Cold Chain Logistics gets its name because the process of moving temperature-controlled goods from a starting point to a destination is not a single, continuous action. Instead, there are many steps or “links,” similar to a chain, that connect the point of manufacture to the point of sale or delivery to a customer. As a result, there are points of transition during the transportation process where temperature-sensitive goods may be more vulnerable. But when does this happen? And why? Here are some of the circumstances where the cold chain may fail and why safeguards like passive pallet covers are essential.
Hardware Malfunction
Under normal circumstances, temperature-sensitive goods are at their safest during actual transport. This is because the goods are typically placed in an active environmental control system, such as a “reefer” trailer or cargo container that has a powered refrigeration unit for maintaining temperature at the optimal level.
Unfortunately, nothing lasts forever. Factors like aging, wear and tear, or even poor design and manufacturing can sometimes cause refrigeration units to fail. While this might be mitigated to a certain degree with air shipping, where flights are usually a matter of hours, it can be disastrous for ship or train shipping, where cargo can be hauled for days or even weeks before arriving.
Distribution Error/Negligence
One of the greatest points of vulnerability for cargo is the transition point when items are unloaded from one vehicle and await loading onto another. If all goes well, the wait is either short, requiring minimal protection, or goods are stored in an environmentally maintained area of a warehouse until such time as loading begins.
However, this doesn’t always go to plan. Goods ready for loading on a plane, for example, may be waiting on a hot tarmac for the plane to arrive. If the aircraft is delayed, those goods are exposed to outdoor temperatures, which may be too high or too low depending on the time of year and can adversely affect unprotected goods.
Passive Pallet Covers Matter
This is why passive pallet covers provide an essential secondary line of defense when things go wrong. With the right kind of passive pallet cover properly installed, goods retain their original, optimal shipping temperature for hours or even days without active environmental maintenance.
So even when there’s a hardware malfunction, a break in the packaging itself, an error, or negligence on the part of personnel along the logistics chain, passive pallet covers provide extra protection. If you’re shipping temperature-sensitive products and want more protection, contact Protek Cargo with your needs and get a quote.
