Choosing the Right Cargo Van Loading Ramps
If the loading dock is the activity hub in your facility, then you need to depend on your material handling equipment to stand up to stress and keep your loading dock a safe place to work. If you’re frustrated with slow raise times, tedious maintenance or weight limit issues, then it’s time to add new cargo van loading ramps to your loading dock. It’s not enough that a ramp just facilitates easy loading and unloading, it has to be easy to transport, and easy to maintain.
Adding new cargo van loading ramps to your dock is a significant shift, but it revitalizes the way you do business. To choose new loading ramps, you first need to outline what you need most from a material handling upgrade.
Considering Your Loading Dock Layout and the State of Your Equipment
Every loading dock is different, and every team has its own goals and capabilities. For this reason, the same loading ramp doesn’t work for every project. Before committing to a ramp purchase or rental, you should take some time to consider the state of your available vehicles, the nature of the loads at hand and the equipment you currently maintain.
What is the elevation of the bed of your truck or van? For most needs, ramps of 8 feet in length or longer works well. When deciding on the length of your ramp, think about whether or not you will need the ramp to be compatible with more than one vehicle.
If you have to take care of loading and unloading tasks by yourself, then a long loading ramp maintains a manageable angle and slow, safe movement.
Think about the vehicle you will use with a new ramp. How much does it weigh? If the vehicle’s weight, including add-ons, fuel and the driver, is greater than that of a specific ramp’s loading capacity, then the ramp is not a safe choice.
On what kind of surface will you be using your ramp? For example, a twin-lock ramp may be most beneficial for use on uneven terrain, while a conventional, single-surface ramp with deck grating may be best for use on asphalt, dirt or sand.
Keep the make and model of your cargo van or another vehicle in mind when choosing between ramps. While different models may look similar, they are engineered for different tasks. For example, the positioning of mounting brackets and other attachments may differ widely across models.
Keep safety at the front of your mind when comparing different ramps and choosing the right installation for your loading dock. Some overseas manufacturers market certain loading ramps as compatible with all vehicles. However, these installations often lack the necessary durability for safe freight handling and can fail to comply with certain safety requirements. To ensure you meet the safety standards of your company or industry, you should also make sure you have all the proper safety equipment on hand before purchasing or renting a new ramp.
Knowing the stresses and limitations of your environment can help you distinguish between different ramp models and select the right ramp for your loading dock and your goals. When you work directly with a team of material handling equipment experts, you get the most out of your loading dock upgrade.
Connect With the Team From Copperloy Today
Searching for the right ramps for your loading dock? No matter what vehicles you have available and no matter your facility layout, you can depend on Copperloy for the right cargo van loading ramps for your loading dock. Copperloy has been a go-to resource for durable, American-made yard ramps and other material handling solutions for more than half a century.
Where other material handling equipment manufacturers limit customers with one-size-fits-all installations, Copperloy delivers with premier custom steel fabrication and design capabilities. The Copperloy team also implements the most current in both computer numerical control (CNC) and robotic technologies to keep product quality high. Count on Copperloy for durable cargo van loading ramps, dock boards, dock plates, loading dock accessories, edge of dock levelers, dock to ground ramps and more.
Yard ramps and other material handling solutions from Copperloy could help you make your loading dock a safer, more efficient and more profitable space. Reach out to the team of manufacturers from Copperloy today to get your facility upgrade going. Simply visit https://copperloy.com/ today to learn more.