Inflatable dock shelters in Warrington

Location

Warrington, Cheshire

Main postcode district

WA1

Nearby (straight line)

Newton-le-Willows (4 miles), Haydock (7 miles) and Widnes (7 miles)

Survey and quote

Free, with a fixed written quote

Why do sites in Warrington choose this?

Specifying a new temperature-controlled warehouse in Warrington is the ideal time to design inflatable shelters in with the doors and levellers, so controls are integrated from the start. Fresh produce cooled at a packhouse in Warrington stays colder during loading when the gap around the trailer is sealed by inflated cushions.

Mixed fleets arriving at a cold store in Warrington, from rigids to double-deck trailers, are exactly the situation inflatable cushions are designed for.

Our part of the job in Warrington is to survey, quote and manage; the fitting itself is done by specialist installation engineers working under our management. The survey and the written quote are free. Once the fixed price is accepted, we agree dates that work around your deliveries and shifts, including out-of-hours working where needed. Every installation is tested before handover, and you receive the documentation for each item fitted.

A note on the freight picture around Warrington and beyond: the Omega business park sits at junction 8 of the M62, with the M6 and M56 close by. Whatever traffic your own site handles, specify the dock to suit it.

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.

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.

1. The wall is checked and fixing points or a subframe prepared.
2. The frame is fixed from powered access equipment in the yard.
3. Top and side cushions are fitted, with protective covers where specified.
4. The fan unit is mounted and the control panel wired, including interlocks to the door, leveller or restraint.
5. 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.

What do we check at the survey?

• Escape routes and pedestrian doors close to the bay
• Gaps around trailers where heated or chilled air escapes
• Yard gradient and the slope of the approach to the dock
• Temperature requirements for chilled, frozen or ambient goods
• Forklift and pallet truck loads crossing the leveller platform
• Condition of any existing leveller pit, kerb angles and pit drainage

Options to discuss

Regulations and approvals in England

Sites in Warrington fall under the rules for England. Structural changes such as forming a new opening or a dock leveller pit may need Building Regulations approval, and external structures such as loading houses, canopies or new dock approaches can need planning permission from the local planning authority. We check what applies at survey and build any approvals into the plan.

Questions about inflatable dock shelters in Warrington

Inflatable dock shelters near Warrington

We also cover towns near Warrington, including Newton-le-Willows (4 miles), Haydock (7 miles) and Widnes (7 miles). Each has its own page with the same services and process.

• Newton-le-Willows
• Haydock
• Widnes
• Runcorn
• St Helens
• All of Cheshire

Other loading bay services in Warrington

• Loading bay servicingPlanned maintenance for doors, levellers, shelters and restraints.
• Loading bay door repairsRepairs to sectional doors, shutters and high-speed doors at the dock.
• Dock bumpersRubber and steel-faced buffers that protect the dock face and leveller.
• Roller shutter loading bay doorsSteel or aluminium roller shutters for docks and goods-in openings.
• Edge-of-dock levellersCompact levellers fixed to the dock face where there is no pit.
• Dock leveller repairsHydraulic, lip, hinge and control repairs to all common leveller types.

Full guide to inflatable dock shelters · Everything we do in Warrington

Have photos of the door, leveller or shelter? Send them with your enquiry and we can give a clearer answer for your Warrington site.