- Location
- Magherafelt, County Londonderry
- Main postcode district
- BT45
- Nearby (straight line)
- Cookstown (10 miles), Ballymena (15 miles) and Antrim (16 miles)
- Survey and quote
- Free, with a fixed written quote
An edge-of-dock leveller is a compact leveller mounted on the front face or top edge of a loading dock, with no pit needed. A short hinged plate and lip bridge the gap between dock and trailer, but it can only cover a small height difference above and below dock level, so it suits sites where trailer bed heights are consistent.
Is this right for your site in Magherafelt?
Wholesalers and trade suppliers in Magherafelt adding a second loading position can often do so economically with an edge-of-dock unit. Smaller distribution units in Magherafelt without dock pits can add a practical loading position with an edge-of-dock leveller fixed straight to the dock face.
Replacing loose bridge plates at a dock in Magherafelt with a fixed edge-of-dock leveller removes the need to lift and position heavy plates by hand.
Here is what happens after you contact us about a site in Magherafelt. We arrange a free survey, measure up and send a fixed written quote. If you go ahead, we manage the whole job, including ordering, delivery and coordination with your site team. Specialist installation engineers working under our management do the fitting, at times built around your loading schedule, with out-of-hours work by arrangement. Testing and handover documents close the job.
How much height difference can an edge-of-dock leveller handle?
An edge-of-dock leveller can only handle a small height difference, typically in the region of 75 to 150 mm above and below dock level depending on the model. That is enough where trailers are consistent, but not where bed heights vary widely.
Typical UK docks are around 1,200 mm above yard level, while trailer bed heights can range from roughly 900 to 1,600 mm across rigid, curtain-sider, refrigerated, double-deck and container chassis. If your trailers sit outside the leveller's range, the plate becomes too steep to use safely.
- Good fit: dedicated fleets or regular suppliers with similar trailers.
- Poor fit: sites receiving everything from low rigids to high double-deck trailers.
Where trailer heights vary, a pit leveller such as a swing-lip dock leveller gives a much longer, gentler ramp. We record your trailer heights at survey to confirm which suits.
Should I choose a mechanical or hydraulic edge-of-dock leveller?
Choose a mechanical edge-of-dock leveller for occasional use and simple sites, and a hydraulic one where the bay is busy or operators need push-button control. Both bridge a similar small height range.
- Mechanical: the operator pulls a lever or handle and the lip lifts and drops onto the bed with spring assistance. No power is needed and there is little to go wrong, but it takes some physical effort.
- Hydraulic: a push button raises the plate and extends the lip, then lowers it onto the trailer. It is easier and quicker for frequent use and can be interlocked with the dock door and traffic lights.
Other choices include plate width, which should suit the wheel track of your pallet trucks and forklifts, and capacity, which must cover the truck and its heaviest load. On exposed external docks, a galvanised or well-painted finish helps the unit cope with rain, frost and road salt.
The same published guide range applies across Northern Ireland; access, out-of-hours working and site conditions are confirmed at the free survey.
What does the free survey cover?
- Working hours, shift patterns and windows for out-of-hours work
- Lighting inside trailers and at the dock face
- Control positions, isolators and any existing interlocks
- Wall and steel structure for door, shelter and bumper fixings
- Whether planning, building control or a building warrant may be needed
- Access for deliveries, cranes or lifting equipment during installation
Options to discuss
Hydraulic edge-of-dock leveller
Push-button operation with a compact power pack, easier for frequent use and able to be interlocked with dock doors and traffic lights.
New edge steel and bumpers
A replacement steel edge angle and correctly positioned bumpers to give a sound fixing and protect the leveller from trailer impact.
Planning, building control and safety law in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland has its own system. Structural alterations at a site in Magherafelt, such as a new opening or dock pit, may need building control approval from the council, and external structures such as loading houses or canopies can need planning permission through the council planning service. We check what applies at survey.
Questions about edge-of-dock levellers in Magherafelt
Can you work alongside our main contractor on a new build in Magherafelt?
Yes. For new warehouses and fit-outs, we can supply and install the dock package as part of a wider project, working to the main contractor's programme, site rules and permits. We will need drawings, dock levels and the programme, and we coordinate pit details, power supplies and door openings with the relevant trades before installation begins.
Is the site survey in Magherafelt free?
Yes. For new installations, replacements, upgrades, conversions and complete bays, the site survey and written quote are free and come with no obligation. The survey lets us measure the openings, check the dock and structure, and understand how the bay is used, so the quote reflects your site. Repair and servicing visits are different: they are chargeable, with the price agreed before anyone attends.
Do you cover Magherafelt for edge-of-dock levellers?
Yes. We take on edge-of-dock levellers for businesses in Magherafelt and across County Londonderry. We survey the site, provide a fixed written quote and manage the installation, with specialist installation engineers working under our management. Visits are arranged in advance at a time that suits your operation, and the same single contact stays with the job through to handover.
Can edge-of-dock levellers be used with vans?
Usually not. Edge-of-dock levellers are designed for trailers whose beds sit close to dock height, and many vans sit well below a typical dock, beyond the leveller's range. A lift table or a ground-level door is normally the better way to handle vans.
Can an edge-of-dock leveller be fitted to any dock?
Most docks can take one if the dock face or edge steel is sound enough to fix to. Damaged concrete or worn edge angles may need repair first. The more important question is whether your trailer heights fall within the leveller's small working range, which we check at survey.
Edge-of-dock levellers near Magherafelt
Other towns within reach of Magherafelt on our coverage list include Cookstown (10 miles), Ballymena (15 miles) and Antrim (16 miles), all covered on the same terms.
Other loading bay services in Magherafelt
Full guide to edge-of-dock levellers · Everything we do in Magherafelt
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