It is essential to select the appropriate shipping solution for temperature-sensitive items. These options generally include passive or active solutions, which offer various levels of temperature control, including frozen, refrigerated, or maintained (both heated and cooled) environments.
Passive Temperature Solutions
Passive temperature-controlled solutions use insulated shippers or other single-use or reusable packaging options along with dry ice, ice packs, gel packs, or phase change materials (PCMs) that are preconditioned to keep products cold or warm. While these passive solutions can maintain within a temperature range, they do not offer the precise temperature regulation provided by active systems. Consequently, there is a higher risk of temperature fluctuations, especially during transportation delays or changes in ambient temperatures.
PCM & Passive Shipping Solutions
Pros:
- Lower upfront costs compared to dedicated refrigerated trucks
- Practical for smaller shipments
- Reduced maintenance requirements compared to active systems
Cons:
- Inability to adapt temperatures to changing ambient conditions
- To save weight, constructed of less sturdy materials compared to active systems
- Comparatively limited cooling energy capacities which cannot be replenished without stopping the shipment
- Reduced security and tamper resistance
- Creates potentially significant waste as they are often abandoned or discarded.
Active Temperature Solutions
When shipping temperature-sensitive cargo, especially high-value payloads, active temperature solutions provide more precise control. These solutions include reefer trucks and advanced active-temperature control shipping and storage units like the CBX ClimateCrate™ and ClimateCrate FLEX.
Refrigerated trucks, or reefer trucks, are a popular choice due to their large load capacity, allowing more goods to be transported in a single trip. However, they are significantly more expensive, particularly for smaller quantity pallet shipments or mixed temperature loads. The main issue with reefer trucks when shipping sensitive goods is the risk factor. Transporting a larger load controlled by a single refrigeration system increases the risk in case of malfunction. Additionally, the longer loading and unloading times for reefer trucks make it more challenging to quickly relocate products before they are damaged by temperature fluctuations in case of a failure.
Refrigerated Trucks (Reefer Trucks)
Pros:
- Larger load capacity
- Good choice for long-distance of large quantity shipments
- Onboard refrigeration systems capable of maintaining temperatures
Cons:
- Expensive operation costs
- High maintenance costs
- Greater risk of product loss due to system malfunctions
- Lack of real-time monitoring and tracking (often relies on customer-provided monitors)
- Inefficiency for smaller quantity shipments due to the high cost of unused space
By carefully considering these pros and cons, businesses can choose the best active temperature solution to meet their specific needs for shipping temperature-sensitive cargo.
ClimateCrate and ClimateCrate FLEX Overview
The ClimateCrate and ClimateCrate FLEX ensure precise temperature control for the cargo area by utilizing powered cooling and heating systems that automatically adjust to high or low ambient conditions to maintain the setpoint temperature. Operating on rechargeable, lead acid batteries, these units can maintain temperatures ranging from -35°C to +49°C (-31°F to 120°F), and as an example can maintain a precise +5°C setpoint for a minimum of 120 hours on one battery charge without relying on dry ice or phase change materials.
Pallet-sized, temperature-sensitive products can be easily loaded into the ClimateCrate or ClimateCrate FLEX. These units can be moved quickly with a forklift or pallet jack for loading into traditional LTL trucks, box trucks, or high-roof cargo vans (ClimateCrate FLEX). The self-contained, pallet-sized design provides unparalleled flexibility, allowing for the co-loading of same client material on the same truck that is both refrigerated and dry freight. It also offers the ability for the easy conversion of an existing dry truck fleet to meet refrigerated shipping needs on demand. This flexibility also enhances protection as each unit is controlled by its own refrigeration system and monitored in real-time.
ClimateCrate & ClimateCrate FLEX
- Eliminates reliance on dry ice or phase change materials
- Eliminates reliance on costly reefer trucks
- Enables easy conversion of existing fleet to be validated refrigerated shippers and back
- 24/7 monitoring, alerts, and reporting for temperature and location (shipment report available upon request)
- Meets FDA CFR Title 21 and CDC Vaccine Storage & Transport Requirements
- Precise temperature control (heated and cooled) with ±1˚C uniformity
- Wider temperature range for increased flexibility
- Uses rechargeable, non-lithium batteries (115/240 VAC standard outlet).
- Environmentally friendly compared to the additional diesel required for reefer trucks or CO2 emitted from dry ice
- Up to 120 hours of battery hold time for 2°C to 8°C
- Enhances security with independent units, reducing the risk of widespread failure