Pre-Engineered Offices–Fast, Easy and Flexible

Last month we talked about mezzanines and how they can add value by taking advantage of the space above your facility floor. In that article, we mentioned that a mezzanine can be a good place to put a pre-engineered office. This post will talk about these modular offices and why they don’t deserve their reputation for being too expensive.

Adding an office to a warehouse or distribution center allows us to incorporate quality assurance, shipping and receiving or a foreman’s office right where the action is. Unfortunately, it IS where the action is, so making the time and space for construction can often be difficult, particularly for stick-built enclosures. Pre-engineered offices go a long way to alleviating that problem, going up in a quarter of the time of permanent construction. In fact, modular construction can often be completed in a weekend. An additional advantage is that they are quickly and easily moved when your needs change.

Perhaps the greatest benefit in choosing pre-engineered offices is the tax savings involved when compared to stick-built. Because modular products are considered “tangible property” instead of “real property” like conventional construction, they are depreciated over 7 years instead of 39. This results in a tax savings of over $5,000 for cost-comparable buildings.

As you can see, there are many reasons to consider pre-engineered additions to your facility even without discussing any of the many ways that these additions can be customized. If you’re interested in learning more, please give us a call or send an email — DAK is always happy to help!

It’s Easy to be Green – And it Saves Money!

Environmentally sound solutions to the challenges of distribution center and warehouse design have become popular over the last decade, but did you know that “Going Green” offers benefits far beyond caring for the environment?

It’s a common and understandable misconception that implementing an eco-friendly project is too expensive and not worth the effort.  However, green construction and systems provide lower-than-industry-standard operational costs.  A 2003 study on the costs and benefits of green projects suggests that an up-front investment of as little as an additional 2% yields over ten times that amount in savings.

Eco-friendly facilities can also save money on employee-related expenses.  Green programs often provide healthier work and living environments, which contributes to higher productivity and improved employee health and comfort.

Implementing environmentally sound initiatives can range from the simple (installing sensor-controlled lighting in low-traffic areas) to the complex (conveyor systems designed with fewer motors and sleep mode controls).  Whether you create a more efficient floor plan for lift truck drivers or pursue LEED Certification on a new distribution center, going green is friendly to both the planet and your bottom line.

Going Up!

Utilizing space efficiently in a warehouse or distribution center can be an exercise in trade-offs. The smaller the footprint of your building, the less expensive utilities become and shorter distances between receiving, storage, order fulfillment and shipping also adds efficiencies and cost savings. However, buildings sized just right for right now can lead to difficulty expanding or reconfiguring later on.

Adding mezzanine levels can be a fast and easy way to double your space and can cost up to 80% less than a building addition. In addition to being less expensive initially, mezzanines can also qualify for accelerated depreciation similar to capital equipment, saving you money at both ends of the expansion.

Easy to install, move and expand, mezzanines install in days rather than weeks or months and reduce the disruption of your business. Free-standing, building-supported, rack-supported or shelving-supported, mezzanines offer solutions for everything from records storage to shelving systems or pre-engineered offices.

DAK has decades of experience in helping customers use the empty space above the material handling happening on the floor. Give us a call at 630-516-1115 or visit www.DAKEquipment.com - we’ll be happy to help you move up!

Heated Walkway and Stair Mats Help Fight Winter Weather at Warehouses

Now that the snow is flying, I wanted to send a quick note about a new DAK product line that provides you with a safe, clean way to reduce slip-and-fall accidents outside your facility.

Used at Fortune 500 companies, universities, and government facilities, these electrically heated walkway and stair mats plug into any standard 120V or 240V outlet and generate enough heat to melt two inches of snow an hour.

The mats come with grommet holes on each side to help secure them in place and are available in multiple sizes to meet your needs.

For more information and pricing, Heated Warehouse Mats or call DAK Equipment and Engineering at 630-516-1115 or visit www.DAKEquipment.com.

DAK Becomes Ridg-U-Rak Stocking Distributor

DAK Equipment and Engineering is pleased to announce that we are now a stocking distributor of Ridg-U-Tier II (teardrop) pallet rack.

For more than 65 years, Ridg-U-Rak Storage Systems has been an innovative leader in storage rack design. We are very excited to provide dealers the quality, unparalleled design, and application experience that Ridg-U-Rak can provide. Whether you need replacement beams or a complete storage system, trust Ridg-U-Rak on your next project!

We have a variety of Ridg-U-Rak products already in-stock along with the Interlake and other products that you have become accustomed to from DAK. Our expanding stock program gives you a great choice of products to fill your customer’s storage needs. Be sure to ask about Ridg-U-Rak’s specialty products as well. They offer you the ability to better meet your customers’ needs.

Best of all, Ridg-U-Rak’s storage rack is completely compatible with the Nashville Wire Decking that DAK has in stock, making using Ridg-U-Rak frames and beams even easier.

