Material Handling Industry Opportunities in 2019
The material handling industry is one which crosses a wide spectrum of industrial and commercial sectors including mining, manufacturing, and engineering. According to the 2019 report by the MHEDA (Material Handlers Equipment Distributors Association), the material handling sector faces the same labor shortage challenges common to nearly every industrial enterprise in the digital age of Industry 4.0. Multi-faceted labor shortages in material handling now require that enterprises present themselves as “an employer of choice” to ensure that they can attract the top talent to fill critical positions in:
- skilled labor
- sales and project estimating
- conveyor design
- layout engineering
- structural engineering
- mechanical design
- technical support
- management
According to the MHEDA, recruitment strategies and structured onboarding programs are critical at a time when the manufacturing market pressures include factory direct sales, third-party providers, and advances in technology. New infrastructure construction is putting pressure on the surface mining and aggregate material industries as well.
Enterprises in these sectors also have to anticipate knowledge transfer needs as valuable experienced employees move into retirement. At Resource Erectors, we have a consistent history of recruiting and presenting only the top quality professionals to streamline recruitment and meet the specific needs of your organization.
Job Security With Bulk Material Handling Design and Engineering
For job seekers looking to make a strategic career move, the material handling field is booming. The sector is moving continuously and inevitably to improve logistical efficiency with digital transformation and automation. Here at RE, we’ve already seen a significant uptick in the demand for tech-savvy designers and engineers for material handling systems in the first quarter of 2019.
In fact, common professional skills in demand include:
- Conveyor layout design with specification detailing for components such as pulleys, shafts, and belt drives.
- 3D component modeling
- Assembly and manufacturing drawings
- Autodesk Inventor
- AutoCAD
- wet and dry processing
- pumping and piping design
- plant layout
Engineering professionals in bulk material handling should be prepared to be part of the decision making management team. That makes candidate experience, usually 5 years or more, an important factor for hiring managers. Today most companies look to their material handling engineers to work in conjunction with project managers to develop bid documents and create engineering schedules and budgets. Many of these positions require some field work and travel for candidates who are eager to get out from behind the desk from time to time.
Most candidates will also need the “soft skills” necessary for working well with vendors and contractors as well as a BS in mechanical engineering. The aggregate and mining companies will also consider candidates with a BS in mining engineering, but a firm understanding of engineering fundamentals and general construction and material handling processes are prerequisites in industries across the board.
For career security, bulk material handling covers such a broad range of commodities and applications that there will always be critical positions to be filled. Bulk commodities include aggregates, ash, limestone, cement, gypsum, and much more. In other sectors wood chips, grain, and biomass are just a few examples of bulk materials requiring handling systems and the engineers to design, build, and keep them up and running.
Opportunities at Resource Erectors
If you’re ready to make your move in the bulk materials engineering field, we have opportunities available now. As recruiting specialists in the mining, manufacturing, and engineering sectors, we’ve made it our mission to connect the top companies in North America with the most qualified professionals they need to succeed in today’s highly competitive job market. Over 80% of the candidates placed by Resource Erectors continue to contribute to the success of their companies after 5 years and are still employed by our clients today.
Whether you’re a professional ready to move up the ladder with a strategic career move or a company building your next industrial dream team please don’t hesitate to contact us.
