Which of the following purchasing procedures is most likely to reduce material handling time?

Ordering materials in a way that simplifies their identification and tracking significantly enhances efficiency during material handling. Bagging and tagging materials allows for quicker recognition and reduces the time spent searching for items. This organized approach facilitates smoother operations, enabling workers to easily locate the necessary materials without wasting time on sorting or searching.

When materials are tagged properly, it adds an additional layer of clarity to the handling process, which can streamline workflows and minimize delays in retrieval. This is particularly useful in environments where multiple materials are frequently handled as it allows for quicker assembly and deployment, ultimately enhancing productivity.

The other options do not address how the materials are organized and tracked in a way that directly impacts handling efficiency. For example, ordering materials in bulk could lead to greater amounts of material to process at once, potentially increasing handling time if the materials are not properly organized. Similarly, breaking down materials into smaller groups might help manage smaller quantities but does not ensure that those smaller groups are easily identifiable. Hiring extra labor may help with overall workload but does not directly address how to minimize handling time through organization.