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.”