Hoppers are useful tools for many businesses, including factories, warehouses, dock operations, and other places where efficient materials handling is critical to success.
What are hoppers? While there are many different types, essentially they are all similar. Most feature a large reservoir where materials can be collected by dumping them into the top. Then at the bottom there usually is a chute that can be opened or closed, allowing the materials to be deposited somewhere else such as a trash receptacle, a vat, a shipping container, a production pod, or wherever the materials need to go.
Think of hoppers almost like a dumpster with a hole at the bottom. Most feature a chute-like shape that allows gravity to do most of the work. Some can be fitted onto forklifts or other vehicles for easy transport while others can be pushed manually or even have motors of their own.
Best Uses for Hoppers
Hoppers are effective in operations where bulk materials need to be collected from multiple points then deposited into a single location. What kind of bulk materials are collected in hoppers? Some of the most popular are trash and recyclables. But many other operations use hoppers to collect raw materials, grains, pellets, and even bulk finished products.
Perhaps the biggest benefit of hoppers is their mobility. They let users move a lot of materials all at once safely and efficiently. Plus, the design of hoppers allows the collected materials to be placed where they need to go neatly and with minimal loss or product. Many hoppers actually dock squarely onto their dumping points or even feature gaskets that create clean seals for optimal materials transfer.
Can You Use a Hopper?
Whether or not your operation can use a hopper depends on your answer to one simple question: Are you currently moving bulk materials inefficiently? If so, consider using a hopper to streamline the transfer of materials to maximize productivity and minimize loss.
Today’s hoppers are available in a wide variety of sizes and shapes so you are certain to find one that best serves your operation’s specific needs. Whether you simply want to pick up trash from throughout your workplace or move critical materials from one area of production to another, a hopper could provide a cost-effective, simple solution to a complex problem.
You may even be able to pair a hopper with equipment you already have, such as a forklift or power jack.
Consider your operation and think about ways to improve efficiency. A hopper could provide the solution you are looking for.