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  • Information on the products and techniques to better store, handle, and move products in your facility.
    Blog > Archive by category 'Pallet Rack'

    Justifying AisleCop Forklift Safety Gate Systems

    January 13, 2012
    by Scott Stone

    AisleCop warehouse pedestrian safety systemWe see two kinds of operations that have shown interest in, or implemented an AisleCop® forklift safety gate system. The first are those companies who have defined traffic plans and are looking to prevent possible accidents in high-risk, limited-visibility, or heavy-traffic aisles. They foresee potential accidents and are taking measures to prevent them. The second kind are companies who have had an incident, or a near-miss.

    In both cases, the question has been “how can I justify this system?”

    Aside from the fact that it could help save a life, or help prevent horrific injuries (the only kind that a forklift-pedestrian accidents seem to produce), AisleCop® can also save money in a variety of ways.

    We have created a document, free for download, that you can use if you’re pitching a safety system to your management. It’s a short, but informative read.

    Check it out here: “AisleCop®  return on investment” (PDF file)

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    Posted in Manufacturing, Material Handling, News, Pallet Rack, ROI, Safety & Ergonomics, Warehousing| No Comments »


    Ideas to Keep Your Warehouse Clean

    January 3, 2012
    by Scott Stone

    a clean warehouse

    One easy way to gauge a warehouse or manufacturing plant ‘s effectiveness is to check how clean it is. Cleaner facilities are more productive, tend to be safer, and tend to be more organized.

    Whether your facility features gleaming floors or just keeps debris from packaging materials, pallets, and accumulated junk under control, being cleaner is well worth the time investment. People who work in a disorganized facility where things just feel sloppy won’t work as well. They may make more errors. They won’t have pride in the operation.  An inch of dust on rack beams or beneath conveyor legs sends a message to workers. You don’t need a sparkling facility with floors so clean you could have lunch on them, but a well-lit, organized, pleasant place to work can be helpful in employee attitudes and retention.

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    Posted in Docks & Shipping, Industrial Shelving, Manufacturing, Material Handling, Order Picking & Fulfillment, Pallet Rack, Safety & Ergonomics, Warehousing| No Comments »


    A Different Sort of Sorter

    December 2, 2011
    by Scott Stone

    Sortation systems in distribution is application driven – typically we are talking about order fulfillment (retail, wave pre-sorting, inbound putaway sorts), shipping (end of line carrier sortation, ship to stores), and returns. Traditional sweep sorters, cross-belt, narrow slat & shoe, or belt sorters are often thought of as “for the big guys” in large operations. SpanTech’s new TranSorter is  different, and it’s rolling out at Modex 2012. A sneak peek video below:

    The TranSorter is built for hard to sort items, such as fragile items that require different handling. It’s good for ultra-lightweight items, poly bags, etc.  It’s scalable, flexible, and affordable due to truly modular design, a world of layout possibilities, and competitive pricing. It can also deploy quickly, with 6-8 week delivery times and a couple days installation time. If you’re planning to attend Modex, check it out.

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    Posted in Automation, Conveyor, Cross Docking, Docks & Shipping, Material Handling, News, Order Picking & Fulfillment, Pallet Rack, Warehousing| No Comments »


    How the Movies Get Material Handling Wrong

    November 15, 2011
    by Scott Stone

    Mateial handling movies

    If you are in the warehousing or material handling industry, you’ll find yourself identifying warehouse and handling equipment in movies or television shows quite often. Many of us have seen, for instance, the NFL graphics of a large distribution system used on Fox network for years. I’ve pointed out Hytrol conveyors in movies to my wife for years, to the point where she says it first when she sees it.

    For fun, we have put together a list of the more famous scenes in entertainment history involving material handling equipment, and how it could have been done better.

