Frequently asked questions

Yes, there are lightweight solutions dedicated to last-mile delivery. These are PPE boxes with an empty weight of no more than 2.1kg.

A dedicated study for every project. Our team of project managers will support you at every stage of your cold logistics project. Audits, thermal simulations, advice – we provide you with the support you need to make the right decision. 

To find out more, contact us.

Temperature maintenance inside an isothermal container is the result of two factors combined: 

• The container’s isothermal envelope, consisting of a one-piece PE capsule inside which PU foam is injected: this protects the load from heat ingress; 
• The cold source: which continuously distributes cold to maintain a specific temperature inside the container. This cold source can be eutectic or cryogenic. The quantity of cold is calibrated according to the tour’s various logistical parameters (duration, outside temperature, etc.).

The choice of an insulated container rests on several parameters which will be analysed with a member of our team:

• Type of products to be transported;
• Volume of products to be transported and their packaging;
• Type of vehicle used to transport the insulated container;
• Organisation of collection and/or delivery rounds;
• …

The choice of the container is also associated with that of the cold source. This must be selected based on different data:

• Time in transit;
• Legal temperature of the product to be transported;
• External temperature and humidity conditions;
• …

Before making your final choice, we strongly recommend that you contact a member of our team, who will be able to support you in planning and optimising your cold chain logistics.

After 12 years, you can use your insulated container in two different configurations: 

• Without ATP renewal: you travel less than 80 kms and do not break your load. 
• With ATP renewal: the new certificate of technical conformity is valid for a further 6 years. Upon renewal, 100% of your fleet will be thermally inspected. Please do not hesitate to contact us for further information.

How effective a eutectic plate is depends on several parameters, namely:

• The capacity of the eutectic solution: the choice of solution is decisive. It must be selected taking account of the temperature range required to maintain products at the target temperature. Each temperature range [+2°C/+4°C, +2°C/+8°C, +15°C/+25°C, etc.] has a specific application;
• The model of plate: the size and shape of the eutectic plate are two decisive factors as they are adapted to specific models of container;
• The container: good thermal insulation prevents the transfer of heat, thereby maximising the performance de the eutectic plate (temperature maintenance time);
• The method of preparation: the eutectic plate must be completely solid when it is used. It is as it liquefies that it releases the cold that keeps the products at the right temperature. For more details, you can download the protocol in the section Using eutectic plates;

For over 60 years, we have been manufacturing high-performance insulated containers. These results are the fruit of know-how combining material quality, engineering and agile design. It’s the combination of a powerful insulator, polyurethane, and an industrial process, rotational molding, that maximizes insulating properties.

When handling dry ice, you need the right PPE: gloves and goggles. Arms must also be covered. Contact with the product can cause cold burns or frostbite. Prolonged inhalation of carbon dioxide can be a health hazard. We also recommend storing the isothermal container in a well-ventilated area at a temperature below 50°C.

The thermal efficiency of an Olivo container is guaranteed by the thermal transmission coefficient, known as the K coefficient. The lower the coefficient, the greater the isothermal efficiency of the unit.

The categories Normal Insulation (IN) and Reinforced Insulation (IR) define maximum values for the overall thermal transmission coefficient:

• K coefficient ≤ 0.70 W/m².°C: Normal Insulation unit (IN), suitable for transporting fresh products ONLY.
• K coefficient ≤ 0.40 W/m².°C: Reinforced Insulation unit (IR), suitable for transporting frozen and fresh products.

Olivo insulated containers are not CE marked.

The validity date on your isothermal container corresponds to the renewal date of your ATP. For any use of your isothermal container beyond 80km with load rupture, it is necessary to renew your ATP in order to justify the isothermal qualities of your equipment. 

Need advice on renewing your ATP? Click HERE.

ATP renewal involves validating and confirming the leak-tightness of the isothermal container. It therefore covers two main points: 

• Perforated or torn lining of walls, bottom or top of body;
• Missing or torn door seal; 

In order to comply with the ATP, we encourage you to carry out periodic technical inspections of your fleet of insulated containers. This in-depth inspection should cover the following points: 

• Wall condition
• Closing system
• Body/door articulation
• Body/door sealing
• Sealing gasket
• Refrigeration system

There may be a number of reasons for the thermal non-conformity of incoming products. 

Before starting any analysis, the first action to take is to isolate the batch concerned. 

 It is then advisable to take the temperature of the products before loading them into the isothermal container: are they loaded at the recommended temperature? The answer to this question is crucial, as the function of the isothermal container is to keep products at temperature, not to bring them down. 

