Year End Savings

Ready or not, the holidays are upon us and the year is drawing to a close. What better way to end the year than with some clearance sales?

Production Automation is offering clearance items and specials to our customers until December 31st on some of our most popular lines of products.

By clicking any of the ads below, you can easily shop online at our website www.gotopac.com

If you need advice, have questions, or want more information on any of our products you can contact us by phone at 888.903.0333 or by email at info@gotopac.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alessco Soft Flooring

The latest addition to our anti-fatigue section is a company called Alessco.

Alessco manufactures durable, waterproof anti-fatigue matting for retail or residential use. The SoftFloors and SoftWoods lines of products are both easily installed and germ resistant. Cleaned with a damp cloth or mop these flooring solutions will not harden or crack, and since they come in 2′ x 2′ squares, if one does get damaged it is simply replaced without disturbing the rest of the floor.

 

 

 

 

The SoftFloors line comes in 14 different colors to match any decor. SoftFloors is sold on our website in solid colors ranging from covering a four foot square area all the way to 1700 square feet. If you are interested in checkered pattern or a multi-color option please contact us directly at 888.903.0333 or email at info@gotopac.com, as those options are not on our website.

Alessco’s SoftWoods are also available for purchase on our website with the options of Light or Dark Oak.  SoftWoods are made of the same durable material the SoftFloors is but printed with a beautiful wood grain. Perfect for a more professional look in a retail setting or a classic look in your home. Other wood grains are available such as Cherry, Walnut, or Red Oak.

Please contact us directly for pricing of wood styles not featured on our website.

Ergos ErgoMates Benefit Employees and Employers

ErgoMates Mobile Anti-Fatigue Matting You Wear!

Each year hundreds of new products geared to the working population are brought to market. The majority of these products, however, rarely have a significant personal impact on the user. Many are designed to serve the employer’s  needs, and others only partially meet the user’s expectations. ErgoMates, an innovative mobile anti-fatigue matting system, have been designed to save employers money and drastically improve the health, safety, and comfort of employees.

The Problem: Pain, Fatigue, and Injury

The average person takes 8,000 steps per day, but for workers in industries like manufacturing, health care, and retail, that number is much higher. Studies have shown that up to half of the manufacturing and service industry workforce spends four or more hours a day standing or walking.

There are many health risks associated with extended periods of standing and walking on the job, such as:

Musculoskeletal Injuries: Injuries or disorders of the muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, joints, or bones caused by prolonged or sustained repetitive motions, awkward postures, forceful exertions, and/or limitations in motion or action. These injuries can range in severity from mild periodic symptoms to chronic and debilitating conditions.

Repetitive Strain Injuries: Injuries that affect the muscles, tendons, and nerves, and are caused by overuse, repetition, and awkward or static postures. Primary factors include ergonomically unsound workstations, prolonged periods of work with out adequate breaks, and sustained overuse from too much repetitive movement.

Impact Shock: The repetitive striking of the heel against the floor sends shock waves equal to two times a person’s body weight upward through the body, affecting the feet, knees, hips, and lower back. Impact shock can cause long-term damage and pain which may limit activity and, in some cases, require joint replacement.

Pain and Fatigue: Being the farthest from the heart, the feet generally have poorer circulation. Blood can pool in the feet, causing leg muscles to constrict and fluid to trap. At the end of the day, muscles are tired from holding a standing position, and feet and ankles are often swollen.

Slips and Falls: Slips and falls are the second leading cause of injury in the workplace. Hazards include worn or wet flooring, soles that are worn out, and items placed where they may be tripped over.

The Implication: Effect on Business

Employees who are tired, injured, or in pain can become a liability in the workplace in a number of ways:

• Diminished mental acuity, dexterity, and physical agility, causing workers to make costly mistakes
• Decreased attention to detail resulting in reduced productivity and quality of work
• Increased incidence of injury
• Increased absenteeism (sick days, time off for medical appointments or treatments, long and/or short term disability, or simply not showing up for work)
• Decreased employee morale

All of these issues have significant consequences to the employer, costing them additional profit and the competitive edge. A company’s image is negatively affected when their employees are frequently injured and in pain. Productivity is decreased when an employee is absent from work, and the company may have to pay replacement workers. Mistakes, poor quality work, and low productivity resulting from diminished mental acuity and physical stamina cost the company money in paying to have the work redone. When employees injure themselves and others, the company absorbs the cost of health care and worker compensation claims, as well as the cost of hiring and training replacement workers. Employees who experience pain and injury want to leave the workforce sooner, an issue that is especially serious in light of the critical skilled worker labor shortage anticipated in the near future as the boomers retire.

