Material Handling Equipment Supplier Archives - Page 5 of 6

Tips to Reducing Costs and Improving Efficiency in Your Warehouse – Part One

Tips to Reducing Costs and Improving Efficiency in Your Warehouse

Managing a warehouse is a constant juggling act as you work to control labor, inventory and freight. Tugger carts from DJ Products help employees be more productive. What other methods can you use to improve efficiency and reduce costs?

How to Reduce Costs and Improve Efficiency

Here are five top tips from experts to keep all three elements of your warehouse operations running at high levels.

1. Control Freight Charges

Freight charges can eat away at profits more quickly than any other factor. Skilled consultants can help you negotiate carrier agreements at lower rates without a corresponding decrease in service.

2. Develop Incentive Pay Programs

Incentive pay for performance is actually one of the more cost-effective methods to increase productivity. Review programs carefully to make sure they’re not redundant.

3. Simplify Workflow and Processes

Less really can be more. Take a look at the warehouse layout and work processes to see if you can identify any wasted space and motions.

4. Establish a Baseline and Benchmarks

If you don’t know where you started, how can you tell when you’ve reached the finish line? Determine the measurements you want to track and provide employees with regular feedback to get them engaged.

5. Invest in Manager Development

When managers are the weak leak, it impacts every area of your business. Make sure they have proper training and other tools they need to succeed.

Streamline Warehouse Efficiency with Tugger Carts from DJ Products

Battery-powered tugger carts, such as our best-selling CartCaddyLite, promote higher levels of productivity and reduce costs through lower risk of workplace injuries.

Visit our website to learn more about our full line of material handling solutions. Use the convenient online chat feature to get real-time assistance from our sales engineers.

Tips to Reducing Costs and Improving Efficiency in Your Warehouse – Part Two

Tips to Reducing Costs and Improving Efficiency in Your Warehouse

Are you looking for ways to control labor, inventory and freight in your warehouse? In a recent blog post, we addressed the use of material handling equipment and other ways to optimize productivity. We’re continuing our look at ideas to help you improve efficiency and reduce costs.

How to Reduce Costs and Improve Efficiency

Here are five more tips from experts to streamline your warehouse operations.

1. Optimize Inbound Supply Chain Policies and Procedures

Late deliveries and vendor non-compliance on issues such as product packaging and labeling create costly delays for your employees. Develop specific policies and push value-added services up the supply chain so your employees can focus on their own jobs.

2. Implement Voice-Enabling Technology

Voice-enabling technology reduces errors and improves productivity to the extent that a system will pay for itself in as little as four to six months. Most systems are installed quickly and require little training, but do your homework and make sure you find the right program for your application.

3. Consider Third Party Fulfillment Options

Many companies prefer to keep fulfillment functions in-house, but there are times, such as when you need more warehouse space, when third party fulfillment (3PF) is a cost-effective solution.

4. Compare SaaS and Licensed Services

Enterprise and WMS systems involve substantial investments that may prohibit timely upgrades. A SaaS subscription model can be a more appropriate option.

5. Never Stop Improving

Measure the results of your plans and build on them to continue ongoing improvement.

DJ Products: Your #1 Source for Quality Material Handling Equipment

No matter what your industry is, DJ Products has a full line of material handling equipment to meet any need. Call 800.686.2651 for assistance from one of our helpful sales engineers.

Protect Your Warehouse Workforce from Cold Stress

It’s not just warehouse equipment that suffers the ill effects of cold weather. When the temperature drops, employees are vulnerable to a number of physical conditions ranging from non-threatening to serious.

How do you protect your workforce from the effects of winter? Follow these guidelines to keep employees safe during cold weather conditions.

Understand Cold Stress

Cold stress occurs when frigid temperatures and wind combine to lower skin temperature, eventually leading to reduced internal body temperature. Dampness can accelerate the process.

Monitor the Weather

Appearances can be deceiving. It’s not enough to go by the air temperature. Wind chill allows for the factor of wind speed, which can make actual conditions even colder than what the thermometer shows.

