Stertil Stokvis completes dock shelter update for Fox's Biscuits

Loading bay specialist Stertil Stokvis has carried out a dock shelter update for premium biscuit brand Fox’s. The installation, at Fox’s Biscuit factory at Kirkham in Lancashire, has provided three new temperature-control dock shelters, suitable for a wide variety of vehicles.

Fox’s brief was to replace its existing standard curtain dock shelters with new temperature-control shelters to suit the full range of vehicles visiting the distribution centre including double-decker as well as standard articulated vehicles. The new shelters had to be high enough (4700mm) to allow for this and Stertil Stokvis WI305 ground-level inflatable dock shelters were selected. The inflatable side and top seals of the WI305 – made of high-grade Cordura – provide an airtight contact with vehicles and the model is therefore ideal to keep out summer heat, winter cold, draught, dust and insects. In addition to the improved working environment, this also offers substantial energy savings, increased safety and protection against intruders and theft.

Stertil Stokvis designed and made three galvanised steel fixing frames to replace the old timber backing frames. The steel frames feature a 280mm projection to bring the new shelters in line with the existing dock leveller projection. Stertil Stokvis notched out the new frames at the head to fit them to Fox’s existing cladding detail and thus avoid any structural modifications to the building. To weather the new shelters to the building, the cladding features a flat galvanised infill and mastic seal.

To protect the shelters, heavy-duty support buffer brackets were installed, as well as high-quality PE750 polyurethane dock bumpers with internal shock absorbers to protect the dock face. The final part of the installation process was to wire the shelters to Fox’s existing composite control box to provide automatic operation: when the door opens, the shelter inflates; when it closes, the shelter deflates.

Fox’s Engineering Services Manager, Patrick Quinn, is very satisfied with the completed installation: “Stertil Stokvis bent over backwards to work the new equipment in with our existing loading bay set-up. The result is a better-looking, far more efficient dock area which should give us many years of reliable service.”

Fox’s Biscuits was founded in 1853 and is known for its high-quality, indulgent biscuits. As well as the Fox’s brand, the company manufactures own-label products for some of the UK’s leading food retailers. Since 1977, Fox’s has been part of Northern Foods plc, one of the country’s major food manufacturers.

Stertil Stokvis is a market leader with over 40 years’ experience in loading bays and dock areas and has an international reputation as a specialist in its field. Safety and reliability have long been priorities for Stertil Stokvis; the company prides itself on designing loading bays that work efficiently and go on working.

www.stertiluk.com