The Advantages of Using Barcodes in the Manufacturing and Materials Handling Industries

Specialized equipment and supplies represent significant investments for manufacturing and materials handling businesses. These assets are also often spread across multiple locations. Barcoding offers the ability to track these assets, which can save much time and money.

Improved Time Management

The ease of using a barcode scanner makes it an appealing alternative to traditional paper-and-pencil processing. Not only do barcodes streamline processing time, but they also enable tracking individual items within a shipment. Using barcodes can save time in several materials handling situations.

• Inventories of in-house materials and equipment: While a traditional warehouse inventory may take several employees days to complete, handheld barcode scanners mean the same inventory can be completed in a fraction of the time.
• Processing incoming and outgoing shipments: The individual components of a shipment can be scanned quickly and easily, for a quick gauge on whether all necessary components are present.
• Tracking equipment that is dispatched to different work sites: When machinery or supplies should be moved among work sites, barcode information can identify which equipment can be moved with the least downtime.
• Following product movement among packing lines and at delivery points: Barcodes can be used to track movement along complex supply lines, so that exact locations can be pinpointed rapidly and accurately.

Ultimately, the time saved with barcode-based tracking systems allows employees to spend their time on other activities that generate income. It also means that businesses can cut down on staff for all these functions.

Increased Revenue

In materials handling and manufacturing, revenue is heavily dependent upon the number of units produced and shipped. Refining each step in this process means increased productivity and decreased expenditures:

• Reduction in errors that cause duplication of work: Barcode errors occur in such small numbers that they are statistically insignificant, making them an extremely reliable method for tracking just about anything. Barcode quality far exceeds human ability.
• Improved accountability for equipment among employees: When employees know that items are inventoried through an electronic system, they are more likely leave it where it belongs.
• Greater customer satisfaction: Since shipments and equipment will reach their destinations with virtually infallible accuracy, customers are more likely to be satisfied, which pays off in terms of decreased returns and increased loyalty.

In addition to the time saved on internal and external tracking, barcodes provide a valuable opportunity to improve operations in ways that translate into significant savings and increased income over time.

The unique needs of the manufacturing and materials handling sectors are best met with a comprehensive barcode tracking system. Due to the sheer quantity of materials, supplies, and machinery used in these industries, barcodes offer a particularly beneficial solution. Not only do barcodes help reduce time spent on common activities like inventories and shipping, but they also improve revenue.