September 2022 - 40

INNOVATION AWARDS
Shadow Tool Staging
System TSS 6.5
This winner of the 'tool storage' category
makes finding your tools super easy.
I
n each issue of PTEN, we will be featuring one of our Innovation
Awards winners that scored amongst the highest in the group. This
month, we are profiling the Shadow Tool Staging System TSS 6.5,
designed to simplify tool selection/return, saving technicians on time
and reducing physical motions while making tool inventory control
simple. The TSS 6.5 openly presents tools in dedicated positions,
allowing visual cues and barrier-free tool selection. The compact
system measures 6'5 " height by 30 " depth by 36 " width and sits
on 8 " wheels. The unit expands with large panels sliding out to 90 "
in width, exposing shelves, custom accessories, power (110, USB,
12V), battery charging drawer, plus laptop mounting options.
Amanda Silliker, editorial director of
PTEN, sat down with Kelly Tvrdy Benes,
CEO and founder of Shadow Tool Company,
to learn more about the Shadow system.
Amanda Silliker: What makes
this product innovative?
Kelly Tvrdy Benes: It's on large casters,
so it can be easily moved to the point of
work. The mechanic can move Shadow to
whatever they want, be it right behind them
or right at their side, so that's also uniquely
different. Everything's meant to be within
hands reach, so when they expand the system
and take those panels out, open the
enclosure, it's 7.5' feet wide at that point.
It offers all the different kinds of tool staging
devices, whether it be a hanger or hook
or shelves - all different types of holders
are available inside the system.
It's meant to be barrier free, with the
tools being exposed. It only takes two hand
motions for a mechanic to reach a tool versus
typically six motions to get a tool either out
of a drawer or to put it away. It also provides
complete visual tool access, so it provides
cues for selecting tools and returning tools.
All these things add up to taking time out
of mechanics' day, but the big benefit it
also provides is constant visual tool inventory
control. Shadow exposes the tools that
mechanics are using on a regular basis, so
they can keep track of them as they're already
doing a very difficult job - it's kind of nice
to alleviate the tracking of the tools.
AS: How did this product
come about?
KTB: Shadow came about by addressing a
need. A mechanic was getting to be older, and
he was kind of tired of taking so many trips
over to the wall and where his toolbox was
kept, and tracking tools was just a constant
battle he had in his in his business, so he developed
the original structure for Shadow. I have
over 20 years of experience as a co-owner of
a business where we designed automated
equipment for all different types of manufacturing
processes. A lot of that involves watching
operators trying to make a smooth inter40
PTEN SEPTEMBER 2022 www.VehicleServicePros.com
face between
the operator
and the equipment
itself, and I
branched off from them and started a company
where I consulted for people if they had
inventions or ideas and they wanted to take
them to market and they needed help with
either design or any aspect of patent work,
then I would help them.
So I get a call from my brother, and he
said, " I have this thing that I think you
might want to take to market. " I went to
his business, and I saw the first rendition
of the shadow system. I spent the next six
years redesigning and doing a lot of trials
and demonstrations and getting a lot of
feedback from a lot of mechanics.
AS: How will Shadow improve
the lives of technicians
and shop owners?
KTB: It has ergonomic relief. Most of the
time savings (30 to 90 minutes a day) is
typically based around reducing physical
motion, whether it be hand motions or
steps, but the reality of it is for the business
owner or the mechanic who's paid per
job, that 30 to 90 minutes is a huge impact
to the mechanic shortage we have in our
country right now. Recapturing those labor
hours is going to make a significant impact
for the business as far as their customers
are concerned, getting more work through
their shops, and relieving the actual work
being done by mechanics who are making
everything happen.
http://www.VehicleServicePros.com
September 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of September 2022
