3 Advantages of Using a Copperloy Yard Ramp at Your Loading Dock

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Any business that receives regular shipments needs effective ways to dock and unload truck trailers. If you operate a loading dock, you already have some capacity to accept these deliveries. However, a loading dock can only handle so much at one time, and a business without a dock can barely handle any deliveries at all. This is where yard ramps come in.

A yard ramp is a ramp designed to make loading and unloading trucks with forklifts and other equipment easier. They are often referred to as portable loading docks because they allow you to load and unload trucks anywhere in your facility. A yard ramp is an ideal solution for docks that are at max capacity and businesses that do not have a dock, allowing you to save money on moving to a larger facility or constructing additions to your current building.

Copperloy is a leading manufacturer of yard ramps and various other forms of loading dock equipment. They offer solutions that help significantly increase your dock capacity and get more jobs in less time. But what makes a Copperloy yard ramp better than the rest? Here are 3 advantages to using a Copperloy yard ramp at your loading dock:

Copperloy ramps outperform the average industry yard ramp with a unique, single-acting hydraulic design. Double-acting hydraulic systems are the most common for yard ramps, and while double might sound better, it is not ideal for every situation. A double-acting cylinder can produce extreme amounts of pressure for heavy-duty projects, but this causes it to rise much slower than the alternative.

A single-acting yard ramp from Copperloy does not apply more pressure than necessary, allowing it to rise significantly faster than the double-acting system. In fact, Copperloy yard ramps raise 2.5X faster than the industry standard. With the addition of an external hand pump mechanism, Copperloy ramps allow you to set up and link to a truck or dock within minutes. This means you spend less time waiting between tasks and more time meeting your daily quotas.

If you are receiving deliveries and shipping high volumes of heavy materials, you have to rely on your forklifts to do most of the heavy lifting. This convenience comes with a major tradeoff: Safety. Forklifts introduce several safety hazards to both operators and other employees. This means you have to have not only forklift-certified drivers, but also a trained staff with experience working around forklifts.

Accidents and injuries are the last things you want to encounter on any workday, so Copperloy designs their yard ramps to be safer for forklift operators. With the centrally located hydraulic cylinder, Copperloy ramps offer superior stability and balance. This ensures no wobbling or tipping occurs while traveling up and down the ramp, minimizing the risk of a serious accident.

Copperloy yard ramps also include multiple other safety features like a low end plate and high-traction grating. The end plate sits lower than the forklift’s wheelbase, so the forklift can access the ramp without its front or back wheels leaving the ground. Then the high-traction steel grating ensures the tires always have a secure grip even during inclement weather. With Copperloy yard ramps, you can protect your employees and ensure your facility meets OSHA’s safety standards.

A “portable” yard ramp would not be portable without some reliable mobility features. While you may not move your ramp for every task, being able to comfortably maneuver your ramp throughout your facility will maximize efficiency. Being able to shift gears quickly and reposition your ramp to accept shipments is critical for maintaining an efficient supply chain. Thankfully, efficiency and mobility are central to the design of Copperloy ramps.

The single-acting hydraulic system allows for a more compact design and a wider range of dimensions. However, these yard ramps still weigh up to 6,000 pounds. In other words, these ramps are heavier than a large pickup truck, so Copperloy designs them with a variety of positioning and towing features to make moving around quick and easy.

The Copperloy positioning sleeve allows for 180 degrees of maneuverability, giving forklifts the ability to make tight turns and reposition the ramp without several pivots. This feature also has three points of connection to the ramp, minimizing the risk of disconnection. If you need to move the ramp to another area of your facility, no problem! The included towbar allows for towing at 5 mph throughout your facility.

But mobility features mean nothing without decent tires. Copperloy designs their yard ramps with solid, pneumatic tires to circumvent the issues with air-filled tires. Air-filled tires will often deflate, tear, and pop, costing you more time and money on maintenance. With Copperloy, your ramp’s tires last much longer, and although they are solid, they have just enough cushioning to make it over rough terrain.

The only thing these features cannot do is over-the-road, high-speed towing. If you need to move your yard ramp to another facility, you will need to use specialized equipment for safe shipment.

You might think that a yard ramp could be a great help at your facility, but you may not need one for every single project. So you should not have to spend a large portion of your budget on brand new equipment. With Copperloy, you can rent a yard ramp to save money on equipment and reach daily quotas.

If you think you do need a long-term solution to increase your dock capacity, you can have the best of both worlds with a used yard ramp. Copperloy used yard ramps are all factory-certified, so they offer the same quality and safety features as their new and rental models. This is the best choice for loading docks and other businesses looking for a permanent addition to their operation without spending too much money.

If you have been searching for yard ramps or other forms of loading dock equipment to give your supply chain the boost it needs, partner with Copperloy. With their full selection of equipment solutions, they can help you reach maximum levels of productivity while staying within your budget. Whether new, used, or rental, they offer the best loading dock equipment on the market.

Interested in Copperloy equipment but unsure of what you need? No problem! Get in touch with Copperloy today to speak with an equipment specialist about their selection of yard ramps and find the ideal upgrade for your loading dock.