In a highly competitive construction environment, efficient material handling is “the silent engine of profitability”, to quote Vaibhav Kulkarni, General Manager Projects, JP Infra Realty. “It’s not just about moving materials from A to B but developing a strategy to minimise touchpoints, reduce waste and maximise spends.”Planning stageBefore investing in material, Kulkarni recommends designing the material flow. “Map the journey of major materials from the delivery point to their final placement,” he recommends. While doing this, “minimise double-handling and identify potential bottlenecks. Select the best-located staging areas for different materials, such as positioning bundles of rebar or wall panels closer to their point of use.”Essentially, “before the first truck unloads, the site layout should be carefully planned – with unloading zones, storage yards, hoist locations and work-fronts arranged logically to minimise double handling,” urges Rajan Mahajan, Associate Vice President, Construction and Engineering, Tribeca Developers. For instance, placing the steel yard close to the cutting and bending area helps save both time and labour.Selecting the right design and materials can also help reduce the handling cost. “Thoughtful choices such as aluminium shuttering, ready-mix or gypsum plaster, factory-assembled components and prefabricated RCC members, staircases and wall panels limit onsite handling,” he adds. “These measures streamline operations, enhance quality consistency and shorten project timelines, ultimately leading to cost savings.”Further, “standardising materials such as steel, shuttering panels and tiles reduces onsite cutting, rework and wastage,” says Mahajan. “Implementing digital tracking systems such as QR codes or barcoding enables real-time monitoring of material flow, preventing shortages and delays. Using simple inventory management software or shared spreadsheets can also help track material location and status in real time. Barcodes or RFID tags on larger items can streamline this process.”Precision logisticsStockpiling materials increases onsite clutter and storage costs and risks damage or theft, believes Kulkarni. Instead, he suggests coordinating with suppliers for just-in-time deliveries, which also improves cash flows. As an approach, ‘just in time’ is all about precision. Implementing the concept on a chaotic construction site requires just-in-place thinking, which Karan Gandhi, Promoter, Express Equipment Rental & Logistics, says necessitates elevating the procurement role.“The procurement team must treat the delivery schedule as a part of the construction schedule itself,” he continues. “It’s not enough to get the materials onsite; they must be delivered pre-sorted, pre-kitted and directly to the optimal drop-off point. The logistics service provider must ensure materials land precisely within the crane’s operational radius or next to the hoist for immediate vertical transport, thus eliminating, say, the Rs 5,000 forklift trip for an item costing Rs 1,000.”Kulkarni suggests asking suppliers to deliver materials in standardised, manageable bundles or palletised units to allow mechanical handling such as with a forklift, instead of manual, piece-by-piece labour, drastically cutting down time and worker fatigue. Lift lightThe lifting of construction materials can be economised by identifying and segregating the materials in such a way that each load size is optimised for the cranes available at the project, recommends Prasanta Kumar Ray, Head - Plant & Machinery, L&T Construction - Heavy Civil.The single largest cost on a high-rise project is crane time but it can be optimised, according to Gandhi. “Modelling lifts by using material forecasts to batch heavy lifts efficiently minimises expensive idle time and avoids the costly, last-minute scenario of renting a second crane because the main one is tied up with uncoordinated, small lifts.”“Creating a lift plan, a methodology of lifting based on the weight to be lifted (as per the crane load chart), the operating radius, space availability, access and rigging type can help optimise the cost,” advises Ray. “For very heavy loads, a mock up plan is also essential before the actual lifting. The lift plan must consider all the safety aspects involved.”Training and safetyTraining and safety are key to efficiency and avoiding unwanted costs, says Gandhi. “Safety is the ultimate insurance policy against project failure. A single crane-related incident, even a minor one, can stop an entire site, costing crores in lost time, investigation fees and legal liabilities.”Ray emphasises the need to engage experienced rigging personnel with supervision staff to lift in a timely and safe manner. “For the repetitive handling of materials standardisation and optimisation is required with respect to the time cycle and cost involved. Plan multiple handlings in such a way that resources are used most efficiently and for less duration.”