Efficiency is more than a buzzword; it is a vital aspect that can make or destroy a company’s success. As manufacturers attempt to satisfy rising demand, optimise processes, and cut costs, the role of in-plant services has grown in importance. For more than three decades, Unilift, one of India’s top in-plant service providers, has been at the forefront of this revolution. 

Let’s delve into the realm of in-plant services and look at how they are increasing efficiency in modern production.

The Dynamics of Modern Manufacturing

Today’s manufacturing is a complicated network of procedures, technologies, and logistics. It is a world where precision and speed must coexist, where cost-effectiveness is critical, and where sustainability is becoming increasingly important. To thrive in this climate, producers must constantly adapt and optimise.

In-plant services, the hidden heroes of manufacturing efficiency, are at the heart of this shift. They are professionals who are well-versed in plant operations, maintenance, logistics, and material handling. They are the problem solvers who ensure that machinery continues to work well, that warehouses run smoothly, and safety is never jeopardised.

The Ripple Effect: Efficiency and Beyond

The benefits of effective in-plant services extend beyond the production floor. It spreads throughout the organisation and even into the broader ecosystem:

1. Increased Competitiveness

Competitiveness is directly proportional to efficiency. Manufacturers who can produce high-quality items at cheaper prices and with shorter lead times have a significant competitive advantage. In-plant services such as Unilift are critical in assisting businesses in achieving this balance.

2. Resource Allocation

It is critical for sustainable manufacturing to optimise resources, whether they be personnel, machinery, or materials. In-plant services are skilled at maximising resource use while minimising waste and inefficiencies.

3. Environmental accountability

Environmental considerations cannot be ignored in modern industry. Efficient processes frequently result in lower energy usage and waste generation. In-plant services are critical in assisting businesses in meeting their sustainability objectives.

4. Concentrate on Core Competencies

Manufacturing companies can focus on their core capabilities by outsourcing in-plant services to professionals like Unilift. This enables them to innovate, expand, and react to market changes.

5. Trustworthy Partnerships

Strong collaborations are built on the confidence and reliability established through effective in-plant services. Manufacturers and service providers develop symbiotic relationships in which their success is inextricably linked. Such alliances can last for years, providing stability in the dynamic manufacturing sector.

The Unilift Advantage

Unilift exemplifies the essence of effective in-plant services, with its significant experience and devotion to customer satisfaction. Let’s look at how Unilift and other comparable service providers play an important part in modern manufacturing:

1. Reduced Downtime and Proactive Maintenance

Downtime is the enemy of efficiency in manufacturing. Every minute that a machine is idle equals lost production and income. This is where Unilift’s equipment maintenance knowledge shines. They guarantee that machinery remains functioning by performing regular inspections, preventative maintenance, and quick repairs, minimising unplanned downtime to a minimum.

2. Warehouse Operations Have Been Simplified

Warehouses serve as manufacturing logistical hubs. Warehouse operations that are efficient can have a major impact on a company’s bottom line. Unilift’s expertise in warehouse management guarantees that goods are efficiently stocked and shipped on time. This reduces not only storage costs but also truck turnaround times, improving overall supply chain efficiency.

3. Compliance and safety

In today’s manufacturing environment, safety is non-negotiable. Compliance with rigorous regulations is a legal as well as a moral commitment. Unilift’s persistent dedication to safety and compliance inspires trust in their customers. They recognize that a single safety event or compliance violation can damage a company’s brand and financial health.

4. Individualised Solutions

Manufacturing nowadays is not a one-size-fits-all endeavour. Every factory presents its own set of challenges and opportunities. Unilift’s ability to customise solutions to each client’s individual demands demonstrates its customer-centric approach. They take the time to understand a factory’s pain spots and bottlenecks before developing solutions that produce tangible benefits.

5. Innovation and Technology

Staying ahead of the curve is critical in a world driven by technology. Unilift’s emphasis on technology and innovative solutions ensures that its clients benefit from the most recent technological advances. Unilift is at the forefront of harnessing technology for production efficiency, whether it’s introducing automation, employing data analytics for predictive maintenance, or applying IoT-driven solutions.

Conclusion

Efficiency is non-negotiable in the complex world of modern manufacturing. In-plant services such as Unilift are critical in this quest for efficiency. They provide a depth of experience, a dedication to safety and compliance, and an emphasis on innovation. They assist manufacturing enterprises in thriving in an ever-competitive climate by providing preventive maintenance, efficient warehouse operations, and a customer-centric attitude.

As the manufacturing landscape evolves, the importance of in-plant services will only grow. They are the unsung heroes who work behind the scenes to keep industry running efficiently, sustainably, and profitably. In this context, Unilift and related service providers serve as efficiency beacons, assisting modern production to achieve new heights.

Our Indian society now widely accepts the employment of women. The career of married and unmarried women has become a widely accepted phenomenon in their families.

