According to a report by Statista, the global cold chain logistics market was worth almost 248.4 billion U.S. dollars in 2020. From the same source, the market value is estimated to exceed 410 billion U.S. dollars by 2028.

Based on these insights, there is an evident increase in demand for advanced cold chain solutions for reasons such as changes in customer consumption patterns, packaging and processing technology. 

That's where cold chain logistics comes into the picture. Cold chain management focuses on maintaining the required temperature of the goods throughout the entire transportation. At the same time, it also pays attention to the packaging, timings, routes, and other factors to ensure the delivery of frozen items in their pristine condition.

In this article, we will discuss the main challenges involved in cold supply chain management. Then, we will introduce you to our solution for such problems. So let us take a look!

Cold Supply Chain Management Challenges

Cold chain logistics involves transporting temperature-controlled products along a supply chain using refrigerated packaging solutions to preserve their quality. Generally, cold chain logistics deals with fresh agricultural produce, seafood, frozen food, or pharmaceutical products. Compliance with pre-established temperature ranges ensures that they are suitable for use and prevent waste.

Now, let us consider the main challenges cold chain logistic management needs to face every day:

Equipment Breakdown

Sudden equipment failure is one of the biggest challenges in managing cold chain logistics. Power surges can cause the breakdown of the cooling systems. In addition, refrigerant failures and poor cooling circulations can also affect cold chain logistics management. Eventually, extreme cold temperatures can hinder devices not designed to withstand such conditions.

Human errors

Traditional cold chain management relies heavily on paperwork and manual recording. Manually updated data can lead to many mistakes, especially during goods inventory. Refusing to embrace the digital transformation, eventually will break the cold supply chain.

Damaged goods

Improper placement of goods or failure to maintain the right temperature in the trailer can damage shipments and affect profitability. Therefore, it is crucial to use advanced data collection and identification tools to improve efficiency.

Higher cost  

Cost management is one of the biggest challenges for companies dealing with cold storage products. Especially, for small to medium-size businesses labor expenses can weigh heavily in their budgets. Introducing mobile devices and management software (MDM) can reduce costs by automating processes.

Cold Chain Management Solutions for Logistic

Following, we will introduce you to Urovo’s cold chain solutions:

Deploying a fleet of handheld mobile computers enables operators to scan product barcodes during transportation. Especially in cold chain supply management, speed is a relevant factor. Through long-range scanners, workers can know everything about a product within milliseconds (e.g. production lot, expiration date, characteristics, etc.)

The data obtained through barcode handheld scanners makes cold chains more streamlined and drives the following improvements:

Maximize operating speed through automation

Waste prevention

Optimized inventory management

Lower operational costs and better customer service

With the support of PDA data collection, operators can track items in real-time sharing information with co-workers to improve flexibility during transportation. In addition, employees can strictly follow the procedures prompted on the handheld computer. In this way, businesses can standardize working processes and reduce human errors.  

Bottom line

Cold chain logistics management problems can be solved by relying on technology-enabled logistics management platforms. The integration of hardware/software solutions for logistics can facilitate data collection in real-time to obtain useful results. In addition, it can also help you act on your insights through timely intervention.

Urovo solutions such as our RT40 rugged mobile computer are specially designed for cold chain management. The device integrates with MDM software, and it is extremely resistant to adverse conditions (even at minus 30°C). When the temperature difference is too large, condensation water will appear on the ordinary monitor, resulting in a blurred screen.

RT40 is equipped with a professional anti-condensation and self-healing function. The screen and code scanning window are automatically heated at low temperatures to ensure that employees can normally work at all times. In addition, the RT40 cold storage computer is equipped with a professional scanning engine able to decode quickly 1D/2D and screen barcodes.

Urovo RT40 handheld mobile computer is the perfect device to bring high efficiency to cold chain supply management. Hopefully, this article provided more insights into cold chain logistic management challenges and related solutions. 

Contact us to know more about the technology behind your business's success.