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Properly Equipped
It takes a special combination of equipment and design for retailers to stand above the pack.
Carol Radice
January 1, 2018
15 Min Read
Fulfilling the lengthy list of customer “must-haves” is a daunting job grocers are faced with daily. Finding solutions for brightening up the store, improving customer flow, speeding up checkouts, maximizing foodservice operations, creating the most eye-catching product presentations and locating the best equipment options can be a challenge.
Discovering which companies can help tackle these and other challenges can practically be a full time job for retailers.
With this in mind, Grocery Headquarters has assembled a sampling of equipment, design and operations companies offering the very equipment and services needed to remain competitive in today’s hectic marketplace.
Advance Lifts
For more than 39 years, Advance Lifts has been manufacturing loading dock equipment, work positioners, lifts tables, recycling equipment and packaging equipment. Today the St. Charles, Ill.-based company is one of the industry’s largest manufacturer of dock lifts. The secret, note company officials, is in the design. Its use of all tubular legs offers the maximum amount of rigidity, they say. Advance Lifts also offers stainless steel, galvanized, FDA epoxy and enamel finishes to fit a variety of needs.
Advance Lifts has recently added the Instant Dock 6568 to its lineup of dock lifts. The lift requires only lagging into position and a power source, which means it can be used immediately. The lift works in conjunction with four-wheeled carts and manual pallet jacks, handling loads of up to 5,500 pounds. Its platform is 6-feet by 8-feet and the lift can reach heights of 58 inches.
According to officials, their goal is to make buying, installing, using and servicing of its products easy and trouble free.
Amerlux
Leaders and innovators in lighting technology and design, Oakland, N.J.-based Amerlux develops, manufactures and delivers architectural grade lighting solutions that span virtually every interior and exterior application. A leader in integrated intelligent lighting systems, Amerlux’s philosophy is that the true power of light is not measured in lumens alone, but in the human responses it creates.
Amerlux takes lighting out of the traditional straight-line format and into a realm of new design possibilities with Stellina Linear LED, say company officials. Equipped with Enlighted Smart Sensors for aisle lighting in supermarkets, Stellina’s softly curved fixtures offer clean lines and sleek styling that reshape light with innovation, flexibility and quality performance, they add.
“Linear LED is more expensive than fluorescent, but the return on energy savings is better especially when you add dimming controls including photocell, motion and timers,” says Bill Plageman, vice president of marketing, product management and customer service for Amerlux. “Although typical LED fixtures can return up to 60 percent savings on energy with controls, Amerlux’s Lighting systems offer nearly 85 percent energy savings.”
Assembled Products
Assembled Products Corp. has been producing shopping carts since 1983. Considered the inventors of the first commercial electric shopping cart, the Rogers, Ark.-based company continues to innovate with dependable, robust carts designed with the customer’s comfort in mind. The Ultima by Mart Cart is one such cart. Featuring an industry exclusive 24-inch wide seat, a wide rear wheelbase supported by solid dually wheels and the company’s patented 300-watt Hub motor, the Ultima has 1,000 pounds of moving capacity.
Carlson AirFlo Merchandising Systems
Carlson AirFlo Merchandising Systems now offers the Elite LED Self Facer System. Designed for the greatest visibility, the adjustable self-facing merchandising tray features an integrated LED plug-and-display lighting system.
Officials at the Brooklyn Park, Minn.-based company note that optimizing display space while illuminating products helps the Elite LED Self Facer System, and also enables retailers to expand product facings, improve rotation and reduce shrink.
“Food distributors can really differentiate their products from the competition,” says Mark Chenoweth, president. “Our system is ideal for pre-packaged salads and vegetables, bagged cheese, boxed or bagged frozen food products, vacuum sealed and trayed meat sections.”
Clark Material Handling Co.
Clark Material Handling Co. supplies a full range of internal combustion and electric trucks and parts, which are distributed through its global network of more than 550 dealers. The privately held company, based in Lexington, Ky., has built more than one million forklifts across its history since the production of the first gasoline-powered material handling truck in 1917.
One of its more recent additions, the Clark HWX, is highly maneuverable, easily serviceable and an extremely versatile forklift, say company officials. It incorporates state-of-the-art technology into the Powrworker line, which continues to set the standard for rugged dependability since its introduction as the industry’s first hydraulically powered low-lift in 1920, add officials.
Cold Chain Merchandisers
Cold Chain Merchandisers, a subsidiary of Advantage Business Products, based in Tualatin, Ore., offers its new portable merchandiser for seafood. The display holds 80 pounds of ice and will keep items cold for eight-10 hours in an insulated (R 20) tray with clear acrylic guard. The insulated tray is intended to eliminate condensation on the outside, keeping it dry.
At 35 inches high, the unit is ideal to display meat, seafood or beverages, offering easy access for customers, say company officials. With a 48-inch by 40-inch footprint the display can be rolled on its 5-inch casters wherever it is needed, compnay officials add. It comes with a colorful wrap of the customer’s choice with the customer’s logo. Officials say with a base price of $995, it is the most economical merchandiser of its type on the market and will last for years.
