Aside from the medical and pharmaceutical industry, there are many other sectors such as the agriculture and horticulture sectors that face similar losses because of failures in temperature-controlled logistics that prevent goods from reaching their destinations unspoiled.
Elmer Spruijt, VP, Global Sales at Descartes tells us about the importance of temperature control for freight and explains more about the role and importance of technological integration, shipment temperature monitoring and access to real-time data as part of the answer to this problem.
Maintaining the integrity of temperature-sensitive goods
Cold chain monitoring is often also referred to as freight temperature tracking. This is typically a system that is used to monitor and control the transportation of temperature-sensitive products through the supply chain journey.
To ensure conditions are monitored and controlled, freight brokers, 3PLs and shippers often use a freight temperature tracking solution.
Other freight tech such as reefer trailer units and temperature-sensitive devices are used by carriers to maintain product quality, meet transportation management regulations and provide the data to tracking solutions.
In the realm of freight transportation, ensuring the integrity of temperature-sensitive goods during transit is paramount.
Whether it’s perishable food items, life-saving medications or delicate plants, maintaining precise temperature conditions is essential to preserving product quality and safety.
This is when temperature tracking and shipment temperature monitoring solutions come into play.
By employing specialised freight technologies and strategic monitoring practices, businesses can effectively track and manage temperature conditions throughout the shipping process, mitigating the risk of spoilage, damage and regulatory non-compliance.
Real-time data, real-time decision making
Many of today’s advanced temperature tracking systems come with a plethora of useful features. Access to consolidated real-time trailer data stands out as a key advantage.
This is because, during transportation of freight, organisations have access to real-time data on load conditions at any time, from any carrier. This data can then be used to make informed business decisions and analyse patterns on the different lane routes, regions and carriers.
Condition monitoring and alerting is key too as it provides organisations with the ability to set up alerting workflows and thresholds based on reefer trailer conditions.
For instance, when trailer temperatures or conditions go above or below a certain threshold, users receive updates that their freight may be compromised.
These updates allow brokers to adjust the conditions and/or contact the driver of the load to help protect product quality.
Load visibility is important too. More than just an alert or monitoring system, cold chain monitoring systems enable visibility and location tracking of a shipment, allowing brokers to keep up to date with delivery times and location, eliminating any need for manual check calls to drivers on the road.
This load visibility data can also be communicated with customers in real-time to potentially adjust delivery windows in the case of delayed shipments – further access to reporting and analytics provides wider insights to operations and performance.
Mitigating spoilage risk and protecting freight brokers
Maintaining product quality is necessary during the transportation process. Delivering customers spoiled or damaged products is harmful to business relationships and costly to brokers’ wallets. There’s a diverse range of products that need monitoring in transit.
Many medications and vaccinations become ineffective if not maintained below certain freezing points. Spoiled products mean losses for brokers and a bite out of their profit margins. Freight temperature tracking helps to mitigate spoilage risk and protect freight brokers from losing out on high value shipments.
Therefore, with access to real-time condition data and load visibility from temperature monitoring systems, shippers, 3PLs and brokers will have increased awareness of shipment status.
They no longer have to guess or hope that shipment loads are in good condition during transportation. Real-time data and alerting capabilities keep organisations on track, and help them to improve responsiveness when issues arise.
Temperature tracking is driven by regulatory frameworks
Tracking temperature isn’t just a cost-saving opportunity; it is regulated by the federal government.
Government agencies and administrations place condition-based regulations on the transportation of certain products to help prevent spoilage and protect consumers.
The US Food and Drug Adminstration (FDA) has implemented the Sanitary Food Transportation Act (SFTA) which states: “Food may be at risk for physical, chemical, or biological contamination during food transport: Improper refrigeration or temperature control of food products (temperature abuse).”
Similarly, the COVID-19 pandemic required cold transport of vaccines governed by CDC requirements: “Vaccines are to arrive in a thermal shipping container at ultra-cold temperatures between –90 °C and –60 °C.”
Using a temperature tracking solution helps brokers adhere to regulations, prevent costly penalties and fines ... and ensure the protection of consumers.
Conclusion
Shipping cold chain cargo and temperature-sensitive goods to customers means value must be placed on maintaining product quality. Further, maintaining product quality and meeting regulatory frameworks while shipping ensures that customers receive orders and/or products in good condition.
Customers receiving products in poor condition is bad for business relationships – think of the financial penalties and reputational damage if or when the integrity of food products or pharmaceutical goods is compromised in transit.
With cold chain monitoring and temperature tracking, brokers and shippers have better visibility into the condition of goods throughout their shipment journey and can more easily communicate with customers to improve their delivery processes and performance.
Freight temperature tracking helps keep organisations keep up to date with both load location and temperature data/status, letting shippers and brokers relay the information to customers. This all builds trust and improves customer service satisfaction.
