CoolKit’s use of ultra-light materials gives food ingredients supplier Wellocks a 15% payload improvement on its 10 new Sprinter box vans (pictured) compared with its previous vehicles.
Best known for its refrigerated panel van conversions, CoolKit says the need to improve productivity as vehicle emissions regulations tighten was the principal driver of the development of its box van.
Rupert Gatty, managing director of CoolKit, said: “Our aim wasn’t just to produce another box body, but to produce one that would shake up the market – combining the best in quality and productivity. Key to that was identifying innovative new materials in a way that no one else has.”
Meanwhile, Paneltex has demonstrated three new 2018 Mercedes-Benz Sprinters fitted with temperature-controlled bodies.
After a preview at the CV Show, Paneltex demonstrated the first ever refrigerated body on the new style third generation Mercedes Sprinter chassis cab.
The Paneltex side-loading refrigerated home delivery body featured a very low access height that eliminated the need for a side step. The triple compartment body covers ambient, chilled and frozen goods in a single body and features the lightweight Paneltex GRP-moulded door frame. The vehicle also has a GRP-moulded air deflector for improved refrigeration performance and aerodynamics.
Alongside this vehicle was the first display of two more Paneltex innovations on the latest Sprinter.
One was a rear-loading home delivery vehicle, based on the new Sprinter chassis cab, with a high payload, a dual-temperature chilled/ambient body and aerodynamic skirts and cab air deflector.
The other was the first ever temperature-controlled new Mercedes-Benz Sprinter panel van conversion. This vehicle retains the new Sprinter styling, through the Paneltex patented Somers Direct Air Cover, hiding the refrigeration condenser from view, while also optimising the air flow on to the heat exchanger.
This vehicle has a dual-temperature frozen/chilled conversion, with a freezer-grade sliding side door, maintaining ATP Class C standard in the front freezer compartment. A fixed internal bulkhead separates this from the rear chilled compartment, which has internal pallet protection and load restraint track.