- Location
- Felixstowe, Suffolk
- Main postcode district
- IP11
- Nearby (straight line)
- Harwich (3 miles), Ipswich (11 miles) and Clacton-on-Sea (15 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.
Is this right for your site in Felixstowe?
Replacing worn swing-lip levellers at a site in Felixstowe is a good moment to ask whether the current trailer mix now calls for telescopic lips. Before recommending a lip extension for a dock in Felixstowe, we record the trailers that actually arrive, including tail lifts and rear overhangs.
A container-handling operation in Felixstowe can benefit from a telescopic lip, as container floors and chassis heights vary more than standard trailers.
Keeping the dock running is usually the first concern, so we plan around it. After a free survey of your Felixstowe site and a written quote at a fixed price, we agree when each bay can be released and whether any work should happen out of hours. Specialist installation engineers working under our management then fit the equipment, and we test it and hand over the documentation before the bay goes back into use.
A note on the freight picture around Felixstowe and beyond: the Port of Felixstowe is Britain's busiest container port. Whatever traffic your own site handles, specify the dock to suit it.
Why does a telescopic-lip leveller cost more than a swing-lip unit?
A telescopic-lip dock leveller typically costs £6,800 to £11,800 per leveller, excluding VAT, supply and fit, assuming an existing, sound pit. It costs more than a swing-lip unit because the lip slides in its own guides inside the platform, which means more steel, a longer lip and more involved hydraulics and controls.
Within the range, the price depends on:
- Lip extension: a longer reach needs a longer lip and stronger guides.
- Platform length and width: longer platforms give gentler gradients across mixed trailer heights.
- Capacity: higher ratings for heavy loads or large forklifts.
- Insulation: insulated platforms and pit seals for chilled and frozen docks.
- Controls: automatic return, interlocks and links to restraints and traffic lights.
New pits, pit repairs and groundworks are priced separately after survey, and the written quote is the fixed price. We often quote both lip types side by side, so you can see whether the extra flexibility justifies the cost on each bay.
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.
The same published guide range applies across England; access, out-of-hours working and site conditions are confirmed at the free survey.
What does the free survey cover?
- Condition of any existing leveller pit, kerb angles and pit drainage
- Scope to convert ground-level doors into docks or add lift tables
- Working hours, shift patterns and windows for out-of-hours work
- Lighting inside trailers and at the dock face
- Bumper position and wear or damage on the dock face
- Dock height and the mix of trailers you load
Options to discuss
1,000 mm lip extension
A longer reach that clears folded tail lifts and deep bumper projections, so rigids and tail-lift trailers can be loaded at the same bay.
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.
Planning, building control and safety law in England
Powered doors and dock equipment installed in England may carry the UKCA or the CE mark, and doors are covered by the product standard BS EN 13241. We hand over the relevant documentation for each item fitted in Felixstowe. Planning and Building Regulations questions are never assumed either way: we check what applies at survey, so you know before work is booked.
Questions about telescopic-lip dock levellers in Felixstowe
Is the site survey in Felixstowe 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.
Can you work outside our normal operating hours in Felixstowe?
Yes, by arrangement. Evening, night and weekend working can be planned so the installation causes as little disruption as possible to your loading schedule. Out-of-hours work can affect the price, so mention it at the survey and we will include it in the written quote. The agreed times are confirmed in the programme before the job starts.
Do you cover Felixstowe for telescopic-lip dock levellers?
Yes. We take on telescopic-lip dock levellers for businesses in Felixstowe and across Suffolk. 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 a telescopic lip bridge a larger gap to the trailer?
Yes, that is one of its strengths. Where deep bumpers hold the trailer further from the dock edge, a telescopic lip can extend to bridge a gap that a fixed swing lip may not cover. We check bumper projection at survey so the lip length suits the dock.
Are telescopic levellers suitable for cold stores?
Yes, telescopic levellers are widely used in cold stores because refrigerated trailers are often loaded right to the rear doors. Insulated platforms and perimeter seals reduce cold loss through the pit, and the leveller is usually interlocked with the door and shelter.
Telescopic-lip dock levellers near Felixstowe
If your site is not in Felixstowe itself, it may be near one of these: Harwich (3 miles), Ipswich (11 miles) and Clacton-on-Sea (15 miles). Pick the closest.
Other loading bay services in Felixstowe
Full guide to telescopic-lip dock levellers · Everything we do in Felixstowe
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