It’s that season – facilities across the country are facing mounting utility bills, workers drenched in sweat, and ferocious heat. Typically, an HVLS fan is one of the best solutions to these issues, but MacroAir has gone one better by producing these massive air movement ceiling fans in a solar configuration. This innovation does a couple of things. First, it cools your facility during the day, using the same method other HVLS fans use. But beyond that, it’s a very green product, one that reduces your energy costs and carbon footprint. Currently, these fans come in solar-only configurations. They won’t run when the sun is down, and they do not have battery backup systems. However, there is an option being designed to allow you to tie them to building power for night time or non-seasonal applications.

More information here…

Implementing an energy-efficient lighting system can make your facility much brighter overall, and in particular, it can brighten those dark ‘canyons’ between rack rows.

It also saves you money on utility costs. In a large distribution center, the daily cost savings is significant, even before you factor in enhanced productivity due to an overall better working environment. But it gets better: Under the 2005 EPACT law, you can deduct the entire cost of a new lighting system, up to 60 cents a square foot if the system reduces lighting power density below he maximum allowable lighting power densities listed in ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2001, and if a few other requirements are met. This typically results in a much lower cost of ownership and a very quick return on investment.

Oh, and combined with other energy saving upgrades to your facility, that 60 cents could climb to $1.80 a square foot.

EPACT (the Energy Policy Act of 2005) is a wide-ranging law that can help you reduce power consumption in your facility and defer the cost through tax deductions. Facility owners can qualify for an EPACT 2005 tax credit in similar cases where LPD (Lighting Power Density) is reduced more than .6 watts per square foot.

To get to the larger $1.80 per square foot, a facility must utilize systems defined as interior lighting systems, HVAC/hot water systems and building envelope features, which are otherwise depreciable as a cost; installed in the United States; part of new construction or renovation within the scope of the ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2001; and certified to reduce total annual energy and power costs to at least 50% less than a building satisfying ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2001.

For practical purposes, this means that you can “double down” on energy-conserving upgrades in your operation. If you can install, say, a warehouse lighting system and HVAC upgrades, you can deduct a significant amount of the cost in the same year even before you start to realize the savings from lowered utility bills. Combine that with other ways to reduce power costs such as strip doors, high speed dock doors, or roll up doors, HVLS ceiling mounted fans and other related equipment, and you can slash costs for a much lower initial investment.

One of the simplest methods ever devised for conveying goods is undoubtedly the skatewheel conveyor, which  can be used in either temporary or permanent installations in virtually any kind of operation.

Skatewheel conveyors have several advantages over gravity roller conveyors:

• They require less pitch to convey the product in a decline situation.
• Lightweight loads and even empty cartons are moved easily on the skatewheel conveyor because it takes less force to start several wheels in motion than a gravity roller.
• Another decided advantage over straight roller conveyor is the natural differential action of skatewheel conveyors.  The product being conveyed maintains orientation while moving on the skatewheel conveyor.  This is especially desirable if the product moves around a curved section. As the load negotiates the curve, the skatewheels provide this differential action just as a tapered roller curve.
• Less energy is needed to turn the small wheels of a skatewheel conveyor, and that makes skatewheel good at maintaining the speed of a conveyed product.
• Because each wheel turns independently,  skatewheel conveyor is also excellent for curves in a conveyor line.

There are limitations when contemplating using skatewheel conveyors in an operation.  Drums, pails, and products with uneven or irregular bottoms will not convey well on skatewheel conveyor — for those, specify rollers.  For best results, the a skatewheel load should have a smooth, solid and flat surface.

The skatewheel conveyor uses a plain ball bearing and should only be used in clean dry environments free of dust and moisture. The size of the product conveyed will also be a factor when choosing skatewheel over roller conveyor.  There should be three (3) axles and seven (10) wheels under the product bottom at all times. Skatewheel capacity is also a factor when considering this type of conveyor.  Skatewheel is generally used in light duty installations.  Wheel capacities for steel and aluminum frames are listed on our website, and should be consulted before specifying skatewheel.

The wheels used in skatewheel conveyors extend above the conveyor frame to permit loads to overhang the unit but it is a good idea not to allow the width of the load to exceed the conveyor width by more than 25%.

WERC (Warehousing Education and Research Council) has announced its 2010 Annual conference, geared for the needs of warehouse and distribution management. The conference is set for May 16-19, 2010. The WERC conference offers on a strong educational program for warehousing/distribution professionals from long-time to just-starting-out. Practitioners, subject matter experts, industry suppliers and academics freely share their experience and ideas. You’ll walk away with new insights on the best ways to optimize resources, maximize productivity and optimize performance. For more information or registration details, visit the official WERC site.

Environmental awareness, sustainability, ‘green’ or carbon foot printing, no matter what term you use today, everyone and every facility is aware that their processes need improving.

