Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. (DNP) and Yusen Logistics Co, Ltd. (Yusen Logistics) will combine their respective strengths to deliver optimal temperature controlled international transportation solutions to their customers. The partners have conducted joint research into a multifunctional insulation box that facilitates temperature controlled international transportation of cargos, and have successfully developed a service that can be used with any transportation mode.

[Development]

When performing international multimodal transport of cargos requiring temperature control, it is necessary to arrange for insulated packaging and specialized refrigerator trucks and containers to match the number of transportation days. In such cases one challenge has been the need to open the packaging materials at the point of destination, and dispose of those materials. In addition, transporting costs have become expensive as a result of using refrigerated trucks and containers. In order to overcome this challenge, DNP focused on the properties of vacuum insulation panels, and has developed a multifunctional insulation box suitable for temperature controlled transportation. The vacuum insulation panels package insulation materials, such as glass wool and urethane, in a film with superior barrier features, then perform vacuum sealing. Compared to currently available insulation materials, it is possible to achieve similar insulation with just 5% of the thickness. In conjunction with Yusen Logistics, a company with strengths in international logistics, since 2015 the Company has been engaged in the development of products that reflect the needs of our customers.

[Multifunctional Insulation Box Features]

Through the use of vacuum insulation panels that employ specialized technology, the multifunctional insulation box maintains superior insulation and airtight features without the need for electricity, and as a result is designed to be suitable for a variety of transporting uses. And as a thermometer to measure the internal temperature is included as a standard fitting, it is also possible to perform temperature management, making the box particularly suitable for temperature controlled transportation.

Variety of multifunctional insulation box functions

By inserting insulation materials into the box, it becomes possible to perform frozen or temperature controlled transportation to match specific products or length of transportation. It is also possible to perform simulations of temperature differences inside the box containing the products, both in the transporting temperature environment, and over a specific number of transportation days. Doing so helps to optimize and reduce the volume of insulation materials.

Simulation of temperature controlled transportation of pharmaceuticals (chemicals)

Cargo volume: 81kg (9 tiers of 9 boxes containing 1kg of cargo) Temperature control: (shipped at 2°C-8°C).
Anticipated routing: Japan ⇒ Europe, airfreight (28 hours full itinerary).
Time zones: Japanese time, European time marked in square brackets []

[Shipping Proposal Case Study]

To date, when shipping by land it was necessary to hire a refrigerator truck even in instances where the volume of frozen cargo to be shipped was small. By using a multifunctional insulation box it becomes possible to maintain insulated conditions, facilitating the shipping of frozen cargo as part of a mixed load on a standard truck used in shipping at ordinary temperatures. At the same time, in regions such as South East Asia, where refrigerated trucks are in short supply, it is worth considering the use of such multifunctional insulation boxes in the cross border transportation of cargo.  
In loading dry containers during shipping by sea, there are instances of shipping where ambient temperature of the internal container is high. In order to avoid such high temperatures, reefer containers, equipped with devices that maintain the interior at a specific temperature, have been used. By using multifunctional insulation boxes, however, it becomes possible to load on dry containers and ship, while maintaining a set temperature range.
When controlling temperature in cases of air freighting, each separate package included insulation materials, and were shipped under "Keep Cool" instructions. By way of contrast, by using multifunctional insulation boxes, it becomes possible to ship such cargo in the same way as standard cargoes. Also, by collecting the boxes following use and utilizing them on a reusable basis, it is also possible to reduce the use of insulation materials, and employ them in an eco-friendly manner.
Using such boxes in shipping by land, air or sea is expected to lead to overall optimization through the improvement of transportation efficiency based on the maintenance of high quality.

[Target Cargo]

• Fruits and vegetables, processed foods and alcoholic beverages that require cold storage control.
  
• Medicines and pharmaceuticals, chemicals and industrial products requiring temperature control.

[Future Developments]

The partners will deliver optimal logistic solutions to customers by capitalizing on the manufacturing and internal box temperature simulation technologies of DNP and the global logistics network of Yusen Logistics, contributing to increased efficiency in supply chain logistics. Also, looking ahead, the partners will continue with joint research utilizing the know-how accumulated by both companies aiming to deliver new logistics solutions.

* Product prices, specification and service contents mentioned in this news release are current as of the date of publication. They may be changed at any time without notice.