The Myth of “One Size Fits All” in Industrial Operations

Anyone working in operations knows how quickly the “one size fits all” approach breaks down in real environments. Different tasks create different stresses. Different surfaces interact differently with adhesives. Different teams have different safety requirements. And different equipment demands different power loads, temperatures, and handling.

The idea of universal supplies sounds efficient — but in practice, it creates waste, downtime, and headaches.

Here’s why “one size fits all” rarely works in industrial operations.

1. Different Tasks Place Different Demands on Supplies

A single glove style doesn’t work for every situation.
A single battery type doesn’t power every tool reliably.
A single tape doesn’t adhere the same way to concrete, metal, cardboard, and plastic.

Even inside one facility, the range of tasks is massive:

• High-abrasion handling vs. precision assembly

• Cold storage vs. ambient temperature environments

• High-traffic areas vs. low-traffic storage rooms

• Heavy equipment vs. handheld tools

• Palletizing vs. shipping vs. maintenance tasks

Trying to force one product to do every job typically leads to premature failures and frustrated crews.

2. The Wrong Product Creates Hidden Waste

Using the wrong product doesn’t always cause obvious failure — more often, it causes overuse.

Real examples from facilities everywhere:

• Gloves that aren’t suited for abrasion wear out faster, so workers grab extra pairs.

  

• Tape that doesn’t bond well requires multiple wraps or repeated applications.

• Batteries that don’t match device draw get replaced constantly, wasting inventory.

• Trash liners that aren’t the right thickness tear, leading to double-bagging and lost time.

None of this shows up on a single invoice — but it adds up over months.

3. Safety Products Aren’t Interchangeable

Operators need PPE that matches the risk, the task, and the environment.

A few examples:

• Cut-level gloves that are too low increase injury risk.

• Gloves that are too thick reduce dexterity and slow work down.

• Safety glasses that don’t fit properly get removed more often, reducing compliance.

• Ear plugs with the wrong NRR rating offer false confidence and insufficient protection.

When PPE is treated as “good enough for everything,” safety becomes inconsistent.

4. Over-Standardizing Often Backfires

Standardization is good — but only when it’s intentional.

What doesn’t work is standardizing simply because it seems convenient:

• One glove for every job

• One style of tape for every surface

• One type of battery for every device

• One trash liner for every bin

• One pair of safety glasses for every environment

It feels simpler at the purchasing level…
But it creates complexity at the operational level.

The teams using the supplies usually pay the price.

5. Smart Facilities Use “Standardized Variety”

Not 100 different SKUs… but not just one, either.

The most efficient operations choose a thoughtful mix:

• Two glove types: one for durability, one for dexterity

• Multiple tapes: packaging, crafting, high-adhesion, or specialty surfaces

• A battery strategy: high-draw vs. low-draw devices, long-life options for critical tools

• Tiered trash liners: different thicknesses depending on weight and department

• Different styles of safety glasses: varied fits, fog resistance, tinted options for outdoor work

This isn’t complexity — it’s optimized simplicity.

Each product has a purpose, and each purpose supports performance.

6. The Payoff: Better Productivity With Less Waste

When teams use the right tool for the job, a few things happen:

• Less product waste

• Fewer equipment issues

• Faster task completion

• Better compliance

• Happier operators

• Lower total cost over time

This is the difference between forcing a single product into every scenario…
And choosing the product that fits the scenario correctly.

Final Thought

Industrial work is too varied — and too demanding — for one-size-fits-all supplies.

The most efficient facilities don’t look for universal solutions.
They look for purpose-built solutions that match the real conditions of their operations.

That’s where predictability comes from.
That’s where waste disappears.
And that’s where teams perform their best.