One person's vision to better pallet strapping.

How hard and sometimes dangerous it was to manually strap pallets using the old broomstick method..

ErgoStrap Australia has been supplying the ErgoStrap high quality semi-automatic pallet strapping machines since 2009.

 The partnership with ErgoPack Germany began in 2008 and since then has proven to be a winner.

 

 In 1998 the founder of ErgoStrap "Andreas Kimmerle" took over his parent’s timber trading company and discovered how hard and sometimes dangerous it was to manually strap pallets using the old broomstick method, so in 2001 he founded ErgoPack Deutschland GmbH in his garage. In 2010 the company moved into a new production and office building covering 2000m². Only three years later in 2013 the production area doubled to over 4000m².

 

 The ErgoStrap system, made in Germany is already being produced in its 9th generation and have been sold into 55 countries all around the world, 30 of which with their own representation.

 

 ErgoStrap’s European and ErgoStrap’s Australian customers include many well-known companies such as Volvo, Airbus, Toyota, Visy, Opal, Ceva Logistics, Bosch, Daimler, most European car manufacturers as well as countless small to medium sized companies.

 

 Andreas Kimmerle believes that no matter what part of the world you are in there are 3 main benefits of utilising the ErgoStrap system:

 

 First: ErgoStrap is ergonomic; no bending, no walking around the pallet. This means for businesses the ErgoStrap considerably reduces the risk of injuries and assists in the prevention of potential long term back problems.

 

 Second: ErgoStrap is so easy to learn and comfortable to use. With the benefit being a short learning curve for all employees and an unpopular job suddenly becomes less physically demanding and even makes it fun to do.

 

 Third: ErgoStrap is efficient. By reduced risk of back problems, safer, less physically demanding and therefore improves motivation it considerably increases efficiency. That translates to a more efficient department that brings more profit and thus more job security.

 

 Mr Kimmerle also says it's all about securing the load. "Securing loading units is necessary to make sure the goods on the pallet arrive safely and without damage. But also, to make sure nobody gets injured and finally avoiding penalties due to improper secured pallets. Therefore, most companies use either PP or PET plastic strap. To strap around the pallet there are only two possibilities:

 

 First:  The fully automatic system which is a wonderful thing if you have a large quantity of pallets coming out of a palletiser on a conveyor line, all the same size.

 

 Second: If you cannot use a fully automatic system because it is maybe too big, not flexible enough, stationary, and not mobile, too expensive or whatever the reason is why you cannot use it: the only alternative is the "broomstick method". And we all know how that plays out.

 

 So, if you consider, to strap a normal pallet someone would have to bend twice and walk around the pallet once for 1 strap. But generally, you strap the pallets twice which means you must bend 4 times and walk around the pallet two times. Assuming we work 250 days a year this means you must bend 1000 times a year and walk around the pallet 500 times at 1 pallet a day. If you only strapped one pallet a day you wouldn't buy an ErgoStrap, but you strap 50 pallets a day! This means bending 50000 times and walking around the pallet 25000 times - and this would be great to reduce to zero, right?

 

 We are not claiming that the ErgoStrap is a quicker alternative and saves time! However, the new X-pert line with a Lithium-Ion battery sends the strap around the pallet at 66 meters per minute while the Economy line is still 40 meters per minute. So, you would have to agree that if someone did not have to bend 120 times and did not walk around a pallet 60 times by the 30th pallet on any shift, it would be getting done at the same pace as the first one. Time saving is not our primary focus it is a benefit you get on top.

 

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