Industry Playbook

1. Industry Reality

Cold chain logistics supports food, pharmaceuticals, vaccines, chemicals, and biologics through temperature-controlled storage and transportation.

The system spans cold rooms, freezers, reefer trucks, containers, warehouses, and last-mile delivery. Control must be continuous — not periodic.

2. Silent Failures in Cold Chains

Cold chains fail silently through temperature excursions, door misuse, power interruptions, sensor drift, and human handling errors.

Damage often becomes visible only at delivery, inspection, or consumption.

3. Common Industrial Problems

• Temperature excursions during transit
• Product spoilage and shelf-life reduction
• Disputes between shipper, transporter, and receiver
• Regulatory non-compliance
• Lack of end-to-end visibility

4. Critical Decision Points

• When temperature crosses safe thresholds
• When to intervene during transit
• When to accept, quarantine, or reject a shipment
• When accountability must be established

5. Critical Signals

• Temperature and humidity
• Time-at-temperature (excursion duration)
• Door open/close events
• Power availability and battery status
• Location and transit duration

6. System Architecture

• Edge sensors inside storage and vehicles
• Real-time connectivity during transit
• Platforms for route and shipment correlation
• Dashboards for situational awareness

7. Economics of Cold Chain IoT

Cold chain intelligence delivers value by:

• Reducing spoilage and claims
• Protecting high-value cargo
• Improving trust across stakeholders
• Reducing insurance and compliance risk

Returns appear as loss prevention, not increased throughput.

8. Governance & Compliance

Cold chain operations are governed by food safety, pharmaceutical, and transport regulations.

Continuous data provides defensible evidence during audits, disputes, and recalls.

9. Sensor Map

• Temperature and humidity sensors
• Door and motion sensors
• GPS and location modules
• Power and battery sensors
• Shock and tilt sensors (optional)