Thermal quilt insulation is often a great precaution to take when shipping temperature-sensitive products. This is because while these products may be fine in a reefer unit during long periods of transit, that doesn’t mean they are never vulnerable to fluctuations. Here are four instances where thermal quilt insulation could save your vulnerable shipments from serious temperature fluctuations.
Read more: Four Situations Where Temperature-Sensitive Products Are VulnerableTemperature Control Problems
One issue that can impact products throughout the majority of the shipping time is a problem with the temperature control systems themselves. A failure in the power system, or the temperature regulation, or even a structural defect, such as poor air circulation, can lead to products not being kept at the optimal shipping temperature. Thermal quilt insulation can often provide significant secondary protection to mitigate this.
Packaging Issues
Here’s another area where thermal quilt insulation can be important. Improper packaging may leave temperature-sensitive products vulnerable. In some cases, the packaging may be appropriate, but it becomes an issue when the packaging itself isn’t robust enough to endure shipping and becomes damaged. When this happens, products are much more vulnerable to temperature fluctuations that can compromise the final quality.
Shipping Delays
An unexpected and subsequently unavoidable vulnerability for temperature-sensitive products is shipping delays. There are several reasons this could occur, ranging from cargo being transferred to the tarmac, only to be delayed due to late plane arrival, to cargo remaining on a ship, untransferred, because of a port strike. The result, however, is the same, with products exposed to the elements, unprotected by a reefer unit. Thermal quilt insulation makes the critical difference in these situations.
Cross Contamination
When sensitive products, such as produce like fruits and vegetables, are in proximity to other products, the risk of cross-contamination is very real. In some instances, physical proximity is all it takes for insect or even bacterial contamination to occur. Thermal quilt insulation, however, provides a sealed, physical barrier against this. Because it is an insulated physical layer, it not only protects against temperature fluctuations but also prevents many instances of cross-contamination risk, such as when multiple groups of cargo are being transferred and all occupy the same general area temporarily. These are the situations in which all the protection of a reefer unit is gone, and products are completely vulnerable unless contingencies have been pre-emptively put in place.
If you’re shipping temperature-sensitive products and want guidance on the optimal way to ship them to their destination, we can help. Contact us to discuss your shipping needs and obtain a quote.
