Overview
The vehicle positioned at the dock compresses the resilient foam pads, eliminating the gap between the facility and the vehicle body. This separation of interior and exterior environments allows for a safe loading dock area while ensuring employee comfort and efficiency. Our field-proven Dynalon has been widely accepted by industry and continues to lead with many specifying agencies and quality-minded customers throughout the world. Our manufacture, Fairborn, is dedicated to the efficient production of the highest caliber products — a commitment that provides product life expectancy far beyond any competitive model and ensures customers maximum value. The Series 1000 embodies that standard across every component, from the chemically welded polyurethane foam core to the pressure-treated, kiln-dried wood frame and stainless steel-fastened base cover that wraps behind the frame for a weather-tight finish. Barron Equipment has been selling, installing, and servicing Fairborn dock seals for over 40 years, and can support the full lifecycle of your installation — from initial specification to long-term maintenance.
Features & Benefits
To ensure maximum durability, the Series 1000 is available in Fairborn's superior performance materials. Fairborn created the first certified performance fabrics designed solely for the construction of dock seals and shelters — materials that meet or exceed the most demanding requirements and have proven to outperform any fabric in today's dock seal market. A polyurethane foam is used to properly compress while conforming to the irregularities of the vehicle body, with superior recovery characteristics that ensure the foam's return to its original shape and size after each truck departure. The Series 1000 frame is select dimensional lumber of the highest grade, pressure treated and kiln dried before and after treating, with foam chemically bonded to the entire contact area of the frame to ensure maximum structural integrity.
Each pad is equipped with properly sized air exhaust outlets to allow for free air escape during compression while prohibiting moisture infiltration, and the side pad bottom is equipped with a draft skirt to seal the void at the transition of the dock seal to the dock bumper. Each side pad includes highly visible yellow stripes with a superior "Urethane Finish" to ensure greater stripe durability while maintaining a clean appearance, and all fasteners and mounting brackets are protected with a high-grade galvanized or zinc rust-resistant coating. All stitching is performed utilizing bonded, high-tensile, multi-cord polyester thread with lockstitch, proper tension, and back tack sewing techniques throughout.
Applications
The Series 1000 is the right fit where dock conditions are consistent and predictable — the same trailer types backing in day after day, a level or near-level approach, and a defined dock height that doesn't require adjustable or hood-style head components. It performs best where:
- Standard-fleet manufacturing and industrial facilities receive similar vehicles at uniform dock heights, where the fixed head pad delivers repeatable sealing cycle after cycle without requiring manual adjustment.
- Food distribution and cold storage operations need an airtight environmental barrier to protect temperature-sensitive product and maintain facility compliance — the air-tight seal regulates the facility's atmosphere to be free from air-borne contaminants, insects, and foul weather.
- High-volume distribution centers with consistent OEM trailer fleets benefit from the foam's compression and recovery design — Fairborn's polyurethane foam properly compresses while conforming to the irregularities of the vehicle body, with superior recovery characteristics ensuring return to its original shape and size after every departure.
- Facilities with inclined or declined approaches can specify tapered units. Tapered units provide a uniform seal when accommodating an inclined or declined drive approach and reduce the potential of over compression.
- Replacement installations on existing docks where a standard fixed head pad seal has been in place and proven adequate, and the priority is upgrading to Fairborn's superior materials and construction quality without changing the dock configuration.
Selection Assistance
The Series 1000 is most effective when servicing uniform vehicles at a dock having common parameters. If your fleet varies significantly in trailer height, or if your dock approach is steeply inclined, a beveled head pad, weighted drop curtain, or tapered unit configuration may better serve your operation. It is recommended that pads be compressed not more than a maximum of 6" — nor more than 45% of their total projection — and a minimum of 4" compression is advised to compensate for vehicles not evenly spotted against the building. Confirming your door width, door height, dock height, approach grade, and the height range of incoming carriers are the key inputs Barron needs to recommend the right Series 1000 configuration. Contact us using the quote form on this page or call us directly, and our team will walk through your dock parameters and specify the right unit for your facility.