How to Ship Products Using Cryogenic Containers with Marathon Products
Cryogenic shipping is the coldest shipping method, offering comprehensive shipping solutions for hospitals and laboratories. But even with the evident benefits, this shipping method can be a little tricky. Improve and secure your shipments using high-quality cryogenic containers with Marathon Products.
Key Takeaways
- Shipping products using cryogenic containers offers endless benefits, but it does have some challenges.
- Marathon Products has the expertise to streamline the shipping process with high-quality cryogenic containers.
- Document, label, and offer protective cases for your cryogenic shipment alongside dedicated support with Marathon Products.
One of the biggest challenges facing the pharmaceutical industry is safely transporting medication and other temperature-sensitive products. According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 50% of vaccines and other drugs go to waste each year globally. And most of the time, this is attributed to a lack of adequate temperature control and logistics support in the cold chain.
Many companies now use cryogenic containers to transport medical products to curb this issue. Unfortunately, ensuring the safety of temperature-sensitive products is a complex process that goes beyond simply maintaining low temperatures – there’s also the need to ensure they stay that way for as long as possible.
That’s where cryogenic containers from Marathon Products come in. As a leading producer and distributor of cold-chain temperature environmental devices, Marathon Products offer quality cryogenic containers to help you ship medical-grade products safely.
This unrelenting commitment is backed by over 30 years of experience offering high-quality, affordable solutions and personalized services. Here is how to ship products using cryogenic containers with our expert assistance.
What are cryogenic containers?
Cryogenic containers, also called cryo-cans, are double-walled, vacuum-sealed vessels with multi-layer insulation in the annular space. The vacuum-sealed construction, coupled with the multi-layer insulation, effectively reduces heat transfer by convection and conduction.
This unique design makes them suitable for storing and transporting liquefied gasses at cryogenic temperatures (temperatures lower than –130°F).
When transporting temperature-sensitive products, companies often fill these containers with cryogenic liquids like liquefied nitrogen or helium, which provide extremely cold environments. So, how do you ship products using cryogenic containers from Marathon Products?
How to ship products using cryogenic containers
Shipping products using cryogenic containers is an intricate process that, if not done right, could damage the entire shipment. The good news is that Marathon Products can make the process easier. Here’s how we do it:
1. Choosing a suitable cryogenic container
Cryogenic containers come in various sizes and design configurations, each suited for specific applications. For instance, items like the Taylor Wharton Dry Shippers are designed for short-term storage and transport. They don’t offer any means of temperature monitoring but are incredibly effective in maintaining cryogenic temperatures.
Conversely, refrigerators and freezers like the CBS Cryosystems Storage Solutions come equipped with temperature sensors and alert systems, making them suitable for long-term storage and transport requirements.
2. Preparing the products for shipping
Before shipment, medical products like vaccines, biological samples, and pharmaceuticals must be prepared adequately, including proper packaging. Failure to do this may result in damage or contamination. Therefore, part of our work is appropriately labeling and securing the products. Even better, our cryogenic containers have racks that make this process much more manageable.
3. Filling the containers with cryogenic liquid
The pharma sector typically relies on liquefied nitrogen and helium to keep the contents of their cryo-cans at the required temperatures. Regardless of the cryogenic liquid used, the container should be appropriately sealed to prevent unwanted evaporation and leakage, which leads to temperature excursions.
Fortunately, our cryogenic containers feature effective locking mechanisms to prevent evaporation. They also have absorbent walls that prevent spillage when the container is tipped over during transport or unloading.
4. Using appropriate shipping methods (H3)
Your chosen transport method depends on what you’re transporting and how soon you need it to reach its destination. Most temperature-sensitive products require fast shipping methods, and selecting the perfect option will make the efforts simpler and more efficient.
Despite their efficient construction to maintain low temperatures, cryo-cans are prone to slight temperature variations during transport. For this reason, some companies prefer shipping their products by air for longer distances.
You can still choose ground transport, however, provided the distance is short. But a strict environmental temperature control system should be in place – a feat Marathon Products has accomplished with modern and efficient temperature monitoring devices.
If you’re not sure which option is suitable for your industry and your needs, the pros at Marathon Products can help you determine what’s best for you.
How do companies use cryogenic shipping containers?
Cryogenic shipping containers have numerous use cases in the medical and bioproducts supply chain. Here are several ways companies use cryogenic containers from Marathon Products.
-Shipping biological samples
Hospitals, medical laboratories, and research institutes often deal with temperature-sensitive products such as blood samples, tissues, and cells. Using cryogenic containers to transport these products keeps them at ideal temperature conditions, ensuring their integrity and viability.
-Shipping pharmaceuticals
Some pharmaceutical products, like vaccines, require ultra-low temperature storage conditions. Failure to maintain these temperatures can cause them to lose potency or even become ineffective, not to mention the chances of them going bad. Cryogenic containers help keep these products at highly low-temperature conditions, maintaining their quality.
-Transporting research materials
Medical research materials like DNA and RND can degrade when exposed to high temperatures – even if the temperatures are just below freezing point. This is because crystal formation during freezing, coupled with the repeated freezing and thawing cycles that come with regular refrigeration, can degrade them at the molecular level.
To prevent biological research materials from degrading, medical facilities store them at temperatures below –112°F. Cryogenic containers can help researchers maintain these temperatures since they average at –130°F.
There are many other uses for cryogenic container shipping, and it can be used across a wide variety of industries. No matter your cryogenic shipping needs, Marathon Product can help.
Ensure the safety of your products using cryogenic containers with Marathon Products
Cryogenic containers offer the coldest shipping options available. This unique quality makes them integral to medical laboratory storage and shipping infrastructure. Cryogenic containers can keep medical temperature-sensitive materials safe for up to ten days when used correctly.
But you can only get the best from these unique shipping methods if you partner with the right provider, like Marathon Products. As a leading provider of temperature environmental sensors for low- and high-temperature applications, we can help you effectively and effortlessly ship products using cryogenic containers.
Alongside our high-quality cryo-cans and related products, we guarantee dedicated support throughout the process. Contact Marathon Products today for all your cold chain temperature monitoring needs.