“Certified and trained operators and ground crews will work efficiently, improving bottom lines,” says Kulkarni, while Mahajan notes that “training and awareness initiatives, including short toolbox talks on safe lifting, stacking and movement practices, help workers understand the value of materials, thereby reducing waste and accidents.”It’s all about adding value onsite.Optimal equipment for material handlingUsing only modern equipment that is compliant with safety standards not only protects a worker but also protects the entire project timeline and profit margin, observes Karan Gandhi, Promoter, Express Equipment Rental & Logistics.“The most inexpensive material handling solution is not necessarily the lowest-cost piece of equipment,” he continues. “It is the optimal equipment deployed as part of an integrated logistics plan to ensure zero wasted movements, maximum safety and continuous workflow. Having immediate access to the exact piece of equipment designed for the task eliminates slow or inefficient workarounds.”For instance, specialised forklifts such as narrow aisle or reach trucks or telehandlers provide as option to multitask with various attachments in one single equipment saving time and money.“We use telehandlers for their ability to reach forward and upward, which allows the precise placement of materials from a single position, translating into faster material placement,” says Vaibhav Kulkarni, General Manager Projects, JP Infra Realty, who recommends selecting material handling equipment that is affordable to acquire and operate, yet robust enough to maintain speed and safety.  “Rough-terrain forklifts help to reliably and speedily move palletised materials, from bricks and blocks to bags of cement and plumbing fixtures,” he continues. “We use portable conveyor systems to inexpensively move bulk material between floors. We use material hoists and construction elevators for the cost-effective vertical movement of small loads, freeing the crane for critical, heavy lifts.”“Most of the time, cranes of various capacities (both mobile and crawler-mounted) are used to handle heavy construction materials,” says Prasanta Kumar Ray, Head - Plant & Machinery, L&T Construction - Heavy Civil. However, he points out that they are the most expensive methods and should be chosen only when time is a constraint and no other alternatives are available.Electrical lifting equipment like gantry, EOT, tower and derrick cranes are the most inexpensive and efficient lifting methods and are also suitable for repetitive and long duration handlings, he adds. “For ultra-heavy loads, lifting using strand jack systems is another efficient, safe and inexpensive method.”For high-rise or large-scale projects, tower cranes remain the most effective for vertical material movement capable of serving multiple towers simultaneously, reducing manpower and improving cycle time, explains Rajan Mahajan, Associate Vice President, Construction and Engineering, Tribeca Developers. “Hydraulic material hoists ensure safe and rapid movement of heavy materials like blocks and reinforcement steel to upper floors. Similarly, concrete boom placers allow the precise delivery of concrete, while automated rebar cutting, bending and stirrup-making machines improve accuracy, reduce wastage and lower manual dependency.”In space-constrained urban sites, he says mini mobile cranes or spider cranes are highly efficient for confined lifting operations. “Battery-operated trolleys, wheelbarrows and conveyor belts are transforming horizontal material movement by making it faster, safer and less labour-intensive. For repetitive or restricted-access tasks such as basement block shifting or debris removal, temporary lifts or conveyors provide an economical and effective solution.”“We don’t use powered hand trucks and motorised pallet jacks because they aren’t easily available but they are useful for speedily finishing indoor work,” adds Kulkarni, while cautioning users to maintain material handling equipment to ensure breakdowns don’t bring productivity to a grinding halt because delays are expensive.Although modular storage solutions aren’t ‘handling equipment’ in the traditional sense, he points out that organised storage – durable, modular shelving, lockable site boxes and pallet racking – makes for an organised site, which is always more efficient.Proposed quotes:Electrical lifting equipment is the most inexpensive and efficient lifting method. - Prasanta Kumar Ray, Head - Plant & Machinery, L&T Construction - Heavy CivilThe procurement team must treat the delivery schedule as a part of the construction schedule itself. - Karan Gandhi, Promoter, Express Equipment Rental & LogisticsBefore the first truck unloads, the site layout should be carefully planned. - Rajan Mahajan, Associate Vice President, Construction and Engineering, Tribeca DevelopersAsk suppliers to deliver materials in standardised, manageable bundles or palletised units to allow mechanical handling. - Vaibhav Kulkarni, General Manager Projects, JP Infra RealtyQuick BytePlan material flow to reduce double handling and bottlenecks.Use standardised materials to cut rework, waste, and time.Optimise lifts and equipment to match loads to cranes and tools.Train staff and ensure safety to lower accidents and project delays.