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Running on Ice: Barbie comes to the freezer aisle

In this edition: Medtech expands on the East Coast, a new chemical facility in Arizona and Barbie comes to the freezer aisle.

The place for all things cold chain.

All thawed out 

(Photo: Jim Allen/FreightWaves)

A key part of the Research Triangle, Raleigh, North Carolina, has become home to the next great partnership in health care. Q-linea, a company that develops instruments and systems for in vitro diagnosis of infectious diseases, has partnered with Uniphar Logistics, a crucial move in Sweden-based Q-linea’s commercial launch in the U.S.

According to a news release, “ASTar, Q-linea’s groundbreaking automated instrument, is revolutionizing healthcare by swiftly providing sensitivity profiles from positive blood cultures. This innovation empowers healthcare providers with rapid, precise solutions for diagnosing and treating infectious diseases, significantly reducing time to care.”

Uniphar specializes in temperature-controlled and medtech distribution. This is a huge leap for health care organizations looking for stronger diagnostic solutions. 

Temperature checks

(Photo: Jim Allen/FreightWaves)

Big Expansion news in Surprise, Arizona. Rinchem, a global chemical supply chain management company, has expanded its Arizona presence with a custom-built hazmat warehouse. The new 123,500-square-foot facility has 16,000 pallet positions and a 103,000-square-foot storage yard with 432 spaces for ISO shipping containers. It also has a dedicated gas pad with 48 storage bays and temperature-controlled storage for flammable and corrosive materials.


“We’re confident it will play a crucial role in supporting the growth of the local semiconductor industry and contributing to the region’s economic prosperity,” Rinchem CEO Chris Easter said in a press release.

The Surprise warehouse opening follows Rinchem’s successful launch of two other hazmat warehouses in 2023, located in Cornelius, Oregon, and Penang, Malaysia. Rinchem’s second Phoenix-area warehouse further solidifies its position as a partner for leading companies in the semiconductor industry.

Food and drugs

(Photo: The Frozen Farmer)

The year of Barbie didn’t end in 2023; it’s just moving to the freezer aisle. The Frozen Farmer has debuted a line of Barbie-themed “Freezer Squeezers” to celebrate Barbie’s 65th anniversary. The frozen treat is a strawberry lemonade sorbet in a tube. 

The Frozen Farmer originally started as a way to reduce food waste by using misfit fruit from the family farm.


Katey Evans, founder of The Frozen Farmer, said in a news release, “What started as a way to use produce that looks unique has become our mission … . Barbie is a brand that celebrates the differences of all children that make them uniquely themselves — and as a mom, I love that as much as my daughters love all things Barbie.”

Cold chain lanes

(SONAR Tickers: ROTVI.SAN, ROTRI.SAN)

This week’s SONAR market heads to Southern California. Capacity in San Diego is staying relatively flat despite rising reefer outbound tender rejection and volume levels. Reefer outbound tender rejections have risen 72 basis points week over week to come in at a rate of 3.6%. Reefer outbound tender volumes are also rising to levels that match the middle of the month. Ultimately there will be little impact on spot rates as long as outbound tender volumes continue to rise alongside outbound tender rejections. Should rejections pass 7%, San Diego could become a hotbed for spot rates that start becoming inflated.

Is SONAR for you? Check it out with a demo!

Shelf life

USADA adopts Ember LifeSciences cold chain technology for human specimen transport

Put your pallet in a parka

Vertical Cold Storage picks second DFW facility

PR: Biocair looks to the future of drug development and distribution with a new process for risk mitigation in supply chains

How can this energy-intensive sector improve its green credentials?


Wanna chat in the cooler? Shoot me an email with comments, questions or story ideas at moconnell@freightwaves.com.

See you on the internet.

Mary

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Mary O'Connell

Former pricing analyst, supply chain planner, and broker/dispatcher turned creator of the newsletter and podcast Check Call. Which gives insights into the world around 3PLs and Freight brokers. She will talk your ear off about anything and everything if you let her. Expertise in operations, LTL pricing and procurement, flatbed operations, dry van, tracking and tracing, reality tv shows and how to turn a stranger into your new best friend.