The Do’s and Don’ts of Cold Storage Logistics
Temperature maintenance in the cold chain logistics industry is no easy feat and requires strict procedures and regulations. A single slip can lead to immense damage of consignment and this is especially damaging for temperature sensitive perishables and pharmaceuticals. It’s important to set and rigorously follow standard operating procedures to ensure product safety and reliability.
In spite of using the best available solutions such as isothermal storage boxes, PCM based technology, and real time data monitoring devices which can help control risks, mistakes made during the onboarding and offboarding process in itself can lead to a change in temperature for consignment, leading to food or pharmaceutical waste.
While onboarding products-
- While onboarding products on to the freight transport, such as reefer trucks, the door must be opened only when the vehicle is ready for onboarding
- The temperature of the truck/storage box must be thoroughly verified before onboarding products
- In case of dual temperatures, each product must be stored in the right compartment and the door must be sealed immediately after
- Delays in the process must be avoided at all costs
- Solutions must be implemented which work with ambient Indian conditions – Temperatures must be maintained as follows:
- Very Perishable food items- 0 to 4 degrees celsius
- Perishables such as ready meats- 8 degrees celsius
- Frozen foods such as ice cream- -8 degrees celsius
While off boarding products-
- The driver must maintain a checklist of the route, the number of shipments and time required to off board and pull down temperatures.
- Each product must be carefully removed from the truck and there should be no delay in sealing the door completely, immediately after the product has been off boarded.
- In case these practices are not followed, there is a risk of microbial growth, or reduction in shelf life for perishable items.
When weather conditions are unpredictable or in cases of heavy traffic, alternatives and back up plans must be available to avoid consignment damage. Not having this in place can turn out to be extremely costly and can lead to loss of the consignment. Understanding Indian temperatures and traffic situations is something that every player in the industry should consider looking into.
Along with this, there are a number of environmental hazards which wrong practices in cold chain logistics can cause. The biggest pressure the cold chain logistics industry faces is avoiding the emission of GHGs into the atmosphere while also being cost effective.
At Tessol, we believe in providing our clients with solution based Last Mile services by highlighting two key factors Sustainability and cost effectiveness, which are the driving forces behind our cold storage solutions. We use a PCM heat exchanger which is electrically charged(for 5 hours) at our warehouse, and can operate for 8-12 hours a day, at temperatures ranging from -25 degrees celcius to +15 degrees celsius. A PCM alternative is engine and fuel independent, eliminates the risk of consignment damage (in case the engine is turned off) does not compromise on quality and also helps save up to 1 lakh INR per annum, as opposed to fuel dependent services. Switching to alternate solutions which save the environment and budgets is also a factor to consider.
Remote monitoring of the consignment is a great feature to have when it comes to cold chain logistics. Being able to monitor the temperature at every stage of the delivery process and track the vehicle is crucial for crisis management and also allows for transparency between the client and the distributor.
At Tessol, our team is highly skilled and train our clients to follow SOPs for logistic services. We sensitise customers to ensure that each consignment is stored as per required standards and temperatures. We ensure safety and reliability to all our clients through our logistic solutions and ensure that no stone is left unturned.
References
https://fleetroot.com/blog/10-best-practices-for-managing-cold-chain-logistics/