Blog | UNEX Manufacturing

Gravity Conveyor Solutions to Boost Efficiency and Throughput

Written by UNEX | Feb 4, 2015 4:01:48 PM

Facilities today face a common challenge: how to move products quickly, safely, and cost-effectively without expanding their footprint or adding unnecessary labor costs.

In industries like logistics, warehousing, manufacturing, and retail, efficiency at every step of material handling can be the difference between meeting demand and falling behind. One of the simplest yet most effective ways to streamline product movement is with gravity conveyors, a reliable solution that keeps products flowing with minimal effort and no energy consumption.

UNEX designs and manufactures gravity conveyor solutions that are built to last, adaptable to a wide range of environments, and engineered to eliminate costly inefficiencies. Whether products are moving through an assembly line, across a packaging station, or toward a shipping dock, UNEX conveyors are a proven way to boost throughput while reducing downtime and expenses.

Why Inefficient Product Flow Hurts Operations

Many facilities rely on forklifts, pallet jacks, or manual carrying to move items from point A to point B. While those methods can work in the right situations, they introduce risks and costs as operations scale. Forklifts increase safety concerns, especially in busy aisles or around workers. Manual handling leads to fatigue, repetitive strain, and slower throughput. And inconsistent flow across workstations creates bottlenecks that impact the entire supply chain.

The result is higher labor costs, increased downtime, and wasted space. These challenges are especially painful for teams already struggling with lean staffing, limited floor space, and rising customer expectations for faster order fulfillment. Gravity conveyors provide a straightforward way to overcome these obstacles, creating smooth, predictable product flow that minimizes delays and disruptions.

The Tangible Benefits of Gravity Conveyors

Implementing a gravity conveyor system creates measurable improvements across the facility. From reducing labor costs to improving workplace safety, the impact goes beyond simply moving products more efficiently. Here are some of the most valuable benefits:

  • Increased Productivity and Throughput: Materials flow smoothly between work areas, eliminating bottlenecks and keeping lines moving at a steady pace.
  • Lower Labor Costs: With conveyors carrying the load, workers spend less time transporting items and more time on value-added tasks, helping to reduce indirect labor expenses.
  • Improved Safety and Ergonomics: Gravity conveyors minimize repetitive lifting, bending, and carrying, lowering the risk of injury and strain for employees.
  • Reduced Product Damage: Products glide along durable rollers and skatewheels rather than being dropped or stacked, ensuring products arrive in better condition and lowering replacement costs.

Together, these benefits translate into better use of space and leaner operations. By replacing or augmenting staging areas or forklift-heavy traffic lanes with conveyors, facilities can reclaim square footage for storage or production. For growing operations that need to handle more volume without expanding their building, gravity conveyors offer a practical and cost-effective path forward.

Key Industries That Rely on Gravity Conveyors

Gravity conveyors are versatile enough to improve operations across multiple sectors. Some of the most common applications include:

  • Warehousing and Third-Party Logistics (3PLs): Used for cross-docking, shipping, and receiving to keep goods flowing efficiently between trucks and staging areas.
  • Manufacturing: Essential along assembly and sub-assembly lines, where they help maintain steady throughput without the need for powered equipment.
  • Packaging and Fulfillment: Applied in accumulation lines and order picking stations to balance flow and prevent bottlenecks.
  • Retail: Improve backroom organization and product replenishment, ensuring inventory moves quickly from storage to the sales floor.
  • Logistics and Distribution Hubs: Streamline truck loading and unloading, reducing dock congestion and labor time.

Because UNEX builds conveyors in multiple styles, like skatewheel systems for lightweight cartons or heavy-duty roller conveyors for pallets, you can match the right solution to the right industry application. Accessories like spurs, gates, and ball transfer tables add even more flexibility, allowing operations to merge or diverge lines, provide worker access, or handle complex product positioning.

Types of UNEX Gravity Conveyors

UNEX offers several types of gravity conveyors, each designed to solve different material handling challenges. By understanding the strengths of each type, facilities can select the right solution for their operation.

Skatewheel Conveyors are lightweight, flexible, and ideal for moving smaller cartons or packages. They are often used in portable or temporary setups where quick deployment is needed. Their simple design makes them easy to reposition as workflows change.

 

1.38" Roller Conveyors provide a durable option for light to medium-duty applications. These conveyors are a common choice for packaging lines or order fulfillment areas where consistent product flow is critical. Their strength and smooth operation help maintain throughput while minimizing product damage.

1.9" Roller Conveyors are built for heavier-duty applications, handling medium-weight products in more permanent installations. These conveyors are often integrated into assembly lines or shipping docks, where their robustness and reliability keep materials moving without interruption.


Each type of UNEX gravity conveyor is engineered to be quiet, low maintenance, and adaptable, ensuring facilities get a tailored solution that reduces energy use and downtime while maximizing productivity.

Keep Your Facility Moving Forward

If your operation struggles with bottlenecks, high labor costs, or safety concerns, gravity conveyors may be the missing piece of the puzzle. With their simple, durable design and ability to adapt to virtually any workflow, they deliver a fast return on investment and long-term operational gains. UNEX gravity conveyors are already helping facilities across industries achieve smoother flow, safer work environments, and more efficient use of space.

Ready to explore how UNEX can help your operation run leaner and faster? Contact us today to design a gravity conveyor system built to keep your products moving.