CEO Business Solutions

Plant Layout/Material Handling

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The plant layout is a very critical part of running an efficient and cost effective business. All work areas, production lines, material storage facilities, etc. should be designed to perform to the highest rate and the corresponding shortest cycle time. When designing a plant layout it is necessary to take into account all the functions within the business. The design must include not only the needs for the present business levels but should also have provisions for future expansion. This is included to avoid frequent and costly changes to the design as demand increases.

An in depth study is made of the workings of the business, looking carefully at each function and the interrelationships between functions. A CEO executive will perform this study prior to any plant layout design. This will provide a clear understanding of the present and future needs of the business and the interaction of each department and will be used to design the facility for the most efficient and productive workflow possible.

As part of this study the following areas at a minimum, are reviewed:

Total facilities power requirements
Interaction between functions
Work space requirements by function
Work flow
Material handling requirements
Physical constraints
Special process requirements
Employee needs (legal requirements)
Power requirements for each piece of equipment or machinery
Lighting requirements
Noise levels in work areas

Once all of the data has been collected and collated the physical design of the actual plant layout will be generated. These plans are not necessarily those that can be used for construction purposes but will be the information that will guide an architect's design for the construction phase of the project, if required.

Material handling is a very critical part of the design and the needs of a manufacturing facility. Materials need to be properly stored and transported to and from work station/centers with a view towards minimizing the movement and avoiding damage to the product. The cost of this being implemented incorrectly could be devastating to the profitability of the business and also could endanger the employees.

In some instances special handling equipment may be necessary to insure that the material is handled properly. The storage also becomes an important step since some material has specific shelve life criteria, corrosive material storage, environmental criteria, etc. The design needs to take into account all of these aspects for the proper storage and handling of material. Doing a proper layout correctly the first time pays significant and continuing dividends long after the task has been completed.

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