The pharmaceutical business is a leading business in the market with billions of trade in one day. Since their products are all made of complex compounds, they cannot be kept at room temperature as it can disrupt their integrity. Due to this, these manufacturers can’t use normal transport systems to export their products and opt for cold chain logistics, which can provide them with stable and regulated temperature conditions necessary for their goods throughout the shipping process.
Here, we will explore the importance of cold chain logistics in pharmaceutical exports, their key components, and some challenges they face.
Understanding Cold Chain Logistics
Imagine you need to deliver ice cream from one place to another. For this, you would not use any ordinary transportation service, as until the package is delivered, it will be melted out and will be of no use. You will opt for a packaging and delivery system that can send your ice cream without melting, such as a refrigerant cargo van. Similarly for other goods that are temperature-sensitive and cannot bear extreme temperatures, we require special vessels equipped with machinery that can transport the products under a specific temperature range from their origin to their destination. This process is what we call cold chain logistics.
The Importance of Cold Chain Logistics in Pharmaceuticals
- Preserving Product Integrity
Pharmaceutical products require a certain temperature range to maintain their productivity and long life cycles. This is why these manufacturing companies only hire cold chain logistics to help them transport their goods in insulated containers with desired temperature settings and full surveillance.
- Minimizing Product Loss
If a product is damaged during the shipping process, then it can impact both the parent company and the patient. Most of the pharmaceutical goods are damaged during transportation and irregularities in climate conditions. Cold chain logistics takes effective measures to minimize loss and reduce any kind of spoilage and wastage.
- Preventing Degradation
When compared to normal shipping of pharmaceutical products, the self-life and productivity of cold-chain supplied goods are better, resulting in better treatment of the patients and saving a good amount for the companies as well.
- Enhances Brand Reputation
Pharmaceutical companies that chose cold chain logistics showcase their commitment to their products and patient safety; this results in more demand from the market and enhances their brand reputation.
- Minimizing Recalls
By maintaining cold chain logistics, the company can minimize the risk of product recalls due to temperature or other concerning factors.
Key Components of Cold Chain Logistics
- Temperature-Controlled Packaging
Transportation companies use specialized packaging to maintain the required temperature zones. Some commonly used materials, like insulated containers, gel packs, and PCM (phase-change materials), create a stable environment for the goods.
- Real-Time Monitoring
All major cold chain logistics companies use advanced machinery in their vessels, which helps in monitoring the status of the goods being transported. This helps in taking quick action in case of any abnormality in the insulated containers.
- Trained Personnel
Only skilled and experienced personnel who understand the complexity of temperature-controlled transportation are included in the shipping process. For this, the transportation company spends in training of their staff for handling, storing, and transporting delicate goods.
Challenges in Cold Chain Logistics
Despite its importance, cold chain logistics in pharmaceuticals faces several challenges, such as:
- Temperature Fluctuations: Equipment failures, irrational climate conditions, and human error can lead to abnormalities in temperature inside the sealed containers.
- Complex Supply Chains: All products are not desirably kept under the same conditions; they differ in their needing factors, which makes it difficult for the company to supply a broad collection at once.
- Regulatory Problems: Transportation companies have to navigate through many countries having different regulations, and maintaining each of them is a tricky task.
- Cost Management: Cold chain logistics is expensive for any transportation company, and they must balance their costs and demand from the pharmaceutical companies to maintain their existence.
Best Practices for Effective Cold Chain Logistics
To ensure the success rate of cold chain logistics, companies should consider these given points:
- Invest in Technology: With the increase in advanced technology every year, companies should invest in them to optimize their supply and cost.
- Must have R&D: The research and development team is essential to track the progress of their current logistics and implement it to make it better.
- Conduct regular training: Ensure that all the personnel involved in the cold chain process are well trained and have hands-on experience in the machines controlling the temperature and other factors.
- Implement Contingency Plans: Companies must be prepared with the steps to take if any of their cargo is disrupted or has any fault, which can lead to the degradation of goods if not taken on time.
Conclusion
Cold chain logistics is an essential part of the pharmaceutical export process. They ensure the safety and productivity of the product to last long and help both ends to the parent company as well as the end-user to benefit from their efforts. They keep on advancing to optimize their supply with the transportation and storage costs and invest further to adopt best practices to maintain their success rate and reputation in the market.
