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Sentric is proud to announce its membership in the American Clean Power Association (ACPA). This partnership allows us to further our commitment to sustainability and renewable energy while also connecting with other industry leaders and advocates. 

Being a member of ACPA means that Sentric is part of a community that is dedicated to advancing clean energy policies and practices. By joining forces with other like-minded organizations, we can work towards a common goal of promoting a clean, reliable, and affordable energy future. 

As an ACPA member, you gain access to valuable industry news, trends, and research that will help you stay current in the clean energy field. This information is crucial in ensuring that your solutions are always innovative and effective. Recently, Kirk attended the American Clean Power Operations, Maintenance & Safety Conference, which proved to be an excellent experience.

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Sentric Safety Group announces today it has acquired Zonegreen.

Headquartered in Sheffield, United Kingdom, Zonegreen develops technologies, software and services that make working in rail depots safer and more efficient. Controlled remotely, these technologies protect lives by ensuring vehicles don’t move unless it is safe to do so. Zonegreen’s products are used by rail customers across the UK, Ireland and Australia.

“Sentric has a proven track record in the rail safety space in France. The acquisition of Zonegreen will enable us to offer a complete range of connected solutions to keep rail maintenance workers safe,” said Aurelie Paul, General Manager, Sentric. “Our companies’ technologies are solving real problems every day as new ways of travelling continue to evolve. Sentric’s investment not only accelerates its ambition for international growth, it also gives the company long-term support to create the safest environment for employees when working in rail depots.”

 

As a highly sustainable mode of transport, rail makes a notable contribution to reducing carbon emissions and achieving climate objectives. With its growth, there is a growing demand for innovative technologies which support the safety, reliability and efficiency of rail networks and their workers.

•  Depot Personnel Protection System (DPPSTM): Allows the safe and efficient movement of vehicles in and around rail maintenance depots. The innovative technology safeguards workers by using approved powered derailers, linked to road end panels. Staff create safe zones in which to work in using RFID tags and access permission for trains will then only be given if the road is clear.

• Depot Manager: SCADA software provides a real time graphical overview of the status of the DPPSTM, and records all safety operations, providing full traceability.

• Points Converter: allows the automation and remote operation of any traditional manual points/switches and rail road crossings.

“Joining Sentric will give us new opportunities to develop our technology offerings and expand our international reach, to protect even more rail workers, and to further increase safety, productivity and reliability for rail network operators,” says Gemma Houghton, Head of Sales, Zonegreen.

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Maximize the safety of your employees by implementing the NEW Type DS access interlock 

When it comes to safety, the best thing you can do is ensure that your access control meets or exceeds the necessary requirements The Type DS interlock within a trapped key solution will mitigate risks caused by improper power isolation and inadequate safety measures, meant to prevent incidents such as being struck by equipment. With the Type DS, customers will have a high-level safety solution against accidents in their workplace environment and can rest assured their personnel and equipment are safe. 

What are the benefits of the Type DS access Interlock? 

A trapped key solution with the Type DS will protect the integrity of operation procedures. The product has been designed to provide additional mounting flexibility and safety features. Its’ slim footprint offers vertical and reverses mounting capabilities with a robust actuator. 

The Type DS is modular in design providing additional options for a complete safety solution.  An integrated forced key removal latch on the multiple cylinder Type DS has been added to ensure the personnel key is released and with personnel prior to the and allowing entry into the work cell. 

Implementing the new Type DS access interlock into a comprehensive trapped key safety solution will mitigate risks that can occur due to improper power isolation, inadequate access control, and entrapment incidents. The Type DS and its’ corresponding interlock components enforce the integrity of operational safety procedures within a customized safety solution that will ensure everyone has the right to be safe at work!  

How does DS access Interlock protect against incidents? 

The left or right vertical mounting mechanism has a slim design that mounts vertically on machine guarding frames & gates. The forced key removal ensures personnel remove the released key, maximizing interlock solution procedures.  

Our trapped key solutions are customized to meet your safety process needs; the DS interlock product is modular and can be configured in various ways for your industry or organization. Our team is prepared to work with you on the design of a solution that’s right for your safety procedures and efficiency. 

To learn more please access our website product by this link: www.kirkkey.com or contact one of our experts via: sales@kirkkey.com. 

Are you looking for a safe solution?______________________________________

Talk to an expert and learn how the Type DS and trapped key interlock solutions can enhance the safety of your company.

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We are proud to announce that we have become a part of the Sentric Group.

