3 Tips on Warehouse Material Handling

Have you ever wondered how to handle materials in a warehouse effectively? Where do you begin to organize equipment, materials, and tools for inventory and organization with the appearance of being haphazard? These tips will help you create a system that will maximize space and create a more efficient environment.

1. Reduce Waste

Identifying and reducing waste in the warehouse is a big challenge that many businesses face. The degree to which you can reduce waste will depend on the commitment levels of management, staff, and employees.

2. Know Your Weight Limits

Material weight is one of the most essential factors in material handling. The maximum weight your employees can carry, your trucks can carry, and your forklifts can lift are important considerations. Exceeding these limits could lead to injury or damage to equipment and facilities.

3. Keep a Close Eye on Labor Costs

Labor costs often make up 60% or more of warehouse operating costs. To reduce those expenses, you can do a lot to improve warehouse efficiency by using the most efficient methods for material handling.

• Maintain a safe workplace and use safety equipment. This will reduce accidents and injuries, which can help keep labor costs down. 
• Look at your productivity reports to find areas where you might be able to improve efficiency in your warehouse operations. Having the right equipment helps your workers handle orders in an organized way.

Conclusion

All processes inside a warehouse are variations on the basic concept of moving materials. The backbone of efficient warehouse material handling is an efficient operation. Wasted time or movement adds up quickly and can lead to expensive inefficiencies. Material handling costs typically account for between 45-and 50% of warehouse expenses, so it behooves management to be strategic in their material handling investments.