Tag: Material Handling

Global Competition Requires New Strategies

Not so long ago some were predicting the death knell of U.S. manufacturing. As the recession brought Detroit’s Big Three to their knees, put the brakes on consumer spending, forced massive layoffs and shuttered cash-strapped plants across the country, American manufacturing seemed to be in its death throes. But as they say, what doesn’t kill us makes us strong. Strong competitors assimilated weak ones. Loose financial and operational practices were tightened. Costs and expenses were pared down. From the assembly line to the board room, American manufacturers are running a tighter ship — and it seems to be paying off. Manufacturing declines have been slowing since December. In July new orders resulted in the biggest production jump in more than two years. Customers are beginning to restock and assembly lines are running again. The light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter; but there is concern that unless U.S. manufacturers make major changes to their business model, the light could still go out. 

A recent national study found U.S. manufacturers distressingly unprepared to compete in an increasingly global economy. Conducted by the American Small Manufacturers Coalition in conjunction with Manufacturing Extension Partnership, the Next Generation Manufacturing Survey polled more than 2,500 U.S. manufacturers. The report identified six essential next generation strategies manufacturers must adopt to compete successfully in global markets:

  • Customer-focused innovation
  • Talent recruitment, development and retention
  • Systemic continuous improvement
  • Supply chain management and collaboration
  • Sustainable product and process development
  • Global engagement

More than 25% of American manufacturers — over 90,000 firms — were considered at risk because of their inability to meet world-class achievement levels in any of the six strategies. Unless U.S. manufacturers are able to adopt next generation strategies, America may not be able to compete in global markets.

Charting the Future of Material Handling Solutions

Over the last several years the material handling industry has become an integral part of logistics and supply chain management. Today it stands poised to break out onto the global business stage. This is the vision of George Prest, head of the Charlotte, NC-based trade association MHI, the foremost advocate for the material handling sector.

Prest began implementing this shift when he became CEO of what was then Material Handling Industry of America just over two years ago. The organization became rebranded to MHI to advance its scope beyond domestic limits. He also presided over the launch of Modex, a biennial trade show incorporating all aspects of supply chain along with material handling. The next show is scheduled to open March 17, 2014 at the Georgia World Congress Center.

A key initiative has been the birth of the U.S. Material Handling and Logistics Roadmap. Industry members gathered with academics and consultants to brainstorm ideas regarding challenges to be faced over the next 12 years and action plans to address them. Their findings are in the process of being formalized and an early draft of the report began circulating in late 2013.

These events correspond with Prest’s belief that the future is something to be embraced, not feared. He’s excited about the changes in logistics and supply chain and how material handling is the thread that unites them.

DJ Products is proud to be part of such a vital and innovative industry. Our material handling tugs offer solutions for a variety of applications including hospitals, hotel, warehouses, factories and aircraft. Contact our Sales Engineers at 800.686.2651 to learn how we can help answer your material handling questions.

Ergonomics = Respect for Workers

Companies that value and respect their workers are proactive about ergonomics, said Peter Budnick, PH.D., founder, president and CEO of Core 3, Ergoweb and Ergobuyer, at a recent material handling conference. “A well formulated ergonomics strategy supports and accelerates continuous improvement in any organization, facility or supply chain.”

Integration of ergonomic practices and equipment into manufacturing and business operations improves productivity, waste reduction, quality control and safety. Ergonomics can operationalize a company’s respect for people, said Budnick, who added that many companies misunderstand ergonomics and therefore don’t recognize its value. He considers ergonomics “essential in an effective continuous improvement system” in any business or industry. 

Ergonomics takes a human-centered approach to task and tool design. It recognizes differences in the individual characteristics and capabilities of workers and strives to accommodate those variables in the design of equipment and structuring of tasks. The goal of ergonomics is to prevent soft tissue, repetitive motion, repetitive stress and musculoskeletal injuries. Nearly half of all lost work days can be attributed to musculoskeletal injuries. These injuries cost U.S. industry more than $61 billion per year in lost productivity and an additional $20 billion in annual medical and workers compensation benefits.

The value of respecting workers has been proven time and again. Toyota has made it a pillar of its business execution plan. When workers are valued, productivity and quality increase while injuries and negativity decrease. Implementation of an ergonomics program is an important way to show workers that you respect them and value their health and safety. In formulating an ergonomics program, evaluate tasks, equipment and work environment for the following factors:

  • force applied
  • awkward or fatiguing postures
  • repetition or frequency
  • duration, both of the task and the number of times per day it is performed
  • vibration
  • contact pressure
  • velocity of movement
  • environmental factors including lighting, temperature, noise, etc.

