Shopping trolleys, pallet jacks and floor polishers are the enemy of store fixtures. Left exposed, a single blow can cause costly damage, so it's usual for supermarkets - and their fixture manufacturers - to make efforts to protect their assets. In the field, we see the same execution errors over and over.

Let's look at two areas today - 

FLOOR LEVEL PROTECTION

Refrigeration units are expensive assets and you can see different protection attempts shown here. Sometimes, the asset itself is protected - for example, the electronics in the refrigeration unit - but the result is ugly and makes the store look less than its best. In other instances, the fixture itself is damaged and will require expensive repairs to make good.

Example One - a metal facing is protecting the base of the unit. This is effective at stopping things rolling under the refrigerator - you don't want customers reaching underneath to retrieve something they've dropped! It's much less effective at absorbing a glancing blow from a floor polisher - the most likely cause of this damage. 

Example Two -  Plastic bumper has been used at floor level. It juts out enough that it is vulnerable to polisher, pallet jack and shopping trolley impacts. With no firm mount behind it and only open space, plastic bumper will not deflect repeated blows without damage.

Example Three - a close up look reveals bumper mounting rail, broken from impacts. This should be the strongest part of the bumper, as its role is to absorb the shock between the front rail and the fixture. Think of it like the suspension on a car. The material used here is not strong enough.

Installing a protective rail along an expensive fixture will provide superior protection. A couple of examples are shown below of our recommended rails from McCue - you can read more about the complete range here

CORNER PROTECTION

I can be a little clumsy - walking into the corner of the kitchen bench and the dining room table is quite normal! It's no different in busy retail spaces - the corners cop the punishment. Let's take a look...

Example Four - this refrigerated display is located on a high traffic corner by a door to back of store. Evidence of multiple heavy collisions is apparent. There's been attention shown to the front of the display, yet the area most susceptible to repeated strikes is left unprotected. It looks terrible - and there's no telling what the collisions are doing to the electronics within the unit.

Example Five - this display unit is in an area of less heavy traffic. The likely danger here is from shopping trolleys and a strong bumper rail can be an adequate and attractive solution to protect the entire unit. The corner will be the spot taking frequent blows, so a rail with fully enclosed corner pieces (even on custom angles like this) will remain in place and not become an eyesore. 

In these instances, we recommend McCue Corner Protection for protection of expensive fixtures in high traffic areas and McCue Bumper Rails to protect the length of display units and walls. 

Collisions will always happen in high traffic areas. When installing impact protection, consider what will cause the impact to come up with the simplest method - this is half the battle and there are various products available to help you. At Euroswift, we provide the McCue solutions, as they have specialised in retail asset protection for 30 years. These are not an add-on to their business - it's the core of their business. The extensive product range - designed with retailers, for retailers - contains options for every retailer... no matter how much heavy traffic.

Euroswift conducts free on-site Asset Protection Assessment to help you reduce the ongoing costs of impact and collision damage in and around your store. Speak to us to arrange your inspection.