This year, Trinity Logistics was named one of Food Logistics’ Top Green Providers. Food Logistics’ annual awards program showcases individual and corporate leaders in the food and beverage industry. The Top Green Provider award recognizes companies whose products, services, or exemplary leadership enhances sustainability within the cold food and beverage industry.  

“Everyone has a role to play when it comes to sustainability, and Trinity has always taken theirs very seriously,” said Sarah Ruffcorn, President of Trinity Logistics. “We are honored to receive this award in consideration of our initiatives towards something so important. Our recognition as a Top Green Provider for 2021 is yet another reason why we are proud to be Trinity Logistics.” 

We are honored to be noticed as a company with environmental, economic, and ethical sustainability practices. Going green is something that is very important to us. Since 2008, Trinity Logistics has participated in the Environmental Protection Agency’s SmartWay Program. This program sets initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution that is caused by freight transportation. We have been partners with Responsible Care® since 2009. This partnership is committed to improving company performance through community awareness, security, distribution, and pollution prevention. Additionally, one of Trinity’s Guiding Values is integrity. We do the right thing. We are grateful for this award and will continue to uphold our sustainability initiatives to help keep our carbon footprint low.  

If you haven’t already noticed, cold chain logistics is currently a hot topic. The demand for fresh products and quality supply chain processes are at an all-time high. Recognizing these trends in cold chain and taking action will help you fulfill your customer’s needs. Let’s look at five trends going on in the cold chain industry.

1. An Increased Demand on Quality Products

Big trends in cold chain, specifically the food industry, has been the demand for fresher and higher-quality products. Consumers want their peaches to be juicier and their avocados to be riper. To satisfy the customers’ wants, you need to make sure the carrier that is shipping your product is well versed in cold chain management. They need to know how to avoid changes in the texture and taste of the produce when a shipment fluctuates beyond the required temperature. The focus on quality products means that refrigerated warehouses will need to maintain temperature zones.

Quality products don’t stop at fresh food. With the COVID-19 vaccine being administered, people want to make sure that what they’re getting injected into their bodies is safe. In addition, the amount of biological drugs and gene therapies is growing. Because of this, logistics companies are also widening their capacity for temperature-controlled transportation to meet the demand.

As we’ve stated in our Shipping Pharmaceuticals blog, cold chain logistics play significant role in the pharmaceutical supply chain. Manufacturers of these vaccines and medications need the cold chain to run smoothly to prevent any damage to the expensive drugs. Pharmaceuticals also need to arrive as good as new because medicine that has sat in incorrect temperatures for an extended period can be ineffective or detrimental to a patient’s health.

2. The Global Cold Chain Market is Booming

A recent report by Grand View Research shows that the global cold chain market size is expected to grow 14.8 percent from 2021 to 2028. Many nations have recognized a rising need to avoid food waste and loss of healthcare products due to spoilage. Moreover, the demand for fresher products is on the rise. Nations such as China and India are boosting their global cold chain efforts to meet the demand for their exports. International trade liberalization has also boosted the use of cold chain, globally. Because it is the global cold chain is rising, manufacturers need to become more specialized in their products so they can ship their goods to a wider variety of customers across the globe.

3. Stronger Regulations

Another trend in the cold chain has been stricter regulations on shipped products. Both globalization and the recent rise of food and pharma counterfeit incidences have caused production and cold chain rules to be reevaluated. The beginning of these rules started with the Food and Drug Administration’s Food Safety Modernization Act. This act requires anyone in the food supply chain to document every step of the process. Certain products like fruit must be traced all the way back to the point of origin.

Being proactive with these firm rules and regulations has also been a common trend across cold chain logistics. Manufacturers are strengthening their processes in-house to help mitigate any issues with their cold chain. Safety should be a top priority for the manufacturer when shipping through cold chain.

4. Innovative Packaging

Specialized packaging has been a trending topic in the cold chain industry. Whether it be for pharmaceuticals or food and beverages, manufacturers have been more specific on how they want their products packaged.

For pharmaceutical companies, there has been a conflict between packaging and transportation costs. For smaller shipments moving through the supply chain, a company can choose either a 24, 48, or 72-hour packaging that will protect the products from becoming ineffective. The more insulated the packaging is, the higher the cost. Globalization is also a major factor in this dilemma. If the U.S. ships cold chain products like pharmaceuticals overseas, it is imperative that the carrier knows to re-ice the shipment if any delays occur.

Companies that specialize in temperature-controlled packaging are making single-use or reusable packaging for all your cold chain needs. There are new refrigerated shipping systems that don’t require gel coolants, and they weigh much less than typical cold chain packages. These systems use evaporative, reactive cooling technology that responds and adjusts to fluctuating temperatures.

Whether it be significant innovations such as evaporative cooling technology or something as simple as adding handles and straps to your packaging, traditional packaging is starting to become a thing of the past. Companies are trying to gain that competitive advantage of being the most innovative packaging company for your cold chain needs.

5. Outsourcing to a Third-Party Logistics Company

Another demand in the cold chain has been for efficiency and visibility throughout the supply chain. Companies don’t like to be left in the dark when it comes to the transportation of their products. That is why a 3PL provides a wide range of technology services to promote transparency within the supply chain.

