Thorworld mobile yard ramp

UK logistics equipment supplier Thorworld Industries Ltd is reversing the trend for yard ramps to be imported into the UK from low-wage economies by attracting more export business.

Managing director John Meale says Thorworld has a long history of exporting ramps to Western Europe, but its global market is now expanding.

"It's satisfying to know that despite increasing numbers of what are sometimes poorly built, cheap, foreign imports coming into the country from low-wage economies, our top-quality ramps are experiencing increasing demand."

He says all Thorworld's ramps are CE-marked, meeting appropriate EU quality and safety standards.

Yard ramps are used to enable the loading and unloading of vehicles and trailers by forklifts when no loading dock is present.

Thorworld has delivered two seven-tonne and one 10-tonne ramps to new customers in Hungary, Lithuania and Poland. A first-time export sale to Thailand, a seven-tonne ramp, was delivered to a Bangkok-based company.

Meale attributes the growth to customers looking to streamline and improve their logistics operations.

"While some of the imported ramps (from Eastern Europe and Asia) might be cheaper than higher quality products, there have been incidents of product malfunction and failure with the imported products.

The ramp's built-in tow bar

"The loading bay area is a critical link in the production and distribution chain. If the loading system fails or is out of action for a period of time, goods cannot be dispatched or received."

Thorworld's yard ramps are available in 7,000kg, 10,000kg, 12,000kg or 15,000 kg capacities. They come with a built-in tow bar and can be easily moved by a forklift.

Meale, who established Thorworld in 1981, is past chairman of the Association of Loading & Elevating Equipment Manufacturers. He is now a board member of the Federation Européenne de la Manutention (FEM), the European Federation of Materials Handling and also president of its Elevating and Loading Equipment Product Group.