- Delivered within 2 working days
- Dutch producer
- +31 (0) 255 234 200
- info@cooledsolutions.nl
- +31 (0) 255 234 200
- info@cooledsolutions.nl
We produce our Styrofoam boxes (also known as Styrofoam boxes) ourselves in the Netherlands and deliver throughout the Netherlands and Europe within two working days. Below are all standard sizes with direct price.
Dutch manufacturer, no middlemen. Shorter lines, keener prices.
Standard sizes in stock. Ordered before 14:00 is usually delivered tomorrow.
We have an extensive number of existing moulds. Ask for a quote - and we will search with you.
Available from 1 pallet
EPS refrigerated boxes are widely used for chilled shipping of temperature-sensitive products. Thanks to their closed-cell structure and high insulation value, they are suitable for various applications within food, pharma and logistics.
EPS stands for expanded polystyrene - expanded polystyrene. In practice, everyone just calls it Styrofoam, or the older brand name tempex. It is the same material: a white, lightweight plastic that consists of about 98% of air and 2% of polystyrene.
That air is the whole trick. Because of the millions of tiny, closed cells that make up the material, heat can barely get through. So an EPS box works exactly the same as a wool jumper in winter: it keeps the temperature inside, whether cold or warm.
That is why you come across EPS boxes in all corners of the cold chain - from a fish stall at the market to a transatlantic vaccine shipment on cargo aircraft.
Insulation comes from two things at once: the material itself and the way you fill it.
The material. The thicker the wall, the longer the contents remain at temperature. A thin-walled EPS box of 20 mm keeps products cool for about eight to 12 hours; a thick-walled one of 40-50 mm quietly achieves 24 to 48 hours in combination with gel packs.
The method of filling. Empty space is your enemy. The less air is left in the box, the less heat can circulate. So fill the box as tightly as possible and place gel packs on top of the product - cold air sinks down and thus cools evenly.
Other factors that come into play: the outside temperature, how long the box is in transit, and the number of cooling elements you use. For most parcel shipments in the Netherlands, a thick-walled EPS box with two gel packs is more than enough.
We are a Dutch EPS manufacturer - no middleman. This is reflected in two places: in our own factory where the boxes are made, and in the warehouse where the standard sizes are ready for delivery within two working days.
Standard orders before 14:00 usually leave the premises the same day. Full pallet orders are ready for agreed delivery, even if several pallets are involved.
EPS's closed air cells provide an insulation value that cardboard or paper cannot match. Products remain at temperature for a long time - cooled and frozen.
EPS boxes work best together with cooling elements. Gel packs on top of the product keep the temperature stable for hours to days, depending on the wall thickness.
The sturdy structure protects fragile products from pressure and knocks during transport. Suitable for fragile goods such as fish, glass or medical samples.
EPS is surprisingly light. That saves directly on the shipping bill, especially in subscription services and e-commerce where every gram counts.
EPS boxes are designed for one thing: to protect products from temperature fluctuations as well as impacts during transport. That makes them suitable for a wide range of sectors.
Unsure whether EPS is the right solution for your product? Send us an email with your product type, desired temperature and transport duration - then we will advise which size and wall thickness will work.
Three choices determine which box fits best:
Choose a box that is just big enough for your product plus your cooling elements. Too much empty space reduces cooling performance - less space = less warm air inside. So apply a smaller box with appropriate gel packs rather than a large box that leaves half empty.
Thin-walled (20-30 mm) is suitable for shipments of a few hours to half a day, e.g. local delivery or next-day delivery within the Netherlands. Thick-walled (30-50 mm) is the choice for 24 hours or longer, international shipping, or products with a narrow temperature window such as pharma.
Leak holes are useful for products that release melt water (fish on ice, some frozen products). With pharma or dry products, opt for a closed version - no risk of leakage.
Not sure? We'll send samples for your own field test. Request samples →
In practice: somewhere between 12 and 48 hours, sometimes longer. The spread is wide because the cooling time depends on several things at once.
| Configuration | Expected cooling duration |
|---|---|
| Thin-walled (20 mm), 2 gel packs, 20 °C outdoors | 8-12 hours |
| Thick-walled (40 mm), 2 gel packs, 20 °C outside | 24-36 hours |
| Thick-walled (40 mm), 4 gel packs, 20 °C outdoors | 36-48 hours |
| Thick-walled (50 mm), dry ice, 20 °C outside | 48-72 hours (frozen) |
These figures are guidelines based on field tests with our own boxes, not absolute guarantees. The actual cooling time depends on the outside temperature, how full the box is, and the starting temperature of the product. Want to be sure? Order a data logger and measure your shipping route yourself.
