Tag: Warehousing

Looking to Save Money in Your Warehouse? Look for New Packaging Solutions

New Packaging Solutions
New Packaging Solutions

The shift toward dimensional weight shipping rates has triggered a cascade of changes on warehouse management. Many warehouses are sidestepping the higher rates by using polybags or Tyvek mailers instead of boxes.

Along with the potential savings, soft bags present a new set of challenges compared to the familiar and reliable process of handling rectangular boxes.

As Alexander Communications points out, polybags require new technology for picking and scanning. The ultimate cost savings, however, should drive warehouse managers to analyze whether products can be mailed in polybags and how to make the process effective.

Key considerations for using packaging solutions to circumvent dimensional weight shipping charges:

  • Scanning and sorting solutions must be able to handle irregular shapes.
  • Material handling can become more efficient because more items can fit in a cart and be transported with motorized warehouse tugs.
  • Warehouses can often find ways to ship some, if not all, products in bags. Using both bags and boxes does not necessarily present an insurmountable challenge.
  • Customers can be charged dynamic rates based on actual shipping — or flat rates that protect your margins when boxes must be used.

Be sure to not overlook the changes that polybag shipping will have on material handling inside the warehouse. Instead of a pallet with several large boxes, you may have a cart weighted down with many more products in polybags. Warehouse tugs automate this movement to streamline the process and protect workers from injuries.

When cost savings are on the line, the boost in productivity from warehouse tugs can maximize the benefits of new packaging solutions. Visit DJProducts.com for more info about industrial cart movers.

How DJ Products Can Help You Be a Survivor

As we’ve said in this space before, it’s going to take a firm hand on expenses, the guts to embrace innovative ideas and products, and the flexibility to act quickly when opportunities present themselves to survive the current recession.  DJ Products’ ergonomically-engineered carts, tugs and movers can help you get the jump on the competition and position your business to move boldly — and successfully — into the future.

Cost effectiveness, worker safety, healthcare issues, energy and environmental concerns, immigration and a changing workforce — these are among the most powerful issues that confront businesses owners today. Customers, workers, the public and the government will all be watching how we address these issues in the course of business. It’s no longer enough to produce a fine product. Today, we’re also graded on how we produce that product and the cost or benefit to our workers and the environment, not just our customers. Government oversight and a watchful press have added a few links to the food chain.

Here’s how DJ Products’ ergonomically-designed carts, tugs and movers can help you successfully meet these challenges:

  • Cost effectiveness is key when every penny counts. When DJ Products’ ergonomic carts and movers are integrated into your workplace or production operation, full return on investment is typically realized within the first year or two through increased production and worker efficiency and decreased healthcare, disability and workers’ compensation costs.
  • Worker safety is one of the issues at the top of President-elect Obama’s to-do list. Stricter OSHA regulations regarding ergonomic issues are expected early in his administration. During his campaign, Obama promised workers a safer work environment which industry experts predict will mean tougher ergonomic standards and increased government oversight. Implementing an ergonomic program built around DJ Products’ carts, tugs and movers will put you ahead of the game as regulations tighten up. Ergonomically designed to take the physical burden off your workers, DJ Products’ carts improve workplace safety significantly.
  • Healthcare issues will be another key thrust of the incoming administration. Many of the plans being discussed in the press will increase the already difficult healthcare burden on employers. Ergonomic equipment is a proven way to significantly — and immediately — decrease employee medical, insurance and disability costs.

To be continued on Friday

Always be Prepared

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, also known simply as OSHA, is responsible for setting and enforcing the standards of safety in the workplace.  The main goal of OSHA is to reduce on the job injuries and fatalities by assuring that workers are performing their jobs in the safest environments possible.  Since it’s inception at the end of 1970, OSHA has dramatically reduced the incidents of accidents in the workplace and they continue to inspect facilities and enforce their policies in an effort to make working people even safer.

Between the federal and state run divisions of OSHA, more than 100,000 facilities are inspected each year and those not meeting the standards could receive heavy fines depending upon their infractions.  The number one violation cited by OSHA has to do with forklift operation.  This should serve as a warning to all warehouse and distribution environments that if they are operating outdated and unreliable equipment or if they haven’t properly trained their employees on correct usage procedures of equipment that they could suffer citations and heavy fines from OSHA.

There is much more at stake though than a fine, operating your facility with under trained employees or old and unreliable equipment could make your facility run poorly, inefficiently and it can put the health of your employees in jeopardy.  In order to have the safest facility possible you need to be running equipment that was designed for the tasks that your employees perform and you need to properly train your workers to operate that equipment.

Electric lifts and carts from DJ Products are designed with safety and performance in mind – they are easy to operate, ergonomically designed and can last for an entire shift on a single charge.  Properly using the right equipment is the first step to a safer, more effective and more efficient workplace – and it will eliminate the most cited infraction of the standards set by OSHA and keep you one step closer to compliance.

Are Robots in the Future for Your Warehouse?

Robots have become integrated into many operations as a material handling solution. Until now, their use has revolved primarily around safety issues. Worker safety has been improved in areas where robots have handled the heavy lifting. As technology improves, robots are becoming sophisticated enough to assist with more specialized tasks.

