ThinMan, Global Wheel-Lok for trailers

To maximize both trailer space and load integrity, the Rite Hite Corp. has developed the ThinMan truck leveler and Global Wheel-Lok (GWL) restraint system. Based in Milwaukee, Wis., Rite Hite said the ThinMan and GWL systems, used in combination, could help eliminate productivity bottlenecks at the loading dock.

The ThinMan truck leveler lifts and positions trailer beds precisely to dock height for level loading and unloading. The GWL system then ensures safe access for forklifts, holding the trailer securely to the dock during loading and unloading. This allows extra wide, tall, and/or long loads to be removed without hitting the trailer's sidewalls and/or ceiling, thereby increasing productivity, Rite Hite said.

The ThinMan system is surface-mounted and collapses to a height of 11/8 in. to maintain dock-use flexibility. The GWL system is interlocked to the ThinMan, meaning the restraint must be engaged and the trailer secure before the leveler can be used - giving dockworkers an extra margin of safety, said Rite Hite.