Consumers today are becoming more conscientious about their needs. No one wants to settle for spoiled milk or ineffective pharmaceuticals. It is imperative that manufacturers stay up to date on these current trends in the cold chain in order to satisfy their customers. Doing research and staying in the know are both imperative ways for your business to be successful. Being proactive and listening to what customers want is the best way to stay on top in the cold chain industry.

Interested in learning more about Trinity’s experience in cold chain?

A recent Harvard Business Review study shows that women in leadership tend to shape better outcomes during times of crisis. Trinity Logistics recently participated in the Women in Trucking Webinar to discuss how women in leadership have paved the way for positive results during the pandemic. In this webinar we heard from the Vice President of Operations at Trinity’s Kansas City office, Jennifer Braun, the President of Trinity Logistics, Sarah Ruffcorn, and the President of Transportation Intermediary Association, Anne Reinke.  

These women share their thoughts and opinions on leadership and key values that have helped them excel during these times. We’ve gathered key information from this webinar that we believe will be valuable to you.  

Question: What are the top words you would use to describe leading during a pandemic? 

Sarah: Authenticity. Being authentic enough to say, “here’s what we know”, and “here’s what we don’t know yet”. Leaders need to let their guard down and say more than we’ve ever heard before.  

Anne: Plan B. Plan A wasn’t going to work so what can we do instead? What can we do to get people working so that it makes sense? 

Jennifer: Preparation. It’s comforting to know that you have some preparation to fall back on and there’s still steps you can take to servicing customers. 

Question: One of the higher ranking traits for women in leadership was “takes initiative.” Can you share what “takes initiative” means to you? 

Sarah: Taking initiatives isn’t necessarily about taking it on by yourself. It can be involving others that know more than you do about the subject. Sometimes it means stepping out of your comfort zone when you don’t know the answers. 

Anne: There’s people in life where, when they see an issue, they’re on it. Taking initiative means feeling like you have an immediate responsibility whether it be because of your title or because that’s naturally the person that you are. What gets you to be a great leader is to take on those initiatives.  

Jennifer: “Takes initiative” can align with empowering others. Take initiative can be raising an awareness, asking questions, or challenging yourself and other people. 

Question: How do you incorporate “inspires” and “develops” others in your role? 

Sarah: This links up to our company culture at Trinity. You’re truly working to remove obstacles for other people and get them to where they want to go. Encourage and offer your employees to get into other projects and educate themselves so that they can increase their skill set.  

Anne: Empowering the team so that they feel a shared sense of responsibility and mission. Listen to them and bring transparency into processes, emphasizing their critical role. Be a mindful cheerleader. Knowing that there’s mutual trust within your team. 

Jennifer: When we’re providing feedback, be specific. What specifically are you wishing to have this person know about their performance or leadership? Be mindful of the words that you’re saying to your team. 

Question: Collaboration & teamwork: why is it important to work together?

Sarah: We’re in a relationship-driven business. We all depend on relationships with our shippers, carriers, warehouse workers. Those relationships are necessary to make things happen in the supply chain. If we’re not pulling in the same direction, it all falls apart. 

Anne: I can’t know everything. It’s a win-win that we work together and give assignments to people who know more, have the experience, or relationships. It makes for a stronger organization. 

Question: High integrity & honesty: Why is that so important in what we do in the transportation industry? 

Sarah: At the foundation of every relationship is trust. If you don’t have that level of integrity and honesty, then trust goes out the window. Everything that Trinity does is based off of our words and so little is based off of contracts. It all ends and starts with our word and backing it up. 

Anne: This industry is based on relationships so you’re only as good as your word. If you want people to continue that relationship with you, you have to live by that. 

Jennifer: All the people we have doing business for us at any minute of any day are the faces of Trinity. Everything is visible and transparent every time we’re talking with people. High integrity and honesty  needs to be something that people live by each day. 

Question: What words of wisdom would you offer other women in the transportation industry? 

Sarah: Even when you don’t feel prepared, say yes. A lot of us hold back until we feel like we’re ready for something but always say yes. 

Anne: Go for it. What do you have to lose? Someone says no to you, that’s fine. Let people say no to you rather than saying no to yourself. 

Jennifer: One of my favorite words is “yet”. If you don’t have something or if you’re not good at something, I always say “yet”. You can achieve pretty much anything you put your mind to. 

Our Director of Marketing at Trinity Logistics, Brittany Seigel, recently interviewed Ava Pearson. Ava is a driver that has built a strong relationship with Trinity. We asked her some questions on how the pandemic has affected her life as a driver.   

Question: As an essential worker during this very difficult time in this past year, what was your experience like? 

Ava: Difficult in a way where we were not able to interact with other people. It was like us drivers were shut off from the world. 

Question: What were you faced with during the pandemic?  

Ava: Not knowing how to handle the situation. Am I going to be safe or protected? Why do I have to be out here when others are with their family? It was rough not knowing the unknown. 

Question: Do you see a lot of this carrying over to the next year or do you think things will start to improve? 

Ava: I think things are improving and they will continue to improve. It’s great that everyone is participating and doing their part of being clean, wearing masks, and keeping your distance. Doing your part really helped out. Now that the vaccine is out, it will probably help with future of normalcy. 

Question: Any advice for other women in this profession? 

Ava: Ask as many questions as you can, don’t be afraid to ask. Do your research. Help anyone else that you can along the way.  

