So what problems do food shippers need to keep an eye on? And how can the Contguard solutions reduce likelihood of problems occurring? Read below to find out!
No Temperature Control
Improper management of the quality of food cargo is the quickest way for a company to reduce ROI and incur losses. When food is shipped internationally, it is important that the temperature thresholds are maintained throughout every step of the process, otherwise food could go bad and entire shipments could spoil. Beyond the negative impact such a problem would have on the bottom line of a company, brand reputation could be exponentially worse if illnesses or diseases rise due to damaged goods.
The temperature of a container can be impacted by repeated entry to the container, electricity disruptions, weather conditions outside of the container, and many other factors. The problem companies face is that discovery of the damages is usually only discovered upon arrival to the final destination, making it difficult to backtrack and finding out where the cargo was damaged. By identifying the potential issue and immediately reacting to it, companies can enhance their monitoring capabilities and reduce the chances of goods spoiling due to poor temperature conditions.
The best way to monitor temperature and external conditions at all times is of course through the integration of an independent smart cargo monitoring solution that offers continuous monitoring and alerts of potential issues.
Integration of innovative cargo monitoring solutions enables companies to obtain real time information about their container, ensuring that temperature thresholds are never violated and the goods always remain in the preferred condition. Real time cargo monitoring for food shipments is particularly important since it gives companies the opportunity to immediately react based on predetermined alert triggers.
Improve Transparency & Decision-Making Abilities
Since food shipment is often time sensitive and companies must do all they can to ensure goods are not impacted during transport, having enhanced monitoring capabilities of the entire supply chain process is critical.
Beyond giving companies real time insight into the temperature and whereabouts of cargo, cargo monitoring can help improve companywide efficiency and reduce wasted time where the cargo is in the shipping docks or before cargo is loaded to trucks.
Contguard offers advanced decision support business insight based on recorded information that leverages the transparency into actionable items that can help improve efficiency in the short and long run.
Food Cargo Theft is on the rise
While food may not be the most expensive item on board a shipping boat, it is one of the most commonly targeted items for smugglers and thieves. The reason for that is simple – not only will there always be a market for food and beverages, but the reselling of these products is a lot easier and rarely involves tracking codes, making them desirable for thieves.
Between June and August 2016, 23% of cargo thefts were from the food and drink industry. Despite this alarming statistic, most of the food and beverage companies do not have layered security in the supply chain stage of food transportation.
So how can food shippers reduce the change of theft? Improved real time cargo monitoring! By integrating smart monitoring solutions that offers real time alerts and live information about the status of a container and whether or not the goods have been tampered could help companies quicken reaction times to potential thefts and reduce vulnerabilities in the long run. Beyond offering real time alerts, the presence of a third part monitoring solution makes the theft twice as hard, potentially deterring would be thieves from approaching a particular container.
As a leading innovative cargo monitoring solution, Contguard works with clients in all industries in order to track and monitor cargo while improving transparency, providing strong business intelligence analytics and reports, and directly impacting ROI. Real-time cargo monitoring through third party vendors is vital for reducing problems, particularly in the food and beverage industry.
Are you confident that your shipping solution is providing you with the most accurate information about your cargo?
If you want to learn more about Contguard or schedule a call with one of our cargo monitoring specialists, just contact us at info@contguard.com
