The Cold Chain: Asking The Right Questions

By Joe Reedy

The concept of cold chain shipping is decades old, but it wasn’t until the last several years that industry has seen great advances in technology, processes and standards for moving temperature-sensitive products. This recent rise is due to a greater demand for these products, and much higher-value per shipment. In particular, increased international demand for pharmaceuticals (a $900B market) has driven the air cargo industry to refine and improve its cold-chain services.

Yet, not all supply chain stakeholders have invested the same amount of time, money and resources into the development of their services. This is especially true when shipments require more than one carrier or other transport.

Shippers and forwarders are instinctively selective in choosing cold-chain partners to help move their cargo, but it is sometimes difficult to know the right questions to ask when evaluating potential partners. There are several key elements that should be considered when selecting a cold-chain partner.