Industry Insights

Cihan Likogullari, head of EMEA at Envirotainer, explains the four pillars of success on which active cold-chain rest and why taking a “good enough” approach is not acceptable.

In the pharma industry, approximately 90% of all carbon emissions are generated in the manufacturing phase. The biggest positive impact on carbon emissions the secure cold chain can have is therefore to ensure that every single dose that is manufactured reaches the patient securely and on time.

When shipping vaccines or any other temperature-sensitive medical solution, pharmaceutical companies look for partners that ensure high quality, that can simplify the handling process, and help to reduce CO2 emissions. While active temperature-controlled solutions meet all those requirements, the general perception is that they are more expensive. That perception sometimes makes pharmaceutical companies choose other, seemingly less costly alternatives, commonly known as passive solutions, not realizing that they are in essence, paying more for an inferior solution.

Breakthrough research in various medical fields, such as gene editing, stem cell technology and regenerative medicine, has led to an increased demand for temperature-controlled transport. High-end, specialized medicine is often produced in low volumes with no backup stock and thus, delivering these sensitive products safely across the globe has become a mounting logistical challenge. Selecting a secure and reliable logistics solution has accordingly become all the more important.

With the growing number of sensitive drugs, how can procurement keep transport costs under control while still adhering to necessary quality requirements?

To make it simple, procurement is about getting the right products and the right services at the right price. With complex products and services, however, the procurement process is more than just buying upfront. Integrated, multifaceted systems and services need a strategic approach that is focused on efficiency rather than costs. Temperature-controlled pharmaceutical transport – with its many stakeholders, highly regulated environment and precious products – is precisely such an area that pinpoints the strategic importance of the procurement function. And with the recent development on the market, to procure logistics is not getting any easier.

Mexico has potential for becoming a large exporter of pharmaceuticals, while having an attractive home market for pharmaceutical sales as well. For those who want to take advantage of the rising opportunities in Mexico, there are specific challenges that must be taken into account regarding cold chain transportation of high-quality pharmaceuticals.

Pharma cold chain logistics is very complex with many stakeholders involved. We all work hard to ensure that pharmaceuticals maintain optimal quality all the way to the patients. At Envirotainer we believe that the best way to reach our common goal is to improve collaboration and mutual understanding across the logistics chain, we call it our eco-system thinking. Here, we share articles with our network that we think could benefit us all.

In this article we present a real-world business case that shows how innovative cold chain solutions can secure transportation at year-end, thereby maximizing long-term profits and improve customer retention for the forwarder.

The pharmaceutical industry has for many years been a prioritized customer for the air freight sector, but the increasing volumes of e-commerce have changed the game, especially at peak season. Now, pharmaceutical companies face the risk of having their products left on the tarmac due to capacity constraints, while handbags and other luxury goods are shipped with higher-yield express delivery instead.