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VAN BODIES

24th January 2002
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Page 24, 24th January 2002 — VAN BODIES
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The 3.5-tonne market is split between panel-van conversions and chassis-plus-body types. Citroen, Mercedes and Volkswagen have all targeted temperature-controlled operators in a growing market sector. Citroen claims to be the only manufacturer offering chassiscab platforms in the small van sector that includes the Berlingo and Dispatch.

Box-bodies offer more flexibility and more cube but are less street-friendly than vans. They also cost more and payload is usually about 900kg compared with 1,200kg for a van.

The drawbacks of panel van conversions include more difficult repairs and a higher risk of water ingress reducing payload capacity (polyurethane soaks up water). Residual values are also lower because the market for insulated vans is smaller.

However, whole-life costs box bodies are lower too, as P Burridge, MD of Sussex-bat Refrigerated Vehicles, points o "Our bodies are guaranteed 1 10 years and can be transfer' to new chassis."

Panel van conversions have ti ditionally involved wet-lining 1 interior and injecting polyurethz foam between the walls.

One solution developed by Hi based bodybuilder Paneltex a

TCR !Gate is a removable lining. In Paneltex's design the panels are vacuum-pressed to match the van's original wall contours, retaining maximum interior width. The liner has a one-piece 'bath-tub' floor pan that reaches a metre up the side walls, above the wheelarches and waterresistant Styrofoam insulation.

Paneltex's MD Chris Berridge says the design eliminates the risk of water ingress that can occur when butt-jointing and sealing side and floor panels: "Once in service vibration can cause the joints to shift, breaking the seal."

There is evidence that some operators are downsizing from 7.5-tanners to 3.5-tanners for urban multi-drop work, and not just to solve the driver shortage crisis. "Delivery routes are getting shorter and vehicles are returning to the depot more often during the day," says Jarvis Macdonald, sales director of CRP. "Although 3.5-tanners have much less payload capacity, customer service is now paramount. Smaller vehicles means companies can take later orders and do same-day deliveries or correct wrong orders."


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