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Sunbelt Rentals Implements SmartEquip Technology

Sunbelt Rentals has announced that it has entered into an agreement with SmartEquip Inc. to implement their SE-B2B Exchange technology during the 2 nd quarter of 2007. The new technology allows for the electronic exchange of invoices, purchase orders, shipping notices and other transaction-related documents between fleet owners and their suppliers. It will provide savings for both Sunbelt and its suppliers, as well as increase fleet and service efficiency at Sunbelt rental stores. The company will initially implement the platform with JLG Industries, followed by Multiquip and Wacker, and subsequently for all of its preferred suppliers.

Sunbelt also announced their expanded use of SmartEquip’s e-FleetPro technology at 50 Sunbelt rental locations across the country starting in the next 30 days. The e-FleetPro platform provides real-time, asset-specific service and support to fleet operators. Fully integrated with a rental company’s business systems, e-FleetPro automates many previously time-consuming and error-prone components of equipment service, inventory management, parts procurement, and other processes critical to the management and support of equipment fleets. The results are more streamlined parts and service operations, increased fleet uptime and financial utilization, and an overall decrease in the cost of fleet ownership.

Bryan Rich, Executive Vice President and Vice Chairman of Sunbelt Rentals notes, “We continue to look for means to drive the efficiency in our business model, increase the accuracy within the organization, and position Sunbelt to deliver efficient superior customer service while maintaining competitive rental rates. We believe the best way to achieve this is through the use of a technology-driven best practice initiative. SmartEquip provides a highly interactive advanced solution that is simple to use, easy to implement, and allows us to generate savings and efficiency gains not just for ourselves, but also for our suppliers. A true win-win solution.”

Alex Schuessler, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of SmartEquip adds “SmartEquip’s mission is to give manufacturers and rental companies a common technology platform that enables suppliers directly to decrease rental companies’ cost of owning and maintaining equipment, while dramatically reducing for themselves the cost of doing so. We take great pride in our growing relationship with Sunbelt and their deployment of SmartEquip technology to meet these ends.”

Visit www.smartequip.com or e-mail info@smartequip.com for additional information.

Amskan Fork-Alert Pedestrian Alert System Installed and Operational at Lehigh Career and Technical Institute

Fork-Alert Pedestrian Alert system manufactured by Amskan and distributed by Sky-Trax, Inc has been installed at Lehigh Career and Technical Institute (LCTI) located in Schnecksville, PA. The pedestrian alert safety system will be used in routine operations at the LCTI distribution center as well as a training and safety aid for students and distribution center workers. The distribution center also serves as a technology test facility and demonstration platform, a concept for which LCTI has received world wide recognition.

AMSKAN’s patented vehicle sensor technology - Sweepscan™ - remotely detects a coded infrared signal at an accurate range (which is adjustable) and in a wide and configurable detection zone. Sweepscan’s unique combination of features allows it to be used in an extraordinary range of applications, from Door Automation, Factory Automation and Fork-Alert pedestrian warning and anti-collision systems. Globally, AMSKAN clients are using the Sweepscan technology in all of these applications to significantly improve the efficiency of their operations.

LCTI operates the campus-based highly automated 17,000 square foot distribution center where the next generation of warehouse and distribution workers is trained for the growing Lehigh Valley logistics job market. The distribution center was constructed by the State of Pennsylvania and Lehigh County in partnership with United Parcel Service, and serves as the main purchasing and distribution hub for the Lehigh Valley School district, supporting over 100 area schools.

Sky-Trax is an engineering technology company providing industry with sensors, software, systems, services, and solutions to serve a wide range of safety, process optimization, and productivity needs. Sky-Trax Indoor Positioning System brings inch-accurate tracking technology to applications in vehicle fleet management, inventory control, and personnel safety. For more info, visit www.Sky-Trax.com.

Danaher Motion's NDC8 is Automated Guided Vehicle Control Platform of Choice for Two New AGV Partners

Danaher Motion has signed two new Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) technology partners - the US group Jervis B. Webb Company ( Farmington Hills, MI), and TTS Port Equipment AB from Sweden. Central to this strategic cooperative venture is Danaher Motion’s NDC8 control platform, to be used by both companies in their AGV solutions. AGVs that feature NDC8 technology are particularly easy to manage, maintain, reconfigure and expand, while reducing total cost of ownership.

Danaher Motion’s NDC8 control platform for Automated Guided Vehicles stands out on account of its extensive programming options, flexibility and high degree of user friendliness. This solution is suitable for all vehicle types and areas of application.  It can be used for the problem-free combination of all important automatic guidance and navigation processes, including laser, spot magnet and pilot line guidance. The development, coordination and administration of transport routes for all AGVs is simplified by means of a Layout Engineering Tool for rapid achievement of optimum transport flow. The NDC8 platform also provides a Traffic Manager that uses runtime decisions to prevent collisions. Soft PLC programming complies with IEC standard 61131-3, and there is a complete set of software tools for design, operational and service tasks.

