DC Velocity - June 2019

Self-closing safety gate: Steel King Industries Inc., a manufacturer of material handling products and systems for improving operational efficiency, has introduced a line of self-closing safety gates. Made of heavy 11-gauge corrugated-steel rails, the safety gates are designed to fit a 48-inch post-to-post center line within a protective railing system. They are available for both the company’s Steel Guard and Armor Guard railing systems.

Featuring a yellow powder-coat finish that is highly visible, durable, and UV-resistant, the new safety gates are easy to install, with no cutting, welding, or drilling required. The safety gate can be turned or flipped to achieve the desired opening direction. (Steel King Industries Inc., www.steelking.com)

Advanced industrial batteries: Battery manufacturer EnerSys has introduced the NexSys iON and NexSys Pure batteries, two power solutions engineered to deliver superior performance for a wide range of material handling applications.

These advanced lithium-ion (Li-ion) and Thin Plate Pure Lead (TPPL) solutions are offered in multiple sizes and configurations, and are integrated with the latest battery management software to deliver reliable, productive, and cost-effective power across lift truck fleets, no matter how big or small the operation. (EnerSys, www.enersys.com)

Routing and scheduling software: Paragon Software Systems Inc., a developer of truck fleet management solutions, has enhanced its routing and scheduling software with resource management functionality to help fleet managers better manage utilization of all available drivers. The new functionality allows fleet operators to track drivers’ vacations, shift patterns, and hours worked, automatically factoring all of this into transport plans.

The new resource management functionality will allow fleet managers to manage vacation entitlement and approval to avoid too many drivers taking vacation at the same time, automatically generate advanced shift schedules to provide forward visibility and control, comply with HoS (hours of service) limits at the individual driver level, and track individual driver hours accumulated to avoid overtime.

Using the Paragon solution, planners can make the best use of drivers and vehicles while factoring in drivers’ preferences. Planners are able to automatically allocate available drivers to a plan, removing the need for the transport office to spend time allocating drivers to routes. Total visibility of all drivers’ availability, captured in a single system that feeds into the planning process, helps reduce planning time and eliminates the risk of human error, the company says. (Paragon Software Systems Inc., paragonrouting.com)

Modular warehouse offices: Panel Built says its modular office systems go far beyond the standard rectangular boxes that most people imagine when they think of “modular.” The company utilizes a panel and binder-post wall system that allows for each panel to be attached however the user sees fit, meaning the number of possible configurations is limitless.

In order for its modular office walls to fit into a variety of environments, Panel Built offers a wide range of panel materials. For industrial environments, Panel Built often provides a vinyl-covered gypsum panel that offers quality sound and fire protection. If the facility has a lot of dust as a byproduct of its manufacturing process, Panel Built can provide a steel-skinned office that can be easily cleaned.

Panel Built offers a complete line of custom modular offices, mezzanines, security booths, pre-assembled exterior buildings, and clean-rooms. (Panel Built, www.panelbuilt.com)