The UK’s largest supplier of temperature-controlled vehicles, CoolKit, has won the 2023 Converter of the Year crown at the highly acclaimed What Van? Awards.
Head of technical sales, Cameron Javed and sales manager Sam Hargreaves, received the trophy from What Van? editor James Dallas at the InterContinental Park Lane Hotel, London.
The awards recognise businesses that have reached ‘the pinnacle of their fields’.
The judges said: “Serving a wide range of businesses that transport everything from chilled and frozen food to pharmaceuticals and environmental samples, CoolKit boasts a bulging portfolio of industry accreditations.”
Rupert Gatty, CoolKit’s founder and CEO, said: “Winning the award is a huge testament to the skills of our workforce and the quality of our product. We are all so proud to have been chosen the best in our field.”
CoolKit, which employs around 100 people at its works in Burnley, Lancashire, supplies temperature-controlled light commercial vehicles and conversions to the pharmaceutical, foodservice, home delivery, sampling and courier sectors.
Rupert said: “Our conversions for last-mile deliveries maintain precise critical temperature control ensuring the safe and compliant transportation of foods and medicines, as well as pathological and environmental samples.
“We continue to drive innovation and set industry-leading standards that are recognised by fleet operators, fleet funders, motor dealers and van manufacturers (OEMs).”
CoolKit holds accreditations from a wide range of vehicle manufacturers including Ford, Volkswagen, Renault, Toyota and Stellantis and is a preferred supplier to many major leasing companies including Lex Autolease, ALD Automotive, Novuna, Arval, LeasePlan, Zenith and Alphabet.
CoolKit has previously won industry awards for innovation, engineering, technical excellence and quality.
Rupert said: “With the Net Zero future in sight, we are pioneering electric vehicle conversions, addressing the multiple challenges of payload, range and total costs of ownership these vehicles present to our sector.
“For example, we created the first electrically powered milk float for the Modern Milkman, a Maxus eDeliver3 conversion, which enables silent delivery with a range of up to 200 miles. The Modern Milkman is operating four of these vehicles as part of their own evaluation of a more sustainable future.
To control temperatures, CoolKit’s conversions combine refrigerating and insulating technologies. With sustainability in mind, CoolKit is now researching alternative insulating and cooling methods which as well as improving compliance with the ELV Directive will also crucially reduce Scope 3 emissions.
