An isothermal box body is a thermally insulated box built from 50/80/100 mm sandwich panels that we mount on your chassis. It slows down heating and cooling of the cargo without its own refrigeration unit. Suitable for dry goods, equipment and other cargo that needs no temperature control — and for food or pharma the body is easily upgraded with a refrigeration unit. Own workshop in Almaty, 2-year warranty, fast production time. In everyday speech this body is called a termobudka — it is one and the same product.
Not sure how a refrigerated van differs from an isothermal van body? Read our explanation: What is a refrigerated van.
Termobudka — is the most common Russian word for it in conversation and in search. In documents the same product is called an an isothermal van body or insulated body superstructure, while classified ads use thermal van, thermal body or simply thermos box. It is also often misspelled as “termobutka”. It is always the same thing: a closed sandwich-panel body that slows the cargo down from warming up or cooling off.
What an insulated body does and does not do
Termobudka keeps the temperature the cargo was loaded at, but it does not create cold. Load chilled goods and they stay chilled longer; load warm goods and they will not get colder. How fast the interior warms depends on panel thickness: 50 mm — dry goods and short city routes, 80 mm — chilled food, 100 mm — a margin for extreme heat or for fitting a refrigeration unit later.
If the cargo must travel at a set temperature rather than merely “not warm up”, a refrigeration unit is fitted to the insulated body — and it becomes a reefer. The body itself is identical: a reefer is an insulated body plus a refrigeration unit.
What an insulated body is made of
A frameless sandwich-panel body: GRP skins outside and inside with extruded polystyrene between them. We bond the panels on vacuum tables, tie the corners with anodised aluminium profile, insulate the floor without thermal bridges and build the door frame from stainless steel with a triple-chamber seal. The absence of a frame matters here: in a framed body the ribs act as thermal bridges and the stated insulation thickness stops meaning anything.
Which vehicles it is fitted to
An insulated body is built for a specific chassis — from a GAZelle and Kia Bongo up to the JAC N90 and medium-duty trucks. We fit it to a new vehicle or to yours, keeping the manufacturer’s chassis warranty; where required we arrange changes to the vehicle registration document. Lead time from 14 working days, body warranty 2 years.
One request covers three different scenarios, and their cost differs several times over.
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A vehicle in stock
A chassis with an insulated body already fitted, collected straight away. Suits the case where the standard length and volume are acceptable. Trucks in stock
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A body on your own chassis
The insulated body is built for a specific chassis and mounted on it. The chassis factory warranty stays intact. This is the main production scenario — internal dimensions are set to the cargo and the pallets. Calculate body
Searches for insulated vans return classified listings of used equipment first. A used body is cheaper up front, and that is its only verifiable advantage.
The condition of a sandwich panel cannot be read from the outside. Wet insulation adds mass and loses its thermal properties, delamination shows up only under load, and a worn seal lets heat in around the whole door perimeter. An insulated body does not produce cold — it holds a temperature difference already achieved, so a loss of insulation shows up not at once but on a long run.
A new body is built to the task: panel thickness to suit the temperature range — 50, 80 or 100 mm, internal dimensions to the pallet, galvanised sheet or fibreglass lining, and a factory warranty. Lead time from 14 days.
An insulated body does not meet cold-chain requirements: a refrigeration unit is fitted there and the body becomes a refrigerated one.
Every element of the COND insulated body is a class above the typical build: sandwich panel with extruded polystyrene, insulated floor without thermal bridges, stainless steel door frame, anodised edging, triple-chamber door seal, white roof, one-piece moulded fenders, fibreglass doors and corrosion-resistant hardware. Below — element by element: the material, why we build it that way, and what it gives you.
Sandwich panels insulated with extruded polystyrene
Material: frameless 50/80/100 mm sandwich panel: clad metal skin (standard) or FRP fibreglass (premium), with extruded polystyrene core.
