Material handling equipment (MHE) is the lifeblood of the supply chain and is highly critical to the operational throughput of a warehouse. This heavy-duty equipment consists of semi-automated and automated equipment like forklifts, boom lifts, tuggers, cranes, scissor lifts, conveyors, and even golf carts, and ensures that essential materials and goods are safely and efficiently transported to their next location.

But organizations often take a “set it and forget it” approach to their MHE once it’s been procured. With the sheer number of MHE in operation across an organization’s warehouses, it can be a struggle to gain visibility over an entire fleet. As a result, MHE can be the cause of unforeseen costs, risk and safety hazards, and even productivity losses.

With an intentional approach to managing and overseeing your MHE fleet with Kenco’s fleet management services, your organization can benefit in these four impactful ways.

Achieving significant cost savings

In today’s economic climate, it’s no surprise that many organizations are in cost-cutting mode. Each piece of MHE is highly specialized and can be expensive to procure and maintain, accounting for up to 19% of total supply chain costs. Through engaging in the right procurement strategies, scheduling preventive maintenance, implementing technology (like telemetrics), and optimizing utilization and equipment locations, a dedicated fleet manager can pinpoint new opportunities to reduce total cost of ownership (TCO).

Preventing safety incidents and equipment damage

Improper operation of MHE can lead to lasting damage or worse, injuries and accidents. It can often be difficult to recognize damaging behaviors, but fleet managers can ensure MHE operators are well-trained in proper techniques in order to help prevent misuse. Additionally, fleet managers may recommend outfitting equipment with telemetry devices that can not only track and pinpoint unsafe driving habits but also take automatic action in response, like slowing the machinery down.

Improving uptime and operational efficiency

When it comes to MHE, maximizing equipment uptime is key to making sure operations run smoothly. Kenco’s fleet managers may engage with customers in different ways to help improve the operational efficiency of the fleet. First, fleet managers may take inventory of active and inactive equipment, providing recommendations on the proper size of fleet and vehicle types to get the job done as quickly and cost-efficiently as possible. If and when equipment fails, fleet managers may deploy technicians on-site to ensure that repairs are carried out in a timely manner to avoid service disruptions. Finally, fleet managers may advise installing certain technology devices to proactively determine when aging assets are in need of replacement.

Facilitating knowledge transfer across the organization

Without a dedicated fleet manager, decisions regarding MHE sourcing and management are often made at the facility level. This can result in a lot of variability in decision-making and outcomes, as well as missed opportunities to optimize their fleet for better utilization. With dedicated fleet management resources, facilities can benefit from sharing and receiving best practices with one another, benefitting the organization as a whole.

Bringing on dedicated fleet management resources is a no-brainer if your organization wants to optimize utilization, maximize uptime, save costs, and prevent accidents. Download our latest eBook, 3 Key Investment Areas to Improve Your Warehouse Safety Program, to dive deeper into finding ways to save while meeting your operational needs.