ConTech Lighting
ConTech Lighting has been offering high-performance and sustainable lighting solutions since the company was founded in 1980. Its new SCPL High Lumen Performance Pendant Series provides grocers a wide range of versatility for illuminating products. Available in three wattages delivering up to 18,000 lumens, the SCPL family can reduce an overall project cost through custom optically designed 16-inch and 22-inch shades.
According to officials at the Northbrook, Ill.-based company, this lighting innovation delivers industry-leading distribution uniformity and reduces the number of luminaires required. The SCPL family is available in the full range of color temperatures and 83 or 90-plus CRI to deliver superior color rendering ideal for the grocery channel, officials add. They are available in white, black and silver finishes, dimmable drivers, optional decorative legs, bottom lenses and battery backup modules.
“We have been committed to providing the best fixture designs and product engineering available,” says John Ranshaw, president of ConTech Lighting. “That’s why we are the lighting manufacturers that designers trust to meet their high expectations.”
Corrigan Corp.
Corrigan Corp., based in Gurnee, Ill., produces misting and humidity systems, offering nationwide service and worldwide shipping. Corrigan recently launched the VaporDry large space humidification system, a solution for produce shrink, bread dough water loss, meat processing, cheese aging and applications requiring precise humidity.
VaporDry controls humidity levels using a proprietary, patent pending design with close tolerance machined nozzle technology. Officials say it produces the largest volume of dry fog from a single nozzle, with two micron droplets that evaporate rapidly before wetting surfaces. The system operates with low air and water pressures, so maintenance costs are minimal, they add.
Cummins Allison
Cummins Allison provides check, currency and coin handling solutions, as well as ATMs. Its presence in technology and product innovation spans more than 125 years. The compnay’s Money Machine 2 self-service coin counters now offer a mixed-bag coin collection system, creating a more feasible option for grocers whose limited coin pickup options have prevented them from offering coin counters in the past.
According to Jim Weaks, vice president of the Mount Prospect, Ill.-based company, mixed-bag machines offer the benefits and convenience of a bin with a lighter-weight container (bags) that can be picked up by any carrier. “Self-service coin machines provide solid returns and compliment high-quality customer service initiatives for grocers, bringing more customers into stores,” says Weaks. “Selecting a provider that offers flexible procurement options makes it easier and more cost-effective than ever for grocers to deploy this value-added service.”
Danfoss
In today’s competitive food retail environment, technologies that can reduce operating costs while automating maintenance, compliance and energy monitoring are invaluable. Baltimore-based Danfoss offers a number of energy efficient, climate-friendly solutions for new store builds, retrofits and remodels.
According to company officials, its AK-CC 550 case controllers, combined with Danfoss control components and a AK-SM 880 system manager, pays for itself in less than two years. Officials also say Danfoss’ applications have provided as much as 20 percent in energy saving while also monitoring security and the refrigeration configuration. Additionally, Danfoss Enterprise Systems portfolio of monitoring products gives the elements needed for full smart store implementation.
D|Fab
D|Fab is a design and décor manufacturing company that creates in-store brand experiences for grocery customers. The D|Fab team works with progressive retailers to establish a meaningful brand connection with their customers by creating store experiences that communicate creatively, consistently and cost-effectively.
Its design studio and manufacturing facility handle projects from concept design through signage and décor production and installation. “We have created a company culture that supports uncompromised customer service and can respond quickly to fulfill project requirements that extend from single prototype concepts to national rollout programs,” says Nadine Geering, creative and marketing director for the Madison Heights, Mich.-based company.
Emerson Climate Technologies
Emerson Climate Technologies, based in Kennesaw, Ga., is a provider of heating, air conditioning and refrigeration solutions for residential, industrial and commercial applications. The group combines best-in-class technology with proven engineering, design, distribution, educational and monitoring services, say company officials.
The solutions of Emerson Climate Technologies, which include brands such as ProAct and Copeland Scroll, are intended to improve human comfort, safeguard food and protect the environment. With Emerson’s ProAct Services, retailers can access facility data in effort to reduce costs, safeguard food, protect the environment and deliver bottom line results through remote monitoring. ProAct offers real-time performance insights to assist with decision making for operational improvement, add officials. ProAct is an enterprise connectivity, software and service management program designed and optimized for supermarkets, convenience stores, retail, restaurants and similar commercial environments.
Emerson is currently offering a nominal-fee, trial program for retailers to access the most popular ProAct Services features through cellular connectivity, including alarm management, setpoint management, food quality reporting and more, without direct connection to the retailer’s enterprise network.
Grind2Energy
The Grind2Energy system allows grocery personnel to handle food waste faster, cleaner and easier while producing renewable energy and supporting their local community, say officials for the Racine, Wis.-based service of Emerson.
Officials also say that Grind2Energy provides retailers with a hygienic, sustainable solution for food waste recycling—an industrial solution utilizing anaerobic digestion to divert food scraps, a method more preferred by the U.S. EPA over aerobic composting.
Henny Penny
Henny Penny, based in Eaton, Ohio, manufactures, high-quality foodservice equipment. Its FlexFusion Platinum Series combi oven offers large capacity and advanced technology, which means menu items can be cooked quickly and efficiently.
