Dock levelers play an integral role in loading and unloading goods from the trailer to the loading dock or loading bay. They are used in freight movement and areas where loading and unloading operations are performed on a daily basis. Dock levelers are designed to prevent damage to the loading bay, trailer and the loaded goods. They are also known as dock lifts, dock plates or dock boards and are used in bridging the gap between the loading bay and the trailer. Dock lifts are permanently fixed to the end of each door of a dock and retracted when not in use whereas dock plates and dock boards are portable as they are not permanently fixed to the dock or truck. Dock plates and dock boards are metal ramps and some of them are fitted to caster wheels for easier movement. Lightweight dock levelers are made up of aluminium or steel and are suitable for handling lighter loads.

Dock levelers that are fixed to the loading bay comprise of a single metallic plate which is known as a lip. The leveler lip can be raised from a stashed position and lowed to the back of the truck or storage container. These lips are either hinged or telescopically fit on to the loading bay and can be operated manually by using pulley chains or automatically by using hydraulic lifts. Some commonly used Dock levelers are hydraulic dock leveler, manual dock leveler, vertical storing dock leveler, edge dock leveler and container dock leveler. Some popular locations to get in touch with retailers who sell dock levelers in the UAE are Sheikh Zayed road, Hamdan Street, Ras Al Khor, University Road, Industrial Area 13 Sharjah, Rolla Street, Khalidiya, Karama, Musaffah, Electra Street, Business Bay and SAIF zone Sharjah.