The Sentric Group is a collection of sister companies representing the successful collaboration between Castell, Kirk and STI,  under Halma plc. Through Sentric, we unite the world’s leading brands to create the long-term protection of people, productivity and business reputation.   

Sentric’s mission is “to unite the world’s leading brands, innovations, and experts to protect people in the workplace by mitigating risks caused by human error. It’s why all our businesses are 100% committed to creating uncompromising safety solutions with end users in mind.”  

Our aim is to unlock the potential of a global brand with our customers and provide opportunities for all of us as we passionately focus on delivering our shared purpose.  

At Sentric, we believe there is no place for compromise when it comes to ensuring safety in harsh and safety critical work environments. We combine our ethos of making absolutely no compromises on safety with our in-house capabilities to develop and tailor products and solutions that are not only built to last but can meet our client’s unique challenges.  

TOGETHER FOR A SAFER TOMORROW 

Each of our brands have been trusted experts for over a century and are now united under Sentric with a shared Purpose, Vision, Mission and Values. It brings clarity and direction to everything we do, enabling us to communicate clearly to our employees, customers and stakeholders alike who we are, what we do and how we do it. It set a clear direction for product development and innovation, enabling us to take advantage of talent across our business as well as partner with experts to get fast access to technology.  

NO COMPROMISE ON SAFETY  

We believe there is no place for compromise when it comes to ensuring safety in harsh and safety-critical work environments. 

To learn more about Sentric, please visit the website: www.sentricsafetygroup.com 

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Case Study: Hero Logistics

Salvo™ Loading Dock Safety

Hero Logistics creates a safe, secure, and worry-free
loading dock environment with Salvo

Hero Logistics started in 2006 at the Toyota plant in San Antonio, Texas as a freight shipping and trucking company. Since then, Hero Logistics has expanded into warehousing and now operates out of numerous facilities across the United States.

Challenge: Hero Logistics were looking to eliminate the risk of unscheduled drive-aways at the loading dovk with a cost effective, safe, and semi-permanent solution that met their facility’s needs.

Solution: Working with Salvo, Hero Logistics implemented a safety solution that prevented
unscheduled drive-aways at their loading dock and kept personnel safe while meeting facility requirements.

Results: Hero Logistics created a safe working environment at the loading dock for facility personal and eliminated the risk of human error at the loading dock.

“Most places have something in place to prevent
unscheduled drive-aways, but the Salvo Loading
Dock Safety System is the best solution I have
seen in action.”

Ron Ford
Manager, Hero Logistics
Laredo, Texas, USA

How a loading dock safety system created a safe, secure, and worry-free loading dock environment

In May 2014, Pierre Balson, at the time in the role of US Salvo Sales Manager, received a phone call from Hero Logistics. They were just beginning the search for a loading dock safety system to implement at their San Antonio, Texas location.

Hero Logistics were looking for a loading dock safety system that met the unique needs of their facility. They were on the search for a cost-effective solution that prevented unscheduled drive-aways from their loading docks, while still allowing for the warehouse doors to be open during Texas’s hot summer days. In addition, Hero Logistics leased their warehouse at the time and needed a loading dock safety solution that was semi-permanent and could be moved with them if they were to move locations.

Pierre recalled, “After Hero Logistics told me about the challenges they were facing at the loading dock, I knew the Salvo Loading Dock Safety System was the perfect fit. It met all of the needs Hero Logistics was looking to meet at their facility – low cost, safe, semi-permanent and could allow for the loading dock doors to remain open while still protecting employees from the fall from height risk.”

Following a site visit to the facility, Hero Logistics placed their first order for the Salvo Loading Dock Safety System. After a few months of using the system, Pierre received word that Hero Logistics was very pleased with the solution and that the system’s success would be shared with other sites within the region. The solution was keeping Hero Logistics personnel safe and eliminating unscheduled drive-aways at the loading dock.

Today, the Salvo Loading Dock Safety System is installed at several Hero Logistics locations, including the facility in Laredo, Texas.

When Ron Ford joined the Laredo, Texas location of Hero Logistics in the role of Manager, loading dock safety fell into his list of responsibilities. Ron was pleased to see that Hero Logistics prioritized safety and that a loading dock safety system was already installed at the 10 docks he was now responsible for.

“The thing I like the most about the Salvo Loading Dock Safety System is that we do not have to worry about a trailer or truck taking off early,” says Ron. “Knowing the trailers air brakes are locked out before the door can be used is a great comfort.”