This past year has earned the title of “unprecedented times”. We are appreciative of all the women in trucking and the leaders in our supply chain that persevered through the challenges we’ve had to face in the past year and a half. We couldn’t do it without you. 

Want to hear more about these women in leadership? 

Whether those buying your product are meat-eaters or vegetarians, gluten-free, or dairy-free or they’ll try anything under the sun – we all have to eat. All food must make its way from farms and factories to the dinner table. We all know that this multi-step process is particular and sensitive. Shipping frozen and refrigerated food together can be a recipe for disaster if not done right. The technicalities involved in packaging, warehousing, and transporting these goods are specific and time–sensitive. Let’s look at the logistics of frozen and refrigerated shipping and see how your product ends up safely on dinner tables. 

Shipping temperature-sensitive items? Check out our Temperature Shipping Guide for temperature suggestions?

Refrigerated/Frozen Food Shipping: LTL vs. Truckload

The process of shipping food differs between truckload and less-than-truckload (LTL) shipments. Let’s look at how these two modes differ when it comes to shipping your frozen food. 

LTL

When you work with a refrigerated LTL carrier, you likely know that they have specific days that they pick up, depending on the region. Other temperature-controlled products traveling within that region in the same temperature range will be on that truck. 

The LTL carrier will pick up all these shipments within a specific window and deliver them the following week. Depending on the size of your business and the frequency of shipments, you may find it challenging to keep track of the various pick-up and delivery windows for specific carriers. Visibility of your shipment is imperative to ensure your product arrives safely to the store and in peak condition.  

Truckload

Large shipments of dairy, frozen meats, boxes of bananas, lettuce and watermelons, cans of soup, ketchup, you name it, can be shipped via truckload from distributors to grocery stores. Truckloads full of items leaving one location and heading to the same destination with the exact temperature requirements can be shipped together. However, if this isn’t the case for your product, remember to note this on your instructions for the carrier moving your freight. 

Since these trucks typically have one origin, one destination, and one driver, there aren’t necessarily specific days of the week that these are picked up. However, receivers may have specific days for delivery. Ensure your product arrives in peak condition by coordinating the pick-up and delivery times appropriately so food does not spoil. 

Grocery Delivery Services

The typical grocery store shipments are pretty cut and dry with how goods arrive at the loading docks. The waters get muddied up when it comes to services designed to help busy people get groceries without ever stepping foot into a store. 

Consumers can buy everything else online, so why not food? Grocery delivery services like Peapod, Walmart Grocery Delivery, Instacart, Freshdirect, and Amazon Fresh have turned e-commerce into a giant food pantry for busy people. In a five-minute website visit, people can add their groceries to a virtual cart and have the goods arrive on their front step the following day. 

While grocery deliveries are incredibly convenient and competitive price–wise for the average consumer, it’s a rather complicated process with a small profit margin for shippers. 

These last-mile grocery shipments are so tricky because of the precise instructions and temperatures for the items within a single shipment. Companies have a window of around 20 hours to get groceries from the warehouse to a customer’s fridge. Any moment that the temperature dips below the requirement could zap away the shelf life of your product. 

There’s also difficulty with grocery delivery because certain products cannot be shipped with others. Some produce items can’t be packaged in the same bag as others. Refrigerated items such as milk and cheese shouldn’t reach the temperatures that frozen microwavable meals demand and vice versa. 

Some of these grocery delivery services have refrigerated trucks that carry the groceries from house to house, while others do the temperature control within the grocery totes, using insulated boxes, large ice packs, or dry ice. 

Drivers who deliver these shipments must be more conscious about delivery windows to ensure that each food stays exactly how it is supposed to be, so the integrity remains when the bags make their way from the front step into the kitchens of consumers worldwide. 

Meal Service Delivery Kits

Meal Service Delivery Kits from providers like HelloFresh, Blue Apron, Green Chef, Sun Basket, and Plated are handled a little differently from grocery delivery service. 

Shoppers who want pre-portioned ingredients to prepare two or three meals a week for their family will sign up for these services. Ultimately, the providers, like HelloFresh, will have a preselected menu for the week. 

In this case, the providers are the ones deciding what produce, grain, dairy, and meat can be packaged together. These deliveries arrive at customers’ homes in insulated cardboard boxes. Meats are typically at the bottom of the box covered by large ice packs, with produce and dry items packaged on top. 

These deliveries are a little less complicated and don’t require immediate attention from the customer to stay fresh. While there are instructions to unpack in the fridge as soon as possible, food can stay cold with gel ice packs if customers are not home at the time of delivery. Typically, these items are kept at refrigerated temperatures and don’t fall into the realm of frozen food shipping. Proper packaging during this time helps maintain the integrity of your product. 

Multiple carriers still come into play to get food delivered from the meal service distribution centers to the doorsteps of customers, many times parcel companies like UPS and FedEx complete the last leg of delivery. These carriers need to have the knowledge and expertise of shipping frozen and refrigerated food. This will ensure that the meal kits are delivered properly and are safe for the customer to eat. 

Categorized Subscription Boxes

Subscription boxes have become a major trend in the food industry. Unlike the full grocery delivery services, these boxes differ as they often only offer a specific type of commodity. Examples of food subscription boxes are Butcherbox, Misfits Market, Jeni’s Pint Club, Carnivore Club, and Wine Down. 

