Material handling equipment keeps a factory or manufacturing plant running smoothly. It falls into five main groups, each with its own role.
Transport equipment
This equipment moves goods and materials from one place to another, for example between a storage area and a loading dock. Internal equipment includes conveyors, forklift trucks and cranes, used between production areas or from an assembly line to packing or storage. External equipment includes shipping containers and commercial trucks that move goods to retail outlets and stores.
Positioning equipment
Positioning equipment places items and materials exactly where they need to be. It includes feeders and automated robots that orient parts for assembly line machinery, transfer or tilt tables that raise or lower loads or pallets, and hoists or lifts used to place materials on warehouse racks.
Storage and retrieval equipment
This covers the racks and shelving that hold goods after production, including warehouse racking systems, and cabinets and bins for smaller items. Liquids may be stored in drums or silos. Products stored directly on the floor or on pallets need no storage equipment.
Unit load formation equipment
This equipment prepares products for shipping. It includes skids and pallets for stacking items, crates and boxes, shrink-wrap machines that wrap plastic tightly around a pallet of goods, and bulk containers for products such as oil, grain or liquids.
Identification and control equipment
These systems track goods through manufacturing and distribution. They include tracking systems, inventory control software, bar codes and labels on packaging, and portable magnetic stripe or bar code readers. Contact United Gulf for advice on handling equipment for your site.