Though educated people have changed their mindset about appreciating women having active careers, some conservative sections of our society do not want unmarried women to work.

During the era of the Industrial Revolution in countries like Great Britain, the United States, and continental Europe- there was a shift towards women’s employment. This shift brought women out of their homes to support the family. They had to work in elementary, minimum-wage jobs, be primary parents to their children, and run a household.

Fast forward to today, as women employment advanced in various fields, so did the education of women. Women now have educational qualifications to the highest degree and hold jobs of the highest stature. The new-age woman has become the very definition of a multitasker. Women are showing exceptional skills at managing their household, initiating co-parenting patterns that enable fathers to be equally involved in raising children, and encouraging husbands to share equal responsibilities in managing their homes. Thus, bringing equality in their lives, roles, and responsibilities.

Gender Ratio

We need to have more and more workplaces that support women’s employment. It is evident from A global survey conducted by the Peterson Institute for International Economics found that- of nearly 22,000 companies from 91 countries surveyed, organizations with women in at least 30% of leadership positions improved profits by 6% points over competitors with fewer or no women in leadership. Women are the untapped reservoir of talent, and they excel in all their roles with hard work and perseverance.

A gender-diversified workplace is having men and women hired based on their capabilities and qualifications consistently, paid equally, and given equal responsibilities with the same promotional opportunities. Over 54% of companies see improvements in creativity, innovation, acceptance, and enhance their company reputation from gender inclusivity.

Having a Diversified Workplace

• Attracts a broader pool of talent: Having men and women on the same team brings in more talent. It enhances productivity and innovation in the workplace.
• Multiple perspectives: Knowing the two sides of a coin establishes better opinions generated to a specific topic or concern at hand. Different perspectives come from having different background experiences challenge men and women on the team to arrive at innovative solutions.
• Increased Profit: According to McKinsey, Organizations with higher gender diversity are 21% more likely to experience above-average profits. And Organizations that have diversified cultural and ethnic executive teams are to encounter 33% better-than-average profits.
• Positive Culture: Having a gender balance at workplaces improves workforce diversity. Also, having a workplace culture that supports flexible time schedules for new mothers incites a motivating mindset that enables them to achieve objectives that brings success to the Company.

Many functions are male-centric in which women initially had no place for employment. Today, various industries strive to bring an all-women team to assess, initiate and complete products from commencement.

The MHE Sector is an example of a male-dominant industry believing the amount of physical labor was considered a difficult task for women to be a part of that field. However, today women are seen toiling as hard as their counterparts. Handling and operating Forklifts, particularly for Warehousing, Logistical Operations, and Factory Operations & Maintenance Procedures that had male predominance see women slowly and progressively taking over the niche. According to a survey, 1.9% of women are a part of the Plant and Machine Operating Industry.

In FRP Rod Manufacturing, women have started carrying out the whole process. They are mounting raw materials on spools, working on the product completion, and loading the finished product for dispatch and delivery.

Women today account for 19.9% of the total labor force in India, which is below the minimum compared to the Indian gender ratio of 2021, which is 1020 females to every 1000 males. Various reasons amount for women leaving the workforce. Reasons range from cultural norms and responsibilities that arise post-marriage, child-care, adult care, etc. Although this does not hold for everyone, data suggests most women discontinue their careers temporarily or permanently after childbearing. As these reasons are getting handled maturely, we are on the road to having a women workforce like men. A combined workforce at physical and intellectual levels enhances staff retention, improves collaboration, and enables an organization to attain solutions from an innovative viewpoint. Women’s employment does not only assure the right of employment for women but also will result in their greater economic independence. It will positively impact current socio-cultural norms followed in the country.

Introduction/Overview

A safe, well organized and orderly Warehouse is the key to a successful stocking and dispatch operation. Operations in the warehouse include receiving, putting away, storing & distribution within the facility; or dispatch for shipment. For this purpose, a number of resources including equipment like manual and electric hand pallet trucks, diesel or electric forklifts, reach trucks, stackers, etc. as well as a large number of manpower is required for effective movement of the materials.

Receipt and Unloading of Goods is the first warehouse process and one of the most crucial. To perform the receiving process properly, the warehouse should be able to verify that it has received the right product, in the right quantity or number, in the right condition, and at the right time.

Put-away is the second warehouse process and is the movement of goods from the point of unloading to the desired location for warehouse storage.

Storage is the warehouse process in which raw materials after receipt, or finished goods after production, are placed into their most appropriate storage space. When done properly, the storage process makes optimum use of and fully maximizes the available space in your warehouse and increases labor and machine efficiency for material handling.

Shipping is the final warehouse process and the start of the journey of goods outward from the warehouse to the customer, port or central stocking point. Shipping is considered successful only if the right order in the right quantity is sorted and loaded in the least possible time.

