- Location
- Hastings, East Sussex
- Main postcode district
- TN34
- Nearby (straight line)
- Bexhill-on-Sea (5 miles), Hailsham (14 miles) and Eastbourne (14 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 Hastings?
Frozen food stores in Hastings loading trailers of varying sizes can use inflatable shelters to keep warm outside air away from the open door. Specifying a new temperature-controlled warehouse in Hastings is the ideal time to design inflatable shelters in with the doors and levellers, so controls are integrated from the start.
When a chilled dock in Hastings sees condensation and ice around the door, the seal at the trailer is often where improvement starts.
Any project involving inflatable dock shelters at a working site in Hastings takes planning. We survey free of charge, quote a fixed price in writing, and then agree a programme that keeps as much of the dock running as possible. Specialist installation engineers carry out the work under our management, out of hours if that suits you better. On completion we test each item, show your team how it operates and leave the documentation with you.
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.
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 England; access, out-of-hours working and site conditions are confirmed at the free survey.
Survey checklist for your dock
- Gaps around trailers where heated or chilled air escapes
- Yard gradient and the slope of the approach to the dock
- Condition of any existing leveller pit, kerb angles and pit drainage
- Bumper position and wear or damage on the dock face
- Wall and steel structure for door, shelter and bumper fixings
- How drivers are prevented from pulling away too early
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.
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.
Regulations and approvals in England
Sites in Hastings 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 Hastings
Can you work alongside our main contractor on a new build in Hastings?
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 warranty comes with new loading bay equipment?
New equipment comes with the manufacturer's warranty, which varies by product. Our workmanship terms are set out in writing in the quote for your Hastings site, so you can see what is covered before you commit. Check the warranty terms for any servicing conditions, and we can quote for planned maintenance once the installation is complete.
Will you deal with building control and planning for a project in Hastings?
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.
Will we need to change the rest of the dock?
Usually not. Most inflatable shelters fit around an existing door opening, though the leveller, bumpers and door controls are reviewed so the cushions clear them and the interlocks work. Where the wall cannot carry the frame, a subframe is added. We confirm what is needed at survey.
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 Hastings
Close neighbours of Hastings with their own pages here: Bexhill-on-Sea (5 miles), Hailsham (14 miles) and Eastbourne (14 miles). Choose one to see coverage details for that town.
Other loading bay services in Hastings
Full guide to inflatable dock shelters · Everything we do in Hastings
Call us or request a quote online to talk through loading bay work at your site in Hastings.