A report on how to select the right material handling equipment for warehousing.

Material handling is an ever growing industry as the demand of material handling equipment is increasing day-by-day. The material handling equipment helps the industry to increase the production with same manpower keeping the vital aspect safety enhanced for operator or user working with material handling equipment. Materials handling refers to the process of moving, controlling, protecting as well as storing materials such as goods, items etc. for manufacture, disposal and distribution or even for consumption. This process is very crucial because all the materials should be handled well in order to keep it safe and to reach its destination safely and to maintain their quality and condition.

Deciding warehousing equipment is a critical factor while designing a new warehouse or upgrading the existing warehouse. “It is very important that the selected equipment not only improve the day-to-day operations but improve the overall functional efficiency of the warehouse,” opines Sharwan Agnihotri, Head – Marketing & Business Development, Hyundai Construction Equipment India Pvt Ltd. He adds, “It is also important to decide an equipment based on overall life cycle cost and risks associated than the acquisition cost.”

Hyundai Construction Equipment India has launched material handling and warehousing equipment in 2015 with the objective of providing integrated solution to material handling and warehousing needs and improving overall economy and safety of operation.

Today, the company offers a range of diesel, electric and LPG forklifts from 1.5- tonne class to 35-tonne class category. These machines are being used in all segments of the industry including beverage, food, manufacturing, pharma or material handling at port. “We have recently introduced class 3 products including hand pallets, battery operated pallet trucks, stackers and tow trucks making Hyundai a complete solution provider for the industry needs,” informs Agnihotri.

Vertical and horizontal controlling of cranes

To cope up with the next level of warehousing opportunities and setups, Pioneer Cranes has developed a new concept i.e. vertical warehousing. Arshdeep Singh, Director, Pioneer Cranes & Elevators Pvt Ltd says, “We have designed our crane to allow full control of the warehousing activities vertically as well as horizontally. We are adding a state-of-the-art machine shop with latest machinery to provide the best of products to the esteemed customer. For increasing the storage capacity, we have developed a racking crane enabling our customer to store material in multi-layered racks.” These cranes are useful for warehouses and stores, to store material vertically in racks, increasing the storage capacity of the warehouse within same floor area. The size of storage space
drastically reduces with this application of crane. If needed, full automation of crane can be done to provide uninterrupted operation without use of manpower.

Solution for long load handling

Long loads handling are common problem with heavy fabrication industries, truck manufacturers, boom crane manufacturer, wind mill industry, pipe and tubes manufacturer, railway industry, etc. Discussing on long loads handling and the need to choose the right equipment while handling long loads within warehouse, production facility or outdoor yards S.S. Khasim, Business Head, Horvert Inc says, “The loads are either handled by mobile cranes or with conventional forklifts. Thus bulky and long loads which are either dangerously handled and time consuming can be avoided with use of Side loader cum front loader forklift trucks.

Side loader cum front loader forklift trucks has the capability to pick the long goods conveniently and move in side ward motion to squeeze past the road ways and narrow gangways. Besides extending 270-degree operator visibility these trucks can be customised to handle the profile conveniently and move on ramps too.”

Selecting the appropriate material handling equipment for any given warehouse is critical for supply chain efficiency. Today’s supply chains are becoming more and more integrated, with customers looking for end-to-end systems that result in heightened levels of efficiency.

There are many options when it comes to selecting material handling equipment, from fully automated storage and retrieval systems for expansive warehouses to simple hand trucks for small and light loads. Whatever equipment is selected, it is vital that it will more efficiently handle a palletised load.

Adopting number of supply chain standards for MHE

According to Matthew Quinn, Country General Manager, CHEP India to migrate towards modern material handling practices requires the adoption of a number of supply chain standards for material handling equipment, relating to systems, racking, pallets, packaging materials, transport and more.

Over the years, the need for mechanised and automated material handling equipment has increased substantially. Quinn said, “We expect to see factories, plants and warehouses using this equipment right through from their production line to stacking and transportation. If the correct material handling equipment is selected, it will undoubtedly lead to a reduction in downtime. Palletised loading and unloading of goods, when using the right material handling equipment, will result in faster inventory turns, which means less working capital, faster pick rates, more efficient use of labour and faster truck turnaround times.”

He adds, “Adopting a modern material handling equipment is no longer a choice, it’s a necessity in order to support increased volume throughput, enable cost reductions and improve efficiencies.”

It is very important that the selected equipment not only improve the day-to-day operations but improve the overall functional efficiency of the warehouse.

Sharwan Agnihotri, Head – Marketing & Business Development, Hyundai Construction Equipment India Pvt Ltd.

We have designed our crane to allow full control of the warehousing activities vertically as well as horizontally.

Arshdeep Singh, Director, Pioneer Cranes & Elevators Pvt Ltd

If the correct material handling equipment is selected, it will undoubtedly lead to a reduction in downtime.

Matthew Quinn, Country General Manager, CHEP India

Side loader cum front loader forklift trucks has the capability to pick the long goods conveniently and move in side ward motion to squeeze past the road ways and narrow gangways.

S.S. Khasim,Business Head, Horvert Inc