Material Handling Equipment: Types, Benefits, and More

There might be many instances when you need to acquire material handling equipment, but the most common is at a warehouse. This place in need of proper management and up and running requires the right procedures and ideal machinery to keep it mobile and safe. 

Warehouse operators can particularly enhance the overall output and efficiency while also safeguarding their staff against any potential threats or injuries. Along with this, they can also boost the flow of goods from one stage to the next with premium material handling equipment and a specialized system.   

This blog in particular is curated to create an awareness regarding material handling, what kind of equipment your business needs, what are its different types, and much more to expedite the overall process in your warehouse.  

What is Material Handling Equipment?

Material handling equipment (MHE) refers to a variety of machines and systems that transport materials or allow for safe storage. It consists of machinery for handling, storing, and moving goods and materials during production. 

Types of Material Handling Equipment 

Material handling equipment is typically divided into 4 broad categories which are thoroughly explained below for your reference: 

Storage and Handling Equipment 

Storage and handling equipment protects your goods when they are not in use or waiting for the next step in the supply chain process. Material handling equipment and storage devices can hold items for a short or long time, depending on the requirements of your warehouse.  
Equipment for handling and storing includes:

Pallet racks: These are vertical steel framing structures with beams and connectors used for product storage.  
Shelves, bins, and drawers: Smaller materials are kept in shelving units' shelves, drawers, and bins.  
Stacking frames: Devices for organizing and arranging multiple pallets and racks

Bulk Handling Material Equipment 

Large volumes of loose-form materials are stored, managed, and transported by bulk-handling material movement trolley. Liquid, food, minerals (like stones and rocks), and metal objects (like bolts and nails) can all be considered loose-form materials.

Equipment for bulk handling comprises:

• Belt conveyors: Moving products from one place to another requires two or multiple belts and pulleys.
• Stackers: Machinery used to load and unload bulk materials into stockpiles or bulk material storage
• Reclaimers: These are machines that extract materials from piles.
• Bucket elevators: Made to move and handle big loads of bulk materials via a system

Industrial Trucks 

Industrial trucks are the systems that are used to load and unload bulkier items as well as help in moving materials and goods throughout your warehouse. There are numerous industrial trucks. Some can lift products with forks or a level surface, while others may need additional lifting machinery. Industrial trucks can be anything from big and easy-to-drive machinery to tiny and manually operated devices.  

Industrial trucks consist of:

• Forklifts: Industrial trucks that can lift and lower objects over short distances are called forklifts.
• Industrial trucks: These are also known as dollies and are two-wheeled vehicles with a small ledge for carrying items that are manually pushed by hand.
• Pallet trucks: Pallet trucks, sometimes referred to as pallet jacks, are made to lift and move pallets.
• Sideloaders: These are industrial trucks that load and unload cargo from the sides of the machine while maneuvering through narrow aisles.
• Order pickers: These devices raise workers safely so they can reach components on high cabinets that are difficult to reach.  

Engineered Systems 

Automated or engineered systems are technological solutions that use robotics and computers to store and move goods. Typically, an automated system consists of multiple units that are managed by a management software program. They have 3 varieties which differ in their working and technology modules. 

Benefits of Material Handling 

With the help of an efficient material handling system, your business can minimize the amount of space required for inventory, cut down on time spent on internal tasks like picking and transport, monitor inventory in real time, save operating expenses, and improve the flow of goods throughout the entire facility.

These four points highlight the importance of material movement trolleys in your warehouse, from reducing workplace accidents to saving you money. 

Prevents Workplace Accidents 

As per the latest survey, overexertion is the most concerning issue in the United States workplace to witness major accidents in 2021, such as a sudden fall or being struck by a heavy object ranking second and third, respectively.

With materials handling equipment and the proper arrangement of systems, your employees don't need to do the heavy lifting and reach much higher storage spaces with potential threats. 

Improves Employee Satisfaction 

Employees become frustrated, have low morale, and lose motivation as a result of job discomfort. Employees can lower their stress levels and feel more satisfied with their jobs overall by using materials handling systems to relieve them of recurring and labor-intensive tasks (like lifting heavy items). 

Increases Productivity and Efficiency 

If you want your employees to only focus on what is important for your business like control assurance, material handling equipment is your saviour. It can help your employees to easily transport, locate, and pick inventory, ultimately allowing them to be more efficient and productive with other tasks. 

Saves You Money

It is a smart call to invest in quality solutions and train your employees on proper equipment maintenance to prevent overspending on potential equipment damage. 

Material Handling Equipment: Maini Material Movement as Your Material Handling Partner  

At Maini Material Movement, we understand what crucial challenges you come across while dealing with humongous inventory, thus needing every help you can get. To handle this case with care and utmost precision, Maini Materials Movement offers premium material handling equipment that will ultimately save you time, and money and enhance overall productivity. Take your business to reach new heights with none other than Maini Materials Movement and make the handling process easier and simpler.