"Xspect helped structure our build evidence and developed a great creative platform that is fresh, bold and supports the values of a truly unique brand."
CEO. Carl Howard
Find out more ›200% increase in conversion for Andrews Estate Agents.
See how Xspect helps body builders, converters and coach builders capture inspections, photos, notes and sign-offs on a tablet — keeping existing processes running smoother, clearer and audit-ready.
40%Cost saving
4 hrsPer build saved
700Issues resolved
Xspect helps workshops capture what is already happening on the build floor, turning existing checks, photos, notes and sign-offs into clear, time-stamped records that managers can trust. See how Xspect supports different types of vehicle conversion businesses, from large-scale refrigerated vehicle manufacturing to specialist fridge van conversion.
Helping Solomon keep complex vehicle builds clearer and better captured
Solomon Commercials is one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of refrigerated vehicles, supplying customers across the UK, Ireland, Europe and New Zealand. Unlike many manufacturers, Solomon specialises in highly bespoke builds, with every vehicle requiring multiple production stages, inspections and sign-offs. With complex operations spread across seven sites and virtually all manufacturing completed in-house, maintaining quality, traceability and visibility throughout the build process is critical.
Today, Solomon runs its entire build quality process on Xspect, covering more than 7,000 vehicles and counting.
Before implementing Xspect, Solomon relied heavily on paper-based inspections, photographs, build documentation and sign-off processes. Information was often stored in different locations, making it difficult to track vehicle progress, locate evidence and identify issues quickly. As production volumes increased, managers spent significant time chasing information through phone calls, emails and conversations across departments and sites.
The lack of a single, real-time view of each vehicle also made it harder to monitor defects, maintain traceability and respond quickly to customer requirements. As Kieran Taylor explains:
“There wasn’t that single real-time view showing exactly where the vehicle was in the process. So it was a lot more conversations, a lot more phone calls, a lot more emails.”
Xspect was initially introduced to digitise vehicle booking-in and release processes but quickly evolved into a central operational platform used across the business. Every stage of every vehicle build is now captured digitally, providing complete visibility of inspections, photographs, defects, sign-offs, compliance records and vehicle movements.
That record now runs to more than 35,000 timestamped photographs and over 100,000 individual inspection findings captured at chassis, assembly and end of line, each one logged, tracked and closed out inside the workflow, so every question about a vehicle already has an answer. Around 300 vehicles a month now complete full digital end of line inspection, month after month, at a pace paper could never sustain.
The platform enables Solomon to track vehicles in real time, identify potential issues earlier and maintain control across a complex supply chain involving thousands of components and multiple production locations. It also provides a structured, time-stamped record of every activity, improving traceability and reducing the need for manual administration. According to Kieran:
“We know exactly where a vehicle is up to. Whether that’s me sat in head office, a salesman in London or another production manager two miles down the road, you can clearly see where every vehicle is up to.”
That single joined-up view is something Solomon’s corporate systems could not provide on their own. Xspect sits across the whole operation, bringing together information that would otherwise stay locked in separate systems, spreadsheets, inboxes and photograph folders, into one clear picture of every vehicle. And because the platform is configured around the existing operation rather than replacing it, that value arrives in weeks, not years. Solomon is now extending the integration between Xspect and its ERP systems to further improve data accuracy and reduce manual administration.
Every inspection and sign-off within Xspect is linked to an individual user, creating clear ownership and accountability throughout the build process. This has strengthened quality control, improved traceability and reduced repeat mistakes, and 80.5% of non-conformances are now caught in process, before end of line, where fixes are fastest and cheapest.
“It’s definitely improved the build quality because there’s more accountability now. People are signing their name on something and there’s more responsibility than we had before.”
Xspect gives Solomon real-time insight into vehicle status, recurring defects, damage trends and production bottlenecks. The company can now identify issues earlier, investigate root causes and make data-driven improvements, with movements across 13 sites and third-party partners tracked door to door with photographic handover evidence.
One example involved recurring damage marks appearing on vehicles. By reviewing photographic evidence and movement records within Xspect, the team traced the issue to overhanging trees on a transport route between sites and resolved it, and digital driver checks with photographic evidence at every transfer point have reduced movement damage further. As Kieran puts it:
“It makes them think twice about being careless because there’s no getting away from it.”
By removing paperwork and making information instantly accessible, Xspect has significantly reduced delays and improved operational efficiency. Teams can quickly respond to customer requests, adapt inspection processes and maintain progress without waiting for documentation to be located or verified.
“The biggest plus for us has been time-saving.”
Unlike off-the-shelf alternatives, Xspect was configured around Solomon’s specific workflows, terminology and inspection requirements. This flexibility has enabled the business to continuously expand the platform as its needs evolve, creating a more professional, efficient and scalable operation.
