christopher Harper, Author at DJ Products

Networking Summit Acted as Matchmaker between Businesses and the Military

Networking Summits Acted as Matchmakers between Businesses and the Military

Most business people rely on networking to market themselves and discover valuable new opportunities. The same holds true for a military contractor equipment supplier attending the recent Army Contracting Summit in Killeen, TX.

“Marrying” Contractors and Local Companies

The Washington, D.C.-based Defense Leadership Forum hosted the two-day event for approximately 150 area vendors and business leaders. Various workshops and speeches focused on providing local companies with information and advice about Army contracts in the Fort Hood area.

Howard Snow, a retired Marine lieutenant colonel who formerly served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy, moderated the event. He explained that the purpose of the summit was to serve as “matchmaker” for defense contractors and local businesses.

What’s In the Future for Army Contracts?

Summit highlights included details about specific military contracts for goods and services including vehicles, ammunition, communications and housing. Contractors also received insights into successfully dealing with the government’s procurement systems.

Richard G. Kidd IV, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for strategic innovation, gave the keynote speech. Kidd addressed the changing environment for military installations and the Army’s commitment to renewable alternative energy projects.

While in town, Kidd also attended a ribbon-cutting at West Fort Hood marking the completion of more than 60,000 solar panels. The hybrid renewable energy project is expected to save about $168 million dollars in energy costs over the next 30 years.

Military and DOD Tugs and Movers from DJ Products

We offer a full line of electric tugs and movers that are perfect solutions for military contractor equipment suppliers looking to improve workplace safety. Visit our website to learn more.

Tips for Loading Up Your Dumpster

Protect the Safety of Your Employees with the Dumpster Caddy

Did you know that a disproportionate amount of worker injuries occur around dumpsters? You can injure a shoulder while throwing bulky items, or sustain a repetitive-stress spinal injury from maneuvering dumpsters up and down ramps.

That’s why so many organizations use waste container pullers like the WasteCaddy dumpster mover and why your team should know more about dumpster safety.

Tips for Using Dumpsters

Some of the best tips for using a dumpster come from companies that rent dumpsters to the general public, because they have to coach people on loading dumpsters every day. Here’s what we can all learn from a roll-off rental service:

• Put lightweight items on the bottom if possible, so heavier items will compact them

• Spread weight around instead of letting heavy items stack up in one place

• Break down large objects to conserve space and save money, and to prevent long items from sticking out

• Wear gloves, eyewear, and other personal protective equipment when loading a dumpster with loose debris

• Avoid prohibited items from dumpsters such as paint, fuel, asbestos materials, etc.

Automated equipment makes dumpsters less likely to cause injury or property damage. The WasteCaddy dumpster mover from DJ Products eliminates the painful, dangerous task of manually pushing or pulling a loaded dumpster.

There’s a productivity boost, too, because our bin pullers and dumpster tows can free up an employee. Many of our users have gone from two employees moving dumpsters to only needing one worker to do the job.

With the WasteCaddy dumpster mover (or WasteCaddyLite for 2-yard dumpsters and other containers up to 1 ton), you can improve dumpster safety even more!

What Isn’t Safe to Throw Away in Your Dumpster?

Some things shouldn’t be thrown away because recycling them is so easy—like aluminum cans. Other things truly cannot be thrown away because of laws, regulations, or a company’s environmental ethics. If your organization has not established what items are unacceptable for the dumpster, then it’s time to make a list.

At DJ Products, we’re often stressing the importance of safety for employees who use and maneuver dumpsters with our WasteCaddy dumpster mover. It’s also important to be safe about what items go into the dumpster, in terms of both worker injury and eco-friendly practices.

Common Items That You Can’t Throw Away in a Dumpster

Prohibited items can vary depending on state and local laws or the rules of your trash collection service. Whether prohibited or not, you should think twice about these kinds of items:

• Items with environmental hazards: computers, electronics, rechargeable batteries, appliances that contain refrigerant such as mini fridges and window air conditioners, CFL light bulbs and other items containing mercury.

