Advanced Equipment Company

06/09/2026

25% to 30% increase in distribution throughput rates. Instant operational acceleration from day one of startup. That was the direct result of our heavy-duty automated pallet handling integration for a high-volume distribution center in coastal Georgia.

Brian Hester, AEC Engineer and Material Handling Specialist, led the engineering and deployment of this turnkey system. Brian's technical approach focused on eliminating traffic friction by integrating rugged, high-torque line modules that automatically balance pallet flow between parallel lanes, dropping labor requirements while tightening the footprint between production and outbound staging.

🔹 Seamless Integration: Synchronized the pre-existing stretch-wrappers with new heavy-duty lines to maintain continuous use.
🔹 Traffic Management: Automated high-volume pallet routing with specialized chain transfers and photo-eye sensor networks.
🔹 Forklift Mitigation: Reduced intra-facility forklift dependencies around packaging, improving operator safety.

Strategic Partners:
🔹 Alba Manufacturing - Heavy-Duty Pallet Conveyor Specialists

Connect with Brian Hester to discuss the scalability and throughput metrics of your next distribution layout: https://aec-carolina.com/blog/projects/smart-pallet-handling-conveyor-drives-increased-distribution-throughput/

A high-paced distribution center needed a scalable pallet handling solution. Result: full automation with 25–30% higher throughput rates, increased safety by reducing forklift traffic, and a significant boost in productivity from day one.

06/02/2026

Transforming a sprawling distribution center or heavy manufacturing floor into a high-capacity profit center requires a move away from standard components and toward complete automated systems. True efficiency is realized when upstream processes, complex sortation loops, and advanced end-of-line systems work in flawless synchronization.

Brian Hester, our Engineer and Material Handling Specialist for South Carolina, focuses specifically on these large-scale facility challenges. Brian's technical approach prioritizes the complex interface between robotic palletizing zones and downstream transport lines, engineering the precise accumulation logic needed to eliminate packaging line bottlenecks and secure a fast return on investment.

Connect with Brian Hester directly to analyze your upcoming large-scale integration project: https://bit.ly/4dQYppO

05/27/2026

By streamlining material flow in and out of the , we’ve delivered an solution that significantly reduces downtime and synchronizes throughput for a large packaging client.

Led by conveyor specialist Charlie Williamson, this approach focused on the technical orchestration of the line to ensure a seamless "handshake" at the wrapper. This innovation has set a new industry standard for our client’s operations by prioritizing steady-state flow and precision.

Key project drivers:
🔹 Automated Spacing: Accumulation sensors ensure one skid enters the wrapper at a time to eliminate jams.
🔹 Precision Orientation: Custom pushers correct skid positioning without manual intervention.
🔹 Seamless Off-loading: Gravity conveyors integrated for efficient downstream transition.

Strategic Partners: Hytrol

View the full case study: https://bit.ly/4cDUDPB

Accumulation conveyor integration at a shrink-wrapping station where AEC designed and integrated a system that streamlined material flow, reduced downtime, and improved operational efficiency for a leading packaging company. This innovation promises to dramatically improve shrink-wrapping operations...

05/22/2026

True freedom is never free, and this Monday, we focus entirely on the heavy price paid for it.

We are pausing our operations to honor the fallen heroes who laid down their lives for our nation. The AEC team will be spending the day reflecting on this ultimate sacrifice and remembering alongside our families.

AEC will be closed on Monday, May 25th and our normal office hours will resume on Tuesday.

05/19/2026

30% floor space reclamation with zero mechanical impact. That was the outcome for a recent facility where we replaced bulky, traditional diverts with compact .

Floor space is a finite asset, and complex routing shouldn't require an expansive footprint. serve as a high-fidelity middle ground for operations that need multi-directional flexibility without the cost or space requirements of high-speed shoe sorters.

Josh Hamrick, Director of Customer Engagement, highlights how these systems utilize motorized, multidirectional wheels to guide products rather than pushing them. This distinction is critical for maintaining product integrity and preventing the "shunting" effect that leads to downstream jams. Since 1960, AEC has focused on these high-signal transitions where small engineering changes drive large-scale ROI.

The Integration Details:
🔹 Multi-Angle Routing: Direct products into parallel lanes or workstations at varying angles within a single module.
🔹 Impact-Free Diverts: Motorized wheels maintain constant contact with the product base, ensuring a smooth, guided transition.
🔹 Minimal Footprint: Replaces long divert sections with a compact zone that drops directly into existing conveyor frames.

Strategic Partners: Hytrol

Explore the technical advantages of pivot wheel sortation: https://bit.ly/3OXtC3E

Stop letting tight layouts kill your throughput. Discover how pivot wheel sorters deliver high-speed, low-impact routing for cartons and totes without the massive footprint of traditional systems. Since 1960, the AEC team has delivered expert-level automation, conveyor, and material handling solutio...

05/14/2026

50% increase in and optimized record retrieval. That was the outcome for a government criminal justice facility in Wilmington, North Carolina, through the integration of a system.

The cost of square footage necessitates high-density solutions that prioritize floor space efficiency without sacrificing accessibility. We transformed a standard side room into a high-capacity archive by replacing static aisles with a dynamic, architecture.

🔹 1,050 Cubic Feet of Storage: Achieved within a compact 24 foot by 11 foot footprint.
🔹 Smart Shelf Customization: Adjustable increments allow for precise fitting of diverse record sizes.
🔹 Enhanced Ergonomics: Manual crank handles provide high-ratio mechanical advantage for effortless shelf movement.

