World of Vacuum Technology
Press Release
May 2014
Two birds with one stone:
Vacuum Tube Lifters Optimize Shipping of Cardboard Boxes and Plastic Tubs
Joseph Dresselhaus GmbH & Co. KG uses three vacuum tube lifters JumboFlex from
Schmalz to commission screws and fastening materials. A specially developed two-in-one
gripper ensures safe and ergonomic handling of both cardboard boxes and plastic tubs.
Joseph Dresselhaus GmbH & Co. KG, headquartered in Herford in North-Rhine Westphalia, Germany, is
one of the largest suppliers of screws and fastening materials in Europe. Founded in 1950, the company is
now a sought-after partner for the automotive industry, hardware stores, the agricultural machinery industry,
the mechanical engineering industry, the metalworking industry, and many other fields. Their close
relationships with their customers are a deciding factor in their success. Dresselhaus’ philosophy is:
“Listening, understanding and creating solutions.” The company from Herford understands that in the field of
C-parts management, supplying companies, warehouses and shelf storage systems with components every
day, on time, is of fundamental importance. In order to make sure that manufacturing runs smoothly on-site,
the company offers its customers a fully developed supply concept for the procurement of screws, nuts and
washers. The company’s approximately 850 employees ensure that approximately 15 billion handled parts
arrive at the right location at the right time every year. To this end, Dresselhaus also maintains its own car
fleet with 64 delivery vehicles. Modern high-rack storage systems with 60,000 pallet spaces ensure smooth
logistics.
Looking for a handling solution for various shipping containers
“Before the goods leave the premises, they are packed in the shipping area, precisely picked and stacked on
Euro pallets,” explains Yalcin Karaca, Head of Logistics at Dresselhaus. Various types of containers are
used during this process. Either the goods arrive directly from the high-rack storage area in plastic tubs (also
called small load carriers) or they are commissioned manually using cardboard boxes for transport. The
dimensions of the tubs are 600 x 400 x 200 mm, whereas the cardboard boxes, which were developed by
Dresselhaus, measure 495 x 340 230 mm. Both containers can weigh up to 30 kg. The tubs and cardboard
boxes are transported together using conveyor technology with two-shift operation. Over time, the weakest
link in this system was that the containers had to be taken from the conveyor belt by hand. “That meant we
Page 1 / 5
World of Vacuum Technology
needed a lot of staff working in this area, and it was putting a lot of strain on our employees,” Yalcin Karaca
says, and adds: “We try to design our workspaces so that they are as ergonomic as possible while
maintaining efficiency.”
In order to solve the problem, Dresselhaus sent an official request for proposals for the project to a number
of companies, including the vacuum specialist J. Schmalz GmbH in Glatten, Germany. The company
required a combinable solution that could be used to handle both plastic tubs and cardboard shipping boxes
safely and quickly. “Schmalz already proved itself to be extremely innovative and solution-oriented in the
early project phase,” says Yalcin Karaca. “The responsible systems consultant quickly came to our logistics
center for project start-up and was very dedicated and focused.” At the same time, a project team made up
of product managers, designers and technical salespeople at Schmalz began testing the feasibility and
practicability of the requirements.
Vacuum tube lifter offers two grippers in one
The starting point for the plans was the JumboFlex tube lifter series, which is ideally suited for rapid, frequent
transportation of lightweight goods. Based on this series, the specialists designed a linearly adjustable twoin-one gripper for the cardboard boxes and plastic tubs. The best part is: The user can quickly and simply
switch between the two different grippers with one lever. The cardboard boxes are gripped from the outside
using the handles on the sides, whereas the tubs are gripped from the inside. Using the second lever, the
width of the gripper can be adjusted linearly, which means it can be optimally adapted to the various
dimensions of the transport containers. Not long after, the concept was presented to the decision-makers at
Dresselhaus on-site. “The technically complex solution impressed them immediately and was clearly the best
choice compared to the competition,” the technical salesperson from Schmalz remembers.
