PLASTIC LOG TAGS	REPULPABLE LOG TAGS	DIGESTIBLE LOG TAGS	PLASTIC STAPLES & STAPLERS	PLASTIC NAILS & NAIL GUNS
VENEER LOG TAGS	BUNDLE TAGS	GENERIC LOG TAGS	KILN TAGS	LUMBER TAGS

A Survey of Log, Sawmill and Lumber Companies Using a Manual Inventory Control and Tracking System

- from our Industry Survey -

Many of our customers are Logging, Saw mill, and Lumber companies who we help to control their inventories with our custom Tags and Labels. These include Barcode Tags or Labels and Numbered Tags or Labels. Many companies tell us they've gained in efficiency and profits using these methods

We also wanted to find out why other companies in the industry are trying to do their inventory control and tracking manually.

Our Survey Sought to Find Out Why Some Companies Were Still Doing Inventory Control Manually

We Surveyed approximately 3 dozen log, sawmill and lumber operations. We also talked with companies who were still keeping track of logs and lumber inventory manually. We asked them the reasons they were doing it manually.

Some Log, Sawmill and Lumber Companies Didn't Know of a Better Way To Control Inventory

In some cases, companies told us they didn't know there was a more efficient way or that they thought they were too small to be able to gain from an Inventory Control System.

Below and on the next page are feedback from these companies.

Section 2. Companies Using a Manual Inventory Control System Including Those Who Have Not Used Tags

What Companies Told Us About the Effectiveness of Using Only a Manual Inventory Control Method

Overview:
Our Survey found that the companies that were not benefiting from the potential cost savings of an Inventory Control System fell into two Main Groups.

1. Those who were unaware of any other Method than what they had been using all along.

2. Those who thought that they were too small, or if they were large enough they were not yet aware of the benefits.

Below is a Summary and Comments from 4 Companies Using a Manual Inventory

Following That On the Next Page Is a Summary and Comments from 8 Other
Companies Who Haven't Been Using Tags

A Summary of Companies Using a Manual Inventory Control Method
Note: Some of the companies below also appear in another category of this Survey – Large Companies.

Overview:
The companies in this section include one that is doing 650,000 Board Feet per month with 2 locations. They gave us a very clear and detailed explanation of the shortcomings of their current Manual Inventory Control system.

Number of Locations and Board Feet
The companies we interviewed who are doing things Manually all had between one and 2 locations. For those answering the question about Board Feet, there was a wide size range – with one buying all of their lumber (not having a Sawmill) - and another processing as much as 8,000 to10,000 Board Feet a day, with 7 employees.
Another company, with 2 locations, is processing 650,000 Board Feet per month.

Inventory Control System
One company mentioned that they created their own Tag, on which they write the species, grade and vendor. Their Tag is not a Barcode Tag Another company also makes and also prints their own Tags. The owner of a third company said that he makes up little cards and puts them on their lumber. He then marks the grade of the lumber on the card.

Priorities in Choosing Tags or a System
The feedback on this question was limited only because these companies appeared not to have considered in advance their priorities for getting Tags or an Inventory Control system. One company answered that their method needs to be uncomplicated - they didn't want to have a lot of information tracked. They added that they do a quarterly total of their inventory.

What These Companies Said Were Shortcomings and Want to Add to Their Manual Method
Although most of these 4 companies said that there weren't any shortcomings, the company processing 650,000 Board Feet per month was very clearly aware of problems in their Manual system to Control Inventory, and had a lot to say to us about this question. He gave a detailed explanation (below) of why:

Human error – He said that if the grade of wood was substituted for another grade, and the correction was not recorded, this would create a problem. He thought that this human error was the biggest drawback to their system.

The Comments From 4 Companies On Their Manual Method Of Inventory Control

1. A Company with 2 Locations
One company processing 650,000 Board Feet per month said they use their own Tag to keep track of inventory. They write the grade, species and vendor information on the Tag, which is not Bar Coded.
They said their goal is to keep the method uncomplicated. They keep the information to a minimum and do a quarterly total of their inventory.

Shortcomings This Company Mentioned in Their Method
Human error – they said that if the grade of wood was substituted for another grade and then the correction was not recorded, this would create a problem. They said this “human error would be the biggest drawback to their system.”

2. A Company with 1 Location
The owner of this company said he makes up little cards and puts them on the lumber. He marks just the grade of the lumber. His goal is to allow his customers to see what they want. He wasn't aware of any shortcomings to his method.

3. A Lumber Company Without a Sawmill
This company has 1 location and buys all of their lumber. They make and print their own Tags and weren't aware of any problems with this method.

4. A Log and Lumber Company With 1 Location
This company has 1 location and does 8,000 to 10,000 Board Feet per day
They don't have an Inventory Control System and keep track of Inventory manually. They thought that because of their small size, there wasn't another method they could use.

Universal Tag, Inc. is a BBB Accredited Business. Click for the BBB Business Review of this Printer in Dudley MA

Home	About Us	Contact Us	Request Quote	Downloads	Links
Why Use Log Tags?		Already Using Log Tags?		Compare Us To Our Competition