The Economy of Equipment

FMI Connect offers a glimpse of the newest, most innovative products and services that can help retailers improve their equipment, design and operations. In today’s business world time is money, and economizing efforts remain paramount. FMI Connect, taking place June 9-11 at Chicago’s McCormick Place, offers retailers an opportunity to do just that. Boasting more than five football fields full of products, services and innovations, hundreds of companies will be exhibiting at the show, many of which will be featuring their store equipment and design products, services and ideas. Industry observers say the show affords retailers one of the best opportunities to get an up close and personal feel for the industry’s newest products. “The best way for retailers to get a feel for the newest products available to them is to see them live at FMI,” says Robb Northrup, marketing manager for Southern Imperial, based in Rockford, Ill. “It is also a great opportunity for us to meet with our team of experts to discuss the particular pain points that each retailer is going through and see how Southern Imperial can provide a solution that exceeds expectations.” Officials at Mettler Toledo call FMI Connect one of the premier tradeshows for the supermarket industry. Jason Wiley, marketing manager for the retail division of the Columbus, Ohio-based company, says attending the show provides an opportunity to meet new customers face to face and showcase Mettler’s latest weighing products and software. “FMI Connect is a chance for retailers to see the latest innovations from hundreds of companies under one roof,” he says. “They will find state-of-the-art store equipment and technology to improve efficacy at their service counters and backroom operations.” Several top lighting companies will be exhibiting at the show as well. Given the expanded role lighting plays in terms of transforming the retail environment and its ability to motivate and inspire, many of the lighting companies offer hands on, show-and-tell examples of what good lighting can do for retailers today. “It’s difficult to argue, but not many other design elements impact mood, atmosphere, traffic and sales more than lighting,” says Allan Gray, chief technology officer for Intense Lighting, based in Anaheim, Calif. “It can motivate people to enter a space, it can inspire an emotional response leading to a positive experience and drive sales.” This will be the second year Intense Lighting is exhibiting at FMI Connect. Gray says the reaction the company’s products received last year during the event and after the show was more than they anticipated. “This year we want to continue to educate the audience on LED lighting and ongoing technology advancements while showcasing—in unique presentations—the benefits and comparisons of LED lighting to other lamp sources,” he says. Yasmina Dhimes, director of sales for Kansas City, Mo.-based Forte Product Solutions, says FMI Connect has proven to be an ideal platform for companies to expose retailers to their products. “It is also a great forum for retailers to gain new insight into what is new and valuable in the marketplace that will give their business operations a competitive advantage,” says Dhimes. Forte has been involved with FMI Connect for the past seven years and according to Dhimes, the company has experienced a growing interest in its products at every show. “Our brand has increased its recognition and more attendees distinguish us from other companies in the same industry,” she says. “That alone is a very strong reason to keep attending FMI Connect.” When it comes to cart corrals and employee shelters most retailers make budget driven choices, not realizing what they are actually buying until they receive it, say observers. Jennifer Evans, director of sales and marketing for Brasco International, based in Madison Heights, Mich., says FMI Connect gives retailers a chance to touch and see a product’s quality up close—and directly compare it to others. “This show also serves as a terrific platform to premier our latest designs and plant seeds of branding creativity in the minds of our customers,” she adds. “Retailers should pay attention to who brings their A-game to these shows, as it is a reflection of the commitment and quality each exhibitor has for their customers.” Kimberly Steury, business development manager for Boulder, Colo.-based Versacart, says she and her associates like FMI Connect because it gives them the opportunity to show attendees their product line and let them see and feel the difference themselves. “We attend FMI Connect in order to do just that, connect with retailers,” says Steury. In addition to meeting potential clients, Steury says the company uses the opportunity to reconnect with current customers, get their feedback and display new innovations. “FMI Connect has proven to be a great platform for meeting and forming relationships with top grocery clients,” she adds. The following are some of the leading equipment, design and operations companies attending the show and what they will be highlighting: Amerlux www.amerlux.com Booth # 1819 Amerlux is a lighting manufacturer focused on lighting supermarkets, and officials say was the first to use ceramic metal halide lamps to light profit centers like floral, produce, meat and bakery. Today, officials say the company is still at the cutting edge, leading the way in LED technology, efficiency, design and performance. “While our lighting makes products look ultra-fresh, colorful and desirable, it also creates true value beyond ROI,” says Bill Plageman, vice president of marketing and product management for the Oakland, N.J. company. “We are known for products that deliver huge efficiencies, performance and cost savings—yet we don’t measure value in terms of lumens, but in terms of human connection.” Amerlux will be highlighting a number of products at FMI Connect including the new Cylindrix 3 (C3) Mini accent, the Producer aisle light, the Murro LED wall washer, and for outdoors, the Avista LED light engine for safety and security. Brasco International www.brasco.com Booth #1411 Brasco International makes outdoor structures that amplify a store’s exterior branding. Its products include shopping cart corrals, entrance canopies, employee shelters and retail merchandising display units. All products are U.S. made. Brasco’s Studio B Design team value-engineers can create customized branded structures and pre-designed, quick-ship products are available as well. “We pride ourselves on lasting quality, product branding and customer service,” says Evans. The company’s goal at the show is to excite some of its existing customers while also inspiring some new ones. Brasco will be unveiling a collection of outdoor retail designs, including a fully fabricated European influenced Shopping Cart Corral. “This collection demonstrates our abilities to fabricate with wood grain aluminum, which is an ideal alternative to wood for retailers wanting natural or rustic exteriors,” says Evans. “We want retailers to understand that consistent exterior branding can be achieved within any budget.” Forte Product Solutions www.forteproductsolutions.com Booth #3310 Forte Product Solutions manufactures a variety of products including displays, merchandisers, recycle bins and trash cans. The company uses the show to connect with retailers and learn what Forte can do to help them grow their business. “We understand there are a few other choices in the market for these types of products and we strive to be the retailer’s go-to supplier that will meet their needs and provide them with the first class service that they expect,” says Dhimes. She adds that the show also affords the company the opportunity to visit with retailers, allowing them the opportunity to see Forte’s products up close; so they can determine for themselves if Forte is a company they want to partner with. Forte will highlight its U-Link Curve merchandiser. This uniquely designed piece can be used as a 360- or 180-degree merchandiser and is an ideal fixture to create floral displays that will have great appeal to customers and generate sales. The versatile and creative unit can also be used in other areas of the store to display merchandise, including outdoors. Officials say, like all Forte products, the U-Link Curve is made of strong plastic material to withstand the wear and tear of daily use, is impact resistant, requires minimum maintenance and offers long-term durability for maximum utilization. Intense Lighting www.intenselighting.com Booth #3207 Intense Lighting is a solutions-based manufacturer of award-winning, sustainable lighting products for the commercial, hospitality, supermarket, retail and residential markets. With a growing team of product engineers, Intense Lighting is on the cutting-edge of research and development in LED lighting solutions backed by the company’s 10-year product warranty, say company officials. “We pride ourselves on the ability to deliver products with the shortest lead times in the industry,” says Gray. Intense Lighting will be showcasing its MB3G2 LED track and cylinder fixture, constructed with architectural grade die-cast aluminum designed for long-lasting use and energy-savings. Officials say precision optics are uniquely constructed to intentionally regress the position of the LED array. “This provides the best possible shielding and glares control while delivering crisp, bright light,” says Gray. The MB3G2 fixture will be paired with Bridgelux Class A LED technology, which is intended to produce natural, vivid color that has been optimized for the retail environment. Officials say the fixture delivers a more complete saturation of color and the subtle light properties of hue, saturation and brightness better than halogen lamp sources. Kinter www.kinter.com Booth #1816 Kinter offers a variety of metal and plastic fasteners and hanging hardware items. Striving to be the easy choice for every retail display product need, Kinter’s warehouse is typically stocked with more than 10,000 of the latest retail display products, says Matt White, vice president of sales and marketing for the Waukegan, Ill.-based company. Kinter will be featuring the K-stick, its ladderless sign hanging system. According to White, by enabling people to hang and change signs without ladders, K-Stick helps companies reduce risk and cost. The lightweight, easy-to-use system works on all ceiling types, windows and walls. MasonWays Indestructible Plastics www.masonways.com Booth #2420 MasonWays Indestructible Plastics has been providing a wide-range of eco-smart stock and custom merchandising display solutions for more than 30 years. The company’s no-seam construction technology is designed to create durable, safe and economically priced options for retailers. “Our products improve merchandising through superior presentation, better organization, tighter inventory control and greater restocking effectiveness,” says Judd Ettinger, president of the West Palm Beach, Fla.-based company. MasonWays will be introducing its flower merchandiser. The lightweight, water repellent, easy-to-clean unit can be made in any color, has room for messaging on the front panel and comes in three and four-foot size options, add company officials. The unit is also backed with the company’s 10-year warranty. Mettler Toledo www.mt.com/retail Booth #3151 Mettler Toledo is best known for its wide array of weighing, wrapping and labeling equipment. Company officials will be featuring the latest scale technology and solutions for the service counter, fresh produce and checkout. “We will be highlighting how grocers can optimize their backroom production processes by managing the total cost of equipment ownership,” says Wiley. The company will also have its Model 648 Commander automatic wrapping system available for live demonstrations. Information detailing Mettler Toledo’s Service and Professional Services offerings will be available as well. The company will also be featuring a wrapping contest to demonstrate how easy it is to use one of its automatic wrapping systems to weigh/wrap/label various packages with different size trays and contents. Show attendees can try their hand at 10 packages with prizes being given for the three fastest times. New Pig Corp. www.newpig.com Booth #3408 New Pig makes absorbent, spill control and containment products designed to keep workplaces clean, safe and productive. Leslie Juhn, product marketing manager for the Tipton, Pa.