With so much going on & so much to keep track of, a warehouse may have more potential for accidents than another area with limited functions. In fact, warehouse fatalities jumped from 11 to 22 annually in a span of just two years (2015-2017), according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics. The most recently released injury rate is 5.1 per 100 full-time warehouse workers, which is the same injury rate as farming.

So it is especially important to pay close attention to safety measures and practices in a warehouse operation.

General Safety

• Wear proper safety shoes to prevent Slips, trips& falls (closed toe, good traction & laced).
• Ensure warehouse raw material, finished goods etc. are secured properly in order to prevent falling.
• Do not jump of the dock.
• Do not climb on racks, use designated walkways, know where all the exists are & the emergency plan of action.
• Clean up grease &oil spills since equipment leaks are a normal occurrence.
• When you notice a spill; your first step should be to find its source and fix it at the same time, use “pigs” (round absorbent material) to catch oil so that it doesn’t get into passageways. Always check a chemical’s Safety Data Sheet (SDS) before touching.
• Use proper safety measures to identify and highlight wet and narrow areas in the warehouse such as signage, barricading, warning signs etc.
• Keep passageways clear from debris at all times because that creates a significant trip hazard, and ensure debris like strapping, stretch wrap and broken pieces of pallets that might get collected are picked up immediately.
• The organization should provide a perception of cleanliness, every worker should play a role in housekeeping even if that means keeping his or her own workspace clean, housekeeping should be an ongoing process, not a one-time practice.
• Report any improperly maintained area leading to unsafe condition immediately.

 

Area of Operation in warehouse: Docks, Storage area, Conveyor area

Dock area activities are loading & unloading, material shifting

Hazards involved in loading & unloading & material shifting: Fall of Material, worker falling off the dock, forklift running off the dock, sprains and strains from improper lifting or handling of material, Slip trips & falls.

Preventive Measures

• Center the load on the forks as close to the mast as possible to minimize the potential for the truck tipping or the load is falling.
• Avoid overloading a lift truck because it impairs control and can potentially causes tipping over.
• Adjust the load to the lowest position when traveling.
• Drive forklifts slowly and cautiously.
• Keep the forklift clear of dock edges.
• Provide visual warnings near dock edges.
• Rope off areas where employees could fall 4 feet or more, such as exposed or open bay doors.
• Prohibit employees from jumping off docks.
• Secure dock pallets and ensure they can safely support the load.
• Ensure ladders and stairs used at docks meet OSHA guidelines. https://www.osha.gov/Publications/ladders/osha3124.html
• Ensure safe lifting method like maintaining neutral back and bending with your hips & knees and changing direction with your whole body rather than twisting.
• Ensure proper housekeeping.

Storage area activities are material shifting & stacking

Hazards involved in material shifting: Worker struck by forklift, collision of forklift with each other, falling of stack material, caught in/on between, toes, feet and lower legs being bumped or crushed by hand truck, dollies, slips, trips, and falls.

Preventive Measures

• Workers to be educated to use designated walk or pathways while moving around the warehouse & priority should be given for forklift passage first.
• All forklift operators to be properly educated, trained and certified on safety knowledge as well as compliance during operations be monitored.
• Do not allow anyone under the age of 18 to operate a forklift. Implement a preventive maintenance and inspection program to ensure forklift trucks are in good working order. Inspect forklifts before each use.
• Ensure convex mirrors on blind spot turns in the facility.
• Always drive safely, never exceeding the speed limit.
• Ensure that stacks are stable and self-supporting. Stack bags and bundles in interlocking rows to keep them secure.
• Stack bagged material by stepping back the layers and cross-keying the bags at least every ten layers (to remove bags from the stack, start from the top row first & always from one side).
• Practice pyramid shaped stacking of goods where possible.
• Ensure you don’t place fingers or hand between the load & hand truck structure.
• Ensure hand trucks or trolleys that are not in use are parked in designated areas with wheels locked to avoid movement.
• Keep the center of gravity of the load as low as possible. Put heavy objects below the lighter ones. When loading, keep feet clear of the wheels.
• Ensure the load is placed well forward so the weight will be carried by the axle, not the handles.

Conveyor area activities are generally manual handling of material

Hazard involved in manual handling of material: pinch-point, nip-point, musculoskeletal disorders through repetitive motions or awkward positions.

Preventive Measures

• Inspect conveyors on a regular basis.
• Guard pinch points – now what is “pinch-point”? Pinch-point (also called a nip point), is a point on a machine where a person or a part of their body can get caught in between moving parts.
• Gears, rollers, belt drives, and pulleys conveyors are all examples of typical pinch points in the workplace. OSHA standard 1910.211 provides guidance on what constitutes a nip point.
• Prohibit wearing of jewelry or loose clothing near conveyors.
• Strictly prohibit riding on a conveyor belts or crawling across or under them.
• Develop and implement proper procedures for locking out conveyors and train employees on them.
• Ensure proper lighting and proper working surfaces in areas near conveyors.
• Whenever possible, eliminate the need for manual lifting by using forklifts, pallet jacks, automatic palletizers, and other equipment.
• Reposition shelves or bins to reduce lifts from the ground and from shoulder height.
• Ensure always use the legs to lift, keeping the back in a neutral position.
• Ensure before lifting, check to estimate the size and bulk of the load to determine if and how the weight may shift.
• Ensure a good grip before lifting; if the load is too heavy, call for help.
• Ensure do not shift at the waist while carrying the load, instead pivot with the feet and take small sure steps.
• Ensure floors clear of all slip, trip, and fall hazards.
• When planning a job, factor safe work practices into the mix.

