FROM MAGAZINE: SkyCell keeps it cool
One of the major aspects of the pharmaceutical supply chain is to ensure that the drugs are delivered to the patient without the loss of the therapeutic properties. This is where SkyCell containers play a major role, as it helps to maintain the quality of healthcare products. The SkyCell containers are a hybrid mix between active and passive temperature management solutions.
The Indian pharmaceutical industry is constantly striving for efficient pharma supply chain so that medicines reach the end consumer with the quality intact. Therefore, a lot of compliance norms are getting more and more stringent for this industry. GMP and GDP have really changed the way pharma companies produce and distribute their medicines to the last mile.
Secure temperature management is a very important aspect of this process and development, and most companies are always exploring possibilities to eliminate the risk of temperature excursions within their supply chain. Especially, in India, where ambient external temperature due to weather conditions during summer is so high at all our main gateway airports, the focus on this aspect has grown manifold in the past few years.
Pharma companies have been looking at mitigating the risk of temperature spikes with active and passive solutions. One of the emerging products in this temperature sensitive industry, SkyCell addresses a wide gap between the existing solutions.
SkyCell has launched the 1500C, a second container size for high-value, 2°C to 8°C shipments. It can be loaded using a U.S. pallet, or with 1,500 L of volume, and complements SkyCell 770C with its 770 L payload, which is suitable for high-value, low-volume shipments. The 1500C and 770C protect products from long exposure to extreme heat and cold, which could range from 65°C on the tarmac in Dubai to −35°C in Alaska.
One of the distinct features of this product is the “cold energy battery”. The SkyCell 770C and 1500C “cold-energy battery” operates only on temperature differences – so energy and runtime are only reduced when the temperature is greater than +5°C and lower than +2°C. If at some point during its journey the SkyCell unit is placed back into a refrigerated area, such as a warehouse or chilled truck at +5°C, the unit starts to recharge again. Also, if the temperature is consistently between +2°C and +5°C, no energy is consumed and there is no reduction in the container’s runtime.
Its longest shipment to date has been 31 days, enabled by the auto-recharging capability in an ambient temperature of 5°C.
Another aspect of cloud monitoring (near real time monitoring) makes the product unique. SkyCell containers permanently monitor the inside and outside temperature. The monitoring applications include: internal quality processes, consignment stock, delayed shipments (shipments that do not leave the factory/warehouse) and backup to Pharma companies’ own USB temperature monitoring devices.
The product also ensures sustainability, which has been a concerning issue since the last few years. The lower weight and higher net volume efficiency of SkyCell containers ensure that CO2 emissions are 20 percent to 50 percent lower compared to active RKNs.
Freight forwarder Penta Freight has partnered with SkyCell AG to introduce and market their containers in India. With Penta’s vast expertise and deep understanding of international Pharma logistics, SkyCell has found the right strategic fit in Penta. Penta’s staff has been trained with in-depth product knowledge and the operational processes required to offer SkyCell as a complete solution to the end customer.
Ergo, these containers are fully customised to meet the standards of transporting temperature sensitive shipments.
