- Location
- Cardiff, South Glamorgan
- Main postcode districts
- CF10, CF11 and CF24
- Nearby (straight line)
- Penarth (3 miles), Caerphilly (7 miles) and Barry (7 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 Cardiff consider?
Driving rain and wind at an open bay in Cardiff can wear cushion fabric, so a protective outer cover is worth considering on exposed docks. Frozen food stores in Cardiff 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 Cardiff stays colder during loading when the gap around the trailer is sealed by inflated cushions.
Here is what happens after you contact us about a site in Cardiff. We arrange a free survey, measure up and send a fixed written quote. If you go ahead, we manage the whole job, including ordering, delivery and coordination with your site team. Specialist installation engineers working under our management do the fitting, at times built around your loading schedule, with out-of-hours work by arrangement. Testing and handover documents close the job.
Inflatable shelter, curtain shelter or dock seal: which suits a cold chain dock?
For a cold chain dock that receives trailers of different sizes, an inflatable shelter usually gives the best balance of close sealing and flexibility. A dock seal can match it on a uniform fleet, while a curtain shelter is better suited to ambient bays.
- Inflatable shelter: cushions adapt to each trailer's width and height and seal close to the body, with the full opening left clear.
- Dock seal: a tight, lower-cost seal when every trailer is the same size, but it can leave gaps on other vehicles and the pads can intrude into the opening.
- Curtain shelter: flexible and robust, but leaves small gaps that matter more at chilled and frozen docks.
Inflatables also stand clear of the trailer until it has docked, avoiding the rubbing that wears foam pads and curtains. The trade-off is the fan and controls, which need power and servicing. For frozen docks we specify the shelter alongside cold store dock doors so the two work together.
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 Wales; access, out-of-hours working and site conditions are confirmed at the free survey.
What do we check at the survey?
- How drivers are prevented from pulling away too early
- Yard gradient and the slope of the approach to the dock
- Forklift and pallet truck loads crossing the leveller platform
- Working hours, shift patterns and windows for out-of-hours work
- Lighting inside trailers and at the dock face
- Gaps around trailers where heated or chilled air escapes
Options to discuss
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.
Interlocked controls
Controls linked to the door, leveller and restraint so the shelter inflates before the door opens and deflates only once it has closed.
Planning, building control and safety law in Wales
Equipment fitted in Wales may carry the UKCA or the CE mark. For each door, leveller or shelter installed in Cardiff, we hand over the documentation that comes with it. Permissions are never assumed either way: whether planning permission or Building Regulations approval is needed, we check what applies at survey and tell you before dates are agreed.
Questions about inflatable dock shelters in Cardiff
Will you deal with building control and planning for a project in Cardiff?
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.
What details do you need from us to quote for inflatable dock shelters?
To get started, send the site address in Cardiff, 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.
Can you work alongside our main contractor on a new build in Cardiff?
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.
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.
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.
Inflatable dock shelters near Cardiff
Businesses outside Cardiff may find their nearest town in this list: Penarth (3 miles), Caerphilly (7 miles) and Barry (7 miles). Each page covers doors, docks, repairs and servicing.
Other loading bay services in Cardiff
Full guide to inflatable dock shelters · Everything we do in Cardiff
Phone us to discuss your loading bay in Cardiff, or start with the online quote tool if you prefer to send details first.