5 Questions You Should Ask Before Specifying Loading Bays

When planning a new warehouse or logistics park, it’s easy to focus on headline features: square footage, clear internal heights, or BREEAM ratings.

But the loading bay is where your future tenant’s operation begins and ends, it’s a critical interface that affects the efficiency, safety, and value of the building.

Whether you're working on a build-to-suit facility or speculative development, it pays to ask the right questions early.

Here are five key questions every project team should consider before specifying loading bays:

1. What types of vehicles will be using the bays?

The vehicle type is one of the most important factors when designing a loading bay.

Dock leveller size, lip type, shelter size, and platform width all depend on the type of vehicles expected, from transit vans and city trucks to double-deck trailers and container hauliers.

- If the site will serve a known fleet, such as articulated HGVs of a single specification, a straightforward, single-spec bay layout may be suitable.
- If a mixed fleet or unknown tenant is likely, flexibility becomes essential. This could mean using telescopic lip levellers, Inflatable dock shelters, or wider door openings.

Involving a specialist supplier early helps ensure your bay design is matched to operational reality and avoids retrofits down the line.

2. Will the building serve one tenant or multiple future occupiers?

For known occupiers, loading bays can be designed around their specific requirements. But in speculative builds or multi-let sites, the goal is often to maximise appeal to a wide range of potential occupiers.

This may require:

- Dock levellers with a larger working range
- Sealing systems suitable for different trailer types
- Dock shelters that can accommodate a variety of vehicle heights and widths

A flexible, future-ready design helps speed up letting, reduces fit-out costs for tenants, and increases the long-term value of the building.

3. What level of traffic and loading intensity is expected?

High-volume logistics operations, especially in sectors like grocery, parcel delivery, or retail, require robust, reliable infrastructure.

Key considerations include:

- The number of bays needed to avoid bottlenecks at peak times
- Durable dock bumpers and shelters that can handle frequent movements
- Traffic flow design, including safe reversing space, and wheel guides
- Bay lighting and controls to improve visibility and operational safety

Designing for intensity, not just capacity, can significantly improve tenant satisfaction and reduce maintenance issues.

4. Are there specific compliance or sector requirements?

Depending on the target market or sector, there may be additional requirements around safety, temperature control, or hygiene. For example:

- Cold chain logistics demand sealed loading bays to maintain internal temperatures, typically using insulated dock houses or inflatable shelters, and telescopic lip levellers.
- Food or pharmaceutical distribution may need dock levellers and doors that minimise contamination risks
- Cross-docking operations need fast, flexible bay setups to keep goods moving. Equipment like the VARIFLEET® dock leveller support a wide range of vehicles, making them ideal for high-throughput environments.

Stertil can help you navigate these requirements and recommend solutions that align with sector-specific standards.

5. What level of support do you need?

The most valuable suppliers offer more than just equipment. They partner with project teams throughout the process, providing:

- Full BIM design coordination to support planning, clash detection, and integration with the wider building model.
- Support with bay specs for seamless integration into the build programme.
- UK-wide installation by experienced engineers, aligned to programme schedules
- Optional service and maintenance for post-handover peace of mind

Stertil offers all of this, with a full product range that includes dock levellers, shelters, doors, wheel guides, restraints, bumpers and more.

Sourcing the full package from a single supplier helps reduce interface issues and streamline your project delivery.

Need some advice for your next loading bay project?

The right loading bay spec and support can make a huge difference to your project, for your timeline, your tenant, and your long-term building value.

But there’s a lot to consider, and it’s not always easy to get it right without early specialist input.

So if you need expert guidance, product recommendations, or help coordinating your loading bay design, the Stertil team is here to support your next project.

Contact Stertil on 08707 700471, or email info@stertil.co.uk.