Graphics That Pop Adds Automatic Product Delivery Option To Micromarket System

LEWISVILLE, TX --Graphics that Pophas unveiled an optional enhancement to its popular wire rack product display organizers. The new GTP Automatic Delivery System applies light, steady pressure from the back of a column to make sure that products are easily visible and accessible, even on lower shelves where illumination sometimes can be difficult.

The durable black-finish GTP standard wire racks for the company's 18" deep shelving accommodate dividers to keep the display organized. These dividers can be adjusted horizontally in 1" increments to form columns. The shelving is "stair-stepped" so products receive adequate illumination at all shelf heights.

The delivery system adds a spring-loaded sliding backplate and a "hold-down bar" that mounts to the back of the shelf and extends to the front of a column; it is adjustable for product height. It is desirable to provide a small amount of space between columns to prevent bags from interleaving; the rack-and-spacer architecture makes this easy to do.

As products are removed from the front of each column, the spring-loaded backplate pushes the remaining products forward; the hold-down bar makes it easy for the customer to retrieve the front-most package while the others stay neatly in place. The rear cross-member of the wire rack is drilled with threaded holes, spaced an inch apart to permit fast and simple changes to the number and the width of columns on a shelf and the height of the products displayed.

ADVANCE AND BE RECOGNIZED: Spring-loaded "pushers" (visible at right) and rear-mounted "hold-down bars" over packages work together as an automatic delivery system, ensuring that all the products are visible, illuminated and easy for the customer to retrieve. It's the latest option in Graphics That Pop's lightweight modular micromarket line.

According to GTP founder Robert Liva, himself a former vending operator, many micromarkets are fitted with shallow shelves that do not lend themselves to full, well-organized displays. And many are constructed of particleboard, held together by cam connectors and angled wood screws. This construction is susceptible to water damage, even from mopping the floor under the enclosure. It also presents difficulties in assembly and even greater ones in disassembly or modification.

"GTP manufactures [its] micromarket panels out of ultra-lightweight materials." Liva explained. "During the manufacturing process, we countersink and epoxy strong threaded connections into the panels." Those panels are fitted with modified hinges that form secure joints simply by sliding pins through them. No tools are required for setup, modification or dismantling for relocation.

GTP offers free custom designs for operators to show their customers, and has an expert design team that works with operators to implement the designs they want. GTP's customized micromarkets, with vivid custom graphics and bright, even vertical LED lighting, offer a real competitive edge -- and the new automatic delivery system hones that edge, the company president said.

GTP micromarket panels are shipped with all hardware in place, and the wire shelf can be supplied with column dividers and the new automatic delivery system with spacing specified by the operator client. The panels, formed of Banova balsa-core plywood, are easy to handle and transport; each weighs only about 40 lbs. | SEE STORY

The Banova material will not swell when exposed to water, Liva explained; and each is lined with rugged ABS plastic for further protection. The panels can be wrapped in eye-catching graphics as well as vinyl that adds a third barrier against wear and tear. "The GTP system will last for decades," Liva said.