If you use eutectic plates, the second check is to ensure that your cold source is properly prepared. Is it solid before loading into the isothermal container?

Check that your eutectic plate is ready for use.

As part of its environmental policy and to meet Extended Producer Responsibility requirements, Olivo offers a service dismantling insulated containers and reusing, recycling or valorising its components.

When must an insulated container be retired and recycled?

• If your use is subject to the ATP, your insulated container is over 12 years old and you wish to use it for journeys over 80 km;
• If the extent of the wear and tear on the insulated container means it can no longer be repaired;

For more information on this service, go to Recycling & end of life.

To recycle your insulated container, you will need to contact your account manager, who will guide you through the dismantling procedure.

Yes. To prolong the useful life of the insulated containers and to combat MSDs, Olivo offers a fleet maintenance service. Seals, walls, casters, feet and gas springs all need to be checked regularly to guarantee they are in good condition and working properly. The performance and ease of use of the equipment depends on regular, serious technical follow-up. For more information about this service, go to Maintenance & Repairs.

You can contact your account manager who will help you to determine which offer is best suited to your fleet and your actual needs.

Yes, we regularly train our fleet maintenance teams in best practices. We strongly encourage preventive maintenance operations to keep your fleet in good working order, and to facilitate equipment maneuverability. To find out more, read our blog article. 

We offer two training formats: 

• On customer site
• On Olivo production site

Don’t hesitate to contact your account manager for a training program tailored to your needs.

Door or cover gaskets should be changed if any of the following occur:

• Cracks or crumbling of the gasket;
• Gasket detachment;

There is no specific maintenance schedule. The isothermal performance of the container also depends on the condition of the gasket and its adhesion to the isothermal box. It is therefore essential to ensure that they are properly maintained.

In order to prolong the useful life of insulated containers, Olivo recommends certain preventive actions:

• Cleaning and disinfection of the equipment based on a washing plan defining the method and frequency;
• Lubrication of the closing systems, casters and brakes;
• Checking the tyres on the casters for wear;
• Annual technical inspection: checking the condition of the inner and outer walls, the seals, etc.

It is not recommended that you place eutectic plates one on top of the other. The purpose of a eutectic plate is to diffuse cold. And that diffusion will not be optimal if the plates are stacked. Each BOX is designed with a specific space for the eutectic plate. This can be a net under the lid or moulded-in slots. These locations are chosen to optimise the diffusion of the cold by creating convection channels that allow the cold air to circulate evenly.

Yes, it is possible to transport an insulated container loaded with fresh produce in a frozen truck. Contact a sales representative to discuss your project.

Yes, it is possible to request an isothermal container without a chassis. Some models in the BAC range are bare: BAC25, BAC55, BAC70, BAC130.

Olivo’s BOX containers are designed and made in a universal logistics standard format, Euronorm 600 × 400 mm, and are suitable for cargo bikes and trikes. BOX containers are a solution particularly suited to last mile cold chain logistics, thanks to:

• Their ergonomics – they are easy to handle and carry;
• The light weight of the BOX containers, which reduces the overall load to be carried on the bike.

Combined with the right cold source, a BOX can be used to transport chilled and frozen products. The quantity and the type of cold source will depend on your logistics project. The entire Olivo team is here to help you plan your cold chain logistics.

We strongly advise against using the brake pedals on the insulated container during transport. To secure your load, we recommend securing it to the lashing rail on the truck bed.

No. Olivo strongly advises against piercing or drilling into the wall of an insulated container as it would no longer be intact, which would affect its tightness and impair its thermal insulation performance. If you wish to personalise your container, you should contact your account manager, who will help you to find the right solution.

It is perfectly possible to transport fresh and frozen products in the same container. However, they cannot be transported simultaneously. Each temperature range has its own dedicated cold source. Cold sources can be interchanged for greater agility and flexibility.

A eutectic plate ready for use contains a liquid that is 100% solid. To ensure the solidification of the formulation, you can perform a visual and auditory check:

• Shake the eutectic plate:
• No bubbles or liquid should appear.
• No sloshing sound should be heard.
• The eutectic liquid should be uniformly solid (no granular texture).
• The color of the eutectic liquid should have turned whitish.

If your eutectic plate is not fully solid despite following the preparation recommendations provided :

• Check the temperature of your cooling unit.
• Verify the storage method of the eutectic plates : they should not be stacked on top of each other.
• Contact the Olivo team.

A eutectic plate is a device designed to store thermal energy, in the form of heat or cold, and then to release it gradually to maintain a specific temperature. It works on the thermodynamic principle of phase change, i.e. the transformation of a solution from liquid to solid state and vice versa.

