News | June 4, 2012

ShockWatch® Announces Industry's First Single-Use Time-Temperature Indicators That Require No Special Packaging, Reducing Cost Of Ownership

Source: ShockWatch

No special packaging, refrigerant or overnight shipping required, significantly reduces indicator cost of ownership

  • New ColdMark® offers simple indication of a low temperature breach
  • New WarmMark® shows cumulative amount of time exposure to a temperature threshold

ShockWatch, recently announced two new single-use, cold chain temperature indicators, theColdMark and WarmMark. These new indicators dramatically decrease the overall cost of this type of device through the ability to ship the time-temperature indicators to customers without special packaging or handling: A first in the industry.

These new products were entirely designed from the ground up  to be low-cost, and help optimize the cold chain by immediately alerting manufacturers, handlers and receivers when a product has been exposed to temperature conditions beyond a specified threshold. Both product lines are field armable, individually marked to assist tracking, are water resistant, and come with certificates of conformance.

Markets best suited for these devices are the pharmaceutical and biologics market and thefood industry, where temperature compliance is a quality and safety concern worldwide.

  • The WarmMark detects exposure to unacceptably high temperatures and shows the cumulative amount of time exposure to a temperature threshold. The WarmMark is an entirely new generation of indicator that offers industry leading improvements in performance, accuracy and construction, which in the end, offer customers enhanced product quality.
  • The entirely new ColdMark provides a simple indication of a low temperature breach and requires no special packaging or overnight shipping of the indicator itself, saving up to xx dollars from traditional temperature indicators.

Both are available in multiple temperature sensitivities with specific sensitivities for pharmaceutical and biologics applications. Other applications include chemicals,, plants and produce, live animals or film.

“Typical descending temperature indicators have to be shipped and handled carefully due to the fact that most are shipped from the manufacturer live”, meaning they have to be shipped in cold chain packaging, said Kevin Kohleriter, VP of Marketing and Product Management. “Since these new devices are field armable, they can be shipped in smaller quantities and with no special packaging, heat packs, refrigerants, etc. This decreases packaging weight, and the need for express shipping methods. We are estimating that the packaging cost savings would be around 50% less than existing solutions on the market today.”

Both products have a unique activation “button” that, once pushed activates, pushing a fluid into a cavity that only begins showing exposure to temperatures that are beyond its specified temperature threshold. The WarmMark dye stops progressing after it is brought back into spec, showing how long the product was exposed to an out of tolerance temperature. With its easy-to-read window and definitive color change, immediate decisions can be made about the integrity of the cold chain.

Strategic Partnership with Timestrip UK LTD results in immediate benefit to the market
Also announced today is a strategic partnership between Timestrip, UK LTD and ShockWatch, Inc.  Timestrip is a leading developer of technologically advanced, low-cost ‘smart’ indicators that monitor elapsed time and/or temperature changes. The partnership has resulted in not only worldwide support for these next generation indicators, but expands the ShockWatch portfolio to include additional temperature ranges and armable devices that enhance an already robust temperature and impact recorder line.

Part of a complete line of temperature product
The ColdMark and WarmMark are part of a complete line of temperature monitoring devices available from ShockWatch. These products include the TempMark® 8 electronic temperature indicator for pharmaceuticals and the newly announced TrekView® line of wireless temperature recorders. Other devices include impact, tilt, pressure and other environmental monitoring devices.

SOURCE: ShockWatch