A supply chain cannot accomplish itself without the crucial juncture of qualified packaging, expert supplier and an apt transport network. Notwithstanding, it goes unnoticed for most products unless they stand prone to damage. Temperature sensitive products are one such area where meticulous care is practiced by the supply chain.
Calculated at $159,988.1 million in 2018, the cold chain logistics market was projected to reach $585,105.6 million by 2026. These estimations might now peak faster in the post COVID-19 world. Asia-Pacific remains the fastest growing cold chain supply market while food and healthcare products continue to dominate the product range.
We, at Tempcon Express Private Limited, understand your concerns the best given our experience with cold chain logistics. Your salient needs are fulfilled by our packaging solutions that remain compliant and validated by IATA (International Air Transport Association), making zero compromises on the quality of your product.
Here is how the packaging plays a vital part in the logistics of a cold supply chain:
Impact of temperature control on drug stability
Biomedical drugs remain highly sensitive to the slightest change in temperatures, exhibiting different colour or odour. Such changes indicate a shrunken potency that cannot be restored, creating a possibility of harm as well. Hence a majority of the refrigerators control their temperatures between 2°C and 8°C (36°F and 46°F) which is found ideal for transporting vaccines. The freezers, however, maintain a range of -50°C and -15°C (-58°F and +5°F), as prescribed by the CDC (Centre for Disease Control and Prevention). These packages often come linked with thermostats and Temperature Monitoring Devices (TMDs) which help to determine excursions (duration for which a unit has been operating outside the recommended temperature range).
Series of containers used in packaging of temperature-sensitive products
Temperature Controlled Packaging is tailored to the category of products they are employed at shipping, their perishability, transit duration, ambient temperatures, and budget are a few of the factors considered. To accommodate these purposes, temperature controlled packagings are further bifurcated into:
1) Active Containers: These make use of electrical cooling systems which consistently adjust to the ambient temperature, creating a fallback for unforeseen delays. Often used on a lease, they take up less cargo space and come equipped with an alarm triggered on temperature excursion.
Active temperature-controlled container
2) Passive containers:
They make use of phase change materials (PCMs), such as refrigerant gel packs or dry ice, as insulators for balancing the temperature of the packaging. The nature of the shipped product determines the R values (insulating efficiency) of the insulators. Though more economical, they take up a larger share of the freight space and weight.
Passive temperature-controlled container
3) Hybrid Containers: On synthesising thermostats and insulators, hybrid packaging has paved its way into the cold chain supply as well, increasing security and reducing costs. Like active packages, they are also available in narrower sizes.
Hybrid temperature-controlled container
Comparative analysis
As we discussed, packaging centres the concerns of cold chain logistics, for temperature maintenance remains the highest and the most arduous priority. Understanding its pivotal role in quality maintenance, Tempcon Express Private Limited provides a fleet of IATA-approved packaging. A great deal of our time and money is invested in testing and validating packaging systems, ensuring safe and undamaged transportation of vaccines, blood, plasma, pathology samples, etc. We also heavily indulge in end-to-end untethered transportation of investigational drugs, biological samples, active pharmaceutical ingredients, and clinical trial supplies.
Tempcon Express Private Limited holds expertise in cold chain transportation of temperature-controlled materials while providing the best packaging solutions to ensure the safety and quality of the consignment, along with our real-time online shipment tracking.
Visit www.tempconexpress.in to get detailed information on all the sporadic services we offer or mail us at cs@tempconexpress.in to know more.