After the presentation phase, both companies worked together closely and constructively on the next steps in
the project. The end result was a solution consisting of three vacuum tube lifters JumboFlex 35 with
aluminum crane systems, each equipped with the innovative two-in-one gripper. The tube lifters are
equipped with a number of features that are typical for Schmalz products. This makes it possible for users to
operate the device with just one hand. The vacuum is generated using a dry-running pump, which is durable
and low-maintenance. To save energy, the user can switch the pump on and off wirelessly right at the
operating element. The aluminum single-girder crane systems are also equipped with the usual features of
Schmalz quality. The effective low-friction operation ensures good ergonomics and allows effortless, lownoise movement of loads. The rail system was installed in three designs: 18,500 x 3,000 millimeters, 17,000
x 3,000 and 19,000 x 3,000 millimeters.
Page 2 / 5
World of Vacuum Technology
All expectations were met
The new handling technology has been in use since June 2013. Once the Schmalz service technicians had
installed the devices, the responsible systems consultant trained the employees on-site. These employees
now handle the cardboard boxes and tubs weighing up to 30 kilograms faster and with much less physical
strain. After just a short time, everyone at Dresselhaus was praising the new solution. “We now have safe
processes with effective ergonomic protection. We can schedule our employees better with the tube lifters.
We used to need an average of six colleagues for commissioning; now we generally just need three,” says
Head of Logistics Yalcin Karaca. He adds that work has become more flexible and employees can now
handle peak order times much faster. Karaca sums it up: “We are totally satisfied with Schmalz’ vacuum tube
lifters. That’s why we plan to equip another shipping area for package services with vacuum handling
technology.”
(6,476 characters incl. spaces)
Page 3 / 5
World of Vacuum Technology
Images
Image 1:
Dresselhaus uses three vacuum tube lifters JumboFlex 35
from Schmalz for commissioning screws and mounting
parts.
Image 2:
The JumboFlex 35 allows safe, ergonomic handling of not
only shipping boxes, but also plastic tubs.
Image 3:
The tube lifters also feature two different grippers that can
be changed with one lever. A second lever allows linear
adjustment of the width.
Image 4:
Responsive aluminum crane systems from Schmalz allow
energy-saving movement of transport containers and
cover large working areas. The tube lifters can be stored
in a space-saving manner during breaks.
Images: J. Schmalz GmbH
Page 4 / 5
World of Vacuum Technology
The company
Schmalz is the worldwide leading provider of automation, handling and clamping systems, providing
customers in numerous industries with innovative, efficient solutions based on vacuum technology.
Schmalz products are used in a wide variety of production processes – for example, as grippers on robot
arms in the production of car bodies, in CNC machining centers as clamping solutions for furniture pieces,
or used by an operator to lift items ranging from boxes to solar modules. Schmalz customers can either
choose from a diverse line of components or they can benefit from a complete solution that is customtailored to their requirements. Schmalz is dedicated to its customers, providing groundbreaking
innovation, exceptional quality and comprehensive consultancy. The company is headquartered in
Glatten (Black Forest region of Germany) and is active in 15 additional countries with their own
subsidiaries. Schmalz employs a total of around 800 persons worldwide.
30 Years of Vacuum Technology
Schmalz has been working in the field of vacuum technology for three decades. During this time, the
company has played a major role in the fields of automation, handling and clamping technology.
Innovations from Schmalz have greatly influenced the latest technology on the vacuum technology
market. Schmalz innovations are known for their energy efficiency, technological advances and top
quality. As pioneers in the field of vacuum technology, Schmalz employees think forward and inspire their
customers with innovative solutions. Their focus is on being as close to customers as possible. The
company achieves this with its own international subsidiaries in all the world’s key markets, as well as
sales partners in over 50 other countries. This enables Schmalz to offer personal, on-site consultations
and excellent service. In the past 30 years, Schmalz has become a leader on the worldwide vacuum
technology market – and plans to continue writing this success story in the future.
Contact for questions
J. Schmalz GmbH
Marketing Communications
Aacher Strasse 29, 72293 Glatten, Germany
Phone
+49 (0)7443 2403-506
Fax
+49 (0)7443 2403-9506
presse@schmalz.de
www.schmalz.com
Further press releases are available on our website
http://www.schmalz.com/aktuelles/presse/
Reprint free of charge – Please forward a copy
Page 5 / 5