Even though there’s no snow on the ground yet, it’s probably a good time to consider the preparations necessary for beverage shipping during the winter. This is an especially important planning point for beverage manufacturers and distributors since certain beverages, such as alcohol and carbonated drinks, can be adversely affected by sustained temperature changes.
Here are some factors you should consider as you plan for beverage shipping during the winter.
Every Route Is Different
One of the first things you should do is understand what shipping routes your beverages will take to their final destinations. Are your beverages going to be on a ship with a reefer unit for days or weeks at a time? Are they going strictly overland, but some time will be spent on a train before transferring to another vehicle? Will your beverages only be distributed within the region, only in states or provinces adjacent to your own, and thus only trucks and truck transfers will be required?
Knowing your route and any storage, wait, or transfer points gives you a better idea of what potential risks your beverage shipment faces and specifically where. For example, suppose you look at your shipping route and realize your shipment will go to a warehouse and eventually be transferred to another truck. In that case, you only have a point of vulnerability to address and factor into your planning.
Remember, You’re Not The Only One
Part of early preparation is knowing that the need to protect cargo during the winter is not restricted just to beverages. Other types of freight will similarly require thermal protection, and there are only so many cargo containers with environmental systems to go around.
Beverage shipping during the winter will be fighting for environmentally maintained shipping space with other products. Those who wait on this may miss out.
Take Contingencies
An important precaution that businesses can take is to rely on more than one method of environmental protection for beverages. Thermal insulation doesn’t just keep products cool in the summer; it can also keep products warm in the winter, repelling the out side drop in temperature and preserving the initial, optimal shipping temperature the beverages were packed in.
This means that even if there’s a delay in shipping and beverages are left out in the freezing cold, they are protected. It’s just a matter of decision-makers investing in precautions to keep products safe even when the unexpected happens. If you’d like to know more, contact Protek Cargo with your questions and get a quote.
