The Challenge

A manufacturer operating out of a leased unit in Stoney Creek needed a dock leveler solution — but had a legitimate concern that most tenants in industrial spaces share: why make a major capital investment in a building you don’t own? A standard hydraulic pit leveler costs anywhere from $7,500 to $20,000 depending on the application, and it’s permanently embedded in the building’s concrete. If the business relocated, the investment would be left behind entirely.

The facility needed to be able to safely bridge the height gap between the loading dock and incoming trailers to protect product and workers during loading operations. But the customer needed a solution that made financial sense given their tenancy situation.

The Solution

Wilcox Door Service recommended and installed an Edge of Dock (EOD) leveler — a surface-mounted unit that mounts to the face of the dock rather than requiring a pit cut into the concrete. EOD levelers provide capacities typically ranging from 20,000 to 50,000 lbs, covering the load requirements of most standard trailer operations, and they can be removed and relocated if the business moves to a new facility.

The unit was installed at the customer’s dock opening without any concrete cutting or structural modification to the building — protecting the tenant’s relationship with the landlord and keeping the investment portable. Installation was straightforward and completed in a single visit, giving the customer a functional, safe dock leveling solution at a cost significantly below a full pit leveler installation.

Outcomes

The manufacturer now has a safe, functional dock leveling solution that protects workers and product during loading and unloading — without a permanent modification to the building or the financial exposure of a fixed pit leveler investment. If the business relocates, the EOD unit moves with them. The practical concern that had been preventing the customer from solving their dock problem was resolved through the right product recommendation.