Logistics has changed almost beyond recognition in recent years, as new trends – notably multi-channel and e-commerce – affect the entire structure of getting goods from A to B.  Many companies are making extensive changes to their warehousing (and, by consequence, their loading operations) in order to meet the demands of this rapidly changing landscape.

However, it is important to sound a note of caution. After all, given the speed of change it is hard to know how far to go in terms of establishing new logistics protocols, especially given how difficult it is to forecast future trends. No sooner have you adapted to the needs of today, than it is time to begin thinking about the demands of tomorrow.

Trying to design a loading operation that is sufficiently future-proofed is difficult, especially for an SME who cannot afford to get it wrong – assuming they have sufficient capital expenditure to make large-scale changes to their operation at all.

With the economic outlook better than it was a few years ago, some companies are facing the enviable decision on how best to manage an increase in demand. Do they upgrade the existing site with more doors or move to a new site? Companies can only expand if there is space to do so. Even if there is additional capacity to expand, the big question is whether to go permanent or temporary. For instance, some operations may experience seasonal peaks (notably Christmas), in which case it makes greater sense to augment regular loading capability with short-term solutions.

Under these circumstances, there are undoubted virtues to adapting as needs arise. Fortunately, there exists exactly the versatile loading and unloading solutions that can make this possible.

 

The mobile yardramp offers a flexible approach to ever-changing loading requirements.  It is fully portable, making it ideal for short-term needs, yet it can easily be fixed into position for long-term loading. It can be used as part of a modular platform system, providing a cost-effective alternative to an integrated loading bay. The yardramp can be purchased outright or hired for a fixed period, depending on need.

 

A particular trend in yardramp use has been the deployment of temporary or semi-permanent additions for loading and unloading, for example where distribution patterns require for vans not suited to in-built loading bays. While innovations in vehicle and trailer design will inevitably force changes to the optimisation of loading bays, the danger of too much specificity is that valuable loading bay space is required for each vehicle type.  

 

In such circumstances, there might be an argument in favour of a simple all-purpose loading solution – such as a platform and ramp combination – that is easily adaptable to all vehicle types. Certainly, over the past few years we have seen growth in the creation of bespoke solutions incorporating platforms and ramps.

 

Another increasingly popular option is for a company to purchase or hire a ‘spare’ yardramp, as they seek to protect themselves against bottlenecks.  This is a particularly useful tactic for dealing with those seasonal peaks a ramp hired in the run-up to Christmas can be a valuable addition that quickly returns on investment due to the increase in distribution productivity it enables.

Whatever solution is chosen, it is important to ensure that the loading area remains safe and secure. A range of solutions is available for this purpose, ranging from the simple vehicle restraints (such as a chock to keep a yardramp or trailer in position) to elaborate integrated electronic systems to prevent premature driveaways. While neither is 100% effective in isolation, when deployed in tandem they represent the best available solution.  

 

In short, customising your loading operation to suit today’s needs need not be a costly or complex process – and the best thing is that you’ll still be able to effect further change to suit tomorrow’s needs as well.