Americans have used vending machines for years to purchase soft drinks, snacks, lottery tickets and a range of consumer products. Now manufacturing plants are installing vending machines to control the distribution of personal protective equipment (PPE), which saves time and money by ensuring workers have the right protective products for specific applications.
Vending machine use in plants has more than doubled over the past few years, with companies across a range of industries reaping immediate cost benefits. Almost any consumable product can be vended — from work gloves and hard hats to drill bits, chemicals and respirators. Some vending machines include cabinets that allow for dispensation of larger items.