With years of experience and seeing his fair share of near misses at the loading docks in previous roles, Ron understands the importance of safety and the dangers of the loading dock environment.

Ron stated, “Most places have something in place to prevent unscheduled drive-aways, but the Salvo Loading Dock Safety System is the best solution I have seen in action.”

Together, Hero Logistics and Salvo Loading Dock Safety Solutions have created a safe, secure, and worry-free loading dock environment that has eliminated unscheduled drive-aways and the risk of human error at the loading dock.

For more information about Salvo Loading Dock Safety Systems, contact us at salvosales@kirkkey.com.

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Kirk Safeguards Loading Docks with Salvo Solution

New Gladhand Lock Design Offers Increased Compatibility with Wide Range of Intermodal Logistics Chassis

North Canton, Ohio – Kirk Key Interlock Company introduced a new gladhand lock, as part of their Salvo Loading Dock Safety product range, that will allow the safety system to expand upon the types of trailers they can secure at the loading dock.

­­The interlocking gladhand, which secures a trailer’s air brakes, features a robust weather resistant design and protective molded rubber sleeve, ideal for the warehouse environment. The lock fits all semi-trailer types and now offers intermodal container chassis compatibility, expanding the range of safe loading operations at a facility.

“One of our large Salvo customers came to us with the need to safely unload/load a large fleet of ocean container chassis with recessed gladhand couplings at the loading dock. Our previous gladhand design fit most but not all the recessed coupling positions on intermodal chassis. As a company that is always striving to innovate and meet our customers’ needs, we adapted the design and developed a tough new product that allows for all trailer types and containers to be safely unloaded/loaded at the loading dock.”

– Pierre Balson, Kirk Key Interlock Vice President of Sales

Ergonomics and usability were at the forefront of the design process. The gladhand offers a stainless steel and aluminum design, protective molded rubber grip and triggers to improve the ease of use. Extensive testing such as drop tests, harsh weather exposure and customer trials were successfully completed and signed off prior to the release. All tests and trials concluded with exceptional feedback and the product has already been installed in several customer sites.

The Salvo Gladhand (SGL) is a component in the Salvo Loading Dock Safety System. The Salvo Loading Dock Safety System protects personnel and equipment at the loading dock by preventing unscheduled drive-aways during loading/unloading by interlocking the trailer’s air brakes with the dock door.

To learn more about Salvo Loading Dock Safety Systems, visit https://www.kirkkey.com/solutions/applications/salvo-loading-dock-safety-systems/ or email Salvo Director, Dan Skiba, at dskiba@kirkkey.com.

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Every year in the US there are thousands of drive-away events at the loading dock that often result in serious injuries and even death. Making sure that workers are protected at the loading dock is a key part of a facilities safety strategy.

Kirk Key Interlock Company believes everyone has the right to be safe at work. Kirk provides sequenced process safety solutions to the logistics and energy industries. Our logistics solution, Salvo Loading Dock Safety Systems, prevent drive-aways during loading/unloading by interlocking the trailer’s air brakes with the dock door, ensuring that the trailer cannot depart until loading/unloading is completed and the dock door is closed.

Salvo Loading Dock Safety Systems protect loading dock personnel and ensure they return home safely at the end of their shift.

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Avoiding Detention Costs Through Automatic Data Capture

Defining Detention

Detention is the result of a shipper or receiver exceeding the allotted time window to load/unload a truck. In the US, the typical detention time is between 1 and 2 hours.  If a carrier enters detention, there is a fee associated called a detention fee. This fee is a per hour cost typically between $25-$100.

A detention fee is used to offset the cost of the truck being detained at the shipper or receiver’s facility. If they are detained it prevents them from arriving at their next appointment on time and can even prevent them from picking up their next load all together – cutting into their profits.

False Claims Result in High Costs

Detention fees make sense if a facility truly did hold up a driver. For example, a forklift could have required maintenance while they were loading the trailer or the facility overscheduled trailers that needed to be unloaded. However, what if the fault lied in the driver? Perhaps the driver went to get a bite to eat or fell asleep in the lobby while the truck was being loaded/unloaded and didn’t return until detention began, resulting in a detention fee – a fee that is the facility’s responsibility to pay for.

