Loading ramps are a replacement for stationary ramps; a tool that makes the process of loading and unloading trucks and railcars much easier. In fact, it’s a bridge over which a forklift will bring or haul cargo in all conditions. Overpasses are divided by carrying capacity, method of unloading, the number of loaders working simultaneously, the presence or absence of a platform, size and many other parameters. In this material we will tell you about the most important of them and the benefits that loading ramps bring to business.
Large and medium-sized seaports all over the world offer the opportunity to use loading ramps for forklifts. This makes the process of loading and unloading goods from containers much easier and faster. Considering that there is a lot of money withheld for downtime at customs, the availability of appropriate ramps can save you not only time but also money.
Main Benefits of Mobile Forklift Ramp for Containers
Working in all conditions
Elevated loading and unloading bridges simplify the work in warehouses without stationary ramps and areas where they a priori can not be: forklift is easy to bring to the right place, it requires one truck with towbar and minimum gestures. By the way, it is the use of special mobile ramps for standard forklifts that contribute to the success of young companies for unloading and loading containers. You can learn more about this here: simecsystems.com.
Save time and money
You need one forklift and a driver for unloading instead of a large number of movers who will spend a lot of time doing it. It’s faster and easier with a forklift, and the free hands can be allocated to other jobs if they’re your regular employees, or save money if you use movers from time to time. With mobile overpasses, you can greatly reduce your staff of movers by replacing them with a forklift and one driver. According to the Warehouse Equipment Company, once mobile ramps are in place, it is possible to increase cargo turnover by several times.
It’s your property and it’s easy to move it from place to place
Unexpected situations happen in business: a warehouse owner raises the rent sharply, or you change one storage facility for another because it’s more profitable. In such a situation, a mobile ramp is convenient, profitable and forward-thinking.
What to do in this situation for someone who for some reason decided to make their own ramps in the warehouse? Nothing. The owner of a mobile ramp in this case, hitches it to a car or loads in a standard van and moves to a new location, without spending more money.
What are mobile loading ramps/racks?
With front unloading
The most common type. A forklift truck drives up the ramp into the body, picks up the cargo and drives back out. Side unloading from this trestle is impossible.
Double and triangular unloading
The model is more advanced. It has a wide platform, so the forklift can unload from this ramp in two or three directions, which speeds up the process.
With room for two forklifts to work simultaneously
Such a mobile loading ramp has a large width and several hinged ramps, so two forklifts can work on it simultaneously. Convenient for unloading several trucks or transferring cargo from truck to truck.
With different capacities
In the big warehouses and ports you can easily find mobile ramps with a load capacity of 15k-40k lbs. If you need more, it will be made to order.
What to do if standard ramps don’t fit?
Order a special version to suit your needs. Most manufacturers can increase the capacity of the standard model and the size of the ramp, expand the loading area, reduce the length, change the color.
Cost of making ramps for port operations
Of course, the cost of manufacturing ramps varies not only by size and product requirements, but also by the country in which you order the ramp for loading operations using a forklift. For example, in the USA you can order such a ramp for $5k-$7k, in some cases the price can go as high as $10k-$12k.
At the same time, most of the loading and unloading operations are performed by rented ramps and forklifts, which is beneficial both to the customer and the port service ( rental company).
Bottom line
Loading ramps for forklifts are:
- Faster loading and unloading. A forklift can handle a truck faster than a few movers in most cases.
- Working in all conditions. Loading and unloading trestles are mobile and can be transported to any site, which increases efficiency. They have proven to be good at construction sites where there are no stationary ramps for forklifts.
- Economy. With a ramp, you can use your forklift in places where rough manual labor used to be necessary. In the long run, you can cut your forklift workforce by several times, reducing labor costs. What’s better: a single ramp, a forklift and one driver, or multiple forklift operators who need to be paid monthly?
