DJ Products of Minneapolis, manufacturers of a boat pusher and trailer pusher has introduced another tug for standard ball coupler, gooseneck, and kingpin trailers. Called the Trailer Caddy® trailer tug, this unit is designed for manufacturers, distributors, or users of equipment and machinery that is typically pulled behind cars, trucks, or tractors.
Day: September 8, 2015
Is There Light at the End of the Tunnel?
The Dow is plunging, financial institutions are failing, credit is drying up and long-time Wall Street icons are plummeting into bankruptcy. The U.S. economy seems to be falling like a poorly stacked house of cards. The news is full of doom and gloom and more gloom. Is there light at the end of the tunnel?
In a word, yes. But it may be a long tunnel, say manufacturing experts. There are things you can do to calm worried employees and weather the storm, says Joe Cogliano in Manufacturing & Technology eJournal.
- Keep your staff in the communications loop, says Jay Kuhn, president of Definity Partners, a business improvement company. When the economy tightens up, employees worry about job security, providing for their family, even putting gas in their car to get to work. All that worrying takes a toll on worker productivity. Being honest about what’s happening in your company will bolster employee morale. “Workers are going home and they are hearing bad news everyday,” says Kuhn. “It’s important they know what’s going on because everything the company does is really going to be taken as a negative sign, whether it’s meant to be taken that way or not.” Employers should be prepared to answer questions and explain even minor changes like switching an insurance carrier to reign in employee nervousness. Keeping employees in the loop can alleviate their fears and keep office gossip in hand.
- Keep things positive. Worry and stress take a physical toll on workers which can result in increased absence rates. Keeping things positive helps make workers want to come to work.
- Embrace patriotism. Historically, Americans respond positively to hardship and sacrifice when they know they are helping their country. “Small and medium-sized businesses need to realize they’re the backbone of our economic growth and job creation,” says David Velie, managing partner of Amend Consulting/Techsolve, a manufacturing improvement consulting firm. “Remind teams that they’re the strength of the economy, not the Fortune 500s and the housing sector.”
- Maintain your cash flow. Take a close look at factors that affect your cash flow. You may need to reign in credit terms and be more aggressive about collections to improve your cash flow. Watch for potential cash-draining trouble spots. Kuhn says business owners should base every decision on a “cash is king” model.
Things may be rough for all of us for a year or two, but as Kuhn points out, “The economy does come back; it always comes back.”
CartCaddy Dolly Puller
CartCaddy™ dolly puller easily attaches to wheeled loads that don’t have tow arms.
DJ Products, Inc. is the world leader in providing a dolly puller and a equipment puller to the manufacturing, hospital, and retail industries. A dolly puller is the perfect solution to eliminate the pains and strains associated with manually pushing heavy dollys and wheeled equipment.
Battery Powered Cart: PartsCaddy
Heavy-duty, battery powered cart for moving equipment, materials and parts.
DJProducts of Minneapolis has introduced a heavy-duty, walk behind, battery powered platform cart that pushes or pulls equipment, materials, and parts. Called the PartsCaddy®, the unit is design for moving heavy materials from one point to another in manufacturing, distribution, or office environments. 
Motorized Cart eliminates strains and pains from pushing heavy materials, food and linen supplies.
DJ Products of Minneapolis has introduced a walk behind self-propelled motorized cart that carries large amounts of food, materials, and linens. Called the PartsCaddy®, the unit is design for moving heavy loads from one point to another in hospital environments, eliminating the manual pushing of heavy carts food, materials, and linens. 
Transport Trailers and Boats with the Trailer Caddy HD
Although tractor trailers have wheels they cannot be driven everywhere. There are times when instead of doing the hauling, a tractor trailer itself needs to be hauled.
The Trailer Caddy HD Chain Drive tractor trailer pusher is a powered pusher designed for pushing or pulling trailers that require lifting on one end before maneuvering.
Most often used with RVs, campers, equipment trailer, and boats, a Trailer Caddy can be used to transport these items across show rooms or down assembly lines, as well as in or out of storage. A Trailer Caddy can be of great use to individual owners or campers and trailers as well as to those who own and rent out this equipment.
Other equipment you may have used in the past probably allowed you to push an RV or a boat, but how did you feel afterwards? If you felt any strain or pain and it wasn’t too serious, chances are you forgot about it but you never know when this kind of strain will lead to a more challenging injury.
You really don’t want to take any chances with your health when transporting this kind or equipment. The powered Trailer Caddy HD Chain Drive tractor trailer pusher is less bulky than the traditional electric puller product, and that is useful because if you think about it, the trailer or boat itself is already bulky. The relative compactness of the Trailer Caddy HD does not mean that it is ineffective; instead it results in fewer accidents, lower maintenance costs, and minimal damage to surrounding parts and equipment due to the maneuverability and control the operator has using the Trailer Caddy tractor trailer pusher in tightly confined areas.
Preparing for Camping and Fishing Season with a Trailer Mover
June has arrived and that means that families all over the country are preparing for daytrips, long weekends and full vacations. Many folks who have fallen in love with the great outdoors are preparing to upgrade their boats, jet skis or RVs in order to make the most of the upcoming vacation season.
This seasonal increase in interest has camper and trailer manufacturers working harder to keep up with the higher volume of sales. If employees on the assembly line don’t have the right equipment to assist in the manufacturing process this increase in business could lead to an increase in employee injuries though. Employees who need to manually maneuver trailers down an assembly line are at risk of suffering serious musculoskeletal strains and injuries that could require extensive medical care.