Unfortunately, when scenarios like this happen, facilities lack the proof to dispute any claims. Often, they are faced with high costs associated with detention fees due to the lack of data around their loading dock. A large food manufacturer stated that they spend $75,000 per year on detention costs at one of their smaller sites that has only 11 loading docks. They are not alone; the US reports detention fees and related charges cost the industry over $1 billion dollars annually. ¹

Avoiding Fees and Disputing Claims

When facilities use software programs that capture data automatically, fees associated with false detention claims can be avoided. Many of these software platforms capture data in real time and have a historical reporting feature. One particular product, Salvo InSite has a historic traceability report that features a load cycle timeline detailing the exact time the truck was ready to leave, providing facilities with the proof to dispute any false claims made against them for detention fees.

For example, imagine that you are a logistics manager who has just received a phone call from a company that claims their driver was kept on site longer than your agreed detention period. What you need is traceability of what happened at the dock to dispute the claim. The Salvo InSite Traceability Reports provide you with a log of all load cycles that have occurred at your site, along with a detailed timeline that breaks down the time at the loading dock. By filtering the report using date and alarm type, it is simple to find the load that is disputed.

In this scenario, the truck arrived at the dock and was loaded in a reasonable time, however once loading was completed and the dock door was closed, the driver did not depart for 75 minutes which took you beyond the 2-hour agreed detention time. With this new information you can dispute the claim as you have the recorded truth of what actually happened at the dock.

Conclusion

In conclusion, detention fees and claims can result in high costs for facilities. However, there is a way to avoid and dispute these claims through automatic data capture around the loading dock. The Salvo InSite platform can provide detailed data around the loading dock, allowing facilities to dispute any false claims using historic traceability reports. These reporting features and automatic data collection capabilities can end up saving companies millions in detentions fees and associated costs.

To learn more about Salvo InSite and to hear from one of our Salvo team members, please complete the form on our Salvo InSite webpage.

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KIRK Creates Simple 5 Step Guide on How to Use IoT to Set Efficiency Goals for the Loading Dock

The Internet of things (IoT) finds application in several industries including warehousing & logistics. Yet, the use of IoT at the loading dock remains limited.

A lack of data around loading dock activities and operations make it difficult to manage the loading dock environment and often signifies recurrent delays and significant monetary losses for a warehouse. It is vital that any business now consider IoT as part of their loading dock strategy and set effective KPIs to optimize performance to enable a business to stay ahead of the competition.

We have produced a simple 5-step guide on how to use IoT to set efficiency goals for your loading dock. A preview of the guide can be viewed below:

The rise of IOT in the warehousing and logistics Industry

The Internet of Things (IOT) refers to a network of connected smart devices extracting information from which businesses can get useful insights. This increased volume of available data has unlocked the potential for businesses to manage and optimize a wider range of operations, minimizing costs and improving profitability. IOT is a rapidly growing trend in all industries as part of Industry 4.0 and its adoption is only predicted to continue to expand.

In the warehousing and logistics industry, pressures from increasing globalization including foreign competition and the need for ever faster operations has meant the industry has been an early mover on this innovative technology. Applications for IOT in this industry are already embraced, be it in the way warehouses inventory is tracked or how forklifts movements are monitored. IOT is allowing sites to raise the bar on performance to levels that were unattainable in the past, making sure they can compete in the global market.

The limited use of IOT at the loading dock

One area of the industry where IOT has been underutilized is the loading dock, where its use remains limited and opportunities for improvements are large. A warehouse loading dock serves as the main point of entrance or exit for products that are loaded or unloaded from vehicles, an activity strongly connected with a warehouse’s bottom line and profitability. A lack of data around such time-consuming and essential loading dock activities and operations makes it difficult to manage the loading dock area and often signifies recurrent delays and significant monetary losses for a warehouse. It is vital that any business now consider IOT as part of their loading dock strategy and set effective KPIs to optimize performance to enable a business to stay ahead of the competition.

Simple 5-step guide on how to use IOT to set measurable efficiency goals for your loading docks

In the following section, we will show you how to use IOT to set measurable efficiency goals for your loading docks in 5 simple steps.

To access the complete guide, click  here.

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Maximizing Loading Dock Capacity and the Benefits that Follow

Pressure to Increase Throughput

Manufacturing, warehousing, and distribution facilities around the world are faced with the constant pressure to increase production and throughput to meet consumers growing demand for goods. Some facilities do this in a variety of ways such as introducing automated equipment into their manufacturing processes to reduce the amount of time to produce goods. Others redesign the layout of their working environments to optimize space and some even consider adding on to their existing buildings to accommodate the manufacturing or storage of additional goods. These are all viable solutions, but they are costly.

