The Problem:
Glencore Recycling, out of East Providence, Rhode Island, signed a lease for a new building next to their existing facility. Unfortunately, the new building came with a broken dock leveler, had a unique descending slope on the approach to the dock, and the original dock was lower than usual. High voltage cables were also discovered within 64″ of the edge of the dock.
The Solution:
We decided that the best solution was to implement a dock extender, allowing the new leveler to achieve the necessary angle to attach to the trucks and allowing us to cut a new pit that would not interfere with the high-voltage wires. The BODE team worked with the vendor to create the steel extension accompanied by a new 41″ hydraulic dock leveler and concrete pad to support the steel extension.
What Is a Pit-mounted Dock Leveler:
Unlike edge-of-dock levelers, which attach to the dock face and don’t require structural modifications, pit levelers are installed within a dock “pit.” An edge-of-dock leveler simply attaches to the face of the dock and does not require construction. While they are relatively easy and quick to install, there are often limitations to the weight capacity and limited vertical range.
The advantages of pit levelers include their ability to accommodate a broader range of trailer heights, support heavier loads, and provide greater vertical range making them ideal for facilities handling diverse trucks and heavy materials.
In Conclusion
With a custom dock extender and a new hydraulic pit leveler, Glencore Recycling was able to utilize their new loading dock despite the unique conditions. Thank you to our sales rep JJ Pereira, project managers Phil Melendy and Brian Valcourt, and our installation techs Kirk Babineau and Gerry Little for making this project a success.