Sonoco ThermoSafe brings dimensional-weight packaging to the cold chain

Several major air carriers and express delivery services have announced plans beginning in 2015 to bill shippers for the “dimensional weight” of their packages, which takes into account the size of the package as well as its weight. To meet optimal cost and shipping factors like this, Sonoco ThermoSafe (Arlington Heights, IL) is now marketing the Envoy Direct series of temperature-controlled packaging. Specialty pharmacies, mail order and similar drug dispensers can use the packages to make cost-effective deliveries to the patient’s home, for example.

The Envoy Direct series maintains refrigerated temperatures for a duration of one day and is tested to the ISTA 7E profile, says the company. Depending on the level of protection required, the packaging solutions are available with either its PolarPack gel packs or PolarPack foam bricks as refrigerants. The product is part of the company’s larger Envoy line, which includes packages of 3- to 40-liter capacity, and a kit for assembling a temperature-controlled package for shipping diagnostic materials and samples.