By Shefali Kapadia
When a shipment of refrigerated or frozen goods arrives at one of Lineage’s automated warehouses, machines spring into action. Computer-vision technology scans pallets and logs data on customers, product types, and item descriptions. AI-driven algorithms combine shipment data with historical information to predict when a truck will take the goods out of the warehouse. The technology assigns pallets a spot in the warehouse based on how long they’ll remain in the facility and directs the forklift operator where to go.
This level of technology can improve efficiency in any type of supply chain, but it’s critical in cold warehouses, where goods like frozen foods, fresh produce, and pharmaceuticals are stored. A brief deviation in temperature has the potential to damage a shipment, and warehouse managers don’t want workers spending hours without breaks in sub-zero conditions. This makes accuracy and productivity imperative in the cold chain.
Refrigeration and temperature-sensor technology have been integral to cold chains for decades, but advanced versions are now permeating the industry. Cold-chain providers are ditching manual processes for AI-driven algorithms and exploring digital twins and AI agents to make highly automated operations even more autonomous.
SHEFALI KAPADIA 