CALGARY, AB, CANADA- Gienow, the Calgary, Alberta-based window and door manufacturing company, recently implemented the Demountable Truck Body System by Demountable Concepts, Inc. to accelerate its loading processes enough to eliminate a second shift for a significant reduction in operating costs.

Even though the majority of Gienow's deliveries are made by tractor-trailer, as other trailers are loaded at the plant throughout the day, a second shift was needed to load merchandise for smaller, more localized deliveries requiring the scale and maneuverability of straight-trucks. The issue driving the need for a second shift was that workers had to wait for the fixed-body straight-trucks to return at day's end before they could load them. A secondary concern was that windows and doors often had to be staged on the dock and loaded later in the day, which resulted in lost time due to double handling, a loss of valuable floor space and an increased risk of product damage. 

To rectify these issues, Gienow implemented the Demountable Truck Body System which enables straight-trucks to load and deliver to simultaneously, mirroring the company's tractor-trailer operation. The system consists of two basic components which can be added to new or existing vehicles: a chassis lift that's integrated into the truck's frame to make swapping, or mounting and demounting bodies possible; and retractable legs built into each body's base frame so they can stand on their own and be loaded independent of the truck.  

Now at Gienow's plant, workers load merchandise into free-standing straight-truck bodies during regular business hours while drivers operating straight-trucks make deliveries with bodies that were loaded the previous day. Operating two bodies for each truck saved the company a considerable amount of money by making it possible to discontinue the second shift. And, loading throughput increased because workers can load throughout the day instead of waiting for the trucks to return.

The Demountable System also elevated Gienow's customer service and scheduling flexibility. Since demountable bodies are pre-loaded when drivers arrive at the facility each morning, trucks depart earlier and customers receive their merchandise sooner, which creates additional time during the workday for installing or reselling windows and doors. Scheduling has become more flexible, making it's easier to accommodate occasional rush deliveries and expedite merchandise exchanges. Loading product directly into bodies, instead of staging, has greatly reduced double-handling, opened up space on the dock floor and reduced the probability of product damage.

Jean Cloutier, transportation manager at Gienow Windows and Doors describes the transformation's success by saying, "The Demountable System has allowed us to really tighten up overall operations and reduce time spent loading. In a soft economy, we've found ourselves relying on our straight-trucks more often, and now we have a system that allows those units to be more flexible."

Demountable Concepts, Inc., established in 1989, is North America's premier manufacturer and supplier of the Demountable Truck Body System and the Warehouse on Wheels Portable Distribution System. Both Demountable Systems are available through most truck leasing companies and dealerships and the company has a network of North American installation and service centers. Demountable Concepts doesn't manufacture truck bodies, but supplies body-builders with the components necessary to make bodies interchangeable. 

Find out more about the Demountable Truck Body System and the companies that benefit from it by visiting http://www.demount.com, or by contacting Demountable Concepts, Inc. directly via phone at (800) 254-3643 or by email at sales@demount.com.

Demountable Concepts offers a complementary savings analysis to interested companies.