So you have your packaging, your refrigerants, a temperature monitoring device and have arranged temperature controlled transport... You're all set! You've done everything in your power to ensure your product reaches it's destination having been transported within the desired temperature range... or have you?

How much do you know about the temperatures outside of your packaging? How aware are you about the impact external temperatures have on the internal temperatures of your packaging?

It might not seem important, but if you consider the journey of your package you might start to change your mind. Take for example a product travelling from France to China; this product will travel by road, plane and then road again - but the journey will not be as free flowing as you might think, there will be times when your package stops moving. This could happen on tarmac at Dubai airport for example where your package could be subject to external temperatures up to 50°c.

So now what? Well, you could start to gather data on the external temperatures in your supply chain. You can do this by recording temperature data for three weeks in the middle of summer, and three weeks in the middle of winter. You should now have a picture of the most extreme high and low temperatures your packaging will be subject to all year round.

So what is the point of gathering this data? Firstly, it can identify risk areas within your supply chain, and you may be able to overcome these risks by moving product through different areas or in different ways. You can also use this data to create your own 'temperature profile', this can be very useful as you could pre-qualify your packaging to the temperature profile you have created - therefore making your 'pre-qualification' relevant to the actual conditions the package will experience as it moves through your supply chain.

Cryopak can offer a tailored service for lane validation requirements, helping you to gather meaningful data and putting the data to good use. If you would like more information on Cryopak's services please click here.