Forklift alternative programs are frequently pursued to address safety concerns in a plant. However, many manufacturing facilities have identified other cost savings and handling efficiencies through their programs.
For example:
- A manufacturer of oil burners for residential and commercial applications reduced inventory by 85%.
- A large manufacturer of locomotive engines eliminated 150 forklift moves a day and re-allocated people to other activities.
- An automotive manufacturer cut assembly line footprint in half while increasing types of products built on the line by six-fold.
- A durable goods manufacturer experienced a 400% increase in the amount of parts delivered during a single run with a train of carts and one tugger compared to a single fork truck.
So, what's the secret to forklift alternative programs? The answer lies in the details of the project.
Ask these questions to begin building your justification for a forklift alternative program:
- Can you clearly define the goals of a forklift alternative program? How will you measure and share the progress with personnel?
- Will suppliers (internal/external) support different container configurations and more frequent deliveries? What are the costs?
- What criteria will determine where containers will be pushed to/from or containers on carts will be exchanged in work cells?
- What maximum weights will Material Handling operators need to push, pull? What frequency, distance?
- How much inventory can be removed from the floor?
- Where in the plant will forklifts continue to be used?
- Will forklifts be used to load line-side supply carts in the market areas?
- How many material handling support personnel are needed for a cart/tugger replenishment plan? Is this better or worse than present forklift manpower? Why?
Call us at 440-943-4111 to learn more about getting started with forklift alternative solutions.
Larry Tyler
President, K-Tec
Where materials flow by design
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 We find that organizations pursue forklift alternatives for different reasons. Do you have ROI tips for justifying the transition to a safer more efficient environment? What case did you make? Email me at larrytyler@ktecinc.com.
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