The goal of ergonomics is to eliminate the discomfort and stress these factors cause workers. On the DJ Products website, we provide a handy Ergonomic Load Calculator that can assist you in evaluating the force needed to move loads in particular workplace environments. Our experienced staff can assist you in designing ergonomic solutions to that will benefit your workers and increase productivity.

Get Powered Carts for Aging Healthcare Workers

As workers get older, the wear and tear of age, combined with a lifetime of labor can contribute to them slowing down. This does not mean that older workers should be cast aside, however. It does mean that employers need to recognize that retaining older workers may require some adjustments.

A Department of Labor newsletter article entitled, “The Aging Workforce: Challenges for the Healthcare Industry Workforce” outlined a growing concern for employers in healthcare and other industries. It said that “By 2050, the U.S. Census predicts that 19.6 million American workers will be 65 years or older, roughly 19 percent of the total U.S. workforce” and that by 2020 almost half of all registered workers will be eligible to retire. Not only will these workers be aging themselves, they will be called on to assist patients who are even older than they are,

In some instances, these workers will stay on the job because of financial need or a desire to remain active. In other cases, employers will want to keep these workers on because of their knowledge and experience. Either way, employers will need to think of ways to make work tasks adaptable to aging physiques.

Providing ergonomic material handling carts such as an electric cart puller or powered cart from out CartCaddy line of products can make a difference. These are our smallest and most maneuverable caddies, designed for lighter loads and areas with lots of pedestrian traffic. These applications usually have a space constraint, and these products tend to look less industrial in nature than some of our more heavy-duty material handling solutions.

Ignoring Ergonomics Exacts High Financial Toll

In our last post, we noted that Michigan has proposed regulations that would mandate ergonomic training and penalize employers for ignoring repetitive-stress injuries. While cognizant of the health and safety benefits to their workers, employers are understandably concerned about the cost. What they may fail to realize is that the cost of implementing and maintaining an ergonomic program pales in comparison to the exorbitant costs of ignoring ergonomics.

The annual price tag for workplace injury and illness is estimated at $171 billion. Back injuries, tendonitis, carpal tunnel syndrome and other repetitive-stress injuries result in decreased productivity, poor product quality, increased medical costs, higher insurance payments, inflated workers’ compensation costs, low morale and high absenteeism. According to an American Medical Association study, 6,500 people die from workplace injuries each year and non-fatal injuries afflict another 13.2 million. The total cost of workplace injuries is nearly equal to the combined annual profits of America’s 20 largest companies.

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg! Workers’ compensation claims cost U.S. businesses $60 billion annually, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. More than 25% of those claims are for back injuries from repetitive lifting, pulling, pushing and straining, reports the National Council on Compensation Insurance. Back injuries, which involve lengthy and costly treatment, affect more than 1.75 million workers each year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. OSHA estimates that 1 in 5 disabling worker injuries is a back injury. Back injuries alone cost American businesses more than $12 million in lost workdays and $1 billion in compensation costs each year. The estimated time-lost cost for a single injury is $26,000.

Numerous studies have proved that ergonomically-designed equipment and systems can significantly decrease worker injury. Many manual tasks necessary during the handling of materials require repetitive motions — pushing, pulling, bending, lifting and carrying — that place undue strain on the human body. These actions can result in sprains, strains, back pain and other musculoskeletal injuries.

Installing ergonomically designed pushers, pullers and carts can save thousands of dollars a year in decreased medical, insurance and disability costs resulting from repetitive-stress musculoskeletal injuries. Implementing ergonomic practices in the workplace can improve worker morale considerably while increasing efficiency and productivity significantly. Retraining staff to utilize recognized ergonomic practices generally produces an immediate savings in reduced worker injuries and associated medical costs.

DJ Products specializes in providing affordable ergonomic solutions to material handling applications. Our highly trained staff can assist you in assessing your material handling needs and design ergonomic solutions tailored to the specific needs of your business.  For more information, visit the DJ Products website.

DJ Products Offers Versatile Material Handling Solutions

When we say that we make material handling solutions, we mean that we make products that can be used for more than one application. With some minor configurations, our products can be adapted for almost every heavy cart pushing or pulling application. And you don’t have to figure out these adaptations on your own: If you check out a product on our website and wonder if it can be used in a fashion other than the one mentioned, call us at 800-686-2651 and speak with a Sales Engineer who can help.

