As E-commerce continues to grow the consumer’s emphasis continues to focus on 3 primary factors; the cost of the goods and the availability of goods and how fast the goods can be delivered.
Until recently the majority of Fulfillment Centers where located in the major metropolitan centers based on the local population density. As E-commerce now reaches everywhere customers in outlying areas no longer accept the wait times often associated with longer deliveries based on distance from a major metropolitan center.
Considering the overall continued growth of E-commerce and the requirements for retailers to compete to satisfy the needs of the local customers in outlying areas more and more industrial buildings are being built on speculation in smaller urban areas.
It can take upwards of 2 years from the time ground is broken until the facility is up and operational. More and more facilities are being built by land developers on speculation that by the time the buildings are up and completed there will be tenants in place to take immediate possession as a Fulfillment Center.
The great unknown for developers and building owners is how many square feet of space and how many loading dock positions will be required by the new tenants. A standard 7’ wide x 8’ long, 45,000 lb. capacity hydraulic dock leveler and a 9’ wide x 10’ high overhead door with a compression style dock seal will generally suit the majority of all loading dock applications.
In addition to the hydraulic dock leveler and dock seal a vehicle restraint can also be a client mandated requirement to increase both the safety and truck driver to dock attendant visual communication at the loading dock. The benefit and value of vehicles restraints is increasingly being understood. As a result currently even though vehicle restraints are not mandated, more and more loading dock positions are equipped with vehicle restraints. https://www.pentalift.com/solutions_category/product-models-vehicle-restraint-systems/
As a manufacturer of loading dock equipment we are often contacted at the very preliminary stage of the building construction and asked what provision is available to potentially add a vehicle safety restraint system in the future. The opportunity to add a vehicle restraint safety system can significantly increase the desirability of a potential tenant to close on a lease arrangement.
At the time of the initial concrete floor pour the simple addition of 2 extra conduits per loading dock positon is all that is required to easily add a vehicle restraint safety system in the future.
Note: The proper selection and application of loading dock equipment is critical to accommodating a successful long term configuration. For additional information on this specific topic and any Pentalift Loading Dock product please contact the Pentalift Sales Department.