Knowledge / Transport and handover
Selecting Pallet Shippers for Pharmaceutical Transport
A passive pallet shipper maintains a larger quantity of goods within the intended temperature range using insulation and prepared cooling elements. It can replace several parcel packages if the goods are delivered together and loading, transport and unloading suit the system. Alongside temperature testing, external dimensions and the recipient’s equipment therefore matter.
Practical guidance
Will the goods fit in a pallet shipper, and can the sender, carrier and recipient move, open and unload it?
Looking for a specific pallet shipping system?
Compare THERMOCON Pallet Line by product space, temperature range and required shipping duration.
Product image of pallet packaging with cartons. Permitted arrangement and load quantity are defined in the packing instructions.
Prepare a Pallet Shipper Requirements Sheet
Record the full shipping task before comparing model capacities. Leave unknown values open and identify who will provide them.
| Check | Your shipment data | Evidence or responsible person |
|---|---|---|
| Product temperature limits | __________ | __________ |
| Minimum and maximum load: dimensions, mass and starting temperature | __________ | __________ |
| Arrangement, partial loads and clearances | __________ | __________ |
| Duration including collection, transfers, customs and storage | __________ | __________ |
| Ambient conditions and controlled or uncontrolled stages | __________ | __________ |
| Finished external dimensions and gross weight | __________ | __________ |
| Handling equipment, doors and floor space at both sites | __________ | __________ |
| Coolant packs and conditioning | __________ | __________ |
| Packing instructions and corresponding qualification report | __________ | __________ |
In this guide
- Ship one pallet or several parcels?
- Describe the payload with dimensions, mass and positions
- Clarify external dimensions and unloading equipment early
- Keep the specified air paths clear during loading
- Less repacking can mean more freight volume
- Count from packing to storage, not just flight time
- Request the test report for the offered configuration
Ship one pallet or several parcels?
A consolidated pallet shipment can reduce individual packing operations. Whether it also reduces freight volume and cost depends on construction and utilisation. For small quantities, large pallet packaging can occupy unnecessary space.
Check whether all products require the same temperature range and should arrive together. If the delivery is split in transit, the removed quantities must remain protected afterwards.
| Criterion | Investigate pallet shipping when… | Consider parcels when… | Data needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recipients | Goods travel together to one receiving point. | Consignments go to different recipients. | Order and delivery structure. |
| Load | A larger combined load is shipped regularly. | Orders are small or vary substantially. | Minimum and maximum shipment sizes. |
| Handling | All sites have suitable equipment and access. | Pallet handling or access is restricted. | Doors, equipment and receiving arrangements. |
| Labour and freight | Consolidation may reduce packing operations. | Smaller units may make better use of available space. | Packing time, finished dimensions and freight quotation. |
Splitting a load must preserve the required product protection. Compare the complete operating costs using the cost-per-shipment guide.
Describe the payload with dimensions, mass and positions
- Smallest and largest payload, with dimensions, mass and initial temperature.
- Arrangement of cartons or containers, including gaps, edge clearances and separating layers.
- Type, number and position of cooling elements.
- Intended partial loads and different container formats.
- Sensor positions at expected warm and cold product locations.
A large product mass can slow temperature change. It does not guarantee uniform temperature throughout the load. Check edge and contact positions as well as the interior.
The comparison of active and passive cooling explains when actively temperature-controlled transport or a combination may be suitable.
Clarify external dimensions and unloading equipment early
Agree pallet format, gross weight, stackability and required equipment with everyone involved. For air freight, the finished external dimensions must suit the carrier and loading unit used. “Euro pallet format” alone does not demonstrate suitability.
At the receiving site, check doors, floor space, pallet trucks or forklifts, and room for opening. At the dispatch site, assembly space and equipment capacity for preparing cooling elements must be sufficient. The qualification guide shows how the intended configuration is documented during testing.
Keep the specified air paths clear during loading
In larger packaging, natural air movement can contribute to temperature distribution. An air channel included in the tested configuration must therefore not be arbitrarily filled with additional goods. The packing instructions must identify the gaps intended for this purpose.
Full and partial loads should be tested together with the intended air paths. Positions and cooling medium quantities must be defined for your configuration.
Request a rationale for sensor locations at edges and corners, within the goods and close to cooling elements. A single logger in the centre can miss temperature excursions elsewhere.
Less repacking can mean more freight volume
If the packaging accommodates a fully packed product pallet, repacking can be avoided. However, the larger external dimensions may use a loading area or air freight contour less efficiently. A more compact solution may, conversely, require additional loading and unloading work.
Example: A regularly full pallet goes to a goods-receiving area with a pallet truck and sufficient space. A small quantity goes to a laboratory with narrow doors and limited floor space. Different packaging may suit these two recipients.
Compare packing and unloading time, finished external dimensions, gross weight and usable loading positions. Savings from another organisation’s case study do not replace this calculation for your shipping operation.
For a model comparison, record product-compartment dimensions and finished external dimensions separately. A nominal litre value does not establish how your load fits, the permitted payload mass or thermal performance. Use the published specifications for the exact model in Pallet Line and request any missing handling or test information.
Count from packing to storage, not just flight time
Record preparation and collection, handling, possible waiting times on the airport apron, customs and onward transport until storage. Identify which stages are temperature-controlled and where the packaging alone protects against ambient temperatures.
Also plan for a delayed connection or unavailable storage space. Define who responds and which tested intermediate storage arrangement or other action is possible.
For frozen shipments, the comparison of dry ice and PCM −21 also addresses material availability and planned replenishment.
Request the test report for the offered configuration
The evidence must cover the intended payload and cooling element variant. A different temperature range may require a different set of packs. Which combination may be used in the same pallet frame must be explicitly defined.
THERMOCON Pallet Line includes different pallet systems. For initial selection, provide payload data, temperature range, duration and external dimension limits. This allows assessment of whether a pallet solution fits or several parcels would better serve the shipment.
Source: THERMOCON: Pallet Line.
Sources
- THERMOCON: Pallet Line. THERMOCON pallet systems and available configurations.
Editorially updated on 5 November 2026.
Enquire about pallet packaging from THERMOCON
Specify product quantity, loading pattern, temperature range and shipping duration. Add permitted external dimensions and the recipient’s facilities for moving and unloading the shipment.