Working closely with government, the Health and Safety Executive, BSI and other standards bodies, ALEM promotes safe design, installation and maintenance across the sector. This year, the trade body will continue consulting members on the revision of EN1398 and contribute to CEN TC98/WG5 meetings to share its expertise on the necessary updates. The association also plans to raise awareness of its role and the benefits of membership.
This article was first published in the February 15th 2026 issue of Warehouse & Logistics News, subscribe to the magazine by clicking here.
Doncaster-based Hörmann Transdek has successfully supplied and installed a Vehicle-to-Ground (V2G) lift at Next’s South Elmsall distribution centre, near Wakefield. The lift supports a newly built warehouse extension designed to meet the retailer’s growing demand for online fulfilment. Designed for modern, agile logistics, the V2G lift provides level-access loading and unloading for a full range of vehicles, from small vans to single and double-deck trailers.
A recent project by BID Group Ltd for a leading UK supermarket, showcased the Industrial Door specialists’ expertise in loading bay pod conversions. The retailer’s aim in converting internal scissor lifts to external pods, was to allow the use of double deck trailer deliveries to their large distribution facilities. The project involved removing the original scissor lifts from within the distribution centre’s loading bay, and then filling the empty floor pits with a robust, anti-slip coated steel table which enhanced both safety and operational efficiency.
Curtain dock shelters, such as the W-Series from Stertil Dock Products, use flexible fabric curtains mounted to a rigid frame. When a vehicle docks, the curtains are pushed back to create a seal around the trailer. Curtain shelters are valued for their simplicity and durability. With no powered parts, they are easy to operate and maintain, making them a popular choice for busy sites with high vehicle turnover. They also tend to be more cost-effective upfront and are well suited to operations where a wide range of vehicle sizes use the same bays.
A loading ramp from Thorworld Industries has enabled printing ink manufacturing specialist Hubergroup to switch to the direct unloading of international deliveries from shipping containers at its site in Nottingham. With health & safety critical to Hubergroup, Thorworld offered training as well as providing wheel chocks and handrails to ensure compliance. The ramp is now in regular use, with 2-3 deliveries per week.
As warehouses get busier and an ever-increasing volume of goods travels through the loading bay, it is crucial that loading bays are designed, installed and maintained with the highest standards of safety in mind.
George Simpson
Features Editor
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