Sponsored: Vacuum insulation technology takes a decisive role in global temperature-controlled supply chain

One of the first scientists who commercially used vacuum insulation was Reinhold Burger, who invented the famous “Thermos” bottle in 1904.

After that vacuum as an insulation material became more and more common in various areas and industries.

In recent months this technology has gained even more attention as it has been the one technology, integrated in thermal boxes and containers, which enabled the global distribution of Covid-19 test kits and vaccines.

For over 20 years now, the German company va-Q-tec has been doing valuable pioneering work in the field of thermal insulation using vacuum insulation panels (VIPs).

The founding idea already included a more disruptive approach: originally developed as a highly efficient insulation material for the construction industry, va-Q-tec has since become a highly sought-after supplier of innovative thermal boxes and containers that meet even the most demanding standards of temperature-controlled logistics.

The company, which has globally eight subsidiaries, now offers a broad product portfolio.

It ranges from multi-use solutions that can be rented or purchased to special solutions for reliable and environmentally friendly transport to countries with less-developed logistics infrastructures.

Especially in the context of the coronavirus pandemic, va-Q-tec’s agile, progressive approach became apparent: Within a very short time, it developed a special solution for the transport of Covid vaccines – the va-Q-pal SI, which was precisely tailored to these special requirements.

Source: va-Q-tec

This rapid product development was made possible by the flexible and versatile key technology of the company, which has experienced a breakthrough not only in public perception at the latest since the Corona pandemic and the associated challenges of thermal logistics: va-Q-tec combines its innovative insulation material, called vacuum insulation panels (VIPs), with temperature storage elements (phase change materials -“PCMs”) to create highly efficient thermal boxes and containers, which have become one of the most sought-after solutions on the market to date.

Thanks to their variable technology in various sizes and temperature ranges from -70 °C to +25 °C, they are the ideal solution for large-volume long-distance transports as well as for the fine distribution of valuable pharmaceuticals over the last mile.

They made the largest global vaccination campaign of all time possible during the Covid pandemic, but have also been used for the international, temperature-controlled logistics of test kits from the very beginning.

However, the use of advanced passive thermal boxes and containers for temperature-controlled supply chains has not just been growing since the coronavirus outbreak: it has been growing steadily since the biotech industry boom of the early 2000s.

In most cases, they are the first choice when it comes to transporting temperature-sensitive products, such as pharmaceuticals, active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) or chemicals.

Completely novel and temperature-sensitive mRNA vaccines promise a way out of the global infectious disease situation, but have to be transported in high-tech thermoboxes and -containers.

And the market with mRNA vaccines and drugs will continue to grow, with promising approaches for therapies for cancer and other diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS).

However, the deployment for the global Covid vaccine campaign is still ongoing, so va-Q-tec expects an unbroken deployment of its delivery solutions: Just under 10.1 billion vaccine doses have been administered worldwide [as of Feb. 03, 2022], representing a global vaccination rate of approximately 53.6%. The company estimates that approximately 90% of all international Covid vaccine shipments were handled using the key technology pioneered by the German company.

However, these were primarily delivered to industrialized nations in the Northern Hemisphere. A large proportion of the population in developing and emerging countries is still waiting for protection against a severe Covid case.

Source: va-Q-tec

Especially for the transports to countries with challenging climatic conditions, va-Q-tec has developed a special solution with the va-Q-pal SI based on the outstanding passive technology of va-Q-tec.

With the help of this transport solution, regions with less-developed logistics infrastructure can now also be reliably supplied in a temperature-controlled manner.

Within the COVAX program more than 1 billion vaccine doses have been distributed to these countries so far. va-Q-tec supports this initiative since its beginning by using its products and services and turns out to be the ideal partner for the involved logistics and airfreight companies due to its years of experience and special expertise.

Dr. Joachim Kuhn, CEO and founder of va-Q-tec AG, comments: “I am very proud to have pioneered and continuously developed VIP technology together with my motivated team. Today, we are an important part in the fight against the globally raging Corona pandemic with our worldwide operating box and container fleet.

“In the future, we will continue to be a relevant partner in the fight against other diseases, not afraid to contribute massively to the further development of safe, reliable and sustainable temperature-controlled supply chains. It has been shown that our key technology together with our permanent drive for further development is an important part of our success!”

For further information visit Virtual Forum | va-Q-tec.