The Importance of Custom Material Handling Carts

Material handling involves transporting products and components in a warehouse or facility. Unfortunately, some of the equipment used to transport the materials are too rigid. A “one size fits all” concept is generally followed when they are designed, obviously this isn’t going to work for all components, therefore the FlexQube solution was created. We were able to identify the need for custom material handling carts and adapted our core building blocks accordingly. This type of equipment is flexible so that it can grow and change depending on the operation.

Here are the other reasons why it is important in your business:

1. Equipment will be more specialized

The nature of day-to-day operations of every company is different from industry to industry & company to company. Specialized equipment is needed to simplify each job. For instance, custom material handling carts boost operational efficiency by making the workflow smoother. Our DesignOnDemand™ program makes it possible to design and create a material handling solution that fits your company’s requirements. No matter how unique your material handling needs may be, FlexQube will be able to produce a heavy-duty custom material handling cart that gets the job done.

FlexQube’s custom design process takes into consideration your exact requirements in terms of:

• Aesthetic design
• Carrying capacity
• Automation
• Handling

This specialized equipment can be used to bring sanity to the shop floor. It also speeds up production and ensures delivery times are met.

2. Creates an ergonomic working environment

Custom material handling carts (such as flatbed carts) make it possible to have a more ergonomic working environment for your employees. Your company’s success strongly depends on the satisfaction & competence of your employees. Ensuring they have carts & equipment which can help them complete their roles in a comfortable and efficient working environment. Custom material handling carts were designed to reduce the risk of employee injury and improve overall ergonomics. This will allow employees to accomplish their tasks better, easier and more efficiently.

To achieve these benefits, such as reducing employee risk, our customization process takes the following into consideration:

• The weight and size of materials to be transported
• The layout of your shop floor
• Integrating support mechanisms for lifting and handling when required

3. Eliminates the need to use forklifts

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration estimates that around 1 in 10 workplace accidents every year involve forklifts. In addition, around 100,000 employees are killed or injured due to forklifts each year. Utilizing custom material handling carts like Pallet Carts and Flatbed Carts may reduce or eliminate the need to use forklifts.

Eliminating the need for forklifts always ends up being beneficial to employees and employers in the following ways:

• Drastically reducing shopfloor accidents
• Creates more space in the facility
• Reduces the need to fit every material or item onto a forklift.

4. Operational costs will decrease

Many companies tend to make the mistake of buying expensive equipment that promises to “do it all” for them. The question is, do you really need to shell out money for this kind of equipment if you only need it to do one specific task? Custom material handling carts don’t include functions that are not needed in your daily operations. This reduces its cost and helps you save money.

FlexQube also integrates a modal approach to developing custom material handling carts. This means the custom cart can further be manipulated to meet future use. For example, the cart’s capacity can be increased by adding more racks or its design updated at will.

Furthermore, since this kind of equipment also reduces the risk of workplace accidents, you will worry less about the claims made by the employees for medical expenses. Customized carts help reduce operational costs by:

• Reducing workplace mishaps and the settlement procedures involved.
• Only the required functions are integrated into the custom cart
• FlexQube custom carts are modal in nature and scalable

Custom material handling carts are great investments

Custom material handling carts such as pallet carts, pallet dispensers, flatbed carts, kit carts and shelf carts are great solutions to your material handling issues. The benefits of having your material handling carts customized to your specific needs are great. The FlexQube solution allows you to not only create a specific custom design now. But the building blocks can then be adjusted or added to for further specification in the future as your materials change.

Book a DesignOnDemand™ session with one of our design engineers today!

UPDATE: We have found throughout the beginning of 2018 that the need for custom material handling carts is only increasing. Many companies have been reaching out to us with materials that need a special design to be most efficiently transported or presented. In special cases when the materials need to be presented at the line side, using a custom cart, similar to the FlexQube concept creates a more dynamic production line. Many of our kit-cart solutions have become very popular because of their ability to house more than 1 type of material. When it comes to material transportation having a custom material handling cart can create a more efficient transportation process, FlexQube carts can be transported using a tugger train system, forklifts or manually by an operator. This level of flexibility provides can dramatically improve the overall flow from warehouse to the line side within a facility.

If you’re looking for a similar solution, contact us at sales@flexqube.com

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A guide to the basics of successful material handling

How to use flatbed carts to improve your material handling

FlexQube’s top 7 shelf carts