What if an emergency occurs ?

• Finally, ensure you have a warehouse-specific emergency plan that describes what is expected of employees in the event of an emergency or disaster. As part of the plan, your employees need to be trained on:
• When and how to call emergency responders
• The location of emergency exits and evacuation procedures, including where to gather after the building is evacuated, and procedures to account for all employees and visitors, ensure a chart is displayed in the facility for the same.
• The location and use of fire extinguishers and other emergency equipment, and who is trained to use them and when; and
• Procedures for reporting incidents to management, including after-hours phone numbers and the type of incidents that should be reported.

When it comes to warehouse safety there are many benefits that are often overlooked. Safety procedures are frequently disregarded in a variety of workplaces due to insufficient time, inadequate resources or an opportunity to cut corners in an attempt to save money. However, when safety procedures are soundly implemented there are major benefits such as higher employee satisfaction as well as increased productivity. Training & guidance play an important part in ensuring safety at work. A safe and healthy workplace benefits everyone. It means the staff feels well and work flows smoothly.

Aatish Zarapkar
EHS Head
UNILIFT Cargo Systems Pvt. Ltd.

There is much talk these days with COVID-19 about the wearing of masks to cover your nose and mouth when out in public and at the workplace.

One diagram that has famously made the rounds on social media indicates that if everyone wore a mask it would effectively reduce the transmission rate to just 1.5%. That’s a great thing but it neither identifies what type of mask nor references the study or data which forms the basis of the finding.

Masks come in all sorts of varieties from the N95 filter masks used by health professionals, homemade fabric masks, all the way to a bandana around your nose and mouth. If you look at the studies and the various government sites, the evidence shows that masks such as the professionally manufactured N95 mask clearly can help prevent the spread of diseases such as COVID-19. However, there is really no data on the effectiveness of homemade or many other types of masks mainly because there are such huge variables in the material and design. Different types of materials have different types of filtering capabilities and design along with fit of any one particular mask on an individual can certainly change the odds.

So why wear a mask when you are at work or even out in public? Let’s look at four solid reasons

• It may be a requirement of the state or your employer;
• Any type of mask will certainly reduce the amount of droplets you may expel to your surroundings or people around you if you were to sneeze, cough or even when just talking. This is certainly one key in reducing the spread of COVID-19 or any disease for that matter.
• Any type of mask will certainly reduce the amount of droplets OTHERS may expel that could enter your system through the mouth, nose or eyes.
• And perhaps one of the biggest reasons is that wearing masks will make you aware of your mouth and nose area and prevent you from inadvertently touching these areas with your hands.

When wearing a mask it is important to keep several things in mind

• Fit it as closely as possible to the contour of your face especially around the nose and chin areas.
• Make sure it’s comfortable and sized correctly for your particular face structure.
• Keep the mask on once you have it on. Constantly removing and putting it back on can dramatically reduce the effectiveness.
• Apply and remove your mask carefully so as not contaminate yourself with whatever may be on the outside of the mask.
• Keep the mask clean bearing in mind that studies have shown that washing fabric type masks can reduce the low effectiveness of fabric to begin with.

With the Corona Virus spreading throughout the world it is probably worth spending some time on protecting you from infection, not just injury . . . for both can have debilitating consequences.

Keeping hands clean is one of the most important steps we can take to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others. Many diseases and conditions are spread by not washing hands with soap and clean, running water.

The guidance for effective hand washing and use of hand sanitizer was developed based on data from a number of studies.

Washing your hands should involve these 5 scientifically proven steps

• Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.
• Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Be sure to lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
• Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.
• Rinse your hands well under clean, running water. Do not use a basin of water to rinse your hands.
• Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.

When should you wash your hands? Here are just a few suggestions. The more often, the better

• After returning from any public exposure
• Before, during, and after preparing food
• Before eating food
• Before and after smoking, vaping or smokeless tobacco
• Before and after caring for someone who is sick
• Before and after treating a cut or wound
• After using the toilet
• After changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet
• After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
• After touching an animal, animal feed, or animal waste
• After handling pet food or pet treats
• After touching garbage.

Unlike many duties throughout a facility, forklift operators almost certainly share their vehicles with other employees on shift or with those associates on other shifts. For this reason, it is especially important for operators to take the time, not only to do a thorough inspection of the vehicle, but a thorough cleaning and disinfecting of the vehicle prior to its use.