• Flammable items: gasoline, butane, and other fuels, oil and lubricants, and liquids such as paint, varnish, and wood stain.

• Other dangerous materials: medical supplies such as syringes, sharps, and scalpels. For dangerous items like broken glass and ceramics, use heavy paper bags to prevent injury.

• Check with your city or collection company: construction and demolition waste including dirt, rock, concrete, drywall, roofing shingles, etc.

More About Dumpster Safety

Many of our clients purchase a WasteCaddy dumpster mover after discovering that an alarming percentage of worker compensation claims are related to dumpster duty. Contact us at DJ Products or read more about our WasteCaddy dumpster mover and bin pullers.

What Steps Can You Take to Deter Dumpster Diving at Your Facility

Although one man’s trash might be another man’s treasure, your business probably does not want its dumpsters to be treated as a free-for-all. Dumpster divers leave behind an ugly mess that can be dangerous. You may also have sensitive, proprietary information that you don’t want to fall into the wrong hands.

We recommend using the WasteCaddy so any employee can safely transport dumpsters to locked areas when not in use. Your organization can also learn some tricks from the self-storage industry.

Tales of Dumpster Diving

Storage facilities are ripe targets for dumpster diving because quality items are often discarded by people who don’t have any other options. The Storage Facilitator blog recounts tales of dumpster divers visiting every night, and unfortunately, failing to pick up after themselves.

One man rented storage units at various facilities just to gain (technically legal) access to the dumpsters. The token amount of business was far outweighed by the constant mess.

Tips to Discourage Dumpster Diving

Some of the best ways to deter people from digging through trash include:

• Always lock dumpsters so only maintenance staff has access.

• Locate dumpsters in a locked parking lot after hours.

• Use a powered dumpster mover like the WasteCaddy for an easier time moving and relocating dumpsters.

• Provide smaller trash cans for customers and employees and empty them regularly.

• Routinely send scrap metal and other desirable debris to recycling facilities.

Moving dumpsters behind locked gates is an easy solution, but manually pushing dumpsters carries a huge injury risk. Talk to us at DJ Products about how the WasteCaddy or WasteCaddyLite can help keep your facility clean and secure.

The Military Can Teach Business Owners the Value of Supporting Family

If you’re looking for advice on family dynamics, the U.S. military might not be the option that leaps to mind. In reality, the challenges of managing a massive workforce that’s continually on the move make the military a unique source of tips on how companies can support employees and their families.

Managing Career and Family: How to Succeed at Both

• Working parents have difficulty balancing the demands of the job against sharing quality time with their families. Show consideration by keeping their job commitments as predictable as possible. End meetings on time and limit last-minute assignments to true emergencies.

• People often compartmentalize their personal and professional lives, but shifting gears on a dime can actually keep us off-kilter. Encourage employees to settle into a moderate routine that prevents drastic shifts in tone.

• Your company probably offers a quality employee assistance program including counseling and other resources, but people are often reluctant to use them. Bring the program into the open with signs and other reminders placed in highly visible spots and make sure your managers are talking about it with their associates.

• In addition to your formal employee assistance program, give associates help in forming a network of peers, whether it’s online or in person. Working parents can learn a great deal from others who share similar experiences.

DJ Products: Helping DOD Equipment Suppliers Keep a Safe Workplace

DOD equipment suppliers deal with a diverse assortment of products, from explosives to boats and aircraft. Visit our website to learn about our full line of electric tugs, movers and pushers such as our WagonCaddyHD.

Is It a Match for the Industry and Uber-Like Freight Handling?

Uber has given a whole new look to personal transportation and food delivery services. Can it do the same for the trucking industry? The answer is not as simple as it may seem.

