The Lift Gate Assistant can make your bar both functional and fancy with a flip-up bar counter.A Q&A with Jody Osgood, Regional Sales Manager, Weber Knapp Co.
What types of products does Weber Knapp Co. provide for the foodservice industry?
Jody Osgood: For over 100 years, the company has designed, developed and manufactured innovative mechanical hardware and kinematic motion-control devices from multi-link concealed refrigerator hinges to counterbalance hinges. Weber Knapp can provide motion-control products for any hinged appliance.
Solutions geared toward commercial foodservice operations include:
- Smoker & grill lid support hinges
- Food prep table hinges
- Kitchen appliance hinges
- Flip-up bar top hinges
What are the benefits of counter-balanced hinge systems?
JO: With counter-balancing, a force offsets or reduces another weight or force to increase safety during use. Weber Knapp is now heavily involved in the counterbalance market within many industries, including the LiftGate Hinge, which is specially designed for hospitality applications. In the hospitality industry, counterbalanced hinge systems are commonly and successfully used with lift-up bar tops or countertops. This is especially common with heavier materials, such as quartz and granite. If a counterbalance component like Weber Knapp’s LiftGate Hinge is used on a 45-pound lid, it will make it feel like it weighs just 5 pounds. Counterbalance hinges don’t just provide added safety, but also are convenient and reliable.
What are the advantages of Weber Knapp’s LiftGate Hinge?
JO: There are six different LiftGate Hinge options that can handle different weight classes. In addition to weight, restaurant operators need to consider the top’s material, depth, length and width when determining the counterbalance hinge that will work best. To make choosing the appropriate hinge fast and easy, Weber Knapp has created the LiftGate calculator.
Restaurant operators can visit our website and enter the countertop or bar top’s length and weight into the LiftGate calculator. Or, they can call us directly, and we will recommend the best product for them. When
it’s time for installation, Weber Knapp provides extensive assembly instructions. Installation typically takes less than an hour.
We have a very busy operation. Can LiftGate Hinges stand up to high-volume use?
JO: When it comes to service life, LiftGate hinges are designed to last. This product has been tested to last beyond 100,000 cycles and comes with a limited five-year warranty that covers manufacturing defects.
How can I find out more about what type of Liftgate will work best and more about Weber Knapp’s products?
JO: Visit our website for expert insights that include the basics of motion control to advanced applications. This site contains real-world applications, including details on how businesses like King’s Fish House have successfully integrated these solutions for better efficiency and safety. Also included are DIY design tips that provide details on how to design and implement these solutions into a business with easy-to-follow steps. The site’s interactive resources, such as Weber Knapp’s LiftGate Assistant Lid Calculator, are available for those looking to take a more customized approach.
