The Revolution Blog

Injuries Chicken Out After Hamilton Switcheroo

When severe back strains and shoulder injuries plagued workers at a frozen food plant, safety manager Ed Coleman prescribed a hefty dose of Hamilton.

“We had people suffering the kinds of injuries that can ruin careers,” said Coleman. “You could look at someone trying to move 1,150-lb. racks of fried chicken and know the body isn’t supposed to bend that way.”

At first, he and his team tried cart caddies, but those failed in the tight spaces inside the plant. That’s when they sought out new casters and wheels.

Pit Hamilton Against the Competition

“We tried half a dozen different casters and wheels. Hamilton’s Polylast™ wheels outperformed them all,” he said. “They only took 10 lbs. of force to move our enormous racks. And our guys could do it standing up without contortionist moves.”

To solve the ergonomic woes for one of the largest food manufacturers in America, Hamilton’s Marty Wilson flew to Arkansas.

“You never want to see people hurt,” said Wilson. “At that point, it’s more just about finding a caster. It’s about putting people back to work.”

Workplace Injuries Plummet by 100%

Since switching to Hamilton 7 years ago, musculoskeletal injuries decreased by 100% at the factory. And for some employees with non-work-related injuries, Hamilton prescribed specialized wheels that required even less force to move.

When news of the plant’s success spread, industries of all stripes came calling.

“We had other food manufacturers and all sorts of industries – even hospitals – call us,” said Coleman. “They had similar problems, and we had the answer. Hamilton.”

Sorry, chiropractors.

Do you know a manufacturer that needs a Hamilton ergonomic intervention? Call Marty Wilson at 888.435.1489.

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Custom All Stainless Steel Caster Rolls in Line

What began as a simple wheel order spawned into a new Hamilton innovation when our engineering manager, Jeff Spektor, realized a fresh design could save a major aerospace supplier big bucks – and headaches.

“When I saw what the customer needed, I knew a standard wheel wouldn’t work,” he said. “So we came up with a unique design that exceeded the customer’s expectations – an all-stainless steel caster with inline wheels.”

Building a Caster to Biohazard Standards

Several factors made this job unique, especially the federal regulations for the room where our casters are used. Everything inside the clean-room environment, including our casters, must adhere to strict standards so nothing damages the sensitive (and top-secret) equipment being tested.

That’s why we chose an ultra durable, high-grade stainless steel (316L) that has superior corrosion and pitting resistance, and performs extremely well under continuous use. 316L contains less carbon than industry-standard 303 or 304 stainless steel and we avoid contamination during the welding process.

Inline Wheels Stay on Track

Unlike a dual-wheel caster that features wheels side by side, this caster, rated up to 15,500 lbs., runs with back-to-back wheels that support each other. It rolls on rails that presented a special set of challenges that we overcame.

For example, when the first wheel goes over a small hump on the tracks, the back wheel stays on the ground to keep the load completely flat. See the illustration below to better understand how they work:

Learn More About Hamilton’s Custom Engineered Capabilities

Whether you need a custom caster for a unique application, or something more standard, Hamilton can solve any material-handling problem. Let’s talk. Call or email Jim Lippert, vice president of sales, 1-800-733-7655.

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FBI and NYPD Take Flight with Hamilton

We told you how Hamilton moves airplanes. Now we’re flapping our caster wings to help haul helicopters for the U.S Border Patrol, FBI, NYPD and more.

Riding on Hamilton casters, Main Line Helicopter dollies allow a single person to move a 15,000-lb. chopper from a hanger to a landing pad – a must for emergency personnel who need to go airborne in a hurry.







For example, before Border Patrol agents begin a reconnaissance mission, they roll out a McDonnell Douglas MD 600 N helicopter on Hamilton-powered skids, called Helicopter Handlers.







“We wouldn’t use anything but Hamilton casters on Helicopter Handlers,” said Jacques Guequierre, president of Main Line Helicopter, whose company has used our running gear exclusively for more than 40 years.

Dozens of Agencies Spanning the Globe

Law enforcement and government agencies in the United States, Canada, Taiwan, Mexico, Scotland and the United Arab Emirates take flight with Main Line Helicopter and Hamilton. Here are just a few:

  • U.S. Customs
  • Royal Canadian Mounted Police
  • Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA)
  • U.S Army
  • The National Guard
  • U.S Park Police
  • Los Angeles Fire Department
  • State police and sheriff’s aviation divisions across the United States
See the full list. Special thanks to Jacques Guequierre for sharing his story with us.

Share Your Story. Be Featured on our Blog.

Do you have a memorable Hamilton sale or application story you’d like to share with us? We'd love to hear from you. Email Mark Lippert, Hamilton’s vice president of marketing.

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