Thermo King helps cold chain firms to move Covid vaccines across India

July 19, 2021: Thermo King by Trane Technologies is strengthening India’s Covid-19 vaccination drive with its end-to-end refrigerated transportation and storage solutions. 

“Major logistics companies in the country like Coldrush Logistics, Snowman Logistics, Coldman Logistics, Geetee Carriers, Algor Supply Chain Solutions and Reema Transport among others are using Thermo King refrigeration units to move the life-saving vaccines to vaccination sites,” reads the release. 

Kishor Patil, Trane Technologies HVAC & Transport, India & SAARC country leader, said, “Considering the urgent need for all vaccines, including those used in the country today and those on their ways, such as Moderna and Pfizer BioNTech, India cannot afford breaks in the cold chain of a temperature-sensitive vaccine, whether they are being shipped by air, sea, road or rail. The result could be the loss of an entire load of high-value, life-saving vaccine for the many people in India who remain unvaccinated.”

Thermo King refrigeration units can maintain the right temperatures, from 25  to – 70 degree Celsius for an extended period, and can help reduce the risk of degradation of the vaccine, keeping it safe and stable every step of the way.

“Our cold chain solutions can help prevent vaccine deserts where there is lack of accessibility, throughout India’s large population spread across vast and varied geographies, from densely populated cities to far-flung rural communities,” Kishor added.

Thermo King is supporting the seamless and safe transportation of Covishield, Covaxin and Sputnik vaccines to cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Kolkata and Chandigarh, as well as to remote areas. 

The company is also ready to support the arrival of new vaccines as they are approved for India, including those with ultra-low temperature requirements like Pfizer BioNTech. Thermo King’s SuperFreezers support an ultra-low setpoint of -70C and can store up to 60 times more doses compared to traditional reach-in freezers. These solutions can also extend the life of dry ice, or even eliminate the need for it. 

In the U.S, Thermo King’s refrigeration units are being used to transport and distribute Pfizer vaccines by transport companies such as FedEx and UPS. 

“We are optimistic that our experience in the distribution of vaccines in the U.S will help us play a critical role in the vaccine’s administration in India,” Kishor said.

Thermo King works with a global network of nearly 900 dealers and partners, including about 60 in India, to provide end-to-end temperature control solutions for food, medicines, vaccines, and other important cargo. Along with SuperFreezers, its portfolio includes road transport solutions (truck & trailers), air transport solutions, marine transport solutions, containers and portable cubes that can easily be scaled and repositioned to different locations as demand changes.