This book by JGA Corp. is a virtual catalog of ideas for inspired retail design. It features work that is international in scope in innovative in content. These 1,000 touchpoints of brand identity include ...
By Jay Singh
“Cold chain" environment refers to the transportation of temperature sensitive products, whether they be pharmaceutical, consumable or chemical in nature, along a supply chain through thermal and refrigerated packaging methods and the logistical planning to protect the integrity of these shipments. Temperatures a packaged product experiences during distribution need to be addressed by an optimum cold chain packaging solution.
Designing a thermally insulated package to keep a temperature sensitive product at a certain temperature or within a certain range during transit can be challenging. Cold chain packaging systems primarily provide two types of protection, thermal and mechanical and typically comprise of an external shipper, thermally insulated medium, and refrigerant.
The myriad of thermally insulated packaging solutions available in the market require a designer to have an adequate understanding of the packaging components as well as the distribution environment and any related regulations. Of the estimated $850 billion in global pharmaceutical product distribution in 2005, about 40% were temperature sensitive drugs. A 100% of the biopharmaceutical segment within, an estimated $85 billion worth, was temperature sensitive. So how does one design the optimum packaging solution for Coagulation Factor VIIa vials ($3,500 a vial), for example, to be shipped to the troops on the battlefield with "fitness to use" a critical issue after distribution? Here we will discuss some key components of cold chain packaging solutions.
Temperature and transit time
Did you enjoy this article? Click here to subscribe to the magazine.