A unique solution for the transportation of clinical and diagnostic specimens has won the Technology Innovation Award.
The Thermacor pack is produced by Hereford-based Dyecor and is the result of an 18-month development project.
International Air Transportation Association (IATA) legislation for transporting UN3373 clinical and diagnostic specimens requires liquid packages to be drop tested, capable of absorbing the entire liquid content, and primary or secondary packaging layers to be 95-kilopascals rated.
When Royal Mail implemented its "Pricing in Proportion", the cost of posting packages larger than 25mm deep more that doubled. Dyecor identified a gap in the market for a thermoformable absorbent film for IATA-approved medical packaging that was slim enough for postage.
The Thermacor pack is produced by the encapsulation of Dyecor's super absorbent powder between two heat-bonded layers of PP and a rigid plastic film. The thermoplastic qualities of the absorbent material adhere it to the rigid film as it passes through the thermoformer, creating a perfectly formed shape around the custom mould, which is then automatically cut out ready for packing and shipping.
The Thermacor has an absorbency of 20 litres per square metre, which ensures that any shape, from bottles to bags, vials and jars, can be transported in its own custom-formed cavity. Any spillage is absorbed and the contour-hugging thermoformed product provides excellent shock absorption.
The event was sponsored by the PPMA Show at this year's UK Packaging Awards.