Storage and handling infrastructure
| Storage and handling infrastructure |
|---|
| See also |
Storage and handling infrastructure refers to the physical structures, equipment, and processes used to store and move materials, products, and goods within an organization. There are several important factors to consider when designing and maintaining storage and handling infrastructure:
- Safety: Safety is of paramount importance when it comes to storage and handling infrastructure. This includes ensuring that storage areas and handling equipment are designed and maintained in such a way that they are safe for workers to use, and that they comply with relevant safety regulations and standards.
- Capacity: The storage and handling infrastructure should be able to accommodate the volume of materials, products, and goods that the organization needs to store and handle. This includes considering the size and layout of storage areas, as well as the capacity of handling equipment.
- Accessibility: The storage and handling infrastructure should be designed to be easily accessible to workers, vehicles, and other equipment, in order to minimize the time and effort required to move materials and goods in and out of storage.
- Efficiency: The storage and handling infrastructure should be designed and maintained to be as efficient as possible, in order to minimize the costs and resources required to store and handle materials and goods.
- Durability: The storage and handling infrastructure should be durable and able to withstand the wear and tear of regular use, in order to minimize the need for repairs and maintenance.
- Flexibility: The storage and handling infrastructure should be flexible enough to accommodate changes in the organization's operations, such as changes in product lines, seasonal fluctuations in demand, or changes in the way goods are stored or handled.
- Environmental protection: The storage and handling infrastructure should be designed to minimize the environmental impact of storing and handling materials and goods, such as by reducing energy consumption and minimizing the risk of spills or leaks.
- Automation: Automation helps to improve the efficiency and accuracy of storage and handling processes, and can also reduce the risk of human error.
In summary, the storage and handling infrastructure is important for an organization to consider factors such as safety, capacity, accessibility, efficiency, durability, flexibility, environmental protection, and automation to meet the needs of the business and comply with relevant regulations and standards.
Elements of storage and handling infrastructure
Logistic processes covering the flow of goods, stocking and creation and processing of related information require a specific storage infrastructure. which consists of:
- storage buildings
- technical means of manipulation and internal transport
- storage devices (measurement and control, fire control)
- technical measures relating to the computerization of processes in warehouses
The most important tasks that meet the storage facilities is to provide smooth and expeditious flow of stocks, their protection and preservation of value, and smooth and rapid flow of information
In addition, it takes into account auxiliary storage device (mechanical forming and securing of cargo, to measure the weight, volume and dimensions, etc.).
Technical measures for handling and transportation
Another important component of the infrastructure is technical means of manipulation and handling, which significantly affect the flow rate, level of performance of stock manipulation and transport processes and the degree of protection against the loss of value.
Main types of means of transport and handling:
- cranes
- conveyors
- trucks and other wheeled vehicles
References
- Bowersox, D. J., Closs, D. J., & Cooper, M. B. (2002). Supply chain logistics management (Vol. 2). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
