Materials Handling
More than the handling of inventory – materials handling is the movement, protection, storage and control of materials and products throughout their lifespan of manufacturing, warehousing, distribution, consumption, and disposal. It encompasses a range of components to keep supply chain running, including a variety of equipment types.
Efficiency is the name of the game when structuring your material handling system. Efficient logistics are a necessity when reacting to and planning for customer and warehouse requirements – inbound inventory’s material handling processes are just important as outbound’s processes.
Material handling process has four dimensions that impact efficient product flow through your warehouse: Movement, Time, Quantity, Space.
- Movement: moving product from Receiving to Outgoing
- Time: how long products live in storage, receipt of inventory-to-shipment time frame
- Quantity: how much product can be storage in the allotted space
- Space: how much space is allotted or available