Smartphone App Monitors Wine Temps During Shipping

Few people would tolerate a wine cellar that allowed boiling hot or freezing cold conditions. Yet, wine traveling from a winery to the merchant may be stored in such a place. It’s called the cold chain, and it’s likely the weakest link in a
winery’s quality control efforts.

Now, there’s a smartphone app to protect the quality of your wine in an area where you have the least control.

ATI’s LOG-IC NFC app targets the cold chain, allowing you to monitor and document any temperature extremes that might affect quality. A simple cost-benefit analysis of the app highlights its value, as well as the value of a quality strategy that extends beyond the shipping dock.

Winemakers often relinquish control of quality once the product leaves the winery. Temperature-controlled shipping or specialized 3PL providers alleviate some concerns. Even with these measures, however, you can’t be sure if quality was compromised by temperatures that exceeded acceptable ranges somewhere in transit.

Temperature monitoring systems have been available for years to assess cold chain quality. Wineries haven’t implemented traditional systems on a large scale due to their heavy price tag and even more burdensome usage problems. ATI’s LOG-IC wireless temperature monitoring system, on which the app is based, directly targets these limitations and inefficiencies.

Wireless capabilities account for the major differences between ATI’s LOG-IC and common monitoring systems. With LOG-IC, there’s no need to open boxes and retrieve temperature data loggers, which provides much faster access to data. Temperature data can be viewed immediately, without downloading to a PC.

Traditional systems feature bulky, sensitive electronics, which complicate placement and require careful handling. In contrast, the wireless technology of the LOG-IC data logger allows for compact, flexible packaging, not much larger or heavier than a matchbook. It also tolerates moisture and is rugged enough to withstand being run over by a lift truck.

Both direct and indirect cost advantages result from LOG-IC’s wireless implementation. While its data loggers feature significantly lower price points and can be used multiple times, greater savings come from their ability to reduce labor, equipment, and administrative costs.

The LOG-IC NFC smartphone app multiplies these advantages. It’s the first such app to provide fully functional end-to-end temperature monitoring in real-time. Consider the benefits in a typical shipping environment. Decision support takes place where and when you need it, quickly and easily, without substantial equipment investments or overhead.

Wherever you go in your supply chain, you can verify the real-time temperature status of a wine shipment or view its complete time/temperature history. You have immediate access to graphs, charts, and complete documentation. In addition, the app allows you to quickly upload data to cloud applications for extended access and analysis.

With ATI’s smartphone LOG-IC NFC app, the quality of wine can now be assured all the way to the merchant.