Handling the Hurricane Relief Effort

With Help from Nielsen Sessions, Shelter Company Quickly Sets Up Care Center for Katrina Victims

The Customer: Western Shelter Systems

The Challenge: Within hours of hurricane Katrina striking the Gulf Coast, authorities were on the phone to Western Shelter Systems in Eugene, Oregon.

Since 1987, Western Shelter has manufactured shelters that are easy to transport and simple to erect in remote locations. On such short notice-when every minute counts-Western Shelter responded quickly and deployed a 210-bed acute care center to the Gulf region. The company also ramped up production to meet continued demand.

Because most systems are designed so that two persons can have them up and working in as little as 15 minutes, packaging for storage and transportation is critical. Designed to accommodate NDMS and USAR basic load requirements, each storage/transport case requires recessed lifting handles that are durable, easy to use, and able to withstand the most extreme environments.

According to Western Shelter's Vice President of Design and Engineering Ted Kruysman, "Our primary concern is ruggedness. These equipment cases can hold as much as 400 pounds. They also have to stand up to rough treatment and, because they're often used in emergency situations, there's no margin for error."

The Solution: Nielsen Sessions' proven experience in recessed hardware results in several benefits for users of these handles, including reduced damage to shelter cases during loading and transporting, as well as fewer minor injuries from protruding hardware. It was a natural fit for Nielsen Sessions to be the preferred provider of handles for Western Shelter's equipment.

"We initially purchased standard hardware through distribution; we're now working directly with Nielsen Sessions. This relationship also allows us to work with their hardware experts on enhancements that will consistently exceed customer expectations in the harshest of conditions," said Kruysman.

The Benefits:

• Heavy-duty handles withstand all elements associated with natural disasters
• Recessed design reduces damage to cases; helps prevent injuries since there's no protruding hardware
• Custom design capabilities provide for future enhancements as needed

Custom Latching with the Greatest of Eaz

Nielsen Sessions Helps Dri-Eaz Build a Superior Product-and Get It to Market Faster

The Customer: Dri-Eaz

The Challenge: Based in Burlington, Washington, Dri-Eaz is a leading provider of solutions for the restorative drying industry. When the company was designing a new high-efficiency air scrubber, it soon discovered that not all latches were equally efficient.

According to Noreen Hall, senior buyer for Dri-Eaz, the team needed a better way to secure the product's filter door. "The cover of the unit needs to provide operator access to the filters so they can be replaced in the field when necessary," said Hall. "We weren't sure how to do it because there's a rubber gasket between the door and the shroud."

Some latches provided enough force to secure the door, but were too hard on the fingers when trying to open it. Other options were easy to open, but didn't provide enough clamping. "We also had concerns about whether two rivets were enough to secure the latch to the plastic housing," Hall added.

The Solution: After exhausting all possible solutions, Dri-Eaz contacted Nielsen Sessions. "They needed a latch to fit the exact configuration of the molded plastic pieces, which had already been designed," recalled Doug Ericson, Nielsen Sessions' director of Engineering.

Nielsen Sessions' engineers went right to work gathering performance criteria and designing a custom stainless steel loop catch with just the right amount of force and ease of operation. In addition, the pattern of the attachment holes was redesigned to provide an extra rivet for greater strength.

And since Nielsen Sessions was able to develop the custom latch so quickly and get it into production, Dri-Eaz's new DefendAir HEPA 500 was able to meet its own aggressive production schedule. The initial run of latches was produced at Nielsen Sessions' fast-turnaround prototype facility in the U.S. Then, once new tooling was set up, production was shifted overseas, resulting in long-term cost savings for Dri-Eaz.