Train Employees

Supervisors should:

– Keep a close watch on employees for signs of cold stress

– Assign workers in pairs or groups

– Allow frequent breaks in warm, dry areas

Employees should:

– Learn to recognize conditions that promote cold stress

– Learn what to do if they or co-workers begin showing signs of exposure

– Dress in appropriate clothing and accessories

Know the Signs

– Trench foot results from exposure to wet and cold for long periods of time. Symptoms include red skin, numbness, tingling and cramps.

– Frostbite begins as reddened skin and progresses to patches of gray and white.

– Hypothermia is characterized by uncontrollable shivering, while more serious cases can cause slurred speech, clumsiness and confusion.

DJ Products: Your Year-Round Source for Warehouse Equipment Moving Solutions

In any type of weather, musculoskeletal stress is the number one cause of workplace injuries. We offer a comprehensive line of electric warehouse equipment movers designed to reduce the risk of lifting and repetitive motion tasks.

Call 800.686.2651 to learn more from our helpful sales engineers.

Amazon Fulfillment is Impacting Warehouse Labor Market

The U.S. Labor Department estimates that the number of retail jobs lost over the past 17 years is the same as the number of new hires by online retailers like Amazon. That staggering number is approximately 444,000 people. The e-commerce industry toppled retail by providing a new kind of customer convenience and by maximizing manpower with warehouse equipment to quickly move high volumes of products through the system.

The labor market changes

In past years, retail workers were spread across the country at brick and mortar stores. Currently, an increasing number of shoppers have opted to do more of their shopping online. This has resulted in huge warehouses located in a small number of strategic locations that need workers to fulfill customer orders.

Although President Obama and President Trump have bemoaned Amazon eliminating traditional retail jobs, a recent DallasNews article reports the e-commerce industry is adding more jobs than the retail sector is losing. For many people previously employed in face-to-face retail, the pay, benefits, and working conditions are better in the warehouse industry.

Some previous retail workers are still struggling

With e-commerce, the warehouse industry now provides some markets with plenty of available jobs with good pay. Amazon warehouses are clustered near a relatively small number of Amazon facilities, which leaves some displaced retail workers struggling to find work. Online retailers still rely on people with jobs purchasing goods for revenue. Where and how the U.S. economy finds a balance for the e-commerce revolution is not entirely clear.

At DJ Products, our mission is to provide warehouse equipment to help businesses operate more efficiently and prevent injuries to warehouse staff. Contact us today to speak with one of our helpful sales engineers about our full line of products.

Batch or Wave Picking – Which is Best for Your Order Fulfillment Warehouse?

Did you realize that pickers in your order fulfillment warehouse spend nearly two-thirds of their shift moving their tugger carts from one bin to another? Batch picking and wave picking reduce that time for improved efficiency. Which process is right for your warehouse?

Batch Picking

As implied by the name, batch picking involves sorting orders into batches that can be picked at the same time. This cuts down the number of times pickers must visit the same bin location.

Batch picking in small-order warehouses can more than double average pick rates. Since items are usually transported by cart rather than conveyor, batch picking also reduces expenses.

Experts recommend batch picking for warehouses with a higher concentration of SKUs over a large area or those with SKUs in densely populated locations. Varying the number of orders in each batch boosts productivity by limiting traffic on the warehouse floor.

Wave Picking

On the other hand, wave picking calls for pickers to work in specific zones rather than on batches. Once all the items are picked, they are collated into individual orders.

Wave picking generally works best in distribution centers with large numbers of SKUs. The process can be refined further into fixed waves, in which orders aren’t packed until the entire wave is picked, and dynamic waves, where each individual order is packed as soon as it’s completed.

Streamline Your Warehouse with Tugger Carts from DJ Products

When employees struggle to transport outsized or heavy loads, it seriously impacts productivity in your order fulfillment warehouse. Our full line of electric tugger carts offers a solution for every application.

Visit our website to learn more about tugger carts such as our best-selling CartCaddyLite, which can transport carts weighing up to 1,500 pounds.

