Founded in Kingston upon Hull in 1991 as a manufacturer of insulated panels for cold storage, Paneltex is a world-leading temperature-controlled vehicle body builder and converter. Thirty years later, Paneltex produces hundreds of vehicle bodies, vehicle body kits and portable cold stores a week, out of six specialised factories across the UK, including its main facility on the Kingston International Business Park in East Hull and a new factory situated on the A63 at North Cave.
The comprehensive range of Paneltex vehicles produced for major supermarkets and other blue-chip customers includes:
Vans
o Panel van conversions
o 3.5T box bodies
o Grocery home delivery vans
o Fully-electric vans
Trucks
o Ranging from 3.5T to 26T
Trailers
o Skeletal tippers
o Drawbar trailers
o Bodybuilder chassis
o Urban refrigerated trailers
o Single and double-deck trailers
Specialised vehicles
o Healthcare
o Military
o Government sector
Portable cold stores
o From single units to modular construction forming complexes of easily-relocatable cold stores
Vehicle body kits for export
o USA and Canada
o Europe
Some of the different types of jobs that we have within the business include:
- Production Operatives
- Electrical Operatives
- Engineering
- Warehousing and Logistics
- CNC Operators
- Welders and Fabricators
The types of skills that we require our workforce to have include:
- Good concentration and attention to detail to quickly notice errors on a production or assembly line
- Strong teamwork skills, as the job involves working with others
- A technical mind and the ability to work with their hands
- Problem solving skills
- Previous experience and proficiency in the use of handheld power tools
- Effective communication skills, both verbal and written
- The ability to flag up quality issues
- In some cases, technical or professional qualifications are required
What do we look for in future employees?
- Punctual and reliable
- Ability to work to deadlines
- Good understanding of Health and Safety, taking care of self and others
- Dedicated to self-development
- Positive, honest and with interest in working in vehicle body building
Where do we see skill gaps, now and in the future?
- Engineering
- Design Skills
- CAD
- Design/Draughtsman
- Mechanical & Electrical Engineers
- Semi-skilled assembly operators
- Leadership skills
We offer various training programmes, including:
- HETA Engineering Apprenticeships
- Hull Training - various
- Lean Manufacturing in Operations
- ILM - Team Leader
- ESOL – English Speaking
- IT Skills
- Numeracy & Literacy
