- Location
- Barrhead, Renfrewshire and Inverclyde
- Main postcode district
- G78
- Nearby (straight line)
- Paisley (3 miles), Newton Mearns (3 miles) and Renfrew (5 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 Barrhead choose this?
Operators replacing foam seals in Barrhead that keep wearing out against ill-fitting trailers may find an inflatable shelter suffers far less rubbing. Mixed fleets arriving at a cold store in Barrhead, from rigids to double-deck trailers, are exactly the situation inflatable cushions are designed for.
Fresh produce cooled at a packhouse in Barrhead stays colder during loading when the gap around the trailer is sealed by inflated cushions.
Keeping the dock running is usually the first concern, so we plan around it. After a free survey of your Barrhead site and a written quote at a fixed price, we agree when each bay can be released and whether any work should happen out of hours. Specialist installation engineers working under our management then fit the equipment, and we test it and hand over the documentation before the bay goes back into use.
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 Scotland; access, out-of-hours working and site conditions are confirmed at the free survey.
Survey checklist for your dock
- Yard gradient and the slope of the approach to the dock
- Clear opening width and height for each door
- Age and condition of the equipment already in place
- How drivers are prevented from pulling away too early
- Traffic routes for vehicles and separation of pedestrians
- Forklift and pallet truck loads crossing the leveller platform
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.
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 Scotland mean for the work?
HSE is the workplace safety regulator in Scotland. At a loading bay in Barrhead, doors need to satisfy regulation 18 of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, dock equipment must be kept safe under PUWER, and drivers must be prevented from pulling away too early. We check what applies at survey.
Questions about inflatable dock shelters in Barrhead
What details do you need from us to quote for inflatable dock shelters?
To get started, send the site address in Barrhead, the number of bays or openings, approximate sizes, and photos of the dock from inside and outside. Tell us what vehicles you load, what goods you handle and any temperature requirements. Drawings help on new builds. We then arrange the free survey and confirm the details before the written quote is issued.
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 Barrhead, 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 Barrhead?
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.
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.
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.
Inflatable dock shelters near Barrhead
We also cover towns near Barrhead, including Paisley (3 miles), Newton Mearns (3 miles) and Renfrew (5 miles). Each has its own page with the same services and process.
Other loading bay services in Barrhead
Full guide to inflatable dock shelters · Everything we do in Barrhead
Call us or request a quote online to talk through loading bay work at your site in Barrhead.