Richard Kat of Engineered Lifting Systems with the Cascading Belt Conveyor from Gawronksi at Modex 2018. (Photo: Emily Atkins)
ATLANTA – Elmira, Ontario-based Engineered Lifting Systems (ELS) has signed an exclusive distribution deal with Johnston Equipment for its Destuff-IT line of mobile loading and unloading conveyors. (Read an MM&D feature on Destuff-IT here.)
ELS’s Richard Kat shared the news with MM&D at Modex 2018 in Atlanta this week. “It gives us reach across the country with Johnston’s team of product professionals,” Kat said.
The Destuff-IT equipment came about as a result of a collaboration between the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) and ELS back in 2013.
Seeking a way to reduce repetitive strain and back injuries in its warehouses, particularly in the confined spaces of inbound and outbound trailers, the LCBO sought ELS’s help to design a unit with an adjustable-height hydraulic platform that can move one or two employees (maximum weight 500 lb) up or down to reach heavy cases of liquor bottles at an ergonomically comfortable height
The user can then raise or lower and pivot the conveyor from side to side to reach the container’s corners. The unit has laser sensors at each of its four corners to prevent collisions, and a pressure-sensitive ergo mat that prohibits motion unless an operator is aboard. Emergency stop buttons and a touch-sensitive safety bumper will also halt the unit. The entire unit can be “driven” further into the container under battery power.
In a typical warehousing environment, the Destuff-IT unit can boost the case rate by up to 75 percent. Generally, two people can manually unload 300 to 575 cases per hour, while with the Destuff-IT they can easily handle 900 cases/hour or more.
“Johnston Equipment is pleased to be named as ELS’s exclusive sales and service partner for the Destuff-IT product line in Canada,” said Jim Agnew, Johnston Equipment’s vice-president, business development and customer care.
“With the largest material handling sales and service force in the country, we are well-positioned to support the growth of this innovative product as part of our Complete SolutionsTM program to help customers move, manage, store and protect their goods.”
At Modex, ELS also introduced a new product it will be distributing in Canada for German manufacturer Gawronski. The Cascading Belt Conveyor is a telescoping, lightweight, mobile conveyor unit that will connect with the Destuff-IT machine to improve flexibility of loading dock operations.
With a maximum length of 68 feet, closed length of 21 feet, and a lift height of 110 inches, the cascading conveyor can work in many locations. The conveyor is extremely maneuverable thanks to its aluminum construction – it was easily moved on the trade show floor with only a slight effort. It’s also simple to telescope, requiring only a couple of latches to be released before the unit easily slides into itself.
Conceived for tire loading operations, the belt also for transit of non-conveyable items, and Gawronksi has installed over 400 machines to date, Kat said.
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