MCMILLANCO delivers Covid-fighting hardware to Red Robin

Partition project increases profits and cost savings for national burger giant.  

As restaurants across the country – and around the world – struggle to rebound from the Covid-19 pandemic, many have been forced to adjust their operating procedures on a dime.  Red Robin, the family-focused casual burger chain, was no different. 

Once initial quarantine requirements loosened and restaurants could open in larger numbers, facilities teams still reeling from unexpected shutdowns had to then tackle a new problem:  how to welcome guests back into restaurants comfortably and safely. 

By mid-summer, guidelines throughout the country generally mandated that guests remain either 6 feet apart or separated by a non-porous barrier if closer than 6 feet.  To remain 6 feet apart, many restaurants could only seat guests at every other table.  If a barrier solution could be found, some restaurants could up to double their safe operating capacity and get their crews back to work faster. 

Solution: Special US-made partitions          

The solution had to be tangible and quick.  The Facilities team at Red Robin devised a basic design for glass booth partitions with special brackets and approached MCMILLANCO, LLC in August, 2020 for manufacturing solutions.

MCMILLANCO’s engineering team took the bracket design and tweaked it to make it more manufacturable.  With glass clamps from the original design unavailable due to supply shortages, the team instead integrated die-cut rubber insulator pads into the steel posts.  These proved to effectively grip and immobilize the glass panels once in place.  MCMILLANCO selected the best US-based providers for each step of the manufacturing process, including steel fabrication, powder coating, kitting and packaging.  Throughout the process, MCMILLANCO was able to save Red Robin 15% in costs compared to original quotes provided by a competitor. 

Success: Immediate increase in guest counts          

By early September, an initial run of bracket posts and hardware supplied 14 Red Robin Restaurants with the hardware to install the glass partitions.  The effort made an immediate impact with doubled capacity at most locations.  Within 2 weeks after successful installation, the company reported increased guest counts for each location, which is a key performance indicator for the restaurant industry.  This success paved the way for a full production run to supply brackets and hardware for the remaining 400+ corporate-owned Red Robin stores along with more than 20 franchised locations. 

Even with a few custom post sets for restaurants with uncommon booth specifications, the entire project is on track to be complete by the week of Black Friday.  MCMILLANCO is fulfilling all fulfillment needs for this project out of its new facility in Columbus, Ohio. 

MCMILLANCO’s commitment to responsiveness and customer service were key to the success of this project, helping Red Robin to pivot and react quickly to the needs of its patrons and employees. 

MCMILLANCO partition brackets are available in various sizes to fit nearly any partition project. Contact us today for more information.

CuGrip Partnership

COVID-Fighting Antimicrobial Copper Wraps

We are excited to announce our new partnership with CuGrip Goods Ltd.! With CuGrip, we are striving to deliver their COVID-fighting antimicrobial copper wraps around the globe. 

Delivering Antimicrobial CuGrip Surface Covers Globally          

Columbus company MCMILLANCO, LLC signed an agreement with CuGrip Goods Ltd. to deliver their COVID-fighting antimicrobial copper wraps globally. 

CuGrip Goods Ltd. (pronounced “Q-grip”) has developed self-sanitizing copper wraps that can easily be applied to high-touch surfaces like door handles to reduce the spread of germs and viruses. CuGrip Goods Ltd. has partnered with MCMILLANCO, LLC to develop packaging designs, coordinate manufacturing, fulfillment, and distribution of antimicrobial copper products from its Columbus facility.   

Like an industrial matchmaker of sorts, MCMILLANCO helps manufacturers find solutions for a wide variety of metal machining, fabrication, assembly, and distribution needs.  The company’s focus on quality and strategic partnerships made them an ideal partner for CuGrip Goods Ltd. 

Making Technology More Widely Available

Dustin McMillan of MCMILLANCO stated, “We are excited about the innovation behind CuGrip and the opportunity to make this technology more widely available.”   

Studies show that copper can kill viruses and other germs by disrupting the protective layers of the organisms and interfering with its vital processes.  In 2020, studies have confirmed that the anti-microbial properties of copper are effective against the novel coronavirus, rendering it no longer infectious within 4 hours, which is 12 times quicker than stainless steel.  CuGrip copper surface wraps have many applications in hospitals, schools, mass transit, retail spaces, and other places where germs are likely to spread.

Interested in what MCMILLANCO can do for you? Contact us today!

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