A piece of equipment like the trailer mover from DJ Products can instantly increase the efficiency of employees on the assembly line while simultaneously reducing the risk of injuries. The trailer mover is powerful enough to haul trailers and full sized RVs over short distances without putting any undue strain on the operator.
The small frame size and tight turning radius of the trailer mover allows assembly line employees to navigate trailers and RVs around tight corners and through cramped quarters. This ability to keep the trailers under complete control minimizes the chances of damage and keeps the product in the best condition during the assembly period.
Investing in a piece of equipment like the trailer mover is the perfect way for a trailer and RV manufacturer to keep up with potential increases in business during vacation season. The trailer mover allows valuable employees to remain injury free and ensures that the final product can be delivered to the showroom floor in ready to sell condition.
A Trailer Mover can Help Manage Increases in Sales During Vacation Season
Spring is on the way and that means that many families will be planning and getting prepared for the impending vacation season. New campers might need to be purchased or new boats, jet skis or ATVs might need to be towed which ultimately means an increase in business for the manufacturers of trailers and recreational vehicles.
While it’s easy to haul around a trailer or RV on the open road with the help of a pick up truck, moving them around the showroom or sales lot isn’t always a breeze. There usually isn’t enough room for a full sized pick up to tow trailers around a crowded lot which can make the task quite difficult for lot workers and sales people.
Manually trying to move a heavy trailer of RV could cause serious injury and potentially do quite a bit of damage if employees where unable to keep the unit under control. This is precisely why trailer and RV dealers need a high quality piece of equipment like the trailer mover from DJ Products to assist employees in relocating their products.
The trailer mover from DJ Products much smaller and easier to use than the majority of other trailer pushers on the market which makes it ideal for use in smaller or more crowded lots. A single employee can easily hook up the trailer mover to a camper, boat or RV and move it to the required destination for viewing or repair without fear of overexertion or doing damage to other vehicles. The trailer mover is the perfect way to increase employee safety and efficiency in a high volume trailer or RV distributor, especially during the spring and summer when sales tend to increase.
Trailer Mover Maneuvers RVs with Ease
The recreational vehicle industry is celebrating its centennial year. It’s been 100 years since Pierce Arrow rolled the first mass-produced RV off the assembly line in 1910. In the past century, RVs have gone from little more than primitive wooden boxes to sleek, luxurious homes packed with compact comfort. After a recession-caused dip in sales, new RV sales started been regaining traction in the last quarter of 2009. RV manufacturers have rehired laid off workers and even increased their workforce which employs more than a quarter million Americans. With the economy recovering and retiring baby boomers flocking to RV shows to indulge their wanderlust, the RV industry is poised to begin its second 100 years stronger than ever.Big business in the U.S., RVs are an exclusively U.S. product, made by Americans in America. In fact, 60% of RVs are made in the Elkhart, Indiana area. More than 12,000 RV related businesses employing more than a quarter million people serve the RV nation which is growing every year. The Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) estimates that one in every dozen U.S. families — about 8.2 million households — owns an RV and an awful lot of them are travel trailers.Every time those millions of recreational travel trailers are moved down the assembly line or across the factory floor and out to the storage lot or across a dealer showroom or in and out of a convention center for an RV show or around a repair service yard they have to be hooked up to a vehicle OR you could just use one of DJ Products’ handy TrailerCaddy trailer mover. Designed to maneuver full-size commercial cargo trailers, our versatile, compact, electric-powered trailer mover makes quick work of moving RV travel trailers, 5th wheels, toy haulers, pop-up campers and even RV park models. Visit the DJ Products’ website to find out more about our ergonomically-designed electric trailer mover.
Does Your Business Have a Flu Plan?
The first doses of H1N1 vaccine are beginning to be distributed, though in most areas only those at greatest risk are eligible for vaccination. Hopefully, supply levels will soon allow vaccination of the general public. There is concern, however, that vaccinations won’t keep up with spread of the new virus. Businesses are being urged to implement a flu policy and prepare a sick-day plan if Swine Flu hits.
The pervasiveness of H1N1 and fears that it could become more lethal could take a toll on your workforce. The issue isn’t limited to coping with the extra workload caused by sick workers. Sick children or closed schoolscould also keep employees home. Some employees may not have enough sick or vacation days to cover unexpected absences and may report to work sick, spreading infection. Smart employers will consider possible scenarios ahead of time, establish guidelines for employees and managers, educate employees about flu prevention, and advise employees of company policies before the flu strikes.
Local Red Cross and County Health Departments may have educational literature or instructional videos you can use to educate employees. Some also offer employee workshop presentations that can be scheduled at your place of business.
In setting flu policies, health experts suggest considering:
- Encourage employees to get a seasonal flu shot and H1N1 vaccine when it becomes available.
- Instruct employees to stay home if they’re sick; have managers send home sick employees.
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends waiving policies that require a written doctor’s note in case of illness.
- Prohibiting treats and communal snacks that are not individually wrapped.
- Instruct employees to cough or sneeze into a tissue or elbow, not their hands.
- Make hand sanitizer and tissues available.
- Allow sick employees or those caring for sick children to flex hours or work from home.
- The government is urging businesses to abandon policies that penalize workers for multiple absences.