In the early days of refrigeration a banana boat steaming up the Bristol Channel could be smelt many miles downwind as the entire cargo rotted owing to incorrect temperature control and other factors. Refrigeration techniques have, of course, advanced since then but product suitability can still be compromised today if the passive, temperature-controlled packaging is not fit for purpose. This is a particularly crucial issue for the pharmaceutical industry, especially when the value in a pallet-sized box can be up to $1 million. Given the stringent regulations the health authorities impose, how can product shippers and their customers ensure that the packaging systems meet the regulations, especially when there may be no cold chain expertise in house?
British shippers of sensitive, temperature-controlled products who want to be absolutely sure that temperatures are maintained correctly can now buy confidently on-line from Coldshop.com, an e-commerce website for professionals and the general public launched last year. The reason for the confidence is that Coldshop is part of the Sofrigam Group, who produce all the products, tested by an independent, on site, approved laboratory, with over 20 years experience behind it. It is Europe’s number one supplier of temperature-controlled packaging and number three in the world, developing 100 new products every year.
By far its biggest seller is its passive Pallet Shipper Frizbox for containing up to 2,000 litres, designed to enable pharmaceutical laboratories to transport by any means heat-sensitive products at a steady temperature for up to 120 hours. Its two key components are high-density, rigid polyurethane panels and accumulator plates filled with a high-performing eutectic gel made to a secret formula. The external overwrapping is double corrugated cardboard.
For semi-active cooling boxes where high security shipping is essential Sofrigam has developed the iBox. It regulates the inside temperature at +5C for five consecutive days through a thermal regulation unit which is refrigerated before placing inside the box. Temperature sensors record variations throughout the journey and the data can be retrieved by connecting the iBox to a computer. A screen shows the temperature in real time, any deviations are immediately notified and it can be re-used over 100 times. Rentable, these boxes can be fitted with a GPS device to monitor shipments.
The Coldshop website customer profile shows that currently 44% of all sales are to private individuals, 34% for healthcare and 22% for food. The food industry, in particular, could find the Dupont Tyvek cover, with whom Sofrigam has partnered, a useful accessory for large volume containers for up to 3,000 litres. Sometimes, sloppy logistics practices leave pallet loads of food out in the open on hot days or on loading bays for hours before entering cool stores. Such behaviour can compromise food safety that the Tyvek cover, made from non-woven, high density polyethylene fibre, could help prevent.
Although all items are currently despatched from the company’s premises in northern France, Sofrigam has plans for an English warehouse to meet JIT deliveries if trading conditions warrant it.
Coldshop
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