LED dock lights cut carbon

Loading and unloading equipment specialist Thorworld Industries has introduced optional LED bulbs for its Standard Plus Dock Lights.This will boost cost-effectiveness and energy efficiency, says md John Meale.

LED bulbs are a viable and attractive alternative to existing 80 watt bulbs and this initiative continues our drive towards enhancing sustainability across our product range, as well as supporting customers' environmental policies by offering green solutions wherever possible.

Compared to standard halogen bulbs, the 12 watt LED bulbs deliver an energy saving of approximately 85%. At the same time, they have no adverse effect on light quality, with a comparable standard of illumination to halogens (over 1000 Lumens).

That's not the only advantage to customers: the lifespan of an LED bulb is as much as 50,000 hours. This is at least a ten-fold increase in life expectancy over halogen bulbs, ensuring significant reductions in the replacement of consumables for a lower overall cost of ownership.We estimate that, under typical distribution centre operating conditions, the LED Dock Light becomes more costeffective within two years of purchase.

With rising energy prices and the growth of corporate sustainability policies, our customers are on the lookout for long-term solutions that can simultaneously reduce costs and waste.

Changing a light bulb might seem only a small act, but it produces a big 'win' ? meaning less hassle, lower energy consumption and enhanced environmental credentials, without any discernable loss of illumination.

Dock seals and bumpers This environmental initiative follows the launch in 2010 of Thortight Inflatable Dock Seals and patented Sliding Nylon Dock Bumpers. These designs also provide customers with added value in terms of cost, efficiency and sustainability.

Thortight Inflatable Dock Seals provide virtually airtight sealed insulation between internal and external environments ? making them suitable for all forms of warehousing and distribution centres, and particularly for those operating an ambient or temperature controlled building such as a cold store.

Once the vehicle is in position, the seals inflate within 30 seconds to maintain a consistent internal temperature. This prevents the loss of refrigerated or warm air, which is both costly and inefficient in terms of the additional energy required by climate control systems to stabilise the temperature.

It also helps to prevent ingress of dirt, dust or insects to minimise the potential for contamination. In areas where food or other hygiene critical products are prepared or stored, this can significantly reduce the risk of food waste ? a major contributor to carbon footprints.

The Sliding Nylon Dock Bumpers are designed to optimise material use to deliver an increased life-span of as much as four times that of a traditional nylon dock bumper and significantly more than that for conventional rubber dock bumpers.

The use of dock bumpers is intended to provide customers with years of cost-effective, shock-absorbing protection, saving tens of thousands of pounds worth of damage to vehicles and docks.

By incorporating a sliding design, Thorworld adds further value because each bumper can be turned upside-down and back-to-front to ensure even wear, thus extending its lifespan.

Added to this, the sliding action helps to extend the bumper's lifespan still further because the nylon can move with the vehicle thus minimising abrasion damage.

We are driven to implement 'green' thinking as standard.Most of our existing steel, nylon, rubber and aluminium products are already recyclable, and we endeavour to source sustainable materials wherever possible.

In addition, our engineering pedigree ensures that nothing need be wasted when it can be recycled. One scheme that is proving increasingly popular is the supply of refurbished Mobile Yardramps, which not only provide low-cost alternatives for customers on a budget but serve to avoid unnecessary scrappage.