The Traditional Solution: Ergonomic Intervention

Ergonomics is defined as “the science of designing the workplace and the job to fit the worker…to ensure employees are not injured or made unusually uncomfortable when working”. Implementing ergonomic innovations in the workplace can help reduce injuries, compensation claims, absenteeism, and increase productivity and employee morale. Ergonomic intervention is a powerful incentive to keep valuable employees in the workforce longer. These strategies provide a competitive advantage and are an exceptional return on investment.

Redesigning the workplace

Workers should change position as often as possible to avoid fatigue and injury. Options for a standing mobile workforce could include a combination of standing and sitting, or standing and walking. Using a foot bar or foot rest also helps alleviate pressure on the legs and lower back.

Footwear

The feet act as the body’s foundation, stabilizing and maintaining balance while walking or standing. Footwear must be chosen carefully and provide proper comfort, cushioning, support, stability, traction, slip-resistance, and shock & vibration absorption. Footwear should be replaced as soon as the support and structure break down or they begin to wear on pressure points (usually 6-12 months).

Insoles

Insoles can help make footwear more comfortable by restoring structure and support, reducing impact shock and vibration, and increasing cushion. Insoles and orthotics should be chosen carefully with the assistance of a trained professional as some inserts can reduce or eliminate the effectiveness of safety footwear.

Anti-fatigue matting

A study conducted at the University of Pittsburgh concluded that anti-fatigue matting can reduce fatigue by as much as 50%. The mats are made of various materials including rubber, vinyl, or carpeting. They have found to successfully alleviate pressure, stimulate blood circulation, decrease impact shock, and dramatically reduce stress to the lower back, leg joints, and major muscle groups.

Limitations of the traditional solutions

While these ergonomic interventions are helpful, none of them offer a complete solution to the problems facing the standing and mobile worker.

• A combination of standing, sitting, and/or walking, or the use of a footrest, is not possible in every work environment.
• Most footwear is chosen on the basis of fashion instead of function, and often fit improperly. Insoles can help increase the comfort of footwear, but are usually made of large-cell foam which deteriorates quickly with heat and moisture from the body. Insoles can reduce or eliminate the effectiveness of the safety toe cap on safety footwear, and provide limited relief from shock, vibration, and fatigue due to thickness restrictions.
• The effectiveness of anti-fatigue is limited in workplaces where employees do a lot of walking. Unless the entire floor is covered with matting, workers are exposed to walking and standing on hard surfaces. However, it is incredibly expensive and impractical to cover the entire floor with matting. Only small portions of the mats are used at one time, and moving equipment cannot maneuver over or around them. The mat edges pose a trip hazard for mobile workers, and their weight and bulk make them difficult to clean.

The comfortable solution: ErgoMates

ErgoMatesprovide a comfortable solution to the problems of pain, fatigue, and injury in the workplace. The same factors that motivate companies to purchase anti-fatigue matting apply to ErgoMates as well. with the added benefit of mobility and slip-resistance. ErgoMates can be used on their own or as a complement to an existing anti-fatigue matting system. They are recommended for use in workplaces where employees are mobile  or where traditional mats are ineffective or inefficient due to moving equipment, space constraints, or sheer size. ErgoMates are the only product to exceed employer and employee expectations for comfort and safety.

How ErgoMates work

ErgoMates have a U.S. patent as the world’s first and only mobile anti-fatigue matting system. By strapping ErgoMates onto existing footwear, employees take the mat with them. When work is finished, ErgoMates is simply removed and stored for their next use. ErgoMatesare not replacement to existing footwear, but have been designed to prolong the life of shoes and boots while maintaining all CSA safety warranties.

