New body to oversee materials handling standards

A NEW administrative body governing materials
handling in South Africa is being polished for mid-
2008 start-up to bring the industry into line with
international quality and safety standards.
The materials handling industry is riddled with
‘suppliers’ who forsake quality and safety and use the
cheapest possible materials, and then duck as soon
as the job is done, according to Fred Albrecht of APC
Storage Solutions.
“The SA material handling Institute is a
governmental initiative that will be overseen by APC
to bring accreditation and standards to the storage
and materials handling industry in South Africa,” says
Albrecht. “This initiative has the full backing of the
Department of Trade and Industry and we hope to
have it up and running in June/July this year.”
Around six people die each year because of unsafe
systems using inferior materials, but there is currently
limited legislation governing the liability for racking
accidents. “We would like to see the supplier held
responsible,” says Albrecht.
The company imports all its materials from its
head office in Spain, which is in touch with the most
advanced systems working for the global industry.
“We are about eight years behind Europe in terms
of automation, but it’s coming,” says Albrecht, who
hopes to have fully automated systems up and
running later this year. “You do get the imported
system, but what happens when it faults or breaks?
Ours will be the first automated warehouse solution
in South Africa, with backup.”
Smaller automated systems are easier to integrate
into existing warehouses. Then there is the shift
away from building warehouses and setting up a
racking skeleton and merely protecting it from the
elements. “An entire racking complex can be built,
fully automated, and much cheaper than building a
warehouse with walls and a roof,” says Albrecht.
“Mini-load systems have been proven to reduce
picking time, giving five times the output for 3.5
times less staff,” says Albrecht. “You will need less
people, but you can take existing staff and train them
up to operate the system.”
APC moved into its new premises on the East
Rand this month with a showroom that is a working
automated warehouse solution. “Once people
see how it works and the way it will benefit their
operations, I think it won’t be long before we have
more warehouses with full-blown automated systems
in South Africa.”