- Location
- Kempston, Bedfordshire
- Main postcode district
- MK42
- Nearby (straight line)
- Bedford (2 miles), Ampthill (6 miles) and Newport Pagnell (10 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.
What should sites in Kempston consider?
Operators replacing foam seals in Kempston that keep wearing out against ill-fitting trailers may find an inflatable shelter suffers far less rubbing. Mixed fleets arriving at a cold store in Kempston, from rigids to double-deck trailers, are exactly the situation inflatable cushions are designed for.
Frozen food stores in Kempston loading trailers of varying sizes can use inflatable shelters to keep warm outside air away from the open door.
We never ask you to commit before you have a fixed price. A free survey at your Kempston site comes first, followed by a written quote. When the order goes ahead, we plan the installation around your operation, book any out-of-hours working you need and manage the specialist installation engineers on site. The job ends with a full test, a run-through for the people who will use the equipment and a set of handover documents.
What is involved in installing an inflatable dock shelter?
Installing an inflatable shelter involves fixing a steel frame to the building around the dock door, mounting the cushions and fan, and wiring the controls, usually over one to two days per bay.
- The wall is checked and fixing points or a subframe prepared.
- The frame is fixed from powered access equipment in the yard.
- Top and side cushions are fitted, with protective covers where specified.
- The fan unit is mounted and the control panel wired, including interlocks to the door, leveller or restraint.
- Inflation, deflation and cushion retraction are tested with a trailer in the bay.
You will need to provide a clear yard area in front of the bay, take the bay out of use and arrange a power supply near the door, or ask us to include one. At cold stores we plan the work with the dock door kept closed, so the store stays at temperature while the shelter goes up outside.
Inflatable shelter, curtain shelter or dock seal: which suits a cold chain dock?
For a cold chain dock that receives trailers of different sizes, an inflatable shelter usually gives the best balance of close sealing and flexibility. A dock seal can match it on a uniform fleet, while a curtain shelter is better suited to ambient bays.
- Inflatable shelter: cushions adapt to each trailer's width and height and seal close to the body, with the full opening left clear.
- Dock seal: a tight, lower-cost seal when every trailer is the same size, but it can leave gaps on other vehicles and the pads can intrude into the opening.
- Curtain shelter: flexible and robust, but leaves small gaps that matter more at chilled and frozen docks.
Inflatables also stand clear of the trailer until it has docked, avoiding the rubbing that wears foam pads and curtains. The trade-off is the fan and controls, which need power and servicing. For frozen docks we specify the shelter alongside cold store dock doors so the two work together.
The same published guide range applies across England; access, out-of-hours working and site conditions are confirmed at the free survey.
What does the free survey cover?
- Headroom above the opening and which track type will suit it
- Lighting inside trailers and at the dock face
- Wheel guide positions and yard markings for reversing vehicles
- Yard gradient and the slope of the approach to the dock
- Control positions, isolators and any existing interlocks
- Clear opening width and height for each door
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.
What do the rules in England mean for the work?
Workplace safety in England is regulated by HSE. For a loading bay in Kempston, that means doors meeting regulation 18 of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, equipment maintained under PUWER and suitable safeguards against vehicles driving away too early. We check what applies at survey and design the bay accordingly.
Questions about inflatable dock shelters in Kempston
Do you cover Kempston for inflatable dock shelters?
Yes. We take on inflatable dock shelters for businesses in Kempston and across Bedfordshire. We survey the site, provide a fixed written quote and manage the installation, with specialist installation engineers working under our management. Visits are arranged in advance at a time that suits your operation, and the same single contact stays with the job through to handover.
Do you remove and dispose of the old equipment?
Yes, where it is part of the scope. When we replace doors, levellers, shelters or seals at a site in Kempston, removal and disposal of the old equipment can be included and is itemised in the quote, so it is clear what is covered. If anything should be kept, such as a frame or motor that is still serviceable, we agree that at survey.
What details do you need from us to quote for inflatable dock shelters?
To get started, send the site address in Kempston, 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.
What happens to an inflatable shelter if the power fails?
If the power fails, the fan stops and the cushions gradually deflate, so the trailer can leave once loading has been brought to a safe end. At a cold store, the dock door should be closed by hand where possible to protect the store. We explain the power failure routine at handover.
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.
Inflatable dock shelters near Kempston
If your site is not in Kempston itself, it may be near one of these: Bedford (2 miles), Ampthill (6 miles) and Newport Pagnell (10 miles). Pick the closest.
Other loading bay services in Kempston
Full guide to inflatable dock shelters · Everything we do in Kempston
Whether it is a new bay or a fault on an existing one, call us or request a quote for your site in Kempston.