labor | Warehousing Insights | Material Handling Systems - Part 2
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The Impact Of Industrial Robots On Your Workforce

February 14, 2019
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worker using industrial robot

A research paper was released by two Harvard labor economists highlighted one of the coming decade’s most interesting talking points: the automated labor of the future. We are no strangers to the unique opportunities that adding robots can provide. What this paper sought to do was estimate the current effect of the introduction of robots on wages and employment, while also focus on the future they pose in industrial and manufacturing economies.

With this kind of research being conducted (with many more studies to be revealed for sure) and a spotlight put on the future robotic workforce, many with facilities that could use their services would be wise to discover how they can benefit. But what, exactly, should you be looking for?

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Posted in Automation, Labor & Efficiency|

Dealing with Warehouse Labor Shortages

July 26, 2018
by

workers in safety vests and headsets placing cartons on conveyor

If you run a distribution center, factory or warehouse, it’s not news to you that labor is in tight supply. Demands is up, and workers — particularly skilled, motivated, productive ones — have more options than ever.

E-commerce has transformed the business, with constantly-escalating demand for pickers, packers, assembly workers, drivers and warehouse labor. With national unemployment rates below 4%, many other industries are competing with you for the same labor pool. What can you do to cope with these issues?

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Posted in Warehousing & Distribution|

Why Your Order Pickers Should be More Like Fast Food Workers

March 22, 2018
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illustration of fast food worker with takeout bag and cup
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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Posted in Order Picking & Fulfillment|

Factors for Robotic Bag Palletizing Systems

March 2, 2017
by

robot placing bags on pallet

Above: SAS Automation standardized bag-gripper

Palletizing is a standard material handling application for industrial robots, and bag palletizing is one of the most typical applications. Why? Because bag palletizing is simpler and easier than case palletizing. If your operation requires bag stacking/pallet loading – and you want to improve speed, reduce mistakes, and create a more ergonomic system, here are the things you need to know.

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Posted in Automation, Labor & Efficiency|

How Dock Operations Improve Customer Service

January 10, 2017
by

flexible conveyors at dock door service

A loading dock is like a football center: It touches the ball every play, but gets no glory when things go well.

Almost all warehouses and manufacturing facilities induct and ship out almost everything through the dock area.  Your shipping and receiving areas are the conduit between your operation and the world beyond. Finding ways to improve operations in the dock area can yield positive results for almost any business. Whether your operation processes 10 pallets or 10,000 packages a day, you can improve the entire operation by optimizing dock operations.

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Posted in Docks & Shipping|

The Future of Manufacturing: Interview

May 10, 2016
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Modex 2016 Show Floor, Atlanta Georgia

We had the opportunity to sit down with Brian Neuwirth, President of UNEX, for a wide-ranging discussion on the state of manufacturing. He shared his insights on key issues facing the industry from improving customer experience to addressing the skills gap.

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Posted in Manufacturing|

How Automation & Material Handling Extends the Careers of Skilled Workers

September 9, 2015
by

warehouse worker in forklift

We published an article in the third quarter of the MHEDA Journal, Automation and Labor: Can’t They Get Along? The point of that article is that for American labor, robots aren’t currently reducing employment so much as changing it. Automated industries tend to be more profitable and less vulnerable to offshoring and other job-reducing factors.

Our friends at AutoQuip brought up another point—that automated systems and lifts can add valuable years to the working lives of high-skill, aging employees.

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Posted in Automation, Labor & Efficiency|

15 Experts Weigh in on Manufacturing’s Shifting Workforce Demographics

June 4, 2015
by

older and younger warehouse workers looking at a laptop

Manufacturing skills gap. Talent shortage. Shifting workforce demographics. What are the trends?

Call it what you will, but the fact remains that the U.S. manufacturing industry faces a pressing issue in the coming years if current worker retirement rates continue to accelerate and projections for industry expansion prove accurate. Research from the Manufacturing Institute and Deloitte indicates there could be as many as 2 million unfilled manufacturing jobs by 2025, up from initial estimates of 600,000. As noted in a Huffington Post article on the research findings, retirement and rapid industry growth are the two driving factors contributing to the skills shortage.

To get a better sense of how the industry is addressing the challenges (and potential opportunities) associated with the increasing skills gap, we recently conferred with industry partners, leaders, and subject matter experts.

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Posted in Manufacturing|

How to Create an Effective Incentive Program

May 7, 2015
by

warehouse team in hardhats in a huddle

Incentive programs are surprisingly common for industrial operations, and they can produce significant savings, quality increases and improved employee satisfaction – if the program is built correctly. In manufacturing, assemblers are often incentivized for quality and speed. In warehousing, it can be reduced product damage, pick rates, error rates or any number of other categories. When companies build out these programs, there are opportunities to create great value. How are companies going about this?

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Posted in Manufacturing|

10 Ways to Improve Order Picking Productivity

March 31, 2015
by

warehouse order picking

Like the Paul Simon song goes, there are 50 ways to pick an order—except in reality there are far more.

With such a variety of methods, processes, technologies and equipment options out there, it can be challenging to determine the best ways to improve order processing efficiency and productivity. In this article, LIDD’s Charles Fallon discusses 10 ways for distribution center managers to boost their order picking crew’s performance.
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Posted in Order Picking & Fulfillment|

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