- Location
- Bordon, Hampshire
- Main postcode district
- GU35
- Nearby (straight line)
- Alton (5 miles), Haslemere (7 miles) and Farnham (7 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 Bordon consider?
Driving rain and wind at an open bay in Bordon can wear cushion fabric, so a protective outer cover is worth considering on exposed docks. Specifying a new temperature-controlled warehouse in Bordon is the ideal time to design inflatable shelters in with the doors and levellers, so controls are integrated from the start.
Mixed fleets arriving at a cold store in Bordon, from rigids to double-deck trailers, are exactly the situation inflatable cushions are designed for.
Here is what happens after you contact us about a site in Bordon. We arrange a free survey, measure up and send a fixed written quote. If you go ahead, we manage the whole job, including ordering, delivery and coordination with your site team. Specialist installation engineers working under our management do the fitting, at times built around your loading schedule, with out-of-hours work by arrangement. Testing and handover documents close the job.
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.
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.
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?
- Dock height and the mix of trailers you load
- Lighting inside trailers and at the dock face
- Whether planning, building control or a building warrant may be needed
- Access for deliveries, cranes or lifting equipment during installation
- Forklift and pallet truck loads crossing the leveller platform
- Age and condition of the equipment already in place
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?
Workplace safety in England is regulated by HSE. For a loading bay in Bordon, 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 Bordon
Can you work alongside our main contractor on a new build in Bordon?
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.
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 Hampshire 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.
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 Bordon 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 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.
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.
Inflatable dock shelters near Bordon
The same survey, quote and repair service is available in towns around Bordon, such as Alton (5 miles), Haslemere (7 miles) and Farnham (7 miles).
Other loading bay services in Bordon
Full guide to inflatable dock shelters · Everything we do in Bordon
Tell us what is happening at your Bordon dock, what equipment is there and when it is used, and we will suggest the right next step.