Coolvan

What Coolvan does

CoolVan Ltd is a UK-based specialist in the sale, lease and bespoke conversion of refrigerated vehicles, operating from Barnoldswick, Lancashire with a registered office in Clitheroe. The company sources chassis from major OEMs including Ford, Volkswagen, Vauxhall, Stellantis, Renault, Mercedes, Maxus, Kia, Nissan, Citroën, Peugeot and MAN, then applies in-house insulation and refrigeration conversions to produce chilled (+3°C), frozen (-18°C), dual-temperature, and bespoke deep-freeze or heat/cool vehicles for sectors including food supply, floristry, butchery, fishmongery, catering, pharmaceutical logistics, and fleet operators. Its core conversion technology uses high-density XPS (extruded polystyrene) board bonded to plywood and finished with fibreglass and resin, with CAD/CNC cutting for fit, alongside refrigeration units from GAH and Hubbard, and an electric standby (plug-in) system for pre-cooling.

The business generates revenue through one-time vehicle sales (new and used), bespoke conversion services, and FCA-regulated finance and leasing brokerage. Distribution is sales-led and direct to UK customers via phone, website quote requests and nationwide delivery, supported by a content-marketing blog and email newsletter. Notable technical differentiators include a lightweight electric van conversion process developed in partnership with Warwick University and Siemens under UK Government funding, a growing electric fridge van portfolio (Ford E-Transit, Maxus E-Deliver, Vauxhall Vivaro Electric, Kia PV5), and dedicated pharmaceutical GDP-compliant builds.

In October 2025, the company transitioned to an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT), making the workforce collective owners. CoolVan is a private limited company, is FCA regulated for credit brokerage, and has no disclosed parent, subsidiaries, funding rounds, or M&A activity.

Name

Coolvan

Legal name

CoolVan Ltd

Website

https://coolvan.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CoolVan Ltd is a UK-based specialist that sells, leases and converts new and used refrigerated vans from major OEMs for SMB and fleet customers in food, pharmaceutical, floristry and catering sectors, and transitioned to an Employee Ownership Trust in October 2025.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Refrigerated commercial vehicle conversions

NAICS

Ventilation, Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Commercial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (33341)

SIC

Refrigeration & Service Industry Machinery (3580)

akta.pro primary industry

Commercial Vehicle Cooling, HVAC & Thermal Management Manufacturing (IMACABAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Automotive PTC Heaters, Heat Pumps & Auxiliary Heating Systems (IMACALAI), Refrigerated Last-Mile Vehicles Rental/Leasing (Chilled/Frozen Vans) (TLABAGAE)

Keywords

• Refrigerated van conversions
• Fridge van sales
• Freezer van conversions
• Temperature-controlled transport
• Commercial vehicle conversions

Headquarters

HQ city

Barnoldswick

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Vehicle Sales: Sale of new and used refrigerator vans and refrigerated vehicles. Stock includes a range of brands including Ford, Vauxhall, Volkswagen, Renault, Maxus, Mercedes, and others. Both unregistered new vehicles and pre-owned options available.
2. Bespoke Conversions: Custom conversion services to transform standard vans into refrigerated, chilled, frozen, or dual-temperature vehicles. Conversions include insulation, refrigeration system installation, shelving, partitioning, and specialist configurations for specific industries.
3. Finance and Leasing: Competitive finance rates and flexible terms offered for vehicle purchases. The company is FCA regulated and works with funders and brokers to arrange financing for customers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

CoolVan specialises in the sale of new and used refrigerated vans (fridge vans and freezer vans) from multiple major manufacturers, alongside bespoke conversion services that transform standard vans into chilled, frozen, dual-temperature, or pharmaceutical-grade refrigerated transport solutions. The company offers both diesel and electric platforms across small, medium, and large size classes, supported by FCA-regulated finance and leasing options and nationwide UK delivery.

Product overview

Coolvan is a UK-based refrigerated vehicle and fridge van specialist offering new and used fridge vans for sale and lease, along with bespoke conversion services. The product portfolio includes electric and diesel fridge vans from multiple manufacturers (Ford, Volkswagen, Vauxhall, Mercedes, Renault, Maxus, Kia, Nissan, Citroen, Peugeot, MAN) in various sizes (small, medium, large). Specialty offerings include pharmaceutical fridge vans, bespoke butcher and fishmonger conversions, and dual temperature vans. Coolvan provides custom conversion services using specialist refrigeration systems, insulated linings, and modular racking solutions. The company also offers finance services for purchasing or leasing vehicles. With over 25 years of expertise, Coolvan operates as an employee-owned business (Employee Ownership Trust) from Barnoldswick, Lancashire, and is FCA regulated.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Refrigerated Vans (Fridge and Freezer Vans)
• Bespoke Van Conversions
• Vehicle Finance and Leasing
• Maxus E-Deliver 5 Fridge Van
• Maxus E-Deliver 7 Freezer Van

Quantifiable outcome

• Temperature range from -25°C to +25°C supported
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Ford Motor CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFord is listed as an approved converter partner. CoolVan has a substantial order relationship with Vauxhall Commercial Vehicles (now part of Stellantis) and is listed as an approved converter for Ford vehicles.
• Stellantis (Vauxhall/Peugeot/Citroen)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as approved converter for Stellantis brands. Historical references show substantial Vivaro Sportive orders placed with Vauxhall Commercial Vehicles.
• RenaultcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as approved converter for Renault vehicles including Master models.
• Warwick University and SiemenscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership to develop lightweight electric van conversion technology specifically designed for electric drivetrains. Project was government-funded to accelerate zero-emission refrigerated transport rollout.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Gray & Adams: Long-established UK refrigerated vehicle body manufacturer focused on commercial operators. Comparable in refrigeration technology and customer base, though typically serving larger fleet buyers.
• VM Refrigeration: UK-based refrigeration vehicle specialist providing conversions and supplier relationships with similar chassis brands. Directly comparable niche UK competitor.
• Solomon Commercials: UK specialist in refrigerated vehicle body manufacture and conversions. Competitor with comparable bespoke conversion capability and multi-temperature offerings.
• Paneltex: UK manufacturer of refrigerated vehicle bodies, insulated containers, and commercial refrigeration equipment. Larger incumbent operating across similar product lines and serving fleet customers across the UK.
• Cartwright Conversions: UK vehicle converter producing refrigerated, box body, and tipper conversions. Competes directly with CoolVan in bespoke and stock refrigerated van build services.
• Marshall Refrigeration: UK-based refrigerated van and vehicle body converter offering bespoke and stock fridge van conversions. Direct overlap with CoolVan's core conversion and sales proposition across the UK SME market.
• Horseman Vehicles: UK refrigerated van converter offering bespoke fridge van and freezer builds. Overlaps directly with CoolVan on conversion services and SME customer segments.

Broad incumbents

• Schmitz Cargobull Refrigerated Trailers: European manufacturer of refrigerated trailers and truck bodies. A broad incumbent across commercial refrigeration transport rather than a focused SME van converter, competing primarily on fleet/trailer scale.
• Krone Cooler & Refrigerated Vehicles: European commercial vehicle/trailer manufacturer with significant refrigerated body capabilities. Larger, broader portfolio player addressing fleet buyers with a similar product category but at greater scale and pan-European reach.

Regional players

• Petit Forestier: France-headquartered leader in refrigerated vehicle rental and leasing across Europe. Operates in the same refrigerated transport solution category but primarily on rental/leasing terms and outside the UK.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CoolvanRefrigeratedVans
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cool-van-limited

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Coolvan