A delivery rarely fails at the transport stage — but at the last hand's breadth: the transition from vehicle to ground. Anyone having heavy goods delivered to an address with no ramp and no forklift needs a tail lift (also called a tail-lift platform). It is the difference between "down in ten minutes" and "cannot be unloaded".
What a tail lift actually does
The tail lift is a hydraulic platform at the rear of the vehicle. It lowers to ground level, takes the load and raises it to load-bed height — or the other way round. This lets even goods weighing tonnes be loaded and unloaded without a ramp, crane or forklift, safely and operable by one person.
For many deliveries that is comfort. For some it is the only way to deliver at all.
When you really need a tail lift
Ask yourself three things before delivery:
- Is there a loading ramp at the destination? Industry and retail usually yes; building sites, private addresses, small workshops and shops usually no.
- Is a forklift or pallet truck available? Without a materials-handling device, the vehicle has to bring the lifting capability itself.
- How heavy is the individual shipment? Anything one person cannot carry by hand belongs on the platform.
If even one answer speaks against a ramp and forklift, plan the tail lift from the start. That saves the most expensive of all deliveries: the one that drives away again undelivered.
How much weight the platform carries
Capacity depends on the vehicle. In our fleet the tail lift on the 16-tonner carries up to 1,500 kg and is drive-over — a pallet truck or electric pallet jack rolls straight across it. The 3.5-tonner runs with a tail lift up to 750 kg capacity and suits city logistics and deliveries without a ramp. So from a single heavy pallet to a full load, everything can be unloaded where there is no forklift.
A special feature of the 16-tonner: the curtain-side body has a sliding roof. Bulky goods, or items to be craned from above, can be loaded not only at the rear and side but also over the roof — a real advantage for machinery, long goods and building materials.
Safely unloaded means properly secured
A tail lift does not replace proper load securing. Every shipment is secured to VDI 2700 — with anti-slip mats, lashing straps and clamping bars, matched to the weight and centre of gravity of the load. The platform brings the goods safely down; the securing ensures nothing shifts en route.
When in doubt: just mention it
You do not need to know the technology in detail. When you enquire, simply tell us the goods, the weight and the destination — and whether there is a ramp or forklift on site. We plan the rest: the right vehicle, the right platform, the load securing.
Over 90 vehicles from Holzwickede, from the car to the 16-tonner with a tail lift, ready around the clock. So that the last hand's breadth does not become a problem, but a matter of course.