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CAPITAL EQUIPMENT NEWS
JUNE 2016
6
MATERIALS HANDLING
T
he term
materials han-
dling
refers to specific
industrial activity in the
field of engineering and tech-
nology. Materials have to be
handled as intermediate or
finished goods and raw mate-
rials, from point of receipt and
storage through production
processes to finished goods
and despatch points. Mate-
rials handling, as such, does
not add value to the product
but rather helps in the pro-
duction flow.
The nature of materials han-
dling is based on optimum de-
sign and application, specific
to different types of industries
and can be as diverse as the
industries themselves. As a
consequence, there can be
no universally accepted defi-
nition of materials handling.
Methods to be adopted and
choice of equipment for a
materials handling system,
primarily depend on the type
of material/s handled. It is
important to know the dif-
ferent types of materials and
their characteristics and their
relation to the methods and
equipment used for their handling.
In the supply chain and logistics industry
there is a growing challenge to improve the
flow of commodities in and out of factories
and warehouses. Unfortunately not enough
is being spent on building new warehouses
and distribution facilities and this has led to
many a logistic bottleneck in major cities.
Logistics in South Africa is on a growth
path and requires a distribution infrastruc-
ture that will provide the highest levels of
service. The diversity of products means
that there has to be more emphasis on the
equipment used and its suitability for the
task it has to perform – without losing sight
of safety requirements.
The country has an abundant supply
of labour. However, global standards of
warehousing, transport and distribution
dictate that mechanisation cannot be ruled
out as storage heights have increased and
loading speeds are key factors in vehicle
turnaround time.
The demand for quicker lead times in inter-
national markets has led to an increase in
e-business and the internet has become a
major contributor to all logistic operations.
In South Africa, the hands-on concept still
exists and ultimately the use of handling
equipment is still paramount.
Materials handling equipment distributors
abound in South Africa, but relatively few
are geared to offer full solutions in line with
clients’ requirements, and it is the repre-
sentatives of international companies that
are geared to offer international standards
of quality and service.
Safety has expanded beyond mere equip-
ment upkeep: the right equipment has to
be used for an application and cannot be
operated beyond its safety design criteria.
This reduces unnecessary failures to the
equipment and extends its economic life.
Materials handling improves the productiv-
ity and increases the profitability of an in-
dustry. Many enterprises go out of business
because of inefficient materials handling
practices. A well designed system can give
a company an advantage over its competi-
tors by ensuring adherence to some basic
business principles such as:
• The right quantity of material delivered
to the right place, at the right time.
• Reduction of indirect labour costs.
• Reduction of damage to materials during
storage and movement
• Maximisation of space use of materials
and goods.
• Minimisation of accidents during
materials handling
• Ensuring finished goods are well
packaged and secure for handling
• Ensuring equipment is compatible with
the type of product being handled.
b
INTRODUCTION TO MATERIALS HANDLING
By Pierre Sanson