Leaders of successful businesses are constantly on the lookout for ways to improve their equipment and safety measures to create a healthier and more productive workplace. Sometimes those improvements can be found in easily overlooked areas - like bay areas and loading docks.
If you operate a business that includes bay areas and loading docks, then you need to consider your dock shelter. Dock shelters are essential parts of loading docks because they span the gap between the bay area wall and the transport vehicle’s walls.
By eliminating the gap between the truck bed and the loading dock, dock shelters provide protection from the elements and increase employee safety. Dock shelters ensure that weather conditions do not interfere with productivity, as well as prevent products and employees from slipping between the gaps on the sides of the loading area.
Door Systems is proud to partner with a variety of innovative door solutions manufacturers and with ASSA ABLOY, a global manufacturing organization. Our global and local partnerships allow us to provide an exceptional range of door solutions to aid businesses in maximizing productivity, efficiency, and safety in the workplace.
Dock Shelter Features
Dock shelters are sometimes confused with dock seals, but the two are separate dock components. Dock seals refer to the foam, compressive material that forms a seal between the vehicle bed and the loading dock.
Dock shelters are more intricate, usually containing adjustable metal shields that attach to the frame of the dock door. Shelters include both the frame and the curtains attached to the frame – shielding the loading area from the elements.
Industrial manufacturers, food service, and medical/ lab equipment providers often benefit from effective dock shelters. Dock shelters help to insulate the area, which is ideal for temperature-sensitive products. Plus, these insulating factors help to conserve energy and protect products from contamination.
Not only do dock shelters improve quality assurance by shielding products from the outside, but they also provide a buffer between the loading structure and heavy transportation vehicles. When heavy trucks and other vehicles back up into the area, they slowly compromise the structural integrity of the loading dock.
Dock shelters are flexible structures that reduce stress on the loading dock. They withstand the compression and force that occurs when trailers back up into the wall, lowering maintenance costs and providing more years of performance.
Highlighted Product Features
Warehouse operations and loading/transportation equipment vary by business so different workplaces require different dock shelter options. We offer a variety of dock shelters, including maximum security aluminum dock shelter, soft-sided shelter, and inflatable shelter options.
Mechanical Curtain Dock Shelters
Aluminum curtain dock shelters provide high resistance protection against the elements. The adjustable curtain panels absorb shock with built-in springs, which allow the shelter to connect to the vehicle without damaging the shelter.
This mechanical dock shelter offers parking guides, top and side curtains, and sturdy aluminum sections. The shelter seals off the gap from both the sides and the top, making it an ideal temperature-regulating option. One of our popular mechanical dock shelters is the ASSA ABLOY Curtain Dock Shelter Aluminum.
The ASSA ABLOY Curtain Dock Shelter Aluminum offers:
- Numerous sizing options to ensure a perfect fit for your loading area
- White parking guides
- Bracing arms
- Side curtains
- Extruded aluminum selections
- Continuous roof cover
- Split top curtain
- Additional feature options, including a rain channel, reinforced rubber flaps, corner seals, splitted top curtain, and notching on both sides
Soft-Sided Dock Shelters
Soft-sided dock shelters combine frames of thick wood with dense foam padding to create a versatile, energy-efficient design. These shelters are cost-effective, durable, and low maintenance, making them ideal choices for high-traffic areas.
One of the soft-sided dock shelters that we carry combines dock sealing with the shelter design, allowing it to provide protection against the elements and conserve energy. This dock shelter design is the NOVA Technologies Model SS Series.
The NOVA Technologies Model SS Series offers:
- Top-grade fabrics for cover material and pleats for maximum durability
- Flexible side pad structure, which protects the unit against damage from off-center trailers
- High-density polyurethane foam for a long-lasting, resilient product
- Pressure-treated, kiln-dried wood frame
- Raked header with translucent fiberglass top, which provides natural light, water drainage, and snow load support
- Face curtains with fiberglass stays for added rigidity
- Aluminum angle face edging on head frame
- Detachable side curtains and draft pads that use Velcro® for easy removal and are re-attachable within minutes for routine maintenance
- Heavy-duty galvanized mounting hardware
- 15″ yellow guide stripe standard
- Wind straps on the head curtain that prevent it from being blown out of position
Inflatable Dock Shelters
Inflatable dock shelters are ideal for loading areas that interact with different-sized transportation vehicles and process a variety of products. Instead of being set in one position like other dock shelters, inflatable dock shelters inflate and expand around the docked vehicle.
These dock shelters are installed with a stable frame, but the frame is covered in inflatable panels that engage when necessary. Inflatable dock shelters support loading areas that experience rapid product exchanges since they are easy to engage and require little maintenance.
One example of our inflatable dock shelter options is the ASSA ABLOY Inflatable Dock Shelter Bags.
The ASSA ABLOY Inflatable Dock Shelter Bags offers:
- Numerous size options to suit different loading dock areas
- Insulated wall and roof panels
- Steel front plates
- Polyethene plastic front protection
- Simple operating switch
- Fan for inflation
- Top bag, rear and front side bags, made of polyester fabric
- Temperature range of -30°to +60°C
- Stable collison protectors to prevent damage to docking area
Every docking and loading area needs protective measures that prevent damage and keep maintenance costs low. Dock shelters provide buffers between docking vehicles and the loading docks, lowering energy costs and protecting products during loading and unloading.
Door Systems is committed to help you find the dock shelter that will most benefit your business. If you are interested in learning more about the dock shelter that would suit your needs, reach out to one of our experts for help. You can contact us online to request a quote or service or find the nearest location to you!
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