May 2023 marked my 37^th year in the material handling industry. What a wonderful ride it has been, in what I deem the "fast lane." McGee Storage and Handling has been blessed to achieve near 5X growth in the last decade. Could we have scaled further and raised the bar higher? Absolutely! Funny how we see more clearly with experience. I've always been competitive, and, reflecting on the early days, I'll admit my pride kept me from seeking wise counsel. We humans are not meant to "go it alone," nor are the people who find themselves in material handling.

It is often said that the sales pitch that was purchased was much better than the reality. Why is that? Sales and sales support work up a solution, presenting spreadsheets and drawings. A great deal of collaborative dialogue goes into the best solution to meet the client's needs and desires. A purchase order is cut…and then it's time to fulfill the solution.

Pick carts are often one of the most overlooked pieces of equipment inside of warehouses and distribution centers, yet when utilized properly, they can improve your employee's workflow and help maximize productivity for your business. 

In January, Panel Built, Inc. announced their Project of the month: the Duracell Security Center, a custom external building developed to increase security at the Duracell distribution center in Fairburn, Georgia. This project, developed alongside Bryan Bear from McGee Storage and Handling allows Duracell security personnel to monitor guest and employee traffic in and out of the facility.

With 2022 now in the rear view window, what is your mindset entering 2023? Are you anticipating growth? Another year at the status quo? Considering downsizing? All of these are important considerations when managing your goals as a business, evaluating what is best for your team, and addressing your budget and investment strategy.

Last November, I took a snapshot in time comparing the state of the material handling industry and its supply chain pre-COVID to late 2021. It's time for another snapshot as to the current "state of the union".

MODEX, the premier trade show for the Material Handling industry, just wrapped up its 2022 conference with one major theme: Automation! I've been attending industry shows for 36 years and each year I believe the changes are dramatic, but this year really turned the corner emphasizing technology with promises of quick returns on your investment. I want to share a few of my observations:

After talking to our clients about better utilizing vertical space in their existing facility by incorporating a prefabricated modular mezzanine their first question normally is, "How much do they cost?" Rarely does someone not see the need in the product and functionality; it all comes down to cost justification. This blog discusses 1) Features and Benefits of Prefabricated Construction, 2) Budgetary Costing, and 3) Guidelines to making sure a project is specified and implemented correctly. 

The phrase "unprecedented times" is often used to heighten a reader's attention. The author is screaming: "Read this, do this - or else." When it comes to the current state of the materials handling industry, "unprecedented times" isn't just a buzzword to urge you to act – it's reality. Over the course of 2021, the impact of a constrained supply chain infrastructure was just the beginning. Coupled with significant rises in the cost of materials and a lack of skilled labor, the result is even longer lead times, additional steel surcharges, and an ever-shrinking pool of reliable labor available for manufacturing and distribution operations – all vital  elements to meet the rising demand for larger scale material handling and storage systems. 

When you are considering adding an office, breakroom, guard house, bathroom, or otherwise to your commercial building, would you call a general contractor with conventional construction methods or a material handling distributor that offers modular construction? There seems to be a split in the industry. A general contractor is unlikely to quote modular construction, but material handling companies usually don't build with studs and drywall. Why is there little to no overlap?

Often, the focus on a materials movement or storage project is on the cost of materials. Pages are often dedicated to exactly what is being quoted and how the solution presented will work. But...what about installation? Following the lengthy description of the material handling solution often is a project cost summary including total material cost, a summation of the previously detailed pricing, freight cost to jobsite, permitting and engineering, and a single line item for "installation." 

Modular construction has many names. Some of these include "panelized building," "modular office," or "in-plant office." Though there are many names, all describe the same basic product which is a form of non-permanent construction that utilizes panels bound by creatively designed posts that also support your typical ceiling. Advancement in post design also allows them to be double stacked. The descriptive – "non-permanent" is the differentiator when compared to conventional construction.

Summertime heat is a force to be reckoned with, especially in a warehouse where you have employees and products that may not be able to withstand the heat. With spring approaching and summer following quickly behind, it's important to get a head start on purchasing and installing fans so you're not trying to beat the heat last minute. Before you make the purchase, it's important to be aware of the importance of fans and what your options are. 

Though COVID-19 has taken much from nearly all of us, we didn't let this pandemic stop us from adding FlexQube as a fantastic, new partner in 2020. FlexQube focuses on robust, modular, and flexible carts for Intralogistics, making them an asset to McGee Storage and Handling. What began as an idea inspired by Lego and modular flexibility over 20 years ago, has steadily grown into a publicly traded company on the Swedish stock exchange (2017), and now has a presence in over 22 countries. FlexQube just opened their Unites States headquarters in Duncan, South Carolina – only two hours from McGee Storage and Handling! 

MODEX 2020 is descending on the Georgia World Congress Center beginning Monday, March 9th to Thursday, March 12th. This is an international event with over 950 exhibits, covering a staggering 370,000 sq. feet. Featured are industry leaders in Materials Handling, Supply Chain, Inventory Management and Information Technology, along with Automation and Emerging Technologies. This event happens just once every two years in Atlanta - this is BIG!