30-year commitment to running industry results in complete solutions for event organizers, not just colorful post-race wraps.

January 25, 2010, Petaluma, CA: AFM Founder and CEO David Deigan will formally introduce his company’s new Rapid Unwind Racks™ at the upcoming Running USA Conference at the La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, California, January 31st—February 2nd.
“We are pleased to be able to offer race directors of events of all sizes a simple and efficient solution to dispensing Heatsheets®-on-a-Roll,” said Deigan. “We first tested five prototype units, designed by Mike Thompson from Eagle Events, at last year’s Boston Marathon, and continued to test and refine what we now call Rapid Unwind Racks™ until we had a product we could be confident enough to offer our event customers.”

“We are committed to ongoing product development,” Deigan went on to say, “and the Rapid Unwind Racks™ are a logical improvement to our Heatsheets®-on-a-Roll, which are designed to be shipped in corrugated cartons. While the dispenser carton remains a big improvement over the flat pack delivery system they made obsolete in 2005, the Rapid Unwind Racks™ provide a safer, faster, more efficient delivery system, and eliminate the need for corrugated cartons for finish line use. The new pallet scheme we developed for the cartonless rolls allows us to get 40% more rolls on a 40” x 48” shipping pallet, offering our customers savings in freight, warehouse and on-site transport costs.”

AFM’s product team is committed to working directly with event directors to improve its product delivery systems, and to reduce its environmental impact. Oftentimes, the two go hand-in-hand. Heatsheets®-on-a-Roll are made from recyclable low-density polyethylene, with inks and heat-reflective film that comply with the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) of 2008. Now that Heatsheets®®-on-a-Roll are available in cartonless rolls, and 50 rolls can be stacked neatly on a pallet, the reduction of corrugated cartons that an event needs to recycle can be truly significant.

“Most running events probably need a combination of cartonless rolls, for finish line use, and dispenser cartons, for use at smaller distribution points such as on-course aid stations sweep vehicles and family reunion areas,” Deigan suggested. “But finish lines are perfect for the cartonless system, which was specifically designed to make working with the Rapid Unwind Rack™ more efficient. Big marathons like New York, Chicago, Boston, Marine Corps and Los Angeles each dispense between 30,000 and 45,000 Heatsheets®-on-a-Roll at their finish lines. By eliminating corrugated cartons, we eliminate about 50 cartons per 10,000 Heatsheets®. At the end of the day, races save on freight expenses and we save a lot of trees!”

Rapid Unwind Racks™ are simple to work with, and offer speedy pre-race preparation or pull-as-you-go delivery of Heatsheets®®-on-a-Roll. The fixed dispenser system weighs less than four pounds and can be lifted with one hand. Designed to be placed at chest height to eliminate bending and increase the speed of Heatsheets® separation and distribution, the one-piece aluminum rack has no spare parts to lose.

Deigan summarized his company’s commitment to the running industry by saying: “No other company offering hypothermia prevention products devotes the time working beside the volunteers who prepare and deliver their product to event finishers AFM does. All of our employees put in finish line time. We constantly refine our product and packaging to fit the specific needs of the event community; to increase safety, reduce preparation time, eliminate waste, and ensure customer satisfaction. We understand how race operations people work and what they need, because we work beside them, and gather feedback, real-time. It sets us apart. AFM has 30 years of hands-on experience at hundreds of event finish lines. We are committed to constantly seeking better solutions in partnerships with our event customers.”