There are many common touch points on every type of powered industrial vehicle. By cleaning and disinfecting with emphasis on those areas, you dramatically reduce the transmission of infectious diseases carried by viruses and bacteria among yourself and coworkers.

Here is what you will need

• Nitrile gloves
• Face mask/cloth face covering
• Clean safety glasses
• Hand sanitizer, sanitizer/disinfectant and/or alcohol wipes

With proper PPE and disinfecting supplies

• Wipe down and sanitize the forklift truck, work area, and work tools before starting work
• Know and pay special attention to the high touch points on the truck
• Grab bars and rear overhead guard handle
• Steering wheel, joy stick, horn button, and control handle
• Switches for lights, other functions and control knobs
• Forward, Reverse, Lift, Lower, Side shift, Pusher and other controls
• Seat, seat belt, seat rails and armrest
• Ignition key, if equipped.
• Covers, handles and latches (including fork latches and forks)
• Top & rails of the overhead guard
• Battery connectors where operators must touch cables/connectors to change or connect
• Floor mats and other truck access points

Taking the time before you use a forklift or similar powered industrial truck to clean it as well as doing the pre-use inspection of all the key components will ensure you go home in the same condition as you arrived for work today as well as keep you and your co-workers safe.

Social distancing rules

• For workers coming from outside, special transportation facility should be arranged without any dependency on the public transport system, these vehicles should be allowed to work only with 30-40 % passenger capacity.
• Provision for hand wash & sanitizer preferably with touch free mechanism should be made at all entry and exit points and common areas.
• Ensure work places shall have a gap of one hour between shifts and stagger the lunch breaks of staff, to ensure social distancing.
• Large gatherings or meetings of 10 or more people to be discouraged. Seating at least 6 feet away from others on job sites and in gatherings, meetings and training sessions.
• Ensure not more than 2/4 persons (depending on size) are allowed to travel in lifts or hoists
• Use of staircase for climbing should be encouraged.
• There should be strict ban of gutka, tobacco etc. and spitting should be strictly prohibited.
• Common areas like restrooms, meeting rooms, canteens, toilets, reception areas need to limit the number of people at any one time using any areas that may become congested, use floor markings to maintain social distancing.
• Minimize contact between people while making use of barriers or screens.
• Display signs reminding people to socially distance, wash hands and not touch their faces.

Transport rules

• Ensure those who are travelling are necessary for the work to be carried out.
• Limit passengers in vehicles such as work minibuses. This could include leaving seats empty avoid multi-occupancy vehicles where safe to do so.
• Consider if people who need to travel in vehicles can be kept in the same teams/ shifts to minimize the number of trips as well as persons being transported
• Consider if vehicle windows can be kept open.
• Ensure that people practice good hygiene before and after using the vehicle. Provide hand sanitizer where necessary.
• Vehicles should not be shared between different users if possible.
• Ensure vehicles are sanitized regularly, in particular between different users. Clean commonly touched areas in vehicles including
  • Handles (inside and out)
  • Steering wheel and starter button
  • Stereo switches
  • Handbrake and gearstick
  • Keys and key fob
  • Indicators and wiper stalks
  • Windows, mirrors and mirror switches, seat adjusters any other controls.
  • Using physical screening between the seats.

Accommodation

• Identify measures to keep workers safe while they are staying in accommodation and working, in your risk assessment.
• Minimize numbers of people living in shared accommodation.
• Workers should not live or stay in more than one ‘household’.
• Keep people who live in the same household together in the same work group.
• Try not to mix households while they are working.
• Try to keep each household socially distanced from other households.
• Check workers health before they start work each day.
• If a worker develops symptoms of coronavirus while working they should return to their household. The individual, and anyone else highlighted by government guidance should then follow the government guidelines on isolation.
• Cleaning regimes to ensure accommodation units stay clean.
• Cleaning regimes for shared communal areas. The employer is responsible for making sure that communal areas are properly and regularly cleaned.
• Cleaning and maintenance regimes for toilets and bathroom.

Improve Your Diet

The food you eat plays a key aspect in determining your overall health and immunity. Eat low carb diets, as this will help control high blood sugar and pressure. A low carb diet will help slow down diabetes and focus on a protein-rich diet to keep you in good shape. and regularly consume vegetables and fruits rich in beta carotene, ascorbic acid & other essential vitamins. Some natural immunity supplements include ginger, gooseberries (amla) and turmeric regularly consume it in your diet. Probiotics like Yoghurt and fermented food are also excellent sources to rejuvenate the composition of gut bacteria, which is important for nutrient absorption by the body. These are good options for the older generation too.

