How Our 12 Pack Sandbag Filler Solves Complex Problems
Exploring the multiple uses, simple solutions, and the best-fit methods of using, distributing, and filling sandbags.
If you or your employees have ever filled sandbags using conventional methods, you know one thing: it sucks. Shoveling or dumping sand into individual sandbags is time-consuming, inefficient, and causes worker fatigue. If you’ve ever used a sandbag-filling machine, you know they’re subject to breakdown and refueling while requiring time and energy to move into place.
The last thing you want is complications when you need sandbags to handle flooding, erosion, or construction problems. I learned this the hard way when I started my business that helps homeowners protect their property from water damage.
Like many people, my professional plans changed when COVID-19 hit. Fresh out of college, I had neighbors suffering from erosion problems while Lake Michigan water levels were near a 100-year peak. I wanted to help, so I formed a company that specialized in providing sandbags to help homeowners in need.
By Charles Strehl, Founder
Next-Level Sandbag
My employees and I got to work filling thousands of sandbags, first by hand and then by Rube Goldberg-esque methods, which were just as futile. Frustrated by the inefficiency, we developed a new sandbag filling system that has proven to be the most efficient way to meet the demands of those in need.
Our 12 Pack Sandbag Filler is a solution that allows a crew of three to fill 125 sandbags per hour. When adding a third member, that increases to filling 150 sandbags per hour.
Here are two examples of applications where sandbags were the most feasible option to solve problems.
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A summer festival or special event typically means extra work for a municipality. However, utilizing the sandbag filling and transport methods that Next-Level Sandbag provides, those tasks can become much more manageable.
“The 12-Pack Sandbag Filler was user-friendly and extremely efficient.” – Pat Elliott, DPW Superintendent Charlevoix, MI
Imagine a situation where a summer festival is happening in your city or township. Roads need to be blocked, traffic diverted, and parameters established for special attractions. Sandbags offer simple anchorage for all signage and other traffic control measures.
Efficiently producing filled sandbags is critical to successfully achieving your desired outcome, especially in a crisis. If there is an issue that requires immediate response regarding the blocking or diverting water flow, sandbags will often be the fastest way to buy time until your team can implement permanent fixes. Even if a sandbag-centered approach is not the final fix, using sandbags can create the time needed for you to determine your best course of action. First, mitigate the most immediate threat. Then, take the proper amount of time to develop a long-term solution, including methods like new construction or a more time-consuming repair.
Whether using sandbags as a primary response or a quick reaction method, the common denominator is having them available. You may need to fill up to 150 sandbags per hour. Our Sandbag 12 Pack Filling solution can do just that. We’ve produced over 40,000 sandbags with 7 employees using this solution. Don’t worry - I didn’t burn out my crew - they all still work with me today.
Watch our video to see how easy the 12 Pack Sandbag filler is to use.
Efficiency and simplicity are at the heart of our 12 Pack Sandbag Filler. We’ve been able to assemble work crews, drive to an application site, truck in infill sand, and then fill right on site. We’ve found the mobility and flexibility of our 12 Pack Sandbag Filler allows us the freedom to fill wherever the application zone dictates.
Our solution has saved us so much time that we’ve made our 12 Pack Sandbag Filler available for purchase. Superintendent of the Charlevoix, MI Department of Public Works, Pat Elliott, told us the 12-Pack Sandbag Filler was “user-friendly and extremely efficient.” The 12 Pack Filler allows for improved response times and avoids unnecessary complexity by enabling them to produce filled sandbags quickly. Simplicity is the ultimate complexity.
"The last time our local river overflowed, we were more ready than ever thanks to the Next-Level Sandbag 12 Pack."
- Shirley W., Road Commissioner
Relying on sandbags to solve problems is a tried-and-true solution used by numerous government and disaster response agencies, such as FEMA, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the American Red Cross. Bridging the gap from point A to B is where the 12 Pack Sandbag Filler can offer the most help. Dispatching sandbags to designated areas after filling can quickly and efficiently bridge the gap.
We trust the 12 Pack Sandbag Filler tool after using it for two years under challenging situations. The trial and error that went into its development is paying off for more and more users. You may not need sandbags for day-to-day occupational functions, but it’s nice to have the assurance of being capable of handling the demand when the time comes. Having a 12 Pack Sandbag Filler on the ready is much like having the answers to an algebra exam before it happens, clarity of mind that cannot be objectified numerically.
