- Location
- Inverurie, Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire
- Main postcode district
- AB51
- Nearby (straight line)
- Westhill (10 miles), Aberdeen (14 miles) and Stonehaven (23 miles)
- Survey and quote
- Free, with a fixed written quote
An inflatable dock shelter is a dock shelter with air-filled fabric cushions at the top and sides of the opening, kept deflated and close to the building until a trailer has reversed in. A fan then inflates the cushions so they press against the trailer roof and sides, giving a close seal that adapts to different trailer widths and heights, and deflates again before the trailer leaves.
Is this right for your site in Inverurie?
Specifying a new temperature-controlled warehouse in Inverurie is the ideal time to design inflatable shelters in with the doors and levellers, so controls are integrated from the start. Mixed fleets arriving at a cold store in Inverurie, from rigids to double-deck trailers, are exactly the situation inflatable cushions are designed for.
Fresh produce cooled at a packhouse in Inverurie stays colder during loading when the gap around the trailer is sealed by inflated cushions.
We keep the process simple for sites in Inverurie. A free survey tells us what the dock needs; a fixed written quote tells you what it will cost and what is included. We then organise the installation, with specialist engineers under our management and a programme agreed around your shifts. Night and weekend work is available by arrangement. Before we leave, the new equipment is tested, demonstrated and handed over with its documentation.
How much does an inflatable dock shelter cost?
An inflatable dock shelter typically costs £6,800 to £12,800 per shelter, excluding VAT, supply and fit. It costs more than a curtain shelter or foam seal because of its cushions, fan and controls, and the closer seal it gives.
Costs are driven mainly by:
- Size: door width and height, and the range of trailers to be sealed.
- Cushion layout: a top cushion only, or top and side cushions.
- Fan and controls: standalone push-button control or full integration with the door, leveller and restraint.
- Frame and covers: the steel frame and any protective outer curtains.
- Cold store features: insulated frames or heating where ice is a concern.
- Site work: wall fixings, power supply, powered access equipment and removal of an old shelter or seal.
We fix the price in the written quote after a free site survey, which also confirms whether your trailer range suits an inflatable shelter.
How does an inflatable shelter work with the dock door and leveller?
An inflatable shelter is the first step in the dock sequence: it seals around the trailer before the door opens and only deflates once the door has closed. Getting that order right is what makes it effective.
- The trailer reverses onto the bumpers, guided by dock lights and wheel guides.
- The trailer is secured by restraint or key control, and the outside light shows red.
- The cushions inflate around the top and sides of the trailer.
- With the trailer sealed, the door opens and the leveller is deployed.
- After loading, the leveller is stored and the door closed.
- The cushions deflate and retract, and the light turns green.
Deflated cushions must sit clear of the door and leveller, and internal straps or weights pull them back so trailers do not catch them. Interlocks make each step depend on the last, so staff cannot open the door onto an unsealed trailer.
The same published guide range applies across Scotland; access, out-of-hours working and site conditions are confirmed at the free survey.
What we look at on site
- Drainage on recessed or sloping dock approaches
- Asbestos register and any other site hazard information
- Working hours, shift patterns and windows for out-of-hours work
- Wheel guide positions and yard markings for reversing vehicles
- Forklift and pallet truck loads crossing the leveller platform
- Condition of any existing leveller pit, kerb angles and pit drainage
Options to discuss
Three-sided inflatable
Top and side cushions that inflate around the trailer for the closest seal, the usual choice for chilled and frozen docks with mixed trailers.
Interlocked controls
Controls linked to the door, leveller and restraint so the shelter inflates before the door opens and deflates only once it has closed.
Which rules apply in Scotland?
Energy standards for buildings in Scotland are set out in Section 6 of the Building Standards Technical Handbook. For new or replacement loading bay doors in Inverurie, we confirm the figure that applies to your project and check what applies at survey, rather than relying on rules written for elsewhere in the UK.
Questions about inflatable dock shelters in Inverurie
Is VAT included in your guide prices for inflatable dock shelters?
No. Our customers are businesses, so guide prices exclude VAT, which is added at the standard rate. The same guide range applies in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire as everywhere else: for inflatable dock shelters, it is £6,800 to £12,800 per shelter, excluding VAT. It covers supply and fit for a typical installation. Your fixed written quote after the free survey shows the net price, the VAT and exactly what is included.
Can you work alongside our main contractor on a new build in Inverurie?
Yes. For new warehouses and fit-outs, we can supply and install the dock package as part of a wider project, working to the main contractor's programme, site rules and permits. We will need drawings, dock levels and the programme, and we coordinate pit details, power supplies and door openings with the relevant trades before installation begins.
What details do you need from us to quote for inflatable dock shelters?
To get started, send the site address in Inverurie, the number of bays or openings, approximate sizes, and photos of the dock from inside and outside. Tell us what vehicles you load, what goods you handle and any temperature requirements. Drawings help on new builds. We then arrange the free survey and confirm the details before the written quote is issued.
Does an inflatable shelter work with containers and double-deck trailers?
Yes, provided the shelter is sized for the tallest and widest vehicles you receive. The cushions adapt to each vehicle's dimensions, which is a key reason inflatable shelters suit sites handling containers, standard trailers and double-deck units at the same bays.
Can a punctured cushion be repaired?
Small punctures and tears can usually be patched, and a badly damaged cushion can be replaced on its own without changing the frame or fan. Repairs are carried out on a chargeable visit, with the price agreed before anyone attends.
Inflatable dock shelters near Inverurie
Other towns within reach of Inverurie on our coverage list include Westhill (10 miles), Aberdeen (14 miles) and Stonehaven (23 miles), all covered on the same terms.
Other loading bay services in Inverurie
Full guide to inflatable dock shelters · Everything we do in Inverurie
Speak to us about your Inverurie loading bay. We will ask the right questions, then set out the next step clearly.