Rules to be followed to prevent spread of Covid in Factories

• Check temperature of each person at the entry. This includes management, workers as well as and any other visitors entering the premises.
• Put alcohol-based hand sanitizer at the entry with visual posters on its proper use.
• Hand over the face masks to every person entering the factory with visual poster for its proper use and disposal.
• Use Potassium Permanganate solution at the entry and make every person to disinfect sole of their shoes.
• Passage of every person through disinfectant tunnels will reduce the risk of virus spread.

Instruct factory’s medical team to frequently check entire premises

• Fever, cough and difficulty breathing must not be neglected. Immediate medical attention needs to be given through medical center within factory.
• Arrange doctor/nurse visits to factory areas for random temperature checks of the workforce
• Encourage workers to stay home if they feel unwell despite medical checkups and take precautionary measures as suggested by doctors.

General Instructions

• Encourage mid-management people to keep a close watch on workers’ activities.
• Tell workers to use public transport according to set guidelines and use face masks and gloves while commuting publically.
• Punch-based biometric machine must be converted into face recognition machines or into card based machines.
• Set up hot water dispenser and encourage workers to drink hot water.

Strictly Avoid

• Social gatherings within factory premises at all management levels including trainings
• Playing with stray animals or let them lick any part of their bodies especially when workers go for lunch in factories.
• Touching ground unnecessarily
• Consumption of tobacco products, cigarette, and similar items
• Spitting
• Handling machines such as cutters/spreaders, laundry machines with bare hands and without putting mask on face.
• Reusing a single-use mask, if your mask gets wet or becomes damp, replace it immediately.
• Touching the front of your mask while removing it, remove it from behind, and immediately throw away the mask in a garbage bin with a lid. Wash or clean your hands immediately afterwards.

Moving goods from Point A to Point B may sound simple, but an experienced business owner / operations manager knows that dealing with supply chain and logistics either within the different points of a manufacturing or shifting between locations, facilities, warehouse and ports can become more complicated than expected. Besides one has to consider various factors such as warehousing solutions, equipment management, manpower arrangement and transportation, not to mention additional compliances such as licenses, labour laws, equipment regulations, environment related permissions, taxes, etc. to think about.

It comes as no surprise that outsourcing the work to an experienced and reputable third-party logistics provider is a preferred option for many companies. The logistics sector has a share of approx 14% in India’s GDP. In India the Material Handling sector has observed a huge growth in the recent years. This has been due to the rising investment in infrastructure and the “MAKE IN INDIA” vision. In the years to come, industrialisation is going to witness a big development and with that the material handling equipment industry is also expected to display considerable growth. The Indian Logistics sector is currently valued at around $ 160 Billion and is expected to grow at 10% CAGR during the period of 2019-2025.

Choosing a logistics service provider is a serious decision. While choosing a partner one has to select a company that one can rely on to help in the movement of the material safely and efficiently, whilst upholding the standards and values of thier own company.

After more than 30 years of experience in the factory operation and maintenance, logistics and MHE industry as well as dealing with customers across industries, locations, and sizes, we have been able to indentify the key factors based on which companies can select an appropriate logistics service partner for their operations:

Area of Expertise

Due to the market growth discussed above in the logistics sector, there is an increased demand for the material handling equipments such as Forklifts, Stackers, Reach Trucks etc. Many companies today prefer to use a third-party logistics service provider for providing these equipments along with equipment operators and maintenance personnel. When searching for the right partner, you will find that most logistics companies having specialties in certain areas of logistics such as In-Plant operations, Warehousing, Road transportation, Air transportation or Shipping transportation. An expert in this sector will be able to provide you with equipments based on your requirement, which will help you to optimise your operations.

In a plant, there are many activities which need material handling equipments including loading / unloading of materials from or into containers and trucks; or stacking of material at height or racks; or movement of materials in confined spaces – a capable service provider will always be able to advise you the most efficient and cost effective ways of handling the material e.g. In a warehouse where space is a constraint and you need more space for storage a good partner can suggest you to use a specialised equipment which can help increase the storage space by almost 15-20%. Similarly for Transportation of goods using Road, Rail, Air or Sea a good partner will always suggest you the safest, cost effective and most efficient way to transport your goods from one place to another.

Hence, it is important for companies looking to partner with logistics service providers to identify the different and critical aspects of their logistics operation and look to engage service providers having the capability, know-how, equipment and manpower resources as well as experience of managing similar operations.

Level of Service and Ability to Foresee Issues

There is no question that you will need to partner with a reliable provider. An unreliable logistics company can quickly affect and damage the good relationship built between your business and its clients and customers. Every load that arrives late, damaged, or on the wrong kind of transport will add extra hours of work to your plate and can strain your relationship with your best clients.