The Benefits:

• Custom, form-fitting latch meets Dri-Eaz's exact requirements
• Quick turnaround of latch keeps Dri-Eaz product on schedule
• Leveraging overseas latch production capabilities lowers costs

Safer By Land or Sea

"Underwater" Latching Solution Proves Its Worth in Harshest Conditions

The Customer: Underwater Kinetics

The Challenge: Based in Poway, California, Underwater Kinetics is one of the leading manufacturers of carrying cases that protect dive gear during transit. These cases are designed to take heavy punishment and provide long-term performance in harsh environments. A critical component is the latches that help create a watertight seal while surviving exposure to sun, humidity, and salt water-not to mention the rough handling of divers.

"We tried hardware from a variety of sources and even tried making our own, but continued to have problems with rust and durability," said Fred Fischer, vice president of Technology for Underwater Kinetics. "That's when we decided to find a supplier that could work with us, and we chose Nielsen Sessions because of their engineering capability, high quality, and responsiveness."

The Solution: Nielsen Sessions supplies Underwater Kinetics with two custom styles of wing turn catch, a proven latching system that is often found on heavy-duty cases that are used to carry and store equipment. Turning the "wing" 180 degrees actuates a hook that provides maximum holding power, yet the latch maintains a low profile and is easy to engage and disengage. "The military style wing turn catch is highly popular with many of our customers, because of its durability and the way it latches securely every time," noted Fischer.

To provide the desired level of rust protection, Nielsen Sessions uses an E-coat finish on the stainless steel latches. Also known as electro-coating, E-coat employs electric current to deposit paint on the metal surface, providing a tough barrier to corrosion. Testing in Nielsen Sessions' engineering facility, including salt-spray exposure, ensures optimal coating performance. The black coating is also color-matched to the case and has an attractive shine.

The handles used by Underwater Kinetics are a type of recessed handle that reduces damage during loading and transporting. These handles are also color matched to the case, providing superior aesthetics.

The Benefits:

• Wing turn catch provides maximum holding power in all conditions
• Simplified operation allows divers to access gear quickly and easily
• E-coat finish protects latches from corrosion-even at sea

A Key Link in the Supply Chain

Enclosure Provider Partners with Nielsen Sessions to Manage Latch Supply

The Customer: Vynckier Enclosure Systems

The Challenge: Based in Houston, Texas, Vynckier Enclosure Systems, Inc. (VES) provides a wide variety of enclosures, ranging from small, push-button enclosures to large, freestanding cabinets.

About five years ago, in an effort to save costs, VES began outsourcing the latches for its many products. But according to Rebecca Mullens, purchasing agent for Vynckier, that initiative introduced a whole new set of challenges. "We ran into some of the typical pitfalls when you outsource-primarily quality and delivery issues," recalled Mullens. It wasn't until VES contacted Nielsen Sessions that it began to reap the rewards of a successful outsourcing partnership.

The Solution: Having helped other manufacturers with their supply chain problems, Nielsen Sessions was fully prepared to offer VES the customized service and support they just wouldn't find with any other supplier.

Nielsen Sessions examined VES' current manufacturing process and made recommendations to maximize its effectiveness-particularly in regard to its latching needs. "We were able to use our own global sourcing capability to produce cost savings and come close to their target price," said Sandra Pease, key account manager for Nielsen Sessions. "In addition, we were also able to make specific commitments on their orders. This was critical for VES and its wide range of products."

Naturally, VES also took advantage of Nielsen Sessions' custom design capabilities as many of its existing latches were modified to better meet performance, functionality, and cost requirements.

Today Nielsen Sessions not only supplies the latching hardware, but also helps to manage the latch supply, which is based on an annual blanket order. "We're able to vary the standard shipment if they need more or less product during a particular time period. We work with them to make sure the pipeline is completely smooth," said Pease.

According to Mullens, the relationship with Nielsen Sessions is important to Vynckier's continued success. "We're confident that our line isn't going to be shut down due to a lack of parts-and that's critical because their latches are on about 40 percent of our production. And we don't have any quality issues."

The Benefits:

• Global sourcing capability helps lower supply chain costs
• Custom design service tailors latches to specific cabinet needs
• On-time delivery-made to order-keeps production line going