SANJAY SHARMA
COO-COLDMAN
The cold chain sector manages and transports temperature-sensitive products such as perishable food, medicines, and chemicals while maintaining a precise temperature range along the supply chain. It guarantees that these items are kept, transported, and delivered in the best possible circumstances in order to preserve their quality, safety, and efficacy.
One of the renowned cold chain firms is COLDMAN.
COLDMAN specializes in providing temperature-controlled warehousing and logistics services to various industries. Their emphasis on technology-driven operations suggests that they leverage advanced systems and processes to ensure efficient and reliable temperature control throughout the supply chain.
Temperature-controlled warehousing and logistics are crucial for industries that deal with perishable goods, such as food and pharmaceuticals, as well as other temperature-sensitive products. By maintaining specific temperature conditions, COLDMAN helps their clients preserve product quality, extend shelf life, and comply with regulatory requirements.
With a strong focus on technology-driven operations, COLDMAN utilizes innovative solutions such as temperature monitoring systems, automated inventory management, and real-time tracking. These technologies can enhance efficiency, minimize product loss, and enable better visibility into the movement and storage of goods.
In addition to providing temperature-controlled storage, COLDMAN likely offers a range of logistics services to support the smooth flow of goods, including transportation, inventory management, order fulfilment, and distribution. By integrating technology into these operations, they can streamline processes, optimize routes, and provide accurate and timely information to their clients.
Continuing the conversation, Ice Cream Times magazine reached out to Sanjay Sharma, the Chief Operating Officer of COLDMAN, to gain valuable insights into the current state of the cold chain industry. The following excerpts provide a glimpse into the discussion:
What are the new developments and improvements in cold chain logistics that are revolutionizing the sector? How can these developments boost productivity, save waste, and guarantee product integrity across the supply chain?
In recent years, there have been several developments and improvements in cold chain logistics. Some key advancements include:
Advanced temperature monitoring devices, such as wireless sensors and data loggers, enable real-time tracking and monitoring of temperature-sensitive products throughout the supply chain. These technologies provide detailed information on temperature variations, allowing immediate interventions in the event of deviations, thereby minimizing the risk of spoilage or damage.
Automation in cold storage (WMS):
The Warehouse Management System (WMS) enables capturing data on incoming and outgoing products, monitoring stock levels, and automatically triggering the right batches to be picked based on FEFO (First Expire First Out) for outward orders. Enables track and trace very effectively, which minimizes errors, reduces manual labour, and ensures accurate stock control. Automated WMS software can analyse historical data, product characteristics, and order patterns to optimize the layout of products within the warehouse.
Internet of Things (IoT) devices and Blockchain technology are being integrated into cold chain logistics now to enhance transparency, traceability, and security. IoT devices facilitate real-time tracking of temperature, humidity, and other environmental conditions, while Blockchain ensures immutable and transparent records of every transaction and movement of goods. This integration improves accountability, reduces the risk of fraud, and enhances trust among stakeholders.
Innovative packaging solutions have emerged to better protect perishable goods during transportation. These include active packaging systems with built-in temperature control mechanisms. PCM (Phase Change Material) for last-mile deliveries, which can take frozen and chilled temperatures lasting up to 96 hours
By implementing these developments, the cold chain logistics sector can experience significant benefits. They can boost productivity by streamlining processes, reducing delays, and minimizing manual intervention. Real-time monitoring and predictive analytics help prevent spoilage, reduce waste, and improve overall product quality.
How do you see your cold chain service growing in response to the advent of e-commerce and online grocery shopping to fulfil the rising demand for home delivery of perishable goods?
With the rising e-commerce and m-commerce markets, the location of the warehouse is crucial. The location of the warehouse or hub, the right packaging solution for home delivery or last-mile distribution, a customer-centric approach, collaboration of e-commerce platforms with local grocers, and continuous quality control and compliance are key pillars for executing the right supply chain process for e-commerce home delivery of perishable goods.
Our warehouses closer to cities and consumption points offer very effective integration to various e-commerce and m-commerce players who are serving their clients in the perishable home delivery, hyper delivery, or quick delivery eco-system.
We can also setup Dark Stores to expedite the process of picking and packing orders for delivery. Dark Stores are optimized for efficient order fulfilment and are strategically located in urban areas or strategically positioned to serve a specific customer base.
We offer various solutions for such requirements, like real-time tracking systems to monitor the temperature and location of the order. Right Cold Chain packaging solution to ensure the product’s temperature and integrity are maintained.
The growth of e-commerce and online grocery shopping presents both opportunities and challenges for cold chain service providers. By adapting to the evolving needs of the market and leveraging technology, infrastructure, and partnerships, we can successfully meet the rising demand for home delivery of perishable goods and capitalize on the expanding market.
How do you handle temperature-controlled transportation in the cold chain across diverse modes (e.g., air, sea, and road)? What are the most important factors to consider and best practises for ensuring product quality throughout transit?
Currently, we handle temperature-controlled transportation via road route only and very few air consignments for critical shipments. To ensure product quality throughout the transit, we follow a very strict pre-trip, on-trip, and post-trip check process that is monitored at the control tower and on mobile apps.
The pre-trip checks include checking the working and functioning of the vehicle’s condition, the refrigeration system, product temperature requirement confirmation from the client, GPS-based monitoring, briefing the driver and helper on the trip information, etc. We ensure we initiate the trip only after the pre-trip checks are all clear.
On-Trip checks include monitoring all the ongoing trips at the control tower 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, which helps us track the movement of material and vehicles, ensures their safety, and enables 24-hour assistance to the drivers in case of any requirement or emergency.
Post-trip checks include providing the data logger reports and consignment records to the clients and getting acknowledgement from them.
By following the simple pre-trip, on-trip, and post-trip check processes, we ensure product quality and service efficiency are maintained throughout the transit.
With the growing demand for sustainable practises, what steps is your company taking to reduce its environmental impact in the cold chain and logistics operations?
COLDMAN believes that we, as an enterprise, contribute to nation-building and enhance its sustainability. In a short period of time, we have been successful in achieving our sustainability promise to a greater extent, and we will continue to do so in the near future. Through innovation and creativity, our company is crafting best practises for power generation. These practises mostly include the use of Solar power to generate electricity.
We are committed to working with key industry partners in solar power generation and stakeholders to find solutions to address the shortage of our planet’s non-renewable resources. We have installed energy-saving High-efficiency LED lighting, solar panel roofing, and solar charging stations for materials handling equipment. Through innovation and creativity, our company is crafting best practises for power generation. Also, in our last-mile distribution, we use CNG trucks with PCM-based electrically charged refrigeration technology for in-city distribution to reduce carbon footprints.
As the global population continues to grow, what plans does your company have for expanding its cold chain network to reach new markets or regions?
The cold chain is on the rise in India, and our focus is to establish our network in India first and run smooth and efficient cold chain warehousing and distribution services. In the future, we will definitely aim for newer geographies.