The production process is crucial to many manufacturing companies. Without a properly organized production line, the chances of something going wrong increase – as well the likelihood of losing profit.
One of the less-explored (but still important) bottlenecks in the production line can be identified at the unloading center. Here are the common issues that you can expect to see and tips on how to solve them.
Lack Of Space
A big issue with many offloading centers is that manufacturers can often underestimate how much space their material or finished product takes up. In the case of the latter, production facilities may sometimes only specify the dimensions of the finished product and may forget to include the packaging.
Quality control aside, it’s critical for unloading centers to have extra space for the storage of items. Not only does this ensure the good condition of items to be shipped, but it also gives leeway to store returned items temporarily.
To solve this issue, it’s important to have a clear number of the total area of the facility before purchase. Properly outlining the designated areas for movement and storage is also crucial, as well-marked divisions can prevent workplace mishaps.
Improper Storage Conditions
Another problem that can affect an unloading center is inadequate storage conditions. This might not be the fault of the center itself – there are times where a sudden influx of demand can overload the unloading center. In either case, a safety and quality control manager should be on-site to check in on the status of the goods and report back for any problems.
Implementing surge processes (which can apply to either finished goods or raw material) can also give more visibility to the conditions in the unloading center. Properly implementing offloading protocols can help cope with spacing issues, and keeping open lines of communication can head off any more potential issues with overflow.
Process Engineering
Finally, some of the most costly bottlenecks are the ones that don’t cause a facility-wide shutdown: they can be as simple as the loading and unloading of the actual goods themselves. There’s a lot of time lost without automating this process because aside from checking the status of the goods you also need to properly note their arrival in the inventory.
Even disregarding inventory, a manual way of offloading items can carry risks like damage and improper handling. Investing in an efficient unloading process (such as a truck loading conveyor belt or other similar mechanisms) can vastly improve turnaround time and free up resources for inventory management.
Overall, a close eye should always be kept on the unloading facility. Not only do they function as receiving centers for the crucial parts of your production process, but they are also the last line of quality assurance that your company has before your goods are shipped.
Properly identifying bottlenecks in the facility and improving on them can not only save you time and resources but boost your output twofold. If you’re looking for ways to automate your offloading process, look for a reliable company that can provide you all the tools you need.
