10 Potential Risks in Cold Chain Management
Socio-political unrest, labor shortages, wars, geological events, to pandemic concerns; these are just a few of the things that could affect changes in shipping patterns and/or logistics strategies.
Seemingly unrelated events halfway around the world can impact a shipment out for delivery, and there’s nothing your production or logistics teams can do about it. That’s the inherent volatility of a supply chain. It’s worse still for temperature-controlled logistics.
Therefore, the best you can do is mitigate the risk.
Shippers are urged to expect the worst and give it their best when handling high-value shipments, ensuring there’s enough care and contingency in place to mitigate unexpected risks.
The problem is, supply chain risk management is a costly affair, and that’s especially true for a cold chain. Nonetheless, it’s a necessary cost to avoid unnecessary loss, especially when you weigh the strategic importance of cold chains to improve, nay, save lives.
10 Things That Could Interrupt or Disrupt Your Cold Chain
Shipping high-value consignments over long distances within their prescribed temperature range — consistently and without excursion — is a collaborative effort.
- Pressure to Meet Cost Efficiencies in Cold Chain Management
- Lack of Uniform Infrastructure Globally Affecting Cold Chains
- Impact of Increased Regulations on Cold Chain Management
- Environmental Impact on Your Cold Chain
- Supplier Risk in Your Cold Chain
- Distribution/Delivery Risk in Cold Chain
- The Human Element in Cold Chain Risk Management
- Security Risk in Your Cold Chain
- Retailer Risk in Your Cold Chain
- Customer/Demand Risks to Your Cold Chain Logistics
How to Reduce Risks in Cold Chain Management
It’s no secret that cold chain assurance will cost you, but how can you run a lean cold chain while still mitigating the risks?
The key to dealing with unforeseen challenges is to prepare, plan ahead, and have enough contingencies, as well as a robust risk management strategy in place, supported by stringent processes and technologies.
How can you achieve that when the window to act and prevent losses can be a matter of hours or scant minutes?
You need a real-time cold chain monitoring system which can monitor your temperature-controlled shipments in-transit as well as in a warehouse.
Temperature data loggers only provide you with post-shipment audit trails, but with the number of weak links in your cold chain, you would need more actionable real-time data.
Read more at 10 Potential Risks in Cold Chain Management
Share you thoughts about this article in the comment box, and subscribe to us for more updates.
