Speed Up Loading & Unloading Time with a Custom Dock Platform

The Process

Jerome’s Furniture Distribution is a California-based home furnishings store that sells and delivers furnishings to its customers. As an additional service, they will also remove old furniture from their customer’s homes. With high demand for both services, the outgoing and incoming inventory started to compete for dock space. As Jerome’s business grew, they knew they needed to expand their capacity.

When Jerome’s reached out to Quality Material Handling (QMH), they had a few different challenges. With their existing setup, they were not able to easily access their new merchandise, which was slowing down their productivity. Additionally, they needed to be sure that the loading of their 53-foot trailers would not block the building entrances.

Finally, Jerome’s had another unique request. Not only did they want to increase their loading dock capacity, but they also needed to ensure that there would be no cross-contamination between the new, outgoing furniture and the incoming used furniture they had removed from their customers’ homes.

After an initial conversation with Jerome’s, QMH set to work to design a solution that would meet all of their needs. requirements. This began with a site visit to better understand the current field conditions and potential outcomes. When exploring options for platform and dock placement, QMH found that the area where the platform would be constructed was on a substantial slope with a 4ft rise rather than a 3.5 rise as originally thought. This required adjustments to be made to ensure the working space was leveled. . This required that the new platform be designed to match the height of the trailers — a total of 4 feet on the slope rather than 3.5 feet as originally thought — to make the working space level.

Within five days of the site visit, QMH submitted a proposal to Jerome’s. Two weeks later, the contract was finalized and QMH got to began work. QMH prefabricated many parts of the platform and ramp in their facility to expedite the onsite installation. Within three weeks of Jerome’s initial phone call to QMH, they had a new ramp and platform in place.

The installation resulted in Jerome’s having a loading dock for incoming furniture that was separate from the outgoing new furniture, two extra loading docks, and a ramp used by forklifts and pedestrians for loading and unloading purposes. Jerome’s was also able to keep their driveway intact, only losing one parking space. Per the warehouse manager, their productivity increased substantially. Work that used to take one day now takes just 43 minutes. ROI was realized within three months.

In our years of experience, QMH has learned that creativity and thinking outside the box to develop client solutions are the key to success. Understanding our clients’ needs as well as conducting site visits are also very important in mitigating issues that could arise.

Do you need assistance solving a tricky docking problem? There is no task too difficult when it comes to dock equipment. Give us a call — we’d love to help!