Coolants

Coolants ensure that temperature-sensitive products are kept chilled or frozen. Designed to be used with our temperature controlled packaging and chilled packaging range, our coolants are available in a range of sizes and styles.

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We’re here to help you get the chilled packaging you need

As the UK’s largest distributor of protective packaging materials, we can provide everything you need to delivery your products in tip top condition. 

Help & FAQs
Coolants are used to maintain the in-pack temperature during shipping. They help preserve temperature-sensitive products and help keep them frozen or chilled.

Common types of coolants include ice sheets, gel packs, and dry ice.

Coolants are essential in industries such as cold chain distribution, food and beverages and pharmaceuticals, where precise temperature control is crucial to prevent spoilage or degradation of products. When used in conjunction with insulated packaging or thermal liners, coolants help extend the time that items can remain within a safe temperature range, ensuring they arrive in optimal condition.
Macfarlane Packaging offers a range of coolants designed to maintain the desired temperature for temperature-sensitive shipments. The available coolants include:
  • RecyCold Cool Packs
  • Ice Sheets
  • Gel Packs
  • Hydo-Freeze Ice Packs
  • Sorbatek
Speak to one of our packaging experts to help find the perfect coolant solution to protect your goods in transit.
How to recycle your coolant, depends on which one you choose. The outer pouches of many coolants can be recycled. How you dispose of the contents of coolant pouches varies.

For example, when recycling our gel packs, it is important to remove water from the pack before recycling. The outer film of our gel packs can be recycled with bags a large supermarkets.

All Macfarlane Packaging products also have an Environmental Impact Rating, so you can see what material they’re made from, if they can be recycled and whether they contain any recycled content – helping you make an informed choice.

Checking out websites like RecycleNow can also be useful too.
The chilled packaging solution you need will depend on the temperature that needs to be maintained within the pack (chilled, ambient, frozen). The range of products you’re shipping can also have a big impact such as the perishability, weight, fragility, and size of the product. Finally, the shipping journey is also a big factor as the thermal packaging products will need to remain in perfect condition. When sending frozen products, you will need to consider how will you be shipping the product – by air or by courier networks, and how long it will take to reach the destination.

You should also consider if there are any legal requirements for the particular product you’re shipping, such as food or pharmaceuticals. This may differ, depending on where you’re shipping to and from, especially if you’re shipping internationally.
The duration varies depending on the type of coolant, the ambient temperature, and the packaging used. Typically, gel packs and ice packs can maintain a chilled environment for up to 48 hours, while dry ice can keep items frozen for longer periods.
Chilled packaging is packaging that is designed to preserve the temperature of goods during shipping. It is used to protect products such as food (including meat, dairy, fish and prepared meals), drinks, pharmaceuticals and other temperature sensitive products.

You may also see this type of packaging referred to as temperature controlled packaging, as well as thermal packaging.

During use, thermal packaging will maintain an ambient, chilled, or frozen temperature within a pack, if paired with an appropriate coolant. This type of packaging is widely used in cold chain logistics (where goods throughout the supply chain require low temperatures).  

Thermal packaging can also be used to retain heat, where goods are required to be kept at warm during shipping.
Yes, using coolants like gel packs or ice packs in combination with thermal liners enhances temperature control and helps maintain the desired internal temperature for extended periods.

First class coolants & chilled packaging solutions  

With a wide range of coolants available, you can be confident that whatever your needs, Macfarlane Packaging has the solution to keep your products cool.  

Macfarlane Packaging offers a versatile range of coolants designed to maintain the optimal temperature of temperature-sensitive goods during transit.  

Our range of coolants includes gel packs, ice packs, RecyCold Cool Packs, Hydo Freeze Ice Packs and Sorbatek. Each variation of the coolants is tailored to meet specific cooling needs. For example, gel packs are non-toxic and reusable, making them a popular choice for keeping products chilled, especially in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Ice packs provide longer-lasting cooling and are ideal for shipping perishable items that require sustained low temperatures. 

When paired with insulated packaging or thermal liners, these coolants help preserve product integrity, ensuring items arrive in their original condition. Macfarlane Packaging’s coolants are widely used across industries such as healthcare, food, and beverage, where maintaining temperature is critical.  

Macfarlane Packaging can also help you with custom packaging design. Whether you need standard solutions or custom designs, we are here to meet your chilled packaging needs.