- Location
- Lutterworth, Leicestershire
- Main postcode district
- LE17
- Nearby (straight line)
- Rugby (6 miles), Hinckley (9 miles) and Earl Shilton (10 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 Lutterworth consider?
When a chilled dock in Lutterworth sees condensation and ice around the door, the seal at the trailer is often where improvement starts. Pharmaceutical distributors around Lutterworth working to tight temperature limits may want the close seal an inflatable shelter gives during every load.
Fresh produce cooled at a packhouse in Lutterworth stays colder during loading when the gap around the trailer is sealed by inflated cushions.
It starts with a free site survey in Lutterworth, 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.
For businesses moving goods in and out of Lutterworth, it is worth knowing that Magna Park, one of the largest dedicated distribution parks in Europe, sits just outside the town near the M1 and M6. Each trailer still relies on door, leveller and restraint working together.
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.
What safety rules affect inflatable dock shelters?
An inflatable shelter is powered dock equipment, so it must be suitable, maintained and correctly marked, and it should be controlled so a trailer cannot pull away with the cushions inflated around it.
- Work equipment: PUWER 1998 in Great Britain and PUWER (Northern Ireland) 1999 require it to be maintained in a safe condition and inspected where deterioration could lead to danger.
- Marking: in Great Britain powered dock equipment may carry the UKCA or the CE mark. For Northern Ireland, the CE mark or CE with UKNI applies.
- Drive-away: HSE workplace transport guidance (HSG136), followed by HSENI in Northern Ireland, calls for safeguards against drivers driving away too early, such as traffic lights, vehicle or trailer restraints, or keeping keys until it is safe. Linking deflation to these controls protects both the cushions and the driver.
- Regulator: HSE in Great Britain and HSENI in Northern Ireland.
A vehicle restraint interlocked with the shelter and door is a common way to make the whole sequence dependable.
The same published guide range applies across England; access, out-of-hours working and site conditions are confirmed at the free survey.
What we look at on site
- How drivers are prevented from pulling away too early
- Whether planning, building control or a building warrant may be needed
- Control positions, isolators and any existing interlocks
- Wind exposure at the dock, which affects door and shelter choice
- Condition of any existing leveller pit, kerb angles and pit drainage
- Access for deliveries, cranes or lifting equipment during installation
Options to discuss
Top cushion only
A single inflatable cushion across the top of the opening, paired with fixed side pads or curtains, for docks where trailer heights vary more than widths.
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 Lutterworth 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 Lutterworth
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 Lutterworth, 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 do you price inflatable dock shelters for a site in Lutterworth?
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.
How long does installation take at a site in Lutterworth?
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.
What happens to an inflatable shelter if the power fails?
If the power fails, the fan stops and the cushions gradually deflate, so the trailer can leave once loading has been brought to a safe end. At a cold store, the dock door should be closed by hand where possible to protect the store. We explain the power failure routine at handover.
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 Lutterworth
Looking beyond Lutterworth? Our pages for Rugby (6 miles), Hinckley (9 miles) and Earl Shilton (10 miles) describe the same loading bay services and how to get in touch.
Other loading bay services in Lutterworth
Full guide to inflatable dock shelters · Everything we do in Lutterworth
Send a few photos of the dock and a short description of the problem, and we will come back to you about your Lutterworth site.