Simon Veale of Global Freight Solutions who track seven of the biggest parcel carriers in the UK, said on BBC Four consumer affairs programme You & Yours that ‘on-line shopping grew by a massive 30% this Christmas. Between 1.7 and 2 million parcels failed to reach their destination in time for Christmas due to both adverse weather conditions and increased volume’.
John Evans, Director of Polar Speed comments ‘If you purchase a video game for a loved one at Christmas and it doesn’t arrive, it is stressful and disappointing. And it’s probably fair to say that some carriers did their best to keep customers informed, even if the news wasn’t good.
However, given that temperatures in some parts of the country have recently dropped below -14 degrees, during the worst winter for over 100 years there is a much more worrying aspect to late and misplaced deliveries!!
If for instance the aforementioned video game that went missing was instead a consignment of medicine that was left in a warehouse for four or five days with plummeting temperatures a much more serious problem could arise!
The fact is that not all medicines are carried by specialist carriers such as Polar Speed and many of the delayed parcels would indeed have contained medicine.
Large sections of the Pharma market use parcel carriers. It is widely agreed that in terms of the distribution industry ‘temperate’ equates to a temperature band of between +15 degrees centigrade and +25 degrees centigrade. The challenge for logistic organisations operating without specialist pharmaceutical sector expertise (in other words general parcel carriers) is to ensure that, whatever the climatic or environmental conditions, a medicine consignment never falls out of those temperate parameters, whether in transit or storage.
And the worst aspect of this is that the pharmaceutical company sending the medicine and the end user taking the medicine, may never know if the consignment spent time outside of the acceptable temperature bands with a carrier or the effect that this may have had on the condition of the medicine when it arrived!
At Polar Speed we make it our business to deliver flexible, intelligent and fully compliant services for all our customers – so it will be no surprise to learn that we can offer the most comprehensive MHRA approved temperate supply chain service currently available.
Every vehicle in our fleet is fitted with a sophisticated temperature control unit, so that complete cooling/heating management is achieved within 15 minutes of activation, regardless of the external weather conditions. In addition every vehicle is fitted with calibrated on-board temperature recorders – as well as alarms to alert drivers should a temperature excursion occur.
And we have combined this impressive temperature control technology with the advanced GPS-based Masternaut Three X vehicle and asset management system – so we always know the location, status and ‘live’ temperature of a consignment when in transit. Every second that it is in our care. Refrigerated or temperate!!
The snow may have looked picturesque, but the winter ‘white out’ was a disaster for deliveries. Nearly 2 million Online shoppers were disappointed. Transport practically ground to a standstill. Lorries jack-knifed, trains were cancelled, and airports were closed. It was one of the worst ever cold snaps. But against all odds, Polar Speed delivered.
Due to the huge spike in demand many Pharma customers actually switched parcels to Polar Speed. And even though Polar Speed needed to extend some delivery times in the very worst affected areas of the UK, we were always in control of our deliveries and our client’s goods were always kept in compliant storeage condition.
Medication has to arrive on time and in perfect condition. It was this understanding that ensured an enviable delivery record, to hospitals, pharmacies and directly to individuals at home, even in these worst of conditions. Clients were constantly updated on their consignments, and there was strong praise for a job well done from a myriad of customers.
Polar Speed offer a 100% multi temperature fleet and are able to deliver outstanding temperature control for all medicines often on par cost wise with existing parcel carriers.
If a video game goes missing its annoying. If medicines go missing and worse ‘out of temperature’ in freezing conditions (or a heat wave), it could be crucial!’