The Material Handling Blog

Conceptually, material handling is simple – store products and move products. Officially defined by MHI as “the movement, protection, storage, and control of materials and products throughout manufacturing, warehousing, distribution, consumption, and disposal,” this concept is an unavoidable aspect of business. It also, like many ideas that start simple, quickly becomes complicated once you start exploring its details, especially given today’s rate of technological improvement. Despite those challenges, however, the need to deliver on orders, navigate and succeed during peak seasons and meet customer expectations remains and needs to be addressed.

With the global pandemic only a few years behind us, rising diesel prices, supply chain shortages and a drastically transformed customer shopping landscape, the closing of 2022 should have looked bleaker. However, the “hyper growth” that was seen in ecommerce during the pandemic moved 2025 projections up by years. At the closing of 2022 we’re seeing retail’s first trillion-dollar year. As the meteoric growth of online sales has begun to moderate, and as we look forward to 2023 it will be imperative for retailers to address the past, present and future of retail.

In today's rapidly evolving technological landscape, automation has become an integral part of various industries, ranging from manufacturing and logistics to healthcare and transportation. With warehouse and distribution center material handling automation's widespread adoption, ensuring the safety of workers, equipment and the public is of paramount importance. To achieve this, various safety devices are employed to minimize risks and prevent accidents.

The average box is 40% too large for its contents and eliminating excess volume would result in 24 million fewer truckloads per year in the United States, according to DHL, The Logistics Trend Radar. With increased focus on sustainability and supply chain impacts to a company’s bottom-line, the importance of packaging strategy has never been higher. Fortunately for supply chain leaders, packaging automation has continued to evolve to address this need and the time has never been better to consider how right-sized packaging could positively impact your supply chain.

For many distribution centers, unloading trailers and placing inbound product on pallets can be very labor-intensive. There are often hundreds to thousands of boxes in each trailer and these boxes can be large, heavy and hard to reach meaning most reaching, lifting and moving of boxes is done manually. Additionally, the environment inside the trailer can range from cold to extremely hot making it, at times, particularly uncomfortable. As a whole, finding and keeping labor for this essential work often presents a problem. Introducing the right automation to your palletizing operations can address labor availability challenges while also improving margins, throughput and operational flexibility.

Are you considering refining your warehouse operations and improving customer satisfaction? One of the transformative solutions that has gained significant traction in recent years is automating warehouses by integrating material and product processes through material handling equipment. By introducing and integrating robots, conveyor systems with intralogistics solutions, companies can revolutionize the way warehouses can run. However, the question remains – how do you know when warehouse automation is needed?

The world of automation is more complicated than it has ever been, with several emerging technology options and configurations now readily available with more to come. What we know, however, is that creating a foundation for long-term resilience relies on adaptable automation. Together with data-backed system integration you can overcome business challenges to meet objectives now and, in the future, reaping better ROIs. This means taking a detailed look at the processes before a package leaves the warehouse.

AMRs (autonomous mobile robots) have emerged as a distribution or manufacturing operation game-changer. For those seeking solutions to enhance efficiency, reduce costs and streamline operations, AMRs offer a cost-effective solution. These versatile robots can move and operate independently, revolutionizing various industries and opening new possibilities for automation. AMRs can meet various application process needs, allowing them to easily fit into existing company operations.

Streamlining the complex processes of getting products from inbound receiving to outbound truck loading requires thoughtful orchestration of functions within the four walls of distribution and fulfillment centers that extends beyond selecting the right automated technology. Let’s take a look at five more areas that you’ll want to consider during the planning phase to unlock even more efficiency opportunities.

In today's data-driven world, organizations rely on KPIs (key performance indicators) to measure their progress towards achieving business objectives. In order to really dig into a company’s metrics, there are two important concepts to grasp when working with KPIs: leading and lagging metrics, and effective targets. By understanding the difference between these types of metrics and how to set appropriate KPI targets, businesses can make informed decisions and drive meaningful improvements.

In the ever-evolving realm of logistics and supply chain management, innovation is the linchpin. Failure to remain open to and properly integrating innovative solutions can stifle operations from continuing to stay competitive in the industry, whether it’s automotive, retail, healthcare and agriculture, for example.

Efficient and streamlined operations are vital for the success of any industry. In India, companies are constantly seeking innovative solutions to improve productivity, reduce costs and enhance overall efficiency. ‘Research and Markets’ reports that India’s warehousing market is expected to reach INR 2,872.10 bn by 2027.One significant aspect of achieving these goals lies in optimizing material handling and warehouse operation processes.