These categorized subscription boxes are even less complicated to package and deliver than the Meal Service Delivery kits. Since all items are in the same category and require similar packaging and temperature control, there is no need to make sure certain items are at the bottom with more sensitive items at the top of the box. 

All items are packaged like the meal kits inside an insulated cardboard box covered by large ice packs and delivered the same way. Companies like ButcherBox can warehouse and deliver their boxes in one to two days with services like Direct-to-Consumer through our parent company, Burris Logistics. 

Third-Party Logistics Frozen Food Shipping

Originally published July 7th, 2017 By Brittany Siegel. Updated by Victoria Dalton.

Frozen food is considered one of the safest forms of food preservation because the freezing temperatures prevent harmful bacteria. This doesn’t necessarily mean that frozen food is foolproof. Several situations that could cause your frozen food to go bad and ways to prevent them from happening. If you’re new to shipping frozen food, or you’re a seasoned veteran staying up to date with the ever-changing world of cold chain logistics, here are a few things to keep in mind that can impact your company’s bottom line. 

Shipping temperature-sensitive items? Check out our Temperature Shipping Guide.

Improper Packaging

Improper packaging is the most common mistake in frozen food shipping. It may also be the most involved part of your process. Multiple layers of packaging and ensuring an airtight seal to eliminate any heat or humidity penetration is critical. Your packaging’s  inner layer  should be waterproof to prevent any leakage from melting refrigerant causing damage to your outer packaging.  

The person responsible for packaging your frozen food should have a strong understanding of dry ice and how to store it in proper containers. Although it a great source for cold chain packaging, it could be detrimental to your shipment if misused. If dry ice is packaged in an airtight container, there could be a pressure build up and cause that entire container to burst.   

Package your frozen food with the proper amount of dry ice or frozen gel packs to prevent temperature fluctuations from happening. You should also ensure that you have the proper sized box to store your products. Too large with extra space means your goods could become damaged in the process of moving.  

To prevent improper packaging, ensure that you have full knowledge of the temperatures required for that shipment and what type of insulation you want to use. Partnering with a 3PL that works with vetted carriers that have a strong understanding of how to transport frozen food will also save your shipment from spoiling or getting damaged.  

Underestimating Shipping Times

When you underestimate shipment times, the result could impact your bottom line. If your product arrives to its destination melted or spoiled, you’ll end up with rejected products. This means money lost.  

Plan your frozen food shipments ahead and research estimated transit times so you can pack enough coolant material. This will also provide insight on which refrigerant choice would work better for that shipment. One to two blocks of dry ice will last between 18-36 hours in a small Styrofoam shipping container. In a larger shipping container, dry ice can last between two to three days. It’s never a bad idea to make sure you have enough refrigerant packed so that it could last an extra day or two should your shipment have some unforeseen delay. Communicate the estimated transit time with your third-party logistics provider to ensure that the carrier shipping your frozen food has all the necessary information. 

Not Properly Recording Information

Keep record of every detail about your shipment. This is paramount to staying compliant with the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and proving that your business has done everything possible to prevent the spread of foodborne illness. This includes the proper labeling of packaging, any providers used, and temperature records from before, during, and after transit.  

The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) is transforming the nation’s food safety system into one that is based on the prevention of foodborne illnesses. Our team stays updated on these regulations and have processes in place to stay compliant.  

Not Using a Qualified Provider

Maintaining the correct temperatures when shipping frozen food means maintaining its quality. You should make sure you choose a provider who is experienced with your frozen food product. Don’t make the mistake in trying to lower shipping costs by shipping mixed temperature goods together, which if not done properly, can compromise their quality and result in rejection of your product. Shipping mixed loads can be done, but you need to make sure it’s with a provider that has trucks with separate compartments capable of holding different temperatures, and the experience to handle it.  

Finding and building a relationship with a qualified, experienced carrier to haul your frozen food products can be a long and time-consuming process. At Trinity, we have a network of over 70,000 qualified carrier relationships to help you.  

Why not choose to save some time?  

SEAFORD, Del. (March 22, 2021)- Trinity Logistics is proud to recognize Jennifer Hoffman as one of Women in Trucking Association’s (WIT) “Top Women to Watch in Transportation”. Hoffman is Trinity’s Director of Agent Services and has been with the company for 6 years.   

 
Each year, the editorial staff of WIT’s Redefining the Road magazine recognizes these individuals for their career accomplishments in the past 12 to 18 months and their efforts to promote gender diversity.  

“Jen is an incredible coach and trusted advisor to her team, customers, carriers and the many Agent offices that proudly represent Trinity Logistics each day,” said Greg Massey, VP of Agent Services for Trinity Logistics. “Jen is passionate about what she does, always looking for ways to enhance her industry knowledge, advance her skill set, and challenge herself to be better today than she was yesterday.”  

Through her daily interactions, Hoffman has many opportunities to support women within the industry. She manages a diverse team within Trinity and supports the company’s more than 100 agent offices.  

“This accomplished group of women represents a wide range of skill sets and expertise, and highlight how women bring diverse thought, value and results to businesses in the industry,” said Ellen Voie, WIT president and CEO. “These impressive women have made a tremendous impact in their fields during this pandemic and are pushing the envelope for women in the industry. We are thrilled to recognize and celebrate their accomplishments.” 

