PML Seafrigo: Aiming for a future perfect business in logistics and supply chain solutions

In July, PML (Perishable Movements Limited) and Seafrigo announced a pivotal move that would expand their global reach significantly.

 

With 47 years in the business, Seafrigo is a ‘world-leading specialist in temperature-controlled logistics’, having technologies for secure end-to-end solutions.  PML is the UK- based prime mover of perishable goods via air, land, and ocean for over 20 years. Integrating their logistics and supply chain expertise into one entity called PML Seafrigo in 2023, they have begun expanding their services to offer customers access to additional global supply chain routes.  

 

“These are exciting times for Seafrigo and PML Seafrigo. Not only do the two businesses align in terms of their product offering and dedication to offering an exceptional service which ensures the transfer of temperature-controlled goods with no break in the cold chain, they also share a similar ethos in terms of an overriding commitment to always place the needs of the customer at the heart of any corporate decision making, choosing to remain autonomous rather than developing reliance on services controlled by third parties,” said Jason Spencer-Knox, Regional CEO, PML Seafrigo.

 

Jason Spencer-Knox, Regional CEO, PML Seafrigo

 

“The sensitive nature of the freight that we both specialise in requires the utmost attention to detail to guarantee an efficient and speedy transfer to maximise shelf life, the ‘golden mile’ is a major hurdle for growers, producers, and manufacturers especially in light of the additional challenges presented by Brexit, PML Seafrigo represents a safe and reliable partner to complete the journey.  Bringing PML into the Seafrigo fold brings us one step closer to realising our ambition to become the fastest and largest integrated perishable supply chain provider in the UK and globally.”

 

“To be the largest integrated perishable supply chain provider”

“Seafrigo’s business strategy incorporates a focus on being asset heavy, enabling complete control of the entire cold chain and avoiding reliance on third parties. We are investing in growth and development to create a future perfect business providing world-class logistics and supply chain solutions in a truly global, secure end-to-end solution,” said Spencer-Knox. “We remain committed to developing a fully integrated global supply chain for the food and beverage industry, with a core focus on the cold chain. To do this we need to be in all the main producing and buying countries, with a mature freight offer across all modes, plus a network of warehouses and associated services. We are not there yet – no one is to be honest – but we feel with bases on five continents already that we have stolen a lead on the competition in what is an extremely fragmented global marketplace,” he said.

“In Asia, we already have a presence in Japan, mainland China, Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore (for over 10 years now). There are also further exciting plans to invest and grow in Asia.”

 

Advancing with technology-driven logistics

Fresh produce and other temperature-sensitive products are among the most challenging and demanding products to transport. Spencer-Knox explained how new technology is ensuring the integrity, safety, and quality of products.

“This is a fast-moving space where both global sustainability and commercial interests are aligned for once. The faster a product gets to market in peak condition, the better it is for the planet and the more profitable it will be for those involved in selling perishables. There are many new technologies coming into play that help in the efficiency of transporting fresh produce, but three that I feel are having a real impact include:

 

• Route optimisation of transport around traffic, or weather anomalies. This type of AI technology serves to reduce transit time and improve speed to market.

 

• Sensor technology and real time monitoring of temperature, humidity and other environmental factors, allows real time decision making on controlling the environment to ensure freshness.

 

• Blockchain technology that provides a verified true record of transport, thus reducing fraud and ensuring accountability for higher standards.

 

As we develop globally, we have put systems in place to maintain strict quality control and at the same time negate any risk of contamination or interference with the product. We aim to deliver the product from the field to the fork as quickly as possible and offer value-added services across five continents,” he said.

 

What customers need to know

When asked about what potential customers should bear in mind when preparing their products for shipment, Spencer-Knox said that it would depend on the particular product. “In general, produce is better loaded at source where possible as this will eliminate several intermediate handling stages thus reducing potential damage and sub optimal temperature environments.

 

The choice of packing should also be appropriate. “The product must be washed and packed in a way that limits any damage, and changes to the ideal environmental conditions to maintain freshness. Again, depending on the product there are different types of packing systems available on the market to best manage the transport of perishables,” he said.

 

Learning from the COVID years, practical solutions

While no one was ready for the impact of COVID-19, preparing for such scenarios has become a more important part of business plans. According to Spencer-Knox, the lack of available staff to work either due to illness or restriction on movement was the main challenge for the industry. The absence of migrant labour to pick and process fruit and vegetables was a big problem, that has led to product shortages and other issues.

 

Spencer-Knox also shared that as a solution, some industry players are considering automating faster for processing perishables from the field, to packing and warehouse.

 

“As the wider cold chain industry, I expect to see increased demand for cold storage in line with consumer demand for year-round availability of products,” he said.

 

“Additionally, ‘Cold eCommerce’ is only in its infancy, and Seafrigo is actively developing its capabilities in this space to provide solutions to support the rise of products from freshly produced pet food to your door, and online grocery retailers. A huge amount of investment is also going into research on how to make supply chains more sustainable. Think sustainably produced recyclable materials that go into insulation and the wider building of infrastructure to support the cold chain; green energy being maximised to enable the refrigerators will start to become mainstream, as will more and more electric vehicles. The big piece of the puzzle is still government policy around the world. Governments need to take the lead of forcing better environmental practices.”