Week of June 24, 2019
Linking technology news with Dangerous Goods compliance
Purchasing solutions primarily (or solely) based on price puts your organization at risk, especially dangerous good companies. After all, not all solutions – from software to batteries and packaging – are created equality.
To help companies keep a pulse on technology trends impacting business and the movement of dangerous goods throughout the supply chain, Labelmaster has launched “Supply Chain Moves,” a weekly report linking the latest technology news to dangerous goods compliance.
Let’s examine the recent supply chain technology and industry news.
TECHNOLOGY
- 5 Questions You Should Ask About Lithium Battery Packaging Testing: Can your lithium battery packaging really handle a worst-case thermal runaway scenario? The answer is all in the testing.
- The Upside of Software Upgrades: No one wants to fiddle with software, but by keeping up with software upgrades can make warehouse operations more effective. Find out what levels in the warehouse tech stack need upgrade attention and the payoffs of doing upgrades the right way.
- Why I.T. Systems Are Key for Global Supply Chain Evolution: The source of many issues in supply chain management often can be traced to underperforming, overburdened I.T. systems. And today’s supply chain complexity and the need for instant access to data make it imperative that I.T. managers constantly maximize throughput.
- NextGen Supply Chain: Try Something New and Stop Choking on Your Returns: Returns are on a trajectory to move from being tactical to strategic and from a cost center to profit center, and NextGen technologies will make those shifts possible.
- Are Robots Right for Your Plant?: More accessible than ever, robots promise amazing productivity gains. See if robots are right for your plant by following these three steps.
3PL TECH
- Who Pays for Low/No-Cost TMS?: If shippers fail to understand the true total cost of ownership that comes with any TMS solution, they risk making the wrong decision. Here are key considerations when selecting a TMS solution.
- Platforms and Blockchain will Transform Logistics: Major change is coming to the logistics and shipping industries. With increasing digitization, platform-based business models will connect new players, wash away inefficient old ones and harness the cloud.
- The Managed Transportation Services Outlook: There are a number of key growth drivers for the managed transportation services market, including the rapidly improving technology of MTS suppliers and the need for real-time visibility.
Technology & Dangerous Goods Compliance
A thermal runaway event is one of the most unpredictable, most damaging hazards in dangerous goods transport. That’s why companies shipping lithium batteries and battery-powered devices need their packaging to mitigate a potential thermal runaway event.
But how do you know if your package is good enough? It’s all in the testing.
It’s a little known fact that the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) relies on self-reporting of test data from manufacturers when issuing special permits. The agency simply doesn’t have the resources to conduct tests verifying every data point shared by manufacturers, so it’s up to the manufacturers to make sure their tests reflect real-world performance.
Unfortunately, these self-conducted tests are often performed using partially-charged, lower-capacity batteries. As a result, packaging may receive a special permit and be considered in full compliance, yet still not provide full mitigation of a thermal runaway event. That means companies shipping lithium batteries may not have the protection they think they do – putting their company, their carriers and the public at risk.
Don’t just assume all solutions are the same and simply make a purchasing decision based on which is cheapest. Make sure your packaging is tested using brand new batteries, with maximum watt-hours, at a full state of charge. So, whether a lithium battery is new or old, fully or partially charged, in perfect condition or defective, you can be confident that your packaging has been proven to provide the best protection against thermal runaway events.
Can your lithium battery packaging really handle a worst-case thermal runaway scenario? Click here to learn the five questions you should ask your packaging manufacturer about the testing of your lithium battery packaging.
Find the Obexion packaging that best fits your lithium battery transport needs.
Labelmaster’s Dangerous Goods Information System (DGIS) is the leading SaaS solution to help companies more efficiently and accurately manage their Dangerous Goods shipments. DGIS validates your Dangerous Goods shipment data against the latest regulations, ensuring a more efficient supply chain and reducing friction found in Dangerous Goods shipments. DGIS is a certified partner/validation solution with ERP, transportation and warehouse management systems.