    Read the rest of this entry »

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    Posted in Automation, Conveyor, Industrial Shelving, Lifts, News, Pallet Rack, Warehousing| No Comments »


    Proper Storage and Handling of Prescription Drugs

    June 21, 2011
    by Scott Stone

    warehouse storage - pharmaceutical

    When it comes to storing controlled substances, in particular prescription drugs, the warehouse and bulk storage aspects are important for pharmaceutical, hospital central supply warehouses, or retail outlets. This is an area where many people who should not have access to medication may find easier opportunities for pilferage. The FDA offers some guidelines on how to operate securely, and within regulations. State licensing laws will typically reflect the minimum Federal requirements, but may exceed those, when it comes to the storage and handling of prescription drugs.

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    Posted in Docks & Shipping, Industrial Shelving, Material Handling, Order Picking & Fulfillment, Pallet Rack, Security, Warehousing| No Comments »


    Nashville Wire Names Cisco-Eagle to Top 10 Dealers

    March 28, 2011
    by Scott Stone

    Nashville Wire Products AwardNashville Wire, a manufacturer of wire rack decking, folding wire containers, rivet shelving deck, and more has named Cisco-Eagle to its list of top 10 distributors for 2010.

    “We pride ourselves on our product quality, our service, and our integrity,” said a letter from the company. These values have guided us through the years and helped us form relationships with companies such as Cisco-Eagle that brought us to where we are today. We value this relationship and do not take it for granted.”

    “Cisco-Eagle appreciates the recognition, as we consider Nashville Wire to be a quality partner with excellent products for our clients,” said Cisco-Eagle president Steve Strifler. “It’s the kind of relationship that can help everyone involved – our customers most of all.”

    Pictured is the plaque that was sent accompanying the notice.

     

    Posted in Material Handling, News, Pallet Rack| No Comments »


    Moving Material Vertically – VRC’s, Conveyors, and Other Options

    February 2, 2011
    by Scott Stone

    mezzanine and conveyor picking area

    The easiest space to recoup in most every operation is overhead space – the vertical cube. Expanding out costs more than expanding up. Over time, that means utilizing mezzanines, suspended overhead conveyors, pick modules, taller rack systems, the space over dock doors, etc. That space is available in most every warehouse or manufacturing facility, but utilizing it means that you have to be able to move material between levels without creating bottlenecks.

    What are your options?

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    Posted in Automation, Conveyor, Mezzanines, Pallet Rack, Space Saving, Warehousing| No Comments »


    Pallet Rack Wire Decking: Calculating Gauges and Capacity

    December 7, 2010
    by Scott Stone

    Wire gauge is a crucial element in wire pallet rack deck design and is also one of the first places manufacturers look to when needing to cut costs, meaning it’s one of the first places you should look when comparing decking for your pallet rack project. Lower cost is great, but only if you’re getting the capacity and durability you need.

    Just because two decks are the same size in no way makes them the same deck. That can be all right, so long as both can hold your load and last for the longterm.

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    Posted in Manufacturing, Material Handling, Order Picking & Fulfillment, Pallet Rack, Safety & Ergonomics, Warehousing| No Comments »


    Why Warehouse Employees Ignore Advice on Safe Lifting

    December 5, 2010
    by Scott Stone

    lifting boxes and cartons correctly

    The most common advice that ergonomics experts, OSHA, and other researchers could provide to people in warehousing or other jobs that require manual lifting is that you should always bend your knees and lift that way, rather than bend at the waist to pick something up. The strain that repetitive stress on the lower back can inflict is staggering – 20% of workplace injuries are related to lower back injuries. Lifting right is essential to employee safety, and also to preventing Worker Compensation claims.

    Even when you train employees to lift right – and we know that not everyone does – they frequently ignore the advice. Why?

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    Posted in Docks & Shipping, Lifts, Mezzanines, Order Picking & Fulfillment, Pallet Rack, Safety & Ergonomics, Warehousing| No Comments »


    Saving Space in Rack Storage Areas

    December 3, 2010
    by Scott Stone

    pallet rack rows

    Pallet rack storage is relatively inexpensive and extremely common. In many facilities, it also consumes the majority of square footage. When you can cut down on this space, significant gains can be made that allow you to use the square footage for other purposes. Here are some ideas for reducing your rack storage footprint while maintaining storage capacity.
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    Posted in Material Handling, Order Picking & Fulfillment, Pallet Rack, ROI, Space Saving, Warehousing| No Comments »