Tag: Automotive Industry

Video: CarCaddy Vehicle Puller: Ideal Solution to Maneuver Cars at Auto Repair Facilities

The CarCaddy Vehicle Puller increases efficiency and profitability for auto service centers, vehicle dealerships, and automotive testing facilities. The compact CarCaddy VP7K allows one person to safely maneuver inoperable vehicles from point A to point B.

Cost-Effective

Previously, Lexus of North Miami Collision Repair Center had to rely on tow vehicles, fork trucks or third-party car moving services to relocate inoperable vehicles within their facility. The CarCaddy Vehicle Puller is a much more affordable solution that is ready to use as needed. No waiting necessary.

Easy-to-Use

The CarCaddy VP7K is easy-to-operate. The operator can either stand on the ride-on platform or on the ground while steering. Unlike clumsy fork trucks, it allows for tight turns and easy maneuverability in crowded workshops or factories.

Small Footprint

Tow trucks and fork lifts are large, bulky and take up valuable shop space. The CarCaddy Vehicle Puller is compact and can be stored in convenient locations to charge and use whenever its needed. For more information, reach out to a sales engineer at 1-800-686-2651 or complete this form to request a quote.

Battery Powered Tugs Position You for Future Success

The woes of the U.S. auto industry should serve as a cautionary tale for the rest of us. To weather the current economic storm, U.S. businesses must embrace the future, maintain flexibility, manage labor and rein in expenses (see our Dec. 12 post). While we certainly hope the economy improves more quickly, economic experts interviewed on CBS’ 60 Minutes last night estimate it could take as long as three years to bring the U.S. economy back to a robust state. Business decisions you make now and in the coming months could well determine whether you’ll still be around to enjoy the economic resurgence when it comes.Moving to DJ Products’ innovative, ergonomically-designed battery powered tugs and electric carts could position you to compete successfully now and into the future.

  • Embrace the future. President-elect Obama has made a commitment to American workers to mandate safe work environments. Backed by a Democratic Congress, material handling industry experts predict a quick reinstatement and expansion of the ergonomic workplace safety rules initiated by the Clinton administration but rescinded by President Bush. Being proactive about workplace safety not only positions you to meet future OSHA requirements, it sends a positive message to workers and can be a powerful public relations tool in an era when Americans use purchasing power to support their own political agendas.
  • Maintain flexibility. DJ Products’ versatile battery powered tug provides maximum flexibility to meet the changing needs of your business. From heavy-duty assembly line pushers to compact cart pushers that can maneuver around obstacles in populated corridors, our battery powered tug will grow with you to meet future challenges.
  • Manage labor. DJ Products’ compact, highly maneuverable, battery powered tugs and carts allow a single worker to perform tasks that often require two to three workers when performed manually. Our ergonomically-designed movers maximize worker safety, eliminating the physical strain associated with pushing, pulling, lifting and carrying tasks. Workers are able to work more efficiently, improving productivity.
  • Rein in expenses. Electric and battery-powered tugs are cheaper and more energy-efficient to operate than gas or diesel-fueled lift trucks. But it’s the ergonomic design of our products that will provide the greatest benefit to your bottom line. Ergonomics has been proven to reduce worker injury, reducing expensive medical, insurance, workers’ compensation, disability and lost man-hour costs. Businesses typically recoup their investment in ergonomic equipment within the first year.

To find out more about DJ Products’ innovative battery powered tugs and carts, visit our website. Give us a call and let one of our ergonomic experts show you how DJ Products can help position you to compete successfully in the future.

How DJ Products Can Help You Be a Survivor

As we’ve said in this space before, it’s going to take a firm hand on expenses, the guts to embrace innovative ideas and products, and the flexibility to act quickly when opportunities present themselves to survive the current recession.  DJ Products’ ergonomically-engineered carts, tugs and movers can help you get the jump on the competition and position your business to move boldly — and successfully — into the future.

