Food products or other perishable goods require a certain temperature to remain fresh and safe for consumers. For this reason, all the parties involved in the supply chain must work together and understand how to handle these properly. If you don’t know what cold chain logistics is, how to manage it throughout the stages, or what technologies can help you better organize these activities, stick with us, and find out.
Cold chain logistics – definition, process, and challenges
A cold chain is defined as a supply chain that handles temperature-sensitive products and perishable goods such as fruits, vegetables, meats, seafood, dairy and so on. To protect these types of products, a specific temperature needs to be set up inside refrigerated vehicles during transit and in cold storage warehouses, where the perishable products are kept.
Cold chain logistics is the set of activities that focus on the transport and handling of temperature-sensitive goods, safely from the producer, or supplier to the consumer. Naturally, if the journey takes longer from the supplier to the consumer, and if there are more modes of transportation involved, the entire process becomes difficult in terms of keeping the temperature constant. For example, if a supplier needs to ship perishable products internationally, its products will go through multiple storage facilities and distribution centres where they will be reloaded several times. If these products are not kept permanently in sealed refrigerated containers, they will have a higher risk of getting spoiled due to temperature fluctuations. Inside the cold chain logistics process, the biggest complications are caused by the packaging, storage, and shipping stages.
The cold chain packaging process
Selecting the right type of packaging, container, and refrigerated method ensures the optimal temperature for your perishable products. All these depend on other factors like:
- the type of cargo
- the temperature needed and the humidity levels
- how big is the shipment
- the overall transit time
- the outside temperature
For each type of time-sensitive shipment, there is a specific type of packaging that is used. For example, food products are transported in 53-foot reefers with refrigerated units built inside that keep the temperature at the right levels.
Cold storage facilities
From the storage process to consolidation and deconsolidation, loading and unloading, warehousing is a complex system. Cold storage facilities offer different services for perishable products such as blast freezing, ripening, pre-cooling, inspection checks and so on. If you are a merchant or if you supply temperature-sensitive products for customers it is important to choose an appropriate cold storage facility that has optimal climate control, for both storage and loading/unloading areas.
Cold chain shipping and tracking
Transporting perishable products needs to be done properly, using specialized equipment, such as reefers or freezers. These are implemented inside refrigerated vehicles, cargo ships or railcars. Oftentimes, the humidity needs to be controlled, as well as the temperature, so specialized equipment is a must.
One more important aspect that must be considered in any supply chain is the tracking system. The shipment needs to be tracked while in transit because this step is crucial for cold chain products. Carriers, shippers, and consignees want to be able to track the data for quality assurance and performance purposes.
Cold chain equipment and packaging solutions
For storage purposes, the warehouses/terminal facilities and distribution locations have big walk-in coolers and refrigerators that keep the temperature stable for perishable products that arrive.
For the storage of pharma products, drugs, medical items, or tissue samples there is a wide variety of laboratory freezers and refrigerators that can generate the required temperature. When speaking about packaging, there is a big range of chilling products that can keep perishable products cool. There are two main categories of cold chain technologies: passive and active temperature-controlled containers.
- Passive temperature-controlled containers use gel packs, dry ice, liquid nitrogen and other cooling products that keep the temperature inside these containers low. Pharmacological products require specialized containers with ultra-low freezing systems, specially developed to meet ends.
- Active temperature-controlled containers are used to monitor and control the temperature levels automatically. These containers are powered refrigeration units that have sensors, ventilators, and control systems that keep the temperature stable.
If we make a comparison between the two, active containers seem expensive at first, but in the end, they turn out to be more cost-effective than traditional passive containers. They occupy less space, need less handling, are reusable, don’t require cooling material replacement, offer better temperature control, and can be shipped with other LTL freight and cargo. As a plus, active containers have a monitoring system that offers the ability to track cargo and related activities.
Cold chain logistics challenges
Companies that transport products are ready to pay for secure cold storage to extend the product shelf life and satisfy customer needs. However, 3pl companies and carriers are facing a lot of challenges that make cold chains a rough business.
Building and maintaining infrastructure. To fulfil the requirements of shippers, 3PLs are required to have different options of equipment from deep-freezers and coolers and to invest in new systems.
Accurate handling of perishable products. The biggest challenge for shippers is the proper handling of perishable products. Companies need to implement multiple practices such as packaging, sanitation, sorting and cleaning to ensure product quality.
Regulatory compliance – a must. All supply chain participants need to invest in the modernization of their infrastructure to comply, especially in the visibility and traceability field. Also, the temperature records need to be properly documented and stored.
Other problems in this industry range from high consumption of electricity to insufficient specialists. But, regardless of all these issues, 91% of all 3PLs and shippers are expecting an increased demand for cold chain capacity over the next years. Big businesses realize how important it is to invest in and modernize cold chain systems since it is so clear that the future of cold chain depends on innovative technologies. With that being said, we hope you enjoyed this article and found some useful information to use in managing your business.
