Jessica Haring | Warehousing Insights | Material Handling Systems
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All Squared Away: Carton Quality

December 17, 2024

worker stacking cardboard boxes

Cartons affect the full sequence of warehousing operations, but are frequently overlooked.

Besides carton sizes, you must also consider carton construction. One box out of square may not matter much; over a whole shipment, un-squared cartons can cause issues up and down the line. They don’t stack well, may not convey correctly and could result in product damage. In fact, you may pay higher shipping costs due to the size, composition and condition of the simplest thing: the carton.

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Posted in Warehousing & Distribution|

Packing Packs a Punch

November 5, 2024

warehouse worker taping box on a conveyor line

The moment when your customers open a box with the things they ordered is the most important part of their interaction with you. It’s your moment of truth. Well-executed packing reduces product damage, minimizes returns and leaves a positive impression. Subpar packing has the opposite effect.

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Posted in Order Picking & Fulfillment|

Cisco-Eagle’s 2024 ESOP Poster

October 22, 2024

Each October, as part of Employee Ownership Month, we hold a contest to design our annual ESOP poster. Employee-owners submit their ideas, and the winning design is generated, printed and posted in our offices for the coming year. It’s part of our effort to keep employee ownership at the forefront of our culture and remind all our teams, in all locations, that we’re working toward something together.

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Posted in ESOP & Company News|

Ball Transfers for Ergonomic, Efficient Product Movement

October 8, 2024

ball transfer table at conveyor intersection

Sometimes the right tool for the job is not the flashiest. The humble ball transfer isn’t high-tech, but does a great job of minimizing reaching and straining that endangers workers. Ball transfers punch above their weight class in a warehouse ergonomics and safety program.

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Posted in Conveyor Optimization|

Give Me a Reason to Stay

September 5, 2024

pedestrian exit sign in a warehouse

You’ve seen the statistics about labor shortages over the last few years. The reality for recruiters on the ground is more obvious: there have been plenty of no-shows for job interviews (or for the first day of work). Candidates ghost companies throughout the process. You may have to take down a job posting only to put it right back up when someone quits. Particularly for the roles warehousing and manufacturing companies need to hire, the difficulties are real – and only growing.

So how do you attract and keep the right candidates for your company?

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Posted in Automation, Labor & Efficiency|

Checklist: What to Discover Before Your Automation Project

August 8, 2024

manager with tablet in warehouse

Initiating an automation project can be daunting. You have to ask for a budget. You have to justify your ideas. Inertia and tradition are your enemies. If you find yourself staring at a blank page, intimidated by the idea of beginning to automate, you’re not alone.

As we have discussed before, there’s no reason you must automate all at once when incremental steps will serve. You can set yourself up for success and start a project with greater confidence with careful thought and planning. What does that process look like?

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Posted in Automation, Labor & Efficiency|

Shoptalk: Will a Carousel Work for You?

September 6, 2022

workers in a carousel access aisle

In our most recent Shoptalk video, employee-owner Joel of our Systems Integration Group discusses vertical carousels—the advantages they offer and how you can evaluate them for your operation.

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Posted in Automation, Labor & Efficiency|

Putting Our ESOP into Action: Cisco-Eagle Volunteers

August 10, 2022

group photo of employees with pallets of canned food

As part of the community-focused spirit of our ESOP, three of our locations recently planned and participated in group volunteer days:

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Posted in ESOP & Company News|

Automated Palletizing Options: Finding a Happy Medium

July 7, 2022

cobot system with pallet
Robotics in distribution operations aren’t exactly the stuff of the Jetsons; you see them every day. Because end-of-line palletizing involves so much repetitive motion, it’s a prime target for automation. It fits the profile of easily-profiled, repeatable and low-value labor tasks. It’s also back-breaking and un-ergonomic. How do you know if a robotic palletizing option makes sense? And what type of automation fits you?

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Posted in Automation, Labor & Efficiency|

Shoptalk: DEA-Compliant Cages for Controlled Substances

January 11, 2022

video subject in front of a storage cage

In the most recent installment in our Shoptalk video series, employee-owner (and Design Technician Manager) Edward Wallis discusses the differences between DEA-compliant security cages for controlled substances and general security cages. If you deal with pharmaceuticals or other sensitive inventory, you need to know the critical differences between general inventory and controlled substance secure storage.

Watch the video now

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Posted in Security|

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