The temperatures are raising during the Summer, so it’s even more important now to keep your products cool during transport. At Coolpack we offer various gel packs and cooling elements to do the job, and new in our assortment are water packs! What is the difference between gel packs and water packs, and why are water packs the environmentally conscious refrigerant for chilled transport? Read and learn!
Advantages of water packs in short: 
- 100% food safe
- 100% recyclable
- Withstands pressure of 200kg
- Custom print possible
- Standard sizes available
- Can be custom made
What are gel packs and water packs used for?
Water and gel packs are disposable cooling elements that are used to keep products chilled during transport. Consider, for example, vulnerable food products, which must remain at a temperature between 2°C and 8°C during transport. Gel packs and water packs are pre-frozen, and can therefore keep your shipment cooled independent from electricity – even during transports of several days.
For an optimal cooling effect, in addition to gel packs or water packs, you should also use a well-insulated packaging, such as the EcoCoolBox or a polystyrene box. Due to their disposable character, gel packs and water packs are ideally suited for transport without return flow: where the packaging remains with the recipient.
For transports with return flows, when the coolants come back to you, it is best to choose form-retaining cooling elements. These are made of High Density Polyethylene (HDPE): a strong, UV-resistant, moisture-resistant and weather-resistant material that lasts a very long time. As a result, the cooling elements can often be re-frozen and reused. At the end of its life, the cooling element can be emptied and 100% recycled, for example with plastic (household) waste.
What is the difference between water packs and gel packs?
Coolpack has been a producer of gel packs for decades. In recent years, in line with our own and our customers’ ambition to become more sustainable, we have been developing more environmentally conscious alternatives to the standard gel pack. Think of gel packs with recycled foil or with a cooling filling based on cellulose.
Simply put, the gel packs are bags with a filling of cooling gel. This cooling gel is thick, so that the gel pack feels firm in the unfrozen state and so that the filling will not run out of the gel pack quickly, even if it is damaged.
Water packs are characterized by the filling of UV-irradiated, softened and triple filtered water. The water filling is therefore food safe. Like the standard cooling gel, water has a melting point at 0°C, making it ideally suited for transporting products that must remain around a temperature between 0°C and 8°C. The water is less thick than the cooling gel, which means that it will run out of the cooling elements faster than the cooling gel in the event of damage in thawed condition. Water packs in the unfrozen state also have a more flexible character than gel packs.
| Gel packs | Water packs |
| · Thick cooling gel filling
· Does not drain quickly in case of leakage · 100% food safe · Suitable for disposable use
|
· Flexible cooling filling of water
· Water filling can be done at the plants or through the sink · 100% food safe · 100% recyclable · Suitable for disposable use |
Why are water packs an excellent environmentally conscious alternative?
The development and production of water packs are an important step in making our range more sustainable. What makes the water packs so sustainable? The recipient can empty the water pack in the sink after use or give the water to his plants, and completely recycle the foil by throwing it away with the plastic waste. This gives the raw materials a new life!
Segmented water packs for chilled transport: these are the advantages
The standard water packs we offer are segmented. This means that they consist of several linked cells. This makes the water pack flexible and allows you to cool efficiently: you can, for example, fold the water pack around a product or cover both the side and bottom of the shipping box.
Want to know more or order tailor made water packs?
Because we have a production facility on location, the water packs can be made in almost all conceivable shapes and sizes. In addition, it is also possible to have the water packs printed as desired, for example with your company logo or a disposable instruction. You will find a selected offer in our webshop.
Curious about the possibilities? Feel free to contact us or request a quote. We are happy to think along with you!