Trucking Industry Slow to Adapt to New Technology

In 2016 Wallace Lau, industry principal at consulting firm Frost & Sullivan, authored a study called, “Uber for Trucks: Executive Analysis of North American Mobile Based Freight Brokering Market.” Based on $100 million in current revenue, Lau projected an increase to $26.40 billion by 2025.

But today Lau says that adoption of the Uber model is moving more slowly than anticipated due to resistance by the trucking industry. Lau’s updated study is expected to be released this coming fall.

According to Lau, people in the trucking industry are uncertain about whether the Uber model will actually benefit them. Many are reluctant to deviate from their established routines working with traditional freight brokers.

Uber Throws Its Hat into the Ring

All this may be about to change with Uber’s introduction of its own freight app this past May. While there are already several mobile-based freight apps on the market, Lau believes that Uber’s name and reputation will cause the industry to take a closer look at this trend.

Bill Driegert, director of Uber Freight, says their app turns a cumbersome, labor-intensive process into a single click. It also offers transparency for both shipper and receiver.

Modernize Warehouse Operations with Industrial Tugs from DJ Products

Streamline workflow with industrial tugs like our popular CartCaddyShorty. Visit our website to learn more from our friendly and helpful sales engineers.

Will President Trump’s Focus on Imports and Exports Impact the Nation’s Warehouses?

With so much emphasis placed on trade policy by President Donald Trump, the warehouse industry remains on high alert for any clues about what the future will bring. If policies will truly reduce the trade deficit, how will your warehouse be affected?

The Trump administration says that they want the U.S. to “reclaim all of the supply chain and manufacturing capability” that they believe have been lost to overseas competitors.

Warehousing Outlook in the Trump Era

Over at Material Handling & Logistics, industry experts point to a Cushman & Wakefield study that predicts major changes — but that President Trump will stop short of pulling out of NAFTA or initiating a trade conflict with China.

At DJ Products, we keep tabs on the industry because our warehouse movers and tugs can play an integral role in a company’s speed and agility in changing circumstances. Here’s what seems clear about Trump Administration policy and the warehousing industry:

• Imports from countries that subsidize their goods below market value may get tariffs added.

• U.S. warehouses, which have increased by 3.5 billion square feet since the start of NAFTA in 1995, will continue to see plenty of trade with Canada and Mexico.

• China’s growing wealth and consumerism will help increase the amount of U.S. exports to China.

Warehouse Movers and Tugs for Material Handling Efficiency

Whether your warehouse handles imported goods or serves as a logistics center for a U.S. manufacturer, the years ahead will hold plenty of changes no matter which Trump Administration trade policies take effect.

DJ Products can help your business grow and improve efficiency with industrial cart movers, warehouse movers and tugs.

Warehouse News: What’s In Store for 2017?

One of the keys to successful supply chain management is matching inventory levels to consumer demand. How is retail activity for 2017 shaping up compared to recent years?

Predicting Sales Based on Port Activity

The Global Port Tracker is a monthly report generated by the National Retail Federation (NRF) in conjunction with consulting firm Hackett Associates. Based on activity at major retail container ports, the NRF predicts that sales will grow between 3.7 percent and 4.2 percent over 2016’s numbers.

Port activity is measured in twenty-foot equivalent units, or TEUs, which equate to a 20-foot-long cargo container. According to Global Port Tracker, the ports it covers handled 1.58 million TEUs in December 2016, which was a 10.2 percent increase from the previous December.

Total cargo volume in 2016 equaled 18.8 million TEUs. That number was up 3.2 percent from 2015, which in turn showed a 5.4 percent increase over 2014.

What’s in Store for 2017?

Jonathan Gold, vice president of Supply Chain And Customs Policy for NRF, explains that greater quantities of imports flowing through ports usually indicates a corresponding growth in sales. This trend led NRF to forecast 9.4 million TEUs during the first half of 2017, for a healthy 4.6 percent increase over the same period in 2016.

