Manufacturing networking groups can be a vital tool for any company engaged in the manufacturing industry. And one of the many ways these groups can benefit manufacturers is by helping them access the necessary resources for their operations. Of course, this will mean investing in several vital assets, and below is a look at some of the top ones:
A Loading Bay With A Garage Door
A loading bay is one of the most vital features for any manufacturing business, especially one that experiences a high movement of goods in and out of the warehouse. A good loading bay promotes the efficient loading and unloading of goods, which can significantly improve the company’s logistical applications. Therefore, it’s one of the top items that manufacturing networking groups should invest in.
When investing in a loading bay, manufacturers should also ensure that it has a robust garage door. Of course, commercial garage door installation cost can be a prohibitive factor when looking to invest in a loading bay. After all, according to HomeGuide, the average price of a commercial overhead garage door can be as high as $10,000 or more. However, the benefits of such a feature are more than worth it.
One of the top pros of having a garage door in a loading bay is that it guarantees the safety of a company’s goods during loading and unloading. On top of that, it helps to protect employees and the goods from extreme weather conditions. Lastly, a garage door can create a controlled environment in the loading bay, which, according to Manufacturing Business Technology, can help to promote food safety for food manufacturers.
Manufacturing groups should also invest in large loading bays. This can help increase a company’s logistical efficiency and productivity. For example, with a large enough space, a company could use cross dockings in the loading bay. This can significantly reduce the overhead costs while improving the time it takes for goods, equipment, and supplies to reach their intended destination.
Building Repairs
Manufacturing buildings are subjected to heavy foot and equipment traffic, leading to quicker wear and tear. Therefore, they require regular repairs to keep them in top condition to continue supporting manufacturing processes. In addition, repairs guarantee the safety of a commercial building and workers, which, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, is the employer’s responsibility. Therefore, building repairs are another vital asset that manufacturing networking groups can invest in.
A manufacturing group can consider several repairs for the building they control. But one of the top areas to focus on is the floors, which can suffer much damage in a day’s work. Therefore, regular floor repairs are required to fix issues like cracks, chips, broken tiles, uneven flooring, etc. Additionally, a manufacturing company can hire contractors like concrete polishers to fix cosmetic damages and restore the floors’ appeal, thus keeping the manufacturing space looking great.
Apart from the floors, structural issues are areas where regular building repairs are needed. For example, a manufacturer should immediately hire a foundation repair company to fix any foundation issues that arise, thus guaranteeing the stability and safety of a building. Other vital structural issues include roofing, walls, and ceiling damage, leading to costly accidents if not repaired.
Lastly, manufacturing groups should also invest in regular repairs for their buildings’ exterior surfaces. For example, unkempt parking lots, driveways, and walkways can lead to serious accidents, which can injure employees and cause extensive damage to company property. Therefore, keeping these areas well-maintained is a worthy investment.
Company Vehicles
Commercial vehicles are another vital investment that manufacturing networking groups can make. A manufacturing business can improve its logistical operations with good vehicles, especially when moving heavy goods and supplies. Consequently, this can improve efficiency and productivity in the manufacturing operations.
A manufacturing group can invest in several types of vehicles, depending on the manufacturing activities they’re involved in. Of course, they will likely need heavy trucks for hauling large and heavy goods. Others include industrial forklifts, tractors, articulated haulers, utility vehicles, trucks, vans, SUVs, etc.
Of course, one of the most important decisions when investing in commercial vehicles is the method of ownership. For example, they can choose to lease the vehicles, which offers the benefit of low capital investment but has several restrictions on vehicle usage. The other option is to purchase, giving a manufacturing group total control of their vehicles.
Unfortunately, purchasing company vehicles, especially a fleet, requires a high capital investment. For example, according to Rechtien International Trucks, a new semi-truck can cost between $70,000 and $150,000. Other commercial vehicles aren’t cheap either; according to Toyota Forklifts, you can expect to pay between $20,000 and $50,000 for a new forklift.
Fortunately, manufacturing groups can reduce the cost of owning commercial vehicles in several ways. And one of the best options is to purchase second-hand models. For example, a used truck dealership can offer them trucks that are in excellent condition but at a very fair price. This can help them add more vehicles to their fleet while decreasing ownership costs.
In-House Mechanic
On top of building a company fleet, manufacturing networking groups should also invest in quality auto maintenance and repair services. Unfortunately, taking company vehicles to an auto repair shop could put them out of commission for a long time, significantly affecting normal operations. Therefore, a better option is to hire an in-house mechanic to maintain and repair the vehicles.
One of the benefits of hiring an in-house mechanic is increased efficiency in repairs and maintenance. Due to their heavy usage, industrial vehicles will likely suffer frequent minor damages, such as bumper damage. So, taking the vehicles to an auto repair shop for these minor problems can waste valuable time. On the other hand, an in-house bumper repair mechanic can quickly fix the issues and have the vehicles on the road within no time.
The other benefit of an in-house mechanic is that it can save money, especially if a manufacturing group owns a large fleet. After all, as the number of vehicles increases, so will the maintenance and repair expenses. However, manufacturers can eliminate most of these costs, especially labor charges, by hiring in-house mechanics.
