Case Studies
Casters with an important element: sustainability
The starting point
ShopBox group GmbH from Heilbronn, Germany, specializes in the cleaning, disinfection and repair of shopping carts. The company serves supermarkets in ten European countries. ShopBox employees maintain and repair soiled grids, jammed child seats and, of course, shopping cart casters that squeak, block or steer in the wrong direction. ShopBox will clean, repair and, if necessary, replace these components so that the shopping experience is once again trouble-free.
Environmental impact and high costs
In the German market alone, there are more than 20 million shopping trolleys in use, which all require regular maintenance. Therefore, the design should also focus on the use of resources and the environment. But usually, the casters and fork are riveted together. This makes it impossible to continue to use intact components if part of the unit is defective, so that the entire caster has to be replaced unnecessarily. Replacement of the whole caster is only really necessary in about 30 percent of maintenance cases. In the remaining 70 percent, replacement of the wheel is sufficient to restore mobility. The reason for this is the longer life cycle of the fork. If a wheel needs replacing and the fork is riveted to the wheel, however, then there is no alternative but to dispose of the fork along with the defective wheel.
The result: unnecessary waste, the squandering of resources, and increased costs. The alternative: Casters made by TENTE.
Our smart mobility solution
ShopBox uses our shopping trolley casters for its maintenance work. The special feature: the fork and the wheel are not riveted together, but connected with a bolt. This enables the company to order and replace the components separately. If only the wheel is damaged, the fork can still be used.
The bolted connection offers further advantages – for example, when attaching the caster to the shopping trolley: since the fork is not riveted to the wheel, it allows easier access for fixing. The caster can be attached and removed more easily and quickly. The same also applies to cleaning. The wheel and fork can be cleaned more easily when separated, as the soiled areas are then easier to reach.
Once maintenance is completed and the castor has been reassembled, the advantages of our solution become clear: the bolted connection is more flexible and environmentally friendly than the riveting.
For more than 30 years, we have been using TENTE's professional expertise.
Norbert Götz, Purchasing Manager at GEBHARDT
Conserving resources and saving costs
Our solution is valued by ShopBox and its customers for its sustainability, ease of maintenance and cost efficiency. Not only are resources conserved and the burden on the environment noticeably reduced, but also two thirds of the costs are saved.
With 40,000 serviced casters per year, this is a considerable advantage for ShopBox. In addition, the solution also improves the maintenance process. Because the wheel and fork can be removed individually, maintenance is quicker, easier and more efficient.
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TENTE Casters, Inc.
2266 Southpark Drive
Hebron KY 41048
United States
Phone: +1 859 586 5558
Email: sales.us@tente.com