Many of our products are walk-behind units that eliminate the pain and strain of manually pulling and pushing a heavy cart and wheeled equipment. Also, our material handling solutions are less costly, smaller, and more maneuverable than traditional powered equipment.

Here are some of the ways our products have been used for various applications:

• A motorized cart pusher can be loaded up with linen just as easily as it can be loaded up with food.

• A powered trailer mover can of course move trailers, but it can also pull cannons.

• A battery powered car pusher will help you push cars, campers, trucks and buses, and it can also assist you as you push anything on wheels.

• A motorized carpet mover will get your carpet where it needs to be, but it can also push other cylinder-shaped items.

• A trailer pusher not only moves standard ball coupler, gooseneck, and kingpin trailers, you can also use it to move your trailer equipment too.

• A powered hand truck and help you transport heavy test weights, dies, carts and other equipment.

Capital Investments That Make Sense

It may be a bear market, but this is no time to hibernate. If you want to weather the pending economic winter, you can’t afford to crawl into a cave and wait for better times. This is a time when the old saying, “You snooze, you loose,” rings true. Competition gets more cutthroat when times are tough and only the smart survive. Everyone’s going to be reining in expenses to maximize their cash flow, and many will limp along with out-dated equipment or technology, afraid to make any capital investments until the economy eases up. Savvy businesspeople know this is faulty thinking. Even in a poor economy, certain capital investments not only make sense, but give you a critical edge over your competition.

What kinds of capital investments make sense? Industry experts say capital expenditures that give you both immediate and future value should get top priority.

  • Equipment and technology that make and keep you competitive are essential, especially in a tough economy. You can’t afford to lag behind competitors or you’ll be left choking in their dust. As U.S. industry moves ever closer to integrated automation, you’ll need to embrace state-of-the-art technology and equipment to remain competitive.
  • Equipment that decreases your fuel expenses will become increasingly valuable as oil production continues to drive world economy. Battery and electric-powered equipment not only produces immediate savings in fuel expenses, but decreases future dependence on fossil fuels. 
  • Businesses shouldn’t overlook the powerful message that energy efficiency sends to customers: that you care about the environment and the planet we live on. As global warming heats up, more businesses will be choosing environmentally-friendly partners over energy-wasting ones.
  • Ergonomic equipment that improves worker safety and significantly decreases medical, insurance and workers’ compensation expenses will gain even greater importance as healthcare costs rise. Both presidential candidates are furthering healthcare platforms that will force U.S. businesses to shoulder an even greater burden of our country’s healthcare costs. Equipment that decreases the direct and peripheral medical costs of worker injury will benefit your bottom line. 
  • As the U.S. workforce shrinks, ergonomic equipment will play an important role in maintaining worker satisfaction as well as safety. As competition for workers increases, businesses will need to offer workers more tangible job benefits. Use of ergonomic equipment shows your workers you care about their health, safety and comfort on the job. And it has the added benefit of making your operation more efficient and more productive.
  • Ergonomically-designed equipment that allows a single worker to accomplish a greater volume of work safely will also reap savings in a shrinking workforce. With presidential candidates promising to penalize businesses for taking jobs overseas, the ability to maximize productivity with a minimal American workforce will gain importance.

U.S. Manufacturing Faces Dangerous Crossroads

One of the realities brought home by the worldwide recession is the fact that the economy truly has gone global. Manufacturers who fail to adjust their business models and adapt will be unable to compete. Many believe American manufacturing is at a crossroads. Driven by 282,000 small and midsize manufacturers — the backbone of U.S. industry — many of which lack the resources to meet the demands of global competition, American manufacturing must step up to the plate or find itself struck out by better prepared foreign competitors.

In our August 21 post, we talked about six essential next generation strategies identified by the American Small Manufacturers Coalition from a survey of 2,500 U.S. manufacturers. An online article on the Material Handling Industry of America (MHIA) website pointed out several of the most challenging threats to the viability of U.S. manufacturing revealed by the Next Generation Manufacturing Survey.

