Our Dock Shelters for example provide a secure environmental seal to the vehicle body. This helps to maintain the temperature between the distribution vehicle and the cold store dispatch bay by allowing the doors of the temperature-controlled lorry to be opened from inside the cold store after the vehicle has docked.
Our new range of High Speed Doors are extremely suitable in situations where temperature control is necessary, such as the frequent coming and going of vehicles that requires a door which opens and closes quickly.
For further information please call 0800 160 1965 or email: wetakecare@loading-systems.co.uk
Growth in the Cold Chain...
The refrigerated transportation industry has seen a massive growth in demand year on year.
Many pin this growth on increased regulation and stringent measures taken by regulatory bodies such as the FSA . It’s very true that these measures have had a big role in growing the industry, however, globalisation, innovation and new technologies are more responsible for seeing this significant expansion.
Globalisation and innovation rely on the cold chain for the safe, prompt transportation of perishable products ranging from foods to temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical products, chemicals and medical devices. They are both powerful processes that will continue unfolding as technology improves and the world becomes even “smaller” and more interconnected.
Research has shown that refrigerated transportation in developing countries can dramatically improve quality of life by reducing food loss and making these previously isolated countries players in the global marketplace. New technologies have made it possible to get fresh, perishable foods from one side of the world to the other without putting the integrity of the foods at risk.
State-of-the-art temperature controlled containers and trailers also make it possible to get valuable, perishable biopharmaceuticals to areas of need. Refrigerated and temperature-controlled transportation provided by means of cold chain logistics are vital in keeping the wheels of these developments turning.
But as much as we talk about refrigerated transportation, we often forget to talk about one of the aspects of cold chain logistics that makes it possible: cold storage and refrigerated warehousing.
What Is Cold Storage?
Cold storage is the storage of any temperature controlled substance that prevents that substance from decaying. Because of the regulation surrounding refrigerated freight, cold storage is much more complex than its dry counterpart.
Refrigerated warehousing tends to be more costly, so many manufacturers opt to outsource their cold storage to third party logistics providers.
Cold Storage Facility Customisation
Since customers have an increasing number of specific demands based on the needs of their end users, many third party logistics struggle to operate one-size-fits-all warehouses.
With so many diverse customer needs, it’s become more common for third party logistics to create custom cold storage facilities for their customers.
While this allows third party logistics to work more efficiently based on the needs of a particular customer, it can be a risky endeavour, as it can be hard to lock price-sensitive customers into long-term contracts.
Refrigerated Goods Have Different Requirements
Diverse customer needs are shaping the evolution of the cold storage industry—and these needs are not limited to added value services.
They also have to do with the nature of the goods themselves being stored . Different products have varying shelf lives, ranges of temperatures they are required to be stored at, and amounts of time they can spend between the cold storage facility and a transportation vehicle before spoiling.
Some examples of products that may require cold storage or at least a temperature controlled warehousing solution:
- Perishable food (vegetables, fruits, meat and seafood, dairy products)
- Flowers and plants
- Biopharmaceutical products
- Artwork
To make things even more complex, there are food and product safety regulations attached to each type of product that requires temperature controlled transportation and storage.
Energy Efficiency
Energy efficiency leads to another cost-related concern.
Studies have shown that refrigerated warehouses and cold storage facilities can be incredibly inefficient if they aren’t equipped with the highest quality doors and insulation, and if the warehousing process isn’t optimised to limit exposure of the open warehouse to the outside world.
The Global Impact
The industry is projected to continue growing at a massive rate, which has the potential to improve quality of life in developing countries and provide cutting edge medical and pharmaceutical products to people in need across the globe.
Whether refrigerated transportation is used to transport perishable products across oceans or simply across cities, the global impact of the cold chain will continue to increase for the foreseeable future.
Be in the know
When it comes to maintaining the integrity of refrigerated and temperature controlled goods, and getting them to their destination on time, it’s important to work with an experienced, reliable company in the supply chain.