Protect against the elements

While most loading bays have canopies, curtains or shelters to create a weather shield, this may be compromised by worn or ill-fitting seals or different vehicle and trailer designs, such as trailers with dynamic fins. 

Dock shelters and seals are also vital to protect goods and employees from the elements and keep a temperature-controlled building at the correct temperature while the doors are open for the necessary loading and unloading of goods.

A major UK supermarket needed to find a solution to significant loading bay issues at their large chilled food distribution depot. The issues the customer faced focussed around water ingress and temperature control in the chilled food warehouse.

BID Group was called in, engineers formulated a solution and the customer awarded a contract to BID Group to remove the existing dock shelters and supply and install 99 new dock shelters. Compatible with both single and double deck trailers, the new shelters were fitted complete with extended projection to form a seal past the dynamic fins on the top of the vehicle trailers and top airbags to create a good seal against water ingression and temperature loss.

Roger McNeal, technical sales manager at BID Group added: “There is a multitude of benefits found in creating a seal between the vehicle and loading bay. Hygiene, efficiency, insulation and safety are all instantly improved with a dock shelter.

“Airbags further protect goods and personnel from the weather during loading and unloading as the airbags make contact the side and roof of the trailer. This will keep out not only bad weather but also help minimise the loss of cold air from the warehouse. This BID solution successfully resolved both temperature control and potential health and safety issues.”