Thermobile expands insulation conversion applications

Thermobile has been installing insulation conversions in cargo vans for several years, with its first insulated and refrigerated conversion occurring in 1963 on a Chevrolet van.

In the early 1960s, a couple of men had an idea that refrigerated vans might catch on. They hired a refrigeration engineer, designed and built a condenser and evaporator, connected them to an engine-run compressor, and installed them on a 1963 Chevy van along with some insulation and some fiberglass panels. The idea wasn’t totally unique, but it did catch on—and became Thermobile.

Now the firm’s conversions are used in many commercial applications. Thermobile upfits trucks for meat markets and wholesalers, delis, caterers, ice companies, breweries, fish markets, frozen dough makers, and florists. The firm does these conversions on Chevy/GMC, Ford, Nissan, and Mercedes Sprinters.

To do a conversion, Thermobile strips the truck interior, and an insulated bulkhead is installed behind the front seats. Then the interior is lined with 2-pound-density urethane to cover all surfaces. This is what holds the cold and minimizes heat transfer. All insulation next is covered with a liner made of high-impact molded fiberglass. These liners are molded on tooling engineered to fit each vehicle make and model. They are rigid, tough, and able to withstand the wear and tear of daily usage and cleaning. The company also installs aluminum diamondplate floors, e-track, strip curtains, and drains as requested by customers.

Thermobile will then install refrigeration conversions manufactured by Carrier, Thermo King, and other companies.

For complete details, visit www.thermobile.net, e-mail [email protected] , or call Dan Norton at 714-557-6442.