System suited to transit vans

Operating a fleet of 50+ vehicles from a total of 18 loading bays, Long Lane Deliveries, which distributes for among others, Tesco, Rowan Glen and Muller, already uses four Thorworld hinged bridge plates to provide safe, effective links from dock to vehicle – a system that has proved highly successful when loading and unloading smaller, transit sized vans.

“The hinged bridge plates are an ideal solution for connecting the unavoidable gap between our purpose-built van dock and the despatch vehicles,” explains Raymond Nelson, project manager at Long Lane Deliveries. “However, to enable our operation to continue functioning effectively at all times, we also wanted a further, supporting piece of kit that could quickly be brought into use as a backup to our standard pit mounted dock levellers in the event of a power failure.”

Raymond refers to his firm’s recent purchase of two Thorworld Dock Plates – high tensile aluminium plates, with a built-in anti-slip finish, lifting handles and locking legs designed to prevent movement.

While heavy applications and fork lift vehicles may require a Thorworld Dockboard, the custom-built Dockplate presents an ideal solution to get deliveries to customers safely, as expected and on time. It can be for use with pallet trucks, sack trucks and roll cages, and can also enable loading access for pedestrians without the risk of hazard.

It’s been designed to ‘fill the gap’ in more ways than one, as should a customer’s power supply stop for any reason, the plate can simply be dropped into place between the dock and the trailer. The underside brackets stop the plate from moving too far in either direction and the built-in handles help to make bringing the plate into play, quick and easy.

Ramp allows for safe loading

Balmoral Tanks has installed bespoke loading dock equipment, designed and manufactured by Thorworld Industries. 

Its new site has been designed to be inclusive of a loading dock area, creating the opportunity to discontinue the company’s need, and considerable associated costs, of involving a third-party loading provider

Balmoral Tank’s operation’s director, Bryan Bentley explains: “Prior to the site relocation, we’d spent in the region of £125,000 over an 12-month period on third party loading services. Keen to reduce these transport loading costs, we ensured the design of our new premises would include space for a loading operation.

A considered assessment of the loading space available led James Corfield, director at Darmax. to recommend a ramp and a modular dock system from Thorworld, that together would enable a flat access point for operatives to reach containers, with dimensions suitable for accommodating Balmoral’s 3m x 1.5m by 400mm delivery boxes.

“The construction of Balmoral’s tanks can involve assembly of up to 400 tank sheets, with each delivered in a separate, carefully packaged box,” he explains.

“To enable Balmoral to continue achieving its meticulous delivery standards, we had to ensure the design of the new modular platform was large enough to safely accommodate the length of the load, as well as a fork lift truck. Removable barriers were also incorporated into the side of the platform, as the recommended loading technique involved using a forklift to bring individual loads out of the factory. This allowed loads to be placed onto the side of the platform, before the vehicle’s forks are safely removed. The method has enabled Balmoral’s drivers to access the ramp from the factory floor, so driving up the ramp without a projecting load, prior to lifting the load forward, into the container.”