The new technology, which will trigger volumetric weight cost savings for clients of the company, uses a unique cooling system. Operated at temperatures of two to eight degrees centigrade, the system works through the evaporation of a small amount of water within the shipper lid. The technology ensures that the evaporation creates a cooling effect, which is seven times greater than that achieved by conventional gel packs.

The shippers, which have a far smaller external dimension than the equivalent shippers used elsewhere, were introduced by the company to generate larger savings in shipper costs to provide significant savings for our customers.

Rachel Griffiths, operations director at Biotec Services International said: "The process that we have introduced enables the shipper to maintain low temperatures more effectively than standard shippers. It also removes the requirement for frozen gel packs within the system, therefore minimising the risk of the shipment freezing".

Ms Griffiths continued: "As specialists in the cold chain supply of pharmaceuticals, it is important that we are able to offer clients innovative solutions to difficulties faced during shipment of cool and frozen materials, and furthermore, that these solutions are highly secure and extremely cost effective".

Biotec has also introduced Phase Change shippers, operating at minus twenty degrees centigrade. Using phase change technology, the equipment will enable Biotec to ensure that products are maintained at precisely the correct temperature within the shipper. With phase change panels designed to change from solid to liquid or from liquid to solid, at different temperatures, the shipper has the ability to be configured to the temperature range required.

Having carried out extensive testing of the shippers, the team found that transit times of 96 hours were achievable within the temperature specification of minus fifteen centigrade to minus twenty five centigrade.

Ms Griffiths said: "This is a step which is hugely important for Biotec as a company which prioritises the needs of its clients. We are always working to offer more cost effective solutions for clients worldwide; now with the new technology at our disposal, we can remove some of the difficulties that previously hindered the shipment of temperature sensitive materials".