Pallet handler improves ergonomics and saves time, money

Novus Arkansas in Little Rock prepares nutritional supplements for livestock feeds, which are packaged in 55-pound bags and stacked 40 bags to a pallet. But if a bag near the bottom of a pallet gets ripped, it can cause a ton of trouble. Workers then have to lift and transfer more than 2,000 pounds of product by hand from that pallet to another and replace the damaged bag.

Not anymore. To reduce time, expense and potential worker injury associated with this restacking procedure, Novus purchased a pallet rotator/inverter (Southworth). The equipment rotates a fully loaded pallet 180 degrees in about 1 minute. Now, employees can place a loaded pallet in the rotator/inverter, turn it over, replace damaged bags, and rotate the load back to its original position—all with the push of a button.

“The new inverter is significantly reducing the potential safety hazard and liability of back strain,” says plant manager John Farmer. “There is really no way to maintain good posture when you’re twisting and turning over and over again with a 55-pound bag in your hands every time.”