Continual improvement has always been at the heart of business success. The installation of 140 loading bays at a new Asda site in Rochdale was an opportunity for Hörmann to incorporate a number of improvements, prompted by the desire, from Asda, to continue to improve safety, efficiency and the store’s environmental footprint.

At this new CDC and recycling centre, each bay has been designed to handle both double and single deck semi-trailers. Another design constraint was to accommodate the Cheetah Fastback trailers on Asda’s fleet. To achieve this, extended, 1700mm deep dock shelters have been fabricated so that the inflatable head creates a seal on the rear of the trailer, at the front of the aerodynamic slope. This simple design prevents rainwater from running into the building and minimises a potential slip hazard.

Another design element, that adds to the efficiency of this site, is the combination of 32 Hörmann Iso Speed Cold internal doors with a secondary external door on the freezer loading bays. The external door closes in front of the dock leveller, preventing this acting as a thermal bridge. All the dock levellers on this site are fitted with telescopic lips for this purpose; however this also adds flexibility to the range of trailer heights that can be accommodated.

Interlocked doors that create three “indoor” enclosed canopy level access unloading areas for trailers are a new design feature. Three Hörmann HS7030 high speed spiral doors lead from the chilled area, whilst two insulated SPU sectional doors are fitted to the exterior. The interlock prevents either set of doors being open at the same time, minimising thermal losses.

Energy efficiency extends to the use of LED dock lights that have the added benefit of providing a better spread of light into trailers being unloaded. Additionally PIR sensors are fitted to ensure these lights are only activated when needed, another energy saving measure.

While a number of features and design elements add to the overall efficiency of the site and reduce energy consumption, safety improvements have also been made. As with other Asda sites, each loading bay is equipped with wheel locks and a driver button that activates the loading door and bay controls, only when the driver confirms the vehicle is parked safely and securely in the correct position.

This safety feature has been pioneered by Asda and Hörmann. Originally, the Asda control sequence was connected to the loading bay panel on site, however, the complete integrated package is now factory manufactured by Hörmann and is available as a standard option for all projects.

In order to ensure that the benefits of the new designs are maximised, a service and maintenance package is included. By keeping the equipment in prime condition, reliability, safety and longevity are improved, therefore adding to the savings by minimising downtime and reducing whole life costs.

The data gathered through service checks is being used by Hörmann’s new product development teams to shape the designs of the future.

Hörmann Group

Tel: 01530 516888

Email: info@hormann.co.uk

www.hormann.co.uk

Comments are closed.