Cost effectiveness, worker safety, healthcare issues, energy and environmental concerns, immigration and a changing workforce — these are among the most powerful issues that confront businesses owners today. Customers, workers, the public and the government will all be watching how we address these issues in the course of business. It’s no longer enough to produce a fine product. Today, we’re also graded on how we produce that product and the cost or benefit to our workers and the environment, not just our customers. Government oversight and a watchful press have added a few links to the food chain.

Here’s how DJ Products’ ergonomically-designed carts, tugs and movers can help you successfully meet these challenges:

  • Cost effectiveness is key when every penny counts. When DJ Products’ ergonomic carts and movers are integrated into your workplace or production operation, full return on investment is typically realized within the first year or two through increased production and worker efficiency and decreased healthcare, disability and workers’ compensation costs.
  • Worker safety is one of the issues at the top of President-elect Obama’s to-do list. Stricter OSHA regulations regarding ergonomic issues are expected early in his administration. During his campaign, Obama promised workers a safer work environment which industry experts predict will mean tougher ergonomic standards and increased government oversight. Implementing an ergonomic program built around DJ Products’ carts, tugs and movers will put you ahead of the game as regulations tighten up. Ergonomically designed to take the physical burden off your workers, DJ Products’ carts improve workplace safety significantly.
  • Healthcare issues will be another key thrust of the incoming administration. Many of the plans being discussed in the press will increase the already difficult healthcare burden on employers. Ergonomic equipment is a proven way to significantly — and immediately — decrease employee medical, insurance and disability costs.

To be continued on Friday

Part 2: How DJ Products Can Help You Be a Survivor

Recently, we’ve been talking about the recession, workplace initiatives and increased regulation expected from the incoming Obama administration, and what it will take to position your business to survive the rocky road ahead. A tight grip on expenses, the willingness to embrace innovative ideas and technology, and the flexibility to take advantage of opportunities as they present themselves will be the hallmarks of companies that rise above the competition to succeed.

Many powerful issues will confront American business owners in the days ahead. Cost effectiveness, worker safety, healthcare issues, energy and environmental concerns, immigration and a changing workforce are among the challenges that we will face. Business owners who are proactive in addressing these challenges will position themselves to succeed. A leader in the design and manufacture of innovative, cost-effective, ergonomically-designed carts, tugs and movers, DJ Products can help you successfully meet the coming challenges. Continuing our Wednesday post, here’s how DJ Products can help you move ahead of the competition:  

  • Energy and environmental concerns are expected to take center stage with the Obama administration billing itself as the “green team.” Alternative energy products that decrease our country’s dependence on oil will receive increasing support as will products that decrease the nation’s environmental footprint. DJ Products’ battery-powered electric carts, tugs and movers use clean energy and have the staying power to work a full shift without recharging.
  • Changing workforce patterns are expected to create new challenges for businesses and industry as immigrant workers comprise an increasing portion of our country’s labor force. Language and cultural issues are expected to impact work environments and job efficiency. Intuitive ergonomic controls on DJ Products’ powered movers and carts make them easy to operate and control, bridging any potential language barrier. Our customers report an extremely brief and highly satisfactory training curve when our products are introduced into the workplace.

For complete information about DJ Products’ ergonomic carts, tugs and movers, visit our website. On our website, you’ll find a helpful Ergonomic Load Calculator that can help you or your company’s safety and health specialist estimate the amount of force necessary to move loads in your workplace. The program considers a number of variables specific to your work environment and makes product recommendations that can be used to improve both workforce and production efficiency.  Contact one of our industry experts today to find out how DJ Products can help you be a survivor.

Get Things Moving with DJ Products’ Vehicle and Heavy Equipment Pushers

DJ Products makes ergonomic equipment to help transport a variety of heavy loads—even if that load is something that is also used in transport.
If your cart, car, or piece of equipment has all straight wheels or is on a rail, then the there are ergonomic products that can help solve material handling applications where no turning is required, or an operator will turn the wheels while a CarCaddy pushes from behind, as in the case of pushing a bus down an assembly line.