The eutectic plate absorbs the heat from outside the container while releasing a constant amount of cold. It is by passing from the solid to the liquid state, by the absorption-release phenomenon, that the eutectic plate maintains a constant temperature inside the insulated container.

Olivo isothermal containers consist of a logistics module and a passive cooling module designed to transport heat-sensitive products at a specific temperature. 

The logistics module is a one-piece, double-walled PE and PU insulated container designed to isolate the load from external heat inputs. 

The cold module can be either a PE eutectic plate or a SiberSnow cryogenic tray, the purpose of which is to maintain transported products at the right temperature by diffusing cold or heat. No motors, batteries or connections are required.

The amount of dry ice closely depends on the logistical conditions in which the solution is deployed. To determine the quantities, it is necessary to conduct a thermal assessment:

• types of goods and temperatures
• thermal insulation characteristics and container surface area
• transport time
• waiting time
• outside temperature at all logistical phases
• specific logistical constraints

Given the variety of refrigerant, eutectic, or cryogenic systems, as well as logistic schemes, a prior and specific thermal analysis is essential. The parameters to consider are:

• number of containers processed
• types of goods and temperatures
• thermal insulation characteristics and container surface area
• transport time
• waiting time
• outside temperature at all logistical phases
• logistical constraints

This thermal assessment should enable the selection of the refrigerant system and the definition of usage parameters to ensure the maintenance of the cold chain throughout the distribution process. The operator can have a safety margin provided in the needs analysis, taking into account distribution contingencies (road traffic, vehicle breakdown, waiting before unloading, etc.).

There is a particular opening/closure procedure you need to follow when opening and closing your container:
When the ROLL container is full (brake pedal applied), the order ready, picking completed: place the frozen eutectic plate (or plates) in the ROLL;
The plate(s) must be placed, whenever possible, at the top of the insulated container in the moulded space provided for them.
To open your insulated container: stand at the corner opposite the corner where the closing handle is situated, then push it while holding the rotomoulded handle at the back with the other hand.
To close your insulated container: stand at the corner opposite the corner where the closing handle is situated, then pull it while holding the rotomoulded handle at the back with the other hand.

Yes, it is entirely possible to change the configuration of your isothermal container to suit your intended use.

Yes. It is entirely possible to order containers in a different colour. However:

• You will need to order at least 50 units.
• The RAL colours available are:

Yes. Olivo can mark insulated containers with logos. This can be done in two different ways:

• Moulded-in logos: Olivo creates a custom plate which will be integrated into the mould for the container;
• Riveted engraved plate: aluminium, 90 x 150 mm, logo engraved from an eps or Jpeg HD file supplied by the customer;

Marking and logo plates are subjects you can discuss with your account manager when you are planning your order.

Olivo’s solutions are designed and made to meet the cold chain logistics requirements of a maximum number of users. The sizes therefore correspond to international standards for logistics: Euro pallet, ISO pallet, Asia pallet. Our different models are fall into three separate ranges for which we rarely make made-to-measure containers. However, depending on what your project involves and the volumes to be produced, we can work with you to see if a custom solution is possible.

Yes. Olivo BOX containers are insulated boxes made of expanded polypropylene [EPP], a strong, 100% recyclable material. The mechanical properties of EPP [strength and stability] allow you to transport sachets of pellets directly in the BOX, with no need for any intermediate protection. In contact with cold, the expanded polypropylene hardens to become even stronger.

An isothermal container should always be pushed, to avoid musculoskeletal disorders and shoulder tendonitis caused by repetition. 

In addition, you must never give a container momentum so as not to lose control of it. Risk of overturning, crushing or colliding with another person.  

During physical exertion, expand your rib cage by breathing deeply. 

1. Check the entire container travel route, clearing the entire circulation and maneuvering zone. 
2. Check that there are no obstacles and that the floor is in good condition, with no holes, irregularities or slopes. 
3. Stand on the caster side. This will facilitate maneuvering of the insulated container. Place your hands on either side of the container, on the handles. 
4. Lean forward with your back straight, bending one leg forward, contracting your back to protect your lumbar spine.

The eutectic plate is a device filled with an aqueous, saline solution and a food colouring. It absorbs heat input during transport and provides continuous cooling through the latent heat of fusion of the eutectic solution, which changes from a solid to a liquid state. Better suited to medium-sized logistics operations, the eutectic plate is a simple refrigeration system that maintains the temperature of products for 12 to 24 hours maximum.