Food 3PL safely installs modular loading dock

Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, the national and international logistics firm had been celebrating the success of winning a major 10-year food supply contract, which necessitated the purchase of a larger and higher specification operation close to its existing fulfilment centre in Letchworth Hertfordshire. This new facility was to become 2Excel’s flagship operation, enabling it to be fully BRCGS (British Retail Consortium Global Standards) Food Safety accredited, offer barcode scanning, and become WMS integrated. Having found the perfect location and size of building, 2Excel Logistics was faced with the challenge that the warehouse had no loading docks, only level access doors - a problem often faced by logistics companies.

Challenging times

Thorworld distributor, James Corfield from Darmax, Ian Langan, technical director at Thorworld presented Justin Wilkie, MD at 2Excel, with plans to design, manufacture and install a loading solution for the new warehouse. The blueprints incorporated a bespoke modular dock system, designed so handball tip containers and traditional curtain sided vehicles could be unloaded in the warehouse, while complying with BRC regulations.

The plans fulfilled all 2Excel’s loading requirements and included intelligent detailing such as fully enclosed external cladding around the front of the dock for pest control purposes and a traffic light system to enhance driver safety.

“Thorworld’s modular dock system design was visually stunning,” Justin remarks, “and looked set to deliver in terms of improved efficiencies surrounding unloading loose containers.”

Frontline need

However, concerns for the project’s realisation arose as the UK’s COVID-19 lockdown situation began to unfold. With 80 percent of the 2Excel’s business involved in food chain supply, finding a route to complete the warehouse installation became essential to supporting the company’s logistical capabilities.

“Ian and James were close to having the final warehouse installation plans in place, just before the country’s lockdown guidelines were announced,” Justin explains.

“As our business plays a vital part in distributing food products to major retailers and supply chains, we were fearful that the unfolding situation could adversely affect our essential distribution chains.”

Concerned for the situation and his company’s operating prospects, Justin explained the weight of the circumstances to the Thorworld team: “Ian and James were fully on board with the concept of installing the loading bay on the planned date, and were confident that their engineers could work within safe social distancing guidelines so our operation - which had fast become a frontline service - could continue functioning effectively.

Ian Langan adds: “We’ve been living through an immense period of concern and change, where it has become a national priority to stay safe while enabling essential logistical itinerates and care services to operate at an increased pace.

“Working safely is and has always been Thorworld’s operational mainstay and incorporating social distancing measures within our approach has been second nature. We’re extremely pleased to hear that 2Excel has been impressed with both our performance procedures and modular dock capabilities. To learn that our designs and loading equipment function are helping people whom the country simply couldn’t be without at this time is extremely rewarding and we’re grateful for the opportunity to play our part.”