ErgoMates‘ innovative 2-ply sole successfully reduces fatigue by as much as 50%. Wearing ErgoMateswhile standing or walking causes muscles to expand and contract, which increases blood flow and dramatically reduces fatigue. The cushioned outsole absorbs impact shock and vibration, and insulates the feet from cold shop floors.

ErgoMatesalso reduce slips and falls. Precision Testing Laboratory, and independent testing lab in Nashville, found ErgoMatesto be significantly more slip-resistant then most slip-resistant footwear. ErgoMates unique strapping system makes the product “one” with the shoe or boot. When the correct size is worn, there is no additional risk of slipping, tripping, or falling.

Return on investment

There is neither an insole nor outsole on the market than can duplicate ErgoMates‘ ability to reduce pain, fatigue, and impact shock. Employees who use ErgoMates enjoy greater vitality, mental acuity, dexterity, physical agility, and job satisfaction. As a result, employers benefit from increased productivity and quality of work, decreased absenteeism, compensation claims, and incident of costly mistakes. ErgoMates give companies the competitive advantage and provide a strategy for maintaining valuable workers.

ErgoMates are cost effective for an employer to supply or an employee to purchase. Each pair has an average lifespan of three to nine months, depending on the weight and usage of the person wearing them. For a cost that varies between 3 and 10 cents per hour, employees gain energy and vitality, and employers gain additional profit.

A recent U.S. study found that common pain conditions (back pain, arthritis, and musculoskeletal disorders) among active workers cost approximately $61.2 billion per year in lost productivity. Those suffering from back and musculoskeletal pain lose an average of 5.5 hours per week in productive time. For a worker in the manufacturing industry, whose average wage is $28/hour, the cost of lost productivity to the employer is $8000 per year (based on a 40 hour work week). At $0.03/hour ($62/year), ErgoMates provide a 129:1 return on investment (or 38:1 based on $0.10/hour). The cost of ignoring the issues of pain and fatigue in the workplace is far greater than the cost of a proactive approach.

Where ErgoMates are used

Industries that use ErgoMates include postal service, assembly lines, manufacturing plants, machine shops, retail, health care, and food processing. ErgoMates are so effective that six of the top ten Fortune 100 companies have purchased them for their employees, giving them the competitive advantage. Companies that use ErgoMates include Boeing, Lockheed Martin, USPS, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, U.S. Army, Toyota, General Motors, Ford, General Electric, Exxon, Chevron, Delta Faucet, La-Z-Boy, and Hallmark Cards.

Availability

ErgoMatesare available in 5 sizes for men and women. They easily strap on to any street or safety footwear, and can be washed in the washing machine or dishwasher and air-dried. ErgoMates are available in standard and ESD safe models. ErgoMates can be purchased online at Production Automation.

Ergonomics for the Standing Worker

By Lisa O’Dell, VP of Marketing at Wearwell

The word “ergonomics” is defined as “the natural laws of work”. Optimal performance, which many of us define as productivity, is the ultimate goal of ergonomic design. It’s therefore reasonable to expect that the implementation of ergonomic concepts offers tremendous value to any company, and can be realized with the creation of comfortable, healthy, and safe work environments. Providing anti-fatigue  matting for standing workers is an excellent example of ergonomic design.

Past research has been shown that long-term standing on hard surfaces negatively effects workers’ productivity and health. On a simplistic level everyone knows that it’s uncomfortable. On a more complex level, standing on hard surfaces is uncomfortable because leg muscles become static, continuously flexed in an attempt to keep your body in an upright position. In the short term, this reduces the natural flow of oxygen and blood back to your heart causing fatigue and blood pooling in your lower extremities. In the long term, it will take a toll on your body in the form of varicose veins, low back pain, leg pain, and fallen arches, just to name a few of the most common ailments. The most functional, comfortable and effective solution for eliminating standing workers aches and pains is the use of well-designed anti-fatigue matting. These ergonomic products can play a huge part in injury prevention, the reduction of standing worker fatigue, and increased productivity.

