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DCs are looking for ways to improve loading dock access and safety while implementing new technologies—all in the name of efficiency. As manufacturing and retail organizations seek to streamline operations, many business leaders are homing in on the loading dock as an area to improve efficiency. After all, the smooth movement of materials throughout a facility begins and ends with efficient loading and unloading, making the dock an ideal place to apply advancing equipment and technology. The next opportunities in dock efficiency include improving access to trailers, which can eliminate bottlenecks in getting products in and out the door; implementing better safety controls to improve the speed and reliability of dock safety systems; and automating processes throughout the warehouse to alleviate congestion on the loading dock. All of these steps can add up to considerable savings at the point of material transfer. Here’s a look at each area. ENSURE PROPER ACCESS Walt Swietlik, director of customer relations and sales support for dock equipment maker Rite Hite, says the first step in planning a more efficient dock is making sure you have proper access to the trailers you’re loading and unloadingâ??that is, ensuring that your dock is designed for the safe, secure, and efficient transfer of products in and out of the trailers. Although that might sound pretty basic, many operations fall short of that standard. There can be many reasons for that. As one example, dock doors present a problem in many buildingsâ??especially older ones, where doors may be narrower and shorter than the trailers that are backing into them. “An overhead door that is too short or too narrow is an instant bottleneck to the proper transfer of product,” Swietlik explains. “Along with the efficiency issues come product damage issues and safety concerns.” Building new doors that are […]