Always Looking Ahead: New Rite-Hite Products Help Customers Stay in Front of Trends

With supply chain disruptions, increased demands from online commerce, and fulfillment volumes and delivery time expectations greater than ever, many facilities are looking to advancements in equipment and technology to keep pace–particularly at the loading dock.

For Rite-Hite, 2021 was all about focusing on our motto “Always Looking Ahead.” This year, we developed and introduced several timesaving, safety-enhancing products that bring smart technology to the loading dock, allowing facilities to keep pace with the seemingly endless rise in demand. Here is our 2021 new product recap.

Dock Communication Software

Dock Communication Software was created to enhance carrier communications and help facilities maintain social distancing and contactless protocols. It’s a highly secure, cloud-based text messaging tool that eliminates manual processes (like logistics personnel checking for available docks, or carriers leaving their cab to check in), and improves shipping efficiency. The software provides real-time, two-way messaging between facility personnel and freight carriers, which can simplify carrier check-ins and check-outs, and streamline communications regarding loading dock assignments and load status. The tool is simple to use; there’s no app to download and it’s as easy as texting a number to check-in and to receive instructions on dock assignment.

EZ Employee Separation Barrier

These barriers, from Zoneworks® by Rite-Hite, were developed to enhance social distancing and contactless protocols created in response to Covid-19. Equipped with interlocking panels, they can create 1, 2, 3 or 4-sided barriers or enclosures to help separate a variety of employee workstations that are less than 6 feet apart. The EZ is portable and simple to set up, with no floor anchoring required, and can be wiped down for quick sanitation.

Raptor Industrial Rubber Door

Made from ¼” SBR (styrene-butadiene) rubber, these doors offer enhanced durability in tough, harsh environments and boast some of the industry’s fastest cycle times in both loading dock (Raptor Dock) and in-plant (Raptor Pro) applications. They also come equipped with a breakaway feature that automatically re-feeds the door back on its track if a worker or forklift impacts it, eliminating repair-related downtime.

Safe-T-Vu™ Warning System

Designed to help prevent accidents at aisle ends and other high-risk intersections, Safe-T-Vu is a rack-mounted, motion sensor warning device. It uses a flashing red LED-illuminated chevron to alert workers when traffic is approaching from other directions. The Safe-T-Vu warning system has an adjustable detection zone and sensitivity, depending on the workspace. Up to 10 units can run from a single power source.

Scraper Systems™ FleetPlow™

As more states and Canadian provinces implement laws to prevent accidents related to blowing snow/ice, “Snow Belt” facilities are increasingly looking for cost-effective and efficient ways to remove snow from the tops of their fleets. While new to Rite-Hite, the Scraper Systems™ FleetPlow™ Model 440T has been the leading solution for quite some time. This heavy-duty, fully automated snow removal machine, utilizes a height-adjustable plow assembly that scrapes snow off the roof of trucks when they pass under it. Available with full-automation or pendant control, the FleetPlow is portable for easy relocation when the snow season ends. The heavy-duty FleetPlow can remove up to 24 inches (60 cm) of wet, heavy snow in less than 30 seconds, for up to 60 vehicles per hour. And while its design is strong enough to remove 2 feet (0.6 m) of snow easily, it’s gentle enough to safely pass across truck roofs without causing damage. Installing one or more of these pieces of equipment means employees don’t have to deal with snow removal on trucks and companies have additional peace of mind that their vehicles are not creating a hazard on the roads.

PitMaster™ II Under-Leveler Seal

Energy efficiency and quality control are also trending concerns, both of which are addressed by the Rite-Hite PitMaster II. Utilizing a main sealing curtain, side seals, and filler panels, the PitMaster II under-leveler seal helps maintain facility cleanliness and improve energy efficiency at the loading dock. It denies access to pests, keeps debris and dirt out of the leveler pit, and creates a thermal seal that can save big on heating costs.

Activity at the loading dock won’t be slowing down any time soon; if anything, it’s likely to only get faster as the online commerce trend continues to skyrocket. These solutions and more to come, can help factories, warehouses, and distribution centers keep up with that demand, all while focusing on safety, productivity, and employee well-being.

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