Cold Car
Cold Car S.p.A., founded 1968 in Occimiano, Italy, manufactures refrigerated and isothermal vehicle bodies based on eutectic plate refrigeration technology reaching -33°C. Serving commercial fleets across food distribution, e-commerce grocery, and pharmaceutical cold chain in 20+ countries, with ~240 employees and 1,800 bodies produced annually.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1968
- HeadquartersOccimiano, Italy
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Cold Car does
Cold Car S.p.A. is an Italian private industrial manufacturer founded in 1968 in Occimiano (Alessandria province, Piedmont), specializing exclusively in refrigerated and isothermal vehicle bodies for commercial fleets. Its core offering centers on eutectic plate refrigeration technology operating at temperatures down to -33°C, paired with proprietary high-insulation fiberglass sandwich panels produced in-house at a 55,000 m² annual panel output. Cold Car delivers two product lines — Standard Bodies (pre-configured for common chassis such as Fiat Ducato, Ford Transit, Mercedes Sprinter, IVECO Daily, Piaggio Porter NP6) and Custom Bodies (tailored to specifications on chassis including Nissan Cabstar, Volvo FL, MAN, Mitsubishi Canter, and others) — plus a Home Delivery product line for e-commerce grocery and frozen-food last-mile delivery and dedicated pharma cold-chain logistics solutions.
The business model is industrial B2B hardware sales with a configured quote-based pricing approach (no public list pricing, multi-year fleet contracts). Cold Car reaches customers through direct enterprise field sales, an agency/distributor network spanning 20+ countries, and wholly-owned assembly and sales subsidiaries in the USA, Brazil, Mexico, Chile, and Russia. The channel is reinforced by partnerships with major commercial vehicle OEMs (Mercedes-Benz, IVECO, Renault, Ford, Piaggio) that enable co-marketing and dealer-network distribution. Two Italian production facilities — at Occimiano (24,000 m² plastic/panels and 27,000 m² main assembly) and Casale Monferrato (12,000 m² refrigerating units, mechanical components, robotic painting) — support a stated annual capacity of approximately 1,800 bodies, with more than 75% of production exported. The customer base is anchored by tier-1 ice cream and frozen food brands and their logistics operators (Unilever Algida, Sammontana, Nestlé, Findus, Danone, Parmalat, Motta, Alemagna, Eismann); the company also serves e-commerce grocery, dairy, fresh produce, and pharmaceutical cold-chain verticals. Approximate headcount is 240 personnel, with cumulative production of roughly 50,000 bodies since founding.
Cold Car holds UNI EN ISO 9001 quality certification, CEMAFROID cold-chain certification, and an ISO 14001-aligned Environmental Management System, and is GDPR-compliant. It is privately held (Società per Azioni), appears to be founder/family-controlled, and has no disclosed institutional investor, venture capital, private equity, or external funding involvement. Revenue and financial details are not publicly disclosed.
Cold Car firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cold Car
- Legal name
- COLD CAR S.p.A.
- Website
- https://coldcar.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1968
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Cold Car S.p.A., founded 1968 in Occimiano, Italy, manufactures refrigerated and isothermal vehicle bodies based on eutectic plate refrigeration technology reaching -33°C. Serving commercial fleets across food distribution, e-commerce grocery, and pharmaceutical cold chain in 20+ countries, with ~240 employees and 1,800 bodies produced annually.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cold Car industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Refrigerated and isothermal commercial vehicle bodies
- NAICS
- Motor Vehicle Body Manufacturing (336211), Ventilation, Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Commercial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (3334)
- SIC
- Truck & Bus Bodies (3713), Air-Cond & Warm Air Heatg Equip & Comm & Indl Refrig Equip (3585)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Commercial Vehicle Cooling, HVAC & Thermal Management Manufacturing (IMACABAN)
Keywords
Where Cold Car is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Occimiano
- HQ country
- Italy
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices7 records
Markets served
Cold Car business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Refrigerated Vehicle Body Manufacturing: Cold Car designs and manufactures refrigerated and isothermal bodies for commercial vehicles. Bodies are produced for both standard vehicle platforms (Fiat Ducato, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, IVECO Daily, etc.) and custom specifications. The company operates two production facilities in Italy and exports more than 75% of output globally.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom and standard refrigerated body configurations |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels6 records
Cold Car product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cold Car designs and manufactures refrigerated and isothermal vehicle bodies for commercial vehicles, utilizing proprietary eutectic plate refrigeration technology capable of operating at temperatures as low as -33°C. The company produces both pre-configured Standard Bodies and tailor-made Custom Bodies for chassis from manufacturers such as Mercedes-Benz, IVECO, Renault, Ford, Fiat, and Piaggio, and supplies Home Delivery Solutions for e-commerce grocery distribution. Operations span two Italian production facilities plus international assembly subsidiaries, with more than 75% of production exported globally.
