Cold Chain Packaging Solutions and Challenges

Monitoring the temperature of perishable items is known as the "cold chain," which ensures their quality and safety starting at the moment of harvest or slaughter and continuing through the distribution network to the end user. Maintaining your pharmaceuticals at the correct temperature is the initial challenge. It's crucial to pack them at the right temperature. Cold chain packages maintain a constant temperature; they don't cool or heat shipments. When selecting packaging, consider your product's required temperature range. Frozen goods need -18°C, while cool products can be between +2°C and +8°C. Choosing the proper packaging depends on factors like quantity, transport type, time in transit, surroundings, sustainability needs, and quality. To that end, World BI organizes conferences that bring together suppliers and manufacturers, enabling them to choose the best partner to meet their cold chain needs and packaging needs.

Where is it necessary to Guarantee Cold Chains ?

  • There must be assurances for cold chains at different phases.
  • This includes pre-cooling procedures, packaging systems, and the manufacturing sector in production.
  • Assurance is needed in cold stores, distribution centers, storage facilities, railroad wagons, refrigerated trucks, and other modes of transportation in logistics .
  • To ensure the quality and safety of perishable goods during their route from manufacture to consumption, cold chain maintenance at points of sale, such as grocery shops and warehouses, is essential.

Importance of Cold Chain in the Pharmaceutical Industry:

The cold chain guarantees the top quality and safe delivery of perishable goods at the time of consumption. Insufficient temperature control throughout this transportation process may have negative effects, including the growth of dangerous pathogens like

  • Bacteria.
  • Germs.
  • Salmonella.
  • Rapid product degradation, financial difficulties for manufacturers and supply chain partners, and monetary losses for customers.

Packaging of Pharmaceutical Products:

The techniques used to package pharmaceutical products to improve supply chain efficiency and lessen packaging and cold chain logistics issues are listed below:

Reefer Container:
  • One of the most well-known and frequently utilized packaging options for the transportation of temperature-sensitive goods is the reefer container.
  • The products can be kept at a consistent temperature, especially in a reefer with an independent power unit. Unfortunately, an increase in drug offenses involving reefer packing corresponds with a rise in reefer consumption.
  • Reefer containers were the focus of a 2019 article about drug criminality in Rotterdam by Staring, Bisschop, Roks, Brein, and van de Bunt (2019).
  • Research revealed that pharmaceuticals were frequently concealed in the structure and engine compartment of refrigerated containers.
Thermal Packaging:
  • The use of thermal packing is optional if the cases are not being shipped or kept in a container.
  • This is an outer pack made of frozen gel packs, molded polyurethane foam, and corrugated board.
  • This is intended to maintain a set temperature range throughout the supply chain external variables.
Cold Materials:
  • Lastly, the packaging's usage of cold materials.
  • Dry ice, which has a temperature of roughly -80°C, is very useful for transporting medications since it can keep items frozen for a long time.
  • Although Liquid Nitrogen is around -196°C, it is comparable to dry ice and is regarded as a dangerous material for transportation.
  • Pharmaceuticals are often stored between 2 and 8°C in gel packs or eutectic plates, which are categorized as chilled items.
  • Finally, to maintain a steady temperature, comforters or covers are placed over the cargo.

Cold Chain Challenges Faced by the Companies During the Supply Chain:

Pharmaceutical packaging and labelling in the cold chain present a number of challenges, such as maintaining product integrity, adhering to regulatory requirements, preventing temperature excursions, managing logistics and transportation complexities, minimizing packaging waste, maximizing cost efficiency, and addressing potential problems like product spoilage or degradation due to improper handling or equipment failures. Here are discuss some challenges below:

1: Pharmaceuticals in Cold Storage:
  • Understanding the characteristics of the product and its sensitivity to elements such as moisture, oxygen, light, and heat is crucial while storing medications.
  • To preserve their integrity and efficacy, medications should ideally be stored in a dry, cool atmosphere.
  • Comprehending the distinct prerequisites of every product guarantees that appropriate storage conditions are fulfilled, hence preserving its caliber and effectiveness throughout the years.
2: Additional Records for Transporting Cold Food:
  • The cold supply chain faces even more constraints to comply with than conventional supply chains, which are already constrained by numerous laws.
  • Regulations require carriers to keep temperature control logs, frequently on an hourly basis, to record the cargo's temperature.
  • Multiple fines and possibly the suspension of a commercial shipping license may result from incorrectly completed temperature logs.
3: Technology:
  • The unique characteristics of cold chain logistics have led to significant technological advancements in this area. The following are a few recent developments.
  • Data recorders that automatically record vibration, shock, temperature, and humidity when being transported or stored. Ensuring that every piece of paperwork is current and accessible online.
  • Trailer technology to save expenses, such as emission-compliant trailers, various types of reefers, or insulated containers.
  • Human technology, including staff training and driver education for technology or loading.Reducing the hazards associated with handling pharmaceuticals.
  • For instance, to ensure that the truck maintains the proper temperature, it is crucial that the driver is familiar with how refrigerated vehicles operate.

Cold-Chain Solutions for Distributing Pharmaceuticals:

  • Once a medication is manufactured, it must be shipped in an economical and efficient manner to pharmacies, retailers, and healthcare facilities.
  • In an ideal world, you would stockpile packaging supplies in anticipation of demand spikes and inevitable supply chain delays.
  • However, the actual area needed to store large cold chain packaging, like EPS coolers, has historically been prohibitively expensive because of the high cost of warehouse real estate.
  • New product developments as well as innovative packaging services can lessen the difficulty of managing cold chain inventory.
  • Modern cold chain solutions with temperature-controlled box liners that ship and store flat until you're ready to use them—like Temper pack’s ClimaCell, Sonoco Thermo Safe EOS, and Foam Fabricator's Paper Fiber—save you money on freight and warehouse space.
  • By doing so, the overhead cost of storing large, heavy Styrofoam coolers is decreased.
  • By providing just-in-time delivery of your packaging supplies and local warehousing,
  • Crown Packaging goes above and beyond. Using these services, businesses can minimize expenses and operate according to lean principles without compromising quality or running the danger of goods spoiling. A win-win situation exists.
  • Crown may assist businesses in achieving even greater quantities at reduced costs by pairing thermal liners with appropriate-sized boxes in a process known as kitting.

World BI Pharma Packaging Conferences:

Streamline pharmaceutical supply chains with innovative cold chain solutions. From temperature-controlled packaging to efficient distribution, overcome challenges and ensure product integrity every step of the way. World BI Pharma Packaging and Labelling Conference orchestrates exclusive gatherings and meetings, providing a platform where esteemed directors, Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs), and Vice Presidents (VPs) hailing from diverse corporations convene with a common objective to cultivate widespread awareness on a global scale. The World BI Pharma Packaging and Labelling Conference organizes exclusive gatherings and interactions, providing a stage for distinguished CEOs, CMOs, and VPs from different firms to come together with the common objective of promoting global collaboration. Give us a call or send an email to World BI.

We look forward to assisting with all of your packaging needs.