- Location
- Westhill, Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire
- Main postcode district
- AB32
- Nearby (straight line)
- Aberdeen (7 miles), Inverurie (10 miles) and Stonehaven (13 miles)
- Survey and quote
- Free, with a fixed written quote
A telescopic-lip dock leveller is a hydraulic pit leveller whose front lip slides forward out of the platform, rather than swinging on a hinge, and can be extended by a controlled amount onto the trailer bed. Telescopic lips commonly extend 500 to 1,000 mm, which lets operators reach over tail lifts, place the lip between pallets and load the last row in a trailer.
Why do sites in Westhill choose this?
Retail distribution sites in Westhill receiving both artics and tail-lift rigids at the same bays can handle the whole mix with a telescopic-lip leveller. Parcel and courier hubs in Westhill with varied vehicle types can use the longer lip reach to serve more of their fleet from fewer bays.
Before recommending a lip extension for a dock in Westhill, we record the trailers that actually arrive, including tail lifts and rear overhangs.
We never ask you to commit before you have a fixed price. A free survey at your Westhill site comes first, followed by a written quote. When the order goes ahead, we plan the installation around your operation, book any out-of-hours working you need and manage the specialist installation engineers on site. The job ends with a full test, a run-through for the people who will use the equipment and a set of handover documents.
Can a telescopic leveller replace a swing-lip unit in the same pit?
Often yes, a telescopic-lip leveller can replace a swing-lip unit in the same pit, provided the pit is square and deep enough and the edge steel is in good condition. Some telescopic units need a little more depth for the lip mechanism, so we measure carefully at survey.
A typical installation:
- The bay is closed and the old leveller isolated, lifted out and removed.
- The pit is cleaned and measured, and any edge steel repairs carried out.
- The new unit is set in, levelled and fixed to the pit steel.
- The power pack, control panel and lip controls are connected and interlocks wired.
- The platform and lip are tested through their full travel.
You will need to provide a clear bay, access for lifting equipment and a suitable power supply, typically three-phase. Installation commonly takes one to two working days per bay once the pit is ready.
How far should a telescopic lip extend?
A telescopic lip should extend far enough to reach clear bed space on every trailer you load, including over tail lifts, while still leaving a secure overlap on the bed. Telescopic lips commonly extend 500 to 1,000 mm.
- Around 500 mm: suits fleets without tail lifts that need precise placement and end loading.
- Up to around 1,000 mm: reaches over folded tail lifts and across the larger gap left where deep bumpers hold trailers back from the dock edge.
- Platform length: should match the lip, as a long reach on a short platform can leave steep gradients.
- Lip width: full-width lips suit most work, while narrower or tapered lips help with smaller vehicles.
We record the rear details of the trailers you receive, including tail lift depth and bumper projection, then recommend the shortest extension that covers them all. A longer lip than you need adds cost and weight without benefit.
The same published guide range applies across Scotland; access, out-of-hours working and site conditions are confirmed at the free survey.
What do we check at the survey?
- Escape routes and pedestrian doors close to the bay
- Access for deliveries, cranes or lifting equipment during installation
- Clear opening width and height for each door
- Working hours, shift patterns and windows for out-of-hours work
- Wheel guide positions and yard markings for reversing vehicles
- Age and condition of the equipment already in place
Options to discuss
Insulated cold store version
An insulated platform with perimeter seals for chilled and frozen docks, often paired with an inflatable shelter and an insulated dock door.
500 mm lip extension
A commonly specified reach for precise placement and end loading on standard trailers and refrigerated vehicles that do not have tail lifts.
Which rules apply in Scotland?
HSE is the workplace safety regulator in Scotland. At a loading bay in Westhill, doors need to satisfy regulation 18 of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, dock equipment must be kept safe under PUWER, and drivers must be prevented from pulling away too early. We check what applies at survey.
Questions about telescopic-lip dock levellers in Westhill
What warranty comes with new loading bay equipment?
New equipment comes with the manufacturer's warranty, which varies by product. Our workmanship terms are set out in writing in the quote for your Westhill site, so you can see what is covered before you commit. Check the warranty terms for any servicing conditions, and we can quote for planned maintenance once the installation is complete.
Do you cover Westhill for telescopic-lip dock levellers?
Yes. We take on telescopic-lip dock levellers for businesses in Westhill and across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire. 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.
Will you deal with building control and planning for a project in Westhill?
We check at survey whether the work is likely to need approval. Forming a new opening or dock pit may need Building Regulations approval, a building warrant or building control approval, depending on the nation, and external structures such as loading houses can need planning permission. Where approval is needed, we explain what is involved, work with your designer or agent, and build it into the programme.
Is a telescopic lip slower to operate?
Slightly, because the lip is extended as a separate movement rather than swinging out as the platform rises. In practice the difference is small, and automatic sequences can raise the platform and extend the lip in one action, then return both at the end of loading.
Can telescopic and swing-lip levellers be mixed on one dock?
Yes, and many sites do. Fitting telescopic levellers on the bays that receive tail-lift vehicles or need end loading, and swing-lip units on the rest, keeps costs down while covering every vehicle type. Clear bay signage helps drivers reverse onto the right one.
Telescopic-lip dock levellers near Westhill
Sites close to Westhill get the same service, including those in Aberdeen (7 miles), Inverurie (10 miles) and Stonehaven (13 miles), with every job run the same way.
Other loading bay services in Westhill
Full guide to telescopic-lip dock levellers · Everything we do in Westhill
Speak to us about your Westhill loading bay. We will ask the right questions, then set out the next step clearly.