Material handling is no stranger to innovation. In fact, if you’ve ever attended ProMat or Modex or really any of the many trade shows that the industry has to offer each year, you’ll agree that there is no shortage of innovators or innovation. It’s up to you to familiarize and immerse yourself into what is and what could be, the right innovation that could be integrated into your facility to improve your operation.

What is innovation? In material handling, innovation is the change that ultimately produces a positive influence on ROI (return on investment). It is the result of integrating—or merging—new and existing equipment and technologies, to generate an improvement in your daily operations.

So, just how do things fit together? Integrated systems work best when both new and old equipment and components fuse together to create a seamless movement of processes. These systems uniquely and independently blend with one another, establishing a well-rounded functionality to provide significant improvements to overall production. New advancements in material handling technologies can have a huge impact on distribution, production lines and end-of-line operations. These innovative technologies can provide a more efficient way to perform daily tasks—tasks that can be sustained long term. In many capacities, integrating innovative technologies can improve workplace safety as well.

Improving processes has always been an ongoing challenge in material handling. Responding to customer demands, reducing costs, and improving accuracy and throughput to achieve maximum efficiency and productivity have all been focal points in the industry. Finding and implementing ways and means to enhance operational efficiencies is the end goal for many distribution and warehouse facilities. And in an effort to do so, bringing innovative solutions into the conversation helps to move the needle in quantifiable and sustainable results. 

Finding the right balance in your warehouse to meet and exceed expectations for peak performance efficiency is key to its long-term success. Helping customers/end users to achieve process improvement through product development and to be more efficient through innovation and integration is what material handling is all about—and to attain measurable advances through refining warehouse operations for maximum productivity.
  
 Author: Heather Connors, Director of Marketing, Conveyor Handling Company