Take time to choose
February 1st 2008

John Meale, MD of Thorworld Industries, says spending time to choose well designed and manufactured loading bay and materials handling equipment can pay dividends in making the goods in and out process safer and more efficient

The loading bay is a vital link in the production and distribution chain. If the loading system fails, goods cannot be despatched or received, causing knock-on delays in the production/distribution cycle. Choosing the right supplier and equipment is therefore crucially important in ensuring trouble free operation and helping minimise costly downtime.

So what do you need to consider when looking for loading and unloading equipment? The following pointers should serve as a helpful guide to choosing loading bay and general materials handling equipment.

Talk to well-known and established suppliers whose sales engineers fully understand your needs and who will help you achieve increased efficiency by supplying products which fully meet your requirements – both short and longer-term.

After the sales engineer has suggested a specific product or group of products, ask for the names of existing users. You can talk to them direct, or possibly visit with the supplier to see the equipment in action and to check on customer satisfaction levels.

It's often worth considering a singlesource supplier who can provide all your main loading and unloading equipment, together with the necessary accessories – particularly if they have a proven track record in the sector.

Safety standards Make sure all the equipment is produced under strict quality controls that ensure the highest European health and safety standards. BSI registered, with CE mark certification, Thorworld has been ISO 9002 accredited since 1992 and was one of the first in the industry to achieve the latest ISO 9001:2000 international quality management standard.

An increasing quantity of materials handling equipment that does not carry the official CE mark or meet European design standards is now coming into the country, particularly from Eastern Europe and Asia.

For example, I have seen a new loading ramp made in Eastern Europe that was totally unsafe to use. In my view, the ramp, which did not have the CE mark, was a major health and safety hazard.

Before you buy, always double check with the supplier that all their equipment is CE marked and has been made to EU quality, design and safety standards; don't just assume it has been. It really is a false economy to buy 'cheap' substitutes if they are not totally safe to use, as an inferior product could lead to a serious accident and won't generally provide a satisfactory working life.

You also need to be confident that the supplier can offer a fast and reliable maintenance or replacement service, should something go wrong with the equipment.

If your need is temporary, perhaps seasonal, there are significant financial benefits to be had by renting rather than buying some forms of loading equipment.

As rental can be paid from income, companies can save precious capital for other expenditure.

Through our specialist RentARamp operation we provide mobile yardramps, available for purchase or rental on a sale or return basis, which are ideal for loading and unloading vehicle trailers by fork truck where there are no suitable loading bays.

Talking your problems through with an experienced supplier can often to lead to an unexpected solution to a loading bay requirement. For example, when considering the installation of an extra loading dock at its distribution complex in Manchester, Brother (UK) had to take into account the costs of buying an additional forklift truck as well as the associated civil engineering work.

After speaking to us about the situation we suggested that putting in one of our Truckloada mobile yardlifts would maximise the facilities, whilst at the same time achieving financial economies. As the outside area in front of the new loading bay's roller shutter doors was on an incline, using the Truckloada meant there was no need to level the ground.

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