Tag: Warehousing Trends

Top 5 Warehousing Trends in 2023

Image of a Futuristic Warehouse with a Trailer Dolly in the Background
Warehousing of the Future

What does the crystal ball reveal about this year’s developments in the warehousing industry? Our experts at DJ Products, makers of the electric Trailer Dolly, share some insights about the top five warehousing trends taking shape in 2023.

1. Automation

Automation of warehouse processes improves workplace safety while also reducing the possibility of human error.

    • Amazon and UPS are two of the companies that have begun to incorporate drones in their delivery services. Ware, supplier of automated inventory systems, offers autonomous drones that fly inside warehouses, using 2D scanners and stored location data to map a digital “twin” of the facility.
    • Peer Robotics has developed mobile robots with sensing technologies to collaborate with human workers.

 

2. Wearables

Digital wearables enable workers to utilize high-tech tools without the need to carry them around.

    • Ox, a US-based startup, has smart glasses fitted with scanners and real-time messaging systems to maximize pick routing and communication between workers.

 

3. Internet of Things (IoT)

Much like it does in your home, the Internet of Things uses technology to automate and simplify functions such as climate control and lighting.

    • Track inventory and personnel with an IoT beacon from ScratchNest, which sends signals to smart phones and tablets via Bluetooth. The beacon also has extended battery life for better performance.

 

4. Sustainability

Companies continue to search for ways to minimize their carbon footprint and reduce their impact on the environment.

    • Leave petroleum-based pallet wraps behind with innovative solutions from Australia’s Great Wraps. Their innovative wraps are made from converted food waste, which decomposes into carbon and water for toxic-free disposal.

 

5. Fleet Management

Forklifts are involved in a high number of warehouse accidents, causing significant injuries and damage. Telematics solutions allow for safe and effective interaction between workers and equipment.

    • Onyx, a telematics system from GemOne, collects data on its proprietary hardware system and stores information on a cloud platform for easy retrieval.

 

Improve Productivity and Safety with the Trailer Dolly

Our battery-powered tugs, movers and pushers are eco-friendly solutions for your material handling needs. Contact us at 800.686.2651 or use our convenient online chat feature to learn more from our friendly and helpful Sales Engineers.

Do You Know These Warehouse Safety Tips?

Warehouse Safety
Warehouse Safety Tips

Warehouse workers face risks of injuries when they operate equipment, pull heavy loads, and perform other tasks. Maintaining a safe workplace environment in your warehouse should be a top priority in order to protect your employees. Consider the use of a trailer dolly or warehouse tug to prevent injuries. The following warehouse safety tips can help you provide a safe working environment for your staff.

Keep PPE Available at All Times

Personal protective equipment for workers should always be available in your warehouse. Your workers should also be aware of when to use PPE and how to use it properly. The use of PPE helps reduce the risk of injuries in your warehouse.

Hold Safety Equipment Training Sessions

Having safety equipment in your warehouse isn’t enough to guarantee that it will be used correctly. Schedule training sessions to make sure that your workers know how to operate or use safety equipment correctly. A trailer dolly is easy to operate and does not need intensive training. From time to time, hold retraining sessions or refresher courses.

Teach Vehicle Awareness to All Staff

Office staff and staff in other areas of your facility need to be trained on vehicle awareness as well. This helps cut down on accidents that can happen when these employees are on the warehouse floor instead of in their office.

Create an Efficient and Safe Layout

Your warehouse floor should have a layout that reduces the risk of collisions or accidents when forklift trucks or other vehicles are being operated. Make changes to your current layout as needed in order to keep workers walking on the floor from being in or near the path of vehicles.

Put in Physical Barriers

If you don’t have barriers already, consider installing them in your warehouse. Physical barriers, such as guard rails, help separate vehicles lanes or areas from areas where workers walk around. These barriers can help lower the risk of accidents in your warehouse.

Install Sensors and Other Visual Barriers

Sensors and other kinds of visual barriers can serve as another layer of protection for warehouse employees. These barriers might alert forklift operators or other vehicle operators to the presence of workers walking in certain areas.

For more warehouse safety tips and to find solutions that help improve safety in your facility, visit DJ Products. We are highlighting the Trailer Dolly this week. Ask us for a video demo or more information today.

Nashville Becomes a Hub for Amazon’s Growing Logistics Focus

Amazon is Going to Need a Warehouse to Store all of it Products.
Amazon is Going to Need a Warehouse to Store all of it Products.

Think your business’ supply chain logistics issues are overwhelming? In recent news, Amazon will be opening an Operations Center of Excellence in Nashville, Tennessee in efforts to optimize its ultra-complex supply chain – one that delivered 5-billion packages in 2017 through Prime alone.

Hello, Paycheck!

Announced alongside its HQ2 location on November 13th, the Nashville operations center is expected to add 5,000 white-collar jobs to the area, sourcing talent from the flourishing region. Considered an up-and-coming locale and hosting a booming job market, the city saw an influx of more Millennials from 2010-2015 than NYC, marking its illustrious reputation as a popular destination. With the potential for an Amazon job with a median salary of $158,000 these figures may continue to rise.

Hot Market

Already a hub for the healthcare industry, many supply chain gurus already call Nashville home, with companies like Dollar General and Tractor Supply likewise utilizing the area as the home-base of their (industry-lauded) supply chain operations. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that schools with leading logistics programs like Auburn and University of Tennessee are nearby. The area is simply in an ideal locale for sourcing and retaining talent.

Room-to-Grow

Could a mega-warehouse be next? Break out your motorized trailer dollies! While Nashville may not a perfect fit, there’s a chance that it may offer a decent market for future warehouses, with access to seaports in Georgia and the Carolina’s. But its not as ideal as the 80-acre warehouse location opening next year in Tucson, Arizona, or prospective locations in Louisville, Kentucky; Charlotte, North Carolina; or Reno, Nevada. Employing 1,500 people, fulfillment sites comprise 20% of Amazon’s workforce.

Location tapped-out? Streamline your operations, boosting efficiency and productivity with the help of motorized trailer dollies from DJ Products today.

Strong Growth in Trucking Industry Boosts Warehouse Growth

Unloading big container trucks at warehouse building
Growth in Trucking and Warehousing

The 2015 jobs data shows steady growth across every component related to the warehousing industry. Small gains in manufacturing have bred considerable growth in warehouse and trucking employment numbers. As truckers overcome a job shortage and retail regains its strength, warehouses sit in the middle of a very bullish market.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported marked growth in trucking jobs in 2015, including the addition of more than 7,000 jobs in a strong June. Warehouse facilities added thousands more jobs as the overall unemployment numbers continued to fall.

Market Growth and Your Warehouse

Distribution centers have found greater success in recent years thanks in part to improvements in logistics and technology. The Wall Street Journal report on warehouse job growth points to a new giant Nike logistics center in Memphis (now the largest warehouse in the apparel giant’s system) as a symbol of the industry’s growth.

To tap into this growth potential, warehouses are focusing on slimmer, smarter operations. To control costs as labor needs rise, managers must also find safety solutions that keep employees healthy, working, and away from workers compensation claims.

Automated solutions such as our motorized caddy for industrial carts can help streamline warehouse operations and protect workers from injury.

  • Electric and battery-powered industrial carts for hauling equipment and inventory: reduce the neck, back, and lower body injuries associated with heavy loads and repetitive tasks.
  • Waste container movers: improve the waste removal process while avoiding musculoskeletal disorders associated with heavy lifting, throwing, and pushing.

Talk to us at DJ Products about industrial carts and automated solutions for better work environments and more sustainable, profitable growth.