With a larger than average load to deliver, the world’s leading manufacturer of off-highway wheels, GKN Wheels & Structures has relocated its dispatch facility and addressed loading bay height differences using the design and implementation services of Thorworld Industries.

The new facility offered improved efficiencies, however presented a floor level 1.4 metres lower than the floor level within the operation’s original loading area.

“The differences in loading bay heights between the two locations would render our existing apparatus redundant,” explains Mark Craister, Site CI Leader at GKN Wheels & Structures.

“We therefore needed to source a new solution that would offer us effective loading access at a lower gradient, while stringently maintaining GKN Wheels & Structures’ health and safety, and quality standards.”

With its expert team of apparatus designers and engineers, specifying a purpose-built platform and wide accompanying ramp was a task Thorworld could effectively achieve.

“Normally our ramps measure no more than 12m by 2.4m,” Ian Langan, technical director at Thorworld Industries explains, “however, to keep the gradient as low as possible for the GKN Wheels & Structures project, we needed to plan a manufacture design that would measure 20m by 3.15m.

The finished design included a platform with swing lip electrohydraulic leveller and access steps from a 1m level off platform; a type 6 wide-version access ramp with expanded metal decking; and appropriate handrails and control systems.