rollouts
NEW LOGISTICS PRODUCTS & SERVICES
EDITED BY DAVID MALONEY
Asset control: Companies should buy crates and pallets because their business is growing, not because of attrition due to mishandling of assets. Companies can reduce loss,
misuse, and abuse by more than 30 percent when they take control of their assets with
a proven method for tracking crates and pallets. Rehrig Pacific Co., a manufacturer of
returnable/reusable plastic crates and pallets, announces a systematic method for tracking returnable assets for the food and beverage industry. Though several options are
available to control shrinkage and asset loss, including asset tracking, RFID, and third-party logistics’ pooled floats, Rehrig’s customers have identified systematic asset management as the most cost-effective approach for reducing premature purchases.
Rehrig’s systematic asset management program is custom designed to fit the specific needs of each company experiencing loss and reduce unnecessary asset purchases by 20 to 25 percent the first year and 10 to 15 percent each year thereafter.
This is achieved through retraining of existing employees and creating open lines of
communication within the distribution network.
The asset management program consists of eight key stages for effective execution: 1) Assess the company’s distribution system, 2) Interview key players in the
distribution network, 3) Examine past case purchases, 4) Analyze the case float, 5)
Create an information flow to build awareness and educate those involved in the
distribution network, 6) Implement the asset management plan, 7) Monitor the program, and 8) Provide timely reviews to maintain asset management control.
By employing this program, companies can expect to uncover information concerning the source of asset loss within the distribution network and take steps to
reduce the losses. (Rehrig Pacific Co., www.rehrigpacific.com)
Making the switch: BlueArc Engineering, a company that specializes in the design and assembly
of custom technologies for the material handling
industry, offers its vertical switch. The vertical
switch allows inbound product to be quickly sorted within eight seconds between two outbound
conveyors. The vertical switch is typically used in
the food and beverage industry for vertically
diverting and merging case flows to automated
palletizers.
The design can accommodate inbound case
flows of up to 180 feet per minute. The motor-driven cam design provides a smooth acceleration motion, which reduces wear and protects
the traveling product.
The vertical switch is designed to integrate
into any conveyor system. The unit includes a
heavy-duty, self-standing support structure with
appropriate safety guarding. It provides up to 36-
inch vertical travel in less than one second.
(BlueArc Engineering, www.bluearceng.com)
One to watch: TGW-ERMANCO Inc. introduces
NBC Narrow Belt Conveyor. NBC is a belt-driven
live-roller conveyor that is configurable into zero-pressure contact accumulation, non-contact accumulation, and transportation conveyors using all
the same frame and drive components. NBC
reduces the cost of equipment, installation, and
ownership. Additional savings result from NBC’s
ability to power up to four curves and spurs off
either end of the conveyor using only one drive.
While offering significant cost savings, NBC
also incorporates high-value features as standard. Logic modules are set in the field with the
simple press of a button to select basic or progressive (train) release. Other features include
curves that can accumulate product and employ
true-taper rollers with close-pack roller centers
and direct drive belts with 97 percent efficient
gear motors. NBC utilizes the CRUZ frame with
the rollers low and built-in guardrail configuration. A rollers-high version is also available.
(TGW-ERMANCO, www.tgw-ermanco.com)
