Before jumping in to buying new lifting equipment, it is important to have a clear idea of the outcome you are seeking and the value of this for your business.

Build a picture of how your new investment will benefit you and your business by looking at the end in sight and what you need to establish now to get there.

Tying the investment to the outcome will help you minimise the risk and make a smart choice.

You can measure the success of your investment against what is important to you.

Your workers and operators, when you start your research, will give you information to help form ideas for improvement.

If you are looking at buying new lifting equipment because you are changing premises or building a new factory floor plan, a good materials handling supplier will help you plan the layout of your workplace to reduce the cost of handling equipment.

Actively take on board information from staff and working with a supplier, you give you the best information and support to reveal and resolve requirements and constraints to find the right handling solution.

If it is to help your workers perform a task more easily, informing them of the benefits they will see and the success of their area of work will encourage them to buy into the new methods

With the right communication and by listening, your workers are more likely to be cooperative as it reflects your appreciation of their views. It is important you can show the benefits the new equipment creates to them and to the business.

Investing a little bit at a time to keep everyone on board is the best way to achieve the desired outcome.  

Sales led suppliers will usually carry stock standard materials handling equipment like stacker trucks or industrial manipulators, but you are unlikely to see any customisations to the equipment. This means the equipment you buy might not be fully appropriate for the application, but it can be a low cost option.

An engineering led supplier will have in-house design and production capabilities to offer you a tailored solution. To ensure you achieve your desired outcome within your constraints and requirements, it may be customized, modified or completely bespoke.

A good supplier will ask you key questions to tease out your priorities and objectives.

It is helpful to involve key team members, including a representative from the production team with your supplier meetings, to check on the progress of the project and start collaborative decision making.

Agree on the roles and responsibilities of the project team, like who will be the main point of contact for the supplier, who will oversee preparing the site for installation, and who will provide key details to the supplier.

If you can establish when your key operators and production manager are available, you could also schedule this training as part of your installation. 

Your supplier should provide you with key areas to monitor that are susceptible to general wear and tear, and a guide on what checks you should perform daily and weekly before using the equipment.

Ask the operator if there are any problems with the equipment and keep a record of of all checks, reports, and inspections.

You are legally mandated to complete LOLER inspections every 6 to 12 months. These inspections are in place so that you can manage and control the risks to avoid any injury or damage.

Check if your supplier has a dedicated maintenance team to relieve your worry of maintaining your equipment.  

With almost 30 years of experience, Handling Concepts has identified what it calls the Seven Deadly Sins of Materials Handling Projects and you can use them to help you avoid making a mistake:

• Failure to predict the need and budget
• Failure to analyse needs in detail
• Failure to involve operators
• Failure to respond to opportunities
• Unrealistic expectations
• Selecting the wrong suppler
• Failure to keep talking during system design