 
About Trinity Logistics  
Trinity Logistics is a Burris Logistics Company, offering people-centric freight solutions®. Their mission is to “deliver creative logistics solutions through a dynamic mix of human ingenuity and innovative technology, enriching the lives of those we serve”. For the past 40 years, Trinity has been arranging freight for businesses of all sizes in truckload, less-than-truckload (LTL), warehousing, intermodal, drayage, expedited, international, and technology solutions. Trinity is currently recognized in the Top 20 freight brokerages on Transport Topics’ Top 100 Freight Brokerage List, a Top 3PL and Cold Storage Provider by Food Logistics, a Certified Great Place to Work ®, and among the Healthiest 100 Workplaces in America. Learn more at trinitylogistics.com. 

Check out our recent webinar with Women in Trucking!  

Roses are red. Violets are blue. How do flowers get delivered in perfect condition to you? With Valentine’s Day approaching, the surge of flower orders and deliveries is increasing. The process of shipping flowers from nurseries to florists requires time sensitivity and attention to detail. With the Day of Love nearly here, let’s dive into the cold chain logistics in flower delivery.

The Import of Flowers

While running to the florist to pick up a dozen roses is a simple task, the process to get those roses to the United States wasn’t so simple. Most flowers sold in the U.S. come from abroad. California is the main domestic flower producer in the U.S., but it only accounts for a small percentage of the flowers sold here. Flowers that end up in our grocery stores primarily come from South America, Africa, and Europe.

The journey that flowers take to the U.S. is a long one. Experience in cold chain is necessary for the carriers that haul this delicate freight. Flowers must be maintained in the proper environment for quality purposes. Healthy, beautiful flowers won’t survive their long journey without a proper cold chain solution.

From Field to Florist

The process to import flowers to the U.S. is meticulous with little room for error. The shelf life of a flower is extremely short, so it’s important to ship them as quickly as possible. To get your favorite carnations and lilies from field to florist is an extensive procedure. Let’s take a look at how flowers grown in Ecuador or Columbia arrive in your flower shops.

Flowers begin their journey at a farm or nursery. When they’re ready, the flowers are placed in a refrigerated room to remove field heat before they are graded, bunched, and packaged. After this step, the flowers are placed into a cool hydrating solution to help preserve them. They are then placed on a refrigerated truck at temperatures between 33-35 degrees Fahrenheit while they travel to the airport. The flowers are then placed on a refrigerated cargo plane with the same insulation and temperatures as the truck. Once they arrive in the U.S., the flowers go to a refrigerated hall to await Customs. After Customs, they are finally placed on another refrigerated truck to the final destination of the retailer.

To get flowers from field to florist takes precision and expertise. Flowers begin decomposing the minute that they’re cut so it is truly a race against the clock. The use of cold chain logistics in flower delivery and working with a third-party logistics company (3PL) that is experienced in cold chain can help preserve your flowers’ life.

Shipping temperature-sensitive items? Check out our Temperature Shipping Guide.

Utilizing Cold Chain Logistics

The shipment of flowers needs to be as delicate as the flower itself. Cold chain logistics is one of the most important parts of floral management. Consistency is necessary throughout the flowers’ journey. This means temperature and insulation maintenance need to be a top priority.

Cold chain interruptions can cause flowers to lose as much as 40 percent of their vase life. The longer flowers remain in a consistently cool area, the longer they’ll survive. Time is of the essence when shipping flowers and it is important that your shipment is in the right hands. A 3PL with proper knowledge in cold chain logistics will arrange to get your flowers to their destination while keeping them in mint condition.

No one wants their flowers to arrive on Valentine’s Day all wilted and decomposed. As a Burris Logistics company, we can provide you with the cold chain support that you need for your floral shipments. Trinity Logistics has the ability to ship your flowers through cold chain so that they arrive as fresh as a daisy!

Want to learn more about our experience in cold chain?

Picking up medicine and vitamins from your local store or pharmacy may be a simple task for you. However, shipping pharmaceuticals is a meticulous challenge. Even more so as cold chain logistics often plays a big role in the pharmaceutical supply chain. Let’s dive in and find out what makes shipping pharmaceuticals so complex.

The Basics of Pharmaceuticals

Pharmaceutical companies have made great advances within the past few decades in making medications specialized to certain individuals and rare diseases. These specialized pharma products come in several different types.

One form of pharmaceuticals is biologicals. This includes vaccines, blood, allergens, genes, and tissues. Biologicals have been popular recently due to the demand for a COVID-19 vaccine.

Another form of pharma products are prescribed drugs such as opioids, stimulants, and benzodiazepines. These have a high theft risk and need to be handled with extra security.

Lastly, there are over-the-counter (OTC) medicines like vitamins, minerals, and supplements. All these different types of pharmaceuticals can come in the form of either a liquid, ointment, or a solid.

To learn more about the basics of shipping pharmaceuticals, check out the video below.

Transportation Regulations

The nature of shipping medicine is delicate. Since it can be so complex to ship, regulations are a big thing to keep in mind. Not considering regulations can be detrimental to the flow of your supply chain.

Rules for shipping pharmaceuticals start when manufacturing begins and all through the supply chain. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Current Good Manufacturing Practices (CGMP) made guidelines for pharmaceuticals to set specific standards for manufacturing, storage, and distribution.