Why: extruded polystyrene is the least hygroscopic insulation: it does not absorb moisture and does not lose its insulating properties over time. Thermal conductivity — 0.032 W/(m·K), high mechanical strength in compression, tension, bending and shear — the panel absorbs dynamic loads from wind and vibration.
Your benefit: the body holds the cold equally well in its first and its tenth year of service — no “tired” insulation and no growing refrigeration costs.
Insulated floor without thermal bridges
Material: the floor is the same sandwich construction with extruded polystyrene; the body is fastened to the subframe without through-bolts.
Why: through-bolts in the floor create thermal bridges that drain the cold into the frame. Our mounting scheme eliminates them.
Your benefit: cold does not “leak” through the floor — the unit runs less, saving fuel and refrigeration unit life.
Anodised aluminium profile edging
Material: all outer edges and panel joints are covered with anodised aluminium profile.
Why: panel edges are the vulnerable spot during loading; anodised aluminium protects them from impacts, seals the joints and does not corrode.
Your benefit: the body does not come apart at the seams and keeps its integrity and appearance for its entire service life.
Stainless steel door frame
Material: the rear door frame is made of stainless steel.
Why: this is the most loaded and the “wettest” zone of the body — condensation, rain, road chemicals; the frame architecture distributes static and dynamic loads evenly.
Your benefit: the frame does not corrode for years and the door always seals tight — the body does not lose cold around the perimeter.
Triple-chamber door seal
Material: rubber sealing profile with three chambers around the entire door perimeter.
Why: three successive chambers create three sealing contours — they keep cold in and dust and moisture out noticeably better than single-chamber seals.
Your benefit: minimal heat loss through the doors: stable temperature and less work for the refrigeration unit.
White roof
Material: the outer roof skin is white clad metal.
Why: a white surface reflects the sun: a white roof runs roughly a third cooler than a dark one — which directly affects the temperature inside the van.
Your benefit: in Kazakhstan’s +40 °C summer the body heats up less from above — faster pull-down and less load on the refrigeration unit.
Why: plastic does not rust or dent from stones, and the seamless one-piece shape does not come apart or rattle.
Your benefit: arches and body are protected from dirt and stones, the vehicle keeps its look without touch-ups.
Fibreglass (FRP) doors
Material: double-skin FRP fibreglass doors with insulation and rubber isothermal seal.
Why: fibreglass does not corrode and is lighter than metal; the edge does not warp from condensation and temperature swings.
Your benefit: a lighter door means more payload; the seal holds the cold longer and the door does not sag.
Hardware: galvanised as standard, stainless as an option
Material: cam locks, hinges and handles in galvanised steel as standard or stainless steel in the premium trim.
Why: opening points work dozens of times a day and are the first to fail from corrosion and ice.
Your benefit: locks do not seize in winter; stainless steel is for intensive food logistics and pressure washing.
Options
Options — configure the van for your job
Options for your logistics — from a side door and tail lift to cargo securing. We agree the set when you order.
Side door
Single or double door in the side wall — fast multi-drop unloading without opening the rear doors.
Chequered aluminium floor
Chequered aluminium instead of plywood: absorbs no moisture, does not rot, is easy to wash and lasts longer.
Tail lift
Hydraulic tail lift — loading heavy pallets without a ramp or forklift.
Cargo track
Perforated track on the walls — secure cargo with straps and partitions at any height.
Recessed floor tie-down rings
Recessed floor rings for lashing straps — cargo does not shift in turns and braking.
Cargo bars
Telescopic bars braced between the walls — divide the body and keep cargo from sliding.
Specifications
Insulated body technical specifications
Panel thickness is matched to the temperature duty: 50 mm for 0 °C, 80 mm for −10 °C and 100 mm for −20 °C frozen cargo. Trim — standard in metal or premium in FRP fibreglass. Exact parameters below.
