The Impact Of IoT Technology On Cold Chain Management For Food Logistics Providers
What Is IoT & Why Is It Important?
Internet of Things, also known as IoT, can be defined as a technological framework allowing multiple devices to be connected through a cloud platform or private networks. The introduction of IoT technology in day-to-day activities has slowly begun to transform and simplify various processes globally.
In the business world, this is particularly relevant within supply chains across many industries such as pharma, food & beverage, cold chain and asset management. An IoT infrastructure is generally made up of a few key elements, including a form of a data logging device, company specific protocols, and data collection & analysis processes. The utilisation of an IoT infrastructure has the ability to enhance the productivity, security, and sustainability of a business. Specifically, when it comes to industry sectors such the cold chain, perishable food and pharmaceuticals for example is of utmost importance to have a system in place to ensure that any goods in transit are correctly handled and monitored throughout the shipment journey.
One market sector that has greatly benefited from the introduction of IoT technology is food & beverages, in particular their transportation and distribution. Food and beverage logistics providers will generally require location monitoring, data on temperature to identify if temperature excursions have occurred, and knowledge of any damage or tampering done to the shipment that has affected the goods enclosed.
Ranging from humidity monitoring and tamper detection, all the way to near real-time traceability and shock recognition, the implementation of an IoT device allows perishable goods to be monitored throughout the supply chain helping to minimise spoilage or wastage and easily identify is products have been exposed. Having an asset tracking and monitoring system in place creates smoother supply chain processes as it allows for issues to be addressed in a timely manner. The relationship between IoT track & trace solutions and the food and beverages industry can greatly impact and improve cold chain management processes.
3 Ways That Cold Chain Management Can Benefit From The Implementation Of IoT For Food & Beverage Logistics Providers:
1. Reduces spoilage and wastage of products:
Throughout the process of a shipment in transit, there are various risk factors that can result in damage or even loss of goods. Perishable food and beverage related products in particular are increasingly sensitive to external influences such as fluctuations in temperature, extended travel time, mishandling of shipping boxes, or even exposure to light. By utilising an IoT solution such as near real-time data loggers, these potential hurdles can be rectified as soon as they occur. For example, if a shipment of produce is in transit and the boxes experience a temperature violation due to incorrect temperature maintained, and a near real-time data logger is present within those boxes, a notification will immediately be sent to the client allowing the issue to be quickly resolved.
2. Increases cold chain security and integrity:
The presence of an IoT enabled asset tracking and monitoring solution in a perishable goods consignment and during storage, offers the business and their clients a sense of security as they can trust that if any violations do occur, they will be immediately notified. This creates a single source of truth allowing any stakeholder in the supply chain to refer back to the conditions that shipments have been exposed to. It also improves sustainability within companies due to the near real-time alerts allowing corrective action to be taken before products are no longer safe for consumption helping reduce the amount of waste and time, cost, and emissions associated with shipping another batch of products.
3. Allows for constantly evolving cold chain management:
The cold chain management process of a company can easily become outdated with reactive action only being able to take place once shipments have arrived therefore increasing the number of deliveries being rejected. This can lead to financial implications, impact client relationships, and result in higher levels of waste and damage of products. It is therefore increasingly important to keep a company’s cold chain processes up to date and revaluate which steps are working well and which can be remedied or changed. For example, for perishable goods that could benefit from near real-time tracking of further metrics other than temperature rather than a pre-existing non-connected solution, incorporating an active tracking solution that can track elements such as location, temperature, tampering and shock will not only greatly support distribution but also improve overall cold chain management.
How Can Adapt Ideations & Intellistride Assist In Improving Cold Chain Management For Perishable Goods:
According to the many ways IoT Technology can work in tandem with food & beverage logistics providers to improve cold chain management procedures, every company connected with perishable goods should make use of a reliable and innovative asset tracking and monitoring solution. This is where Adapt Ideations comes into the picture. We offer a range of innovative data logging devices that can cater to a range of use cases within the cold chain sector. Our KELVIN Suite Of Devices is an all-rounder solution; a family of devices with the ability to track location, temperature, shock, and light by sending near real-time notifications if violations occur. This can actively be shared directly to clients and all data is easily accessible via our online platform. By working alongside our ecosystem partner for the South East Asian region, Intellistride, we at Adapt Ideations hope to continue working with food and beverage logistics providers to help improve cold chain management, traceability and help clients work towards minimised waste and damage of products.
Enquire to find out more about our innovative solutions and how they can be utilised at enquiries@adaptideations.com
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