DHL Global Forwarding has expanded its pharma-handling capabilities in Germany by opening a second specialised warehouse close to Leipzig/Halle Airport.
The company highlighted the facilities’ capability of supporting vaccine distribution, as the world continues its fight against Covid-19.
The new 2,500 sq m hub features two temperature-controlled zones: in the larger 1,700 sq m space, goods can be held between 15°C and 25°C; meanwhile, the smaller area is 850 sq m and it can hold goods at 2°C to 8°C.
Dry ice is also available onsite for the handling of passively and actively cooled containers.
DHL said the facility’s proximity to Leipzig Airport “ensures fast import and export times”.
Tobias Schmidt, chief executive at DHL Global Forwarding, Germany, commented: “Since the start of the pandemic, we have observed a strong increase in demand for pharmaceutical products and goods. Given the good news regarding the development of Covid-19 vaccinations, this demand is likely to increase even further in the coming months. That is why we prepared for this scenario early on and put everything in place to be able to respond effectively and efficiently.
“Of course, we also benefit from the fact that DHL Global Forwarding Germany is already very experienced in handling and transporting temperature-controlled pharmaceutical shipments. We have a tight, state-of-the-art network that meets all the strict regulatory requirements in place.”
DHL Global forwarding recently received IATA CEIV Pharma certification for its operations in Frankfurt, Hamburg and Leipzig/Halle, after having been initially certified in 2016.
Commenting on this, Schmid said: “Our IATA CEIV Pharma recertification shows that our efforts are bearing fruit and we are a reliable partner for the shipment of structurally complex and temperature-sensitive drugs.
“The current Covid-19 health emergency serves as a reminder to all of us how essential it is to have high quality standards in place for the transportation and storage of drugs and pharma products. Our customers’ product safety is our top priority, which is why we at DHL attach great importance to continuously improving our service quality.”
DHL said it offers specialised training to its its healthcare staff who work at its pharma facilities. Its Certified Life Sciences Specialist (CLSS) programme, which is based on the IATA CEIV Pharma standard, ensures that “sensitive shipments are handled with the utmost care and in compliance with the highest industry standards”.
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