Panel thickness by temperature duty
Temperature duty
Sandwich panel thickness
Typical cargo
0 °C — chilled
50 mm
dairy, deli, vegetables, fruit
−10 °C — semi-frozen
80 mm
semi-finished products, chilled meat, bakery
−20 °C — frozen
100 mm
ice cream, frozen meat and fish
Trim levels: standard and premium
Parameter
Standard
Premium
Outer cladding
clad metal
FRP
Hardware
galvanised steel
stainless steel
Rear door frame
stainless steel
stainless steel
Edge trim
anodised aluminium
anodised aluminium
Interior finish
galvanised steel + moisture-resistant plywood
FRP
Body dimensions and parameters
Parameter
Value
Body length
up to 9.5 m — to suit the chassis
Width / height
up to 2.6 m / total vehicle height up to 4 m (depends on chassis height)
Wall thickness
50 / 80 / 100 mm
Wall thermal conductivity
below 0.4 W/(m·°C)
Usable volume
from 1 to 70 m³
Body weight
calculated individually per project
Temperature duty
without refrigeration unit — ambient temperature
Insulation material
extruded polystyrene
Warranty
2 years with scheduled servicing
Why us
Why customers buy isothermal box bodies from COND
Eight facts, each with a figure and proof: our own workshop since 2001, a design department, experience in vehicle refrigeration since 1997, a 2-year warranty on the body.
24 years
In-house manufacturing since 2001
We produce sandwich panels and assemble bodies in our own workshop in Almaty. Over 2,000 bodies built.
0.4 W
Wall thermal conductivity below 0.4 W/(m·°C)
A frameless panel without thermal bridges passes heat more slowly — pre-chilled cargo keeps its temperature longer on short runs. We measure it on every body.
100 mm
Panels up to 100 mm for +40 °C heat
We match the thickness to the duty: 50/80/100 mm. In Kazakhstan’s summer that is the difference between “delivered” and “spoiled”.
Fast
Production time
A typical body takes from 14 working days, with the date fixed in the contract. Not the usual “wait 2 months”.
2 years
2-year warranty, 10–15 years of service
The stainless door frame and anodised edging do not rust. The body can later be converted into a refrigerated van without replacement.
In-house design
Design office
We engineer the body before building it and work through every detail — we do not force a standard template onto your chassis.
since 1997
Transport refrigeration experience
We have worked with transport air conditioning and refrigeration since 1997 — we know not just the body but the refrigeration equipment too.
Built to last
For heavy-duty logistics
We build for the workload of large fleets — reinforcing the spots that suffer most during loading and daily use.
Applications
What cargo the isothermal box is for
An insulated body is for cargo that needs no controlled temperature in transit: it protects from heat, cold, dust and precipitation but does not maintain a set temperature. If you need a cold chain for food or pharma, the body is easily converted into a refrigerated van by installing a refrigeration unit.
Leave your company name, your name and phone number — a manager will price the body for your chassis, length and trim and get back to you within a day.
Process
How ordering works — 5 steps
From request to handover of the finished van — 5 transparent steps with deadlines. A typical body is delivered 2–3 weeks after the contract is signed.
1
Request
You leave your contacts, chassis details, cargo type and temperature duty.
same day
2
Quote and measurement
We price the job and measure the chassis if needed.
1–2 days
3
Contract
We fix the specification, price, deadline and prepayment.
1 day
4
Manufacture
We build the body and mount it on the chassis in our own workshop.
fast turnaround
5
Handover
We test the body for tightness and hand it over with warranty and documents.
on completion
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about isothermal box bodies
An isothermal box body is a thermally insulated box made of sandwich panels that is mounted on a truck chassis. It has no refrigeration unit and does not cool by itself — it only slows heat exchange thanks to its airtightness and the low thermal conductivity of its walls (below 0.4 W/(m·°C)); it does not maintain a set temperature. It suits dry goods and other cargo that needs no temperature control; for food or pharma the body can be fitted with a refrigeration unit.
