Two examples of Iceland’s latest Mercedes Sprinter based home delivery van were exhibited at this year’s TCS&D show on the stands of refrigerated vehicle converter Paneltex and fleet management specialist VMS. Paneltex has worked closely with VMS, Mercedes and Iceland to design a van that not only makes life easier for the driver, but also keeps temperature sensitive food in peak condition. The VMS-supplied Alex Original direct drive refrigeration system is fitted in dual temperature form, providing both deep freeze and chill compartments to allow Iceland to deliver its traditional frozen products alongside its ever growing range of high quality fresh food products.
Paneltex Somers has designed a special insulated lining to optimise the van’s dual temperature capability and meet Iceland’s demanding specification for a frozen compartment with sliding side door towards the front of the van, with larger chilled compartment to the rear. By achieving this, the size of the two temperature zones matches Iceland’s product mix and the payload is better balanced on the front and rear axles, making the van more productive and safer to drive.
The insulated conversion has recently been independently tested by CRT in Cambridge against international ATP standards. Although not required for UK domestic journeys (but it would be compulsory for cross-border routes through Europe), this standard is the international benchmark for efficiency of refrigerated vehicles. The Paneltex Somers conversion achieved the necessary standards for class ‘C’ frozen and class ‘A’ chilled to allow it to be offered with ATP type approval.
Commenting on the success of the Iceland van conversions, Dave Evenett, Paneltex Group Sales Director, said, “Iceland operates one of the largest fleets of refrigerated panel vans in the UK and we are delighted to have been chosen as sole supplier to them for the second year running. Being able to offer this conversion with ATP type approval, instead of just talking about it, is a great achievement and clearly demonstrates how efficient the Paneltex Somers insulation system really is. It is a privilege to be working so closely with Iceland and, along with VMS and Mercedes, we share their commitment to creating a vehicle that does the job properly and in style!”
Alex McKinlay, Commercial Fleet Manager at Iceland said “I’m very pleased with Paneltex Somers’ approach to adapting their existing design to meet Iceland’s specific requirements. Achieving ATP class ‘C’ frozen and ATP class ‘A’ chilled standards with a sliding freezer side door assists Iceland to deliver our high quality products in fantastic quality to our customers.”