DAK is Hiring!

To kick off the new year, we’re looking for talented sales people to join the DAK family.  Continue reading below for more information.

Position Description:

Sales Manager:  DAK Equipment & Engineering is seeking nimble multifaceted sales people for material handling solutions and services.  You will be responsible for an existing territory selling to current accounts as well as developing new warehouse and distribution center customers.  This is business-to-business industrial sales using a consultative, relationship-based approach.

We’ll provide industry-specific training if you bring energy, excitement and a drive to succeed.  This is a commission-only position but individual sales are regularly five figures and can easily reach six.  A modest expense allowance, 401(k) plan, profit-sharing, and health insurance are also provided.

Requirements:

• Motivated sales professional who works with energy and enthusiasm
• Focuses on selling solutions with complete understanding and analysis of the client’s existing and future business needs
• Responsible for the full sales cycle from prospecting to sales closure through project management
• Establish strong relationships with key accounts to ensure optimal customer satisfaction and revenue generation
• Excellent written and oral communications are a priority
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office
• Familiarity with ACT! desired but not a requirement
• Maintain a strong working knowledge of current product and service offerings
• Time-management and maintenance of project deadlines
• Jack or Jill of all trades:  Multi-disciplinary knowledge, interests, and experience

About DAK Equipment & Engineering:

DAK Equipment & Engineering is a company of professionals committed to providing the best service to customers each and every day. We gladly offer expertise in every aspect of material handling from simply supplying the materials needed to using AutoCAD to properly plan the most efficient use of a space. When given a project, our salespeople become just as dedicated to it as our customer.

Our owner says, “Once you say you’re going to do something, you’ve given your word. Never break it.” From the day the company began, each DAK employee has worked to uphold this motto and the loyalty of hundreds of customers is testament to our success.

DAK Equipment & Engineering is an Equal Opportunity Employer

To apply, send a resume and cover letter to jobs@dakequipment.com

DAK has warehouse products in stock, ready to ship!

Did you know that at DAK we stock a wide assortment of products available for immediate shipment? So, while we’re happy to quote you on any type of material handling project, if you just need a few frames, beams, or wire decks, you can order them from our warehouse and they will usually ship within two days.

DAK also has a catalog, both in print and online at www.dakequipment.com, where we are able to source over 20,000 items for all of your material handling needs! So call or e-mail DAK today and we’ll get started on your order right away!

Remember the Simple Things

Everyone wants to increase their company’s productivity, and some managers will put together quite a plan in order to do so. That’s all well and good of course, but sometimes the simple things can yield huge results.

Take the subject of mats for instance. They come in virtually all sizes and shapes, depending on the kind chosen, and can often make a major difference in one work area or another. Among the mats DAK Equipment offers include some top-performing anti-fatigue mats made with recycled natural materials.

Some people will be looking to maximize cleanliness and safety. Slip resistant mats will be the choice for them. Others might need static dissipative/ anti-static mats, weld safe mats or just entrance mats. Whatever the need, our quality mats will help you put your best foot forward and reduce some of the 600,000 muscular-skeletal injuries that soak up over $15 billion annually in workers’ comp.

Just give us a call and tell us what you’re looking for, or e-mail us today. We’ll put together a quote for you right away. So clean up any trouble spots you might have and help make your work force even safer and more productive.

Review us on Google and Yelp!

If you’re a DAK Customer – past or present – please check out DAK Equipment and Engineering on Google Places and DAK Equipment and Engineering on Yelp.com. Post your testimonial (review) of our services with you. We want your input!

Plus, if you are a vendor or partner with us, let us know you’ve posted. We’ll return the favor!

DAK Equipment Lets Creativity Do the Talking for Warehouse Planning

DAK Equipment & Engineering of Elmhurst, Ill., has time and time again gone the extra mile to let creative solutions save their warehouse clients money and time.

An example of this creativity was when a downtown Chicago building required help on the 40^th floor. The customer needed archive and record storage but with a 20-foot clearance height. But with no freight elevator to use, the DAK team had to come up with a way to bring 20-foot-hight welded frames to the top floor. So DAK’s team worked at night, brining them up 500 feet to the roof then welded everything back together and delivered through a window!

But DAK understands that it’s not just creativity, its selection and inventory of racking systems. SO when new technology or products are released, DAK quickly adds that to its line of offerings.

“We have completed projects in all industries and in 44 states. Distribution centers, warehouses, pallet rack, carton flow, pick modules, conveyer – you name it, we can do it,” says owner Dave Kenealy.

Kenealy says DAK focuses on “listening closely to customers’ expectations and using every resource we can to meet them.”

For more information, contact Dave Kenealy, DAK Equipment & Engineering, 857 N. Larch Ave., Elmhurst, IL 60126. Phone: 630-516-1115, Fax: 630-516-1116. Or visit www.DAKEquipment.com.