[SERIES] Is your cold chain fleet fit for purpose?

Cold chain logistics is a vital part of every modern society. It’s how we transport fresh goods and pharmaceuticals. It requires very specific equipment and expert management throughout the supply chain.

Cold chain logistics is arguably one of the most important, and tricky, segments in the transport and logistics industry. The global pandemic has shone the spotlight specifically on the transport of pharmaceuticals and the importance of maintaining cold chain integrity from start to end.

If you’re operating a cold chain, the most important question is: are your vehicles fit for purpose? There are many transport options for cold chains ranging from large refrigerated trucks to smaller refrigerated vans. It all depends on which vehicles work best for each specific part of the cold chain. Find out more in some of our other blogs from the ‘fit-for-purpose’ series:

• Is your Food and Beverage fleet fit for purpose?
• Fit for purpose: Courier
• Fit for Purpose: How to choose the right vehicles for a forestry fleet
• Fit for purpose: How to choose the perfect sales rep car

To identify which vehicles you need and also to map out (or optimise) your cold chain operations, consider the following:

What are you transporting?

Cold chain logistics refers to any goods that need to be transported at cool and steady temperatures. The minimum standards of cold-chain management guide, issued by the Western Cape Government from 2012, specifically refers to the transport of vaccines. It is, however, a handy guide to show how precise your temperature management needs to be throughout the cold chain process, no matter what you’re transporting.

The Global Cold Chain Alliance offers plenty of resources, including calculators to help you plan the time and temperature that specific foods must be stored at during the transport and storage process.

In addition to online sources, we strongly recommend working with a reputable supply chain logistics company in order to avoid any breaks or irregularities in your cold chain.

What are your routes and destinations?

With cold chain logistics, you need to carefully map out routes and destinations. You must ensure that every point of contact is able to safely store and transport your goods at the correct temperatures and in the required sterile conditions.

In South Africa, for example, many cold chain goods need to reach rural areas where smaller clinics or grocery stores are located. You must detail exactly how these goods will reach outlying areas and how they will be received and stored. 

This may require buying or leasing specific vehicles that can reach these areas without interrupting the integrity of the cold chain.

Who are your suppliers and partners?

Every step in the cold chain must be carefully monitored. It’s no good ensuring your vehicles are fit for purpose only to partner with a storage facility that doesn’t have exact temperature control. Your goods will be spoiled in the process.

You must ensure that all your partners and suppliers throughout your cold chain can uphold the exact temperature and handling requirements needed for your goods. 

Find out more about choosing a fit for purpose fleet in our blog: 5 Things to consider when choosing fleet vehicles

End-user requirements

You might not be directly responsible for how the end-user stores or handles the goods, but it’s good business practice to find out. If end-users are not upholding the required standards it could, in the long run, reflect poorly on the entire cold chain process. We’re not suggesting you micro-manage, but if you’re aware that end-users are mishandling products it’s in your interest to either assist them or to report them to the relevant authorities.

At the end of the day, it is in everyone’s best interest to maintain high standards through the entire cold chain process. Small mistakes can lead to massive losses and that is the last thing you want your company name to be involved with.

The precise operation of any cold chain depends on the goods being transported, the routes, and destinations. So every cold chain operation is going to be different and you need to ensure that standards are upheld throughout.

Keep ahead of the game, learn how EQSTRA provides the analytical advantage through fleet management analytics. Fill in a fit-for-purpose survey for your fleet for insights into your existing fleet, or contact our fleet management experts to discuss your needs.

Don’t let your pharmaceutical cold chain logistics fall behind. Keep ahead of the game, learn how EQSTRA provides the analytical advantage. 

Our General Managers, Jean-Clay (JC) van Heerden (Customer Relations, Sales, Marketing & Tenders) and Johnnie Marais (Operations), talk Fleet Management Solutions with MasterDrive CEO, Eugene Herbert, on episode 6 of the Drive Chat.