As one of the largest Canadian distributor and retailer of hardware, home renovation and gardening products safety is at the forefront of all strategic decisions. The Corporation operates a network of over 800 corporate, franchise and affiliate retail stores of various sizes and formats under different banners, and a network of 14 hardware and construction materials and distribution centers. The coast-to-coast retailer is also a leader in the specialized plumbing and HVAC market, primarily serving commercial and professional customers with a network of close to 60 sales outlets and four distribution centers across the country. With close to 30,000 employees, the store network generates consolidated sales of $4.8 billion.

Big box commercial retail is perhaps the most exposed industrial environment in North America. The very warehouses that store product are in fact the same commercial retail spaces that showcase to the buying public. Heavy traffic, forklifts, multiple operators, and the general public make for a high-risk environment. In 2012 this retailer made a significant contribution to both the employees of and the consumers that shop around the forklifts. Understanding that human error can occur with regards to both lift truck overloading and product placement on racking can be catastrophic this retailer decided to equip its commercial serving units with weigh scales that have provide overload warnings.

Every year the company provides new jobs to people, especially in the high season of construction. While the commitment to operator training is best in class we were able to work with this retailer to provide them an enhanced SkidWeigh ED2 unit with an overload alarm. This was significantly enhancing to the operations across Canada for the following reasons. First each unit is set up to the specific OEM capacity rating specified on the capacity plate. If there is lack of or incorrect information that the operator is working with in regards to the load lifted the SkidWeigh ED2-SMA‘Audio Overload Warning Equipped’ unit will warn the operator as soon as the load is lifted off the ground within 2”. This prevents tipping and unsafe pallet movement. In the addition the SkidWeigh ED2-SMA also provides accurate and easy to use weight read outs that allow operators to safely and confidently place materials on racking structures with weight restrictions. After 4 years of working with this retailer we have equipped over 300 lift trucks in their fleet with renewed commitments to safety each year.