Having standardized vehicle equipment is necessary when shipping this form of freight. If products are being transported by road, each truck must have temperature control and security measures in place. Routine cleaning of the trailer is required in order to prevent cross-contamination of different products.

Another regulation that is crucial in transporting pharmaceuticals is keeping everything on record. Transportation records and training documentation must be stored for all involved parties.

Cold Chain Maintenance

In 2019, cold chain logistics accounted for 26 percent of the pharmaceutical industry. Maintaining cold chain logistics throughout your shipment plays a big part in preserving the quality of most pharmaceuticals. Roughly 70 percent of medicine needs to be climate-controlled. This is why climate-controlled trucks are necessary when shipping pharmaceuticals. Climate-controlled trucks run their cooling unit independently. The refrigeration unit keeps your freight at the proper temperature and provides insulation, so products stay protected from outside elements.

Proper packaging of these products is important. Selecting the appropriate level of temperature-controlled packaging that best fits your shipment will help protect your pharmaceutical products even more. Using insulated containers to prepare your freight for transit can also help protect against exposure to heat, light, and moisture.

Temperature fluctuation as little as two degrees can ruin a pharmaceutical product. Having the vehicle regularly inspected and serviced will help make sure there is no variation in temperature during transport. The key to cold chain logistics is to be proactive so that your freight remains as unscathed as possible.

Risks When Shipping Pharmaceuticals

With valuable freight comes high risks. Without proper temperature control, pharmaceuticals can become ineffective or even deadly. A change as little as two degrees in temperature can ruin a pharma product. Carriers must be diligent with their temperature logs and stay proactive throughout the shipment to prolong the effectiveness of this important freight.

Cargo theft is a big risk when shipping pharmaceuticals. Prescribed drugs like opioids are especially at high risk of theft. Most pharmaceutical warehouses have high security measures, but the majority of theft happens while in transit. This is why it is necessary to find quality carriers that will ensure the safety of your freight.

Another obstacle is that medicine is becoming more specialized. More personalized medicine is being made for individuals with specific and rare diseases. These pharmaceuticals ship at low volume but high value. With specialized pharmaceuticals comes specialized temperatures. It is important to communicate with your carrier what your unique freight needs are in order to deliver safely.

Choose a 3PL with Experience in Cold Chain

Regardless of the type of drug or the shape it takes, all pharmaceuticals need to be handled with great care. This is where a third-party logistics company (3PL) can come in handy.

Shipping pharmaceuticals is a job that requires delicacy and expertise. Choosing a 3PL that has an extensive background in cold chain logistics is the way to go. As a Burris Logistics company, we can offer you cold chain support from production to delivery, or anywhere in between. You can feel at ease knowing your pharmaceuticals will be in good hands.

Want to learn more about our experience in cold chain?

We’ve all had those moments on the road where we’ve felt excessive stress. Bumper-to-bumper traffic, delays on our commute, or even bad weather conditions can make driving a taxing task. For most, those stresses are alleviated once we arrive to our destination. However, for truck drivers, these feelings sometimes don’t go away after traveling and their mental health can be compromised because of it.

Mental health is a delicate topic that we don’t take lightly. We understand that loneliness and anxiousness are common issues for truck drivers. We’re here to address this issue and provide you with some tips on how to protect your mental health.

What is Mental Health?

Before we dive into tips, you first need to understand what mental health is and how it affects truck drivers specifically. Mental health is a person’s condition with regards to their emotional, psychological, and social well-being. According to Johns Hopkins, one in four adults suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year. More specifically, more than 17 million American adults experience depression, making it one of the most common mental health disorders in the U.S. For truckers, depression is one of the top conditions along with anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Another scary statistic that pertains to truck driving and mental health are suicide rates. According to Transport Topics, suicide is among the top ten leading causes of death for adults in the U.S. The transportation industry has the fourth-highest suicide rate among American working-age adults. To put this even more into perspective, suicide is a major concern in trucking because it is known as a male-dominated industry and nearly 70 percent of suicides that occur in our country are carried out by men.

We’re addressing these topics now so that you can find a resource or outlet to help with your struggles. We want to help prevent you from being a part of that statistic by all costs.

If you feel you need help, contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255.

Factors that Contribute to your Mental Health

There’s an infinite number of factors that contribute to a person’s mental health. Some may develop depression after losing a loved one while others may develop disorders like bipolar because of genetics. As a truck driver, your experiences on the road play a big role in your mental state.

Isolation is one of the biggest factors to trigger poor mental health. As a trucker, being away from friends and family for an extended period of time can be challenging on your psyche, especially because you often transport the freight alone. Being alone with just your thoughts can be intimidating and sometimes being alone for too long can cause bad thoughts to creep in.

Another factor that causes a lot of drivers to experience PTSD or anxiety is the day-to-day events that happen on the road. The longer you’ve been in the industry, the higher your chances are of experiencing an accident. Whether it be you or some other car on the road, witnessing wrecks can be very traumatic and can result in developing a mental health condition.

