The Material Handling Blog

If It Rolls – We Supply It. This was the motto of Bastian Solutions, then the E.C. Stark Co., Inc., in the 1950s. Hand trucks, casters and carts were the original material handling equipment supplied by the company, which was formed on October 31, 1952, by Elgan Stark, father-in-law of Bill Bastian Sr. Fast forward 70 years, and Bastian Solutions continues to grow as a leading material handling automation company. Although casters and the like are no longer the heart of the business, the vision remains the same – to help companies be more efficient, better serve their clients and make the world a better place.

From day one, the main design criteria for our Bastian Solutions conveyor shoe sorter was maximum uptime with industry-leading crash avoidance. That’s why we developed the best slat, shoe, and end offload in the industry.

Automation can provide a wealth of benefits with the right system. Don't overlook these 7 energy-related questions when selecting which automation technologies are best for your operation.

“Garbage in, garbage out.” As this phrase applies to robotic palletizing systems, the system outputs, particularly built pallet quality and throughput rates, are directly tied to the quality of the system inputs. To avoid issues, it's critical to ensure quality products, pallets as well as downstream and upstream processes. Read: How to Avoid Common Pitfalls of Robotic Palletizing System Startups

With the improvements and new technology in material handling, we can take the idea of Kanban to whole new levels. The question is, what level of Kanban implementation, if any, is right for you and your facility? Read: The Benefits of Automating Line Replenishment with Electronic KANBAN

While there are many different areas and processes you can focus on when attempting to optimize your warehouse, this three-step method can be applied to all areas of your warehouse in one form or another.

A precisão robótica significa menos preocupação com erros e limitações no processo de “picking”. Tenha ganhos de performance com a capacidade de operar 03 turnos sem a necessidade de recarregar a sua frota. A solução “Mobile Robotic” posiciona seu processo de expedição acima dos padrões de mercado.

A customer who is ready and willing to take ownership of their new automation system is more likely to be successful

Whether you require conveyor system spare parts, robotic spare parts, or other spare parts inventory, having those critical items on hand is key to keeping your material handling system at maximum uptime.

At first glance, complicated and complex systems might sound the same, but a closer look at your business model and SKU seasonality will reveal which system will work best for you.

Designing your distribution center is just like shopping for your perfect home. When you shop for a house or are looking to build a new one, you take into account many things including planning, work, space, flow, and amenities (automation)...

Used automation equipment is seen by some as too risky an investment, and by others, as an easy way to save a project's budget while still getting all of the hardware they desire. Like all projects, there are pros and cons to used or refurbished equipment, but when the opportunity for used automation presents itself, it is worth the time to closely examine it as an option...

You spent years trying to get this new automation project in the budget, and you just found out it's been approved!  So after months of planning, you've developed a detailed bid specification for what this project requires, and you've released a detailed RFQ. You might think all the hard work is behind you, but you're actually just getting started. Here are 5 tips to help you choose the right automation proposal...

Brazil, and South America in general, is a very good market as it is expanding, resourceful, demographically buoyant, and with increasing rates of population entering the middle and upper classes, boosting consumption; however, many business models are about to change as this occurs, mainly due to labor cost’s rapid increase...

While waiting for all the materials to come together from various locations to assemble the cast for my son's leg, I began analyzing the logistics management required to ensure the proper materials are available when needed throughout the hospital..

When considering why some manufacturing and distribution companies have implemented automated material handling systems , you often hear of financial statements including a solid Return of Investment (ROI), prompt Payback Period, or Strong Internal Rate of Return (IRR) . While it cannot be debated that the financial justification for an automation project is very important, financial evaluation alone should not be the only criteria when considering whether to automate . Here are 10 additional benefits to justify automation...

Business is ever changing and competition is always increasing, but the companies that can properly harness the power of automation in their supply chains will thrive into the future...

Recently, I attended the World Ag Expo at the International Agri-Center in Tulare, California. It is the largest trade show of farm and agricultural equipment and associated products in the world, and because it is held outdoors, very large equipment can be brought in for attendees to view--from tractors nearly two stories tall, to the smallest of nozzles used in irrigation...

Leasing larger, higher priced equipment is a very common practice for all sorts of companies, large and small. This makes sense because there are many benefits to doing so...