Ways To Make Your Material Handling More Sustainable

Material handling managers and business owners balance efficiency and cost to effectively manage products and deliver on time. Going green can help your business achieve improvement goals, and it’s a great way to protect the environment. Discover ways to make your material handling more sustainable.

Upgrade to Energy-Efficient Equipment

Your material handling facility uses a lot of equipment to move, protect, and store items. That’s why upgrading to energy-efficient equipment can improve your business’s sustainability. One of the easiest energy-efficient changes to make is replacing your forklift’s batteries.

One of the advantages of lithium-ion forklift batteries is that they’re a greener option than lead-acid batteries. Opportunity charging makes it easier to charge lithium-ion batteries during short breaks, such as shift changes and lunchtime. You can use fewer lithium-ion batteries to run your fleet of lift trucks in comparison to lead-acid batteries, ultimately saving you time while also helping the environment.

Improve Packaging Practices

Another way to make your material handling more sustainable is to improve packaging practices. You can do this by following the old mantra: reduce, reuse, and recycle.

Reducing the amount of packaging your business uses can make the biggest impact and save your company money. Cartonization software can determine appropriate container sizes to reduce packaging materials.

Use biodegradable materials whenever possible to reduce your facility’s carbon footprint. Items like biodegradable packing peanuts will break down over time rather than pollute the environment. Biodegradable options help limit your business’s negative environmental impact, and in some places with strict restrictions, these packaging materials can improve your business operations.

Update the Facility

Finally, improve the sustainability of your material handling business by making your entire facility more eco-friendly. Repairs, replacements, and upgrades improve the work environment, protect your stored goods, and save on operational costs.

Because LEDs have higher energy efficiency, a longer lifespan, and reduced heat emissions versus conventional lighting systems, they save you money and help the environment. Consider installing LED lights throughout your facility for bright, eco-friendly illumination.