Manuverate Ergonomic Delivery System News Release
YORK, Pa (September 20, 2019) — Manuverate, LLC, presents its patented ergonomic delivery system which addresses the many challenges impacting direct to store and home delivery at the National Beer Wholesalers Association’s Annual Convention, September 23-25, 2019, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The Manuverate GEN III Keg Module is based on a Goods-To-Person methodology (GTP) which allows product to be loaded and unloaded at the optimal material handling position – near operator waist level. The Manuverate system’s proprietary multi-axis delivery mechanism utilizes a series of vertically moving shelves and horizontally driven belts to receive and present cases and kegs to the forward-most position of a side-load truck.
The ergonomic delivery system solves many of today’s delivery pain points – operator safety, operational costs for workers compensation, employee retention, increasing SKU management and overall route delivery efficiency — for beverage distributors and package delivery companies.
“With so many factors impacting distributors — growing SKU portfolios, rising delivery costs, CDL driver availability, pricing pressures, employee injuries and safety concerns and tighter delivery windows — our team designed an innovative, uncompromising solution that addresses the most critical industry challenges and needs,” said Michael Blouch, President, Manuverate, LLC. “It’s the newest technological innovation and solution that manages the ergonomics and economics for last mile delivery.”
In 2016 at NBWA’s Annual Convention in Chicago, Manuverate unveiled a proof-of-concept vehicle. This first-generation system focused on developing a new delivery vehicle design. Based on customer feedback and extensive field and laboratory testing, the company designed and developed a new solution that is compatible with existing fleets of side bay vehicles.
To further advance the new product development, Manuverate aligned with Roush Industries (Livonia, Michigan) to leverage the company’s unique ability to provide comprehensive design, engineering prototyping, testing and manufacturing expertise. The result is the creation of the GEN III Keg Module, a self-contained modular unit capable of being retrofitted into current side bay delivery trucks with no modifications.
“Roush has been very excited to align with Manuverate in providing support throughout the design and development of the Manuverate GEN III Keg Module,” said Roush Chief Commercial Officer Dean Massab. “This has been a very rewarding collaboration, as the team at Manuverate shares Roush’s think-outside-the-box mentality. They have created a truly unique, breakthrough product that will enable their customers – beverage companies, wholesalers and retail distributors – to more effectively manage costs and provide an innovative solution to their critical last mile delivery challenges.”
The materials, components and sub-assemblies of the GEN III Keg Module are rated for harsh, seasonal ambient environmental conditions in compliance with the Industry Standard IP67 rating. All the motors and electrical wiring are fully enclosed and protected within the module’s aluminum structural framework. The microprocessor controller and operator push button panel are designed to operate in a wide range of temperatures from -20º to 120º Fahrenheit.
“For the past year, our collaborative efforts with Roush focused on advancing the concept and performing rigorous testing of alternative materials and components throughout the development of the Manuverate GEN III Keg Module,” Blouch said. “Roush’s wealth of engineering acumen and automotive expertise advanced our thinking and catapulted our design, providing the most robust, reliable, durable and highest quality product designed for continuous use and easy maintenance.”
With Manuverate’s GTP delivery system, product is presented at the best ergonomic position for handling and distribution, minimizing the strain of lifting heavy and bulky items, reducing delivery driver fatigue and stress levels. “Our field observations, beverage industry experience, delivery cost analysis and understanding of the people who do the work drove our design thinking,” Blouch said. “The Manuverate system eliminates climbing, stretching or digging for the product, addressing most of the extremely risky physical demands, improving employee safety, minimizing operator injuries and reducing stop delivery times while improving employee and customer satisfaction.”
Kegs and cases are loaded in a route-stop sequence directly onto the Manuverate nestable shelves which improves product visibility, selectivity and protection. Upon delivery at the stop, shelves within the modules are lowered to the optimal ergonomic height for the operator, as bidirectional conveyor belts automatically index the product forward for easy access and unloading by the delivery operator. Order quantities can be sequentially staged for individual route stops enhancing efficiency, accuracy and inventory tracking, resulting in faster delivery times. “It is the sum of all the benefits that separate this breakthrough technology, making it a complete, easyto-implement solution,” Blouch said. “While past solutions may have addressed one or two of the critical business or operational factors, they did so at the expense of another. The Manuverate GEN III Keg Module establishes a nexus for last mile delivery to the customer.” The GEN III Keg Module is available for distributors to pre-order for delivery starting in 2Q of 2020. In addition to the Keg Module, Manuverate is finalizing the design and engineering of its new Keg Kart and the GEN III Case Module. For a demonstration of the module, visit Manuverate.
MANUVERATE, LLC
MANUVERATE, LLC Manuverate, LLC, is a design engineering company focused on developing custom material handling and transportation solutions impacting distribution and logistics. With the launch of the GEN III Keg Module, the company is finalizing designs for the case module and a family of modules for both kegs and a wide assortment of case goods that can be retrofitted to today’s delivery trucks. This breakthrough solution will be applied to a future purpose-built ergonomic delivery system vehicle currently in design.
ROUSH INDUSTRIES
Roush, a subsidiary of Roush Enterprises, Inc., is a full-service product development supplier headquartered in Livonia, Michigan. Since 1976, the company has grown to more than 4,000 employees in facilities located throughout North America, Europe and Asia. Named a Crain’s Detroit Fast 50 in 2018, Roush is widely recognized for engineering, testing, prototyping and manufacturing services to the mobility, aerospace, defense and theme park industries. Other corporate subsidiaries include Roush Performance, developer and manufacturer of performance vehicles and products for the automotive aftermarket; and Roush CleanTech, developer and manufacturer of alternative fuel systems for the fleet vehicle market. Visit www.roush.com.
PATENT INFORMATION
In 2013, Precision Distribution Consulting, Inc. received a utility patent for an Ergonomically Improved Delivery Vehicle and Method. Precision Distribution Consulting is an independent engineering and consulting firm specializing in creating tailored, engineered solutions to help companies maximize profits while minimizing distribution and material storage and handling costs. In 2017, PDC established Manuverate, LLC, as a stand-alone business entity. The Manuverate delivery system is now patent protected in the United States, Europe and Japan.