Thermionics sales heat up

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. —Thermionics’ ThermiPaq products, which now sport an eye-catching yellow “Control Your Pain!” panel as part of a new graphics package, has been a significant driver of growth within the heat/ice packs segment of late.

For the 52 weeks ended Aug. 8, Thermipaq sales were up 27.2%, reaching $6.1 million across food, drug and mass (minus Walmart) outlets, according to SymphonyIRI Group data. That growth is outpacing the category as a whole, which currently is trending up 6.1%.

In addition to rolling out a new graphics package, Thermionics has been positioning its product line against the chronic pain shopper as an incremental opportunity for retailers. According to recent Thermionics research, 80% of consumers who are treating chronic pain not only purchase multiple solutions across internal analgesics, external rubs, heat/ice therapy and body support devices, but they also shop these sets on a regular basis in search of their own personal pain-relieving regimen of products. There’s an incessant need to find a new or different solution, Thermionics noted, that’s driving consumers toward external analgesic items. That may make for an opportunity to establish a chronic-pain management destination center within the self-care space, the company added, much like there is a destination center at many retailers focused around diabetes-related products.