Boost Operational Efficiency in Cold Chain Environments

The process to prepare, store, transport and monitor perishable items in a cold chain is complex, to say the least. There are so many variables that can cause delays to the coordination and movement of temperature-sensitive cargo — delays that in cold chain environments can have serious negative consequences to consumers, manufacturing and distribution. Industries like pharmaceutical, medical, and food depend heavily on streamlined cold storage solutions to solve every day challenges.

Some of the daily challenges in cold chain environments include:

• Spoilage of goods — cold chain management requires the safety of consumers, reducing waste and preventing loss of perishable goods
• Cold temperature, wild temperature swings — the temperature affects both manufactured goods and the supplies and devices used by workers in cold storage environments
• Accuracy and traceability of data — devices, systems and supplies help manage large volumes of data, improve accuracy and productivity, and are imperative to the operational efficiency of cold chain environments

In follow-up Advanced Automation posts, we’ll explore more solutions to these cold storage challenges. Because we know our customers are often overloaded with big problems that require big solutions, today we’ll focus instead on a really simple solution that pays big dividends: cold storage labels. When it comes to cold environments, durable supplies like cold storage labels help streamline operational efficiency by connecting people with products in less than optimal conditions.

In this post, we’ll discuss:

• How cold storage labels contribute to operational efficiency in cold chain environments
• The benefits of high-quality cold storage labels
• How to get cold storage label samples and acquire pricing info

Cold Storage Labels, Environments and Operational Efficiency

The primary goal of cold chain management is consumer safety. That’s why everything in the supply chain matters, right down to the labels used in your cold storage environment.

Extreme temperature conditions require cold storage supplies to operate in cooler and freezer temperatures. Standard label adhesives harden and become frigid in cold storage environments. If product labels without cold storage standards are used, the result can be major failure due to inability to identify products. For the same reason, rack labels must hold up to the same set of cold storage standards in order to withstand warehouse activity and allow for identifying product locations.

In addition to identifying and organizing, labels are instrumental in connecting physical products to computer systems, where data is then parsed and shared with an entire supply chain to consume and perform tasks with. Cold storage, cold transport, and cold processing and distribution are all part of the cold chain ecosystem. So when it comes to cold chain workers interacting with data for perishable products via labels, the last thing you want to worry about is if the information can actually be read or identified from the label itself.

Some typical things that can go wrong when labels are not designed for cold storage:

• Labels become difficult to scan or read
• Labels experience warping or fading
• Labels can peel off entirely due to lack of cold storage adhesive

Imagine, for a moment, there is a world-wide pandemic. You are a scientist and believe to have developed the vaccine that will end the spread of a dangerous virus. 

The vaccine only survives in -20F temps. Now, you must send a sample of the vaccine to another lab. You’re going to be worried about the quality of cold storage transport, protection of goods, and if the lab receiving the vaccine can identify and read the package label instructions when frozen!

Providing scientists…err…workers…with the technology and labels they need to quickly interact with data, instructions, regulations, and other important information: 

• Creates major operational efficiencies in cold chain environments
• Helps prevent loss or product degradation in your cold storage chain
• Enables productivity through consistent quality and product usability in challenging environments 

Benefits of High-Quality Cold Storage Labels

We covered a lot of cold-storage ground in this post, all under the topic of cold storage labels! Let’s do a quick review of why cold storage labels are so important to streamlining cold chain management and boosting operational efficiency:

• Ensure safety of consumers
• High performance in cold conditions and variable temperatures; durable enough to withstand warehouse activities
• Increase productivity and efficiency with high-quality printing and label application 
• Reduce or eliminate the spoiling of perishable goods
• Maintain accurate and traceable data

Lastly, we have to finish with ‘increased sales and customer satisfaction’. Let’s face it, the little things add up to big things in operations and warehousing, and there are many to consider when managing cold storage. By simply ensuring the data that identifies, organizes, and instructs product and packaging information is able to be easily accessed, delivery time and quality will improve exponentially. Your customers will ultimately be the big winners when it comes to selecting the right cold storage supplies.

Samples and Pricing

At Advanced Automation, we recommend Zebra cold storage labels based on customer ratings and high-quality standards of their Cold Chain Advantage solution.

Zebra’s Certified Supplies for cold storage improve efficiency and productivity of your cold chain operations by offering:

• Unmatched quality cold storage labels
• Extensive pre-testing of labels — ensuring they withstand harsh environmental conditions that include freezing temperatures and moisture 
• Excellent print quality with every print 

For more information, request samples or a quote today.