Jervis B. Webb Company, a global leader providing material handling system solutions, has now obtained a license to use the NDC8 control platform through its acquisition of Danaher Motion’s former partner, Mentor AGVS, and intends to extend its existing AGV product range using the company as a base. Through its cooperative venture with Danaher Motion, the group will be able to strengthen its position on the international market for laser and magnet-guided vehicles, as well as heavy AGVs (100 tons+).

TTS Port Equipment AB is using Danaher Motion’s NDC8 technology in a new AGV program engineered for use in container terminals.  The program will help improve the efficiency of Lo/Lo and Ro/Ro operations at ports worldwide, and also in other outdoor heavy process and industrial material handling fields.  

TTS Port Equipment AB Managing Director, Lennart Svensson, says, “By working with Danaher Motion to adapt traditional AGV industry technology to our needs, we can offer our customers significant efficiency gains in the operation of container terminals.  This project will see TTS providing its customers with a solution that will improve the cost-efficiency of container port logistics by providing capacity and system reliability improvements.”  TTS Port Equipment AB selected Danaher Motion as its partner for this project based on its proven AGV technology and its ability to provide technical expertise and support in all of TTS’s key markets worldwide.

For more information, write ContactUs@DanaherMotion.com or visit www.DanaherMotion.com.

Participate in the 2007 IUVISION Awards

IUV Magazine is accepting nominations for organizations that have exhibited unusually keen foresight in the following categories:

• Advances in System Maintenance
• Advances in Pollution Control Systems
• Advances in Safety Technology
• Advances in Battery Technology
• Advances in Utility Vehicle Engineering or Design

To submit your nomination, visit our our online form at http://www.iuvmag.com/awards/ and complete the form by June 29, 2007. Winners will be announced at the IUV Technology Conference in Louisville, KY, at the closing luncheon on September 26.

Clampco Products Creates New Affiliate

Clampco Products, Inc., a Wadsworth, Ohio, based manufacturer of stainless steel T-bolt band clamps and V-band couplings, has launched a new business: Clampco North America Ltd. The new company will manufacture stainless steel worm drive clamps. This new product line will position Clampco as the premier manufacturer in the clamp industry.

Clampco North America Ltd., located in Brantford, Ontario, will initially manufacture both the Clampco Micro Worm Drive and Clampco Standard Worm Drive series. Additional clamp styles will be offered in 2007.

By adding worm drive clamps to its product line, Clampco now offers the broadest range of products in the industry. Clampco lines include T-bolt band clamps, spring-loaded clamps, barrel hardware clamps, military clamps, marine clamps, worm drive clamps, V-band couplings, and flanges.

Jim Venner, president of Clampco Products, says that this broader product range will increase sales to current customers as well as attract new customers. “Our customers like to work with us because of our excellent quality, service, and short lead times. Now they can come to Clampco to source even more of their product requirements. We will provide a one-stop shop for customers looking to work with a dependable supplier.”

Nick Marusich, vice president of operations at Clampco North America Ltd., says, “We are excited and look forward to the opening of our 20,000 sq.-ft. plant in Brantford, Ontario. The facility is situated close to all suppliers and major highways and is set up to produce worm drive clamps using the ‘just in time’ process. The clamps will be manufactured to the highest SAE standards. Our employees will be empowered to facilitate the intended QS process and will then graduate to the TS quality system.”

Marusich brings over 30 years of experience to his position as vice president of operations. He has designed and manufactured clamping devices to suit various customer requirements ranging from clamps for simple garden hose joints to clamps for underground and hazardous applications. Marusich adds that the clamps are often installed on original and aftermarket automotive applications, such as liquid, steam, and air hose lines.

Clampco Products, Inc. is a leading manufacturer of high quality heavy-duty T-bolt band clamps and V-band couplings. Its products can be found wherever rubber hoses, plastic tubing, solid objects, or other parts must be fastened, joined, or securely connected. The company currently serves the industrial and commercial sectors in the automotive, truck, off-road, construction, filtration, material handling, marine, aerospace, and medical industries. Clampco also supplies many well-known international firms and is certified to ISO 9001:2000 with design. The office, production facility, and warehouse are located in a 54,000 sq.-ft. facility at 1743 Wall Rd. in Wadsworth, Ohio, where 90 well-trained and qualified employees work two shifts per day.

Apem Launches Sealed Rocker Switches

APEM Components, Inc., a leading manufacturer of high quality miniature and industrial switches, announces the release of the KR Series, a family of sealed rocker switches. The KR rocker switch, with its large actuator surface, was designed for applications requiring switches with an attractive style, superior feel and high reliability. The KR is ideally suited for applications in the marine, off-road, transportation and agriculture markets.

