Mitsubishi Electric Power Products manufactures high-voltage circuit breakers for the utility industry at its facilities in Warrendale, PA, and stores parts in a new 40,000 sq ft warehouse facility about four miles from the manufacturing site.
"We have a lot of forklifts that are constantly going outside to bring things into the warehouse, and they bring in a lot of ordinary dirt, sand, and dust that the wheels pick up from the parking lot," says Rich Bender, Mitsubishi Electric Power's facilities superintendent. "This constant traffic presents a problem because these electronic parts are very sensitive to dirt and dust. However, if we control the storage environment from the beginning, the product going out the door will meet specifications."
Recently, the company purchased a new Advance Adgressor™ 3220 C rider scrubber to help keep the warehouse free from dirt and dust that could potentially contaminate the circuit breakers. As one of the newest rider scrubbers from Advance, the Adgressor rider scrubber has boosted cleaning productivity in the large warehouse -- in addition to winning the praise of its operator, according to Bender.
Product Trial Was Key
When the facility first opened, the company used a smaller Advance walk-behind scrubber, but found it was taking too many hours each day for one operator to complete the floor-cleaning routine. Mitsubishi Electric Power contacted the local Advance representative, Bortek Industries, for an evaluation. Jeff Mayer, Bortek's vp of Western Regional Sales, determined that the warehouse was too large to be efficiently cleaned each day with their existing walk-behind scrubber.
"While a walk-behind scrubber for this facility might have been adequate, Mitsubishi Electric Power's primary concern was time and efficiency," says Mayer. "We therefore recommended the Adgressor rider scrubber because we felt that, in the long run, the company would get better performance and save money through reduced labor."
The Adgressor rider scrubber's operator-friendly design includes a One Touch™ control panel for all scrub functions, a comfortable full-size operator compartment with clear sight lines, and an adjustable steering column that tilts upright for easy boarding. Standard safety features include a mechanical safety brake and parking brake, plus metal bumpers, a variable volume horn and backup alarm, and adjustable scrub deck side skirts to prevent splashing.
Mayer provided operator training and encouraged the company to use the Adgressor rider scrubber for a week on a trial basis to see if it would deliver better cleaning in less time.
"After the trial period, our warehouse supervisor recommended that we purchase the Adgressor rider scrubber and I agreed," says Bender. "We looked at the improved productivity and the value for the dollar. Naturally, you spend more for a riding scrubber than for the walk-behinds, but in addition to the productivity, it's also an employee fatigue and morale issue. If you've got somebody who has to walk for 6 hours every day behind a floor cleaner, they may not be a very happy camper. I've seen the difference and with a rider scrubber, a worker has the time to make sure the job looks perfect."
Because forklift traffic is constant and the need for cleaning is so critical, Bender says they operate the Adgressor rider scrubber for about two hours every day. With the better productivity, this frees up the machine operator to help with other duties, such as inventory control.
Keeping It Clean For Customers
Another big reason to keep the facility clean is for customers. "We get visits from customers just about every week and we really pride ourselves on cleanliness," says Bender. "Of course, Mitsubishi Electric Power Products is a U.S. subsidiary of a Japanese company, and the factories in Japan are traditionally kept spotlessly clean." The company maintains that same discipline at the warehouse in Warrendale as a way to foster high product quality, employee pride, and good customer relations.
The floors in the warehouse are clear-sealed concrete, and once they are cleaned properly, they are easy to maintain. The aisles between the storage shelves, averaging about 8 ft wide, can be cleaned in just three passes of the Adgressor rider scrubber 3220 C with its 32 in. cleaning path. The machine features cylindrical scrubbing brushes and 30 gal solution and wastewater tanks that help to maximize cleaning time and minimize disposal time. And, with only a 63 in. turning radius, the Adgressor rider scrubber can easily turn around within its own length in dead-end aisles. The company ordered the Adgressor rider scrubber with the optional vacuum wand attachment (shown here) to aid the operators in cleaning tough stains or dirt in tight corners.
Easy On The Environment
A key feature of the rider scrubber is its low use of water and detergents while still delivering superior cleaning -- an important benefit for Mitsubishi Electric Power, which has a policy of trying to reduce liquid waste disposal.
"We use a weaker detergent solution than normal," says Bender. "This is because we want to limit what we put into our sanitary system. Plus, we're very strict when it comes to environmental safety, and we even monitor the pH values of the wastewater. We do that in all of our buildings in the area even though they are in different sanitary districts," he says.
Bender says the Adgressor rider scrubber's simple operation is a plus.
"To me, it's a safe machine -- which is another thing that we looked at. We didn't want anybody to get hurt. All things considered, the Adgressor rider scrubber seems to be the best solution for our application," Bender concludes.