Not every refrigerated package is a box. For some applications, an insulation bag or paper alternative works better. Here is the honest comparison.
| Feature | EPS box (thick-walled) | 4-layer insulation bag | 6-layer insulation bag | Honeycomb cardboard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Insulation | Very good | Good | Very good | Sufficient |
| Protection against impacts | Excellent | Restricted | Restricted | Good |
| Form-fitting | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Waterproof | Yes | Water-repellent | Water-repellent | No |
| Space-efficient storage | No | Yes, deliver flat | Yes, deliver flat | Yes, deliver flat |
| Recyclable | Limited (collection point) | Good | Good | Complete (waste paper) |
| Best for | Long routes, fragile products, pharma | Short routes, light products | Longer routes, isolation over protection | Eco-conscious e-commerce |
Brief conclusion. If protection and strength are as important as insulation - meat, fish, fragile pharma - then an EPS box remains the safest choice. If you mainly want to save on storage space and transport costs of empty packaging, then a insulation bag or honeycomb box probably smarter.
We are a Dutch EPS manufacturer, not a middleman. Our Styrofoam boxes are used daily by big names in food, pharma and logistics. Companies such as Bayer and Janssen Pharmaceuticals Choose our refrigerated packaging for temperature-sensitive transport of medical products. KLM, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines and Emirates use them in their cargo logistics, and Ahold in the retail chain.
None. They are three words for the same material: expanded polystyrene. EPS is the technical abbreviation, styrofoam the Dutch colloquial term, tempex an old brand name that has become generic - just as everyone calls tissues "kleenex".
Between 12 and 48 hours, depending on wall thickness, number of gel packs, outside temperature and how full the box is. With dry ice in a thick-walled box, you can achieve 48-72 hours of frozen transport.
EPS itself absorbs almost no water, but under pressure, water can leak between wall and lid. For wet products (fresh fish, meat with juice) use an inner bag or absorption mat.
Yes. Clean EPS is 100% recyclable at specialised collection points. The material is pressed and reused - including in new insulation products and in construction. Ask your local council for the nearest collection point for EPS.
Leak holes are useful if your product releases moisture, for example fish on melting ice. The melt water can drain away, and you prevent the contents from lying in a water bath. Without leak holes is the choice for dry products, pharma, or if you don't want to risk leakage at all.
Choose a box just big enough for your product plus cooling elements. Empty space reduces cooling performance, and it costs unnecessary shipping costs. In doubt between two sizes? Order samples - we deliver them free of charge for your own test.
Yes. Insulation works both ways. Hot meals, soup and catering dishes stay at temperature for hours in an EPS box. Many meal delivery companies use EPS for this purpose.
Yes, and it is one of the biggest applications of EPS. Pharmaceutical distributors such as Bayer and Janssen Pharmaceutica use our EPS boxes for temperature-sensitive drugs. Due to its high insulation value, shape stability and relative affordability, EPS has been a standard for cold-chain transport in the 2-8 °C range for decades. For blood samples and biological materials, packaging is often done according to ADR P650. Advise us on your desired temperature window and transport duration - then we will coordinate the right wall thickness and refrigerants.
Full customisation - a new mould - is only cost-effective from a trailer volume onwards. But we have built up an extensive arsenal of jigs over the years, so even if a desired size is not in our webshop, there is often an existing jig that comes close. Send us the inside dimensions and wall thickness you need - we'll be happy to see what's possible.
Our standard sizes start at around €1.70 each (5L thin-walled) and go up to €15.03 (45L thick-walled). For pallet deliveries, unit prices drop considerably. See prices per size above, or request a quote for larger volumes.
Place gel packs on top of the product, not underneath. Cold air sinks - by placing the packs high up, the contents cool down evenly. For longer transport times or hot summer days, add an extra gel pack on the side.
Send us your desired size, the number and the application - we will return a competitive quote within one working day. No standard size fits? No problem: thanks to our own production and large arsenal of existing moulds, we often find a box close to your requirements.
Phone: +31 (0)255 234 200
E-mail: info@cooledsolutions.nl
