Loading dock: noun – a platform where trucks or trains can be loaded or unloaded; synonyms: dock (source: Webster's dictionary). This definition of a loading dock serves our purpose admirably, provided we remember we're talking trucks, not trains. Its first element – 'platform' – is the key word; to load and unload trucks or vans, we need a strong, level platform at load deck height.
The snag with fixed loading docks lies in their being fixed. A loading dock made of reinforced concrete is a civil engineering project. While you may find a perfectly civil engineer to build a loading dock for you, the cost may be grounds for some uncivility. This can be more so if you try to consider such a structure as an investment. A fixed loading dock can be an asset, but only for as long as your needs remain fixed. The good news is that there is a system that allows you to have bigger (or smaller) loading docks that can be used indoors or out, and modified at any time to meet your requirements exactly.
The secret of modular docks can be found in their name. Unsurprisingly, modular docks are made up of modules, which are strong steel structures that are bolted together to form a loading dock tailored to your business.
Platform modules come in ten standard sizes and are available with load capacities to accommodate everything from roll cages to forklift trucks. A modular dock can be built to any size, anywhere. So, if you have a particular building you'd like to use for loading and unloading, you can assemble a modular dock to suit the location. What if you want to equip a different location or need to alter the size of the dock? The solution couldn't be simpler. It's a nuts-and-bolts job to move platform modules, and/or add or remove them as needed. A modular dock is as permanent or mobile as you need it to be.
A good modular dock system offers more than just a strong and secure platform. As the platform is by definition raised, access steps, ladders and handrails are available to prevent access accidents. Similarly, fork truck rows are offered to prevent forklift falls; buffers can also be fitted to absorb truck trailer impacts. Importantly, as the height of truck load beds are rarely accurate to a few millimetres, integrated dock levellers are available to bridge the gap. Modular docks and scissor lifts also make ideal work partners.
There's a final aspect of modular docks that you can expect to find in a good system. Commercial vehicles are heavy and tough, goods can be heavy and the means of moving them around are also heavy. These fundamental facts dictate that modular docks need to be tough and able to withstand heavy-duty demands. Good modular docks are built of quality steel, assembled with faultless welds and finished in materials designed to cope with a hard life, indoors or out.
In the end analysis, the demands of cargo handling are rarely fixed. Modular docks, impermanent by nature, give you the flexibility to keep up with changing requirements. In the case of a good modular dock system, the whole can definitely be considered greater than the sum of its parts.
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