Lastly, hiring an in-house mechanic can improve quality control in company vehicle maintenance. Since the mechanics answer directly to the manufacturer, they will be more motivated to keep the vehicles in top condition. On top of that, an in-house mechanic will allow for more frequent inspections and maintenance, thus significantly reducing the risk of costly breakdowns.
Electrical Solutions
According to the Energy Information Administration, electricity has several essential uses in the industrial sector. These include heating and cooling, operating machines and equipment, lighting, running office equipment, and for safety and security systems, among others. Therefore, electrical solutions are another essential item that manufacturing networking groups can invest in.
Of course, manufacturing groups will need to find a reliable electricity supply when investing in electrical solutions. And one of the top options to consider is the mains electricity supplied by utility companies. However, they should also invest in backups such as standby generators and green energy solutions like solar and wind energy. These backup solutions will help prevent manufacturing process disruptions during a blackout.
Apart from electricity, manufacturing groups should also invest in reliable electrical services. This could mean retaining the services of a commercial electrical company or hiring an in-house team of electrical contractors and engineers. These professionals can then help to keep the electrical equipment and systems in top shape, thus preventing lengthy breakdowns that can be costly.
Lastly, manufacturers should look into various safety solutions to mitigate the risk of electrical faults. These faults can, at best, cause damage to electrical systems and equipment, and at worse, cause extensive destruction of property, injuries to employees, and even death. Of course, hiring professional electrical services is one of the top ways to prevent these safety hazards. However, other excellent options include installing fire prevention systems, providing safety training, and instituting a strict electrical safety policy.
Cranes for Manufacturing
Cranes are another vital resource that can significantly improve a manufacturing business’ operation. They have many uses, from moving heavy goods in and out of warehouses to lifting heavy machinery and materials on manufacturing floors. They can also come in handy when loading and unloading vehicles and even during repairing heavy vehicles and equipment. This makes them another top item that manufacturing networking groups can invest in.
Of course, like most industrial equipment, purchasing a crane is not a cheap undertaking. According to Trust Capital USA, a crane can cost between $20,000 and $1,000,000 (depending on the type purchased). Fortunately, manufacturing groups can mitigate these costs by leasing the equipment from crane rental companies.
One of the top benefits of crane rental is that it doesn’t require a high initial capital investment. Therefore, manufacturers can divert the funds that would have been used to purchase cranes to other critical operations. On top of that, they can rent the cranes whenever they need them, thus allowing them to adapt easily to changing manufacturing needs.
While leasing the cranes, manufacturing networking groups must invest in the necessary maintenance and repair services. For example, they should hire prompt overhead crane repair service to fix any issues with their leased cranes. This will help avoid costly disruptions or repairs and replacements. In addition, it can help avert workplace injuries, which can result in extensive property damage and severe or fatal injuries to employees.
Proper Heating
Heating is another vital resource that is used in several processes in the manufacturing industry. For example, it’s used for manufacturing process temperature control, welding, sterilizing, melting materials, and many more. Therefore, heating solutions are another vital resource that manufacturing networking groups can invest in.
Depending on the manufacturing needs, there are several industrial heating solutions a manufacturing group can invest in. For example, one of the top options is propane gas, which has the advantage of being both a heat and fuel source. Other excellent heating solutions include electrical heaters, oil-based heating systems, and steam-based industrial heaters.
Besides heating systems, manufacturing groups should also consider investing in solutions for improving heating efficiency. After all, heating is one of the biggest overhead expenses in the manufacturing industry. In fact, according to the Department of Energy, process heating costs account for up to 15% of a finished product’s price. Therefore, manufacturers can benefit from a huge boost in their bottom line by reducing energy waste in their operations.
Lastly, manufacturing groups must consider safety solutions when investing in industrial heating systems. That’s because heat is one of the biggest safety hazards in a workplace and can lead to accidents that cause extensive property damage, severe injuries, and loss of life. Therefore, robust safety solutions are needed to protect manufacturing spaces and employees.
Metal Recycling
Manufacturing processes can result in many waste materials, the top being metal. Unfortunately, properly disposing of metal waste can be a nightmare for many businesses and companies. Therefore, metal recycling solutions are another area that might be of interest to manufacturing networking groups.
A manufacturing group can reap several benefits from recycling their waste metal. For starters, it can remove the hassles of disposal, freeing up a lot of time and resources that can be diverted to other operations. Secondly, manufacturers can save money by recycling waste metal instead of purchasing new metal supplies.
There are also other cost benefits to investing in metal recycling. For example, manufacturers can sell the recycled metal they don’t need, thus offsetting their overhead expenses. In addition, according to the EPA, businesses across the U.S. can claim several tax credits and exemptions by recycling. And as a bonus, using recycled materials can be a huge selling point that can help a company attract more customers.
Lastly, recycling is also environmentally friendly. Metal recycling businesses help to reduce the amount of garbage that ends up in landfill, causing severe pollution to the land, air, and water bodies. On top of that, recycling helps to decrease metal mining and production, processes that cause the depletion of natural resources, and releases harmful gasses (including carbon emissions) into the atmosphere.
Manufacturers require a lot of resources, without which their day-to-day operations can be severely hampered. Fortunately, by investing in the above solutions, manufacturing networking groups can ensure that their manufacturing plants operate efficiently. They can also enjoy several other benefits, like increased efficiency and productivity, lower overhead costs, and improved safety.
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