The last thing you want to discover when moving into a new facility is that the loading docks are incompatible with your business needs. Taking the time to test drive the loading docks at the facilities in consideration will save you time and money.
Before you hit the docks, meet with your leadership team and warehouse/shipping management for key details:
- Number of loading docks needed
- Typical trailers loaded/unloaded and their bed height/trailer width
- Special dock requirements – e.g., extra wide or extremely heavy loads
Taking a few simple measurements can help you further evaluate the loading docks at any facility:
- How tall are doors? All freight has to enter and leave through a business’s loading door, making this a potential choke point in the case of the wrong solution.
- How wide are the loading doors? This will help determine what kind of forklift can be used and whether a specialty ramp is needed that can unload directly from a trailer.
- What is the dock height from the ground outside? If the height of the dock aligns with heights of your typical trailers, then you’re in good shape. If not, there are portable loading docks with adjustable legs and other configurations that provide a sturdy and smooth transition between both trailer and facility.
Why this is important?
Businesses that don’t address their loading dock discrepancies find they eventually pay for it in reduced productivity, such as:
- More difficulty for forklifts to maneuver
- Manual loading/unloading is still necessary for trailers that are higher or lower than dock height
- More time spent re-positioning a trailer
Strengthening and improving operations at a facility can be a resource intensive initiative. That’s why Dockzilla heavy-steel loading ramps take the guess work out of planning, evaluation, and configuration. Our engineers will deliver a portable loading dock, ramp, or platform that best fits your loading needs and makes the transition into a new facility well worth the move.