Cold chain logistics – definition, process, and challenges
A cold chain is defined as a supply chain that handles temperature-sensitive products and perishable goods such as fruits, vegetables, meats, seafood, dairy and so on. To protect these types of products, a specific temperature needs to be set up inside refrigerated vehicles during transit and in cold storage warehouses, where the perishable products are kept.
Cold chain logistics is the set of activities that focus on the transport and handling of temperature-sensitive goods, safely from the producer, or supplier to the consumer. Naturally, if the journey takes longer from the supplier to the consumer, and if there are more modes of transportation involved, the entire process becomes difficult in terms of keeping the temperature constant. For example, if a supplier needs to ship perishable products internationally, its products will go through multiple storage facilities and distribution centres where they will be reloaded several times. If these products are not kept permanently in sealed refrigerated containers, they will have a higher risk of getting spoiled due to temperature fluctuations. Inside the cold chain logistics process, the biggest complications are caused by the packaging, storage, and shipping stages.
The cold chain packaging process
Selecting the right type of packaging, container, and refrigerated method ensures the optimal temperature for your perishable products. All these depend on other factors like:
- the type of cargo
- the temperature needed and the humidity levels
- how big is the shipment
- the overall transit time
- the outside temperature
For each type of time-sensitive shipment, there is a specific type of packaging that is used. For example, food products are transported in 53-foot reefers with refrigerated units built inside that keep the temperature at the right levels.
Cold storage facilities
From the storage process to consolidation and deconsolidation, loading and unloading, warehousing is a complex system. Cold storage facilities offer different services for perishable products such as blast freezing, ripening, pre-cooling, inspection checks and so on. If you are a merchant or if you supply temperature-sensitive products for customers it is important to choose an appropriate cold storage facility that has optimal climate control, for both storage and loading/unloading areas.
Cold chain shipping and tracking
Transporting perishable products needs to be done properly, using specialized equipment, such as reefers or freezers. These are implemented inside refrigerated vehicles, cargo ships or railcars. Oftentimes, the humidity needs to be controlled, as well as the temperature, so specialized equipment is a must.
One more important aspect that must be considered in any supply chain is the tracking system. The shipment needs to be tracked while in transit because this step is crucial for cold chain products. Carriers, shippers, and consignees want to be able to track the data for quality assurance and performance purposes.
Cold chain equipment and packaging solutions
For storage purposes, the warehouses/terminal facilities and distribution locations have big walk-in coolers and refrigerators that keep the temperature stable for perishable products that arrive.
For the storage of pharma products, drugs, medical items, or tissue samples there is a wide variety of laboratory freezers and refrigerators that can generate the required temperature. When speaking about packaging, there is a big range of chilling products that can keep perishable products cool. There are two main categories of cold chain technologies: passive and active temperature-controlled containers.
- Passive temperature-controlled containers use gel packs, dry ice, liquid nitrogen and other cooling products that keep the temperature inside these containers low. Pharmacological products require specialized containers with ultra-low freezing systems, specially developed to meet ends.
- Active temperature-controlled containers are used to monitor and control the temperature levels automatically. These containers are powered refrigeration units that have sensors, ventilators, and control systems that keep the temperature stable.
If we make a comparison between the two, active containers seem expensive at first, but in the end, they turn out to be more cost-effective than traditional passive containers. They occupy less space, need less handling, are reusable, don’t require cooling material replacement, offer better temperature control, and can be shipped with other LTL freight and cargo. As a plus, active containers have a monitoring system that offers the ability to track cargo and related activities.
Cold chain logistics challenges
Companies that transport products are ready to pay for secure cold storage to extend the product shelf life and satisfy customer needs. However, 3pl companies and carriers are facing a lot of challenges that make cold chains a rough business.
Building and maintaining infrastructure. To fulfil the requirements of shippers, 3PLs are required to have different options of equipment from deep-freezers and coolers and to invest in new systems.
Accurate handling of perishable products. The biggest challenge for shippers is the proper handling of perishable products. Companies need to implement multiple practices such as packaging, sanitation, sorting and cleaning to ensure product quality.
Regulatory compliance – a must. All supply chain participants need to invest in the modernization of their infrastructure to comply, especially in the visibility and traceability field. Also, the temperature records need to be properly documented and stored.
Other problems in this industry range from high consumption of electricity to insufficient specialists. But, regardless of all these issues, 91% of all 3PLs and shippers are expecting an increased demand for cold chain capacity over the next years. Big businesses realize how important it is to invest in and modernize cold chain systems since it is so clear that the future of cold chain depends on innovative technologies. With that being said, we hope you enjoyed this article and found some useful information to use in managing your business.
