Flexible Configurations Replacing Bespoke Packing In Cold Chain Distribution

By Lee Stopher, Product Manager, Peli BioThermal

Whether by selecting an off-the-shelf flexible packaging solution or customizing a flexible shipper and performing some additional testing, the turnaround time for flexible shippers is markedly shorter than it is for bespoke solutions. These advantages can be compounded by transitioning from single-use shippers to multi-use systems, or even reusable shippers, to extend a shipper’s usable life and promote greater resource management. These packaging solutions – both flexible containers and multi-use systems – have seen increasing market acceptance in recent years, as companies work to move beyond the status quo that drove earlier shipping paradigms. In the early days of thermal packaging, creating new tooling and cutting new sizes of containers was par for the course, but as standardization continues to evolve across various facets of the space, innovating shipping solutions that can be molded to various applications easily will afford companies an increasingly competitive edge.

As the biopharmaceutical space continues to progress, established companies may face increasing issues when it comes to their existing shippers. Bespoke shippers, developed for products introduced to the market years before, may represent a less optimal option when compared to more advanced packaging technologies. Ultimately, partnering with a packaging supplier with the expertise and experience necessary to identify a shipping paradigm’s pain points, evaluate a product’s specifications to determine its optimal container solution, and support a company’s evolving needs is a critical component in achieving lasting success.