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Five tips to ensuring product integrity in temperature-sensitive distribution

UPS points to risk management planning, limiting supply chain handoffs, and quality agreements among five vital tips for temperature-sensitive product packaging and distribution.

By 2016, eight of the top 10 and 27 of the top 50 best-selling global pharmaceutical products will be biotechnology-derived temperature-sensitive products (according to Cold Chain Biopharma Logistics Sourcebook 2012) which means many factors need to be addressed to ensure product integrity.

It’s essential for manufacturers to take steps early to prevent temperature excursions during the supply chain journey. From monitoring temperature stability throughout the different transportation lanes to choosing the right type of external packaging to ensure protection, new technologies and innovations enable more proactivity in protecting temperature-sensitive products. Here are five tips to consider when planning for temperature-sensitive product packaging and distribution:
 
1. Think outside the package to understand the transportation environment.
Packaging is the first line of defense in protecting temperature-sensitive products, but the key to success is in understanding that packaging decisions go beyond the package itself. Manufacturers need to know exactly how their packaged temperature-sensitive products will perform in a specific transportation environment. Some carriers can provide a detailed temperature profile map of their network, which will help in selecting the best packaging solution by lane. Consider either engaging a third-party logistics provider with extensive background in these areas or hiring an in-house packaging specialist. Also, ensure that you have access to regulatory expertise to stay ahead of complex global and regional compliance requirements.

2. Develop a risk management plan for temperature-sensitive products.
By far the most important aspect of developing a supply chain plan for temperature-sensitive products is ensuring contingency plans are in place. While protective packaging and visibility data are important, manufacturers could lose hundreds to millions of dollars from spoiled products if they are unable to intervene when products deviate from their temperature range. A good risk management plan, created with a third-party expert logistics partner, will leverage historical product-specific temperature data to help map out potential scenarios and step-by-step solutions that can save entire shipments.

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