1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204 
Has the Removal Industry Kept Up to Date?
Page 96
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
By W. Isard
President, National Association of Furniture Warehousemen and Removers WHEN we consider such a question as is posed by the title of this article, there is little doubt that we think of the industry as it relates to the removal of household furniture and effects inland by motor vehicle, whether it be from one private residence to . another, or to or from a depository.
Obviously, part of the question is answered in the affirmative, for there is evidence for all to see in the form of the hundreds of excellent modern pantechnicons travelling our roads daily. The design of these vehicles is in good taste and there has been continued advance in construction by bodybuilders.
This has resulted in larger capacities and lower loading lines. The average removal contractor of today is proud of his fleet, and the purchase of new vans is given exhaustive study before an order is placed.
Behind the U.S.A.
What of other equipment used on a removal? We in this country are not so advanced as the Americans. Possibly the reason is not so much lack of knowledge as other circumstances.
There are certain mechanically operated devices available to the contractor. He has, however, to think more in terms of time saved than of ease of handling, or of just impressing the custorner. There is no doubt that many removal staffs prefer to carry a piece of furniture rather than to lift it on and off quite a simple form of trolley, unless the item in question should he really heavy.
There is also an important aspect of this problem which comes about by virtue of the fact that any mechanical apparatus used has, in most cases, to be taken to the customer's house. This occupies space often required in the van and must be allowed for after loading the furniture, to enable the equipment to be transported and used to assist in unloading at the new address.
There is wide support for the view that a household removal is a job that has to be done largely by hand. other than where exceptional articles, such as safes and pianos, are concerned. Whatever may he the opinion on mechanical apparatus.
there is no doubt that some removers are behind the times with certain other equipment. There come to my mind such articles as collapsible containers for lamp shades, modern plastic bags, and so on.
In this connection, members of the National Association of Furniture Warehousemen and Re movers are to have the benefits of a special committee which the Executive Council of this body have set up in conjunction with the Removal Institute to make a thorough examina
lion ot the subject. [his, it is believed, will prove most valuable to the members of the trade, and will certainly do much to keep it up to date.
The most valuable assets of any remover, however, will always be the practical skills of his staff, despite any advantage of mechanization.
When examining the removal industry one cannot, of course, ignore the warehousing side of the business, and must consider whether this section of the trade has kept up with the times. Once again, the warehouseman must primarily weigh up the possible economy of any modern innovation which he may think of introducing into the running of his storage premises. It would seem that some advancement in the use of mechanical lifting apparatus might be introduced.
Difficulties in Mechanizing
Here, again, there are certain factors which might mitigate against this form of machinery. I have in mind awkward gangways which make any form of mechanical trucking almost impracticable.
More packaging of articles might be reviewed. It is, however, doubtful whether many of the larger depositories could give improved facilities to the customer on these lines. We may get some valuable lead from the committee mentioned earlier.
It is well known that the vast majority of warehousemen keeps well abreast of the times with the best wrapping materials, and great attention is also given to modern methods of pest prevention. Even more than the removal side, storing furniture is still largely a manual job, but it may be said that both sections of the trade find that healthy competition does not allow unsatisfactory methods to prevail.