Logistics is a huge industry that sends goods worldwide and that might involve cold climates, which presents many potential issues for certain types of cargo. If you have no experience in shipping to cold climates, here are a few tips.
- Use Heat Packs – These amazing containers keep the product warm, with a good layer of insulation; typically used with flowers, pharmaceuticals and even animals. A heat pack would work for 40 hours, keeping the product warm, and ensuring no damage due to temperature. Taxi truck couriers know all about heat packs, which are used when exporting to countries like Canada and the US. You can have your own packaging designed to incorporate your brand; ask for a few heat pack samples and take a closer look at how they are made.
- Think Package Insulation – The packaging sector has made huge advances and you can create your own design using insulated packaging, which prevents the cold from affecting the product. Search online for insulating product packaging, check out what is available for cold weather shipping and request some samples. There are solutions for every environment and product with customized packaging.
- Gel Packs – These are ideal when a product must be cold but not freeze; the gel prevents ice from touching the packaging. These are used by VIP couriers as well as same day courier service Sydney or any other city offers to keep certain products at precisely the right temperature for the duration of the journey.
- Styrofoam Inner Protection – If there is space inside the box, Styrofoam is perfect for preventing product movement during transit; you can have it made to the exact shape, so it fits like a glove and this can also help with thermal insulation.
- Anticipate Delays – If you are shipping to a cold country, hazardous weather causes delays in the final stage of delivery. If you send the package earlier than normal, the worst that can happen is the customer receives the goods earlier than they expected. Of course, this is not always possible; either way, if you outsource your logistics to a local 3PL provider, you can pretty much guarantee prompt order fulfilment. Having your products packed by professionals is definitely the best way to keep returns to a minimum; start with a Google search to find 3PL companies near you, then browse a few websites and make an enquiry with the one that looks right.
- Outsource Logistics – If you outsource your picking, packing and delivery to a third-party logistics company like a Sydney logistics company, they have a wealth of cold shipping experience. A good carrier would have minimal returns and Google can help you locate a nearby 3PL warehouse and you can make an enquiry. Many businesses export perishables to northern Europe and Scandinavia and they use the best 3PL company to handle all their logistics. Often the problem with cold weather shipping is the product needs to be kept within a certain temperature range (5-10C). The carrier fully understands how to ensure goods are preserved when in transit.
If you are going to ship regularly to cold climate regions of the world, it’s best to talk to a leading 3PL provider, who has the know-how and the resources to fulfil your orders. They can tailor their services to suit the client and you are free to focus on other aspects of your business.
Technology keeps on rolling out new and exciting products and techniques; transporting perishable goods is no longer the nightmare it once was, thanks to insulation and protection packaging that is designed to keep the product at the right temperature.
