- Location
- Ashford, Kent
- Main postcode district
- TN24
- Nearby (straight line)
- Faversham (12 miles), Canterbury (13 miles) and Folkestone (13 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.
How does this suit sites in Ashford?
Mixed fleets arriving at a cold store in Ashford, from rigids to double-deck trailers, are exactly the situation inflatable cushions are designed for. Driving rain and wind at an open bay in Ashford can wear cushion fabric, so a protective outer cover is worth considering on exposed docks.
When a chilled dock in Ashford sees condensation and ice around the door, the seal at the trailer is often where improvement starts.
It starts with a free site survey in Ashford, where we measure the openings, check the dock and talk through how the bay is used. You then receive a fixed written quote. Once you accept, we manage the job: specialist installation engineers carry out the work under our management, planned around your deliveries, and out-of-hours working can be arranged. At handover we test everything with you and leave the documentation.
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 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 does the free survey cover?
- Power supply at each bay, including three-phase availability
- Headroom above the opening and which track type will suit it
- Access for deliveries, cranes or lifting equipment during installation
- Forklift and pallet truck loads crossing the leveller platform
- Yard gradient and the slope of the approach to the dock
- Clear opening width and height for each door
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.
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.
What do the rules in England mean for the work?
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 Ashford. 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 Ashford
Do you remove and dispose of the old equipment?
Yes, where it is part of the scope. When we replace doors, levellers, shelters or seals at a site in Ashford, removal and disposal of the old equipment can be included and is itemised in the quote, so it is clear what is covered. If anything should be kept, such as a frame or motor that is still serviceable, we agree that at survey.
How long does installation take at a site in Ashford?
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.
How do you price inflatable dock shelters for a site in Ashford?
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.
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 Ashford
Businesses outside Ashford may find their nearest town in this list: Faversham (12 miles), Canterbury (13 miles) and Folkestone (13 miles). Each page covers doors, docks, repairs and servicing.
Other loading bay services in Ashford
Full guide to inflatable dock shelters · Everything we do in Ashford
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