Product overview
Cold Car is a manufacturer of refrigerated and isothermal vehicle bodies, operating since 1968. The company produces approximately 1,800 bodies per year across two main product lines: Standard Bodies (pre-configured models for specific chassis like Fiat Ducato, Ford Transit, Mercedes Sprinter, Iveco Daily) and Custom Bodies (tailor-made solutions for various chassis types). Both product lines utilize eutectic plate refrigeration technology operating at -33°C. The company also offers Home Delivery Solutions for e-commerce grocery distribution. With 75% of production exported and agencies in over 20 countries, Cold Car positions itself as a leader in mobile refrigeration for food distribution.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Standard Bodies Pre-configured refrigerated and isothermal vehicle bodies designed for specific chassis models including Fiat Ducato, Ford Transit, Mercedes Sprinter, IVECO Daily, and Piaggio Porter NP6, equipped with eutectic plate refrigeration systems. Targeted at fleet operators needing ready-made mobile cold chain solutions.
- Custom Bodies Tailor-made refrigerated and isothermal vehicle bodies built to customer specifications for chassis including Nissan Cabstar, Citroen Jumper, Ford Transit, IVECO Daily/Eurocargo, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter/Atego, Volvo FL, MAN, and Mitsubishi Canter. Targeted at enterprise customers with specialized cold chain requirements.
- Home Delivery Solutions E-commerce-oriented refrigerated body solutions for grocery home delivery of fresh and frozen products, with customized advanced body configurations for last-mile distribution. Targeted at e-commerce grocery operators and online retailers expanding into home delivery of temperature-controlled goods.
Quantifiable outcome
- Up to 60% less maintenance compared to blown air refrigerating systems (Carrier, Thermo King)
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Cold Car
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Cold Car technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature6 records
Cold Car partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Mercedes-BenzcoreMercedes-Benz is featured as a partner on Cold Car's website, indicating an established relationship. Cold Car produces refrigerated bodies configured for Mercedes-Benz vehicle platforms including Sprinter and Atego series.
- IVECOcoreIVECO is featured as a partner on Cold Car's website. Cold Car produces refrigerated bodies for IVECO Daily, Eurocargo, and Eurocargo platforms across multiple wheelbase configurations.
- RenaultcoreRenault is featured as a partner on Cold Car's website. Cold Car produces bodies configured for Renault Master and Mascott platforms.
- FordcoreFord is featured as a partner on Cold Car's website. Cold Car produces refrigerated bodies for Ford Transit platforms.
- PiaggiocoreCold Car is featured on Piaggio's partner page for the new Porter NP6 vehicle, indicating a co-marketing and product integration partnership. Cold Car produces bodies for Piaggio Porter NP6 platform.
- TecnoIcecoreTecnoIce is featured as a partner on Cold Car's website, likely providing refrigeration unit technology or integration services for Cold Car's eutectic body systems.
- Il Fatto Quotidiano (Media Coverage)minorCold Car was featured in Il Fatto Quotidiano national newspaper coverage (November 2020) highlighting its expertise in cold chain logistics and development of Covid-19 vaccine transport solutions. This coverage positioned Cold Car as a leader in Italian cold chain technology.
- Cold Car Group Subsidiaries (Internal)coreCold Car Group comprises Cold Ider, Cold Andina, Euro Cold, ASY Cold, Russ Cold, and Cold USA. These subsidiaries serve as manufacturing and sales operations in their respective regions (Mexico, Chile, Russia, USA).
