Lumper Service Team
By Michael Francis | January 17, 2008
A good lumper service is comprised of a team. This includes but not limited to onsite management. The management usually consists of a manager per facility and also a supervisor for each and everyone of the docks. Communication plays a huge role when so having radios on the dock can help with the smoothness of the operation and it provides constant contact to utilize efficient load organization.
Topics: Lumper Service | 2 Comments »
Lumpers Service Or Temp Agencies
By Michael Francis | January 11, 2008
Warehouses today are depending more and more on using 3rd party contractors for support to utilize their warehouse operations. Many distribution centers must choose to use lumper services for on site support or use temporary agencies. There are many benefits to using 3rd parties to optimize operations. Most warehouses these days are using lumper’s service as they see the repetition of having the same employees in the workplace pays off with increased productivity and also with increased through puts. Having 3rd party agencies or lumper services also cuts down on overtime hours for the warehouse as they can cover their regular staff when they are starting to reach overtime on the clock.
Many large fortune 500 companies are using contractors to handle all warehouse operations or portions of warehouse operations. Benefits have gotten so expensive in this volatile economy that the benefits outweigh the cons. Also to increase productivity most of the lumper services pay by case, pallet, or load so this almost guarantees that the freight handlers will be productive. Labor is one of the biggest costs of warehouse and distribution services expenses and anything that can cut that down is a win-win situation for the warehouse or distribution service. As we move towards the future almost many different types of business will go performance based and by having your contractors on performance based you will surely reap the rewards.
Problems can arise with temp agencies as you have to manage their hours. Sometimes the hours can be extensive and when new temps arrived they are very non-productive. Generally you have to train them to get them up to par with you on going operations. They have to be site certified on all equipment to meet OSHA regulations. So regardless if they are certified on fork lifts and pallet jacks they have to be recertified. To ensure that you are protected in case of lawsuit always sign hold harmless agreements with all 3rd party agencies. Most of them don’t provide on staff management so be prepared to manage them. Temps in my experience have been good for simple labor but for ongoing labor utilization lumper services always provide better services.
Lumper services provide great onsite management and by having the same lumpers on the dock for long term the productivity is always higher than temp agencies. The lumpers also get paid by productivity so their training cost you so much less than using a temp agency. Their management trains their employees on site for usage of equipment and large contracts generally mean that the lumper service will give you good rebates. Logistics are able to get an exact cost per case so you can keep control of your freight moving costs as the warehouse logistics department is billed by case, load, or pallet.
3rd party contractors can be a great partnership to increase productivity and lower cost in your warehouse.
Topics: Lumper Service | 1 Comment »
Optimize Warehouse Operations Inbound
By Michael Francis | October 23, 2007
To optimize warehouse operations you must have a strategy, it is not all done by computer systems. You must document processes and analytically configure what works and doesn’t work. To optimize your warehouse to its full value you must first start with your inbound.
1. First you must have a evenly scheduled schedule. Do not let the buyers control the warehouse or take product after you cut off hours. This can cost you a ton of overtime hours and freeze your warehouse from being productive. Another thing is the carriers get used to this and it becomes a norm. Balance out your schedule to make sure that your getting loads spread out evenly throughout the week.
2. Staggering hours can be a great way of controlling hours. Another great way is using temp agencies or lumper services to handle all the additional work once your hourly employees reach overtime for the week.
3. Pre-receipt planning and documentation preparation. By having all your documentation prepared in advance it can save you from having a powder keg on the dock and keeping the dock moving fast at all times.
4. Unloading procedures - Have your lumper service follow a uniformed plan of action. Test what works and what does not work. Document it and implement in as standard operation procedure.
5. Vehicle arrivals- Organize your dock flow so each receiver has equal amounts of pallets. Make sure the slots are right behind the dock area where the carrier is being received. This limits the amount of space between the pallets and its designated slots.
6. Quality Control -Utilize great quality control to limit shrinkage. Are your employee’s following them quality control procedures. Investing money and time in these procedures will return back to you ten fold in less damage, shrinkage, and increase profits. Make sure you are not receiving anything that is even a little questionable. Rule of thumb if the box is just a little bent refuse it.
Topics: Operations | No Comments »
Rail Transport
By Michael Francis | October 16, 2007
Rail transport is the transport of passengers and goods by means of wheeled vehicles specially designed to run along railways or railroads. Rail transport is part of the logistics chain, which facilitates the international trading and economic growth in most countries.
A typical railway/railroad track consists of two parallel rails, normally made of steel, secured to cross-beams, termed sleepers (U.K.) or ‘ties’ (U.S.). The sleepers maintain a constant distance between the two rails; a measurement known as the ‘gauge’ of the track. To maintain the alignment of the track, it is either laid on a bed of ballast or else secured to a solid concrete foundation, and the whole is referred to as Permanent way(UK usage).
Railway rolling stock, which is fitted with metal wheels, moves with low frictional resistance when compared to road vehicles; on the other hand locomotives and power cars normally rely solely for traction on the point of contact of the wheel with the rail whence they obtain adhesion i.e. the part of the transmitted axle load that makes the wheel “adhere” to the smooth rail. Whilst this is usually sufficient under normal dry rail conditions, adhesion can be reduced or even lost through the presence of unwanted material on the rail surface, such as grease, ice or dead leaves.
Topics: Glossary | No Comments »
Crossdocking
By Michael Francis | October 16, 2007
Cross-docking is a practice in logistics of unloading materials from an incoming semi-trailer truck or rail car and loading these materials in outbound trailers or rail cars, with little or no storage in between. This may be done to change type of conveyance, or to sort material intended for different destinations, or to combine material from different origins.
In purest form this is done directly, with minimal or no warehousing. In practice many “cross-docking” operations require large staging areas where inbound materials are sorted, consolidated, and stored until the outbound shipment is complete and ready to ship. If the staging takes hours or a day the operation is usually referred to as a “cross-dock” distribution center. If it takes several days or even weeks the operation is usually considered a warehouse.
Crossdocking is used to decrease inventory storage by streamlining the flow between the supplier and the manufacturer.
Factors influencing the use of cross-docks
- Customer and supplier geography — particularly when a single corporate customer has many multiple branches or using points
- Freight costs for the commodities being transported
- Cost of inventory in transit
- Complexity of loads
- Handling methods
- Logistics software integration between supplier(s), vendor, and shipper
- Tracking of inventory in transit
Topics: Glossary | 1 Comment »
Food Distribution
By Michael Francis | October 16, 2007
Food distribution, a method of distributing (or transporting) food from one place to another, is a very important factor in public nutrition. Where it breaks down, famine, malnutrition or illness can occur. During some periods of Ancient Rome, food distribution occurred with the policy of giving free bread to its citizens under the provision of a common good.
There are three main components of food distribution:
* Transport infrastructure, such as roads, vehicles, rail transport, airports, and ports.
* Food handling technology and regulation, such as refrigeration, and storage, warehousing.
* Adequate source and supply logistics, based on demand and need.