The ALEM working group will convene on Monday, 15 September 2025, to review proposed revisions to EN1398, the European standard for Dock Leveller Safety Requirements. This meeting marks a significant step in the ongoing update of the standard, following its recent systematic review. With support from the FEM Product Group for Elevating Equipment, the working group played a key role in initiating the revision process and the outcome of this meeting will help shape discussions at the upcoming CEN TC98/WG5 meeting in November 2025.
This article was first published in the September 1st 2025 issue of Warehouse & Logistics News, subscribe to the magazine by clicking here.
Speedpac, a leading specialist in third-party logistics and contract packing solutions, has enhanced its loading operations with the installation of a Hörmann Transdek 12-pallet Vehicle-to-Ground (V2G) yard lift at its Wellingborough facility. The investment was made in response to a new high-volume contract requiring the efficient loading and unloading of double-deck trailers and other fleet vehicles directly from the warehouse floor – without the need for traditional dock levellers. The Hörmann Transdek V2G was fully installed and operational within just three days, with minimal disruption to ongoing warehouse operations.
Facilities with high throughput, such as retail distribution centres or parcel hubs, demand more than just durable equipment, but efficient layouts, smooth traffic flow, and reduced vehicle dwell time all contribute to performance. Features like wheel guides, LED bay lighting, and heavy-duty bumpers help maintain safe, efficient operations. In fast-turnaround environments, flexible solutions like Stertil’s VARIFLEET® dock leveller are especially useful, allowing a wide range of vehicles to load and unload without delay.
A recent project by BID Loading Bay Equipment, was to replace original manual dock levellers with new, innovative dual swing lip levellers, designed for heavy-duty use they feature a 6000kg safe working load. Luke Henshaw, Technical Manager at BID Group, commented: “The levellers were designed, manufactured, delivered to site and fitted within six weeks of date of order. Our experienced loading bay engineers installed the levellers using suspended mounts and longer legs due to rear weights and deeper pit than floor height.”
When the UK’s oldest and largest family-owned HVAC merchant, Smith Brothers Stores (SBS), needed to improve vehicle access at its Leicester distribution hub, it turned to Thorworld Industries to deliver a robust lorry ramp solution that could support its evolving operations and ambitious growth. Originally built as a sorting facility for courier and freight operations, SBS’s 70,000 sq. ft site had dock-level doors but no external loading capability. As the business continued to scale, there was a growing need to enable forklift access for outside loading and unloading, as well as to safely store its 26-tonne fleet inside the building overnight.
It’s great to witness the breadth of innovation in the loading bay sector, helping keep logistics moving.
George Simpson
Features Editor
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