CASE STUDY: An exercise in employee safety and efficiency.
CUSTOMER PROFILE
A top grocer in the United States with thousands of stores in 35 states primarily found in Midwestern and Southern states.
THE CHALLENGE
The grocer was looking for a safe and efficient means of allowing associates to stock shelves in the store – including top shelves for backstock. Employees often used a uboat to transport products and a separate ladder or step-stool to access the top stock.
Ladders were heavy and awkward to carry while pushing a cart. This had the potential to increase the number of employee injuries when they handled the ladder and the cart.
Some employees opted to place the ladder on the cart for transport, however that reduced the available space for stocking products. Less room meant fewer items per load and more trips needed to get the same number of items. Stocking and picking times increased lowering efficiencies.
THE SOLUTION
The grocer knew they needed to find a partner that would bring innovative ideas without over-engineering the solution. They had previously worked with Cannon Equipment on other material handling solutions and knew that Cannon Equipment’s methods and processes were right for this new
initiative.
Cannon Equipment engineers spent time in the stores to observe the current process and interviewed employees to better understand the challenges they face when performing
the stocking process. The Cannon Equipment team worked to provide a solution that increased stocking efficiency and was safe and easy-to-use. The answer was simple; create a stocking cart with a ladder seamlessly integrated into the design.
The Cannon Equipment team knew that simply adding a ladder to the cart wasn’t all they needed to consider. They designed a solution that made the ladder easy to engage when needed and just as easy to store when not in use. Cannon Equipment also engineered the cart for easy mobility in store aisles. The cart solution is also equipped with large, easy-to-access push
handles and a pedal brake.