THE MAJORITY of South African buildings are not geared to modern handling methods, and at least 50% of
warehouses, distribution
centres and factories fall into this category, says Andrew Stewart, managing director of DDL Equipment.
The problem increases when it is seen that only 30% of new buildings under construction fulfil necessary requirements, he says. Designers and
architects should realise the need for speedy integration of modern handling methods into future projects at the planning stage and not when the building is complete.
Material handling in this country is going through
its second stage of sophistication, says Stewart, which is the age of containerisation and its needs. The swing to rear end loading of transport trucks and other means of transportation has necessitated the
introduction of intermodal handling equipment.
This, he says, is the handling interact between rail, road, water and air transport, and
is what he describes as the 'glue' which holds the total system together.
Stewart describes his
company as the 'glue' provider, with dock levellers, shelters, various seals and bumpers available to meet
all forms of loading requirements.
Distribution areas should
be planned with the container and transport directly in mind, he says, with a continuous handling flow pattern designed right on to the truck, across dock levellers, to and from the storage area.
We are living through one
of the biggest revolutions in transportation history, and changes in concept are inevitable. With private
enterprise getting a large share in the distribution of the contents of a container, the change in the total distribution concept for all transport methods is vast, and not
generally appreciated by the private individual.
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