Case Study | PPE Vending
PPE Vending Machines Save Aluminum Company $500K Per Year
Our client, an extruded aluminum and renewable energy company operating one of the largest facilities of its kind in the world had a critical need for personal protective equipment.
Over the past 3+ years, Stauffer Safety has implemented a PPE vending machine program with the client, delivering over $500K in savings per year across 8 extrusion sites. The success of the program at their largest US location in Pennsylvania successfully demonstrated the value of PPE vending.
Challenge Summary:
Disorganized PPE Distribution Weakens Productivity and Safety
The facility in Pennsylvania was storing all PPE in a central storeroom, disconnected from the rest of the plant. Managers traveled at least 15 minutes to the storeroom each shift to gather bulk PPE supplies for their teams, then 15 minutes back to their area to distribute it.
Many of these managers were not safety experts, yet served as gatekeepers for safety equipment, responsible for ensuring that everyone used the right PPE for their job for the right duration of time.
The situation often turned into a free-for-all, with employees grabbing the PPE they wanted with no record of which employee used which PPE in which location. There was no system of accountability, an immeasurable amount of waste, and higher safety risks for employees who may not have chosen the right PPE on their own.Â
Stauffer’s Approach:
PPE Vending Machines Offer Higher Safety, Less Waste
The client partnered with our Stauffer team to assess their facility’s specific equipment, service, and PPE needs based on historical volumes at each part of the facility.
Our recommended service program included details about how many PPE vending machines should be placed in which locations, which pieces of PPE each should carry, and how many weeks of inventory the client should have on hand to ensure a steady supply.
With the new vending machines, employees use their existing badges to access PPE. The machine vends only the correct PPE for that employee and maintains a record of who used which items and when. This information provides insights to help the client improve safety, reduce PPE waste, and better forecast inventory needs.
The Results:
Better Safety and Reduced Waste Saves Time & Money
- Pennsylvania Location Annual Savings on Overall PPE Purchases: $136K or 17%
- Annual Savings on Overall PPE Purchases Across 8 Facilities: $500K+ / year
- Productivity: No more long walks to the storeroom so managers have more time to focus on primary operational responsibilities.
- Accountability: The machine manages who has access to what through employee badges.
- Safety: Workers have the right equipment for their jobs according to fit and function, reducing the chance of injury.
Start Benefiting from PPE Vending Machines Today
With the right partner, you can transform your organization’s PPE strategy from reactive to proactive. Instead of trying to catch up with PPE demand, you can:
- accurately forecast so you always meet demand — without over-ordering;
- reduce waste by providing exactly as much PPE as your workers need — no more, no less;
- use digital inventory tracking to learn more about each area’s needs and identify areas that may be under- or over-served on PPE allotment;
- reorder/restock with hassle-free automatic replenishment.
Best of all, you can improve each facility’s safety record and ensure that your employees stay healthy and happy in their roles, creating a better workplace culture to attract and retain talented employees.
Contact Stauffer Glove & Safety and we’ll help guide you through optimizing your PPE management program. We have a team available to help with discovery, installation, implementation, and ongoing support.
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