“Between saving at least 75% of floor space, keeping the tools and dies from damage, and creating a better work environment for our employees, the VLM has been a good investment,” comments the President.

Solution Profile Items Presented at Ergonomic Height Eliminated Walk and Search Time Recovered 75% of Floor Space ROI Within Two Years

A maker of plastic packaging needed to create an ergonomic work environment for their employees and maximize space in their warehouse. After seeing a Vertical Lift Module (VLM) in operation the packaging company knew it was the answer, “We knew it was the solution for us,” said the company’s President.

Items Presented at Ergonomic Height

Previously the company stored the tools and dies on shelving. The President noted, “watching our employees lifting dies that weigh 25 to 100 pounds from the top or bottom shelves was like looking at an injury waiting to happen.” Now that the company has installed the VLM, tools and dies can be retrieved at an ergonomic height. To retrieve a specific item the operator enters the part or tray number on the keypad and the correct tray is delivered at waist height by an extraction platform. For more heavy dies an external table was installed to make it easier to move the dies ergonomically. The packaging company has even planned for the ergonomic health of their employees should future dies become heavier. An ergonomic vacuum lift or hoist could be installed to lift the dies off the tray.

Eliminated Walk and Search Time

In the past, employees had to search through more than 20 rows of shelving looking for a specific tool or die, holding up production. Since the installation of the VLM, the walk and search time for tools and dies has been eliminated. The operator simply enters the correct tray number into the keypad on the VLM and the tool or die is brought directly to the employee. “Searching for a tool or die has gone from a 30 to 45 minute search, to a push of a button,” notes the President.

Recovered 75% of Floor Space

The packaging company is a leading supplier of formed plastic packaging for food, electronics, retail gift packaging companies, and school lunch programs. The business has continued to grow but along with that has come the need for more space. “When we moved into this building I thought we would have enough room to last forever, but as the business grew it became obvious we needed to maximize floor space,” said the President. To achieve more space without a new building the company installed a Vertical Lift Module (VLM). This enabled the company to save 75% of floor space.

ROI Within Two Years

As is the concern for any company, this packing manufacturer was concerned with getting a Return On Investment (ROI). However, this proved not to be an issue. The VLM installed at the company easily paid for itself within two years. “Between creating a better work environment for our employees, saving at least 75% of floor space, and keeping the tools and dies from damage, the VLM has been a good investment,” comments the President.

Is a proud member of the EASE Industry Group of the
Material Handling Industry of America