industrial factory in mechanical engineering for the manufacture of transformers – interior of a production hall
Necta, the vending machine brand, has developed a simple and reliable solution to help companies improve their safety standards to meet the demands of the pandemic.
‘The idea is as simple as it is effective: to offer vending systems for the distribution of masks and other PPE equipment at strategic locations in the workplace’ Evoca UK sales director Craig Jukes said. “We’re offering four machines that are suitable for PPE distribution, they’re all easy to use and to maintain and they can all be customised to accommodate the specific dimensions of the package to be dispensed during the COVID-19 emergency.
“Having the Hi unit fitted to the machine with each employee having a unique key/card allows them to take their allocated PPE allowance. The back office software (Hi Suite) allows auditing of the machine via collection of the data via the mobile app (Hi Manager). Once the COVID-19 emergency ends, the machines can be converted to dispense a variety of PPE, equipment or consumables so companies can continue to monitor usage and avoid waste.”
Craig’s vision for the implementation of vending solutions for PPE goes beyond the workplace. He explains: “We have to anticipate what ‘the new normal’ will look like when the current restrictions on movement are relaxed and public spaces begin to re-open. The economy needs shopping centres, railway stations, airports and other busy locations to open as soon as it’s safe to do so, but the chances are that social distancing will become a part of life for the foreseeable future. I also think it’s odds-on that we’ll be required to wear protection such as masks and gloves when we enter enclosed public spaces. Management in these locations will need to come up with ways to make these products available to the public and vending machines are the perfect solution. They’re safe to use and they can be used whilst maintaining social distancing. What’s more, they are unattended – there’s no need for a member of staff to be present.
“In Melodia, Jazz, Tango and Orchestra, we have four excellent machines that can dispense PPE equipment to match the requirements of any location, in terms of space, capacity and performance. As I said, they are easy to maintain and clean; they are powered by tried and tested technology; they’re completely reliable and they’ve been built to withstand the heavy workload that will be required of them – large numbers of vends every day.
“Clearly, we didn’t design these machines specifically for the present COVID-19 emergency,” Craig stressed, “but sometimes the solution for unforeseen problems is staring you in the face, and this is one of those occasions.”
