Deal With Online Orders This Christmas with a Range Of Material Handling Equipment

Statistics have found that online sales figures are growing at a faster rate than ever, especially in the run up to Christmas. Online sales amounted to around £6.4bn in the month of September, which is 16% more than twelve months previously, and 11% more than the month before, showing both a year-on-year and month-on-month rise in internet shopping. The busiest time of the year for thousands of distribution centres, warehouses and production factories means that a vast amount of businesses up and down the country are relying on their fleet of pallet trucks to be as versatile as possible. It is not too late for businesses to make the material handling equipment work harder in the run up to Christmas, from the packing process to the shipping.

Many forklift trucks, powerful as they are, have limitations that depend entirely on their construction and their frame. The length of the forks restrict the size of the cargo which can be moved at any given time, and so fork extensions are a vital aspect of tackling the increased workload around Christmas. They are fitted over the existing forks so that the truck can carry longer or larger objects with ease and without compromising the balance of the truck. Made from incredibly strong welded steel, the forks are robust and durable and they have a corrosion-resistant coating to ensure they stay in prime condition for a long period of time. Sets such as the Fork Extensions 3KR/3W Series were created specifically so that they would fit a large number of forklift truck models, from 3KR57 all the way through to 3KR59, with the addition of the 3W667 model. Extended forklift capability at this time of the year is a great way to cope with the increased workload and handle the extra orders with aplomb.

With such a huge increase in orders, the packing process also needs to be extremely streamlined and efficient to ensure that a backlog doesn’t start to mount up. Manual stacker trucks can speed up the packing process, and are available in a wide selection of different height, with varying lifting capabilities. They can retrieve goods or stack them at height, and are an economical solution for moving pallets around the workplace. Their steel construction makes them robust and hardwearing, and their precision-engineered operation makes for a smooth performance that ensures pallets can be lifted and lowered quickly and easily.

Once stock has been packed it can be moved out for shipping and distribution with the help of a hand pallet truck. The most versatile of all trucks, hand pallet trucks are lightweight and easy to manoeuvre, as well as being able to carry up to 2500kg of cargo at any given time. The different typed of hand pallet truck, including long pallet trucks, traverse pallet trucks and rough terrain trucks ensure that goods can be carried across any surface and within many restricted environments, and their ease of use make them a must for this busy Christmas season.

Final Call To Prepare For Christmas Issued by Midland Pallet Trucks

Midland Pallet Trucks is issuing a final call to businesses to stock up on the vital equipment and apparatus to see them through the busy Christmas period. The last weeks of October are generally the calm before the festive storm, the relatively quiet time before the Christmas rush hits. The amount of business undertaken over the festive season can double or triple depending on the nature of a company and how in demand their services are, but many warehouses and factories distributing goods across the country can see workloads increase hugely. This means all equipment must be in absolute prime condition, to deal with the extra stresses and strains.

The benefits of purchasing extra pallet trucks to add to a fleet around this time of year can greatly decrease the strain on the rest of the equipment. Bolstering the workforce with brand new equipment is also a great way to streamline working processes and get every system working to its full potential. The addition of some basic 2000kg Lightweight Hand Pallet Trucks to the workplace can mean a larger volume of work can be carried out, and helps to take some of the strain off the equipment that might be past its best. These trucks are ideal for euro pallets, the most commonly used pallets in the UK, and the top quality hydraulic pump makes for easy lifting and transportation of goods.

The addition of a weighing scale pallet truck to a fleet of trucks can also speed up working processes tremendously. In many workplaces, there are a number of scales placed around the workplace where loads must be measured before they are packed and stored, or before they are distributed. Goods must therefore be taken all the way to the weighing area on the pallet truck, unloaded, weighed and reloaded back to the truck before anything can be done with them. The HP-ESR Weigh Scale Pallet Truck can completely cut this long process by weighing goods on the go. The number of operators needed is vastly reduced, as there doesn’t need to be more than one person to help with moving goods to the scales and back, and this means the surplus staff can carry out other tasks which will boost productivity and profits alike. This truck is battery-powered with an easy-to-read LCD display, and can carry up to 2000kg.

Traverse pallet trucks are also a great piece of equipment for taking vital time out of lengthy working processes. They are able to move long loads down narrow aisles with ease, which provides a high level of flexibility and convenience, especially at a time when workloads are increased.  The trucks can be used with both open and closed bottom pallets and are covered with a heavy-duty steel coating for optimum durability. It is these extra pieces of equipment that can make the difference this Christmas, where every cog within the working machine must be working to its highest potential. 

