- Location
- Dronfield, Derbyshire
- Main postcode district
- S18
- Nearby (straight line)
- Chesterfield (4 miles), Sheffield (6 miles) and Staveley (6 miles)
- Survey and quote
- Free, with a fixed written quote
A PVC strip curtain is a row of flexible, overlapping plastic strips hung from a rail across a doorway, so that people and vehicles can pass through while the strips fall back to close the gap behind them. At loading bays they hang behind the main door or across internal openings, reducing draughts, dust and temperature loss for much less than the cost of a powered door.
What should sites in Dronfield consider?
Food and packaging businesses in Dronfield can choose strip grades suited to regular cleaning, helping to separate dispatch areas from production. Smaller trade units in Dronfield with a single goods door may find a strip curtain the most economical way to keep the working area warmer in winter.
Where strips at a site in Dronfield have turned cloudy and scratched, replacing them restores visibility for drivers and pedestrians sharing the opening.
The survey is free, the quote is written and the price is fixed: that is how every installation in Dronfield begins. We then manage the work from start to finish. Fitting is carried out by specialist installers under our management, phased so the operation keeps moving, and nights or weekends can be booked by arrangement. On the final day we test the equipment with you and hand over the operating and maintenance information.
Are strip curtains safe where forklifts and pedestrians share an opening?
Strip curtains can be used where forklifts and pedestrians share an opening, but only if the strips stay clear enough for both to see through and the route is managed. Visibility is the main risk.
- Clear strips scratch and cloud with use, so a driver may not see a person on the other side.
- Ribbed strips and regular replacement keep visibility better for longer.
- A separate pedestrian door beside the vehicle opening is the safer arrangement.
- Floor markings and mirrors help where a separate door is not possible.
At very busy openings, a high-speed dock door with vision panels and safety sensors may be the better long-term answer, because it opens fully for each vehicle and closes again behind it. We can price both so you can compare the cost and the practical difference for your traffic.
Which strip width, thickness and grade should I choose?
Choose the strip size by the size of the opening and the traffic through it, and the grade by temperature and use. Wider, thicker strips seal better and resist forklifts, but are heavier to push through on foot.
- Pedestrian doorways: typically 200 mm wide by 2 mm thick strips with a modest overlap.
- Forklift openings: typically 300 mm wide by 3 mm thick, with a larger overlap.
- Large dock openings: typically 400 mm wide by 4 mm thick, which hang well in draughts.
- Low-temperature grade: stays flexible in chillers and freezers, where standard PVC would stiffen and crack.
- Ribbed strips: raised ribs take the wear from forklifts and keep the strips clearer for longer.
- Specialist grades: anti-static, tinted or opaque, or welding grade for screening.
Overlap matters as much as thickness. A full overlap gives a better seal in cold or dusty areas, while a partial overlap is easier to walk through.
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
- Clear opening width and height for each door
- Bumper position and wear or damage on the dock face
- Drainage on recessed or sloping dock approaches
- Wall and steel structure for door, shelter and bumper fixings
- Escape routes and pedestrian doors close to the bay
- Control positions, isolators and any existing interlocks
Options to discuss
Low-temperature strips
A grade formulated to stay flexible in chillers and freezers, where standard strips would stiffen, crack and stop falling back into place.
Ribbed strips
Strips with raised ribs that take the abrasion from forklifts and pallets, helping them stay clearer for longer at busy openings.
Which rules apply in England?
Sites in Dronfield 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 PVC strip curtains in Dronfield
Can you work alongside our main contractor on a new build in Dronfield?
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 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 Dronfield, 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.
Can you work outside our normal operating hours in Dronfield?
Yes, by arrangement. Evening, night and weekend working can be planned so the installation causes as little disruption as possible to your loading schedule. Out-of-hours work can affect the price, so mention it at the survey and we will include it in the written quote. The agreed times are confirmed in the programme before the job starts.
Which grade should we use in a freezer?
Use a low-temperature or polar grade in a freezer. Standard PVC stiffens in the cold, so it cracks and stops falling back into place, leaving gaps. Low-temperature grades are formulated to stay flexible in chilled and frozen conditions, so they keep sealing after each vehicle passes.
Should the strips touch the floor?
Strips usually stop just above the floor so they do not drag, wear or catch on pallet trucks. Where draughts or pests are a concern they can be set closer to the floor, and we agree the finished height with you before fitting so it suits the traffic through the opening.
PVC strip curtains near Dronfield
If your site is not in Dronfield itself, it may be near one of these: Chesterfield (4 miles), Sheffield (6 miles) and Staveley (6 miles). Pick the closest.
Other loading bay services in Dronfield
Full guide to PVC strip curtains · Everything we do in Dronfield
Phone us to discuss your loading bay in Dronfield, or start with the online quote tool if you prefer to send details first.