Summary (by Ron Rowe)

Now celebrating over thirty years in the mattress industry, Imperial Bedding Company has always been at the forefront of new technology by utilizing the most modern quilting, flanging and pillow-top techniques, as well as automated tape edge, conveyors and automatic packaging. All of this technology worked quite well until the finished product hit the shipping area. We moved the product from the wrapper onto the skids from which the bedding was later loaded onto our trucks. This process usually involved moving each piece two or three times by hand before finally stacking it in the trailer.

With the S-Five System coupled with the Adjustoveyor, we can load two trailers at a time by simply building the items in the proper loading sequence. This process has virtually eliminated over 90% of our shipping department lifting. Since we installed the system, models have continued to be added to our product offerings, but our system handles them routinely.

Management can ask a person to give all he or she has once in awhile and people normally respond. But to push them beyond physical limits for four to six hours per day is just too much to expect. The system allowed Imperial to keep the shipping department people in place in this important function for creating superior customer satisfaction through on-time deliveries and lack of damage to product or packaging.

The mattress industry, with its new super plush, super thick and extremely heavy mattresses, is definitely at a crossroads. The industry can evaluate and install this kind of technology to allow sound ergonomics in the workplace or it can face OSHA, NIOSH and Workmen's Compensation issues on a continuing basis. Imperial has been fortunate to partner with a materials handling specialist, Stewart Glapat Corporation, in blazing the path for the new millennium.

S-Five Adjustoveyor Loading System for 2000 and Beyond!

STEWART GLAPAT Corp.

William T. Stewart, Ph.D., P.E.
P.O. Box 3030 · 1639 Moxahala Avenue · Zanesville, OH 43702-3030
Phone: 740/452-3601 · Fax: 740/452-9140 www.adjustoveyor.com · e-mail: sglapat@ee.net

Imperial Bedding

Ron Rowe
720 11th Street
Huntington, West Virginia 25703
Phone: 304/529-3321 · Fax: 304/525-5317 www.imperialbedding.com