STORAGE, HANDLING & DISTRIBUTION
PHARMACEUTICAL LOGISTICS
LOGISTICS4PHARMA
THE CHALLENGE OF PHARMACEUTICAL LOGISTICS:
MASTERING COLD CHAINS AROUND THE WORLD
In the pharmaceutical logistics sector,
maintaining the cold chain has always been
a top priority. This is now proving to be a key
concern for pharmaceutical manufacturers.
Biopharmaceuticals, in particular, contain
active ingredients that are difficult to
produce and are highly sensitive to physical
influences.
This leads to stricter quality assurance
requirements both in production and during
the transportation process. The regulatory
provisions for shipping medication – which
are becoming more stringent all the time –
and the globalisation of supply chains are
bolstering this trend.
To meet these requirements, pharmaceutical
manufacturers need to plan their logistics
processes meticulously and at as early a
stage as possible.
One major challenge is to take into account
the various conditions and provisions in the
respective countries of origin, transit and
destination. Logistics4Pharma specialises
in planning and implementing the
temperature-controlled delivery and storage
of sensitive pharmaceutical products
according to GDP standards. “We are the
point at which all the threads come together.
This is essential, as a lack of communication
between the individual parties involved
in the process can lead to key information
becoming lost,” states Manuel Zollondz, CEO
of Logistics4Pharma.
Global expertise in shipping and cutting-
edge technology
In addition to an awareness of the specific
elements involved in global freight handling,
it is crucial to select the right packaging and
storage option and to monitor the valuable,
sensitive cargo in a reliable manner.
Logistics4Pharma provides GDP-compliant,
temperature-mapped and continuously
monitored storage facilities at Frankfurt
Airport, one of Europe’s foremost freight
hubs, with options including controlled
room temperature storage, refrigerated
storage and frozen storage.
In terms of shipping, the company’s
internally developed thermal packaging
systems are able to maintain a stable
temperature for up to 120 hours.
Meanwhile, calibrated temperature data
loggers for various temperature ranges
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are activated at 15-minute intervals for up
to 166 days, thereby ensuring continuous
temperature tracking. By way of example,
when Logistics4Pharma transported 120
kg of frozen pineapple samples from
the Philippines to Ulm (Germany), the
temperature remained consistently below
-60 °C throughout the journey.
For road transport, the vehicles in the
Logistics4Pharma fleet – which are GDP
compliant and tamper-proof – provide GPS
and temperature tracking in real time. Direct
deliveries for individual customers prevent
fluctuations in temperature.
The Logistics4Pharma team is highly
experienced and has been trained in good
distribution practices, and selects the means
of transport based on the specific product
requirements, preferred routes and/or transit
times.
“We pay attention to the details well in
advance of the actual transportation of the
goods. As a link in the overall production
chain, logistics is often underestimated. A
cost-effective solution can sometimes turn
out to be the best one.
Where the pharmaceutical sector is
concerned, though, the element of chance
should not be relied on if it can be helped,”
states Manuel Zollondz when discussing the
role played by logistics in pharmaceutical
production.
Further information is available at
www.logistics4pharma.com