The Material Handling Blog

We’ve all heard some variation of the saying “Never Let a Crisis Go to Waste” but how good are we at recognizing the crisis and the best way to capitalize on it? As we enter this new year, we must acknowledge 2020 was unlike any other year in many ways, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted everything in our lives: personal, political, and professional. The world learned to work from home, educate from home, and to the point of this article – shop from home. What can be learned from this “Great Accelerator” event to ensure distribution centers are ready to adapt in the future and improve throughput efficiencies? Here are three lessons from this past year, and a few recommendations for each to ensure the 2020 distribution center (DC) “crisis” doesn’t go to waste:

A joint process improvement program should reduce costs and improve quality - if you choose the right partner. Here are the characteristics you should look for to ensure success.

Using lean manufacturing principles to increase efficiency and productivity in warehouse operations by eliminating wasteful, non-value-added components. Read: The 8 Wastes of Lean Manufacturing Applied to Warehouse Operations

Managing multiple projects, a barrage of emails, a phone in each hand, and looming design work is the normal description of an engineer today. Regardless of how many hours, there is always more to be done and prioritize each day. This is where the philosophy of life hacking comes into play, and here are a few tips to get you started... Read More >>