Anti-fatigue mats work by encouraging subtle movements of leg and calf muscles. As the muscles contract and relax they pump blood back to the heart and eliminate blood pooling in the lower extremities which often occurs if a worker’s muscles are totally static.

Once anti-fatigue mats are installed, it is very common to hear stories about how they dramatically help a particular employee. For example, a Rolls Royce assembly plant purchased anti-fatigue matting for several operations including welding stations. One of their employees, a 39 year old welder, suffered from Plantar Fasciitis, which is an inflammation of the connective tissue on the bottom of the foot. This is a very painful condition often caused by prolonged standing. Rolls Royce tried several remedies including gel insoles, which were found to be a nuisance and not very effective. After standing on Wearwell® WeldSafe® Anti-fatigue matting for several weeks, the production manager said that the welder was much more comfortable and had in fact stated that his work conditions are 90% improved.

Not all companies have such dramatic results, but virtually all would tell you that anti-fatigue mats make a very positive impact on their employees’ morale and performance. To insure that the overall experience with matting is good, it’s imp0rtant to:

1. Understand that you will probably not be able to please very employee because everyone enjoys a different level of comfort, and
2. Select products that optimize performance.

Here are some classic examples:

• If you have an area where carts are pushed from workstation to workstation, it is best to find a product that will withstand cart traffic (ErgoDeck)
• If you have over-spray buy a mat that has an abrasive coating on the surface to provide necessary traction (Diamond-Plate with GritWorks!)
• Buy wet area matting for wet areas and dry mats for dry areas (24/Seven for wet areas and Diamond-Plate for dry areas)
• If you frequently reconfigure workstations or have very large areas to cover, look at the modular on the market (ErgoDeck)
• IF you use caustic chemicals in your facility, test the mat yourself to make sure it will withstand the rigors of your environment (24/Seven CFR)
• If you have employees that require an extra level of comfort, look for the greater compression deflection test results or the lower durometer (UltraSoft Diamond-Plate)

Perhaps most importantly, always purchase anti-fatigue mats that adapt the work environment to the needs of the worker. This will ensure optimal performance and that is truly ergonomics at work.

You can find all of the Wearwell matting options at Production Automation’s website (www.gotopac.com) and for a limited time, all Wearwell mats ship free! If you have questions or need help deciding which mat is right for your environment, feel free to call us at 888-903-0333 Monday through Friday, or Email us at info@gotopac.com. We would be more than happy to help you decide what would work best for you!

Custom Image Logo Mats from Crown

Don’t buy “just a mat”, buy a functional marketing tool!

Give your work or retail space a professional look with image mats, Crown offers a wide variety of matting styles to accommodate any type of environment, from the outdoors to retail, clinics to restaurants. Mats can be an effective marketing tool, besides being a functional necessity, they are one of the first things people see when entering a building, so why not utilize that to promote brand recognition?
Making your mats promote your brand all day every day!

Any Logo. Any Mat. Many Sizes. No Minimum Order.

Send us your Artwork today!

Each of the Crown Image Mats fall into one of four categories:

1. High Traffic Indoor

2. High Traffic Outdoor

3. High Traffic Indoor/Outdoor

4. Medium to Low Traffic Indoor

Once you have decided where your mat will be located, it’s time to choose the material your mat will be made of.

1. High Traffic Indoor Mat Options:

Opti-Tuft II

Solution-dyed nylon mats resist
crushing, traps dirt effectively and
extends performance life. Choose up to 6 colors(including background) from 32 palette colors.
Cleated rubber back.

 

Commercial Inlay

Style A – Both base and inlay are the
same material

Style B – Base is Needle Punch material
and inlay is a nylon cut pile carpet to
create your logo. Choose up to 3 Inlay colors.

Jet Print

Choose up to 8 colors, including the background color. 28 standard colors are available.

Jet Print mats come standard with cleated rubber backing.

 

2. High Traffic Outdoor Mat Options:

Deluxe Vinyl Loop

100% PVC vinyl 3/8” thick with
backing. UV protected – 2-year warranty
Use up to 20 colors including
background on a single mat. Also Available unbacked, by request.

