For any warehouse, efficiency matters most. With evolving technology, material handling equipment is also advancing to optimize productivity. In 2025, I see thriving warehouses with material handling techniques aimed to reduce manual work while enhancing overall productivity. Let’s go one step ahead and fathom the future changes in the strategies of supply chains that would come as a result of these new technologies.
Over a host of supply chains, while warehouses remain the bottlenecks, manual work done through outdated equipment can quickly slow down operations and escalate costs. Therefore, getting rid of older techniques or equipment would only enhance productivity while making life much easier. More so, powered pallet jacks, conveyors, and stackers are tools that would turn any business’s game around not just for today but also as emerging demands continue to rise in the future.
Stackers are vital pieces of equipment in the safe and efficient vertical stacking and lifting of materials. If you run a small warehouse or a bigger distribution centre, stackers can make a huge impact on how you do things on a regular basis. Depending on your needs, you can choose from three primary types of stackers: manual stackers, semi-electric stackers, and electric stackers. Let’s take a look at each in detail –
Manual stackers are ideal for operations that do not require heavy lifting and need to be cost-effective, in particular where space is a constraint. Requiring low mover effort, these stackers have a lifting capacity of 1000 kg and can lift materials within the limits of 1600/2500 mm. Also, their ergonomic handle minimizes fatigue and improves comfort, allowing for its use in tight areas. Due to their compact size, manual stackers are particularly suited for narrow gangways that are crowded with foot or vehicular traffic.
Semi-electric stackers are a mixture of manual and fully electric stackers, allowing for low-end manual effort and making them great for medium-weight lifting. These stackers have the capability of lifting loads weighing 1000 kg while elevating to a height of 2500/3300 mm. Semi-electric stackers have simple throttle controls and a foot-operated break, which makes handling easier. Besides, the weight of the shelf is also lessened by the FRP cover, which reduces operator fatigue.
If you want the best industrial material handling equipment for heavy-duty work, electric stackers are the best option available. They are rated to build up to 1500 kg in lifting capacity and can raise materials as high as 6300 mm. Some of its core features include an automatic cut-off of the power supply for safe operation and the use of microprocessor-controlled controllers that can be programmed to allow for better handling of the inverted truck. The AC motor technology and the enclosed lubricated gearboxes further make such electric stackers reliable in material handling tasks that are in high demand.
Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) are changing the paradigms of the way materials are moved in warehouses. These machines do not need any human control as they navigate on their own and move goods, eliminating slugs and thus improving efficiency. AGVs can either follow set routes programmed for them or be able to alter their routes according to the ever-changing supplied warehouse using sensors and mapping technology. Through the use of AGVs, relegated duties in the warehouses can be performed at a higher speed and in a better way, automatically eliminating the risks involved in material movement.
Hydraulic hand pallet jacks are still one of the best options for most warehouses today because of their ease of use. They are a light-duty attachment that can be used for manually lifting and shifting pallets. Newer models, although still basic in their design, have advanced through better hydraulics, which minimizes the work needed to use them. Trustworthy suppliers of hand pallet trucks have also started producing variants with better performance and ergonomic handling features.
The world Of material handling equipment has started changing very fast, and this is due to the rapid pace of technology and demand for efficiency. The list of what is possible with IoT features in a warehouse is expanding. It now includes stackers, AGVs, and the latest robotic picking systems, as well as a conveyor belt with custom-integrated IoT features.
This trend is going to be a boon for that segment of the industry, with productivity-enhancing mechanization and the help of maintaining a safer and neater workplace. As we approach the mid-year of 2025, the future will belong to those who adapt to these upcoming trends in the logistics and warehouse management sector.