Delay or damage or incorrect issuance of goods can happen at any stage in plant from the production stage right to dispatch stage and even during transit. For example, when the product is correctly placed in the warehouse at the right location and according to a pre-defined and well known process, the chances of sending out wrong material is reduced. A good Service Provider will ensure that Products are stacked in an orderly manner and will follow or suggest the best practices which are most suitable for the maximum output within a pant or warehouse. A proper process also ensures that the dispatch is done without any errors or undue delays. Dispatch of incorrect goods has a negative effect on the reputation of an organisation, not to mention the monetary loss arising due to the wrong dispatches. Even if one wrong pallet is dispatched to the customer, it will cause a much larger ripple effect on the other dispatches for the customer and this in turn will amount to huge losses in this competitive world.

The right partner will always suggest you the best operating model as well as the resources required after doing a thorough study of the products as well as operational requirements. Although it may not always be possible to control variables such as traffic or the weather, it’s important to find a good logistics partner who is able to anticipate potential problems and plan accordingly to ensure that you are delivered the best service every time. The best third-party logistics companies are always anticipating needs and will communicate regularly and openly with you.

Use of Technology

Don’t be afraid to ask prospective logistics partners what technology they use to help improve their services. Using the right technology can not only raise the service level but will also enable both companies to drive down costs. In today’s competitive world of logistics, automation is the best solution forward. Today with the Warehouse management systems in place it becomes very convenient for a company to track their goods and resources. For example, the MHE’s today can be fitted with the Forklift fleet management systems, which not only tracks the location of a forklift within the plant or warehouse, but through its cloud platform can also help the fleet managers to understand the operations of the fleet and the performance of the Operators.

These devices can also prompt the Running Time, Idle Time, Effective working Hours, effective utilisation, work efficiencies or deficiencies like near miss, touch to another surface with the Forklift, impact sensing to name a few important features. By use of technology, the fuel efficiency and optimal utilisation of the material handling equipments can be monitored so also the periodic maintenance which the system will prompt as per the OEM requirement. To stop the misuse of Forklift or to ensure that the equipments are not driven by any unauthorised person equipments can be fitted with Access Controls pin based device which will only allow the authorised personnel to punch their unique codes. To ensure safe movement of equipment in reverse MHE’s can be equipped with reverse camera’s and sensor’s which not only give a visual while travelling in reverse, but can also sound an alarm when the equipment is up to 1 meter from any object. This will alert the Operator regarding impact and save from accidents.

One must look for a company that utilizes technology for the best solutions with the eventual aim of automating processes and minimizing manual intervention, quickly identifying any potential problems within the the supply chain, and accessing a large database of carriers.

Serving You – Today & Tomorrow

When looking for the right logistics partner, do not just search for a company that can help you meet your needs today. If you have plans for business expansion and growth in the future, you will want to know that you are working alongside a logistics company who will be able to help you achieve these goals rather than hold you back. If there are plans for induction of more advanced technologies, procedures and practices which will require a higher level of integration from the logistic partners, it will serve well to evaluate the competencies of prospective partners in respect of the same. As your operations change and grow, it’s vital to find a logistics partner who is able to scale with your business. Ask yourself, will this partner be able to adapt and respond to changing business needs in the long run?

The Right Price

Of course, it is crucial to take the price into careful consideration when choosing a logistics partner. However, it is best to keep in mind that the lowest price is not always the best price and may not convert into the best option. In fact, this can sometimes be the worst choice since lower prices can often signal poorer levels of service, lack of compliance with the labour laws, overriding safety procedures, less efficient management system and problem solving skills, inept resources and less reliability. Even though a logistics company might be able to beat its competitors when it comes to rates, it is always vital to ensure that you will not be compensating for this by putting up with sub-standard operations and failing to reach targets. The cost of incorrect handling of your goods would be lot higher than the price saved on the wrong logistics partner. For any company there are two types of logistics costs, the direct cost which will include In-plant movement of material using the material handling equipments and outside logistics like transportation, external warehouse and other value added services. The other cost is the Indirect cost which includes inventory carrying cost, damage while handling inside the plant or while transporting to the warehouse and also to the customer. The Indirect cost could account for approximately 40% of the total logistics cost which was around $ 310 Billion in the year 2017-18. A good partner can help in reducing the Indirect costs for their client. It is definitely not worth partnering with a logistics company that falls short on customer service, is less visible, and less reliable as a whole.

Safety

Does the logistics provider have a sense of safety? Does a culture of safety emanate from the top management in the company and reflect in the operations, resources and training provided to all its manpower? It is not a difficult task to evaluate whether a particular logistics service provider is only viewing safety as a compliance point to cover or as an essential and integral part of its business ethos.

There is no denying that you have to pay attention to the safety awareness of your logistics provider. In fact, it is absolutely crucial when deciding a logistics partner. A deadly fire in the transferring warehouse will cause huge losses for your business.

Try to check the safety awareness of the logistics provider, their Safety Mechanism and facilities, even safety management.

A good logistics company will offer safety training regularly to their employees, place safety warnings in the right place, manage and monitor a dedicated safety team in its operations, check their facilities regularly, and document a company-wide safety standard in line with the industry safety rules and regulations of the nation. Make sure your products will be sent to the destinations without any damage during the operation of the logistics service provider.

