Loading bays are a vital part of any goods-handling business and they need to be kitted out with the right equipment. You might be dealing with consumer items, furniture or groceries – either way, your warehouse is going to see a lot of product moving in and out of the space on a daily basis. That’s why investing in quality loading bay doors is essential for your workplace.
Sure, they’re going to spend a lot of the day open but that doesn’t mean you can consider them an afterthought. This piece will highlight the kinds of things you should look for in industrial doors for your loading bays, so you can trust any installation you choose to put money into.
Insulation
There are countless temperature regulations when it comes to storage in various industries, such as food and medicine. Transferring goods comes with the intrinsic risks of temperature changes, which is why you need to choose doors with sufficient insulation. Insulated doors are vital to optimising both ambient and temperature-controlled operations.
Look for things like:
- Low U-values
- Air permeability class 2 or higher
- Water penetration class 3 or higher
- Wind pressure class 3 or higher
Energy efficiency
Insulating industrial door installations are great for increasing workplace energy-efficiency, reducing the need for HVAC systems to overwork. You should also seek models with other energy-efficiency measures, to reduce power consumption with everyday operation.
Intense usage durability
Doors like these should be seen as a long-term installation that can handle busy periods for years to come. Busier periods mean higher profits and you need the equipment in place to accommodate this demand. Choose a well-engineered loading bay door made from quality materials for long-lasting durability, even with intense workloads.
Tailoring and adaptability
Loading bays are not a one-size-fits-all type of operation. Every bay-based business has a plethora of unique needs, and it generally includes a range of different equipment items. With this in mind, it’s important to seek out a supplier that offers a variety of tailoring and adaptability options, such as:
- Varying door models, such as level access or ATEX options
- Being able to choose your loading bay door size
- Bespoke RAL colours for brand consistency and safety
- Control panel variations (main and individual units)
- Opening level variations (higher lifts, lower headroom, etc.)
- The choice to install vision panels
- Glazing and wicket options
- Checks to see how doors interlock with existing loading bay products
Seek out brands that can offer this level of tailoring to ensure that any installation of loading bay doors offers the kind of performance that your business needs from the jump off. It’s a bonus if they can incorporate tailoring options later down the line, as this will accommodate your business as it grows and changes.
Reliable maintenance, servicing and repairs
Loading bay door repair is no easy feat, especially when you bring in a non-OEM service team to handle functional issues. You should always buy from a manufacturer/partner that offers full service and maintenance packages with their doors – this ensures that you have consistent attention paid to your investment by the most qualified people possible.
This can include anything from preventative maintenance to more complex repairs – either way, you need to trust that anyone working on your doors understands what they’re looking at.
Finding the right supplier
The key to getting all these elements together? Finding the right supplier. Doing that is as simple as doing your research, picking through the most reputable manufacturers and brands, looking for companies with strong industry reputations and long histories of high performance. Do your due diligence and you’re sure to find a solution!
