This month, we cover the investments one state is making to staff its manufacturing sector, vertical automation options, AI in warehousing, and more.
April 2024 Insights: Staffing America’s Manufacturing Boom
April 25, 2024
by Scott Stone
Tags: Automation, Manufacturing, labor
Posted in Industry Insights|
Scissor Lift Platform Options for Improved Productivity & Ergonomics
April 4, 2024
by Scott Stone
Building a more ergonomic material handling operation almost always equates to building a more efficient one. People who don’t need to bend, strain or lift as often are usually more effective, faster and less prone to injury. If it takes energy or time to turn, lift or maneuver a load, it’s this simple: you’re losing productivity. Many companies use scissor lift tables to help them lift heavy and bulky loads and can make the process even better by understanding what happens when that load reaches its desired height.
Tags: ergonomics, facility safety, Conveyor
Posted in Lifting & Lift Systems|
Insights: The State of Warehouse Productivity
March 28, 2024
by Scott Stone
Because labor has the lion’s share of costs in most warehouses and manufacturing facilities, productivity is always about the labor. Below we dive into a report below on the state of warehousing productivity and the ways you can analyze and improve it. Because we’re seeing worker shortages in the sector across the board, finding ways to help integrate younger workers into your operation is critical – also covered here.
Tags: Manufacturing, productivity, labor management, Lean
Posted in Industry Insights|
Vertical Conveyors Loading and Unloading Integration
March 21, 2024
by Scott Stone
There are many ways to transport products vertically in a warehouse or manufacturing operation, each with its distinctive advantages and limitations. These methods can range from extremely basic – a forklift and a pallet – to fully-integrated, automated systems. Vertical conveyors are one of the most common methods for certain loads and situations. What are some of the integration factors for these conveyors, and how can you handle them?
Tags: conveyors, mezzanine, work platforms
Posted in Lifting & Lift Systems|
Stress and The Warehouse Worker: What are the Issues?
February 27, 2024
by Scott Stone
This month, we delve into the stresses faced by warehouse workers, and how that may play into the sector’s competitiveness for labor as the available pool continues to contract. Also: detailed data on manufacturing output, ROI for industrial capital spending, and a bit more.
Tags: Automation, Manufacturing, labor
Posted in Industry Insights|
How to Convey Heavy, Fragile Cartons
February 22, 2024
by Scott Stone
Beverage handling systems have always been challenging. Cartons of expensive wine and liquor are heavy – and dense. And prone to damage. Sometimes these loads can be perishable and need to move fast through a system from picking to packing. The need to serve both retail and ecommerce customers from the same facility also complicates these design challenges.
Tags: warehousing, product damage, ergonomics, order fulfilment
Posted in Conveyor Optimization|
Warehouse Ergonomics and Productivity: an Inseparable Relationship
February 6, 2024
by Scott Stone
Improving the ergonomics of any warehouse operation may be the single easiest way to improve productivity – and that’s aside from the obvious safety and labor force protection aspects. Consider all the ways people move and work every day, every week, every year. Those repetitive motions take a toll both on the people doing the work and overall productivity. Ergonomics and productivity are not only related: they’re essential to each other.
Posted in Safety & Ergonomics|
Manufacturing Expansion: Who, What, Where and How?
January 30, 2024
by Scott Stone
As we enter 2024, it’s no secret that manufacturing is growing at a nearly unprecedented rate. This cycle has been on the rise for years, and is now accelerating. Beneath the surface, some regions and sectors are growing faster than others. What are the trends we can anticipate in 2024 and beyond?
Tags: Manufacturing
Posted in Industry Insights|
Warehouse Automation: The Cost of Doing Nothing
January 18, 2024
by Scott Stone
People who operate industrial facilities have a difficult task. While the world changes around them, they’re dealing with a static operation that can be difficult to change or revitalize. Sunk costs, funding and organizational inertia can paralyze you at the worst moments. But the reality is that from our supply chains to labor to our customer demand profile, things are always in flux.
Tags: AS/RS, conveyors, labor management, Robotics
Posted in Automation, Labor & Efficiency|
Cisco-Eagle Announces Strategic Acquisition of Trinity Controls
January 16, 2024
by Scott Stone
Dallas, Texas – January 15, 2024 – Cisco-Eagle, a leading material handling systems integration company, is pleased to announce the acquisition of Trinity Controls, an innovative controls engineering company located in Birmingham, Alabama.
Tags: ESOP, Automation, controls
Posted in ESOP & Company News|