Building a Strong Relationship

The Logistics outsourcing business is essentially a relationship driven business. It is essential for any organisation to build a successful relationship with their Service Provider and vice versa. Understanding the goals and priorities is the key to success for any service relationship. Transparency in work and looking after the benefits of each other goes a long way in building a successful business partnership. Being able to build a healthy working relation means that over a period of time both partners are able to identify the strength and weakness of each partner and work towards helping each other overcome these obstacles to achieve the common goal and succeed in developing the business for the customer.

A great relationship ensures the Service Provider understands the work requirements such as handling goods, proper stacking of goods in warehouse, efficient dispatches, extra working during month-end to meet the company targets of dispatch.

Right Operational Outlook

The logistics partner you deal with should understand your needs and the expectations you have from their services. Rather than viewing its role as simply a provider of resources (equipment and/or manpower), it should understand and appreciate the part it plays in the operation and business of the company.

A partner that is willing to be evaluated on its performance on a regular basis and fulfil operational and compliance parameters, performance matrix, KPIs and other requirements set out for achievement of objectives is more likely to be the right partner in the long run for the company.

An integration of goals as regards output of work rather than supply of resources between the company and the logistics partner is essential to create a mutually beneficial and profitable partnership between the producer and logistics operator.

Compliance

In Human Resource definition, statutory compliance is the legal structure within which any organisation must conduct itself with regards to the treatment of its employees. There are various laws related to the protection, safety and fair treatment of the employees.

Some of the major labour statutes are as follows

• The Factories Act, 1948
• The Minimum Wages Act, 1948
• The Employees Provident Fund & Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952
• The Workmen’s Compensation Act, 1923
• The Payment Of Wages Act, 1936
• The Industrial Employment Standing Orders Act, 1946
• The Industrial Disputes Act, 1946
• The Employees’ State Insurance Act, 1948
• The Employment Exchanges(Compulsory Notification Of Vacancies) Act, 1959
• The Apprentices Act, 1961
• The Payment Of Bonus Act, 1965
• The Contract Labour (Regulation & Abolition) Act, 1970
• The Payment Of Gratuity Act, 1972
• The Equal Remuneration Act, 1976
• Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation Of Employment & conditions Of Service) Act, 1979.
• The Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation Act), 1986

With so many compliance regulations and requirements, companies prefer to outsource the management and compliance of manpower. However it is also essential to select a partner who understands the requirements of various laws and makes no concession in the compliance of the same. While the compliance of these statutes and requirements can sometimes be a time-consuming and ardous process, the consequence of non-compliance by the logistics partners (especially the ones that are operating within your factory premises) can be potentially devastating to the reputation and business of the factory owner. Hence it is very important to give due consideration on the past records of a Service Provider in terms of its capability and acceptance to fulfill all the Statutory Compliances.

Environment

Under the Environment Protection Act 1986, the Environment means the inter- relationship which exists among and between water, air and land, and human beings, other living creatures, plants, micro-organism and property.

Companies are now more inclined to reduce the pollution of the environment. To help curb the pollution all companies have started requesting for Electric Material Handling Equipments which do not emit any smoke or pollute the environment. These equipments are the most eco friendly and also save the environment, not to mention the products which are food grade or electronics which get affected by the fumes coming out of fuel operated equipment. It is also important to follow the norms laid by the government regarding the scrapping or elimination of used Oil and grease which has to be done through certified companies which collect these and recycle them. In India there are approx 36000 industries generating over 70 lakh tons of waste every year. In India there are approx. 250 Oil recycling units which help in conserving resources and limiting the environmental pollution. Similarly for the electric equipments, there are companies which have been appointed for buying and disposing off the acid from the lead acid batteries, and they issue certificates regarding the disposal of the batteries and the acid.

These and other measures can be taken by any company operating in the equipment resource space. As the world moves towards reducing the adverse industrial impact on the environment and protecting the planet and its natural eco-system, a consious and aware logistics partner will assist your company’s efforts towards becoming a more environmentally responsible business entity.

Integrity Culture

Integrity is the practice of being honest and showing a consistency in uncompromising moral values. The Integrity Culture is an extremely crucial aspect while looking for a service partner. It is a very important commitment to Strong Ethical Principles laid by the Management of the company and followed by everyone at all times. It is also the foundation of building relationship and trust with the Organisation. To have integrity means to be accountable, responsible, truthful and consistent in one’s actions. Any company where the Top Management shows a strong beleif in these values, will always encourage and drive its employees towards having the same virtues and dealing with such Organisations will lead to long lasting business relationship.

Finding the right logsitcs partner who meets most if not all of the criteria mentioned above can be a long and challenging process. However the far-reaching and long term impact and benefit of ensuring that your company’s logsitcs operations and support functions are in capable, experienced and consious hands cannot be denied.