Do you carry perishable goods? Then you know the essential part a refrigerated vehicle plays in your business, and how much holding the right temperatures matters. To keep your products in good condition the whole way, how you fit out your refrigerated vehicle counts. Some of that equipment is essential to the vehicle working at all, and some of it is optional. Here is what falls where.
How do you tailor the essential equipment on a refrigerated vehicle?
Refrigeration units and their options
The refrigeration unit on a refrigerated vehicle is essential to holding the right temperature for the goods you carry. Fitted to the vehicle, it produces the cold. It comes with thermostats, so its temperature can be set to whatever you need. Units run on battery (12V, 24V) as well as mains power (230V).
Two types of refrigeration unit exist: electric units and engine-driven ones. To choose between them, look at the volume of the vehicle, the nature of the goods you deliver and the conditions you work in.
Depending on those factors, the unit can be mounted in several ways:
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- Integrated
- Roof-mounted
- Faired roof-mount
- Ultra-flat
- Recessed
- Faired recessed
Worth knowing: the main manufacturers of refrigerated vehicles include Carrier, Ecofridge and Thermoking.
The refrigerated body and its options
A body fitted with an insulated box is built specifically to preserve and carry sensitive goods. Deliveries can be made above or below zero. With a capacity of 15 to 100 litres, refrigerated boxes are made of expanded polystyrene or of an inflatable pouch lined with insulating material.
There are different refrigerated bodies depending on what your trade needs:
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- Two-tier: this type of body has two storage levels
- Single temperature: the body has one temperature zone
- Multi-temperature: this body has several temperature zones separated by partitions
For example: do you make deliveries in the meat trade? Add a meat rail to your bodywork. Your products then hang from rails, so nothing touches the floor of your vehicle. It also makes loading and unloading easier. For carrying flowers, you can fit your refrigerated body with shelves designed for them.
Cold accumulator
Added to your bodywork, cold accumulators let you make longer refrigerated journeys. Without them, short distances are what is recommended.
The different bodies you can fit to a refrigerated vehicle
Insulated solutions cover every fitting that prevents a break in the cold chain by limiting heat exchange. Among them are two categories of body:
The integrated body
Whether insulated or refrigerated, these bodies are built into the vehicle’s bodywork. That makes them ideal for vehicles working in city centres where space is tight, all the more so because they make frequent stops easier without holding up traffic. They also fit any type of vehicle, whatever the make. They are easy to maintain, and they can carry plenty of options.
The add-on body
Add-on bodies, on the other hand, are fitted to urban vehicles. They offer a large load capacity at a controlled temperature, single or multi-temperature. Like integrated bodies, they adapt to each vehicle and can be tailored to it.
Read the guide to refrigerated boxes
Insulation
Some insulated vehicles, and some with integrated bodies, have insulation on the walls. Its job is to limit heat exchange between environments, that is between a compartment and the world outside.
Thermal insulation is generally made up of cells full of air or static gas. They are held in a network of mineral wool fibres or in bubbles of synthetic material such as polystyrene, polyurethane and so on.
The optional fittings for your refrigerated vehicle
You choose the equipment according to the conditions you carry goods in and the specifics of your products. There are plenty of options when it comes to fitting out a refrigerated vehicle.
Among that equipment, you can go for:
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- fixed or removable partitions to separate the compartments of your refrigerated vehicle
- tail lifts
- a fixed, mobile or even powered shelving system
- lashing rails to secure your products and hold them in position
- an extra ceiling light
- or meat rails with fixed or adjustable hooks
You can also choose the type of floor, removable or non-slip, and the rear or side door system, hinged or sliding.
Finally, to make your refrigerated vehicle easier to get into, you can add access aids such as fixed, sliding or folding steps, a side stirrup, sliding walkways, or a small folding ladder of 2 to 7 steps.
What fittings suit a caterer’s refrigerated vehicle?
As a caterer, you know your needs for carrying and storing food are specific. That is why we have designed fittings suited to the food trades, so you can carry your prepared dishes, your ingredients and your kitchen equipment safely and efficiently.
The interior fittings on our vehicle can include:
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- an intermediate floor for extra storage
- fold-up shelves for easy access to your food
- a lashing rail for ladders, to carry your kitchen equipment safely
As for the exterior fittings, the vehicles can be equipped with:
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- a hinged side door for easy access inside and better use of the space at the back
- a folding tail lift for easy loading and unloading
- a fixed step to make getting into the driver’s cab easier
What fittings suit local authorities (schools and so on) and contract catering?
When you deliver to schools, care homes and the like, you are responsible for carrying hot and cold meals for a large number of people. That is why fittings exist for carrying those meals, so you can do it safely and efficiently.
The interior fittings can include:
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- a strip curtain to hold the meals at temperature
- a fixed or movable partition to separate the different types of meal
- a recessed lashing rail to carry meal trays safely
- or an air curtain to hold the meals at temperature
As for the exterior fittings, you can go for:
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- a hinged side door for easy access inside
- a sliding side door for easy, secure access,
- a 3-leaf rear frame for easy loading and unloading
- or a retractable tail lift on HGVs for easy loading and unloading
Fitting out a refrigerated vehicle: a choice that matches your needs
Whatever the size of the refrigerated vehicle, the load space can be arranged around what each business needs. Before you buy a refrigerated vehicle and the fittings you want, it is worth asking several suppliers for a quote. That way you can compare the options open to you against your budget.
A working tool in its own right, the refrigerated vehicle has technical and structural characteristics worth knowing. Understanding them is what lets you choose the right vehicle. To help you, read our refrigerated vehicle guide now.