Whether you are in pharmaceutical, beverage, food, automotive, distribution, manufacturing or thousands of other industries today, there has to be some way to track and/or reuse what is not used within your daily operations. Many progressive industries are designing internal reclamation processes for utilization and recycling of goods they don’t need or are waste.

This white paper (PDF, opens a new window) explains various methods for removing refuse from your facility in a more organized, more controlled manner by utilizing conveyors.

It’s been the big story in manufacturing for more than a decade: companies are sending plants offshore to take advantage of inexpensive labor. But according to Exel Logistics, the advantages of manufacturing overseas have waned over the last few years. Will U.S. companies begin to bring manufacturing operations home, faced with increasing burdens and decreasing ROI on their overseas facilities?

The big reason? Labor cost reductions. Since 2003, wages have increased by 21% in Brazil and 19% in China compared with just 5% in Mexico and 3% in the U.S. Manufacturing labor is still much higher in the U.S., but the gap is closing. And there have always been other reasons to manufacture here, including lower inventory costs, reduced lead times, better customer service, faster recovery time after supply chain disruptions, and reduced carbon footprint.

Competitive advantage can be gained by, as Exel states in the paper, “bringing operations back to, or near to, the United States.”

Exel’s new white paper evaluates Right-Shoring and what it can mean for domestic businesses. Download the report here.

How green does conveyor get?

In the case of E24, we’re talking about energy savings as high as 60%.  But then we get into raw materials savings: An E24 conveyor lasts about 6 times as long as a conventional roller at 125,000 hours life expectancy (24/7 runtime). That’s less steel and power used to manufacture it. E24EZ conveyors have a built-in that allows the conveyors to enter an energy-saving “sleep mode” for the ultimate in quiet, efficient, sustainable powered roller conveyor. Because the conveyor can use only one motor for all widths, it’s excellent for reducing needs for specialized, energy-consuming motors. With 3 moving parts, there are many fewer opportunities for parts failure, and the inefficiency that comes with it.

We’ve been posting a series of brief conveyor white papers. There are 5 now, with many others in development for future publication. You’ll always be able to download these PDF files from our site, and will be informed as there are new ones.  This paper, “Conveyor System Implementation Considerations” (PDF file; opens in a new window) focuses on implementation considerations.

It speaks to return on investment issues, as well as energy savings. Before implementing a material handling system, you have many considerations. The two biggest in today’s economic conditions are: ROI and Sustainability.

ROI: When ROI is calculated on the front-end of a project based upon improvements and reductions, the outward initial expenditure often is seen as an excellent deal. If it isn’t, you should rethink the reasons you are implementing a system, whether it be conveyor or other handling equipment.

SUSTAINABILITY:Any proactive company today realizes that sustainability isn’t a buzzword but an asset when making capital expenditures. Not only is the equipment more efficient, it can make your production, process or facility much more sustainable and profitable.

Check out the white paper for more details.

In my mind, material handling can be boiled down to this statement Cisco-Eagle’s leadership team developed years ago:

“Material Handling is a set of solutions for the movement, storage, retrieval, control and protection of materials and products throughout their manufacture, distribution, consumption and disposal. We enable clients to get the right amount of the right material to the right place at the right time in the right sequence in the right position in the right condition for the right cost in a safe manner.”

The Material Handling Industry of America has posted a video that may be helpful if you are starting the process of “greening” your supply chain.

Baby steps are important, especially at the plant level. For instance, in a recent Cisco-Eagle white paper (PDF), we point out the value of energy efficient conveyor motors. A thousand feet of conveyor outfitted with energy efficient motors could cut enough energy costs over five years to pay for 90% of the cost of the equipment. Also, besides its money savings and “green” profile, you are also saving on heat, which means the equipment may require less maintenance, and endure less wear and tear. It’s a win-win.

Here is the general outline of steps you should take:

1. Make the business case (Clearly establish and communicate the business benefits of sustainability (Public relations benefits: Risk Reduction, Cost reduction)
2. Get top level buy in & accountability (obtain funding & resources, appoint a sustainability champion, gain accountability and empowerment to effect change)
3. Empower your employees (communicate the commitment, encourage involvement)
4. Benchmark supply chain sustainability (perform a carbon footprint study, assess your green ranking, review local, federal, and global sustainability regulation
5. Develop a sustainability plan (set sustainability goals, develop metrics, track progress)
6. Identify low hanging fruit first ( make simple and easy improvements, increase energy efficiency, gain immediate impact)
7. Develop sustainability scorecards for suppliers ( set goals and metrics, benchmark and rate suppliers)
8. Help your suppliers succeed (communicate expectations, measure progress, make them accountable, reward success)
9. Review your performance (document compliance, identify areas for improvement)
10. Be transparent and publicize your goals (communicate to management, employees, customers, suppliers)

Be transparent and publicize your efforts, and focus on those things you can succeed at early. At the heart of it, a greener supply chain is also a less expensive one. More great tips at the MHIA Green Resources area.