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This year’s Future of Freight Festival takes place Nov. 19-21 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. But it’s not your average conference. Sure, there are wonderful speakers and fireside chats. But that’s only half the fun. F3 is set up with half days of speakers and amazing content. The other half we take over downtown Chattanooga, and there are events, networking and a lot of fun to be had by all. This year, subscribers to Running on Ice get a promo code exclusive to us! You can register with this link or use the code F3ROI24 at checkout for a discount.
All thawed out
The one that has it all together when it comes to medical and health care logistics has made an upgrade in the world of pharmaceutical supply chains. UPS is planning to acquire two Germany-based temperature-controlled logistics providers. Frigo-Trans and BPL, both operating under the Frigo-Trans umbrella, are making the move to UPS Healthcare. This move is to expand UPS’ European footprint, which will in turn allow for faster and more flexible operations between the U.S. and Europe. Terms of the deal were not announced, and it’s not expected to close until 2025.
In a news release, UPS EVP and President of International, Healthcare and Supply Chain Solutions Kate Gutmann said: “The fast-paced innovation in the pharmaceutical industry is creating the need to have more integrated cold and frozen supply chains. Frigo-Trans will help deepen our portfolio of solutions for our customers and accelerate our journey to become the number one complex healthcare logistics provider in the world addressing their needs.”
Temperature checks
Thermo King has announced a new battery solution for its reefer units. It’s called E-Coolpac and it’s an alternative to diesel-based power. This new battery is a result of the partnership between Thermo King and Aksa, a Swiss energy firm. The device produces no direct emissions and can be retrofitted to hybrid, liquefied natural gas, electric or diesel-powered units.
Eneko Fernandez, truck product leader at Thermo King, said in a news release: “Our focus was to deliver a product offering robustness and quality tested and validated against strict standards. With E-COOLPAC, our customers can upgrade their truck, trailer and container fleet to comply with ultra-low and zero emission zones, diesel ban areas, and low noise (PIEK) areas. The modularity of the design also future-proofs customers’ investment, giving them the peace of mind that they can extend their battery range at any time should their needs change.”
Food and drug
A crave case anytime is now closer to reality. White Castle has announced its Double Cheese Slider has arrived in the freezer aisle. Buyers will have to microwave them so they won’t be exactly like a drive-thru, but you won’t have to leave your house to get some sliders. A fair trade-off.
The frozen food market is expected to grow significantly as consumers look for more freezer-ready convenience foods. White Castle is striking while the demand is hot.
Jamie Richardson, vice president at White Castle, said in a news release: “We are never one to shy away from leading the industry into new ways to keep consumers fed with exciting and flavor-packed concepts. For current and future cravers, our new Double Cheese Slider provides even more of the flavor you crave, and all for a tasty price so you can enjoy restaurant quality deliciousness in the comfort of your home.”
Cold chain lanes
This week’s SONAR market heads up to the Windy City, Chicago. Reefer outbound tender volumes are up 16.11% week over week, despite the beginning of a drop in volumes. Reefer outbound tender rejections were at 12.4% on Sept. 7, and despite a brief drop in rejection rates during the past seven days, rejection rates stayed consistent on a week-over-week average. Spot rates are going to be elevated in Chicago compared to the national spot rates. Elevated ROTRI of 12.35% compared to the national average of 10.89% is a leading indicator of increasing spot market changes.
Is SONAR for you? Check it out with a demo!
Shelf life
ALDI accelerates expansion & investment amid soaring sales
Tower Cold Chain & CRYOPDP partner to enhance pharmaceutical supply chain solutions
Cold chain firm Lineage launches global food waste challenge
Firm buys BC Tree Fruit’s largest storage facility
Could East Coast port strike spread to West Coast?
Wanna chat in the cooler? Shoot me an email with comments, questions or story ideas at moconnell@freightwaves.com.
See you on the internet.
Mary
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