Sofrigam embraces Big Data with new generation iBox cold chain containers

news-releasesSofrigam S.A
October 5th 2016
Rueil-Malmaison, France: – Pharmaceutical cold chain packaging specialist Sofrigam S.A. says Big Data – the mining of huge semi-structured data sets for predictive or analytical information – is the next big trend in pharmaceutical logistics.

The French-based company has moved to anticipate the trend with its latest generation of high-tech cold chain iBox semi-active temperature controlled containers that incorporate inbuilt temperature regulation system and on-board electronics that accumulate data as they maintain exact temperature and provide accurate monitoring across shipment.

Temperature-sensitive boom

As Big Pharma becomes even bigger, growing from current global worth of $300 billion to $400 billion by 2020, according to the World Health Organization estimates, cold chain support, including packaging, becomes increasingly critical. Much of the industry growth is powered by temperature-sensitive biologics and biosimilars that account for more than 50 percent of new drugs and likely to represent 23 per cent of all industry drugs and medicines by 2017.

“Not only these types of drugs require strict temperature control, they are increasingly being shipped to emerging markets with extreme temperature ranges, further driving the need for an innovative cold supply chain and packaging,” pointed out Sofrigam founder and CEO, Gilles Labranque.

Big Data opportunity

“In this context, pharmaceutical companies are more and more constrained by regulations. For all these reasons, traceability of products has become essential. Big Data provides an opportunity to improve monitoring of the conditions of transport and ensure the traceability of products transported across the whole logistics chain,” Labranque commented.

“The challenges of pharmaceutical logistics via the cold chain are many: medicine security, management of temperature traceability, optimization of costs and minimization of environmental impact. This is true, especially since these challenges arise at several stages of the logistics chain: prior to the supply of raw materials for the production of medicines (molecules, stem cells, etc.), and following intercontinental, national, regional distribution, right down to the last mile of the finished products,” said Labranque.

“Internationally, the development of new high-tech products such as the iBox demonstrates the desire of Sofrigam to extend our sector of activity into new growth markets. Today we no longer just sell products but rather a global range of services, we want to develop our global support ranges for the client to facilitate the management of their logistics via the cold chain,” he added.

Minimizing TCO

“At Sofrigam, we have focused design of our new insulated packaging range on need to minimize cold chain TCO – total cost of ownership,” commented, Chief Executive Officer of Sofrigam.

“This means making packaging cost efficient in optimizing supply chain costs and guaranteeing optimal risk management. The cost of packaging is only one component: we also focus on total cost of their operations, which includes all the outbound distribution costs as well,” said Labranque, pointing out that packaging makes up only about 20 per cent of supply chain costs, dwarfed by distribution charges.

“That’s why our packaging ranges are designed around an algorithm known as the “3M Policy: maximize volume, minimize package weight and minimize handling time,” Labranque explained.

About Sofrigam

Founded by industrial pharmacist Gilles Labranque in 1979, Sofrigam has become the leading European expert in maintaining the cold chain for the life science industries. providing refrigerated packaging solutions dedicated to the pharmaceutical industry. Sofrigam offers a complete range of customized, pre-qualified temperature-controlled packaging solutions for heat-sensitive biopharmaceutical, chemical, biotechnology and cosmetics products.

Sofrigam has become one of Europe’s leading cold chain specialists, sharing its expertise via seminars, publications and R&D collaborations. It also offers customized products and services designed to achieve cold logistics that are secure, cost-effective and comprehensively compliant.

The company is headquartered in Ile-de-France with a production site near Arras.

Following 2014/2015 expansion, the design and manufacturing plant for Sofrigam insulated packaging located in Monchy-le-Preux in France is now the biggest site in the world dedicated exclusively to temperature-controlled packaging solutions.

Sofrigam partners with Ater Métrologie, a French-based ISTA and ISO 9001 certified laboratory that specializes in testing, validating and pre-qualifying temperature-controlled packaging and cooling systems. The laboratory carries out some 2,000 tests each year.

In 2016, Sofrigam remodeled its product ranges to present a new and more dynamic visual identity, intended to facilitate understanding of its activity on the international stage where it achieves 90% of its turnover. The company has also announced new development prospects based on innovations resulting from its own research and development programs.