What is Cold Chain Logistics?

Cold chain logistics is the transport of temperature-controlled products, such as temperature-sensitive foods, equipment, and bio-pharmaceutical products. The process of cold chain logistics does not begin when product are loaded onto the plane or lorry. It impacts every step of the supply, from procurement to transport, storage and last mile delivery. The temperature-sensitive products must be kept at a consistent, specific temperature or temperature range throughout their lifecycle, there are typically two main ranges either 2-8°C or 15-25°c. During this process goods are exposed to rises or falls in temperature which can spell disaster for the goods being shipped. This can result in millions of lost goods each year especially in the pharmaceutical market, but we also see huge risk for the perishable sectors also.

Any product known to be or labeled “perishable” will likely need cold chain management. This could include foods like meat and seafood, produce, medical supplies and pharmaceuticals.

While the idea of transportation is a relatively new concept, the transport of temperature-sensitive products really dates back to the late 1700s, when ice was used by the British to keep fish from spoiling. Late 1800s, it was used to transport perishables as well. Dairy products were transported from rural to urban areas to be sold, and due to a European meat production shortage, South America was sending frozen meat to France and Australia, while New Zealand was sending it to Great Britain. Cold chain tech has always been, and will continue to be, hugely important to global trade.?

Cold chain logistics has many moving parts. Some of the elements include:

? Cold storage – Facilities that store goods and products waiting to be transported.

? Cooling systems – Systems that bring food up to and keep it at an appropriate temperature during all aspects of the supply chain, including processing, storing and transporting.?

? Cold transport – Ensures goods remain at stable temperature and humidity levels.

? Cold processing – Facilities that allow for processing goods with sanitation in mind.??

? Cold distribution – Deals with loading boxes or crates and pallets to distribute goods.?

Cold Chain Technologies

Cold chain transportation relies on several methods to keep goods at proper temperatures. How long the transport is, the size of the packaged shipment and seasonality are all factors that affect which method is used.

? Gel packs – Often used for medical and pharmaceutical shipments.

? Dry ice – Can keep goods frozen for extended time periods. Used for dangerous goods, pharmaceuticals and food. Sublimates rather than melts when coming in contact with air.?

? Liquid nitrogen – Used primarily to transport biological cargo (organs, tissues).Extremely cold, keeps items frozen for longer periods.?

? Eutectic plates – Also called cold plates, similar to gel packs but can be reused.?

? Reefers – A temperature-controlled, insulated van, semi, truck or standard ISO container. Allows for temperature-controlled air circulation.?

? Quilts – Insulated quilts can be wrapped around or placed over freight and are used to keep temperatures constant, so frozen items will remain frozen for a longer time.

Challenges of Cold Chain Logistics

Cold chain logistics companies need to ensure goods are kept at specific temperatures, however with more extreme weather around the world caused by global warming and a growing consumer demand for products available 24/7. This already challenging industry gets hader and more complex with every passing year. The industry has seen mounting regulation demand through GDP which has put scrutiny across the industry especially on more sensitive pharmaceutical products.

One of the weakest parts of any cold chain supply is on the tarmac, roadside or port, products can be left unprotected for 1-6 hours once unloaded from their active control containers or lorries, if this happens temperature excursions will occur. TLX Cargo`s range of products combine highly reflective materials with complementary components such as PCM to mitigate this risk at the most vulnerable parts of the chain.

As consumers become more informed about their health gone are the days of processed foods dominated our shelves and medicines not being critical to sociality, as a global population we are becoming a lot more aware what we consume to stay healthy, this knowledge has seen a huge increase in fresher foods and products and medicine. This raises a logistical challenge because to source such variety can only be done a very short notice on a global basis. Suppliers of these must find ways to bring their products to the consumer in the safest, fastest way that keeps the integrity of the product intact.

Cold Chains Operations

Moving a temperature sensitive product through a supply chain without suffering a temperature excursion requires the establishment of a comprehensive process knowledge and equipment.

? Equipment choice. Several key factors play into how the shipment will be moved. Temperatures it will be exposed to? Data logger position? Maximum and minimum temperature load will be exposed to? Length of exposure? Tolerance of the product? Temperature set range? Distance between the origin and the final destination? the size and weight of the shipment? Direct sunlight exposure? Weak points in the supply chain??

?Shipment preparation. When a temperature-sensitive product is being moved, it is vital first to assess its characteristics. A key issue concerns the temperature conditioning and packaging of the shipment, which should already be at the desired temperature. Cold chain devices are commonly designed to keep the temperature constant, but not to bring a shipment to this temperature, so they would be unable to perform adequately if a shipment is not prepared and conditioned, we see this very often with our TLX PCM range of systems were pre-condition the product is critical to its success on the lane. Other concerns include the destination of the shipment and the weather conditions for those regions, such as if the shipment will be exposed to extreme cold or heat along the transport route. Using a active reefer with its own power unit usually mitigates such concerns. The load unit carrying the temperature-sensitive cargo must also be prepared. Another issue concerns atmospheric control, which is maintaining appropriate oxygen and carbon dioxide levels, helping control (delay) the ripening for perishable goods with ethylene being s key factor.

Custom procedures. If the freight crosses boundaries, custom procedures can become very important, since cold chain products tend to be time-sensitive and more subject to inspection than regular freight (e.g., produce, pharmaceuticals, and biological samples). The difficulty of this task differs depending on the nation (or economic bloc) and the gateway since there are variations in procedures and delays. A common issue relates to sanitary inspection that may require fumigation. Customs issues are commonly identified as the most crucial in establishing reliable international cold chains.

?The “Last Mile”. The last stage is the actual delivery of the shipment to its destination, which in logistics is often known as the “last mile”. Key considerations when arranging a final delivery concern not only the destination but the timing of the delivery, so the critical labor and warehousing space is available. Trucks and vans, the primary modes of transportation for this stage, must meet the specifications necessary to transfer the cold chain shipment. Since many deliveries of cold chain products, particularly groceries, are taking place in an urban setting, they are impeded by congestion and parking difficulties Also important is the final transfer of the shipment into the cold storage facilities as there is potential for a breach of integrity and damages to fragile goods such as produce.

Common Cold Chain Management Issues

Common cold supply chain management issues can have a real impact on freight shipments. Drivers are typically very cognizant of these potential problems and will do their best to keep on top of them to prevent issues from arising in the first place.?

? Product quality issues – For food items and produce, quality can be an issue from the start. Proper sanitizing, cleaning and sorting must be done prior to packaging and loading.?

? Inadequate packaging – Important to prevent contamination and transport-related damage. Air flow can also be an issue.?

? Lack of proper documentation – All steps of cold supply chain management need to be well-documented. This is especially true during transit, where data loggers that record storage temperatures and conditions can help prevent inadequate conditions from spoiling a load.?

? Shipment/transport delays – Delays are an obvious issue for any shipper, but they can be particularly detrimental when dealing with cold chain logistics, since cold chain technology is time-sensitive.??

? Disrupted climate control and/or temperatures – Temperature variation can be a big problem in cold chain logistics. It can result from multiple deliveries (meaning doors opening and closing often), loading food from the field, improper pre-cooling, extreme weather or other conditions like faulty cooling devices or transports.?