Distribution
The right tool
for the job
>>
Hand trucks and
carts can spur
efficiency
Lockwood Manufacturing, Livonia, Mich.,
offers convertible hand trucks that can handle
up to 500 pounds as a hand truck and up to
1,000 pounds as a platform truck.
THROUGHOUT THE ECONOMIC CRISIS, BEVERAGE COMPANIES AND
distributors have looked for areas where they could trim, innovate or be more
efficient to save money. Oftentimes those discussions have focused on big ideas and
investments, overlooking simple solutions like having reliable carts and hand trucks,
which can have a significant impact on operating efficiency.
Compared to many other pieces of equipment,
carts and hand trucks are not a significant
investment for distributors, but if that piece of
equipment fails, a portion of the supply chain
can grind to a halt, resulting in lost time and
revenue, says Barry Monroe, vice president of
research and development for Magliner Inc.,
Pinconning, Mich.
“With the recent economic impact on revenue,
companies are deferring purchases of new
equipment and stretching the life of existing
equipment through maintenance and equipment
repairs,” Monroe says. “The attractiveness
of offshore products’ low cost of entry has
historically been very tempting to customers.
The resulting product life was a compromise
they were willing to accept. Today, we are seeing
a trend toward cost of ownership analysis and
a return of customers who may have tried other
brands. The overwhelming response we receive
is: ‘It’s all about value.’”
Lockwood Manufacturing Co., Livonia, Mich.,
is dealing with a similar trend toward companies
choosing products from international companies.
Matthew Phillips, a sales associate at Lockwood,
cites “fighting imports” as a major trend his
company is addressing. “Foreign products have
consumed our marketplace at the cost of quality
and craftsmanship,” he says.
“A good hand truck can have a tremendous
effect on a beverage company,” Phillips says. “If
you have an inferior product that is constantly
breaking down, this can translate to lost revenue
and lower morale of the user, neither of which are
good if your goal is to be profitable.”
Along with quality, distributors and warehouse
operators list efficiency and safety as important
factors in purchasing a cart or hand truck. One
of those considerations is weight, which can
be affected by the material from which the
80 | Beverage Industry | MAY 2010 | bevindustry.com
equipment is made, Monroe says. For example,
Magliner hand trucks are made from aluminum,
which can be up to 30 pounds lighter than a steel
version, he says.
By using lighter equipment, drivers are less
likely to sustain job-related back injuries, which
have a 50 percent re-occurrence rate within two
years, Monroe says.
“Most injuries don’t happen from one-time
occurrences,” he says. “They happen from
repetitive movements over time like lifting a hand
truck on and off a truck multiple times per day.”
CHOOSING A TOOL
When choosing a cart or hand truck, a one-sizefits-all solution does not exist, manufacturers say.
Instead, distributors and warehouse operators
need to evaluate what they want the equipment
to do.
“Choosing a hand truck has everything to do
with what the intended use will be,” Lockwood’s
Phillips says. “Capacity of the truck as well as the
typical load that you will be transporting should
be considered.” Lockwood offers several material
and wheel options.
Size and construction of a hand cart are
paramount to choosing the right tool for the job,
Magliner ’s Monroe says. Those factors can vary
based on the number of SKUs a company intends
to move, the operating space within a customer
location, the size of a truck’s interior and average
drop sizes, he says.
“The market seems to be requiring the
availability of many options at minimal cost,”
says Daria Dalager, marketing manager at Valley
Craft, Lake City, Minn. Valley Craft manufactures
specialized hand trucks, such as a Heavy Duty
Vending Cart that is made from aluminum and
can handle up to 1,200 pounds, Dalager says.
The shape of the cargo and the physical
attributes of a driver also have
an impact on choosing the
right hand truck, Monroe says.
Manufacturers make hand carts
with varying handle designs,
handle heights and frame style
to accommodate different load
sizes. Size and shape of tires
can affect how easily a load can
be carried over thresholds and
rough terrain.
Magliner manufactures
the second generation of the
CooLift, a cart with a hydraulic
lift for specialized pallets.
The CooLift is part of a total
warehouse solution that shifts
a company to customer-built
orders assembled on narrow
pallets in a warehouse. The
cart’s developer says that hand
trucks are still important for
certain situations.
“If you have steps or you
have something you just
can’t maneuver with a unit
like CooLift, hand trucks
still have a great place,” says
Steve Golladay, president of
Swiftwater Logistics, Charlotte,
N.C. “What we have to do is
start segregating our business
and say ‘What’s the best method
for this?’”
MATERIAL INNOVATION
>>
Advancements in
polymers and
synthetic rubbers
and changes to
thought processes
around store
merchandising
have all contributed
to changes in the
development of
carts and hand
trucks, Monroe
says.
Polymer
advancements have
led to the creation
of new
The Magliner CooLift lifts specialized
pallets with a hydraulic system mounted
to a six-wheel chassis. It can carry up to
1,500 pounds.
structural members, giving the
cart or hand truck lower weight
but improved strength. Wheels
that roll easier and require less
effort from drivers have come
from new synthetic rubbers,
enabling drivers to move larger
loads with less strain, he says.
These innovations are
necessary as beverage
distributors look for ways to
cut costs, which often results
in drivers shouldering a
heavier load of deliveries,
Magliner ’s Monroe says. Recent
innovations have helped drivers
become more productive with
less physical effort, which can
lead to fewer injuries and lower
workman’s compensation costs,
he says.
“If you have a quality hand
truck that does not break
down, you will have fewer
interruptions in delivery and
users will have a better attitude
about completing their job,”
Lockwood’s Phillips says.
trucks. The company’s
aluminum convertible hand
truck is 20 inches wide, 52
inches tall and weighs 45
pounds. It can handle up to 500
pounds as a hand truck and up
to 1,000 pounds as a platform
truck.
The Dura-Lite Triple-Truck
hand truck offering from
Valley Craft converts into three
different trucks: a standard
two-wheel hand truck, a twowheeler with an extended shoe
and a four-wheel platform
truck. The unit’s frame is
between 20 and 24 inches wide,
51 inches tall and ranges in
weight from 43 pounds to 47
pounds. It can handle between
300- and 600-pound loads.
“If the truck is well-built and
lasts a long time, companies
don’t have to incur the cost of
replacement as often,” Valley
Craft’s Dalager says. “They
also add to the safety of the
employees handling large bulky
loads.” BI
>>
By Rick Rouan
Valley Craft, Lake City, Minn., produces the
Dura-Lite Triple-Truck, which can convert into
a standard two-wheel hand truck, a twowheeler with an extended shoe and a
four-wheel platform truck.
AVAILABLE OPTIONS
Magliner engineers ergonomic
hand grips to full-body carts,
Monroe says. Although it has
specialized in metals, it also
offers hand trucks with molded
nylon cross bars.
The Gemini Convertible Hand
Truck by Magline is available
in three varieties, which range
in width from 21 inches to 22 ¾
inches, height from 51 inches to
62 ¾ inches and weight from 44
pounds to 54 pounds. The unit
can handle up to 500 pounds as
a hand truck and between 1,000
pounds and 1,250 pounds as a
platform truck.
The Magliner CooLift has
a hydraulic system to lift its
specialized pallets, a six-wheel
design that tilts on the center
wheels to cross thresholds and
features a lightweight
aluminum
frame. The
system is 18.5
inches wide,
58 inches long
and 62 inches
tall. It weighs
190 pounds
and carries up to 1,500
pounds.
Lockwood offers aluminum,
steel and convertible hand
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bevindustry.com | MAY 2010 | Beverage Industry | 81