1.0 Introduction
The flow of materials and finished goods is being seen as a business in its rights. It is also seen as the means of minimizing the market.
As development in material handling progresses, companies are engaged in sophisticated methods of material handling for storage and distribution.
It has been noted that manufacturers spends thousands of money on stores, warehouse and production areas. These raw materials are such as maize, corn, sorghum, semi-manufactured materials and finished products, parts and finished goods through the production chain comes increasingly under a total materials management philosophy simultaneously, which are major changes.
Most organizations maintain some handling equipment that are varying in size, complexity and ranging from simple wheelbarrows to forklifts, cranes to computerized and integrate handling system.
1.1 Background of the Study
It is not an overstatement to say that materials handling has an important role in the effective performance of operational activities of material oriented company or service company even government establishment. As the recognition is so accordance the functions in materials oriented companies that are becoming even more popular in the materials handling such as Government establishment.
Materials as it sound is money and these materials should properly handled and if these materials are not properly handled and adequate care must be taken.
The intended need for which they were purchased would be defeated which in long will affect the operations of any establishment. Material handling is paramount not only in the storehouse and warehouse but throughout the production process and it is responsible for materials from the moment a product is conceived.
Customers order is received until the moment the material reaches production shop floor and there again; from the time, the finished leaves the production pipeline and is delivered to the ultimate consumer. It therefore covers an activity that goes in the storage place, i.e. warehouse or at the construction site of project where materials and equipment are pickup and moved. This equally applied to raw materials and suppliers in the process, inventories, maintenance, repair and operations materials and equipment and finished goods.
According to the British institute of material handling, he said that materials handling could be sub-divided into two separate but closely interlinked disciplines — material handling management and materials handling technology and engineering. The former is applied to system covering such matters as productions manage and control by storage and distribution.
The second applies to the technological aspects for example, technical and mechanical means of handling and movement of the commodity be it either in solid, liquid or gaseous form.
It has been variously estimated that about 20 — 50% of the labour cost and 40 — 60% of the distribution cost are associated and storage industries, today, are using many types of materials handling equipment on productivity.
Therefore, it is not uncommon that a great deal of time and energy as well as money is spent in studying the material handling problems, in other to find out suitable techniques. As a result, combinations of materials handling equipment on productivity are extensively used since every operation involves picking up, moving, lowering and sorting of materials.
In modern mechanized industry, the design of plants and machinery depend on methods by which materials are supplied and moved away. A handling system organized on improved quality, reduces costs and increase materials productivity. However, the servicing of materials has grown faster due to competition, quick physical distribution and advertisement.
More and more companies are therefore, systematically, trying to cope with thus complex phenomenon of controlling and managing materials from original source through production and distribution so that the total cost of production and final distribution may be kept to the minimum.
1.2 Statement of Problem
The problem of material handling equipment on productivity is complexity of the manufacturing process. This has been an age long problem. The layout of the building in which the system is installed is to be examined as well as the maximum leads carried.
Another problem is that of designing an organization structure suitable for the materials handling equipment. This difference is simply because each industry is somewhat unique in terms of its specific problem. Consequently, some industries do not include all of the materials handling equipment on productivity in the material handling department.
Lack of coordination is another problem of materials handling equipment in which this project work is based include.
- The determination of materials handling equipment needed
- The problem of cost reduction, which involves the design, manufacture, installation, commissioning and servicing of the material handling equipment.
- The problem of determining production process accordingly.
- The problem of moving materials between different point or destination of delivery or storage or use or delivery to customers.
1.3 Objectives of Study
The objective of study is to prove that materials handling equipment is highly profitable in productivity and it also has the following objectives.
- It analyzes the extent to which the manufacturing firms have succeeded in keeping the cost of products low.
- It also recommends measures for effective material handling in productivity.
- It also evaluates the impact of materials amendment in productivity.
- It also examines the effect of good, materials handling in the production.
1.4 Significance of the Study
The study will be beneficial to a number of stakeholders in the productivity process who have the opportunity to assessing the extent in which they have performed their materials handling roles.
Potential investors/entrepreneurs will also find this study as a useful guide in the business endeavours.
1.5 Scope The Study
This research work will be restricted to the impact of materials handling in productivity. It covers such areas the role of a purchasing manager, storage (warehouse), distribution, buying or procurement as well as expediting and distribution of finished goods. Hence, the scope of this research work is restricted to productivity.
1.6 Limitation of the Study
1. Time:
A study of this nature needs a relatively long time duration which information for accurate references could be drawn but if the period of the study is short, then the time pose as a constraints to the researcher.
2. Cost:
The researcher would extend the survey to other areas at the empirical level but limitation to here includes cost of transportation to source for materials and the cost of typesetting the complete work.
3. Attitude:
Since questionnaire method of data collection is relied upon a major source of data collection and in view of an average Nigeria negative attitude towards questionnaire matters, the ills of this method constitute serious limitations of the study.
1.7 Definitions of Terms
This research has a definition terms which differential different terms into meaning.
1. Modern materials handling equipment:
Confederacy of traditional materials activities bound by a common idea.
2. Materials:
Commodities used directly or intently in producing a products or services.
3. Productivity:
Driving down the cost of doing the job of materials handling.
4. Warehouse:
The management of materials whole that are in storage.
5. Crane:
A crane is power driver and it can be operated independently without movement of the chassis.
