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.