Bretford Debuts UL-Approved Flat-Panel Carts
Bretford Manufacturing, which makes furniture for both classroom and work environments, introduced a new family of affordable, UL-approved flat-panel multimedia carts.
Bretform FP42 flat panel multimedia cart
Bretford Manufacturing, which makes furniture for both classroom and work environments, introduced a new family of affordable, UL-approved flat-panel multimedia carts. Designed for K-12 and higher education environments where kids are present, the new FP42 and FP60 basic flat-panel carts and multimedia flat-panel carts come with a laptop or tablet shelf and are streamlined to be affordable.
Dave Smith, product manager for Bretford Manufacturing, explained that when children are present there is the potential to move or interact with the AV carts inappropriately, thus creating greater possibility for injury. At the same time, the cost of flat panels has dropped dramatically over the past few years so the cart costs must adjust appropriately. “Bretford is taking the choice of safety features versus price out of the equation by offering both at a very competitive price point,” he said in a statement. “There are still very few UL-approved flat panel carts on the market and the new carts offer a certifiably safer solution. They are much more sensitive to today’s economic conditions while keeping the safety features intact.”
Bretford’s new flat panel multimedia carts are UL certified to standard 1667 for tall institutional carts for the highest level of safety, yet are priced in line with competitive non-UL listed carts, starting at $500.
Company officials said the new carts can be placed anywhere a flat-panel monitor is being used in a school environment for video or multimedia presentation viewing. They include the option of adding a pull-out laptop/tablet tray that makes it easier to use the carts as an interactive learning tool, not just a simple video stand. This feature is suited to today’s K-12 learning environments that rely heavily on laptops, iPads, and other mobile technologies for learning in the classroom.
The carts use five-inch swivel casters instead of standard four-inch size. The larger casters make it easy to move over thresholds while the ability for all the casters to swivel improves maneuverability around the classroom or into a storage closet or other area when not in use, according to Bretford. Additionally, the new carts feature Bretford’s easy-to-control top shelf handle as a standard offering.
The new carts are stability and load tested for safe use with a 26-inch to a 52-inch flat panel monitor up to 100 pounds, depending on the cart model, and support an additional 150 pounds on the shelves, according to the company. They feature a universal mounting bracket that is adjustable to fit the unique VESA mounting hole pattern on the back of almost all monitors that are up to 33 inches wide by 16 inches tall.
The company said all the new carts are built from prime steel that has 25- to 35-percent post-consumer recycled content, and they are 100-percent recyclable at the end of the product life cycle. They are backed by Bretford’s 12-year standard warranty and one-year electrical warranty
The new FP42 and FP60 basic flat panel carts and multimedia flat panel carts with a laptop/tablet shelf are available for order starting June 1 and will begin shipping later in the month.
