For warehouses and cold store distribution, the arrival of summer can be problematic to operations. It is vital for accurate and stable temperature control to ensure the longevity and condition of products.

The retail frozen food sector is constantly growing. During the second half of 2017, the frozen food sector exceeded the £6 billion milestone. For 2017, the volume of sales increased by 2%, which created an additional £64 million worth of value for the sector. With increased sales, comes with more deliveries, and more strain on distribution centres. The loading bays are often forgotten about and can be neglected until they suffer a break down. Preventative services can reduce the chances of unexpected break downs.

Loading bays can be the weakest segment of the cold store chain. Opening the doors on un-maintain docks can result in drastic temperature loss. Not only does this affect the instant increase of temperature in cold storage, it also causes a direct increase in energy consumption. Energy costs can spiral due to over working air conditioning units.

Inflatable dock shelters, and well-maintained insulated loading bay sectional doors can be cost neutral. Sectional doors each have a thermal value which can be a measure of their performance. Dock Solutions sectional door panels have a “U” value 0.51 W/m2 K, meaning that typical 5,000 x 5,000 wide door has a “U” value of 0.9 W/m2 K. All sectional doors from Dock Solutions are fully perimeter sealed, as well as the intermediate panel seals, to provide the most effective weather seal to your door. However, the thermal values of sectional doors are only valid when the door is closed. So, what happens when the door is open? This is when the Dock Solutions inflatable takes over.

Inflatable dock shelters provide versatile and secure sealing around the back of the parked trailer. This feature helps to keep the cold air in, and debris and rainwater out. This makes the inflatable dock shelter perfect for the cold store distribution sector. The inflatable dock shelters can provide continuous weather protection for a wide variety of vehicle sizes. As this is highlighted on sites which use numerous 3rd party distribution companies.

While not in use, the inflatable air bags fully retract behind a storage curtain, which allows the driver of vehicle to be able to align appropriately to the loading bay. In addition to automatic retraction on the air bags, all inflatable dock shelters come with yellow vehicle assistance markers.

These assist with the alignment of the reversing trailer on to the bay and helps to prevent any impact damage to the dock shelter structure.

The inflatable air bags are made from a strong, impact resistant material. It is also highly resistant to the outdoor elements which makes the material suitable for life on the loading bays.

“The inflatable dock shelter offers both variety and flexibility on sealing a wide range of vehicles. Their simple design is an effective way to help stabilise temperature fluctuations during the loading process. Inflatable dock shelters help to control the unpredictable nature of the British Weather,” says Paul Richings, Dock Solutions Ltd Sales Manager.

If you would like to speak to a member of the team regarding inflatable dock shelters, or any other type of loading bay equipment, please call today on 01594 825200 or email sales@docksolutions.co.uk

DOCK SOLUTIONS

Tel: 01594 825200

Email: sales@docksolutions.co.uk

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