Strategic Partner:
Montel - Store More • Grow More - Rangez Plus • Cultivez Plus

Our commitment to your facility extends beyond the initial installation to include comprehensive long-term support and lifecycle maintenance.

Contact us to discuss how a high-density mobile system can reclaim your operational space.
Read more: https://bit.ly/4mZCPF8

Discover how AEC doubled their client's storage capacity by 50% with mobile smart shelf system. Optimizes space by allowing shelves to move, eliminates fixed aisles and achieves full use of available space. The system not only enhances storage efficiency but also improves organization and access, ma...

05/12/2026

Since 1960, dedicated and specialists with one objective -- your operational advantage.

In a landscape where many simply sell equipment, we remain a dedicated . Our specialists provide hands-on partnership, working one-on-one with you to develop factory and fulfillment solutions tailored to the specific variables of your operation.

The AEC advantage is rooted in a customer-centric approach. While working with our specialists, you gain an ally who understands that a system is only successful if it delivers measurable ROI and long-term reliability.

Meet the experts who have been building trust across the Carolinas since 1960.
🔹 Bart Lassiter: Integration & Automation Specialist
🔹 Brad Pearson: Vertical Space & Overhead Systems Engineer
🔹 Brian Hester: Strategic System Design & South Carolina Operations
🔹 Charlie Williamson: Special Accounts & Hands-on Problem Solver
🔹 Ivar Lonon: Industrial Process Integration & North Carolina Lead
🔹 Trace Davis: Automation & Material Handling Specialist

From the initial analysis to commissioning and long-term support, we are with you every step of the way. Welcome to the AEC family. Connect with your regional specialist today: https://bit.ly/4h9r77b

05/07/2026

We replaced decades of corrosion and instability for a legacy beverage producer with a strategic . By integrating specialized we restored print quality and precision through high-speed curves.

Trace Davis, Automation and Material Handling Specialist, conducted a thorough onsite evaluation to identify the root cause of inkjet printing failures. Trace’s technical insight led to a collaborative design that utilized technology to ensure bottles remain upright and steady during the coding process.

🔹 Stabilized Product Flow: Integrated a plastic belt curve to remove "bottle wobble", resulting in immediate improvements to inkjet print clarity.
🔹 Corrosion-Resistant Integration: Utilized stainless steel and galvanized finishes to eliminate moisture-driven equipment degradation.
🔹 Long-Term Reliability: Replaced high-maintenance legacy sections with application-specific equipment designed for 24/7 bottling demands.

Strategic Partners:
SpanTech - Plastic Belt Technology
Hytrol - Gravity Roller Conveyor Systems

We provide the technical partnership and family-based support required to turn long-standing operational bottlenecks into measurable competitive advantages. View the full case study and watch the project video to see the system in action.

Case Study: https://bit.ly/48HwyIu
Video Link: https://bit.ly/4nhnvEb

Imagine a bottling line that runs with total precision where containers glide through transitions and every date code is crisp and clear. This transformation...

05/05/2026

30% floor space reclamation. Zero mechanical impact. That was the outcome for a recent facility where we replaced bulky, traditional diverts with compact pivot wheel sortation.

Floor space is a finite asset, and complex routing shouldn't require an expansive footprint. Pivot wheel sorters serve as a high-fidelity middle ground for operations that need multi-directional flexibility without the cost or space requirements of high-speed shoe sorters.

Josh Hamrick, our Director of Customer Engagement, highlights how these systems utilize motorized, multidirectional wheels to guide products rather than pushing them. This distinction is critical for maintaining product integrity and preventing the "shunting" effect that leads to downstream jams. Since 1960, we have focused on these high-signal transitions where small engineering changes drive large-scale ROI.

The Integration Details:
🔹 Multi-Angle Routing: Direct products into parallel lanes or workstations at varying angles within a single module.
🔹 Impact-Free Diverts: Motorized wheels maintain constant contact with the product base, ensuring a smooth, guided transition.
🔹 Minimal Footprint: Replaces long divert sections with a compact zone that drops directly into existing conveyor frames.

Strategic Partners: Hytrol

Our customer-centric approach ensures we aren't just selling a sorter—we are engineering a more precise, scalable operational system.

Explore the technical advantages of pivot wheel sortation: https://bit.ly/3OXtC3E

Stop letting tight layouts kill your throughput. Discover how pivot wheel sorters deliver high-speed, low-impact routing for cartons and totes without the massive footprint of traditional systems. Since 1960, the AEC team has delivered expert-level automation, conveyor, and material handling solutio...

04/28/2026

In many high-growth facilities, the push for throughput eventually hits a literal wall - you simply run out of warehouse . When your footprint is at capacity, scaling up with is a strategic priority for operations leaders looking to reclaim square footage and maintain momentum without a building expansion.

Whether you are handling high-volume e-commerce fulfillment or heavy-duty industrial finishing, your ceiling is likely your most underutilized asset. Our latest article explores how these systems are helping facilities optimize their vertical cube while drastically improving operational flow. https://bit.ly/4moO48V

Key strategic advantages:
🔹Maximize Existing Assets: Expand your throughput without the capital expense of a building expansion or new facility.
🔹Operational Versatility: Create "buffer" zones and drying/curing lines above the floor, keeping high-traffic areas clear for personnel and equipment.
🔹Enhanced Safety: By lifting material movement off the floor, you reduce forklift traffic and trip hazards in congested work zones.

Space constraints are the biggest challenge facing today's manufacturing and distribution facilities. Overhead conveyor systems provide the right solution as automation expands and demands increase. That’s why engineers and operations leaders start looking up and asking about overhead conveyor sol...