Dock Bumpers

Dock bumpers (also called dock buffers) take the impact when a reversing trailer meets the loading bay — protecting the dock face, the building and the vehicle's rear frame from repeated low-speed strikes. On a busy bay that impact happens dozens of times a day, and it's far cheaper to replace a bumper than to rebuild a dock edge. All bumpers here are by Thorworld Industries, with most products designed and made at their Chesterfield factory.

Three bumper types

Rubber dock bumpers — traditional Type 2 rectangular buffers in various sizes and thicknesses, with angled edges and counterbored fixing holes that protect the fixings themselves from impact damage. Where extra stand-off is needed, dock bumper supports add thickness behind the pad.

Nylon dock bumpers — manufactured from a modified cast nylon with high resistance to wear and abrasion and greatly enhanced impact strength. Nylon gives an extremely hardwearing, long-life bumper that also helps guide accurate vehicle alignment on every approach — a good pick for high-frequency bays where rubber pads wear through.

Extruded D-section bumpers — a 100 × 100 mm extruded rubber D-profile supplied in 1 m, 2 m and 3 m lengths (special lengths on request). Sections assemble end to end for long continuous runs of protection along dock edges, walls and columns.

Fixings and installation

Bumpers are only as good as what holds them on. Matching Thorworld fixings, washers and fixing strips are in our loading bay accessories range, so you can order the bumper and its correct fixing kit together.

Completing the bay

Bumpers protect the structure; the rest of the bay needs protecting too. Pair them with wheel chocks to stop vehicle movement during unloading, dock lights for visibility inside trailers, and dockboards and dockplates to bridge the dock-to-vehicle gap. Our loading bay safety guide covers how the pieces fit together.