For temperature-sensitive products such as certain types of food, beverages, pharmaceuticals, or even electronics, sustained exposure to beyond recommended temperature levels can have serious negative effects. Food and drink can rot faster, pharmaceuticals may drop effectiveness or even become actively harmful, and electronics may fail to work or suffer from a dramatically shortened operational lifespan. Because of this, it’s critical that these products are shipped at the optimal temperature, and insulated shipping boxes can be important for this. Here’s why.
Reefer Units Can’t Always Be There
The optimal shipping scenario is that temperature-sensitive products are shipped in “reefer units,” also known as shipping containers or truck trailers with refrigeration capabilities. However, this requires that the containers have access to electrical power to maintain cooling temperatures.
Unfortunately, once products are transferred out of reefer units to await loading onto the next vehicle, they may be exposed to the elements, such as goods on a tarmac awaiting loading on a plane. Any delay in the arrival of the next vehicle can result in unintended environmental exposure for these goods. Exposure for even a few hours may compromise their viability. Insulated shipping boxes, however, can maintain the intended shipping temperature passively without requiring active refrigeration for hours or even days.
Moisture
Insulated shipping boxes don’t just protect goods from temperature changes; they can also be important for preserving humidity levels. Some goods, such as raw ingredients like meat, vegetables, or pharmaceuticals, may be compromised if too much moisture seeps into the product. Raw ingredients, in particular, may breed bacteria if moisture levels rise.
Working insulated shipping boxes have linings that also keep out stray moisture. This means that moisture won’t seep into products even if a reefer unit or a regular shipping container has a break or leak somewhere.
No Reefer Unit
In some cases, a business may not be able to rely on reefer units being used for the entirety of the logistics journey. This is often the case during the “last mile” phase, especially as goods are delivered to their final destinations, and refrigeration trucks may not always be available to load onto. It can also be the case if the number of shipped goods is small enough that allocating an entire reefer unit for smaller shipments doesn’t make financial sense, and the goods are loaded with others in a non-reefer shipping container.
Sometimes, insulated shipping boxes can be a cost-effective substitute for reefer units if shipping on that scale doesn’t make sense. If you’re shipping temperature-sensitive products and want more protection, contact Protek Cargo with your needs and get a quote.