Good Warehouse Housekeeping – Improves Safety and Prevents Injury

Good housekeeping shouldn’t be confined to your place of residence. Maintaining a tidy workplace and using tugger carts reduce injury risk and promote high levels of efficiency.

Incorporate these expert tips for making cleanliness an important part of your workplace culture.

Prevent Slips-and-Falls

Slips, trips and falls are second only to musculoskeletal stress as a cause of workplace injuries.

– Keep aisles and doorways free of obstructions.

– Clean up spills and leaks as soon as they occur.

– Immediately repair or replace worn-out or damaged flooring.

– Use strategically placed floor mats to provide traction and prevent employees from tracking materials across the warehouse.

Control Dust

A layer of dust no thicker than a dime presents a serious explosion risk. Use vacuums and compressed air to keep all surfaces, materials and equipment dust-free.

Remove Clutter

Clutter forces employees to restrict their movements, which can lead to sprains, cuts and other injuries. Make it a habit to return items to their proper place after use and keep extraneous items out of the workplace.

Use Personal Protective Equipment

Personal protective equipment such as safety glasses, closed-toed shoes and face masks should be used appropriately, with no exceptions. Have supervisors conduct regular checks to make sure all PPE is in good working condition.

Create and Maintain Written Housekeeping Policies

Create a manual thoroughly detailing housekeeping policies and keep it updated. All employees should be trained on proper procedures and have convenient access to the manual.

Save Time and Money with Tugger Carts from DJ Products

Our battery-powered tugger carts pay for themselves many times over in improved productivity and reduced workplace injuries. Visit our website and get real-time assistance from our sales engineers to select the perfect tugger carts for your warehouse.

How to Build a Culture Focused on Safety in Your Warehouse

Movers and Tuggers for Warehouses Keep Employees from Injury and Improve Safety

Have you integrated workplace safety into the overall culture of your warehouse? In addition to working with a material handling equipment supplier, use these tips to instill a safety-first mindset in your employees.

Making Safety a Priority in the Workplace

– All employees should receive training on each piece of equipment, even if they don’t use it regularly. Make sure training is an ongoing process, not simply a one-time-only session.

– Take every opportunity to let your employees know how much you value their safety, and they will follow your lead. Encourage them to watch out for themselves and each other and report any potential safety risks.

– Back up your words with visual reminders, which are absorbed more readily than speech. Post charts and graphics with information such as the number of days without incident.

– Create tangible incentives by running contests to reward specific safety behavior.

– Keep equipment properly maintained. Aisles and workspaces should be clean and clutter-free.

– OSHA requires companies to post occupational health and safety program information in a highly visible location. Go one step further and start a safety team that will proactively work toward maintaining a safe workplace.

– Enforce use of personal protection equipment such as goggles, helmets and work boots whenever necessary.

Reduce Injury Risk with Electric Movers from DJ Products

Most workplace injuries result from pushing, pulling and lifting of heavy materials. We offer a full line of battery-powered tugs and movers such as our popular CartCaddyShorty, which lets a single employee easily move loads of up to 3,000 pounds.

Visit our website and use our convenient online chat feature to learn why your search for a material handling equipment supplier begins and ends with DJ Products.

Safety – It’s All About Being Alert to Moving Equipment in the Warehouse

Forkift Safety is Crucial in Busy Warehouses

Is forklift safety a priority in your warehouse? A material handling equipment supplier like DJ Products can help you find effective options. Make sure your employees follow these guidelines for safe forklift use.

Forklift Safety Tips

– Don’t let unauthorized employees operate forklifts – no exceptions! OSHA specifies that only people 18 and over who have been properly trained and certified are allowed to drive a forklift.

– Know the recommended load limits for each forklift and make sure employees don’t exceed them.

– Before operating a forklift, visually inspect the exterior and test the mechanical function to ensure everything is in working order.

– Check the work area immediately around the forklift for obstructions and be alert to any obstacles along the way. Be particularly cautious with any blind spots.

