FedEx introduces new cold shipping solution for healthcare industry in SA

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The FedEx Cold Shipping Solution includes cold shipping packaging for goods which require a refrigerated environment and can maintain constant 2–8°C environment inside the package for up to 48 hours for the standard duration box and up to 96 hours for the extended duration box.

Cost-effective and environmentally-friendly solution

This cold-shipping packaging is designed to be easy to use, reliable, cost effective and environmentally friendly. The solution can be used by the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries, as well as any shipper requiring low-temperature options for their goods. The packaging is smaller, lighter and more compact than most gel-pack systems, leading to lower shipping costs for the customer.

Through its temperature-controlled packaging solution, FedEx Express provides customers with safe and reliable options for transporting biogenetics, biomaterials and any other sensitive shipments to more than 220 countries and territories worldwide.

“FedEx temperature controlled packaging use cutting-edge technologies to provide healthcare suppliers with cost-effective and environmentally-friendly solutions for their life-saving products”, says Mike Higley, vice president of operations, FedEx Express Southern Africa.

Catering for a growing biopharmaceuticals market

Within the next few years, temperature-sensitive biopharmaceutical products such as biologics, drugs, vaccines, and blood products are expected to be used at approximately twice the rate of other pharmaceutical products. Although these products are becoming increasingly popular, the high costs, specialised storage and transportation requirements demand that every stage of the supply chain should monitor the temperature, light exposure, humidity and movement of the shipment.

The pharmaceutical market in South Africa is R39.5bn ($2.8bn), the largest in Sub-Sahara Africa, growing at a CAGR of 7.4 percent from 2014 – 2019, according to the latest IMS Health data.

“Launching this product in the South African region enables us to cater to this growing market with innovative solutions that truly transform healthcare logistics,” concludes Higley.