DHL Global Forwarding, the air and sea freight specialist within the Deutsche Post DHL Group, hasacquired 100 per cent ownership of LifeConEx, its six-year-old 50-50 per cent joint venture with
Lufthansa Cargo.“After running the innovative specialised logistics service together for six years, DHLGlobal Forwarding and Lufthansa Cargo agreed that a change in ownership would best prepareLifeConEx to further grow its market position,” explained Roger Crook, CEO of DHL Global Forwardingand Freight, and Deutsche Post DHL Board Member sponsor for the Life Sciences & HealthcareSector.
Unique in the logistics industry at its start in 2005, the joint venture has since become theglobal leader in its niche market by integrating all parties in the cold supply chain utilisingadvanced industry knowledge and systems.
DHL will utilise its global presence to leverage LifeConEx’s capabilities and expand its coldchain services. While furthering its cooperation with Lufthansa, DHL will also maintain LifeConEx’sneutrality in carriers, forwarders and packaging providers, so that it brings maximum value to itscustomers. This investment also supports Deutsche Post DHL’s 2015 group and Life Sciences sectorstrategy.
“In cooperation with DHL Global Forwarding we have succeeded in making LifeConEx a leadingprovider of end-to-end cold chain solutions. With the sale of our stake in the company, we will nowcontinue to focus on the airport-to-airport business. Lufthansa Cargo aims to further expand thesegment for temperature-controlled shipments, amongst other things by developing our internationalpharma hubs. In doing so, we also want to continue to build on our partnership with LifeConEx”,emphasised Andreas Otto, Member of the Executive Board Lufthansa Cargo.
LifeConEx’s unbiased, data driven approach to cold chain technologies embracing carriers,ground handlers, packages, and data loggers has earned its position as the cold chain expert amongprominent pharmaceutical and biotech companies. During the H1N1 influenza outbreak in 2009, forinstance, 3 out 4 H1N1 FDA-approved vaccine producers globally, chose LifeConEx for seamless andsecure distribution of their vaccines.
David Bang, CEO of LifeConEx will continue to lead the company and is committed to overseeingthe ownership transition for continued development and success.
