When it comes to packing most goods, the solutions are fairly obvious. They can go in big or small boxes according to size, while the amount of bubble wrap, shredded paper, or foam used will depend on factors such as their shape and also how fragile they are.

However, in some cases, bespoke packaging solutions are needed because there are some very special requirements. Good examples of this would be when a material is potentially hazardous and needs extra security to protect against the possibility of an accident. Another is temperature sensitivity.

Keeping Cold For COVID

The second of these issues occurred on a grand scale in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, when the first vaccines were created. The first to demonstrate efficacy was the Pfizer vaccine using messenger RNA technology.

While this brought hope to millions that lockdowns would soon be eased, there was a big problem; it had to be stored at ultra-low temperatures, between -90 and -60 degrees C.

This was manageable enough in Western countries with the facilities to store the jabs in large quantities, but clearly posed a huge challenge in reaching remote communities in developing countries without such infrastructure.

In that instance, the solution was to use alternatives like the jab developed by Astra-Zeneca and Oxford University, which could be kept at between two and eight degrees C, more like normal fridge temperature, making it much easier to move around.

The chances are that if you have something that needs keeping at a certain temperature, it isn’t an item designed to be given to hundreds of millions of people to ease a killer pandemic. But it still needs to be kept at the right temperature to prevent it from either decaying or losing its essential quality in another way.

Keeping Food Cold

Food is the most obvious type of item that needs temperature control. Some items can happily manage being moved around at an ambient temperature. Others need to be kept at fridge temperature, such as dairy products, while frozen foods must be kept below zero.

A householder taking cold items with them for a purpose like a picnic will use items like a cool box and the same principle can be used for transporting cold food.

There are various materials suited to keeping things very cold. The principle is the same as used when maintaining high temperatures; insulation prevents cold air from escaping as much as warm air, so if something is cold and well insulated, it can stay that way.

Among these materials are aluminium (used in cool bag liners), polyurethane (commonly used in cool boxes), Styrofoam, plastic, fibreglass, wood, cardboard and felt.

In addition to that, a vacuum also works as heat only gets through it if it is radiated (like the heat from the sun that passes through the vacuum of space to Earth). It cannot transfer through airflow.

This may be supplemented by other measures to keep something cold, such as having ice packs, again just like you would if you were transporting items in a cool box or cool bag.

Keeping Food Hot

Similarly, you will find that these substances will also be very useful for helping keep something warm. Here, the principle is the same as insulating a building, with heat being kept in and this ensures you don’t have to constantly generate more heat to maintain a temperature.

The difference, of course, is that in your house that means you don’t have to keep the fire or central heating on high and can enjoy the preserved warmth, while in packaging there is no option for generating extra heat from within, so maintaining the temperature is vital.

In many ways, this is like the packaging used when you are served food in a takeaway setting, with even a paper bag providing some insulation. However, because the packaging is not air-tight, the heat soon escapes. In this case, it has to be maintained.

Not Just About Food

If maintaining food temperature is important, this is even more so for other substances. The example of the COVID jabs is a prime case of how medicines may need to be kept within a certain temperature range, but it is far from the only one.

Another example may be that of substances that could become volatile or even explosive if they stray outside the required temperature range.

All this shows that for some substances, any old packaging will not do. Depending on what it is, you need specialised packaging and tailor-made solutions that can keep your goods exactly as hot or cold as they need to be. Only those who are experienced and equipped to meet a wide range of packaging needs will be able to ensure you get this service.