Fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) are also known as consumer packaged goods (CPG), and they live up to their name. In this fast-paced world, these products move faster, requiring specialist considerations when it comes to designing MHS systems that can handle the load.
Consumer packaged goods typically have a limited lifespan, which means an emphasis on efficiency in logistics. MHS forklifts can offer an optimised solution for each of these considerations. In this blog post, we’re touring our range of forklifts for FMCG in Auckland and lining them up against the solutions they provide for this specialised sector.
Inventory Management
Safety stocking and demand forecasting are both integral principles of great FMCG inventory management.
Demand forecasting asks warehousing managers to predict product demand, while safety stocking provides a buffer against unexpected peaks in said demand. Walking the line between these two principles is a balancing act that requires both space and human oversight. Of course, this generally means that warehouses have overflow or emergency supply areas to deal with said peaks and troughs.
To aid with efficient inventory management and in-person stock checks, pedestrian stackers are a crucial addition to any FMCG logistics plan. Whether accessing overflow rooms to check on stock or moving through little-used warehouse areas to find less popular products, these stackers allow for precise manoeuvrability in tight spaces inside and outside the storage facility.
Warehousing Strategy
Part of ensuring you can quickly shift products from storage to the end-consumer is laying out your warehouse in a way that optimises picking and packing. For example, products with high order frequencies should be placed near the packing area, ensuring pickers don’t need to go to the other end of the warehouse every time. Something as small as this can save hours in the race to provide consumers with their goods.
With the right forklifts on hand, designing an ideal layout for your warehouses is simple. For example, our reach trucks enable the utilisation of plenty of vertical space, permitting load capacities of up to 2500kg to scale heights of up to 15 metres.
With lateral space freed up, there’s more room to design an ideal route through the space and optimise delivery rates.
Regulatory Compliance
With fast-moving consumer goods, compliance is crucial. Many consumable products have specific regulations tied to their transportation and handling, and wading through those without the right equipment on hand can really slow you down. Therefore, it’s essential to plan your warehouse layout to accommodate these needs, train your staff in appropriate handling, and have the right equipment to manage them.
For example, potentially explosive products like flammable gas, vapour, and dust all require specific stackers or lifts that can move them without causing ignition. This is vital to the ongoing safety of your staff and the end consumer. We offer explosion-proof versions of many standard FMCG material handling solutions. These include counterbalanced trucks, reach trucks, and pallet stackers.
Sustainability
Sustainability and efficiency are inevitably tied when it comes to FMCG logistics. While reducing environmental impacts is the core driver for implementing sustainable logistical practices, bonuses to your speed and financial efficacy come with these choices.
For example, a rotating fleet of electrical MHS forklifts ensures your warehouse can pick and pack all night long, regardless of the availability of other fuel sources. Low-emission transport solutions are also in line with the New Zealand government’s goals for sustainable imports and exports, which could tie into financial boons for your business in future.
Our entire fleet of forklifts for FMCG in Auckland are available with electric-powered drivetrains, allowing you to benefit from their high performance and lasting power. In particular, our counterbalanced forklifts boast up to 16 hours of battery life and are designed to withstand heavy use long-term.
Embrace Automation
As with all advancing fields, FMCG logistics is aided when warehouse managers embrace automation and integrate things like Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) alongside their more traditional Material Handling Solutions. Automation is a great driver of innovation, helping get rid of busy work so that humans can focus on the more mentally strenuous tasks like strategy and management.
Automation can also look like selecting MHS forklifts that take the element of human error out of picking and packing. For example, our order pickers have optional electronic guidance with underfloor wiring to lead the way.
Whatever the solution you’re seeking, it’s important to remember that efficiency comes first with an FMCG supply chain. Take the time to optimise your operations now, and you’ll see benefits down the line for years and years to come.
Whether you’re after FMCG forklifts in Auckland or more general material handling solutions, the team at MHS has your back.
You create efficiencies, and we’ll carry the weight.
Optimise your FMCG logistics! Keep up with the fast-paced world of consumer packaged goods and accelerate the growth of your bottom line with the best material handling solutions in the business.
Contact MHS today to streamline your supply chain, enhance efficiency, and accelerate your FMCG operations. Your success, our mission.