– Make sure that employees and visitors to the workplace give forklifts a wide berth. If a pedestrian does cross the path, the forklift operator should stop and lower the load, resuming only after the pedestrian is completely out of the way.

– Never allow a forklift to block a stairway, exit or other points of access.

– While a forklift is in operation, the load shouldn’t be more than four inches off the ground. When the load is being lifted, no one should walk underneath.

– A running forklift should never be left unattended.

– In the event of problems, employees should immediately notify their supervisor.

DJ Products: Your Top Choice for a Material Handling Equipment Supplier

Our battery-powered movers such as our best-selling CartCaddyLite include ergonomic and safety features for maximum productivity with minimum injury risk. Call 800.686.2651 and let one of our cheerful sales engineers help you select the perfect solution for your application.

Warehouse Management And Productivity Tips Part Two

Our Productivity and Management Tips for Warehouse Managers

DJ Products is more than just your preferred material handling equipment supplier. We’re your source for the latest information and tips on warehouse management solutions.

Here are more ideas from experts on how to improve operations and maximize productivity.

Eliminate Dead Spots

Warehouse space is valuable. Use an asset tracking system to monitor how often items are picked. If an product is rarely picked, move it to drop-shipping and put a higher-turning item in the slot.

Streamline the Returns Process

Handling returns is one of the more cumbersome processes in a warehouse. Automate the procedure with a specialized returns system such as a warehouse management system (WMS).

Control Freight Costs

Many people accept freight charges as the cost of doing business, but few elements eat into profits as quickly. Talk to an experienced consultant who can offer helpful advice on negotiating better rates.

Re-Slot Pick Positions as Needed

Changing slot positions may seem inefficient, but it’s actually the opposite. Business is constantly changing, and your strategies need to change with it. Keeping items slotted correctly lets your employees make better use of their time.

Make Safety a Top Priority

Manpower is your greatest asset. Use industry safety regulations as a starting point, not an ending point. You should constantly be looking for ways to implement better safety practices.

Save Time and Money with Material Handling Solutions from DJ Products

Our battery-powered tugs, pushers and movers pay multiple dividends for warehouse efficiency. They let your employees accomplish more in less time while avoiding workplace injuries.

Visit our website and use the real-time chat feature for assistance from our friendly sales engineers. They’re one of the reasons why DJ Products is your first choice for a material handling equipment supplier.

Warehouse Management And Productivity Tips – Part One

Use Our Tips to Increase Warehouse Productivity

Warehouse managers understand the importance of having quality material handling equipment for maximum productivity. That’s only one of the numerous factors involved in efficient warehouse organization and operations.

Here are the top tips from industry experts for managing your warehouse with a focus on consistently high productivity levels.

Automate the Data Collection Process

With today’s sophisticated technology, there’s no reason for employees to collect data manually. Bar codes and radio frequency identification allow previously unattainable standards of accuracy, even when you’re dealing with tens of thousands of items.

Promote Company-Wide Information Sharing

Visibility has demonstrable effects on productivity. One supply executive at a large retailer noted that faster access to information can help produce a double-digit decrease in cycle times.

Use Bin Locations

Some in the industry believe that bin locations require keeping vendor lines together. In fact, bin locations let you locate items based on sales volume, reducing the amount of time needed to pick orders.

Assign Unique Tracking Numbers

It may seem like a no-brainer to track items by serial numbers, but these numbers can often be duplicated across assets. The end result is compromised data integrity and customer dissatisfaction.

Eliminate Procrastination

This is such a basic concept, but so few people adhere to it. Putting off tasks, no matter how insignificant they may seem, creates a ripple effect that can result in serious work disruptions.

DJ Products: The Leader in Material Handling Equipment for Every Need

Workplace injuries have a devastating impact on productivity and profitability. Our material handling equipment solutions are ergonomically designed to reduce the risk of injury from moving heavy loads and performing repetitive motions.

Visit our website to learn more from our friendly and knowledgeable sales engineers.

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