-based company, says New Pig products are used in more than 200,000 retail, commercial, industrial and government facilities in more than 70 countries. “One of our top-selling absorbent products is the PIG Grippy Mat, the only floor mat with a special adhesive backing that helps reduce trip, slip and fall claims and saves retailers more than 50% in annual rental floor mat expenditures,” says Juhn. The company’s goal at FMI Connect is to meet with national and independent supermarket retailers to learn more about their floor safety programs and to demonstrate how the company’s unique adhesive-backed, absorbent floor mats can help. The company will also be highlighting a new customer requested color of its popular PIG Grippy Mat. ORBIS Corp. www.orbiscorporation.com Booth #2042 ORBIS Corp. makes plastic reusable totes, pallets and dollies for the food industry. The company also helps retailers manage these assets to get the most value out of them throughout their service life. Bob Klimko, director of new business development for the Oconomowoc, Wis.-based company, says the main goal at FMI Connect is to meet with retail leaders and discuss the issues and trends they are facing. “One meaningful trend we are seeing in the industry is the shift to small-format retail stores,” he says, noting that ORBIS’ Small Format Pallet was designed specifically for retail shipments into these stores. Klimko adds that this narrow-profile pallet was designed to have 45 locations in a standard truck and to fit three across, versus alternative pallets. At the store, pallets can be offloaded and moved into the store for replenishment, with no time-consuming repacking to a cart. “For return trips, the pallet is fully nestable which can result in a 53% increase in space savings, versus standard block pallets,” he says. The company also offers a full range of FDA-approved hygienic plastic pallets for food processing and distribution, to support food safety initiatives. Park City Group/ReposiTrak www.parkcitygroup.com Booth #3635 Park City Group is a software-as-a-service provider that brings visibility to the consumer goods supply chain, delivering actionable information that ensures products are on the shelf when the consumer expects it to be, say officials for the Salt Lake City-based company. With the Food Safety Modernization Act finalization approaching in a few months, officials are seeing an increased demand from companies looking to automate and scale their compliance management. “Our ReposiTrak platform helps manage regulatory, financial and brand risk associated with issues of food safety in the global food supply chain,” says Randy Fields, CEO. At FMI, the company will stress to retailers the importance of getting ready for Food Safety Modernization Act compliance with processes and technologies that meet the government regulations and protect both shoppers and the retailer’s brand. “ReposiTrak helps retailers accomplish these critical goals, plus reduces risk in the supply chain by identifying backward chaining sources and forward chaining recipients of products in near real time,” says Fields. Southern Imperial www.southernimperial.com Booth #2427 Southern Imperial is best known for its store display and fixture solutions. The company’s products help retailers merchandise their products to maximize the use of their retail space, reduce labor costs and increase sales. Southern Imperial has been serving retail customers for more than 50 years and continues to provide best-in-class solutions for product display and merchandising, say company officials. Southern Imperial will be displaying its latest product facing displays and category management innovations. The company will also have the latest in product lighting solutions designed to enhance merchandise displays and increase sales while reducing energy costs. Versacart www.verscart.com Booth #2115 Versacart has been at the forefront of design and innovation since its inception 15 years ago, say company officials. The company designs, manufactures and distributes a large range of shopping carts, material handling and utility carts, baskets and accessories. Among other things, it is known for its innovative solutions, quality products and attention to aesthetics. “Verscart is dedicated to improving the user experience, which in turn improves sales and back room/stocking efficiency,” says Steury. The company will be revealing its new “contemporary” line of shopping carts with smart new additions and a sleek, streamlined look, she says. The carts feature areas for customer’s tablets, smartphones or coupons and extra capacity cup holders for added convenience. Officials will also be introducing the company’s newest models of backroom and stocking carts. Zoo Fans www.zoofans.com Booth #327 Zoo Fans manufacturers small, energy-efficient, variable speed fans designed to gently mix the air, eliminating hot and cold spots within the grocery store. The company’s fans are the only small destratification fans that are third-party tested in an AMCA-certified lab, guaranteed to perform as described and less expensive to buy, install and operate, say officials for the Boulder, Colo.-based company. “Grocers battle a number of competing micro-climates,” says Jeff Benton, president. “One aisle offers refrigerated goods, while chickens are roasting in the next aisle over.” He says Zoo Fans were specifically designed to direct air into aisles and away from cases—or toward checkout lines. “Comfort goes up, HVAC systems run less and energy costs go down,” he says. “And as everyone knows when consumers are comfortable they shop longer and buy more.” The company will be featuring its IC20 Drop-In Fan, which is designed specifically for drop-ceilings with heights from eight to 20 feet. Its variable speed, Energy Star-rated motor operates independently from other HVAC systems.