Last-mile temperature control

An example of a new cold chain temperature-controlled shipping technology is Cocoon, which was commercialized in November 2016 and designed for use with pallet-sized shippers. Cocoon, which eliminates the need for an external power source, was developed by World Courier’s Climate Optimization Research and Engineering (CORE) laboratories. Composed of vacuum-insulated panels in a honeycomb design, Cocoon weighs 15-30% less than comparable packaging products, covers European and US pallet sizes, and supports three temperature range requirements: -15 °C to - 25 °C , 2 °C  to 8 °C, and 15 °C to 25 °C .

The vacuum-insulated panels, coupled with Cocoon’s phase-change materials, provide a high-level of thermal protection and stability for temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical products throughout long-distance deliveries. According to World Courier, Cocoon packaging solution maintained its internal temperature throughout a two-week delivery from Austria to Baghdad, Iraq, which included 10 days of storage in uncontrolled warehouse temperatures.

Article Details

Pharmaceutical Technology
Vol. 41, No. 2
February 2017
Page: 70

Citation

When referring to this article, please cite it as A. Shanley, "Last-mile temperature control," sidebar to "Cold Chain: Zeroing In on the Last Mile," Pharmaceutical Technology 41 (2) 2017.