Loading dock bumpers can help you protect your building, your dock equipment and trailers. Every product that enters and exits your warehouse or manufacturing plant goes through the dock, so it is important to protect it and keep all bays in good condition.
Types of Dock Bumpers
Typically, dock bumpers are positioned so that a truck or trailer runs into the bumper before hitting your building. This safeguards your facility, your dock equipment and the trailer or truck that makes use of your dock.
There are numerous categories of dock bumpers, and selecting an appropriate dock bumper can be critical, depending upon the throughput of your dock operation. Adding dock bumpers that are too light can lead to premature failure, while adding dock bumpers that are too heavy may be unproductive and might actually create difficulties when docking trailers.
Not all facilities are the same, and the type of dock bumpers you choose will be dictated by the approach, average trailer or vehicle height, daily volume and many additional variables. For loading docks where trucks or trailers are likely to move up and down during loading or unloading movements, bumpers may be mounted in either a vertical or horizontal orientation.
Molded Bumpers (Light Duty): Dock bumpers formed from molded rubber can provide defense for light traffic loading docks. Additionally, molded bumpers can be applied within a facility to defend doorways, walls and other building elements from lift trucks and other material handling equipment.
Molded rubber is the least durable option of various dock bumper styles, and is more prone to chipping or gouging. They may be a viable option for your business if your loading dock does not get a lot of truck traffic.
Laminated Bumpers (Medium Duty): Laminated bumpers have better shock absorption capabilities because they have thicker pads. They are made from cut-to-size strips of old truck tires that are mounted between steel plates.
They have a reasonably good level of wear resistance and are versatile with regard to thickness, length, and height. They are frequently applied in operations configured with pit levelers or edge-of-dock equipment, as they allow long-lasting defense for high traffic docks.