“There’s not one area of the business that’s not better for it.”
“We wanted a more structured and digital approach that would improve visibility, accountability and traceability. Xspect has delivered that and much more.”
Developing a tailored vehicle management system with Xspect
CoolVan is an employee-owned specialist in refrigerated vehicle conversions, with more than 25 years’ experience in the industry. Based in Lancashire, the business designs and manufactures bespoke refrigerated conversions across a wide range of vehicle types and applications.
The nature of the work means vehicles arriving at CoolVan vary considerably in make, model, size and specification. Managing that information accurately matters at every point of the conversion process.
CoolVan identified an opportunity to improve how vehicles were checked in, tracked and checked out. Rather than adapting its processes around a standard system, the business wanted a solution that could reflect the requirements of a specialist conversion operation.
Checking a vehicle in is a detailed process. The logistics team needs to confirm the vehicle and its specification, record its condition, take photographs and complete the required checks. Traditionally this relied on an experienced member of the team and could take around 30 minutes per vehicle.
CoolVan wanted to make the process quicker and reduce the paperwork involved, without losing any of the checks needed before a vehicle enters production.
Xspect is built as a modular toolkit rather than a one-size-fits-all product, so each system is configured around the way the customer operates. For a specialist converter like CoolVan, that approach was a key factor.
Working closely with CoolVan, Xspect has built those requirements into a digital checklist. The system takes the user through each stage and records the information against the vehicle, creating a consistent check-in record and simplifying the PDI process.
The system has been developed by Xspect alongside the people who understand and use the process at CoolVan. CoolVan provided its knowledge of refrigerated vehicle conversion and the practical requirements at each stage, and Xspect translated those requirements into the system, making changes and adapting functionality as the project progressed.
The development has worked both ways. As well as responding to CoolVan’s requirements, Xspect has suggested improvements and identified where the technology could make existing processes more effective.
One of the main benefits of Xspect is its ability to bring information from different parts of the vehicle process into one place. Digital checks, photographs, cameras and weighing scales can all form part of the vehicle record, and the visual management screen gives the team a clear view of vehicles within the business and where they are in the process.
Rather than each element standing alone, the information is connected to the vehicle and available to the relevant teams when they need it.
“For me, it’s about having one system that gives us a clear view of the vehicle from the moment it arrives to the point it leaves. We can see what’s been checked, where the vehicle is in the process and access the information we need. Xspect has worked with us to build the system around the way CoolVan operates.”
Paul Barton, Operations Manager, CoolVanThe camera system provides a visual record of the vehicle when it arrives and when it leaves. Xspect links the images directly to the vehicle record, providing evidence of its condition at both points.
“If there’s ever a question about a vehicle’s condition, we have a clear photographic record of how it arrived and how it left us.”
Paul Barton, Operations Manager, CoolVanCoolVan and Xspect are also developing the use of AI with the camera system. The aim is for the system to recognise details such as vehicle type and size, helping CoolVan check that the vehicle arriving on site matches the vehicle expected.
This is particularly relevant in refrigerated vehicle conversion, where the make, model, size and specification of a vehicle can affect the equipment required. Checking this at the point of arrival provides an additional opportunity to identify any discrepancy before the vehicle moves into production.
Vehicle check-in, check-out and tracking are the starting point for the system at CoolVan, with scope to extend its use into areas such as quality and compliance. By bringing digital checks, photographic records, cameras, weighing scales and visual management together, Xspect is giving CoolVan a clearer way to manage each vehicle from arrival through to departure.
The project also shows what can be achieved when technology is developed alongside the people using it. As the system develops, the focus remains the same: making useful information easier to capture, easier to access and easier to act on.
“Working with Xspect has been really straightforward. They listened to what we needed, understood the challenges we face as converters and suggested improvements as we developed the system.”
"Xspect helped structure our build evidence and developed a great creative platform that is fresh, bold and supports the values of a truly unique brand."
CEO. Carl Howard
Find out more ›200% increase in conversion for Andrews Estate Agents.
"Xspect helped structure our build evidence and developed a great creative platform that is fresh, bold and supports the values of a truly unique brand."
CEO. Carl Howard
Find out more ›200% increase in conversion for Andrews Estate Agents.
"Xspect helped structure our build evidence and developed a great creative platform that is fresh, bold and supports the values of a truly unique brand."
CEO. Carl Howard
Find out more ›200% increase in conversion for Andrews Estate Agents.
Every converter has different pressures, customers and build processes. Xspect starts with the way your workshop already runs, then shows how your existing checks, forms, photos and sign-offs can be captured more clearly on a tablet.
A short walkthrough can show how Xspect could help your team reduce paperwork, capture better evidence and keep every build smoother, clearer and audit-ready.
Prefer email? hello@xspect.co.uk
