- Location
- Mangotsfield, Gloucestershire
- Main postcode district
- BS16
- Nearby (straight line)
- Kingswood (2 miles), Bristol (5 miles) and Keynsham (5 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 Mangotsfield consider?
Operators replacing foam seals in Mangotsfield that keep wearing out against ill-fitting trailers may find an inflatable shelter suffers far less rubbing. When a chilled dock in Mangotsfield sees condensation and ice around the door, the seal at the trailer is often where improvement starts.
Mixed fleets arriving at a cold store in Mangotsfield, from rigids to double-deck trailers, are exactly the situation inflatable cushions are designed for.
How does an installation in Mangotsfield work? First, a free, no-obligation survey to measure up and understand the operation. Next, a fixed written quote. Then a programme agreed with you, so the work fits around deliveries, with out-of-hours slots if needed. The installation itself is carried out by specialist engineers who answer to us, and it finishes with testing, a walk-through for your staff and a handover pack.
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 England; access, out-of-hours working and site conditions are confirmed at the free survey.
What do we check at the survey?
- Drainage on recessed or sloping dock approaches
- Wall and steel structure for door, shelter and bumper fixings
- Dock height and the mix of trailers you load
- Bumper position and wear or damage on the dock face
- Forklift and pallet truck loads crossing the leveller platform
- Temperature requirements for chilled, frozen or ambient goods
Options to discuss
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.
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.
Which rules apply in England?
Powered doors and dock equipment installed in England may carry the UKCA or the CE mark, and doors are covered by the product standard BS EN 13241. We hand over the relevant documentation for each item fitted in Mangotsfield. Planning and Building Regulations questions are never assumed either way: we check what applies at survey, so you know before work is booked.
Questions about inflatable dock shelters in Mangotsfield
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 Gloucestershire 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.
Is the site survey in Mangotsfield 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.
Can you work alongside our main contractor on a new build in Mangotsfield?
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.
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.
Do the cushions touch the trailer as it reverses in?
No, the cushions stay deflated and pulled back against the building while the trailer reverses in, so there is no rubbing as it docks. They inflate only once the trailer is in position and secured, which reduces wear on the fabric compared with foam seals and curtain shelters.
Inflatable dock shelters near Mangotsfield
Other towns within reach of Mangotsfield on our coverage list include Kingswood (2 miles), Bristol (5 miles) and Keynsham (5 miles), all covered on the same terms.
Other loading bay services in Mangotsfield
Full guide to inflatable dock shelters · Everything we do in Mangotsfield
Ready to talk about a loading bay in Mangotsfield? Call us, or send the details through the quote form.