CoolKit has reported record sales orders for refrigerated and converted vans as the market bounces back post-Covid.
The conversion specialist saw its annual sales record soar by almost 60% YoY in 2022 to reach £20.1m.
During the year the company took a record number of sales orders for its converted vans, selling an unprecedented 305 vehicles – topping both the previous year’s 211 and 2019’s record of 273. In 2021 sales achieved £12.5m and in 2019 £12.6m.
The company’s approach of forward planning during Covid and the global supply chain shortages saw it commit to stocking nearly 600 new vans, including models from Citroën, Fiat, Ford, Maxus, Mercedes-Benz, Vauxhall and Volkswagen.
This strategy enabled the company to immediately meet the increase in demand from its core customer bases as they emerged from the pandemic.
But the vehicle supply shortages also led to enquiries from intermediaries in the supply chain for the first time, for example, from rental and contract hire companies as well as brokerages.
Chief executive Rupert Gatty said: “Although we have been impacted by the global supply chain challenges, we took a calculated risk in stocking more than 500 new vans to combat stock shortages. We were able to utilise relationships with suppliers to ensure we could obtain stock. This risk paid off, and we’re celebrating a year of record orders.”
He added: “Our value proposition is also exciting to our customers. CoolKit is pioneering new methods and materials to optimise refrigerated van capacity and productivity and increasing our conversion of electric vehicles as our customers start to make the transition to net zero.”
Despite a general trend for growth across the vehicle conversion sector, CoolKit has also boosted its market share and also strengthened sales in corporate fleets and the pharmaceutical and box body sectors, helped by a new executive team and upskilling of the workforce.
CoolKit’s commitment to ISO14001:2015 for the 10th successive year and its carbon footprint reduction works have also helped win business,
Gatty said: “Customers buying from us also benefit from working with a supplier whose standards will support their own sustainability goals.”
