Refrigerated Vans: A Buyers Guide

Refrigerated Vans: A Buyers Guide
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When you’re shopping for a refrigerated van, it’s important to ask yourself some questions. Do you need an extra-long or high roof? What about sleeper seats and stainless steel shelving? How do the warranties stack up against other brands in your area? You’ll have to spend time researching before making any big decisions on your next purchase. Read our blog post for more tips!

Our team here at BHRV have been in the industry of refrigerated vans for many years, offer van conversions, new vans to buy and also used vans. Having grown and expanded our knowledge over the years we have put together this blog with a couple of things you need to consider when buying a refrigerated van. Keep reading to find out more or give one of our team members a call today to ask any questions or queries you might have.

Finance Image 02 - BHRV Refrigerated Vans

What Temperature Do You Need?

It goes without saying that one of the first things you need to consider when you are buying a refrigerated van is what temperature you need your van to be. Obviously, you will want to make sure your van matches the temperature your goods need to be at, whether you are transporting food products or flowers, the temperature matters. 

Refrigerated vans have a temperature system that runs between 0 degrees and up to 8 degrees, with freezer vans sitting around -18 degrees. It is incredibly important you know what temperature you need your van to be, this will either protect your products for safe delivery or ruin them. 

You find that stockists such as ourselves sell a range of vans, whether they are conversions, new vans or used vans, but they all work with differing refrigerator strengths. Choosing the right one is incredibly important. Finding the right van will not only help keep your products safe but it will also help with efficiency and the standard your product arrives at its final destination. 

Depending on what it is your offer from your business or the products you are transporting, you may need more than one vehicle. This is the case if you need to distribute a large amount of fresh produce and frozen at the same time, sometimes it is more efficient to get two separate vans. One for the fresh at 3-5 degrees and one sitting at -18 degrees for the frozen items. It is possible to get vans with both fridge and freezer compartments, but being able to use this type of van does depend on the amount of space you need.

Does Your Van Need To Be Bespoke?

One of the main services we offer here at BHRV is refrigerated van conversions, this gives you the option to make your refrigerated van a bespoke build. For us, we always think this option is the best because you truly make the van exactly what you and your company need, but it isn’t always in every company’s budget. 

The following are a few things you should consider when buying a van, whether it is a conversion or a ready-made van.

Slip Resistant Floors

Depending on your company you may need slip-resistant floors in your refrigerated vans, this will help to keep the van free of any moisture build-up and also other hazards when moving products around. For example, if you have flowers that have been in the water, having slip-resistant floors will help keep you and your staff safe.

Standby Enabled

This is one of the more advanced features of refrigerated vans, it gives you the option to plug your van into the mains supply, letting you keep your van cooler for extended periods of time and ensuring your products or produce cold, even when the engine is turned off. Perfect for those companies that need to keep their vans loaded overnight. 

One of the other reasons to consider a standby enabled van is that it gives you the chance to switch the van on before loading, this ensures your van is at the temperature it needs to be before the products are loaded. This is an incredibly useful feature. 

Shelving/ Racks 

One of the most simple additions you can have added to your refrigerated van is shelving or racks, enhancing the quality of your van in a matter of seconds. You are able to optimise the load you are carrying and organise your products in order of delivery or accessibility. There is a wide range of options available on the market today when it comes to shelving and racks, you can choose exactly what you want.

Strip Curtains 

One of the other frequently chosen options when it comes to refrigerated vans is strip curtains, these are vital for keeping your vans temperature stable whilst packing and unpacking your van. Some clients look to have them in their vans, others choose not to and find them frustrating, it is a personal preference. There is pro’s and con’s to choosing strip curtains, we will put a blog on our reasons for and against them soon! 

Contact BHRV Today 

The BHRV team is always happy to help you find the perfect refrigerated van for your needs, whether it’s a one-time purchase or an ongoing fleet. We’re here to answer any questions you may have and we’ll be sure to make our best effort in providing answers tailored specifically to your business so that you get exactly what will work best for you. 

If this sounds like something of interest and if you’re ready for some assistance with purchasing a refrigerated van, don’t hesitate! Give us a call today, we are always more than happy to answer any questions or queries you might have and get you a refrigerated van today. We are refrigerated van experts! Get in touch with us today, we would love to help you in any way we can.

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