Car and Vehicle Pusher: While our car pushers have industrial applications, they can also be used to move a stalled vehicle. The front push pad of the vehicle pusher can help preserve the paint and the look of stalled vehicle.

Trailer Mover, Puller or Pusher: Our powered trailer movers are not as bulky as traditional puller products. They can push or pull RVs, campers, boats or equipment trailers. This is a perfect solution when a trailer is being moved down an assembly line, in a show room or at a trade show.

Paper Roll Pusher, Spool Pusher: This can help you move large rolls of paper, fabric or rubber. It is designed to move heavy objects that roll.

Equipment Pusher, Equipment Puller: These can eliminate the stress and strain associated with moving heavy equipment. One of our cart movers can push or pull cars up to 50,000 lbs., while a powered trailer dolly can lift tongue up to 15,000 lbs.

You can take the time to find a specific electric cart pusher on our website, or call our Sales Engineers for a recommendation on your proper solution.

GM Uses a Hologram to Examine Ergonomic Issues

General Motors has a global manager for ergonomics and The Journal Gazette of Fort Wayne recently published and article stating that General Motors will spend $275 million in its state to build newer versions of some of its most popular vehicles. They added the interesting fact that “GM uses a three-dimensional hologram of an average worker to evaluate whether certain tasks in the assembly process are too demanding.”

You may not have global operations or one person in charge of ergonomics as GM does but you will likely need to consider some of the same questions that GM does.

• How far do your operators need to reach to perform work tasks?
• Can we afford to spend money to hire and train new workers if current employees suffer injuries?
• What would be the average cost of a worker’s compensation claim for our company? How will that affect our financial outlook?
• How can we make sure that our workers stay safe as they age?

Here at DJ Products, Inc. we specialize in finding electric or motorized cart tug solutions that either:
• Eliminate the strains and pains of manually pushing or pulling heavy carts, equipment, or materials.
• Are less costly, smaller, and more maneuverable then traditional electric equipment used for moving carts and equipment; like forktrucks, walkies, or motorized riding tugs.

You do not have to sacrifice your employee’s wellbeing to make your products or meet quotas. There are ergonomic material handling solutions that can get the job done. Call us at 800-686-2651 and a Sales Engineer will help you pinpoint the right application for you.

Versatile Trailer Mover Useful for Boats, RVs

Spring is officially here. It’s not the daffodils poking through the ground that tipped me off; it was the parade of boats and RVs on the highway this weekend that clued me in. When people put their boats in the water and fire up their RVs, you know that spring is in the air. The folks in Chicago and Detroit may still have to shovel a few inches of snow this month, but most of the country (Nebraska excluded) is starting to enjoy warmer days, and thoughts are turning to summer pleasures.

Developed to facilitate the easy movement of trailers around manufacturing plants and storage facilities, DJ Products’ versatile TrailerCaddy trailer mover has been appropriated by the boating and RV industries. Ergonomically designed to prevent the muscle strain associated with moving large trailers and trailered equipment, DJ Products’ TrailerCaddy makes it possible to move heavy, unwieldy boats and RVs at plants, in showrooms and on sales lots with ease. Our ergonomic trailer pusher protects the health and safety of your workers, putting the strain on the equipment, not on workers’ muscles and backs.

The compact design of DJ Products’ TrailerCaddy allows workers to effortlessly and safely maneuver boats and RVs while maintaining complete control over the vehicle, whether moving a RV across a crowded sales lot or positioning a boat in a tight showroom space surrounded by other expensive vehicles. Because our battery-operated TrailerCaddies are more efficient and less bulky than traditional electric trailer pulling equipment, they cost less to use, have lower maintenance costs, require less storage space, and result in fewer accidents.

