If you ship temperature-sensitive products, such as food, beverages, or pharmaceuticals, you’re already in a position where you know you have to take extra care. Pharmaceuticals, for example, can lose their efficacy if they’re not shipped at the recommended temperature. Wine can change flavor—and not for the better—if it is allowed to get too warm.
Because of this, businesses working with temperature-sensitive products know they get the best results with a reliable, predictable logistics chain and that you must be prepared for the eventuality that the logistics chain may not deliver. A delay in the arrival of a cargo flight, for example, could mean a product unintentionally spends hours exposed to the sun until the plane finally arrives.
Big Changes Are The Norm
In light of recent economic events, the world of logistics has become increasingly unpredictable, sometimes on a daily basis. Depending on changes to duties, imports, and tariffs, certain destinations or shipping origins may suddenly become too costly to use. In other cases, new economic developments may mean a shipment that’s already en route may have to wait before entering a port on the chance that conditions may change.
What this means for businesses shipping temperature-sensitive products is that it’s crucial to be prepared for disruptions to the normal shipping process. Some of the things businesses should be ready to deal with include:
New Supply Chains
If certain origin points become too costly to use, you must be prepared to adapt by researching and considering alternative supply chains. For example, if shipping from China is no longer feasible, India may be an alternative.
Increased Freight/Shipping Costs
New economic conditions may also entail higher costs in handling, warehousing, and processing fees. While the rise in cost is unavoidable, some of this can be mitigated by being more efficient with the shipping of temperature-sensitive products. Not relying on reefer units, for example, and using passive pallet covers instead can significantly reduce shipping costs in other areas.
Delays
The new economic developments are also likely to introduce many more delays as inspections increase; new regulations go live with additional documentation and compliances. All of this could easily result in goods spending more time waiting before moving to the next step in the logistics chain.
If you’re shipping temperature-sensitive products and want to know how to become more efficient with shipping to your destinations, we can help. Contact us to explain your shipping needs and obtain a quote.