The combi oven can replace steamers, grills and convection ovens, saving floor space and maintenance costs, say company officials. Its Chef’s Touch controls make hundreds of recipes and timesaving apps available with a single swipe.
Hobart
Hobart is a maker of commercial food equipment and provides service for the foodservice and grocery industries. The Troy, Ohio-based company manufactures products for warewashing and waste handling, food preparation; bakery, cooking, weighing, wrapping and labeling systems under the Baxter name; and refrigeration under Traulsen.
Hobart recently introduced two new energy prep washers, the PW20 and Advansys PW20eR, both of which were created to meet the demands of busy grocery, deli, bakery and institutional kitchens. Using a cold water supply and half the water of competing brands, the new prep washers accommodate up to 20 sheet pans (18-inches by 26-inches) or a 140-quart mixing bowl. While other prep washers use as much as 2.4 gallons to six gallons of water per cycle, Hobart’s fully automatic, heavy duty stainless steel PW20 and PW20eR prep washers consume just 2.35-2.8 gallons of water per cycle. The four-spoke wash arms feature 50 percent more wash nozzles than conventional designs.
Both units also come equipped with a 70-degree rise booster heater with Sense-a-Temp technology, ensuring that the rinse temperature reaches 180 degrees. Both the PW20 and PW20eR have 2-, 4- and 6-minute wash cycles, a deep-drawn 34-gallon tank, a large scrap basket and microcomputer controls with advanced digital cycle and temperature display.
METTLER TOLEDO
Mettler Toledo is a global manufacturer and marketer of precision instruments for use in laboratory, industrial and food retailing applications. Officials for the Columbus, Ohio-based company say solutions for grocery retail were established to help make a retailer’s business more competitive with the best possible weighing, labeling, packaging and service solutions. These solutions can be found in six focus zones—fresh produce, service counter, backroom, bakery, checkout and specialty.
Mettler Toledo recently introduced the Ariva-S-Mini, a compact, flexible checkout scale that delivers reliable performance with the smallest counter footprint in its class, say officials. It takes up 64 percent less counter space than the Ariva-S. The scale connects to most POS systems for checkout applications and to personal computers for many other applications that require weight data. The Ariva-S-Mini has a cast aluminum housing and stainless steel platter. This dual interval scale is the ideal solution for retailers that require both a high capacity, up to 30 pounds, and a fine weight resolution for light goods.
Ovention Ovens
Ovention Ovens is best known for its next-generation commercial ovens, which feature state-of-the-art technology that deliver flexibility versatility and efficiency without the need for venting or hoods. The 100 percent employee-owned company is based in Sturgeon Bay, Wis.
Ovention’s Matchbox 360 allows retailers to deliver foods faster, without compromising taste or quality, say company officials. It can store up to 600 custom cook settings that utilize independent top and bottom blowers. The automatic loading and unloading of food frees up operator time and effectively prevents food waste due to overcooking, giving foodservice personnel unprecedented operational efficiency, officials add.
Rice Lake Weighing Systems
Founded 70 years ago, Rice Lake Weighing Systems, based in Rice Lake, Wis., through a partnership with Ishida, provides weighing and wrapping solutions to the retail industry—from local grocers to large supermarkets. Company officials say that the WM-Ai and WM-Ai Day Glow wrappers increase efficiency with the ability to weigh, wrap and label up to 35 packages per minute. The WM-Ai Day Glow has an added day glow labeler to print and adhere custom messages on product packages.
Studio H2G
Studio H2G is a Birmingham, Mich.-based retail design firm providing strategic consulting, planning and design services.
Focusing on food retail has always been a part of its work. The company firmly believes that understanding the complexities of retail includes understanding food retail. The H2G team works internationally with brand owners of successful food destinations including specialty markets, grocery stores, retail food shops, restaurants, food halls and travel retail.
The H2G leadership team believes each client and each project is unique and that no two brands have the same needs. As such, they work to develop a unique brand experience for each.
Yunker Industries
Yunker designs, engineers, manufactures and implements custom signage and décor programs for retailers and brands. The Elkhorn, Wis.-based company has been servicing national accounts since 1948, creating innovative and compelling retail imaging solutions.
Yunker’s primary business segments include creative and industrial design, prototyping, large format printing and fabrication, program management, nationwide installation, warehousing and fulfillment, online reporting and customer support. Company officials say their one goal is to create an experience that will stimulate a consumer to react.
Zoo Fans
Grocery stores, with their many micro-climates, are notoriously difficult to heat and cool. Zoo Fans gently mixes the air from floor-to-ceiling and wall-to-wall, eliminating hot and cold spots, say company officials. Kate Jobgen, director of marketing for the Boulder, Colo.-based company, adds that these small, energy-efficient fans will not interfere with cold case operation, they will help eliminate condensation and keep floors dry, save energy and reduce operating costs.
Zoo Fans were designed to increase comfort in the ZOO—Zone Of Occupancy—down on the floor where most people live and work. Designed for open ceilings or drop ceilings, these fans are easy to install and operate—manually or automatically, officials add.
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