Single and double pole models are available in an extensive range of electrical configurations, including ON-OFF, ON-ON, ON-ON-ON and ON-ON-MOM. This switch is rated up to 15A at 12VDC for 10,000 cycles. Additional electrical specifications include initial contact resistance of 10 milliohms max., insulation resistance of 1,000 megohms at 500VDC and dielectric strength of 2,000 Vrms between terminals.

The KR Series is available with solder lug/quick-connect and screw terminals and with or without a plastic barrier between terminals. Up to 10 terminals are offered to allow for multiple electrical and illumination possibilities. Materials include silver contacts and UL94-VO rated engineering plastics. The switch is designed to be mounted into a 1.450" x .830” panel cut-out.

The KR rocker switch can be customized to fit specific applications. It features custom marking and illumination with laser engraved legends. Lighting options include 6, 12 and 24VDC LEDs available in red, green and yellow. Actuators are available in 9 standard colors and custom colors can be produced for unique applications. A mating connector and wire terminations are also available to simplify installations.

All APEM products are produced to meet the RoHS directive.

For more information about APEM, the KR Series and other switch types, or the company’s broad line of products, contact APEM Components, Inc., 63 Neck Road, Haverhill, MA 01835 at 978-372-1602 or visit the company’s website at www.apem.com.

UPM Raflatac Doubles Finland's RFID Tag Production Capacity

UPM Raflatac, a leading manufacturer of RFID tags and inlays, announced today that it is doubling the RFID tag and inlay production capacity at its Jyväskylä production plant in Finland. With this capacity increase the company addresses rapidly growing demand for both HF and UHF products.

The additional RFID tag production capacity will be installed and ready for use in March 2007, when UPM Raflatac RFID production plant in Jyväskylä, Central Finland moves to new, modern premises in the same area. In addition to production in Finland, UPM Raflatac has an RFID production plant in North Carolina, USA. Both production plants serve RFID markets globally.

"Our sales have developed positively over the past two years. To support growing customer demand, we've decided to increase our production capacity in Finland. With twice the capacity we'll be able to secure our leading position in the market", says Christer Härkönen, Senior Vice President, RFID at UPM Raflatac.

Further information is available at www.upmraflatac.com.

AWPT Receives Clarification From WA Re: Use of Harnesses in Scissor Lifts

Following the release of a widely circulated story stating that the State of Washington had issued a document requiring the use of harnesses on scissor lifts, Aerial Work Platform Training (AWPT), an organization that exists to promote the safe and effective use of powered access equipment sought clarification of the new requirement.

After speaking directly with Dan K. McMurdie, Compliance Operations Manager from the State of Washington’s Division of Occupational Safety & Health, AWPT’s Tony Groat learned that there was a misunderstanding of the rules found in the recently released document from the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries . According to Mr. McMurdie, “The Division of Occupational Safety and Health has not changed the requirements for fall protection while using scissor lifts. The requirement is still standard guardrails on all open sides. Full body harness and lanyard is only required when working from a boom elevated platform or rotating aerial device.”

Further clarification of the new rules contained in Chapter 296-869 WAC “Elevating Work Platforms” can be found on the Department’s web site.

The misunderstanding of the new rule apparently stems from wording found in Section WAC 296-869-20045, “Working from the Platform”, that states, “Make sure all persons in the platform wear a full body harness with lanyard attached.” This section however, pertains only to “Aerial Lifts” which are defined as, “An aerial device mounted on a vehicle such as a truck, trailer, or all-terrain vehicle.” Scissor lifts are not considered “Aerial Lifts”, they fall into the classification of “Elevating Work Platforms.” Specifically, scissor lifts are called “ Self-propelled elevating work platforms” which are defined as, “ A self-propelled, integral chassis, elevating work platform with a platform that can't be positioned completely beyond the base.”

AWPT is in complete agreement with the recently adopted rules and notes that anyone working in boom lifts, whether self-propelled or vehicle-mounted, should wear a full body harness, with an adjustable lanyard set as short as is possible.

Users of scissor lifts and other vertical platforms need not normally wear harnesses. AWPT stresses that the use of any platform however should be preceded by a job specific risk analysis and take into consideration the manufacturer’s instructions.

To clarify their position, AWPT has drafted Technical Guidance Note H1 providing simple guidance on when to wear a harness. This document is in the final stages of approval and is due to be finalized early this year. An international version of H1 was recently issued by the International Powered Access Federation and can be downloaded at www.ipaf.org/h10505.pdf.

For further information contact: Aerial Work Platform Training's Tony Groat at 518-355-0823 or visit www.awpt.org.