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves12 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Cold Car competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Lecitrailer: Spanish trailer manufacturer with refrigerated trailer offerings for European distribution. Comparable refrigerated transport equipment but primarily serves the Iberian market and competes in refrigerated trailers rather than LCV bodies.
- Sor Iberica: Spanish manufacturer of refrigerated vehicle bodies and isothermal kits for commercial vehicles. Comparable product offering focused on the Iberian and Mediterranean markets; overlaps with Cold Car in European food distribution but does not directly compete in Cold Car's Italian heartland.
Direct peers
- Chereau: French manufacturer of refrigerated trailers and truck bodies serving European cold chain logistics. Comparable product offering (refrigerated bodies/trailers with multi-temperature configurations) and similar target market in food distribution.
- Lamberet: French manufacturer of refrigerated and isothermal vehicle bodies for light commercial vehicles and trucks. Directly competes with Cold Car across European ice cream, frozen food, and pharma cold chain customers with comparable eutectic and refrigeration offerings.
Broad incumbents
- Carrier Transicold: Global leader in transport refrigeration units mounted on truck and trailer bodies. Named directly by Cold Car as a competitor in refrigeration technology. Significantly larger scale and broader product portfolio including refrigerated containers, truck units, and trailer systems.
- Thermo King (Trane Technologies): Global manufacturer of transport refrigeration units for trucks, trailers, and rail. Named directly by Cold Car as a competitor; backed by Trane Technologies with significantly larger R&D, service network, and OEM integration capabilities.
- Krone Group: German manufacturer of trailers including refrigerated variants for European logistics. Overlaps with Cold Car in the refrigerated commercial vehicle/trailer segment but operates at significantly larger scale and broader portfolio.
- Schmitz Cargobull: European market leader in refrigerated trailers and semi-trailers with integrated refrigeration. Larger scale and broader product line than Cold Car, but directly comparable in refrigerated transport equipment for food logistics.
Others
- TecnoIce: Italian provider of eutectic refrigeration units and cold chain technology listed as a Cold Car partner. Functions as a technology supplier/integrator for Cold Car's body systems rather than a direct competitor, but is adjacent in the eutectic refrigeration value chain.
- IVECO: Italian commercial vehicle OEM that is both a Cold Car partner (body configurations for Daily, Eurocargo) and an indirect competitor offering factory-fitted refrigerated vehicle solutions. As a chassis OEM, IVECO sits upstream of Cold Car but increasingly offers integrated refrigerated configurations.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Cold Car social profiles
Digital presenceCold Car compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Cold Car financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cold Car leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Cold Car subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries5 records
Cold Car funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cold Car M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Cold Car
What does Cold Car do?
Cold Car designs and manufactures refrigerated and isothermal vehicle bodies for commercial vehicles, utilizing proprietary eutectic plate refrigeration technology capable of operating at temperatures as low as -33°C. The company produces both pre-configured Standard Bodies and tailor-made Custom Bodies for chassis from manufacturers such as Mercedes-Benz, IVECO, Renault, Ford, Fiat, and Piaggio, and supplies Home Delivery Solutions for e-commerce grocery distribution. Operations span two Italian production facilities plus international assembly subsidiaries, with more than 75% of production exported globally.
Is Cold Car a public or private company?
Cold Car is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Cold Car founded?
Cold Car was founded in 1968. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Cold Car based?
Cold Car is headquartered in Occimiano, Italy, in the Europe region.
How does Cold Car make money?
One revenue line is on record: refrigerated Vehicle Body Manufacturing.
Who are Cold Car's main competitors?
Regional players on record are Lecitrailer and Sor Iberica. Direct peers are Chereau and Lamberet. Broad incumbents are Carrier Transicold, Thermo King (Trane Technologies), Krone Group and Schmitz Cargobull. Others are TecnoIce and IVECO.
Does Cold Car have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cold Car.
What industry is Cold Car in?
Cold Car's product category is Refrigerated and isothermal commercial vehicle bodies. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMACABAN, Commercial Vehicle Cooling, HVAC & Thermal Management Manufacturing. Its NAICS code is 336211 and its SIC code is 3713.