Distribution, packaging & shipping –   Distribution, packaging & shipping –   Distribution, packaging & shipping –  

The HSE.gov.uk reports that two-thirds of reportable injuries in the workplace are caused by incorrect lifting and handling incorrectly. In the distribution side of a business and the packaging, shipping industries, the tasks commonly carried out which could evoke the risk of injury for employees include:

• Repetitive movements.
• Lifting, pushing and pulling heavy loads.
• Bending, stretching, reaching, and twisting unnecessarily.

To reduce or even eliminate this risk, we highly advise that you (or an external company) carry out an internal risk assessment to identify areas of concern and risk and to speak to employees about what additional lifting, handling and manoeuvring aids they might need to improve their working conditions. We at Advanced Handling can carry this out for you and advise you as to the best solutions for your processes whether it is to invest in a specialist lifting aid or whether it is a simple rearrangement of an area in your working environment.

Unplanned downtime in a distribution area or packaging and shipping company is an extremely costly situation therefore it is integral that the processes and solutions used in these areas and companies are all reliable, durable, low maintenance and easy to use by all operators. Advanced Handling has loads of experience working with these industries and even we even use our own solutions in our own manufacturing facility base in Peterborough, the UK. Here are just a few examples of unique challenges these companies face and how our solutions can help.

Packaging Products:

These days, packaging the products themselves is mostly automated. What isn’t automated however is the transfer of the rolls and reels of packaging from pallets, to the spindles in the packaging machines themselves. In many places, this is a manual handling task and takes more than one employee to carry it out.

Advanced Handling’s ergonomic Pronomic Squeeze & Turn Lifting Trolleys however can make this two-person task, a one-person task that is easy, safe, and quick to complete. Our Pronomic Squeeze & Turns pick up reels and rolls from pallets from the outside (squeezing gently to lift). The roll can then be transported to the packaging machine, rotated, and fed directly onto the spindle ready to use. We also offer V-Block attachments, our Expand & Turn (lifts from the core) and Boom attachment which are all suitable for lifting, transporting, and manipulating reels and rolls.

We also offer roller top scissor lift tables which can aid transporting finished products down a conveyor/production line ready for packing.

Packing into Boxes & Lifting Boxes:

Advanced Handling offer the highly configurable, safe, and ergonomic Movomech Overhead Lifting range. The vacuum attachments are most suited to lifting boxes or individual units off a production and putting them into boxes or indeed, if they are already in boxes, stacking them onto pallets. The best thing about this range is that it is extremely flexible. One vacuum lifter attachment could be used across a whole range of products boxes, despite differing sizes and weights all operated by one-person effortlessly.

Palletising:

At the end of a production line, once all, the products are packed into boxes, the next step is usually to transport these boxes onto pallets ready for storage or distribution. Advanced Handling Ltd have the perfect solution for this to stop your employees having to bend, reach, stretch, and twist during this process – our EZ Loader. Our EZ Loader is an auto-levelling, static, pneumatic scissor lift table with a fully rotational platform top. This means, that when operators are stacking more and more boxes onto the pallet, the table automatically adjusts the height of the table, so it is at a comfortable working position for employees. This combined with the ability to rotate the platform makes it a safer and more efficient way to stack pallets. The best thing though is that when the pallet is full, a forklift or pallet lifter can simply come and take the pallet away before the table levels out again ready for the next load.

Manoeuvring Pallets:

We have a range of pallet lifters and once we understand your application, size, and weight of your pallets, we will advise as to the best solution for you. Whether that be a Freedom Stacker for lifting half Euro pallets, a modified Freedom Plus or Voyager Stacker for lifting full pallets or another one of our light duty, or heavy duty stackers.

Storing Pallets:

Advanced Handling Ltd design, manufacture and install a range of standard Mezzanine Goods Lifts designed specifically to transport standard sized pallets from manufacturing, to and from storage on a mezzanine floor. If a standard specification doesn’t tick all your boxes, we also specialise in bespoke configurations, working collaboratively with you and/or your mezzanine floor supplier to ensure your end solution is perfect for your company, employees and products.

Click here to find out more about our Mezzanine Goods Lifts.