Food also impacts your mental health. It’s easy and convenient to stop at a rest stop for a snack or go through the drive-thru for a quick meal, but those aren’t the healthiest options. Your brain needs fuel in order to run properly. If you’re eating bad, you’re going to feel bad. An article published by Harvard Health speaks to this topic. Eva Selhub says that our brain is like an expensive car. It requires premium fuel in order to function properly. If your brain is deprived of good-quality nutrition, consequences are to be expected.  This concept has a lot to do your gastrointestinal tract and the effect it has on your serotonin levels. Serotonin is what mediated your mood and 95% of your serotonin is produced in your GI tract. If there is good bacteria in your GI from the healthy food you are eating, there will be a positive impact on your mental state. Accomplishing this task on the road can seem impossible, but it’s not. Meal prepping before embarking on your journey is a healthier alternative to fast food that’ll make you physically and mentally feel better. Click here to find some healthy meal prep options that you can bring with you on the road.

Some drivers face challenges in their workday from the brokers they work with. Sometimes, brokers may not explain the shipment in enough detail or provide enough information to you before beginning your travels. This frustration of not knowing all the information required to pick up and deliver freight can lead to a lot of unnecessary stress that can snowball into bigger issues.

Other factors such as the intense pressure to deliver on time, inadequate sleep, and driver aggression all play a role in your mental health as a truck driver. The key is to address the things you can prevent and recognize the things you can’t so you can get proper help.

Recognizing That You Need Help

Acknowledging that you struggle with your mental health is a hard realization to overcome. Conditions like mental health diagnoses aren’t normalized as much as they should be in our society, especially when it comes to the trucking industry. There are several reasons why many truck drivers decide not to speak on their mental state.

Health, psychiatric, and sleep issues are often underreported in the trucking industry. Trucking is still a male-dominated profession that shows a level of machismo majority of the time. To a lot of men, admitting to a mental health illness makes them less masculine. Another reason why truckers tend to internalize their health is because they think that they have a lot to lose. If a driver happens to fail their Department of Transportation exams (due to either mental or physical health) there’s a possibility they could lose their jobs and in turn, not be able to provide for their family. Although this idea is scary, you can’t compromise your mental state. Finding proper help could prevent a situation like this from happening.

There’s a stigma that if you struggle with a mental health condition that you’re weak or different from others. Admitting that you need help is a big step, and a positive one. Mental health disorders don’t make you any less of a person. In fact, recognizing that you have one makes you stronger.

How Can you Protect your Mental Health

We know that a lot of different factors contribute to your mental state, and everyone’s triggers are different. A trigger is a reminder of a past experience. Although you can’t wave a magic wand and completely be alleviated from a mental health condition, there are measures you can take to help improve it.

One way to help boost your spirits is to consider a travel companion. Teaming up with other drivers during your travels can help you combat the road isolation you may be feeling. If your spouse happens to work in the industry, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to bring them along for a ride. If you’re unable to bring a human along with you, there may be another option. Mutts4trucks is an organization that teams up dogs that need a home with truckers in need of company. Studies have shown that owning a dog drastically decreases issues like isolation and depression. Having a loyal companion as your co-pilot can help protect you from not sitting in your own thoughts and help make the ride a bit more enjoyable. A lot of fleets don’t allow pets to travel within their trucks and some shippers don’t allow them on their property due to liability reasons which can make this a difficult choice. Make sure to evaluate your options with the fleet owner and common shippers and receivers you see before following through with it!

If traveling alone, bringing some comforts from home could be beneficial. Items like photos, knick-knacks, and even small decorations can help boost your morale and make you feel comforted while driving.

Maintaining a strong network and routine while traveling could be helpful as well. Take care of your connections with your friends and family at home while you’re on the road. Calling a loved one can help the time go by faster and make you feel less lonely. These strong connections don’t have to stop at family. Stay connected with those that understand what you’re going through. Stay in contact with fellow truck drivers and meet up at truck stops. Maintaining a routine everyday can also be beneficial. Even if it’s something small like sitting down for five minutes to enjoy your morning coffee will help structure your life and start off the day on a positive note.

Keeping your mind active is also important. What better time to learn a new language than when you’re alone in your own truck? Listening to music, audiobooks, or podcasts can help make time fly and make your brain work a bit harder. Trinity Logistics recently launched the Heart of the Truck Podcast that is a recurring series centered around the audience of truck drivers.

As we stated previously, a lot of unnecessary stress that you may be experiencing can be due to the lack of clarity on the shipments you service. One way to alleviate this frustration is to work with a broker of choice that you’ve built a strong relationship with. At Trinity Logistics, we understand that it is our duty to make sure you have access to as much information about the shipment details as we do. We strive to provide as much clarity as possible in order to remove potential inefficiencies so that you don’t have to stress as much when you’re on the road.

How to Seek Help

Admitting that you are struggling is difficult to face. It’s hard to work on improving your mental health alone. Luckily there are resources and help that are specific to truck drivers.

Making appointments for therapy are difficult to make on short notice and the schedule of a truck driver is everchanging. Luckily, there have been recent efforts underway to increase health care access to people like you who have fluctuating schedules. DOT has on-site family clinics located at several distribution centers. You can get an appointment on short notice to address both physical and mental health needs.

If you are unable to schedule an in-person appointment, online therapy is always an option. Resources like Talkspace and Better Help offer virtual last-minute scheduling and chat rooms where you can speak with counselors at any time. Both options offer 24/7 access and flexible plans to meet your unique lifestyle as a trucker. Talking with a professional can be extremely beneficial in bettering your mental health.

