In the world of supply chain management, 4^th party logistics (4PL) is a term that comes up often, but what does it actually mean for your company? How is it different from 3^rd party logistics? It’s time to answer these questions and more as we take a closer look at 4^th party logistics.

While 3^rd party logistics has roots in the industry tracing as far back as the 1970s, 4^th party logistics has really only entered the conversation over the past 20 years. The term was first registered in 1996, by a company called Accenture, and was defined as "a supply chain integrator that assembles and manages the resources, capabilities, and technology of its own organization with those of a complementary service provider to deliver a comprehensive supply chain solution." While the trademark on the term has since expired and is no longer registered, 4PL services as defined by Accenture are still being offered today to help many companies around the world bridge the gap between asset ownership and logistics expertise.

So what exactly is 4PL and how does it differ from 3PL? Read more to find out.

Every year supply chain management becomes more complex due to changing regulations, technology and a variety of other factors. This complexity has made it more difficult for mid-tier and large-sized companies to oversee every element of their supply chain from beginning to end. That is why, since the 1970s, we have seen more and more companies rely increasingly on 3^rd party logistics (3PL) providers to manage and support their supply chain.

What has changed since the 1970s? What is 3PL? Why is it critical to a supply chain? Keep reading and we will explore all these questions and more.   

The supply chain has changed dramatically across the globe over the last several years, and few other industries have felt the effects of those changes quite like the temperature-sensitive products industry. Buying trends evolved, regulations shifted and other factors continue to impact demands on the cold supply chain to a great extent.

This week’s article will delve deep into three fascinating cold chain trends impacting VersaCold customers and how those trends affect the industry overall.

Here at VersaCold, we take cold chain compliance very seriously. If our facilities and vehicles are even a degree too hot or too cold, we can be putting our clients and their customers’ safety at risk. That is why we make it our duty to ensure the quality and regulatory compliance of our clients’ products at every moment that they’re in our custody.

Moses Akingbade, VersaCold’s Director of Cold Chain Assurance, revealed to us the seven keys to cold chain compliance that we ask our employees to follow each and every day:

At VersaCold, safety is our top priority. In our workplace, on the road and in our homes, "safety first" is embedded into our performance-driven culture and reflected in everything we do. We are committed to maintaining a hazard-and injury-free workplace to keep both our employees and visitors safe. As part of our commitment to safety, we will be sharing some of our safety tips with you to help pass on tried and tested ways to make your workplace and home life more safe.

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You have probably heard all the tips when it comes to moving heavy objects.

Lift with your legs, not with your back. Bend your knees. Keep your head up. Don’t twist.

Despite these tips being virtually common knowledge, lifting or handling heavy objects is still the leading cause of back injuries in the workplace. In fact, a typical worker that handles heavy objects as part of their job misses an average of seven days of work due to back injury every year. Seven days is a lot of time to miss for an injury that is painful and easily avoidable with the right technique. To help you combat this potential hazard, we recommend taking three steps while making your next lift. 

Quick Tips

Tip #1:

Think before you lift. Always take a moment to assess the object and where it is going before committing to lifting the object. 

Tip #2:

When lowering an object, you should maintain the same form as the initial lift by bending your knees, squatting down and keeping your back completely straight.

The trends in regulation of the cold supply chain have undergone dramatic changes both globally and domestically over the last several years. As the world becomes more connected through technology, regulations have evolved, with shifts toward global standards. We can see this shift in regulations most clearly when it comes to safety and security of supply chains. While each country approaches these challenges in their own way, depending on a variety of external and internal factors, some noticeable trends have become apparent in recent years.   

This week’s article will delve into the significant trends in global and local regulations affecting the cold chain.

At VersaCold, safety is our top priority. In our workplace, on the road and in our homes, "safety first" is embedded into our performance-driven culture and reflected in everything we do. We are committed to maintaining a hazard- and injury-free workplace to keep both our employees and visitors safe. As part of our commitment to safety, we will be sharing some of our safety tips with you to help pass on tried and tested ways to make your workplace and home life more safe.

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A truck yard consists of many moving parts. If not managed correctly, it can become a dangerous work environment very quickly. Potential safety hazards can pop up anywhere in zones where trucks are unloading or backing up and people are operating within the same space. While the truck driver’s focus is on the safe operation of the vehicle, the safety of everyone in the yard must be in consideration at all times by people operating within the space.

While the onus ultimately falls on the individual to be hyper-vigilant and aware of their surroundings at all times, each yard should have a plan in place that is in line with industry best practices. Here are a few essential best practices to take note of when operating within a truck yard. 

Quick Tips

Tip #1:

Under no circumstances should anyone go over the posted speed limit in a truck yard and speed limits should be consistently enforced onsite.

Tip #2:

While every site is different and comes with its own challenges, keeping pedestrians and workers separated as much as possible will make accidents less likely. 

In March of 2016, VersaCold made the switch to Bullfrog Power's green electricity and green natural gas products to fuel our Vancouver corporate office. This move represents another big step towards achieving greater environmental responsibility for our company, and we are more than excited to add this to our growing list of initiatives that we have undertaken in recent years. These initiatives include:

• Retrofitting existing facilities with high-efficiency lighting, roofing, and charging systems for our materials handling equipment
• Replacing standard efficiency motors with premium efficiency motors (and variable frequency drives, where appropriate)
• Educating our engineering teams and employees on ways to reduce energy consumption at their sites and giving them advanced tools, such as near-real-time monitoring, to keep consumption under control
• Ensuring all expansions and new buildings have minimal environmental impact
• Increasing the amount of energy conserved by our trucks through the introduction of fuel efficient reefers, on board computers to manage vehicle efficiency, technology that minimizes wasted miles and air skirts on trailers. 

If you want to learn more about our sustainability initiatives, please click here. To find out more about why we chose Bullfrog Power, keep reading.

At VersaCold we pride ourselves on our performance-driven culture. From top to bottom, our focus on the continuous innovation and improvement of our services is what drives us and ensures that we never rest on our laurels.

That is why we are excited to take a moment and share with you the recent recognition we have received from two of the industry’s most trusted publications. In August 2016, VersaCold was named one of Inbound Logistics’ Top 100 Third-Party Logistics Providers of 2016 and was recognized by Food Logistics as a 2016 Top 3PL and Cold Storage Provider. 

“We are honored to be recognized as a top third-party logistics and cold storage provider by these two publications,” said Douglas Harrison, President & CEO of VersaCold. “Recognition like this further drives our commitment to the continuous improvement and innovation of our services and to enabling our valued customers to achieve outstanding business success and peace of mind, so they can focus on what matters most – the families around the world who enjoy their products.”

To learn why recognitions from top industry publications matte, read more.

Since 1949, VersaCold has owned and operated the cold storage facility at 2115 Commissioner Street in Vancouver, BC. At its opening, the newly constructed Harbour facility was hailed as “Canada’s most modern refrigeration plant,” and it would eventually employ over 150 personnel, with a strong focus on the fishing and frozen goods industries. Over the past 70 years, VersaCold is proud to have operated this facility and to have become Canada’s largest provider of supply chain services for temperature-sensitive and related products. However, just as the times and requirements of the industry change – we must change as well.

 For this reason, we are announcing that VersaCold has been asked to vacate the property and allow the port to repurpose its use by removing the buildings and related infrastructure from the property. While our history will be tied forever to this location, we are excited to see what the future holds for this area. As the end of the facility lease with the Port of Vancouver approaches, to commemorate our long history at 2115 Commissioner Street, we wanted to take a look back through historical photos of this remarkable facility and what made it so innovative for its time.