Shipping temperature-sensitive products means knowing what the optimal temperature is for specific goods and then ensuring that the temperature level is maintained throughout the shipping cycle. However, the way to go about this gives many options for businesses. Here are a few of the ways companies can protect their items when shipping temperature-sensitive products.
Refrigeration Units
The most expensive and most common method of shipping, using cargo containers with built-in refrigeration, or “reefer units,” is a widespread practice because reefer units are an active environmental protection system. As with stationary commercial or retail refrigerators, these units are powered by electricity and reduce the air temperature until it hits the desired level.
Of course, while reefer units get the job done, it should be no surprise that they are also the more costly solution. Reefer units cost more money than the average cargo container due to the specialized mechanisms and power demands these units have. They also have a negative impact on the environment, as some refrigerants expel gases like Nitric Oxide that contribute to climate change.
Container/Wall Liners
However, even if a truck’s trailer does not feature a reefer unit, a container or wall liner can be a useful alternative. These liners are insulated protective layers that are applied to the walls and ceiling of cargo containers or trailers pulled by semi-trailer/semi-trucks.
This layer prevents heat leakage. So if the trailer or container is lined with this product, then once the temperature-sensitive freight is loaded in at its optimal temperature, that temperature remains within the trailer during transport for hours or even days.
Pallet Covers
In some cases, businesses may not require an entire trailer for the goods they are shipping. If shipping temperature-sensitive products only occupies a few pallets, then passive pallet covers are a more cost-effective solution. Like the container/wall liners, this is a protective, insulating layer that prevents heat seepage from penetrating a chilled product.
This means that temperature-sensitive products retain their original, optimal shipping temperature even without active refrigeration, and they can do so for days or hours. However, the real advantage of the pallet cover alternative is that it protects cargo even during transitional periods between loading that would leave other products vulnerable. A delay in the arrival of a cargo plane, for example, would normally leave other products exposed to high temperatures on the tarmac, but pallet covers preserve that shipping temperature even in these extreme conditions.
If you’ve got temperature-sensitive products you want to be shipped safely, contact Protek Cargo with your needs and get a quote.
