- Location
- Llanelli, Dyfed
- Main postcode district
- SA15
- Nearby (straight line)
- Gorseinon (5 miles), Swansea (10 miles) and Ammanford (11 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.
Why do sites in Llanelli choose this?
When a chilled dock in Llanelli sees condensation and ice around the door, the seal at the trailer is often where improvement starts. Operators replacing foam seals in Llanelli that keep wearing out against ill-fitting trailers may find an inflatable shelter suffers far less rubbing.
Fresh produce cooled at a packhouse in Llanelli stays colder during loading when the gap around the trailer is sealed by inflated cushions.
We never ask you to commit before you have a fixed price. A free survey at your Llanelli 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 maintenance does an inflatable dock shelter need?
An inflatable shelter needs regular checks on its fabric, fan and controls, because a puncture or a weak fan stops it sealing properly. Planned servicing catches most faults before they affect the cold chain.
- Cushion fabric: inspect for punctures, abrasion and failed seams, and patch or replace cushions as needed.
- Fan unit: check filters, motor and airflow so the cushions inflate fully and promptly.
- Retraction system: straps, weights or springs must pull the cushions back clear of the trailer.
- Controls and interlocks: confirm the sequence with the door, leveller and restraint still works.
- Frame and fixings: look for impact damage and corrosion.
Snow and ice on the top cushion can stop it retracting, so a check before winter is worthwhile. Service and repair visits are chargeable, and the price is agreed before anyone attends.
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.
The same published guide range applies across Wales; access, out-of-hours working and site conditions are confirmed at the free survey.
What does the free survey cover?
- Clear opening width and height for each door
- Bumper position and wear or damage on the dock face
- Working hours, shift patterns and windows for out-of-hours work
- Wall and steel structure for door, shelter and bumper fixings
- Control positions, isolators and any existing interlocks
- Age and condition of the equipment already in place
Options to discuss
Protective outer covers
Hard-wearing covers over the cushions that shield the fabric from weather, sunlight and trailer contact, extending cushion life on exposed docks.
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.
Regulations and approvals in Wales
HSE regulates workplace safety in Wales. Loading bays in Llanelli need doors that meet regulation 18 of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, work equipment maintained under PUWER, and safeguards that stop vehicles leaving the dock too early. We check what applies at survey and build those measures into the design.
Questions about inflatable dock shelters in Llanelli
How do you price inflatable dock shelters for a site in Llanelli?
Guide budgets for supply and fit are £6,800 to £12,800 per shelter, excluding VAT. The figure moves with size, insulation, the operator, electrics, access, any pit or groundworks and out-of-hours working. Where levellers are involved, the guide assumes an existing, sound pit. After the free survey you receive a fixed written quote, and that is the price for the agreed scope.
Will you deal with building control and planning for a project in Llanelli?
We check at survey whether the work is likely to need approval. Forming a new opening or dock pit may need Building Regulations approval, a building warrant or building control approval, depending on the nation, and external structures such as loading houses can need planning permission. Where approval is needed, we explain what is involved, work with your designer or agent, and build it into the programme.
Is the site survey in Llanelli free?
Yes. For new installations, replacements, upgrades, conversions and complete bays, the site survey and written quote are free and come with no obligation. The survey lets us measure the openings, check the dock and structure, and understand how the bay is used, so the quote reflects your site. Repair and servicing visits are different: they are chargeable, with the price agreed before anyone attends.
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.
Is an inflatable shelter worth it at an ambient dock?
An inflatable shelter works at any dock, but at ambient bays a curtain shelter or dock seal usually gives enough sealing for less cost. Inflatables make most sense where temperature, hygiene or energy use makes the closest practical seal worth paying for.
Inflatable dock shelters near Llanelli
Close neighbours of Llanelli with their own pages here: Gorseinon (5 miles), Swansea (10 miles) and Ammanford (11 miles). Choose one to see coverage details for that town.
Other loading bay services in Llanelli
Full guide to inflatable dock shelters · Everything we do in Llanelli
Send a few photos of the dock and a short description of the problem, and we will come back to you about your Llanelli site.