The Challenge

A combined food and pharmaceutical distribution warehouse outside Lyon, France handled around 220 pallets/day through three dock doors. Inbound and outbound pallets were unloaded using manual pallet jacks, short fixed conveyors, and temporary roller tables that were frequently moved and corroded by washdown chemicals.

This setup created three main problems. First, each truck took on average 45 minutes to turn around because operators pushed pallets and cartons across a mix of carts and short conveyors. Second, fixed steel tables permanently occupied about 80m² of premium dock space, limiting staging areas. Third, weekly washdowns in chilled zones caused visible rust on painted frames within months, leading to hygiene non-conformities and frequent replacement of low-cost equipment.

The Solution

The warehouse installed two units of the Extend Stainless-Steel Roller Conveyor (550 mm width, 1200–5000 mm length) as gravity dock-to-rack links on their busiest doors. Each conveyor runs typically at around 60% of its maximum 5 m extension, giving stability while still allowing operators to reach deep into trailers or retract for compact storage.

The stainless-steel frame and rollers withstand daily detergent washdowns and the chilled, slightly corrosive environment. Height adjustment (650–800 mm) lets the conveyors align with dock levellers and existing pallet wrappers. Staff now roll carton layers from the truck edge directly onto the extendable conveyor and onward to rack-side staging, avoiding long pushes with pallet jacks and constant re-positioning of temporary tables.

ROI Calculation

Before (Manual carts & fixed tables):

• Average truck handling time: 45 minutes per truck
• Trucks per day: 8
• Total dock handling time: 45 × 8 = 360 minutes (6.0 h/day)
• Two operators involved on average: 6.0 h × 2 = 12 labour hours/day
• Labour cost: €20/h ⇒ 12 × €20 = €240/day
• Equipment replacement (rusted carts/tables): approx. €2,000/year (≈ €167/month)

After (Extend Stainless-Steel Roller Conveyor):

• New average truck handling time: 27 minutes (40% faster)
• Total dock handling time: 27 × 8 = 216 minutes (3.6 h/day)
• Labour time: 3.6 h × 2 = 7.2 labour hours/day
• Labour cost: 7.2 × €20 = €144/day
• Daily labour saving: €240 − €144 = €96/day ≈ €2,000/month (21 working days)
• Rust-related replacement of dock tables nearly eliminated: saving ≈ €167/month

Investment:
Two Extend Stainless-Steel Roller Conveyors at €1,399 each ⇒ total investment: €2,798
Combined monthly savings: €2,000 + €167 ≈ €2,167/month
Payback period: €2,798 ÷ €2,167 ≈ 1.3 months (conservatively communicated internally as under 5 months including installation and training overheads).

Results

Within the first quarter, the warehouse reduced average truck dwell time by 40%, freed roughly 20m² of dock floor space, and halved carton damage at the dock edges. Hygiene audits also noted the absence of flaking paint and corroded frames in washdown zones.

“The stainless extendable conveyors gave us the flexibility of mobile tables without the rust and clutter. Dock work is quicker, the area is cleaner, and we recovered our investment in just a few months.” — Marc Duval, Operations Manager, EuroLog Foods/Pharma, Lyon (FR)