Staff reporter Rhoda Miel gathered the following items at the North American Material Handling Show and Forum, held April 10-13 in Detroit. Akro-Mils hinges side for a flat or box cart
A simple hinge system is allowing Akro-Mils Inc. to bring the first convertible cart system onto the market.
The high density polyethylene ProCart has hinged side gates, allowing users to either flip them up to hold things in place or drop them to easily slide them on and off shelves, said Peter J. Dunlap, industrial product line managerfor Akron, Ohio-based Akro-Mils.
"Before, you had either box-top carts or flat-top carts," he said. "I'm not sure why nobody ever did this before."
The structural foam molded ProCart comes in two sizes, a 45-inch-by-24-inch large model and a 40-inch-by-191/2-inch small model. Both are 32 inches high.
The small cart will retail for $130 and the large cart for $160.
Akro-Mils is a unit of Akron-based Myers Industries Inc.
Arca fork strap cuts forklift repair cost
Plastic container molder Arca Systems is turning out a new system designed for clumsy forklift drivers.
The newest Xytec-brand collapsible injection molded containers feature a fork-strap system that is less expensive to replace if an inexperienced driver damages the base in a unit, said Renata Duarte, marketing manager for the Perstorp, Sweden-based business.
An entire base can cost as much as $70-$80 to replace, Duarte said. The high density polyethylene fork straps cost about $15.
"We had been hearing from our customers that it would be nice just to replace a fork strap rather than the entire base," she said. Arca was formerly called Perstorp Plastic Systems.
The company also rolled out its smooth-walled Xytec Gemini and Xytec SC containers during the event.
The SC version is easier to clean, Duarte said, while the Gemini with its smooth closed side walls, is geared to the food industry because it can help prevent debris from flying into the containers.