Materials Handling Exhibition to Take Place in 2013

Pre-registration is now open for businesses to attend IMHX 2013 – the International Materials Handling Exhibition, which will take place at the NEC in Birmingham on 19-22 March next year. There will be more than 400 exhibitors showcasing products and services, with onus placed specifically on food and drink, wholesale and retail industries. The event as a whole includes exhibits, seminars, labour-saving and cost-reducing tips, and a chance to network with many industry contacts, as well as getting up to date on the innovative material handling solutions that are becoming more and more commonplace as the country looks to beat the recession. An ‘Operator Of The Year’ competition will be taking place with the chance for the successful entrant to win a brand new car simply for showcasing their expert pallet truck operation skills, and companies who have confirmed their attendance include container supplier Olivo, battery solution provider Hoppecke Industrial Batteries, and Plastic Extruders Ltd, a company who supply tensional strapping to many businesses.

Attending such events in order to pick up on ideas to streamline working processes and possibly to network with potential clients or customers is important to a business as a whole, but the key to really honing working methods in the workplace is obtaining the right equipment. Within the food and drinks industry, specialist equipment is often required to make sure that materials are handled in the correct way. Hand pallet trucks which can operated in extremely low temperatures, or exceedingly wet conditions, are vital when they will often be used within freezers or other adverse environments. Corrosive environments which will see a lot of salt or brine in the air can damage conventional trucks, and so more specialise equipment is often required just to do the simplest of jobs.

Galvanized pallet trucks are one of the most popular choices within the food industry, as well as medical and pharmaceutical fields, for their sheer strength and ability to withstand harsh environments. Often constructed from stainless steel, with nylon and rubber parts wherever necessary, these trucks are ideal for situations where sterility and hygiene is of utmost importance. They can be blasted with chemicals, harsh sea water and sent through the incredibly low temperatures within some freezers all day long and will emerge unscathed, along with their cargo.

High-lift galvanized pallet trucks are also available when goods need to be lifted higher than a standard pallet truck. They operate like conventional pallet trucks, but when the height exceeds 200mm, the wheels will lock for safety reasons. This equipment is crucial in workplaces such as docks, ports, pharmaceutical plants and food processing factories, and any logistics tips or material handling solutions picked up at the IMHX 2013 will become redundant without such specialist equipment in place.

Safety By Numbers: Assessing Equipment

After the recent drives to ensure all staff members are competent and adequately trained in all areas of their safety process this Christmas, it should follow that there are similar campaigns to keep all equipment in good working order. Throughout the UK, four accidents involving fork lift or pump trucks occur every day, with this number rising over the busy festive season. As a result of these accidents, 25% end in hospitalisation or even death. This can be due to the aforementioned lack of safety procedures as well as inconsistent maintenance of all equipment. There are basic rules in place which can help all employers improve the safety of their workforce and prolong the life span of their lifting and handling apparatus, including pallet trucks. These rules can be broken down into four key steps, which are easy to understand and simple to put into practice. Risk Assessment All apparatus, whether it be an extendable ladder or an electric pallet truck, should to be subject to a thorough risk assessment before staff are allowed to operate it. Controlling and minimising risk is the key here, and it is important that both safe methods of work and appropriate records are maintained. Workers should document all hazards they come into contact with, and should be trained in all aspects of detecting defects, inspecting their equipment and carrying out essential daily or weekly maintenance. Some of the most dangerous incidents which can be subject to risk assessment include the truck overbalancing due to too much cargo, hydraulic fluid leakages or the malfunction of improperly maintained wheels. Training Any employee who will be operating certain pieces of equipment will need to possess the adequate licenses and training to be able to use whichever truck they are in charge of. Some pieces of equipment, such as hand pallet trucks, require only the bare minimum of training and no special licenses to operate, but other more specialised forms of handling equipment demand that theoretical and practical training be undertaken by the users. It is also recommended that refresher courses be taken every three years to incorporate any changes in legislation or safety practises which may have come into play since the last qualification was obtained. Maintenance As covered in the risk assessment section, the maintenance of all types of handling equipment, including pallet trucks, forklift trucks and high lift pallet trucks, is crucial to its safe operation. As well as any checks specified by the employer, workers must also be prepared to carry out extra checks recommended by the manufacturer. The time between these inspections can vary in accordance with the working environment and how often the equipment is used, but the legal requirements state that a thorough examination is carried out on all trucks at least once per year.