It can, but a used body offers fewer verifiable characteristics. The condition of the sandwich panel cannot be read from the outside: wet insulation adds mass and loses its thermal properties, delamination shows up only under load, and a worn seal lets heat in around the door perimeter. The panel and the seals are checked separately before purchase.
A vehicle in stock is collected straight away and suits a standard configuration. A body for your own chassis is built to the cargo: internal dimensions to the pallet, panel thickness to the temperature range, and the chassis factory warranty stays intact. The third option is insulating a dry-freight body already fitted, with the change of design documented.
An insulated body can be bought as a complete vehicle or ordered for your own chassis — it is the same product, an insulated van. Vehicles in stock are listed in the availability section; a body for a specific chassis is costed from a survey and the temperature range.
No, these are names for one and the same product. In documents it is an insulated van or insulated body; in speech and in classified ads several other Russian words are used for it.
An isothermal box body has thermal insulation (sandwich panel), but without a refrigeration unit it does not work like a thermos: the insulation only slows the penetration of outside heat or cold and does not maintain the temperature inside. A refrigerated van is the same body fitted with a heating/refrigeration unit that actually creates and holds the required temperature. Our bodies are engineered for unit installation — an isothermal box can be upgraded into a refrigerated one without replacing the body.
For 0 °C duty (chilled cargo) a 50 mm panel is enough. For −10 °C we use an 80 mm panel, and for −20 °C deep-frozen cargo — 100 mm. The lower the temperature and the hotter it is outside, the thicker the panel: with Kazakhstan’s +40 °C summers this is critical.
By itself an insulated body does not maintain a set temperature — it only slows the heating and cooling of the cargo through insulation. Pre-chilled cargo survives a short city route; for longer hauls or frozen goods a heating/refrigeration unit is installed in the body.
The walls are a frameless sandwich panel: two skins (clad metal as standard or FRP fibreglass in the premium trim) with an extruded polystyrene core. All edges are trimmed with anodised aluminium profile, and the rear door frame is stainless steel.
The price depends on the body length, the panel thickness for the temperature range you need and the trim (standard or premium FRP). Leave a request with your company name, name and phone — a manager will calculate the exact price and contact you.
A typical insulated body takes from 14 working days. Custom projects on non-standard chassis or with complex trim — 3–6 weeks. The exact date is fixed in the contract after the chassis is measured.
Any light or medium-duty chassis: FAW, Kia Bongo, Hyundai Porter and HD, GAZelle and GAZon Next, JAC, Isuzu, Iveco Daily, Hino, KamAZ. The body is engineered individually for the dimensions and payload of your vehicle while preserving the factory chassis warranty.
Yes. Reinforcements for a heating/refrigeration unit are built into the body from the start. You can install the unit later (Carrier, Elinge, Kaida and others) — powered by the chassis engine, a 220/380 V stand-by electric drive or autonomously. The body needs no rework.
The warranty is 2 years subject to scheduled servicing. The body is designed for 10–15 years of service: anodised aluminium and the stainless steel rear frame do not corrode, and the frameless panel has no thermal bridges that age a body prematurely.
Yes. “Termobudka”, “thermal van” and “thermos box” are colloquial names for an insulated van. In documents and contracts the product is called an insulated van or an insulated body superstructure.
The correct spelling is “termobudka”, from the Russian word for a box body. “Termobutka” turns up in search a lot, but it is a typo. The official name in documents is insulated van or insulated body superstructure.
It depends on panel thickness, outside temperature, body volume and how often the doors are opened — there is no universal figure. We calculate it for the specific job: tell us the cargo, the route and the time in transit and we will name the panel thickness you need.
On its own, no: it only slows warming and does not create cold. For −18 °C you need a body of 100 mm panels plus a refrigeration unit of the right capacity — which makes it a reefer.
Cross-section of a COND sandwich panel: cladding, adhesive, XPS insulation, adhesive, cladding.
Request
Request a quote for an isothermal box
Leave your contacts — we will select the panel thickness and trim for your cargo and chassis and give you an exact price and lead time.
