There’s a growing trend toward using sandwich panels in commercial vehicles, driven by a heightened focus on sustainability. The transport sector accounts for 26% of the UK’s total greenhouse gas emissions, with heavy goods vehicles alone contributing around 19% of emissions from domestic transport. Under the UK Government’s Net Zero Strategy, these emissions must be reduced to zero by 2050.
As industries work to meet these targets, commercial vehicle design plays a crucial role in aligning with environmental goals. One of the most effective strategies is to reduce vehicle weight. As a result, manufacturers are placing greater emphasis on material selection during vehicle construction.
Challenges of commercial vehicle design
When designing commercial vehicles, manufacturers must carefully consider material choices to improve the overall weight and structural strength of the vehicle. Given the continuous use of these vehicles, long-term reliability and durability are essential.
While some materials offer excellent strength to support heavy loads, they often come with added weight. Lightweight materials can also improve fuel efficiency, but may fall short in terms of durability.
Finding the right balance can be a challenge, but innovative sandwich panels offer a well-rounded solution, combining lightweight construction with impressive strength and insulation capabilities.
What are sandwich panels?
A sandwich panel is a composite structure consisting of three layers. It consists of a lightweight core material which is sandwiched between the two outer layers.
The core can be made from a polypropylene honeycomb, aluminium honeycomb or XPS foam (extruded polystyrene).
Most of our lightweight panels use ThermHex as it is lightweight yet has an extremely rigid structure, providing optimal performance. This revolutionary polypropylene honeycomb core is 100% recyclable and offers a superior surface quality in sandwich components, even with very thin outer layers.
At Panel Systems, we offer a range of panel-facing materials, such as powder-coated aluminium, anodised aluminium, GRP (glass reinforced plastic) and more, tailored to meet specific design and performance requirements. No matter what your requirements for lightweight sandwich panels are, our expert team can assist in finding the correct material for you, with loading calculations available on request.
The benefits of sandwich panels
By reducing the overall weight of the vehicle body, sandwich panels help improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions, resulting in cost savings in the long term.
Sandwich panels featuring a ThermHex core with glass-reinforced plastic facings can deliver up to 41% weight savings compared to traditional 18mm plywood core panels. This significant reduction in weight makes commercial vehicles more fuel-efficient, cost-effective to operate and better for the environment.
Despite being lightweight, they offer an exceptional strength-to-weight ratio. Their robust impact resistance and structural integrity make them perfectly suited for the demanding conditions of road transport, whether it’s daily urban deliveries or long-haul journeys.
The use of sandwich panels in commercial and leisure vehicles
Sandwich panels are incredibly versatile and adaptable, making them suitable for a wide range of applications across various commercial and leisure vehicles.
In refrigerated trucks and vans, sandwich panels are the ideal solution for maintaining precise temperature control. Their insulated walls, floors and ceilings help refrigeration units operate more efficiently by minimising heat transfer, ensuring goods remain at optimal temperatures throughout the journey.
For mobile welfare and service vehicles, these panels provide robust interior walls and floors capable of withstanding heavy equipment loads. They also allow for easy customisation, enabling shelving, tool racks and workbenches to be securely mounted while maintaining a clean and professional finish.
Even RVs and caravans can benefit greatly from sandwich panels thanks to their superior thermal insulation and lightweight build, which is a must for caravans.
At Panel Systems, we can offer a wide range of bespoke manufacturing services, providing a solution tailored to your project. All our panels can be cut, CNC machined and drilled to bespoke shapes and sizes with our extensive 3 & 5 Axis CNC capabilities.
Our skilled CAD/CAM team is also on hand to bring your ideas and designs to life, advising on specific cutting details, suitable materials and capabilities.
For more information on sandwich panels for commercial vehicles, contact our team today on 0114 275 2881 or email sales@panelsystems.co.uk