Capable of moving trailers, RVs and boats up to weighing up to 20,000 pounds, DJ Products’ trailer mover is powered by three deep-cycle batteries for long run times, extended use between charging, and quiet operation. An electric braking system holds trailers safely on inclines, preventing potential accidents from run away trailers. Operated from the handlebar, the ergonomically-designed, variable-speed, high-tech speed controller allows smooth acceleration and de-acceleration from 0 to 3 mph both forwards and backwards. A safety stop switch conveniently mounted on the handle bar ensures immediate, safe stopping power. Non-marking tires protect showroom floors. Click here to see a film of DJ Products’ TrailerCaddy in action.

Electric Mover Turns Workers into Supermen!

TrailerCaddy Motorized Trailer Puller
TrailerCaddy Motorized Trailer Puller
We admit it isn’t faster that a speeding bullet, and you won’t find leaping tall buildings in the specs; but it can make you feel more powerful than a locomotive. If you’ve ever wanted to flex Superman muscles but your body is more Clark Kent, our incredible TrailerCaddy electric mover is just what you’ve been looking for. This powerful DJ Products electric mover turns ordinary workers into Supermen and Superwomen, allowing them to effortlessly transport heavy trailers and vehicles — no tights or capes required!DJ Products’ versatile TrailerCaddy electric mover pushes and pulls trailers that require lifting on one end before maneuvering. Heavy equipment trailers, RVs, campers and boats are easily moved down assembly lines, from manufacturing plant to storage lot, across dealer lots, on and off showroom floors, or into position at trade shows — no need to hook up to a truck when you need to move these vehicles short distances, just slide in the TrailerCaddy and a single worker can do the job, effortlessly. Click here to watch a video of DJ Products’ amazing TrailerCaddy in action.

Like all DJ Products electric mover, the TrailerCaddy electric mover is ergonomically designed to take the strain off workers. The sore backs, strained muscles and exhausting overexertion that plague workers who wrestle with large trailered equipment are eliminated by DJ Products’ ergonomic design features. Any worker of any size or physical ability can easily move trailers, vehicles or equipment using DJ Products’ electric TrailerCaddy trailer mover. Ergonomic design significantly decreases worker injuries and their associated medical, insurance, worker’s compensation and lost man-hour costs, representing a considerable savings to employers.Less bulky than traditional equipment, DJ Products TrailerCaddy electric mover is sleek, compact and designed to maneuver easily in tight spaces, diminishing potential damage to surrounding parts and equipment when moving bulky vehicles. The ergonomic variable speed twist grip prevents carpal tunnel syndrome while allowing operators instant and complete control over the unit at speeds of 0 to 3 mph in both forward or reverse. A high tech speed controller, neutral throttle braking and electric adjustable acceleration/braking ensure safe operation and maximum operator control of the unit. Click here for complete specs on DJ Products’ TrailerCaddy trailer mover.

How Did U.S. Automakers Get Themselves into This Mess?

President-elect Obama yesterday asked President Bush to throw a lifeline to the battered U.S. auto industry. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also called for “emergency and limited financial assistance” for auto makers and suppliers, introducing legislation to make the big three automakers eligible for help under the $700 billion Congressional bailout passed last month. The move followed disastrous third-quarter losses reported by Detroit’s Big Three: General Motors, Ford and Chrysler.

Prior to its election break, Congress passed legislation providing $25 billion in government-backed loans to automakers to help them retool for the production of more fuel-efficient vehicles. Since then, the Big Three and United Autoworkers officials have asked for an additional $25 billion to keep the automakers afloat and a further $25 billion to fund future healthcare payments to 780,000 retirees and their dependents. Legislation currently being written in the House and Senate is expected to severely limit executive compensation and demand vigorous federal review in exchange for bailout funds.

