Because it links the manufacturing process with transportation to retailers, cold storage is one of the most important parts of the frozen food supply chain. The rise in e-commerce and evolution in where food is stored and how it gets to our homes is causing a massive increase in cold storage facilities across the nation.
With supply chains becoming more and more complex and increasing in length, it’s more important than ever for providers to ensure that perishable products that are stored in their warehouses are kept within a strict temperature range (normally between -20 degrees Celsius and -28 degrees Celsius). A temperature variation of even a few degrees could ruin hundreds of pallets of food—and cost many thousands of dollars.
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Tags: e-commerce, cold storage, frozen storage, 3PL cold storage
Posted in Pallet & Warehouse Racks|
Order picking operations in today’s rapid, ecommerce-driven market are faced with increasing demand and customer expectations on one side, and a fluid labor pool on the other. This isn’t dissimilar to the labor challenges experienced by fast food companies. What can you do to cope with this?
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Tags: labor, Robotics, Automation
Posted in Order Picking & Fulfillment|
You probably know the stats: Forklifts are extremely common, very productive and likely the most dangerous piece of machinery in any given warehouse. They seriously injure tens of thousands of people a year.
Over its lifespan, most every forklift will be involved in some type of accident. If that involves a pedestrian, the injuries can be ghastly and the costs astronomical. Here are some things we’ve recently looked at to help reduce the chances of such incidents.
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Tags: forklift, forklift injury, warehouse accidents
Posted in Forklift - Pedestrian Safety|
With the rapid increase in the pace of manufacturing and distribution, facilities that automate manual processes will increase their ROI and grow their bottom line.
Customer demand is ever-increasing, right along with the costs to service that demand. You want your warehouse to deliver faster and more efficient results without sacrificing production. You’re looking at automating components within your facility to produce this change. But how can you really get started?
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Tags: warehouse productivity, Warehouse Management, warehousing, Material Handling, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, distribution center, e-commerce
Posted in Automation, Labor & Efficiency|
As we have covered previously, conveyors contribute to ergonomics in material handling operations by reducing repetitive lifts, twists, reaching and materials movement that may have been done by hand without them. Eliminating manual lifting and carrying reduces the chances for painful, expensive musculoskeletal injuries. It’s not about the once-in-a-while lift/carry but the same, repetitive motions over and over.
It’s important that your conveyor is configured correctly to make this work. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: ergonomics, worker safety, loading docks
Posted in Conveyor Optimization|
In warehouses, about 25% of injuries come at or near the loading dock area.
This is usually because it’s such a focal point of any distribution operation—it’s where everything is accepted and put away and where everything eventually processes out. This means that at times the dock will buzz with forklifts, workers on foot and other bursts of activity. It has a natural fall hazard in the edge of the dock. It’s got exposure to elements, meaning that it may have moisture, oils and other trip/slip hazards. When it comes to preventing falls, what are OSHA’s requirements? And what should you do above and beyond them?
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Tags: Third Party Logistics, ecommerce, 3PL
Posted in Docks & Shipping|
When it’s single-digits outside, any warehouse worker can tell you how cold the job gets near the shipping or receiving docks. Due to the sheer size and typical construction of warehouses, they’re difficult to insulate and heat. They are also susceptible to roof leaks, which may cause slip hazards during rainy or winter weather. Warehouse workers who work in chilly, uncomfortable environments all day are going to be less efficient, slower and at more risk for accidents or injuries. Even wearing jackets and gloves, the cold has a profound effect on their comfort and work. What are some steps you can take to reduce the impact?
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Tags: dock doors, shipping & receiving, dock safety, work environment, winter
Posted in Docks & Shipping|
It’s demanding to manage a warehouse, distribution, plant floor, manufacturing or order processing facility.
There are time constraints, labor shortages, long hours, and demands from both customers and management. The phone rings a lot with all kinds of issues. For warehouse managers, today’s age of rapid e-commerce order fulfillment, rising customer expectations, new technologies and regulatory issues have made the job more complex than ever. What specific skill sets should you cultivate as a manager?
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Tags: career, dc manager, distribution management, Warehouse Management
Posted in Warehousing & Distribution|
When a prospective client wants to visit your 3PL facility, it’s critical; you could be on the verge of new business.
You want to show them why they should select you as their 3PL of choice; that you’re the best choice; that you can be trusted to help them serve their clients. It’s no easy task running a successful warehouse or third-party logistics company – it’s a multi-faceted organization with its own specific attributes and specialties.
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Tags: warehousing, Material Handling, 3PL, lean warehousing, warehouse, Third Party Logistics, warehouse flow, ecommerce, Warehouse Management
Posted in Warehousing & Distribution|
The forklift is ubiquitous in warehousing, manufacturing, distribution and other industrial operations, but many companies are actively working to reduce fleet size—or eliminate forklifts entirely.
Why eliminate forklifts?
This seems to be mostly about safety. Powered industrial trucks ranked sixth for OSHA violations in the most recent data. They’re always near the top. They cause about 100 deaths in the United States every year, and tens of thousands of injuries, with a high percentage termed “serious.” Forklifts are often the single most hazardous machine in any facility that operates them. Can you truly make a warehouse forklift free, as many EHS experts recommend? Maybe not, but you can minimize forklifts and keep them out of the most dangerous areas. Let’s dive into some methods.
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Tags: Warehouse Management, Material Handling, Industrial Lifts, forklift
Posted in Forklift - Pedestrian Safety|
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