BGS Technic's Transition to Ergonomic Lifting Solutions
The transition to ergonomic lifting systems created a safer, more efficient working environment
BGS Technic, a traditional family-owned business specialising in automotive hand tools, faced a significant challenge in maintaining the well-being of its workforce. Ergonomic implementation is a substantial part of BGS’ ethos. BGS had already implemented health-oriented programs such as desk sports and back training.
Challenge: manual handling of heavy boxes leading to employee fatigue and strain
The company manages over 10,000 items, and warehouse operations involve moving many heavy boxes daily. The majority of the boxes weighed up to 40 kg (88 lbs), but some could reach over 100 kg (220 lbs). Before the implementation of lifting aids, workers relied heavily on manual labour to move these boxes, which led to frequent physical strain, fatigue, and even injuries.
Warehouse manager Tortsten Wirt wanted to incorporate more supportive and ergonomic technologies into the company’s operations. However, it became clear that the physically demanding work in the warehouse needed further improvement to protect employees' health and make the company more attractive to new hires. With daily operations requiring the movement of approximately 2,400 boxes, the risk of fatigue and physical burnout was high. A more sustainable, employee-friendly system was needed.
Solution: ergonomic lifting aids for container unloading and box handling
BGS Technic sought a solution to alleviate the physical burden on its workers while maintaining productivity. After consulting with TAWI, they introduced the Container Unloader and two high-frequency lifters mounted to a ceiling rail system for efficient goods handling.
The TAWI Container Unloader provided the mobility needed to address a critical operational requirement: flexibility at loading gates. This allowed employees to drive the unloader directly into the containers, eliminating the need for workers to handle the heavy loads inside confined spaces manually. Additionally, a downstream ceiling rail system combined with TAWI vacuum lifters was installed to further assist with the ergonomic palletising and sorting of packages.
The lifting aids were explicitly chosen to handle boxes up to 40 kg (88 lbs), which covered approximately 80% of BGS Technic's daily handling needs. Whilst the system was less effective for packages exceeding 100 kg (220 lbs), it drastically reduced the physical strain on workers dealing with most of the company’s products.
“Today's process is easier after the introduction of the TAWI lifting aids, and the work is significantly less physically demanding for the employees. Sick leave due to manual handling has been reduced.” - Torsten Wirth, Warehouse Manager at BGS.
Results: a safer and more efficient working environment at BGS Technic
The introduction of TAWI's lifting solutions had immediate, tangible benefits for the BGS Technic team. First and foremost, the physical well-being of employees improved significantly. Workers were no longer required to lift heavy boxes manually. This decreased instances of injury and, in turn, reduced sick leave due to physical strain.
In addition to health improvements, the system made recruitment easier
The physically demanding nature of the job had previously been a deterrent for potential hires. With the lifting aids, new employees are more motivated and less intimidated by the workload, knowing they wouldn’t have to exert themselves to exhaustion. This opens up roles to a wider range of candidates.
"What we have noticed is that new employees are not deterred because the container unloader makes the work much easier and the motivation is completely different right from the start", Jose Rousseau, Site Manager at BGS.
Ultimately, thanks to TAWI solutions, BGS Technic’s transition to ergonomic lifting systems created a safer, more efficient working environment. Employees can now handle the same volume of work without risking injury or experiencing the physical toll that was previously inevitable.
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