EFFECT OF STORE DESIGN ON MATERIALS HANDLING A CASE STUDY OF POWER HOLDING COMPANY OF NIGERIA (PHCN) KADUNA

ABSTRACT: This study examined the effect of Store design on the material handling of an organisation, taking PHCN Kaduna as the case study.  The study was guided by the following research objectives; to examine the relationship between materials handling and the Store design of PHCN; to examine the types of store design systems used by PHCN and to examine the factors affecting the Store design of PHCN. Using a sample of 40 respondents, a case study design, involving the use of both qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection was employed to assess the effect of Store design on the materials handling of an organisation. A cross sectional research design which employed both quantitative and qualitative techniques was employed in data collection and analysis purposive and simple random sampling techniques were employed to attain responses from 40 respondents which comprised of the staff of PHCN. The findings revealed that there is a positive relationship between materials handling and the Store design of PHCN since materials handling facilitates a shorter operating cycle, reduces handling costs, eliminates unproductive handling of materials, reduces idle machine capacity, reduces idle time for labour, eliminates factory hazards, maintains quality of materials, enables optimum usage of space, facilitates materials issues, facilitates better customer care and better quality products and ensures timely production.

The study recommended that organisations should invest in store design equipment. The study also recommended that organisations should prioritize the material handling function since it is a very vital cost center. The study concluded that every successful organisation must have an efficient materials handling department and also give keen interest on  the other factors that influence the profitability of the organisation.