Two weeks to build a new complex
We had just two weeks to manufacture a new complex for our project, which needed to pay for itself fast. One week was set aside for assembly. We worked without stopping: the day ran from 6 a.m. to 1 a.m., every single day. A couple of hours of sleep, then back to work. This pace made sense because the festival season in Georgia is short, and being late with the installation meant losing a large share of the profit.
In the end, we prepared two complexes with 120 cells each. Full setup included a phone charging terminal, radio, video surveillance, an alarm system, a bill acceptor, and a touchscreen payment terminal. A retail unit for selling premium sunflower seeds at the festival was also added, giving the equipment owner an extra source of income.
Transport and electronics preparation
The equipment was quickly prepared for transport. The control unit was kept fully assembled, while the cell modules were disassembled to save space. We also packed several boxes of locks, wiring, and tools. Everything was compact and convenient, which saved time and money at customs, since oversized cargo always takes longer and costs more to clear.
A few words on our cabinets and electronics. Our locker cabinets are made from high-quality sheet steel coated with powder polymer paint. Before painting, the surface goes through phosphating, which noticeably extends the metal's lifespan in the humid conditions typical of seaside locations.
This gives the cabinet strong resistance to wear and protects it from moisture. As a result, our cabinets have a long service life even under heavy outdoor use. The "heart" of our automated lockers is a controller board of our own design and production. We also develop and update our own software, which lets us make changes quickly for a specific project. You can read more about how this process works on our equipment manufacturing page. These factors were decisive when we were chosen as the supplier of lockers for beaches and festivals at Kazantip.
The road through Illichivsk and the ferry to Poti
With the cabinets ready for transport, we loaded up and spent the whole night on the road. By morning we were already in Illichivsk and boarded the ferry together with the equipment owner. We cleared customs and headed to the cabin to rest before the installation ahead.
The Illichivsk-Poti route took 2.5 days. There was plenty of time, so rather than waste it, we checked several electronic units and finished off the charging stations right on board the ferry. That extra check on the way more than once saved us from delays once we reached the installation site.
Installation in Anaklia and the first results
On arrival in Georgia, it took a little time to sort out the import paperwork for the automated lockers, but it was resolved quickly and in our favor. Getting to the installation site didn't take long either. The weather, though, wasn't on our side. Neither the heat nor the light rain could stop us: we worked around the clock. Within three days, the complex was fully assembled and running at full capacity.
Then came time to see it in action. Takings were 90 dollars on the first day, 120 dollars on the second, and on the third day, in just half a day of operation, the complex brought in 130 dollars. The phone charging station played no small part in that, proving just as popular as the storage cells themselves.
That's how automated lockers, with a fairly low cost and easy assembly and transport, turned into a profitable business even under tight deadlines and complicated logistics.
