Remote Crane Operator Vest
Customer
Since 2022
The Challenge
Charter Steel is a leading supplier of carbon and alloy bar, rod, and wire products, with melt, roll, and processing facilities in Wisconsin and Ohio. Their manufacturing process includes the use of belly box transmitters to operate large cranes. These transmitters can weigh eight to twelve pounds and are typically worn with a simple neck strap—an uncomfortable solution that places strain on operators’ necks and shoulders during long shifts.
To address this, Charter Steel had developed a custom vest that better distributed the weight while incorporating high-visibility and fire-resistant materials. However, when their existing manufacturing partner retired, they struggled to find a new supplier with the expertise to take on such a highly customized and technically demanding product.
An Improved Design
Our engineering team reviewed the existing vest design and identified several ways to improve manufacturability, operational efficiency, and user comfort.
We proposed a more adjustable vest design to accommodate a wider range of body sizes—reducing the number of size variations from 30 down to just five. This dramatically simplified production, improved inventory management, and gave operators more comfort in the field.
Teamwork Drives Precision
The vest incorporates a variety of complex elements, including snap-away sleeves, equipment loops, high-visibility striping, mesh panels, and heavy-duty fabrics. We were able to achieve reliable quality through strong, cross-functional collaboration between engineering and production.
To bring the design to life, we leveraged both manual and programmable sewing machines. And because of the Kevlar® components, precision hand-cutting was required at key steps in the process. The result: a highly functional, comfortable vest built for safety, durability, and performance.
Partnership Makes for a Lasting Win
The final vests were a huge success among Charter Steel’s crane operators. The improved fit, flexibility, and overall ergonomic comfort of the new vests made this ongoing partnership a huge win for everyone.
As an added benefit to the partnership, we launched a maintenance and repair program. As these vests have been in the field for a number of years and despite their heavy-duty build, they are subject to a lot of abuse and occasionally require repairs and basic maintenance. When a vest needs a little TLC, Charter sends it to us and our team evaluates it, makes the necessary repairs, and gets it right back in the field in like-new condition. This program has been able to extend the life of the vests and ensure operator safety.