In order for a manufacturer to stay profitable and competitive in today’s industry landscape, its management team must be working towards continuous improvement, or Kaizen. This idea of Kaizen is an umbrella for a lot of lean strategies that work to improve all processes. Some approaches include 5S, Just-in-Time, and Value Stream Mapping. Choosing the… Read more
By its very nature, lean strategies of all kinds result in a safer workplace. Rather than having safety result as a byproduct of lean, however, you can flush out more opportunities for lean improvements by exploring your safety issues. While you’re examining process, flow, communication, and the waste therein, remember to take a close look… Read more
You can find endless articles describing tips and guidelines to create a safer manufacturing facility, but most of these bypass what is really happening at your site. If you want to improve safety, you need to establish a safe work environment. That means that you can’t just focus on the aftermath of poor choices. You… Read more
Accidents in a warehouse can have devastating consequences for the employees involved as well as the business. In this environment, many dangers are present, so accidents can unfortunately happen frequently. By looking at some of the most likely culprits, though, you can take steps to drastically reduce the likelihood of an accident in your warehouse…. Read more
Summer is an interesting time for warehousing, fulfillment centers, and distribution centers (DCs). For some businesses, this is a peak season. For others, now is already time to ramp up for volume during the holidays. Either way, improvements to productivity are always relevant. Here are three things you have to do to accomplish this. Understand… Read more
Take a moment to consider the ease and speed of your picking process. Could it be more efficient? For most, the answer is “yes.” Think about how SKUs are organized. Note the equipment you’re using, where it’s stored, and who can operate it. Estimate how long it takes for pickers to move product. What takes… Read more
We are all well aware that the purpose of forklifts is to lift. Manufacturers, warehouses, and distribution centers all use them for this exact purpose. However, these machines are so powerful that it seems practical to use them to replace other strenuous manual labor, like pushing. Even when facility managers don’t encourage that practice, drivers… Read more
When things go wrong in your warehouse, are you solving the problem or just the symptom? Often times the actual source of the problem is overlooked, and any solution you implement is like putting a Band-Aid on it. This obviously enables the issue to not only recur, but also get bigger. Can you afford to… Read more
Packing stations have evolved over the years, and smart changes to them have added to lean and just-in-time manufacturing. Packing stations used to be no more than a few tables set up between picking and shipping zones. Little thought was put into these areas and the impact they have on throughput. With the advent of… Read more
It may not surprise you that irregular shift workers have higher injury rates and health problems. What you may not know is that this kind of work can cause cognitive impairment that’s equal to 6.5 years of aging in the worker’s brain. This is a significant impact on the wellbeing of the employee, and it… Read more