Besides these resources, sometimes it’s nice to talk to someone understands what you’re going through. There are Facebook groups dedicated for truck drivers to have open communication with each other and offer support. Truckers for Truckers is just one example of a group on Facebook. It’s important to realize that you are not alone.

As a community, we need to break the stigma surrounded around mental health and start to normalize it. Millions of people struggle with mental health and it is not a flaw. We hope you found some valuable tips that you can apply to your life and can better your mental health as a result. We appreciate the work you do and want you to know that even though you may feel like it, you are not alone. We see the challenges you face in your business, and we will face them together. We are with you.

The manufacturing industry faces several challenges with their logistics. Laws and regulations in the manufacturing industry are always fluctuating. Some companies’ inventory management is not as advanced as it needs to be. An experienced third-party logistics company (3PL) that has strengths in logistics for the manufacturing industry can help you overcome these obstacles.

Leave Logistics to the Experts

Partnering with a 3PL to take care of your supply chain needs can lift weight off your shoulders. There are many moving parts in the manufacturing supply chain and each part is very specific. Choosing to outsource tasks will benefit your company in the long run. With the help of a 3PL, you’ll be able to focus more on getting your product on shelves rather than the logistic components.

Customers tend to get frustrated when the product they want is out of stock. To help with this scarcity problem, a 3PL works diligently to procure your goods quickly. Your products will be cared for like they are our own and will be transported as smoothly as possible.

Delivering freight for the manufacturing industry requires strong communication. A 3PL will keep in contact with you throughout your freight’s journey to its destination and even after its been delivered. They also maintain strong communication with the carrier to ensure your freight is delivered carefully.

Partnering with a 3PL means there is no need for your company to own a warehouse or transport facilities. They can provide warehousing requirements so that your company doesn’t have to invest in your own physical location. When outsourcing your warehousing, it gives you the opportunity to have goods stored closer to your customer, reducing the time and distance it takes to keep them stocked with your products.

Reduce Your Costs

Manufacturers need to stay on track with their expenses in order to be successful. Hiring and training skilled workers is necessary for strong business operations. We want to be an extension of your team so that your skilled workers can do what they do best and we can lend a hand by doing what we do best.

Managing invoices from motor carriers can be daunting. Outsourcing with a 3PL can limit that time commitment. When being billed for your freight shipment, the 3PL provider will receive the invoice first and will audit each invoice before sending it over to your company. This can free up time in your accounting department so that they’re able to focus on core operations.

Outsourcing your warehousing can also help you save money. With a 3PL you’re able to scale how much warehouse space you need depending on your busier months. If it’s a slower season, you can typically negotiate with your 3PL provider to scale back on warehouse usage. At Trinity Logistics, we’ll help you respond quickly to fluctuating environments in your industry such as volume peaks or uneven demand. Communicating with your third-party logistics company about any unutilized space in the warehouse will help you reduce costs.

You can also reduce your transportation spend. 3PLs can secure favorable rates in transportation because of the strong relationships built with their vetted carriers. They can negotiate shipping rates based on your freight’s volume in order to help your company save money, offer you a cheaper mode to use, and eliminate the time you would spend searching for optimal rates.

No one wants to accrue unnecessary expenses in their business. As a company in the manufacturing industry, you should look into a reliable 3PL that can help cut down on additional spending so that you can focus on your core operations and getting your product to the customer.

Improve Quality and Customer Service

3PL’s, like Trinity Logistics, treat your freight like it’s our own. Whatever your company needs, we will offer the flexibility needed to get the job done. We understand there is a sense of urgency when transporting freight in the manufacturing industry. A 3PL with an experienced and expansive carrier network is able to provide the very best service and carrier to move your freight. A vetted carrier that is knowledgeable in your freight will ensure that it arrives to its destination safely.

Trinity Logistics motto is people-centric freight solutions®. This statement holds true when it comes to working with our customers. We build strong relationships with our customers so that we can better understand their freight and ensure timely and effective end-to-end supply chain solutions.

Eliminate Manual Services

Do you feel like you’re lacking with technological support in your manufacturing company? Manual data entry takes time away from core business processes and some manufacturing companies may not have the advanced technology needed in their supply chain. With Trinity, you can manage your entire supply chain with the use of our Transportation Management System (TMS). With this innovative technology, the mundane work of tracking, reporting, and invoices will become a thing of the past.

Utilizing a TMS allows you to customize tracking notifications on all freight you ship with us. While you can trust us with your shipments, this tracking system gives you piece of mind that your freight is being transported properly. Our TMS will notify you where your freight is in its journey and when it’s expected to arrive, as well as send a confirmation when its delivered.

Reporting requires a lot of visibility and time. With a TMS, you won’t have to worry anymore. Information like freight analysis, lane analysis, freight spend, expectation management, and carrier performance will all be provided to you. Take the guesswork out of your logistics and finally tap into some tangible data so your company can drive business forward.

Partnering with a 3PL, like Trinity Logistics can help you build relationships with experts in your industry, reduce logistics costs, improve customer service, and eliminate manual services. Outsourcing on these specific tasks throughout your supply chain can help your manufacturing business increase productivity and focus on what matters most; your core business processes.

Interested in how Trinity can help in your manufacturing supply chain?