  • Too few manufacturers, only 28%, recognized the importance of global positioning. The days when the U.S. dominated world manufacturing are gone. The torch has passed to China, India and other emerging powerhouses. The reality is that market demand, talent pools and competitive opportunities are growing outside U.S. borders and declining within. The greatest opportunities lay in forming global alliances.
  • Too many U.S. manufacturers failed to recognize the growing importance of green operations and sustainable product and process development. Only 16% of survey respondents considered eco-friendliness important to their success with a like percentage denying its relevance. The reality is that consumer demand for green and sustainable products is increasing. Government regulation will mandate change if manufacturers fail to adapt.
  • U.S. manufacturers are clinging too tightly to the old management from the top down model. Too few manufacturers are taking competitive advantage of the opportunity to partner with employees, suppliers, even competitors. Less than half of survey respondents engaged employees in improvement efforts; less than a quarter sought supplier input. The reality is that productivity and innovation improve when employees, suppliers and customers are fully engaged. Future success will belong to the collaborators, not the mavericks.

The majority of American manufacturers seem to have stuck their heads in the sand rather than face the challenges of the future. Those who deny the future are apt to be buried by it.

Hospital Turns to DJ Products for Ergonomic Solutions

Respect for both its medical personnel and bottom line led a large California hospital to partner with DJ Products. Looking for ways to eliminate potential injuries caused by moving heavy hospital beds, food and linen carts, gurneys and wheeled equipment, this hospital turned to DJ Products for ergonomic solutions that would protect the health and safety of its staff. By implementing an ergonomic program to decrease injuries, the hospital also lowered medical, insurance and workers’ compensation costs. Absenteeism from worker injury and resultant added payroll and overtime expenses necessary to cover those absences also decreased.

Like most medical facilities, this hospital relies not only on paid staff, but also on what is fondly termed the “gray brigade” to function. An army of seniors provides a host of volunteer services to assist the perennially harried staff and enrich the lives of patients. Concern about possible injuries among its aging volunteer force and heavily female medical staff led this hospital to review tasks and procedures and update its equipment with ergonomic cart pullers from DJ Products.

DJ Products is a leader in the manufacture of ergonomic material handling products for the hospital, retail, hospitality, automotive and manufacturing markets. Our CartCaddyLite Cart Puller eliminates the pains and strains that can occur when manually pushing hospital beds, medical equipment and heavy food and linen carts. The battery-powered CartCaddyLite easily maneuvers beds, equipment and carts weighing up to 1500 pounds. Variable speed twist grips allow the operator to travel at speeds of 0 to 3 mph and maneuver forward and backwards in tight hospital rooms and congested corridors. Its compact, batter-operated, 24-volt motor can perform without recharging for an entire shift.

For detailed specifications and to watch a video of the versatile CartCaddyLite Cart Puller in action, visit the DJ Products website. We also make an electric cart pusher for maneuvering heavier carts and equipment up to 20,000 pounds and a versatile powered platform cart for moving heavy boxes and supplies.

Material Handling Equipment Choices Make the Difference in Safety and Productivity

Effective material handling — and material these days can be anything from stone to steel — translates to efficient completion of the project, perhaps with performance bonuses attached. But inefficient material handling can slow down job progress, cause duplication of effort, detract from efficiency, and may even lead to accidents and injuries.

Most contractors think of a material handler as a variable-reach telescoping boom forklift. These machines, usually seen at many building construction sites, feature a telescoping boom and typically include forks for easy handling of materials such as block, mortar, sheetrock, and plywood. But they can also be fitted with coupler systems for many different types of attachments that can increase versatility on the job. Whether unloading materials from trucks or delivering them over the phases of a project, telehandlers continue to be what most people think of when the subject is equipment for material handling.

But there’s more to material handling than telehandlers. For example, cranes are another class of material handling equipment. When heavy lifting is needed, a crane is usually preferred. That is why cranes take on most material handling for major projects such as bridges, where the loads can be heavy, or on high-rise buildings, where telehandlers cannot offer a tall enough reach. Cranes also assist on many sites with unloading trucks — an important part of material handling on just about any job.

But whatever machinery is used for material handling, the most important element remains the operator. Safety is paramount. Remember, material handlers handle material — and to do so safely, the load must be under their complete control at all times. This necessity drives not only load handling and maneuverability but also affects cab design and control positioning. For example, cabs on many modern material handlers are being designed with more glass to give the operator more visibility.

Designing machines that an experienced operator can safely and effectively control certainly are a key consideration, particularly in these days of scarce manpower, when selecting material handling machinery. But without question, an effective merging of operator and machine will increase safety which maximizes productivity — and that always mean a better bottom line.