Major pharmaceutical importer CC-Pharma has contracted trans-o-flex to provide activetemperature control transportation and time-certain distribution of some 250,000 annual shipments
in Germany.As of July, its entire logistics chain, including the transportation, handling and delivery ofapproximately 250,000 shipments with temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals per year, will be takenover by trans-o-flex ThermoMed, using its special vehicles and temperature-controlled logisticcentres.
CC-Pharma, based in Densborn (Rhineland-Palatinate) and one of Germany’s five largest importersof pharmaceuticals, has decided to introduce active temperature control to ensure the high qualityof its products despite new initiatives by the German Federal Ministry of Health and the resultingadditional cost pressure on importers of pharmaceuticals, trans-o-flex said in a statement.
Legally it has to offer products, depending on the price per unit, at least 15 % less expensivethan the comparable originals. Thus, importing such products serves to lower the burden on bothhealth insurance providers and patients. Nevertheless, the German Federal Minister of Healthintends to abolish the import quota provided by law and requires additional discounts.
“However, even against the background of the decision to tighten the legal framework conditionsagain, we must not make the mistake and reduce the quality assurance expenses for our products”,commented Dr Thomas Weppelmann, Managing Director of CC-Pharma. “Consumers have every right tochoose a less expensive product as long as its quality matches that of the original. Thanks to thecompetence of trans-o-flex ThermoMed and its actively temperature-controlled logistic chain, we areable to document this 100% quality.”
Until now, CC-Pharma had commissioned two different service providers with the transportation ofits temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals. Those products that had to be transported at atemperature range of between 2 °C and 8 °C were passively cooled, using additional packaging andcooling elements.
“trans-o-flex ThermoMed’s actively controlled network makes it possible to ensure optimumquality without this additional packaging. And the return and disposal of packaging material andcooling elements are no longer necessary”, pointed out Carsten Glos, Managing Director oftrans-o-flex ThermoMed. Instead, the handling and transportation of the goods takes place usingexclusively temperature-controlled warehouses and vehicles.
“Even though we managed to simplify our logistics process, e.g. by reducing the packaging, theconversion to active temperature control was associated with an increase in costs,” Dr Weppelmannexplained. “However, the documented quality with which we deliver our products to pharmacies,hospital pharmacies and hospital suppliers more than justifies this investment. All partiesinvolved are on the safe side and we can give top priority to the satisfaction of our customers”.
It is not least for this reason that CC-Pharma also selected trans-o-flex ThermoMed’sTime-definite service, thus ensuring that all shipments are delivered by noon. “Especially forpharmacies, this is an important aspect because the end-consumers get their medicine on the sameday,” he added.
trans-o-flex ThermoMed is Germany’s leading provider of transport of temperature-sensitiveshipments for the pharmaceutical industry in the temperature ranges of between 2 and 8°C as well as15 and 25°C. The company’s nationwide network consists of two sorting centres and 38 depots.ThermoMed, with 600 employees, uses its own vehicle fleet and specially trained drivers who arefull-time employees.
