Productivity improvement in packaging industries

INTRODUCTION

In  manufacturing  industries  it is the  material flow in the shop floor decides its productivity. In this process material handling system plays a key role in influencing productivity, throughput time and product cost. In the manufacturing industries productivity is highly influenced by the efficiency   of the working human resource along with the tools or operating equipments. Material handling is the most critical and the integral part of  production and operations management. It is defined as movement  and storage of materials, goods and products  during  the process of manufacturing stage, distribution stage, consumption stage and disposal stage  at economical cost by adopting proper method and material handling equipments. That means providing the right amount of  proper  material, in the proper  condition, at the proper  place, at the proper time, in the proper  position and for the economical cost by using the proper method. Material handling devices increases production output with the  improved quality , improves the delivery period  with reduction in the production cost The material handling portion of the total production cost is substantial, and varies between 15 percent to 70 percent, depending upon the manufacturing product and process of manufacturing. But unfortunately this is a most neglected field.