Dock Equipment

Loading docks are the first and last contact at any facility.  It's the place where supplies first arrive and the place from where shipments leave.

With today’s modern, fast-paced loading docks, safety and productivity play a major role in selecting and properly installing the best leveler for the job.  Creating safe and efficient bridges between facilities and the trucks and trailers that pull up to them is no easy task.  With so many different kinds of dock levelers available today in such a wide variety of sizes, shapes, and mounting styles, choosing the right one can be more complicated than ever.  The reason for so many choices in dock levelers is that there is such a huge variety of freight, vehicles, frequency of use, and loading conditions.  These different operations place different demands on a dock leveler, so it is important to make sure that the leveler matches the individual requirements.
 

Use considerations

The first thing to consider is where and how the dock leveler will be used.  Is it a replacement, a retrofit, or new construction? What types and variations of vehicles will be unloading and loading?  What are the space limitations?  Are environmental controls and security prime considerations?  Often times budget or space restrictions may unduly influence the decisions.  This is where bringing in a dock professional can help the most.

• Capacity
  Leveler capacity simply means that the selected leveler has the structural strength to handle the weight, speed, and frequency of use of the material handling equipment.
   
• Length
  Material handling equipment used for loading and off loading has grade operating limitations, so it is important to consider this when determining the right length of dock leveler.
   
• Costs
  Units range in price from under a thousand dollars for edge-of-dock levelers to several thousand for large-capacity hydraulic levelers.
   
• Additional Factors
  The dock leveler makes up only one piece of a loading dock. Consideration must also be given to dock safety, communications, operator environment, and energy conservation.  In a busy shipping area, there can be up to 100 opportunities a day, per single loading dock, for serious mishaps to occur.  A combination of signal lights, controls, and signage advises both vehicle drivers and dock attendants of safe / unsafe and park / depart conditions.

Types of dock levelers

• Edge-of-dock
  These levelers are mounted to the outside of the face of the loading dock.  As such, they're the most economical and typically the easiest levelers to install. Their drawback is limited size and weight capacities.
   
• Pit-style
  Pit docks offer greater capacities and options to suit more demanding cross-docking applications.  Because of more space above and below the leveler, pit-mounted levelers typically have greater working and service ranges and adaptability over edge-of-dock levelers.
   
• Vertical-storing
  This type is recommended most for food and other applications where temperature control is a concern. They're better at keeping the elements and pests out and the temperature in.

Dock Levelers/Edge of Dock  |  Elevating Dock Lifts  |  Vehicle Restraints  |  Seals & Shelters  |  Accessory Equipment