Move Inventory Efficiently with Warehouse Tugs from DJ Products

When inventory is flowing through your warehouse, every minute counts. A single employee can move loads up to 10,000 pounds quickly and safely with our CartCaddy5WP. Visit our website and let our friendly sales engineers help you find the right solution from our full line of electric warehouse tugs.

Mobile Computers and Their Role in the New Warehouse Landscape

The digital age has made its presence known with material handling equipment, but is warehouse intelligence as effective as it could be? Hardware and software experts are working to use mobile computers for a more integrated communications system.

Mobile Computers: Expanding the Horizons

Mobile touchscreen computers are making it easier for lift truck operators to handle the work flow. According to Mike Maris, senior director of transportation and logistics at Zebra Technologies, they could be even more efficient if the technology was integrated into one central communications point.

Directing a lift truck from point A to point B is only part of the equation. Each lift truck is part of an entire fleet of vehicles that needs to be managed, and maintenance also needs information to keep the trucks in good working order.

Instead of simply communicating work orders, mobile computers have the potential to handle a number of data streams. Different screens can be dedicated to different functions, such as one that provides task instructions and another that relays maintenance information or real-time maps.

Better Technology = Improved Productivity

Maris explains that the mobile computer on a lift truck can serve as a point of communication to broader systems rather than just a portal restricted to one vehicle. Streamlining the process can pay off with a 10 to 15 percent improvement in productivity.

State-of-the-Art Material Handling Equipment from DJ Products

Maximizing your work force is a major element of top productivity. Visit our website to learn how using electric material handling equipment such as our CartCaddyLite can be like adding an extra employee.

Winn Companies Recognizes the WasteCaddy Dumpster Mover as a Best Practice to Reduce Injuries.

June 1, 2017 – Minneapolis, MN – WinnCompanies, the nation’s fifth largest multi-family property management company, announced today that they have successfully completed field testing for the WasteCaddy Dumpster mover, and that the company considers the use of WasteCaddy to be best practice for safety.

“The WasteCaddy has proven to be a valuable tool in reducing the risk of injury for our maintenance employees.” said John Tarrant, Vice President of Procurement & Sustainability at WinnCompanies. “The feedback we have received from the properties using the WasteCaddy to move trash dumpsters has been overwhelmingly positive.”

WinnCompanies have a strong commitment to employee safety, and the battery-powered WasteCaddy will become part of WinnCompanies industry-recognized “WinnSafe” program.

“We are pleased to have the opportunity to work with WinnCompanies.” said Jeff Berg, President of DJ Products, manufacturer of the WasteCaddy. “The trash room is the most dangerous area in a multi-family property, and this product continues to prove itself as a best practice for eliminating injuries in the trash room.” Jeff went on to say that in order to reduce risk, a number of leading property management companies have modified their trash room policy to state that at least two employees are required to move dumpsters, empty or full. “The challenge here is that while requiring two employees is certain to reduce injuries, it has a negative impact on maintenance staff efficiency. The WasteCaddy allows one employee or any age, size or gender to efficiently move dumpsters by themselves. It is a huge boost to efficiency.”

DJ Products will be exhibiting at the National Apartment Association Show in Atlanta in June 21 to 24.

About WinnCompanies WinnCompanies is an award-winning national property development and management company dedicated to the highest standards of excellence. WinnCompanies acquires, develops and manages affordable, senior, mixed-income, market-rate, military and commercial properties through its three divisions: WinnDevelopment, WinnResidential and WinnMilitary. Founded in 1971 and now operating in 22 states and the District of Columbia, WinnCompanies is the fifth largest multi-family housing manager, the largest manager of affordable housing, and the second largest manager military housing in the United States.

About DJ Products

DJ Products markets and manufactures battery powered tugs and pushers that move heavy loads on wheels. For more information about the WasteCaddy dumpster mover or any of DJ Products other equipment, visit them at www.djproducts.com or call 1-800-686-2651.

Author: christopher Harper