As manufacturers try to meet demands for faster service and higher productivity, robots are becoming more important for their ability to move and store both large and small items. They enable the ability for quick turnarounds, with only a settings change required to accommodate different products and shifting quotas.

Whereas robots that handle large loads need heavier arms and grippers, the key to moving smaller items is to incorporate grippers with more flexibility and a lighter touch. Companies that deal with more fragile items such as electronic components have turned to delta robots. This style uses a parallel link rather than serial to allow for faster, more precise movements.

Food handling might sound like an insurmountable task, but the USDA has actually certified certain grippers to touch raw food. The FDA has followed suit by certifying grippers for biotech applications such as handling blood and plasma samples.

Our comprehensive line of tugs and pushers from DJ Products have also made major contributions in the area of worker safety. Their powerful battery-operated motors and ergonomic design enable a single person to handle loads of up to 50.000 pounds with ease. Please call our Sales Engineers at 800.686.2651 or use our convenient online chat feature to find the perfect solution for your application.

Battery Powered Carts Reduce the risk of injury

Operating a forklift or battery powered cart without following the necessary safety guidelines is a huge risk that can result in serious injuries or even death, but not all material handling injuries stem from improper use on the part of the operator.  If you allow any employee to operate material handling equipment that you know isn’t functioning properly, you are putting every employee in your business at serious risk.The older a piece of equipment is, the more likely it is to malfunction or breakdown, which can cause delays in the completion of work and potentially lead to injuries.  Forklifts and powered carts require regularly scheduled preventative maintenance, but if there is ever a question of proper operation it needs to be tended to immediately to ensure your employees’ safety.Distribution of materials is often a fast paced environment with many activities going on at the same time.  There may be dozens of employees scurrying around the warehouse filling orders and receiving shipments while a number of machines are working to load and unload trucks or put away stock – if even one of these pieces of equipment malfunctions it could lead to several serious injuries.In order to keep your fast paced environment as safe and productive as possible, you need to have the safest and most reliable equipment.  Battery powered carts and lifts from DJ Products are engineered to be quieter, safer, more reliable and cheaper to operate than traditional forklifts and lift trucks.  Each piece of DJ Products equipment is ergonomically designed to prevent many of the nagging injuries often associated with manually material handling and easy enough to use so a single employee can tackle heavy jobs quickly and safely.Truly efficient warehouse and distribution environments don’t rely on equipment that may or may not get them through a shift.  In order to be as safe and successful as possible your equipment needs to be the safest around and completely reliable day in and day out – and that’s exactly what DJ Products strives for with every piece of equipment sold, including our battery powered carts.

How to Attract and Keep Young Talented Workers to Your DOD Contracting Business

How to Employ Quality Workers
How to Employ Quality Workers

One of the most overlooked warehouse management tips is attracting and keeping young talented workers in a department of defense contractor scenario. This may even seem like a non-issue because the standard has always been to give someone a job, give them a fair rate of pay, and they would then stay there until they retired.

But that mindset no longer works for a modern job force under 30 years of age. You have to learn and understand the nature of this modern workforce in order to keep them on the job for the long haul.

Family Friendly

Although you are employing one single person, the family comes along for the ride. Competitive businesses allow such things as paternity leave, flexible schedules and telecommuting, to name a few. Making your business family friendly makes for long term employment.

Growth Within

In this case, one of the most important warehouse management tips is to give the opportunity for growth within the company. These younger employees are more apt to enroll in higher education, gain knowledge and experience, and move on to another job if a growth opportunity does not present itself within a reasonable time.

Perks

In this day of modern communication, which is nearly constant, get Wi-Fi for computer access to allow these younger employees to stay connected during lunch hour and breaks.

Many employees may also have kids that need daycare or nannies, and that can be a valuable perk if offered on-site.

For more information on this or products that will aid your DOD warehouse, contact DJ Products, makers of trailer movers, tuggers, dumpster movers and aircraft tugs.

Part 2: How DJ Products Can Help You Be a Survivor

Recently, we’ve been talking about the recession, workplace initiatives and increased regulation expected from the incoming Obama administration, and what it will take to position your business to survive the rocky road ahead. A tight grip on expenses, the willingness to embrace innovative ideas and technology, and the flexibility to take advantage of opportunities as they present themselves will be the hallmarks of companies that rise above the competition to succeed.

Many powerful issues will confront American business owners in the days ahead. Cost effectiveness, worker safety, healthcare issues, energy and environmental concerns, immigration and a changing workforce are among the challenges that we will face. Business owners who are proactive in addressing these challenges will position themselves to succeed. A leader in the design and manufacture of innovative, cost-effective, ergonomically-designed carts, tugs and movers, DJ Products can help you successfully meet the coming challenges. Continuing our Wednesday post, here’s how DJ Products can help you move ahead of the competition:  

  • Energy and environmental concerns are expected to take center stage with the Obama administration billing itself as the “green team.” Alternative energy products that decrease our country’s dependence on oil will receive increasing support as will products that decrease the nation’s environmental footprint. DJ Products’ battery-powered electric carts, tugs and movers use clean energy and have the staying power to work a full shift without recharging.
  • Changing workforce patterns are expected to create new challenges for businesses and industry as immigrant workers comprise an increasing portion of our country’s labor force. Language and cultural issues are expected to impact work environments and job efficiency. Intuitive ergonomic controls on DJ Products’ powered movers and carts make them easy to operate and control, bridging any potential language barrier. Our customers report an extremely brief and highly satisfactory training curve when our products are introduced into the workplace.

