To lead, it is not enough to react to the day's challenges. A leader must envision the future and strive toward it. ProMat is where industry leaders go to glimpse the future.
ProMat is a convention where manufacturing, distribution, and supply chain leaders showcase their latest innovations. So we sent our team to check out the future of the material handling industry. Read on to find out what they discovered.
Attendee Impressions
Our team evaluated the most innovative products and technologies exhibited. While there was a lot to get excited about, we left with 3 key impressions about what’s coming to your facility in the next few years.
Automation Is the Future
Automation was one of the show's focuses, and it did not disappoint. One notable example is the Gorbel Restuff-it. This ergonomic conveyor system drives into trailers and connects to your existing conveyor systems. Using this product, workers can unload or load material up to twice as fast while still reducing worker fatigue.
Automation is advancing at a blistering speed, with more companies designing automated solutions every year. That means a few things for you:
- Automation will soon offer solutions for most routine warehouse activities. This will reduce your labor costs and increase your productivity.
- Support for a variety of integrated automated solutions is growing rapidly. This will make automated solutions more accessible and easier to manage.
- The cost of automation is dropping. The spike in competing technologies means the price for automated solutions is plummeting. As a result, automation will become more affordable with no reduction in quality.
Innovative Designs Lead to Easy to Implement Solutions
Not all the innovations we encountered were high-tech. Some were familiar materials applied to elegant solutions. One design that impressed us was the Unex SpeedCell storage system. This is a high-density storage solution for small parts. It's a series of hanging bins in which each column slides left or right, allowing users to access rows of similar hanging containers behind the first. It fits into standard pallet racks, increases storage density by up to 60%, and decreases labor costs by up to 40%. All this is accomplished without any batteries for electrical components, just suspended wheeled tracks.
Still, the SpeedCell system is but one of the easy implementation designs we saw. Simplicity is refreshing in a business where usually this innovation requires new infrastructure and technology.
Forklift Battery Technology Is Evolving
Electric forklifts are growing more common as the technology continues to advance. Yet, a few challenges remain. One such challenge is battery longevity. Lithium batteries are a major improvement over lead acid, but the technology continues to progress.
However, battery technology has taken another dramatic step forward. At ProMat, our team was introduced to the Eternity Technologies PowerPro. This is a carbon nano battery that requires no watering and no maintenance. It features a fully integrated, UL-approved automatic charger that plugs into any standard 110-volt AC outlet. It also provides over 750 cycles at 75% discharge.
The PowerPro is a stunning example of where forklift battery technology is headed. Soon, battery maintenance will be the rarity, not the norm. Furthermore, we’ll see dramatic reductions in the charging infrastructure required to maintain your electric forklift fleet.
The Cutting Edge
At the beginning of this article, we discussed the necessity of envisioning the future state of the industry. At Southern States Toyotalift, our team takes that to heart. Our job is to stay on the cutting edge of material handling solutions to prepare your team to tackle today, tomorrow, and the next decade. So if you’re ready to move into the future, reach out to schedule a free site survey where we’ll help you find what innovations are best for your business. To get started, contact our Solutions Team online or visit one of our helpful locations throughout Georgia and Florida.
Florida
Jacksonville
Lakeland
Ocala
Orlando
Tampa
Winter Haven
Georgia
Albany
Macon
Columbus
Valdosta
Further Reading
Forklift Battery Charging Methods: What’s Best for Productivity
Is It Better To Repair Or Replace Pallet Racking
Think You’re Ready for Warehouse Automation? Do This First.
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