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 Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles choose this?
When a chilled dock in Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles sees condensation and ice around the door, the seal at the trailer is often where improvement starts. Frozen food stores in Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles loading trailers of varying sizes can use inflatable shelters to keep warm outside air away from the open door.
Fresh produce cooled at a packhouse in Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles stays colder during loading when the gap around the trailer is sealed by inflated cushions.
Step one is a survey at your site in Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles, which costs nothing and carries no obligation. Step two is a written quote with a fixed price and a clear scope. Step three is installation, scheduled around your operation and carried out by specialist installation engineers working under our management, including evenings or weekends if agreed. Step four is handover, when the equipment is tested in front of you and the paperwork is passed over.
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.
Towns we cover in Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles
We provide inflatable dock shelters right across Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles. Pick the town closest to your site from the list below.
Budget range for supply and fit. The written quote after a free survey is the fixed price. All guide prices.
Regulations and approvals in Scotland
Doors and dock equipment installed in Scotland may carry the UKCA or the CE mark, and we pass on the documentation for everything fitted in Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles. Because building warrant and planning questions can affect the programme, we check what applies at survey and raise any approvals early rather than assuming none are needed.
Sites in and around Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles are covered by arrangement. There is no charge for the survey or the written quote, and any travel, ferry crossings or overnight stays needed for the installation itself are itemised in the quote, so you see the full price before agreeing.
Questions
Will you deal with building control and planning for a project in Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles?
We check at survey whether the work is likely to need approval. Forming a new opening or dock pit may need Building Regulations approval, a building warrant or building control approval, depending on the nation, and external structures such as loading houses can need planning permission. Where approval is needed, we explain what is involved, work with your designer or agent, and build it into the programme.
Can you work alongside our main contractor on a new build in Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles?
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.
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.
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.
Other services in Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles
Full guide to inflatable dock shelters · All loading bay services in Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles