- Location
- Inverness, Highlands
- Main postcode district
- IV2
- Nearby (straight line)
- Dingwall (11 miles), Nairn (15 miles) and Forres (24 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 matters for inflatable dock shelters in Inverness?
When a chilled dock in Inverness sees condensation and ice around the door, the seal at the trailer is often where improvement starts. Frozen food stores in Inverness loading trailers of varying sizes can use inflatable shelters to keep warm outside air away from the open door.
Mixed fleets arriving at a cold store in Inverness, from rigids to double-deck trailers, are exactly the situation inflatable cushions are designed for.
Any project involving inflatable dock shelters at a working site in Inverness 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.
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.
The same published guide range applies across Scotland; access, out-of-hours working and site conditions are confirmed at the free survey.
What does the free survey cover?
- Escape routes and pedestrian doors close to the bay
- Control positions, isolators and any existing interlocks
- Traffic routes for vehicles and separation of pedestrians
- Lighting inside trailers and at the dock face
- Dock height and the mix of trailers you load
- Access for deliveries, cranes or lifting equipment during installation
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.
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.
What do the rules in Scotland mean for the work?
Energy standards for buildings in Scotland are set out in Section 6 of the Building Standards Technical Handbook. For new or replacement loading bay doors in Inverness, we confirm the figure that applies to your project and check what applies at survey, rather than relying on rules written for elsewhere in the UK.
Questions about inflatable dock shelters in Inverness
How long does installation take at a site in Inverness?
It depends on the equipment, the number of bays, the condition of the dock and whether any building or electrical work is needed. We agree a programme with you after the survey, setting out which bays are out of use and when. Larger jobs are usually phased so that part of the dock stays open, and out-of-hours working can be arranged.
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 the Highlands 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.
How do you price inflatable dock shelters for a site in Inverness?
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.
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.
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 Inverness
Businesses outside Inverness may find their nearest town in this list: Dingwall (11 miles), Nairn (15 miles) and Forres (24 miles). Each page covers doors, docks, repairs and servicing.
Other loading bay services in Inverness
Full guide to inflatable dock shelters · Everything we do in Inverness
Call us or request a quote online to talk through loading bay work at your site in Inverness.