7 top tips for temperature controlled packaging

Especially for the pharmaceutical and food industries. If not, required climate conditions won’t be achieved, products could become spoiled, hazardous, or lose their effectiveness altogether – you must get it right, the first time.

So, to ensure your sensitive products are packaged correctly and safely, we’ve put together a list of our top temperature controlled packaging tips for you to follow.

1. Identify critical needs

Whether you’re shipping a product that needs to maintain at room temperature, or a cool, or frozen state, the first and most important step of your strategy must begin with identifying your product’s critical needs. This can include things such as required temperature range, contamination possibilities, or even safety and security measures. 

2. Think temperature controlled insulation

Once you’ve clearly defined the critical needs of your product, it’s time to think about how this can be tackled with temperature controlled insulation. From insulated box liners, to gel packs and dry ice, there are several insulation methods that could be suitable for you.

When it comes to choosing an effective insulation, different aspects of both the product itself and entire journey must be considered. These include:

• The integrity of the product
• Total time in transit
• Required temperature maintenance
• Safety & security
• Sustainability
• Contamination prevention

If you’d like further information on temperature controlled insulation, or would like to find out what’s best for your product and its requirements, contact our expert packaging team at Swiftpak today, we’d be more than happy to help.

3. Opt for a suitable container

Now that you’ve uncovered a suitable insulation method, a container must be selected to support this, along with your product during delivery.

Cardboard boxes continue to be the most popular option. They’re cost-effective, sustainable and compatible with box liners as well as refrigerated gel packs. However, cardboard is no candidate for dry ice. For frozen products and use with dry ice, wooden boxes are considered a safe option. Styrofoam boxes are also great insulators, and plastic containers are perfect for keeping out excess moisture.

Again, for expert guidance on choosing a temperature controlled packaging solution, speak to our Swiftpak team today.

4. Use colour-changing ink

The packaging industry is constantly advancing, which means new and improved solutions are arising. One of these solutions, that you may well have heard about, is colour-changing ink (thermochromic ink). Colour-changing ink is used to support temperature controlled packaging by the means of changing colour when exposed to temperatures outside of a given range. This gives retailers, or end consumers, a visual sign that the product did not maintain the required temperature throughout its journey and is therefore not suitable for usage/sale.

5. Research other indicators

Colour-changing ink isn’t the only form of indication used in packaging. Additional products like temperature sensors are just as effective. Similar to colour-changing ink, temperature indicators highlight a colour when the package has been exposed to unacceptable temperatures (usually bright red).

Benefits of using temperature indicators include:

• Delivery of clear results
• High accuracy within the market of indicator technology
• Can be shipped and stored under most climate conditions

At Swiftpak, our range of temperature indicators can be used for many purposes within the pharmaceutical and food industries. Whether you need to monitor frozen products below -18C, or temperatures between -3C and 10C, we have an indicator for you. If you’re interested in using temperature indicators to support your packaging solution, speak to one of our temperature controlled packaging experts today.

6. Consider the entire supply chain

When designing a temperature controlled packaging solution, remember to consider every element of the supply chain. It’s crucial the product remains at temperature in your warehouse, while being prepared for loading, during transportation and at its final destination.

7. Test, test, and test again

With the above points taken into account and a temperature controlled solution in mind, it’s time for testing.

Before placing an order, be sure to get a short run or sample produced and expose your product to the conisations expected during shipment. This can be done through professional lab testing, or doing a real world trial run to see how it fares.

Temperature controlled packaging from Swiftpak

At Swiftpak, we provide an extensive range of temperature controlled packaging for perishable and temperature sensitive products. With over 40 years’ experience, our packaging experts have the knowledge needed to find the right solution for your product. If you’re in need of a temperature controlled packaging solution, reach out to our helpful team today. We’ll guide you though every step of the way to ensure you’re both happy and confident with your new package.