Precise temperature control can be a challenge for many organizations. Understanding room temperature and ambient temperature in cold chain logistics is only part of the equation. You must also determine the most efficient ways to combat fluctuating conditions and maintain a consistent package temperature throughout shipping processes.
Meeting strict temperature requirements for sensitive items such as perishables and pharmaceuticals is easier and more efficient with modern solutions.
The Complexities of Ambient Temperature in Cold Chain Logistics
Ambient temperature is the uncontrolled, variable environmental temperature surrounding your shipments, and it increases the complexity of cold chain shipping. Your packages may be exposed to extreme heat or temperature fluctuations based on:
- Geographic location and transport routes
- Times of day
- Changing weather conditions
While careful planning helps offset the impact of ambient temperature, it is a highly unpredictable logistics factor. Shipping delays and fluctuating weather conditions can further expose your shipments to ambient temperature, but innovative solutions can elevate your strategy.
The Challenges of Controlling Room Temperature in Cold Chain Logistics
Room temperature is the subset of ambient temperature you have control over. Maintaining controlled room temperature is one of the primary ways to protect goods from outdoor ambient temperature fluctuations, but the safe, ideal temperature depends on your specific goods.
For example, the US Pharmacopeia recommends maintaining a room temperature between 68 and 77 degrees Fahrenheit with excursions between 59 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit for nonspecialty oral medications. However, cold chain items such as seafood, vaccines and insulin must maintain much lower temperatures during storage and transit.
Refrigerated trucks, railway cars and shipping containers enable you to stabilize and manage temperatures during transit, but the following challenges can still impact your shipments:
- Cooling system malfunctions: Heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration systems can malfunction, exposing products to fluctuating ambient temperatures. While reputable businesses work to prevent malfunction, it is always a possibility.
- Last-mile delivery durations and temperatures: Predicting last-mile delivery durations and conditions can be challenging.
- Shipping delays: Traffic and route deviations can be unpredictable, exposing products to uncontrolled conditions for longer than expected.
Strategies to Protect Your Shipments From Fluctuating Ambient and Room Temperatures
Maintaining package temperatures protects perishables and sensitive pharmaceutical items from external ambient temperature fluctuations. The following strategies and innovations can help you maintain precise temperatures and meet strict requirements:
Use Real-Time Monitoring Technology
Advanced technology allows you to monitor room temperature and package temperatures in real time. Install Internet of Things sensors in shipping containers to track temperature and humidity levels, receiving alerts if the temperature exceeds set limitations.
You can also place one-time use temperature monitors in your packages. These color-changing indicators let you and end users know if temperature limits are breached. These pair with electronic data loggers so you can record temperature data, create detailed PDF reports and use them to analyze your logistics operations.
Pack Items in Insulated Boxes
Insulated boxes or liners provide a barrier between each item and its environment. This barrier helps maintain a consistent internal temperature despite the ambient temperatures the package is exposed to during shipping.
Implement Cutting-Edge Cold Packaging Solutions
Cold packs are one of the most effective ways to manage a package’s internal temperature, but choosing the right type of cold pack matters. Modern ice pack solutions are safe, sustainable and cost-effective. Gel packs are made with special eco-friendly solutions and nontoxic formulas, helping you maintain temperatures without harming products or the environment.
Advantages of Combating Ambient and Room Temperature Challenges With Gel Cold Packs
High-quality, innovative gel cold packs offer the following advantages to help you combat fluctuating ambient and room temperatures:
- Safety: Gel packs consist of water-based gel and pouches made of organic materials, which means they are safer to handle and ship with consumable products than dry ice.
- Opportunities for upcycling: Terra Ice™ packs contain a 100% biodegradable gel formula and are compostable. Your business can also opt for Nutri Ice™ packs, which double as plant food. End users can pour the packs’ water-based gel directly onto plant soil as a healthy fertilizer.
- Low-impact disposal: Eco-friendly gel packs decompose quickly in landfills, leaving little impact on the environment.
- Sustainability: Gel packs’ eco-friendly designs and biodegradable solutions can augment your business’s sustainability efforts, supporting a positive brand image.
- Durability and puncture-proof designs: Tough, puncture-resistant films help prevent Glacier Ice™ gel packs from leaking. For extra leak protection, EcoGel™ ice packs feature special dough-like gel and puncture-resistant exteriors. These options are perfect for shipping items with sharp corners.
- Moisture protection: Glacier Moisture Guard packs are sweat-proof gel packs. Their moisture-wicking exteriors absorb normal condensation, protecting moisture-sensitive products from potential damage.
- Precise shapes for tight pack-outs: Glacier Foam Bricks are foam-filled refrigerant blocks that retain their shape throughout the freeze-thaw cycle. This space-saving solution minimizes in-transit movement and facilitates tight pack-outs.
How to Optimize Cold Chain Shipping Solutions and Routes
How you plan shipments and implement gel cold packs can maximize your business’s cost savings. Use the following tips to boost efficiency and reduce overhead costs:
- Plan for different seasons: Track ambient temperatures throughout the year, and adjust packing processes for each season. You may need to use more cold packs during warmer months and scale back in the winter.
- Account for warmer routes: Identify which shipping routes take your packages through hot climates. Increase the number of cold packs you use based on the highest temperatures your packages may be exposed to.
- Factor delays into your plans: Work extra hold time into your shipping plans. This is a proactive way to prepare for unexpected delays and ensure your packages maintain safe temperature zones until they reach their destinations.
- Place gel packs in the most heat-sensitive areas: Avoid limiting gel packs to the top of products. Place them in heat-sensitive corners and sides to ensure even cooling.
Maintain Precise Temperatures With Dependable Gel Cold Packs
Ambient and room temperature are important factors in cold chain shipping, but maintaining package temperature is what protects your most sensitive products. Pelton Shepherd Industries offers innovative gel cold packs made of organic, biodegradable solutions to transform your cold chain shipping operations.
Our reliable, cost-effective solutions are safer to handle and easier to dispose of, improving your business’s environmental impact. Each line of gel packs is specially formulated to maintain precise eutectic points and resist leaks. Contact Pelton Shepherd to discover how our cutting-edge cold pack solutions can help you meet strict temperature requirements.
