Frequently asked questions

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.

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;

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.

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.

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.

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.

Oui

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.

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 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.

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.