Dock shelters can keep your loading dock area safe and comfortable by keeping weather and pests out of your facility, while keeping conditioned air inside where it belongs. Raymond West sells, installs and services products from some of the world’s top dock shelter manufacturers.

What Is A Dock Shelter?

Almost all dock shelters are built with a metal or wood frame that can be rigid or flexible. Fabric and/or fiberglass is normally affixed to the perimeter and fabric drapes are mounted to the face of the shelter. These curtains seal the perimeter of the trailer when it’s flush to the dock door frame. Shelters are generally employed for more substantial door openings, and in situations where there is more variability in truck heights. Shelters can reach about 70% air flow efficiency.

Rigid Dock Shelter

By far the most popular, rigid shelters are widely utilized for large dimension openings in applications where there is little uniformity in trailer height and complete access to the rear of the trailer is required. Rigid head frames and sides are braced by steel supports that are sometimes configured with fiberglass surrounds to maximize light during daytime operations. The head frame also acts as a canopy to protect the loading dock from rain and snow.

Inflatable Dock Shelter

Like other shelters, inflatable units surround the perimeter of the trailer allowing unrestricted ingress and egress to the trailer. A blower is used to inflate the shelter when a trailer is secured to the dock bay. These types of shelters are commonly part of an interlock system, along with the leveler and door, where the shelter will inflate once the door and leveler are in the correct positions. Many sizes and shapes of inflatable shelters are available for all types of operations.

What’s The Difference Between A Dock Seal And Dock Shelter?

Seals are built with thick foam covered with rugged fabric. They’re mounted around the outside edges of a dock door. They form a tight seal when a truck backs up to the door.

In contrast, dock shelters consist of a frame that surrounds the warehouse door with curtains attached to the frame. When a truck backs in, the drapes surround the rear of the trailer and create a seal.

Dock Shelters Near Me

To get more information about dock shelter capabilities and options, get in touch with a loading dock equipment specialist at Raymond West today! Our team of of highly trained experts can help with the design and specification of a wide range of dock equipment options.

Raymond West's Phoenix facility serves the entire Phoenix Metro area, including Phoenix, Tempe, Mesa, Gilbert, Chandler, Scottsdale, Glendale, Goodyear, Tolleson, Peoria and all surrounding areas.

Raymond West | Phoenix Material Handling Equipment Supplier

2659 E Magnolia St
Phoenix, AZ 85034
(602) 275-2228