- Location
- Redcar, North Yorkshire
- Main postcode district
- TS10
- Nearby (straight line)
- Guisborough (6 miles), Middlesbrough (8 miles) and Hartlepool (8 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.
Why do sites in Redcar choose this?
Specifying a new temperature-controlled warehouse in Redcar is the ideal time to design inflatable shelters in with the doors and levellers, so controls are integrated from the start. When a chilled dock in Redcar 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 Redcar, from rigids to double-deck trailers, are exactly the situation inflatable cushions are designed for.
How does an installation in Redcar 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.
In the wider area around Redcar, Teesport, one of the UK's largest ports, sits at the mouth of the Tees. Docks with frequent trailer movements put more cycles on doors and levellers, which is why planned servicing matters.
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.
Survey checklist for your dock
- Scope to convert ground-level doors into docks or add lift tables
- Condition of any existing leveller pit, kerb angles and pit drainage
- Traffic routes for vehicles and separation of pedestrians
- Headroom above the opening and which track type will suit it
- How often each door cycles during a typical shift
- Age and condition of the equipment already in place
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.
Planning, building control and safety law in England
Workplace safety in England is regulated by HSE. For a loading bay in Redcar, 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 Redcar
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 North Yorkshire 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.
Which building and safety rules apply to a site in Redcar?
It depends on which UK nation the site is in. England and Wales use Building Regulations approval, Scotland uses building warrants and Northern Ireland uses building control approval from the council. Workplace safety is regulated by HSE in Great Britain and HSENI in Northern Ireland, and energy rules differ between nations. For your site in Redcar, we check what applies at survey and design to it.
Do you cover Redcar for inflatable dock shelters?
Yes. We take on inflatable dock shelters for businesses in Redcar and across North Yorkshire. We survey the site, provide a fixed written quote and manage the installation, with specialist installation engineers working under our management. Visits are arranged in advance at a time that suits your operation, and the same single contact stays with the job through to handover.
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.
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 Redcar
Other towns within reach of Redcar on our coverage list include Guisborough (6 miles), Middlesbrough (8 miles) and Hartlepool (8 miles), all covered on the same terms.
Other loading bay services in Redcar
Full guide to inflatable dock shelters · Everything we do in Redcar
Have photos of the door, leveller or shelter? Send them with your enquiry and we can give a clearer answer for your Redcar site.