Products such as food, drugs and chemicals are often sensitive to temperature or temperature variations. Incorrect temperature can lead to significant financial losses and, in particular, consequential costs in lost business.
Temperature-sensitive goods can be transported in temperature-controlled refrigerated vehicles.
During the logistic process of the goods, the cold chain can be disrupted. When moving the load from the warehouse to the van, during delivery, from the factory to the logistics warehouse, etc. Not breaking the cold chain is crucial to maintain the properties of foodstuffs, medicines and/or chemical products.
The technical specifications to be met by special vehicles for the land transport of food products at regulated temperatures and the procedures for the control of conformity with the specifications are established in Royal Decree 237/2000, of February 18, 2000.
ATP
Agreement on the international carriage of perishable goods and on special vehicles used for such carriage (ATP). The ATP Agreement ensures that perishable goods are transported from one country to another without losing their organoleptic characteristics and reach the consumer in optimal conditions. Thus, the means of transport used must be capable of maintaining the ideal temperature for the product.
COLD CHAIN
The cold chain is a temperature-controlled supply chain. A cold chain that is kept intact guarantees the consumer that the consumer product has received during production, transport, storage and sale, the ideal temperature for its correct preservation, and that it has not gone out of the established temperature range at any time during the logistics process.
PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY
The cold chain in the pharmaceutical industry is one of the most important processes in the preservation of medicines, vaccines, analyses, etc. From manufacturing, through packaging, storage, distribution and transport to hospitals, pharmacies, points of sale, etc., there are many controls that products subject to cold control must pass.
FLOWER INDUSTRY
Plants need food to survive. With refrigeration, the whole process can be slowed down, so that the flowers hardly need any food while they are refrigerated. In this way they do not need to spend energy on nutrient acquisition and sap circulation.