For complete information about DJ Products’ ergonomic carts, tugs and movers, visit our website. On our website, you’ll find a helpful Ergonomic Load Calculator that can help you or your company’s safety and health specialist estimate the amount of force necessary to move loads in your workplace. The program considers a number of variables specific to your work environment and makes product recommendations that can be used to improve both workforce and production efficiency.  Contact one of our industry experts today to find out how DJ Products can help you be a survivor.

Material Handling Solutions for Big Box Stores

With the current state of the economy, everyone is trying to do whatever they can in order to save some money.  That has many consumers buying in bulk at big box/outlet stores in an effort to spread their money out just a little bit more.

Outlet stores operate like a cross between a warehouse and a retail establishment, which poses some differences and potential problems with actually getting the material from receiving to the sales floor where customers have the opportunity to purchase.

It’s absolutely crucial for these types of environments to have safe and reliable equipment in order to meet the customer’s needs.  The employees need to be able to move large quantities of product literally among the customer base during business hours, so safety is a huge concern.  No outlet store can operate successfully with loud and difficult to operate equipment – all material handling equipment needs to be easy to operate and not overly disruptive to the consumer experience.

Once the safety of the employees and customers has been taken care of, reliability is the second biggest concern.  Even the slightest failure of material handling equipment in a big outlet store could spell disaster as much of the material moves directly from receiving to the sales floor in bulk loads.  If the equipment is not functioning for even a short period of time, there could be dozens and dozens of lost sales and potentially lost customers.

Properly trained, reliable employees and reliable equipment are two of the biggest keys to the success of big box and outlet stores.  Reliable equipment ensures that the material hits the sales floor in a timely manner and is available for sale when the customers are looking for it.

Warehouse Workers in CA Gain a Victory for Workplace Equity

Last month a group of warehouse workers in California gained a major victory for fair and equitable working conditions. Schneider Logistics, a distribution subcontractor, agreed to pay $21 million in wage and hour violations dating back to 2001. The case also has implications for corporations who outsource their warehousing functions to a third party.

Schneider operates three warehouses in Mira Loma, CA that are contracted by national retail giant Wal-Mart. In October 2011, the California Department of Labor Standards Enforcement conducted a raid on the facilities. More than $1 million in civil fines were issued for inadequate recordkeeping. That same month, a group of six workers brought suit against Schneider to recover unpaid wages along with penalties and damages. It was later elevated to the status of a class-action lawsuit.

At issue were allegations that “lumpers”, workers who manually load and unload shipping containers, were often forced to work off the clock and denied overtime pay as required by law. Wal-Mart sought to be removed as a defendant, stating that they didn’t technically employ the workers. The judge ruled otherwise, stating that they could be held accountable since they had personnel on site setting productivity metrics and other standards.

While Wal-Mart outsources the warehouses to Schneider, they in turn outsource staffing to two other subcontractors who reached a separate settlement earlier. The outcome is seen as a message to companies who try to deflect responsibility for working conditions onto multiple layers of subcontractors.

Our electric tugs and trailers make a significant contribution toward safer working conditions in warehouses and other applications. Contact one of our Sales Engineers at 800.686.2651 to find the right solution for your organization.

Downsizing? Can Your Equipment Handle the Move?

Unfortunately many material handling companies and distribution centers are still having trouble making ends meet and this has led to a trend of companies moving into smaller builds to cut expenses.  If your company has a lease coming up for renewal and you are considering the possibility of cutting overhead by moving into a smaller building, ask yourself this –is your equipment reliable enough to conquer the work involved in a move?

If you have issues with outdated material handling equipment that gives you fits because of regular maintenance issues, odds are that your move will be a disaster.  Consider the fact that moving your entire operation will be a labor intensive affair unlike any other.  Moving isn’t just high volume – it’s all volume, you need to get everything: racks, pallets, desks and every last piece of product moved as quickly as possible to the new operation to avoid missed sales and risk being labeled unreliable.  Make no mistake about it – moving is not a job to perform with unreliable equipment.

That’s not all you have to consider either – is there adequate room in your new facility to merit the big, bulky equipment that you are currently running?  If there isn’t than upgrading to smaller, safer and more efficient powered carts like those offered by DJ Products is a very simple decision – just be sure to implement it prior to moving.

You won’t be able to ship or receive product during your move, so it’s absolutely integral to your future success to get the move completed as quickly and efficiently as possible so you can open for business again.  You don’t need any hitches thrown into the process by having a piece of equipment fail at the wrong time.  Upgrading to the best and most reliable material handling equipment prior to the move will ensure that you get into your new facility with as few headaches as possible and that you can resume regular businesses soon as possible upon getting settled in your new building.