Critics say Detroit is suffering from decades of short-sightedness and poor decision-making. In iterating the missteps that have led automakers to the edge of bankruptcy, critics cite the auto industry’s failure to invest in new products, failure to aggressively pursue fuel-efficient cars, failure to meet the competitive challenge of Asian imports and failure to take on growing union demands.

“There’s been 30 years of denial,” said Noel Tichy, a University of Michigan business professor, author and auto industry consultant. “They did not make themselves competitive. They didn’t deal with the union issues, the cost structures long ago, everything that makes a successful company.”

Tichy says the auto industry’s problems started in 1980s when Toyota and Honda mastered the production of reliable, fuel-efficient cars. Detroit, unfortunately, failed to see this as an omen of future trends. Cheap gas and a strong U.S. economy made Detroit blasé about the public’s fledgling interest in ecology and “green” lifestyles. Driven by high profits and consumer demand, the Big Three automakers continued to invest in the traditional “bigger is better” model, flooding the American market with luxury vans, trucks, SUVs and the ultimate example of overindulgence, the Hummer.

By the 1990s, Detroit had effectively ceded the small and midsize car markets to Toyota and Honda. When fears of global warming, pollution and high oil prices began to gain affect public opinion and buying habits after the millennium, U.S. automakers were caught unprepared. Skyrocketing fuel prices over the past year sent sales plummeting and sealed their fate. Coupled with a recessive economy and tight credit, failure to address future trends has driven the U.S. auto industry to the brink of extinction.

Next time: Hope for the future: Changes that will redefine the U.S. auto industry

Auto Industry Retooling Should Include Ergonomics

The U.S. auto industry is starting to make its comeback. The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded the first loans from the $25-billion Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program authorized by Congress to support the U.S. manufacture of energy-efficient cars and automotive components: 

  • Ford Motor Co. was granted $5.9 billion to retool factories in Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri and Ohio to manufacture fuel-efficient vehicles.  
  • Nissan North America received $1.6 billion to retool its Smyrna, Tennessee manufacturing plant to produce electric vehicles.
  • Tesla Motors got $465 million for production of advanced electric vehicles in California.

Other signs of industry recovery include Gestamp Corporation’s $90 million investment in a Chattanooga, Tennessee stamping operation to produce parts for Volkswagen’s new mid-sized sedan, and Ralco Industries’ $6.4 million expansion of its Pontiac, Michigan facility to increase production of welded assemblies  for the auto industry.

It’s a relief to finally see the first twitch of life in the U.S. auto industry. And it’s exciting to see the industry retooling for what promises to be a robust future. But along with forward-thinking changes in their product line, the auto industry should be implementing innovation changes in their production practices. Retooling initiatives should include ergonomic material handling equipment on the assembly line, on plant floors and in factory storage lots to ensure the protection of workers’ health and safety. The workers who made concessions in pay and health benefits to keep the auto companies alive deserve to work in an environment that promotes good health. The citizens who provided the cash that the government is using to fund the loans that are jump-starting new life into the auto industry deserve to know that every possible measure is being taken to create a financially lean manufacturing operation. Ergonomic material handling equipment accomplishes both goals.

Ergonomic equipment like DJ Products’ CarCaddy car and vehicle pusher pushes heavy equipment down an assembly. The CartCaddyLH electric tug can push a vehicle down a rail or be used to push/pull from station to station heavy carts of raw materials or parts weighing 10,000 to 50,000 pounds. The DealerCaddy car and truck pusher easily maneuvers cars and trucks around storage and dealer lots. All DJ Products’ material handling carts and movers are ergonomically designed to prevent expensive and debilitating musculoskeletal injuries. Ergonomic equipment and practices have been proven to cut production time and costs, protect workers’ health and safety, improve worker morale, and significantly reduce the musculoskeletal injury expenses that cost U.S. businesses more than $150 billion each year. Including ergonomics in auto industry retooling efforts just makes sense — for the auto industry, for workers, and for taxpayers.