Cold Chain

A cold chain system covers the resources involved in moving perishable products from the point of production to the customer in a temperature-controlled process. Glacier Vehicles specialises in new and used refrigerated van services, providing top freezer and fridge vans to businesses in the cold chain industry to aid their day-to-day transportation and logistics needs. Our new refrigerated vans are manufactured by top brands such as Citroen, Nissan, Ford, Fiat, Mercedes, and Volkswagen, among others. We use GAH refrigeration equipment installed and managed by our engineers to provide temperature control for your cold chain distribution.

Elements of a Cold Chain Distribution System

The cold chain distribution system comprises important elements which all combine to ensure an efficient service is delivered to the consumer. These elements can be grouped into four…

Personnel

Personnel covers all the staff that takes part in the cold chain process. From the manufacturers of the refrigeration equipment to the refrigerated van service providers, the product processors, the refrigerated van drivers, and the managers who monitor these groups. It is the job of personnel to ensure the cold chain process is completed with no possible hitch and the consumer satisfied.

Equipment

The equipment covers all items, devices, or machines that will be needed during the cold chain process. Chief amongst these is the refrigerated van. Without the refrigerated van in optimum condition, suitable temperature control cannot be provided to the perishable products.

Maintenance

This covers how the cold chain equipment is managed and optimised. Here the refrigerated vans, containers, and even the refrigerated warehouses need to be maintained to provide refrigeration services over a long period.

Monitoring

The cold chain process needs to be monitored from start to finish. This is to ensure there is no glitch in the process that will affect the food preservation/refrigeration or prevent delivery to the final consumer. Documentation is necessary for every step of the cold chain process to make sure established protocols and guidelines are followed.

Transport Management

The cold chain process is significantly disturbed if there is no efficient transport management. The refrigerated vans deserve utmost attention to ensure stable temperature control at all times. In this process, four factors are considered

Lifespan of Vehicles

New refrigerated vans need to have a long lifespan to provide value for their costs. When acquiring used refrigerated vehicles, consider how cost-effective they are.  Go for fridge or new freezer vans that are optimised to provide top-quality service (cooling and transport).

Mileage Covered

If you service areas spanning thousands of miles apart or all over the United Kingdom, consider refrigerated vehicles that can run that long and still maintain performance over a long period. Glacier Vehicles refrigerated vans cover longer distances while delivering top-quality refrigeration.

Operational Cost per Kilometre

The cost of maintaining the refrigerated vehicle is another important transport management factor. What fuel does the fridge or freezer van run on? How many litres of fuel does it consume per kilometre? These questions can help you purchase the proper Glacier Vehicle freezer van that fits your cold chain system’s operational budget.

Maintenance

The refrigerated vehicles need to be monitored and maintained properly. Glacier Vehicles refrigerated vans come with GRP resin interior which has a wet lay roller finishing for ease in cleaning. The vehicles should also be handled with care to increase their life span.

Improving Cold Chain Systems

To stay above the competition and deliver efficient service always, the cold chain distribution process should be improved upon constantly to ensure better and optimised refrigeration and food preservation service. This can be done in four ways…

Temperature Control

Make sure the refrigerated van’s temperature control capacity is wide enough to keep your products frozen or chilled when needed. Glacier vehicles offer a cooling range of 0⁰C to -25⁰C. Our refrigerated vans can also be regulated to suit the cooling needs of different products.

Increasing Capacity

When your business expands or you handle bigger deliveries in the cold chain industry, you need to increase the capacity of your refrigerated vans. If you have been operating with a small freezer van of 2 panels, consider purchasing a medium or large Glacier Vehicles freezer van of 3-4 panels for bigger capacity.

Upgrading to Latest Technology

To increase efficiency, keep abreast of new improvements or upgrades in the cold chain industry. You can always convert your refrigerated vehicles to include bespoke elements like standby night system, the hanging meat rail system, the shelving system, and the temperature-controlled compartment system. You can add cruise control, rear parking sensors, and the Bluetooth control system to your refrigerated van.

Handling Equipment Breakdown

In improving cold chain distribution systems, your business should be able to handle equipment breakdown efficiently. What do you do when one of your refrigerated vans suddenly stops functioning? Have an extra refrigerated van at your disposal for emergency cases. Contact Glacier Vehicles so our engineers can come to your rescue when you need our services.

Better Cold Chain Operations with Glacier Vehicles

We not only provide new or used refrigerated vans at your disposal, but we also are at your service 24/7 for emergency cases. Thanks to our experience in the cold chain industry, we can offer you expert advice on different issues. Partner with us and experience an improved cold chain distribution system. If you want to buy a used refrigerated van, a used freezer van, a new refrigerated van or a new freezer van call, Glacier Vehicles on 0208 668 7579.