US firm Coldpack is targeting the UK's pharmaceutical and perishable foods industries with a temperature-controlled and lightweight form of insulating packaging material.

The Airliner pack is being touted as a cost-effective alternative to bulkier forms of packaging, such as rigid foam.

In the US and France, Airliner has already been used to transport products that require a constant temperature, such as vaccines, biological samples and perishable foodstuffs. However, it has been used to house products as diverse as tropical fish and flowers.

Arnaud Adam, Coldpack's sales director, said: "Britain has robust and forward-looking food and pharmaceutical industries and we are already receiving enquiries from interested companies."

The insulating film acts as a temperature barrier that comprises two layers made from Du Pont's Surlyn resin that are separated by an aluminised honeycomb structure, which can be inflated using a variety of devices.

The material can be filled with air or gas, which creates multiple compartments that cushion contents and block calorie transfer, minimising three types of heat transfer – radiation, convection and conduction. Unfilled packs can be stored flat, cutting logistics and warehousing costs.

The inclusion in the Airliner packs of coolants, such as gel packs or dry ice, enables users to create temperature-regulated environments for product transportation – typically for 48-hour periods, but Airliner can also maintain a stable temperature for up to 120 hours.

The Airliner comes in sizes up to 70 litres. Once inflated, its volume is mostly made up of the air or gas used to inflate it. Coldpack said that Airliner can be reused for certain applications and cited a Pira International analysis, which estimated that the material has 40% to 50% less impact on the environment than polystyrene.

"British consumers have proved to be early adopters of e-commerce and home delivery, making a convenient solution like Airliner particularly suitable for online retailers," said Adam.

Airliner was first manufactured in 2001 by Cargo Technology. In 2004, Coldpack bought the patent to distribute Airliner in Europe and the following year acquired Cargo Technology itself.

Coldpack's production facilities are based in San Diego; while, through an association with Du Pont, it operates from the Bischof & Klein factory in Münster, Germany.