ELS is a Gorbel distributor based in Canada and its Destuff-IT conveyer makes loading and unloading shipping containers quicker and easier.  

Since Gorbel was already in the business of building and supplying solutions with ergonomic benefits, increasing efficiency and protecting workers seemed like an excellent fit for the company.  

The rise in online retail, driven even higher by Covid quarantines, had pushed the demand for Destuff-IT to new levels which meant ELS was struggling to keep up with production.  

Gorbel had both the production space, the staff, and the capacity to help ELS increase its production capacity and meet demand.  

What started as discussions about contract manufacturing evolved into a Gorbel affiliate buying ELS in the fall of 2020, leasing additional production space in Henrietta, NY, 20 minutes from its headquarters in Fishers, and launching several hiring events to add the staff needed to make the Destuff-IT products here in NY.  

“Taking our relationship with ELS to the next level allowed Gorbel to build upon our mission to Improve People’s Lives beyond our traditional overhead lifting solutions,” said Brian Reh, CEO, Gorbel,  

“In particular, the Destuff-IT and Restuff-IT products that protect and assist employees in distribution centers enable our team to effectively enter a market where we have had minimal presence in the past.” 

Projected sales of the Destuff-IT to warehouse distribution centers around the world have the potential to double the size of Gorbel’s business within the next decade. In addition to growing the manufacturing team and capacity in Elmira, Ontario, Gorbel is expanding its footprint in the Rochester, New York area to meet anticipated demand. This is expected to create more than 100 jobs during the next year. 

“The COVID crisis changed how so many local companies do business. For many, it was a matter of survival. I am grateful we were lucky enough to be in a position where we could pivot our thinking in a slightly different direction and find this new area to grow,” added Reh.