Located in Cape Town, South Africa, Path Plastics is a leading plastics manufacturer of rotationally molded polymer products for both custom and proprietary applications.
Since their inception in 1996, their proprietary products continue to add value to their customers in the fishing, meat & poultry processing, general food processing, FMCG, pharmaceutical, mining, agricultural, materials handling, hospitality, supermarket and retail industries.
Their clients comprising of a wide range of blue-chip companies, depend on Path’s line of polyethylene products where the raw material is highly suitable for HACCP conditions, and are designed to withstand the most challenging African conditions.
Their rotational molding and sophisticated structural foam processing, coupled with innovative and versatile designs, result in products that are inordinately robust, with very high impact and thermal resistance qualities.
In this regard, Path Plastics’ range of containers, pallets, bulk handling bins and tanks/fermenters are in wide use across a varied range of industries. According to Clifford Reddell, clients turn to them for their custom designs, where they have developed numerous products for applications right across the board.
“We had identified a need in the South African market to develop a range of lockers that incorporate all the extremely positive aspects that a rotationally molded product has to offer. Our products are the answer for clients who need their lockers to be – and remain – totally hygienic and maintenance-free.
When a locker is more than just a locker
Things move quickly in Covid 19 time. As our nation moves its focus to freeing up the economy and getting people back to work, there are steps that business managers and procurement officers can take to promote a safe return to the workplace for their staff.
“A simple but effective way to promote safety and a high level of hygiene in your workplace, is to consider the material your traditionally bought items are made of,” says Reddell. “When it comes to lockers, plastic is the way to go. Workplace staff lockers also serve to reduce the number of items that enter the workplace.
“Our plastic lockers are manufactured from food grade LLDPE polymer and are UV stabilized so they can even be placed outside a business premises.
“Due to social distancing requirements, companies may need to look at how traditional locker rooms are set up. Our plastic staff lockers provide companies with more options in terms of how and where lockers are set-up. Our lockers can be colour coded for identification of different zoned areas.
“They are designed for use with standard padlocks, but options for other locking systems are available on request.”
More than just a place to store valuables, plastic lockers also provide a hygienic safety barrier between the outside world and your workplace.
“Any person or physical object your staff interacts with, may result in them picking up a bug or infection,” says Reddell. “By placing storage lockers near the entrance to your workplace you will create a critical safety buffer between the external environment and the internal workplace.”
Lockers for sale: choosing your new lockers
The right locker for you will depend on how much storage space is required for your staff and what items they would like to keep in their locker. This will enable the user to maximize the amount of floor space they have for the lockers.
“We offer wall mounting options so that lockers can be lifted off the ground and secured to a solid wall,” Reddell adds. “If a solid wall is not available, we also have a variety of different width frames or stands that can house the lockers.
“You can then easily clean underneath the lockers with a broom.”
The LLDPE polymer construction of the lockers allows for use of harsh chemicals to sanitize the locker area and there is not a risk of paint chipping or surfaces rusting due to the use of daily sanitizers
The lockers can even be hosed down, de-fogged and then air dried.
A variety of colours are available, so that lockers could be zoned, based on usage or workforce.
“All our lockers are designed with an emphasis on quality to ensure they can withstand constant use and cleaning in the workplace environment.”
Tips for where you want to place your new plastic lockers
You want them to be away from high traffic areas such as workstations and areas that your staff continuously occupy throughout the working day.
They can be placed in foyers, reception areas, closed off staff changerooms or even outside under a canopy. “The UV rays will not affect our lockers or make them brittle or fade,” says Reddell.
“They must be in a place that is easily accessible however, and provide enough space for your staff to store their belongings.
“With shifts being utilized and the number of workers in one place limited, our lockers can be easily and quickly sanitized for each worker group.”
Some people will continue to work from home, but many will return to work as areas of the economy are opened and a place must be allocated so that staff can safely and hygienically keep their belongings without worrying about theft.
You will be helping to promote a safe return to the workplace as we navigate our way out of the COVID-19 restrictions and allowing your staff to focus on doing what they do best for you and in a productive manner.