The Logistics of Logistics Five Keys to Cold Chain Success with Tyler Hildebrand
Jul 7, 2019
39:34
Tyler, please introduce yourself (your title / company / location)
- I'm Tyler Hildebrand and I am an account executive at Reliable Transportation Solutions in Cincinnati, OH
Please tell us about your background. Where did you grow up? Go to school? What was your major in college?
- Born and raised in Cincinnati, OH
- Growing up I worked in lots of warehouses and was very interested in art
- Attended college at Ringling College of Art & Design in Sarasota FL, where I studied illustration
You have had an interesting career path, tell us a little about your story
- Owned and operated an art gallery
- As an artist, I was commissioned to create artwork for some iconic organizations like the Chicago Cubs, Notre Dame football, etc.
- As a freelance marketer, I often worked closely with clients in the transportation and logistics space, so I began to understand the business
- I joined a university as an art professor, was promoted to administration and was even considered for the president of the university
- Transitioned to transportation and logistics when a recommended me for an opportuniy
Before we dig into the "Five Keys to Cold Chain Success", let's cover the basics. What is the cold chain?
- A cold chain is a temperature-controlled supply chain for perishable food products, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals in order to maintain their quality and increase their shelf-life
- A cold chain is essential because it:
- Reduces food loss due to spoilage
- Enhances food safety and quality
- Balances and manages the supply and demand of food
Talk a little bit about the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA)
- Biggest overhaul of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in history
- Signed into law Jan. 4, 2011
- Ensures safety and security of the food and feed supply to protect human and animal health.
- Significant impact to the food supply chain
- FSMA applies to:
- Food transported in bulk, where the food touches the walls of the vehicle (Example: juices)
- Packaged foods not fully enclosed by a container (Example: fresh produce)
- Food that require temperature control for safety (Example: beef)
Tell us about the cold chain infrastructure
- It's a lot more than just reefers – the cold chain starts in the fields and ends when the consumer buys it --
- Precooling facilities. Precooling is the removal of heat energy from crops after they are harvested. Precooling reduces spoilage and slows ripening.
- Refrigerated storagerefers to the storing of goods in a reduced temperature atmosphere. Heat is removed from the storage container or room to help keep goods cold.
- Refrigerated transportis a form of climate-controlled transportation which is designed to maintain a cool or frozen temperature.
- Packaging is another key component of the cold chain. Cold chain packaging is specifically designed to help maintain a reduced temperature. Cold chain packaging is sometimes insulated and or thermal.
- Information management systems are transforming the cold chain through:
- Route optimization
- WMS, TMS, documentation
- Hardware - scanning equipment, phone apps
- Business intelligence & KPIs
- Real time monitoring and alerts for non-compliance
Now that we know the basics, what is the first key to cold chain success?
- Creating the Right Culture
- Continuous improvement
- Risk management
- Chain of custody
- Problem resolution
- Root cause analysis
What is the second key to cold chain success?
- Develop a food safety plan - FSMA Requires it
- FSMA in a Nutshell
- Process Summary
- Written food safety plan
- Identify potential hazards / risks - Document every potential risk to food safety
- Implement a preventive control that will minimize or eliminate every risk
- Monitor controls to ensure they are done
- Training
- Documentation
- FSMA in a Nutshell
- The food safety plan should be created with input from the extended team (suppliers, carriers, team members, experts and customers)
- The food safety plan is a living document that should be updated on a regular basis
- PROCESS/HAZARD/CONTROL/MONITOR
What is the third to cold chain success?
- Leverage technology
- To ensure food safety and comply to FSMA, companies should try to use technology to monitor temperature control
- Real time monitoring and alerts for non-compliance
- The technology needs to be calibrated / updated
- Technology doesn't quit or call or sick
What is the fourth key to cold chain success?
- Cold Chain Transportation that is sanitary (regardless of mode – air, road, ship, etc..)
- Appropriate temperature control during transport.
- Sanitation, including:
- Monitoring and ensuring the sanitation and condition of transportation vehicles is appropriate
- Pest control
- Sanitation associated with loading & unloading procedures
- Clean out
- Prior loads
- Appropriate packaging/packing of food products and transportation units (e.g., good quality pallets, correct use of packing materials).
- Good communications between shipper, transporter and receiver.
- Employee awareness and training.
What is the fifth key to cold chain success?
- Choose supply chain partners who are FSMA compliant and who value food safety as much as your company does
- Partners should have all appropriate certifications for their industry
- Update procurement and carrier agreements to include FSMA provisions
- The FSMA raises the bar on monitoring, data management and processes. Software can make these activities easier.
- If possible, use sensors and electronic alerts to monitor important functions like temperature, testing and process compliance.
Tyler, thank you so much for the education – really good stuff. Please wrap it up for us
- To ensure that the food supply chain is kept safe, you must do the work
- There are no short cut in FSMA compliance
What's new over at Reliable?
- Reliable Transportation Solutions is an asset based 3PL specializing in refrigerated food transportation
- Centrally located in Cincinnati OH
- In addition to our own fleet (reefers/dry vans) we also have a full service brokerage
To Learn More:
Reliable Transportation Solutions: https://www.relyonrts.com/#homePage
Connect with Tyler on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyler-hildebrand-87778829/