As summer turns up the heat, so does the challenge of ensuring perishable goods maintain their optimum temperature throughout their cold chain distribution process.
Transporting billions of pounds’ worth of chilled and frozen foods as well as more than half of the top global pharmaceutical drugs products means it is critical to maintain an unbroken cold chain in order to avoid any costly product spoilage.
The distribution process needs to ensure the goods are loaded from cold storage onto temperature-controlled vehicles and vice versa. For some products, this transfer can take place several times, as products travel from production unit to primary cold store, from primary cold store to distribution centre, and from the distribution centre to the retailer.
Careful logistics planning, sorting and assembling loads in a temperaturecontrolled environment and ensuring that the distribution vehicles are pre-cooled before loading is an essential element in minimising temperature fluctuations. Keeping loading bays covered, using screened vehicles as well as high speed doors is also vital to this process.
As demand for chilled products and pharmaceutical drugs increases both nationally and globally, the requirement for vehicle loading times to be reduced also steps up.
As timescales become ever tighter the best solution for temperature control at busy distribution centres is the installation of specialised automatic docking systems.
One such innovative solution has been developed by Easilift Loading Systems, the market leader in industrial doors and loading bay solutions. Its unique, 4-sided inflatable shelter creates a secure environmental seal between the temperature-controlled vehicle and the cold storage facility, allowing vehicle doors to be opened from inside the cold store only after docking has been completed.
As well as helping to maintain an unbroken cold chain, the system has other key benefits:
• Access to the vehicle is fully controlled from within the cold store and therefore limited to cold store personnel
• Contamination risks are reduced as the doors do not need to be opened prior to docking
• The vehicle driver can remain in his cab, reducing on-site Health and Safety issues
• Faster docking speeds up the loading and unloading process
Customers who have installed Easilift’s 4 sided inflatable shelters have reported dramatic reductions in temperature fluctuations, helping to reduce energy consumption by as much as 50%, as well as increased efficiencies in vehicle loading and unloading.
For further information about how Easilift’s docking systems can improve your cold chain efficiency please contact Easilift Loading Systems on 0800 160 1965, by email to info@loading-systems.co.uk or visit the company website www.loading-systems.co.uk Loading Systems is the UK division of Loading Systems Group, a leading European business and market leader in the design, manufacture, installation and on-going service, maintenance and repair for a full line of industrial doors and dock equipment.
Loading Systems Group has been one of Europe’s leading manufacturers of industrial doors and loading bay equipment for over 50 years. Our products and services are distributed throughout Europe, the Middle and Far East by 11 Loading Systems offices and a network of more than 40 authorised distributors.
EASILIFT LOADING SYSTEMS
Tel: 0800 160 1965
Email: info@loading-systems.co.uk
www.loading-systems.co.uk
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