The difference between running a productive and efficient warehouse and one where chaos reigns could be a simple as adding a few simple pieces of material handling equipment to help your employees work faster, safer and more productively.
The biggest enemy of productivity in a warehouse is the time it takes to move things around, especially if you need to change tools and equipment between moves. Loading and unloading a truck, transporting loads around the warehouse and stacking them, delivering loads to the factory or picking up loads in the factory…all of these tasks take time and if there is a hand off more time is used.
Using the proper equipment for each task will also help things run more smoothly. We’ve highlighted some of the most common equipment used to solve warehouse efficiency problems to make sure it’s easy for you to find the solution you need. Consider one or more of these machines to maximize your productivity.
Transporting Loads to and From the Factory
Moving raw materials and chemicals from the warehouse to the factory floor can be easily done with a piece of equipment as simple as a pallet truck. From manual models that easily steer loads around to powered units that can lift and move much heavier loads, these tools are indispensible for transporting loads around a warehouse or factory when the load need not be lifted high above the floor. Here are a few models to consider:
- Long Fork Pallet Truck: This Wesco model has a steel construction with an extended fork for longer pallets. The unit weighs 308 pounds and has 7” mold-on polyurethane steering wheels. Dimensions are Width 27”, Height 49”, Depth 86” and a capacity of 4460 pounds.
- Semi-Electric Pallet Truck: This steel frame pallet truck from Wesco incorporates an electric motor that aids in propelling the pallet truck when moving, but still relies on a manual hydraulic pump to raise the forks. The unit itself weighs 397 pounds with 10” polyurethane steering wheels. Dimensions are Width 27”, Height 48.5”, Depth 65.75” and a capacity of 2200 pounds.
Of course the limitation of these models is that they need to work at floor level, and are not designed to lift loads onto shelves or into working position. For a tool built for this type of job you need to consider the fork stackers below.
Loading and Unloading Trucks at the Dock
Many people will use a pallet truck as described above for loading and unloading trucks at the dock. This is especially handy for smaller trucks where a forklift is too tall, or a smaller warehouse where a forklift would be underused.
However, if you are planning on taking the loads off the truck and immediately putting them onto shelves you will need to transfer everything from a pallet truck to a different piece of lifting equipment…unless, of course, you use a fork stacker, which serves both these functions. They’re also handy for delivering material to the factory floor when it needs to be placed in working position above the ground. A few examples of what we offer include:
- Powered Telescoping Fork Stacker: This stacker from Wesco makes it easy to lift heavy loads onto shelving, even high shelves. The stacker weighs 1230 pounds and incorporates 8” Nylon drive wheels and 6” Nylon casters at the front. Dimensions are Width 48”, Height 87.5”, Depth 68” with a steel frame and a capacity of 2000 pounds (which it can lift over ten feet into the air).
- Electric High Lift Pallet Truck: Wesco has specially designed this pallet truck with a scissor lift that allows you to raise a loaded skid onto a low shelf, or into working position. The truck weighs 373 pounds and incorporates 6” mold-on Polyurethane wheels. Dimensions are Width 27”, Height 48.5”, Depth 60” and a capacity of 2200 pounds.
What If Your Business Uses Drums?
Pallet trucks and forklifts are not well suited to lifting and transporting drums safely. Due to their unique cylindrical design, drums require specialized equipment that allows your workers to grip and move the drums you use without creating a safety hazard. Here are a few pieces of equipment that might be considered for moving and placing drums where you need them:
- Drum Movers / Palletizers: These uniquely designed units from Morse can lift a drum up to 19” high and then quickly and easily move a heavy drum to and from a pallet. The unit works for drums made of rimmed steel, plastic or fiber with a minimum height of 28.5”, and has a capacity of 1000 pounds. Simply move the drum palletizer to the drum, raise the head to automatically engage the upper drum rim, then the gripper holds the drum in an upright position for you to transport.
- Pallet Truck Drum Lifter – Model PTDL: This pallet truck is specifically outfitted for safely clamping and lifting steel drums. The unit weighs 115 pounds with 8” Nylon steering wheels and 1” nylon casters. Dimensions are Width 28.5”, Height 47.5” and Depth 42” with a capacity of 660 pounds to accommodate full steel drums easily.
Improving Productivity With the Right Knowledge and Guidance
Material handling equipment is one of the fastest and easiest ways to improve the productivity of your warehouse, but only if you use the proper equipment for the task at hand.
If you’re not sure which equipment best meets your needs, contact Douglas Equipment today.
Our experts can work with you to understand your needs and help you choose the equipment that will improve your productivity and make your warehouse more efficient.