The Loading Dock is a Valuable Asset

The loading dock is an environment often overlooked when operation mangers are tasked with increasing throughput. Loading docks are a key part of the supply chain and are a valuable asset and should be seen as one. Loading docks are what make a site continue to operate day after day, receiving and shipping goods – impacting profits.

An inefficient loading dock impacts the amount of goods able to be received or shipped out of a facility, resulting in low facility throughput. Optimizing efficiencies in this environment will allow for increased throughput and maximized loading dock capacity.

 Benefits of Maximized Capacity at the Loading Dock

Ensuring your loading docks are operating at maximum capacity will not only increase your facilities throughput but also provide several other benefits to your site such as performance optimization, increased understanding, safe working practices, and reduced costs.

Performance Optimization

Ensuring your facility is operating at maximized capacity ensures that site performance is optimized. Through the identification of inefficiencies and bottlenecks  affecting your loading docks, the necessary changes can be made to optimize performance. Some examples of this include utilizing all your loading docks instead  of only a select few and giving dock schedulers full visibility of which loading docks are in use or available – minimizing the risk of incorrect dock assignment.

Increased Understanding

An increased understanding of your loading dock capacity will allow for any results from changes made in dock operations to be tracked. In addition, planning dock activities will become easier as you will now be aware of your limits. Increased understanding of your loading dock will also make the facility aware if they  do truly need to invest funds to expand their facility, add additional loading docks, or introduce automated technologies in other areas of the plant.

Safe Working Practices

To ensure your facility maximizes their loading dock capacity, it is critical the docks are operating in a safe manner. In the US, more than 25% of all industrial  accidents occur at the loading dock while resulting in 270,000 injuries and 819 deaths. Additionally, for every accident there are about 600 near misses  (EHSToday). A safe loading dock environment increases efficiencies as it reduces the risk of downtime resulting from injury or a near miss.

Reduced Cost

It is simple, not operating at maximum capacity is costly, extremely costly. Accidents coupled with inefficiencies and avoidable fines cost the US warehouse   industry well over $80 billion per year. Detention fees, lack of data, poor dock utilization and manual data entry are serious problems that are affecting facilities.    These issues often make it difficult to plan dock activities, hamper site performance, decrease load capacity and result in inaccurate data and high costs.

It is important to understand, measure and operate at your facility’s maximum capacity. Doing this will result in reduce costs, saving you millions of dollars  annually and increasing profits.

 A Solution to Maximize Loading Dock Capacity

Maximizing the capacity of the loading dock environment could be the key to success your facility is missing.  Fortunately, Kirk Key Interlock Company provides a solution that allows for facilities to achieve this.

Salvo InSite is a digital add on to Kirk’s existing Salvo Loading Dock Safety System. The digital platform provides real time dock status, performance analytics, and traceability reports through a web-based software application.

With Salvo InSite, facilities can optimize performance by identifying inefficiencies and bottlenecks in loading dock operations through automatic data capture and visualization – allowing loading dock capacity to be monitored 24/7. Results can be tracked by gaining a greater understanding of how operational changes are affecting loading dock performance through dashboards, historical reports and live KPI’s. With Salvo InSite, safety at the dock can be managed through site usage reports, ensuring that the loading dock safety system is being used correctly. The digital solution also reduces the costs and effort associated with manual data entry, analysis, detention fees and claims, through automatic data capture and historic traceability capabilities.

With Kirk’s Salvo Logistic Solutions facilities can make informed decisions to maximize performance, load capacity, and throughput at their facility while keeping personnel safe.

For more information about Salvo Logistic Solutions, click here.

We’ve created a simple how-to guide on how to set efficiency goals at your loading dock through 5 simple steps. You can read the how-to-guide here.

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Kirk to Exhibit at ProMatDX

Join Kirk at ProMatDX April 12^th – 16^th.

ProMatDX is a digital exhibition designed to power up manufacturing and supply chain professionals with critical access to the latest solutions and technologies that will take your supply chain to the next level of success.

The event will showcase new innovations through sponsored showcase pages and product demos featuring new technologies. Attendees will have the opportunity to attend sponsored product demos, keynote speaker sessions, seminars, and a variety of educational sessions.

Kirk Key Interlock is exhibiting at the event and will be holding a product demonstration of our new Salvo InSite platform that attendees can sign up for.

Salvo InSite is a digital add on to our existing Salvo Loading Dock System, that provides real time dock status, performance analytics, and traceability reports through a web-based software application.

Click here to register for FREE and sign up to attend our product demo taking place on April 13^th at 10:30 am CT.