Accuracy and Quality – Air Shipping Week
The CoVID-19 pandemic has completely changed the understanding of what constitutes a resilient cold chain, testing the industry’s ability to supply temperature-sensitive products in a controlled, repeatable manner like never before.
“The pandemic has really highlighted what’s important in our industry,” said Julius Graf van Pfeil, director of supply chain and finance at Logistics 4 Pharma. “It’s not always about high profit margins, it’s about making sure essential services continue, even under extreme pressure.”
During the pandemic, companies across sectors have collaborated in ways previously unimaginable. “We’ve seen airlines operating fully chartered flights, refrigeration companies building scalable sub-80°C storage units, and production lines ramping up production to meet the demand for services and transportation related to COVID-19,” Van Pfel notes. “Everybody working overtime — double, triple, even quadruple shifts — it was a team effort on a global level.”
This spirit of cooperation has extended to the rapid establishment of test centers, critical infrastructure that would have been unimaginable just a few years ago. “Being able to test on a global scale, with different levels of safety and security, was a significant achievement,” Van Pfel noted. “It showed the industry’s flexibility and ability to adapt quickly.”
Faults in the system
While the pandemic has strengthened unity in the industry, it has also exposed weaknesses in Europe’s Good Distribution Practice (GDP) guidelines.
“GDP provides a solid foundation, but it’s not enough to sustain it,” Van Wel said. “While some flexibility is beneficial in some areas, there are areas where more stringent regulations can regulate operations, especially for companies aiming to expand. More consistent, globally standardized guidelines will further manage growth.”
Despite these challenges, the focus must remain constant: product quality and safety.
“It’s not just about the logistics provider, but also the protection of the product throughout its journey,” he stressed. “Pharmaceutical companies have a huge responsibility, and this responsibility does not end at the factory door. The entire cold chain process must maintain high standards to ensure safe delivery, taking into account the full life cycle and associated costs.”
Accuracy under pressure
The increase in demand for vaccines and drug transport over the past few years has highlighted the challenges of maintaining the integrity of complex cold chains.
“Logistics is inherently complex,” says Julius Graf van Wiel, director of supply chain and finance at Logistics 4 Pharma. “This requires unprecedented coordination between multiple stakeholders to ensure successful delivery of sensitive goods.”
“In cold chain logistics, where accuracy and reliability are non-negotiable, this synergy must be applied optimally. Anything less is unacceptable. The pursuit of excellence is not just an expectation, it is a fundamental principle of our industry.”
Driving innovation through data
As innovation accelerates, digitization is transforming the cold chain market – increasing efficiency, safety and transparency.
“The real value is in the integration and analysis of data to assess risks, improve operational processes, and ensure compliance,” Van Pfel explained.
“Technologies such as live tracking devices and data loggers allow monitoring of temperature-sensitive goods. RFID tags and QR codes enable end-to-end visibility – from loading to delivery – enabling better decision-making and control throughout the supply chain.”
Quality: Impeccable standard
Amidst all these developments, one principle remains: quality is paramount.
“You can’t compromise,” Van Weil declared. “From production to final delivery, product quality must be continuously monitored and protected. Maintaining this focus enables us to achieve safe, reliable and repeatable results.”
“Transparency with your partners is key – being honest about your capabilities, what you can do, what you can offer, what you can do, and what you can’t do is the first anchor of our shared commitment to quality in our industry.”
“We have dealt with integrators, pharmaceutical companies, packaging service providers and warehousing and transportation specialists. Although their perspectives differ, the common thread is a shared pursuit of excellence.”
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