 

3. High Traffic Indoor/Outdoor Mat Options:

Vinyl Insert Finger-Tip

A solid vinyl mold of your artwork is inserted and permanently bonded to a vinyl “finger-tip” style mat, making it long lasting and extremely durable. Cleated rubber backing is standard.

 

Super Soaker Inlay

Fabric dries quickly, resists
fading, deterioration and is
crush resistant. Nitrile rubber borders and
cleated back standard. Fabric borders available upon request. 10 stock colors available.

 

Vinyl Links

Choose up to 12 colors, including the background color. Mosaic style lettering, Beveled edges are standard.
Great for Schools or Government Buildings!

 

 

4. Medium to Low Traffic Indoor Mat Options:

Flocked

Single-color flock process can be
applied on a mat size up to 6’ x 20’
Minimum order 1 mat
25 stock flock colors available
Art setup charge

 

Embossed

100% chemically blown, closed-cell PVC sponge
Style 1- Permanently embossed into the vinyl surface using NO COLOR
Style 2- Embossed impression can have up to 3 colors applied to create the image

 

 

Now that you have decided on the style of mat that would work best for you, Email Production Automation your artwork (send to info@gotopac.com) and your mat type and we will get a hold of you to work on quoting your order right away. Many factors are considered when quoting an order; size, colors, mat type, artwork set-up fees (not always necessary), and number of mats.

Once Crown has an order, they make a rendered drawing of your artwork and layout to be signed off on. Crown WILL NOT begin printing an order without signed and approved artwork.

To read up on ordering details and requirements you can visit our website here: CROWN CUSTOM IMAGE MATS

And of course you can always contact Production Automation directly with any questions you may have.

By Email 24 hours a day: info@gotopac.com

By Phone: 888.903.0333 Mon-Fri during regular business hours

Through our Blog: Follow the “Request Quote” link on the right hand side of our blog.

Anti-Fatigue Mats – Crown Mats & Matting

Your First Step to Performance Driven Solutions
For more than 60 years, Crown Mats has been a pioneer of matting, beginning with the invention of walk-off matting by their founder, R.P. Johnson. They have the most diverse matting product line offered in the industry. They work through a network of highly-trained sales representatives that are ready to help you find the right mat for your application needs, and Production Automation is happy to be joining their team.

Through our partnership with Crown we will be offering the following new matting selections:

Industrial and Food Service Mats
These mats are designed for optimum performance for industrial applications where exposure to grease, oils and fluids is constant. Oily area mats are rated based on the resistance to common fluids and oils used in industrial and food service environments.

General Purpose 645 Grease Resistant 646

Scraper Mats
Scraper mats are used for either outdoor or indoor entrances and aggressively scrape dirt, debris and snow from shoes. Debris is trapped beneath the surface of the mat. Studies show that 70 – 80% of the dirt and debris in a facility comes through the front door. When used in conjunction with a Crown Wiper Mat or a Wiper/Scraper Mat, the Scraper Mat helps stop dirt at the door. Check the products below for the best scraper mat.

Finger-Tip 105 Commercial Clean Machine 110 Diamond-Deluxe Duet 125

Wiper/Scraper Mats
Wiper/Scraper mats are designed to clean shoes and absorb moisture. They work best when used following a Scraper Mat or in conjunction with a Crown Wiper Mat. When used alone, Wiper/Scraper Mats need to be greater in length to be completely effective. We have a vast variety of styles and colors in Wiper/Scraper Mats. Check below to find the perfect mat for your entrance.

Tire-Track 225 Chevron 230 Needle-Rib 235 Super-Soaker Diamond 261 Super-Soaker 250

Wiper Mats
Wiper Mats are the best way to remove dust and moisture from shoes. They should be used in combination with a Crown Wiper/Scraper Mat, otherwise dirt and debris can collect on top of the mat. Choose from the carpet-top mats below to find the proper Wiper Mat for your heavy, medium or light traffic settings.

Grounds-Keeper 300 Rug-Hugger II 305 Wonder-Pro 310

For more information and purchasing details on these and other mats, please visit our Anti-Fatigue Mats section, browse by Anti-Fatigue Mat Application, or browse by Anti-Fatigue Mat Type.