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Need New Material Handling Equipment? 3 Reasons to Upgrade During Q1

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The first few months of the year are an important time for businesses across all industries. After all, the decisions you make now can impact your company for the duration of the year, whether you’re mapping out the company budget or implementing new training programs. Just about every industry involves material handling. Whether you realize it or not, this aspect of your daily operations is foundational to the success of your business, making quarter one a great time to reevaluate your material handling tools. From the hospitality industry to distribution centers, high-quality moving equipment can set your team up for success in the year ahead. Here are three reasons to upgrade your material handling equipment during quarter one. Standardize Training Procedures If you plan on expanding your team in the upcoming year, invest in new material handling tools during quarter one. This will ensure your existing team members are well-versed in the new equipment before you brin...

How to Optimize 3 Daily Operations of a Distribution Center

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Distribution centers are an essential part of the supply chain. Whether your distribution center functions as the link between producers and consumers or you oversee a direct distribution center for your own business, efficiency should be your top priority. After all, an efficient distribution center can offer quick shipping times and maintain consistent stock levels. Shortening your turnaround time and avoiding under or overstocking might feel like big-picture goals, but they actually depend on a few important daily operations. Here’s how your distribution center can optimize these three daily operations. Receiving Shipments As the first point of contact your team has with the materials they’ll be handling, receiving is one of the most important daily operations. This step lays the groundwork for efficient operations and organized inventory management. When receiving shipments, your team should conduct thorough quality checks to ensure no damaged or substandard goods a...

3 Industries That Can Benefit From Specialized Hand Trucks

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If someone asked what the backbone of your regional restaurant chain is, you might say it's your signature recipes and quality ingredients. If someone asked you how your boutique home goods store garnered a large, dedicated customer base, you might suggest it’s because of your keen eye for design and trend-setting inventory. While it’s true that delicious dishes and quality products keep customers coming back, something else makes up the foundation of every successful business: high-quality material handling tools. After all, fresh ingredients depend on a well-organized kitchen, and staying ahead of industry trends requires quick inventory turnaround. Here’s how three different industries can benefit from specialized hand trucks. Hospitality Material handling plays a major role in every sector of the hospitality industry, from restaurants to hotels. After all, keeping a sufficient supply of complimentary toiletries on hand, organizing large shipments of ingredients...

How Warehouse Teams Can Stay Efficient During the Winter Months

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Warehouses are always full of activity, even in the cold months. But what happens when snow is tracked in? Loading a truck lets cold air in, and chilled hands make it harder to hold boxes securely. With the right moving equipment and tips, you can help your warehouse workers stay efficient during the cold months. Appliance Hand Truck Use Upgraded Hand Trucks Your warehouse might already have hand trucks, but each employee, if possible, should be equipped with a dedicated 2 wheel dolly during winter. Carrying boxes while walking over wet or icy ground can be dangerous, and you don’t need your team fighting over just a couple of hand trucks. Make sure there are enough to go around so your team can be safe and efficient during the busy winter months. Skip Team Lifts Team lifts are also harder in the winter. Hands are cold, jackets are thicker, and it’s hard to lift large, heavy items. One wrong move on a puddle of melted snow can lead to a dropped item and potential injuries...

4 Ways to Overcome Common Moving Obstacles

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As a professional mover, you deal with a wide variety of challenges. Sometimes, it’s getting a couch down a set of stairs. Sometimes, it’s having so many boxes that you need upgraded hand trucks to have any hope of finishing the job on time. Whatever the obstacle, the right tools and tips can help your team be as efficient and safe as possible. Safely Move Heavy Appliances From refrigerators to couches, washers to big-screen TVs, moving large, heavy appliances is always a challenge. It often takes a team lift to move the item, meaning at least two movers are tied up with one task. A heavy duty hand truck can make moving large items easier and more efficient. Look for heavy duty hand trucks with options like side wings and a self-retracting ratchet strap to keep these oversized items in place. With a weight capacity of 800 pounds, this tool makes it easy to move the bulkiest items. Tackle Stairs with Ease Moving items up or down a flight of stairs is always challenging...

Safe and On Schedule: 4 Tips for Winter Weather Deliveries

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Deliveries don’t just come from the North Pole during winter; small businesses, big box retailers, and shipping companies are especially busy during this festive time of year. Even after the holidays, your team still needs to make its regular deliveries no matter the weather conditions. Preparing for snow, ice, and freezing temperatures is essential as your team gears up for the busy winter months. The right precautions can keep your team safe and on schedule as they make their deliveries this winter. Here are four tips for efficiently making deliveries in winter weather conditions. Regularly Inspect Delivery Vehicles Just as you’d prepare your own vehicle for winter driving conditions, make sure your team’s delivery vehicles are properly equipped for icy conditions and freezing temperatures. Heating and defrosting systems, brakes, wipers, tire tread depth, and fluid levels are all important things to check before sending your team on a delivery. In addition to reviewin...

4 Tips for Handling Heavy or Awkward Items

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Moving heavy or awkward items can be challenging for anyone in the material handling industry. Using the right tips and moving equipment , however, can make those tasks far easier. Whether you’re a professional mover, a delivery courier, a warehouse worker, or just need to move items around an office, moving heavy or awkward items doesn’t have to be hard. Heavy Duty Hand Truck Skip a Team Lift and Use an Appliance Dolly Team lifts are the go-to method when moving bulky, awkward items. The problem is that this ties up two employees and also introduces the potential for both employees to get hurt, especially if one loses their grip. With a heavy duty hand truck , team lifts will be a thing of the past. A single employee can get the job done quickly, safely, and efficiently. Find an appliance hand truck that offers options such as side wings and a retractable ratchet strap along with a weight capacity of 800 pounds. Heavy Duty Hand Truck Use Electric Dollies for Long-Distanc...