Freight by rail is thin in this part of the state, so nearly everything coming into a Santa Fe-area plant reaches the dock on a truck. Glorieta, on the old rail line, sees Amtrak's Southwest Chief once daily each way and very little freight as of 2025, and the 18.1-mile Santa Fe Southern line to Lamy now carries excursion trains. For owners, that means the dock apron is the single point where the whole supply chain meets the building, and it wears out first.
We build dock aprons, truck dock pits, depressed docks, ground-level doors and loading zones to withstand repeated backing, braking and the heavy point loads of landing gear. The concrete is thicker, reinforced and doweled where the loads are greatest, and the joints are placed so that the wheels do not hit them head on.
A good dock is quiet, dry and level, and it lets the driver, the forklift operator and the building all work to the same height without argument.
Small buildings in this market often receive a mix of freight: a full trailer on Monday, a box truck on Tuesday and a flatbed with machinery on Friday. We design for the mix, because a dock that only suits one vehicle becomes a bottleneck on the others.
Set the dock height first
We begin by setting the finished floor elevation, the dock leveler type and the trailer bed height, because every other dimension follows from them. A sloped apron that brings trailers to the right height saves leveler travel and reduces damage to equipment and cargo. We confirm the numbers with your operations lead and the equipment supplier before the first footing.
The apron slab is poured with the dock wall, and the dock pit is formed before steel is placed. Embedded items such as leveler frames, bumpers, restraints and edge angles are laid out to template. A misplaced embed can mean breaking out a slab, so we check twice and photograph before the pour.
Rebar placement gets the same care. Dowels across joints, extra steel at corners and around pit walls and cover that matches the drawings are checked by our superintendent and, where required, by the special inspector before concrete arrives. A missed bar is invisible after the pour, which is why we do not rely on memory.
What we install
The package covers excavation and base preparation, dock pit walls and floors, retaining walls where an apron cuts into a slope, reinforced apron slabs, bumpers and bollards, dock seals and shelters on request, leveler installation, door frames, trench drains and connection to the storm system. We also coordinate with the equipment suppliers for operators, restraints and lighting.
Ground-level doors and drive-in ramps are built for smaller operations, and we adjust apron slopes to suit forklifts rather than long trailers. For mixed use buildings, we plan a few dock positions and one drive-in door so that a single shop can load pallets and large equipment.
In older buildings along Cerrillos Road, the dock often has to be fit into an existing wall and a tight lot, and we survey carefully to find clearances for turning and for the leveler's travel. Exterior finishes and screening are considered too, since the dock faces the street more often than the owner expects.
Sequence and season
Dock work sits on the critical path of a new building because levelers and doors have lead times and the slab must be poured before the roof is completed. We set long-lead items early and arrange the pour so the apron and the building slab are placed under controlled conditions.
Cold weather limits concrete placement. At altitude in northern New Mexico, we schedule the apron for the warm season where we can and use blankets, heated enclosures and approved mixes when we cannot. Curing is protected, and we do not release trucks onto fresh concrete until it reaches strength.
Operations also need a plan for the transition. If the old dock is in use while the new one is built, we pour in sections and keep a route open, which is the same discipline we use for phased construction on occupied sites.
Dock safety built into the concrete
Most dock injuries come from trailer creep, falls from dock edges and forklift collisions. We build in wheel chocks or vehicle restraints, guard posts, painted edge lines, adequate lighting and clear sight lines. Dock edges are armored with steel angles, and floor slopes are kept within the limits that forklift operators can handle safely.
Pedestrian paths are separated from truck lanes, and we review them with your safety lead. Drainage is designed so water does not run into the dock pit or pool in front of doors, which also reduces slip hazards in winter. Our truck courts and trailer yards design handles the approach and parking.
Who relies on the dock
Owners in ecommerce fulfillment, food and beverage and logistics and distribution all depend on dock capacity, but in a small market the same dock may serve a fabricator in the morning and a parts supplier in the afternoon. We design flexible positions that serve different trailers.
For owners converting an older building into a distribution use, our work on refrigerated dock retrofits and distribution center expansions may apply, and our industrial renovations and modernization scope includes adding or repositioning doors in an existing wall.
Share your dock count and trailer types
Tell us the number of doors, the trailers you receive and the building type. We will sketch an apron and pit layout and give you a first estimate.
Common Questions
How thick should a dock apron be?
It depends on traffic and soil, but dock aprons are usually thicker and more heavily reinforced than parking areas because of landing gear loads. The engineer specifies the section, and we build to it, with attention to joints and dowels.
Why does dock height matter so much?
If the dock is too high or too low for the trailers you receive, levelers wear out and forklifts struggle. We confirm trailer heights with your carriers and set the dock to the right range before design is finished.
Can we add a dock to an existing building?
Often yes. It requires cutting the wall, adding a header, forming the pit and pouring a new apron, with attention to utilities and the floor slab. We evaluate structure and drainage first and give you a clear scope.
How do you keep water out of a dock pit?
By sloping the apron away, installing a trench drain at the edge and sealing the pit walls. The drain connects to the site storm system, so we coordinate with that work.
Is a depressed dock worth the extra cost?
It makes sense for buildings that receive a wide mix of trailers or have grade-level yards. For small operations with a few trucks a week, a simple ground-level door or a raised dock may be the better choice. We lay out the options with prices.