MATERIALS HANDLING
RIGHT MESSAGE T
Conveying the
Stephen Harding discusses the opportunities and challenges for materials management
he materials management industry ensures that products, no matter the size, weight or composition, make it safely through
role in sectors ranging from chemicals to food production. However, social and political factors are changing the game for materials management companies. In under 20 years, the 21st century
has already presented industry with an unprecedented number of disruptions. From rapidly changing consumer behaviours to a new sense of eco- awareness, cultural shifts have presented materials management companies with new challenges and customer demands. These cultural developments, when combined with the political change and subsequent upheavals in trade markets of recent events such as Brexit, impact materials management specialists of all sizes. This means that even smaller companies in the sector must operate with sensible consideration of global changes, while remaining responsive to the changing demands of customers. Companies such as Gough must be in adapting their equipment to looking to transport raw materials and ingredients that are being processed. equipment could be used to transport high-value pet food for the growing Japanese market, while in another plant its equipment could be moving de-icing chemicals for the Finnish market. Although this may prove to be a challenge for some companies, it is
Gough Engineering has recently invested in producing all of its injected moulded buckets in the UK
important that materials management equipment that is adaptable to their to take advantage of the opportunities of sectors. For example, for dry and fragile items, plant managers should use
pendulum type bucket elevators, a gentle and controlled way of moving these items across the plant.
CHANGE WITHOUT BORDERS Cultural changes also have an impact on the sectors that are most active in looking for materials management
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