As businesses and industries mature, it becomes easier to predict future outcomes based on data from past experiences.  Such is the case with lines.  As long as there are products, services, displays, and events worth waiting for, there will be lines and crowds as a result.  As with anything, "trial and error" will tell businesses what works well, what could be improved, and what outright fails.  Eventually, a commonly acceptable "best practice" will be formed that dictates how projects will be handled in the future, based on recommendations that are direct results from past errors and learning.

In our industry, the retractable belt barrier has been used successfully in so many situations and industries, that it has become a common solution for any organization looking to form lines, manage crowds, or create safety barriers.  The degree to which stanchions are needed, and how they can be optimized within an organization, depends on numerous factors and our Stanchion Team is always available to help you plan how your organization can benefit by optimizing the equipment at your facility.

For many mature industries within which lines and crowds form and flow as quickly as customers arrive, Fixed Stanchions have become an important way to achieve predictable organization every day.  Lines are a constant factor for organizations like airports, arenas, concession stands, banks, museums, movie theaters, and amusement parks.  Many of these establishments design clear and effective lines to easily guide customers through the queue, quite often doing so at a blueprint stage in the case of new facilities.  For these organizations, Fixed Stanchions are a great way to map out queues, install them in place, and keep them in place without having to readjust daily, or even throughout the day.

Customers looking for fixed stanchion projects can choose Fixed Posts for permanent applications or Removable Posts to allow for the occasional sans-stanchion event or floor cleaning.  With traditional Removable Posts, organizations have to core drill into the ground, pour cement, and install the socket into which the post will then be inserted.  

Visiontron, the industry's leading innovator in design and manufacturing, has a Mini Socket Mounted Retracta-Belt Post that allows organizations to achieve the organization and functionality of fixed or removable posts at a much more time and labor effective manner.  The following are some of the key reasons why you should consider Mini Socket Retracta-Belt posts for your next stanchion project.

1. Small Footprint Saves Big Money

The Mini Socket for Retracta-Belt only requires a 3/4" diameter hole at a 2" depth, compared to the 4" diameter hole with a 6" depth required for traditional Removable Posts.  As shown in the above video, the Mini Socket can be installed within a matter of minutes once the hole is drilled, requiring epoxy and common maintenance tools, as opposed to the traditional sockets for Removable Posts that require the hole to be filled one-third with pore-rock or other non-shrinking grout, and you must wait for the cement to fully set before installing the posts.

The approximate installation time for the Mini Socket Retracta-Belts is 10 minutes per post, compared to 45 minutes per Traditional Removable Posts.  The difference may seem small, but take into consideration that most projects requiring in-ground mounted posts require multiple units to be installed.  For instance, if you have a 10 post project, here would be your approximate time and labor required to set-up:

Mini Socket = 10 posts x 10 minutes = 100 Minutes Labor = a little over 1.5 hours 
Traditional Socket = 10 posts x 45 minutes = 450 minutes = 7.5 hours

The time difference is dramatic as the quantity of posts increases.  If you hire an outside contractor for the task, you will spend considerably fewer dollars on time and labor costs for this service.  If you are using your own Facilities or Maintenance team, then you are optimizing the hourly or salaried wage of your employee(s).  If you have just one individual installing the posts, he or she can install the Mini Sockets and be back to work within an hour and a half (per the quantity in this scenario).  With traditional sockets, this project would easily require a day of attention, factoring in a lunch break.

2. Diverse Installation Options

The Mini Socket Retracta-Belt Posts are ideal for cement, terrazzo, tile, and granite floors, but we have multiple anchor options to accommodate different floor depths, materials, and conditions.  We also install a nylon disc at the bottom of the post that protects the end of the post and floor surface from getting damaged due to post movement.  

3. Spring-loaded assembly creates long-term durability

As with all of Visiontron's "designed and Made in the USA" products, the Mini Socket Retracta-Belt Post features industry-exclusive innovative technology, namely its internal spring-loaded assembly.  As displayed in the above video, this technology allows the post to lean about 10 degrees in any direction so that it absorbs impact from accidental abuse such as carts or luggage.  This alleviates the risk associated with other posts that cannot absorb the impact and, as a consequence, get dented and permanently lean.  Additionally, the Mini Socket Mounted Retracta-Belt can rotate 350 degrees so that you can always make sure that your belts are aligned perfectly straight.

One last great note about Visiontron's Mini Socket technology is that it is not reserved for only the Retracta-Belt series.  If you are looking for a stylish, classic look with a permanent functionality, then check out our Mini Socket Conventional Posts available in every finish and top style as our Premium VIP Post line.

For more information about our Mini Socket Retracta-Belt, Mini Socket VIP Post, or anything else that may help you with your next design projects, please contact our Stanchion Team at 844-831-8400 or email us at info@advancedstanchions.com.