasing demands without any effect on the quality of service. What does this... Continue Reading

  • Planning a Spare Parts Inventory for Your Lift Truck Fleet

    To keep your operation productive, you need to look for every possible way to improve day-to-day efficiency — and in many cases, this means planning for the unexpected. Every operation that uses material handling equipment will eventually need to repair both its lift truck fleet and its battery handling equipment, and immediate access to spare parts can drastically improve recovery... Continue Reading

  • Promote Staff Retention in Cold Storage Facilities with Better Equipment and Practices

    For managers of cold storage warehouses, employee retention is nothing short of essential — it’s a crucial factor in developing a leaner, more efficient operation. Unfortunately, lift truck operators in cold storage facilities leave for other positions more frequently than equivalent job holders in conventional warehouses. The turnover rate for material handling positions in the refrigerated storage industry has soared... Continue Reading

  • Choosing Better Lift Truck Battery Management Practices for Cold Storage Warehouses

    For cold storage facilities, accurate planning is critical. A difference of a few degrees can mean significant product losses, and a few inches of unused vertical space can translate to substantial operating inefficiencies. This is why most cold storage operations perform extensive calculations when choosing material handling equipment and infrastructure — a properly outfitted facility needs to maximize vertical space,... Continue Reading

  • Increase Efficiency in the Battery Room with Dedicated Operators

    Your facility needs an on-site battery handling expert. Designate a Dedicated Operator to handle all of your battery change-outs and maintenance for each shift. Facilities with Dedicated Operators benefit from increased efficiency in their Battery Rooms. With a Dedicated Operator, your whole battery fleet will be used more evenly, maintained more reliably, and over-all operate more efficiently. What are the... Continue Reading

  • BHS Increases Dealer Efficiency Through E-commerce

    Everyone knows that online retail sales is a multi-billion dollar game. However, few would assume that e-commerce-based shipments for the manufacturing sector total in the trillions of dollars each year. The US Census Bureau1 reports “e-commerce shipments were $3.0 trillion in 2012” for US manufacturers. Of that $3.0 trillion, shipments for fabricated metal product manufacturing (NAICS code 332) accounted for... Continue Reading

  • Planned Maintenance for Battery Handling Equipment

    Everyone knows that cars need regular, scheduled maintenance to keep running at peak performance, and battery handling equipment is no different. No one wants to lose valuable time and productivity when a machine is down. Keeping a regular schedule of maintenance will extend the life of battery changing equipment and help limit emergency downtime. Daily equipment inspections and Planned Maintenance... Continue Reading

  • Battery Room Best Practices Published

    In the fall of 2012, a BHS customer asked if we had a list of general guidelines for maintaining the most efficient and safest forklift battery room. Of course, we had several documents outlining the various ways to maintain equipment, personnel safety, and workflow, but had not yet combined all of our recommendations into one easy-to-read document. In March of... Continue Reading