German-based Trans-o-flex Logistics Group has broadened its logistics services for thepharmaceutical and healthcare sector with today’s opening of a multi-million-euro facility close to
Frankfurt Airport, creating 80 new jobs.The 10,000 sqm logistics warehouse is located in Alzenau, just off the A45 motorway and about45km from Germany’s leading international airport. The new building is situated directly next to awarehouse of trans-o-flex ThermoMed, which handles temperature-controlled goods, as well as atrans-o-flex parcels and pallets depot.
This campus-style location enables the Austrian Post subsidiary to offer next-day nationwidedelivery of goods from the warehouse as well as cross-docking of international air freightshipments to and from Frankfurt Airport.
“This is a real milestone for us,” Oliver Rupps, trans-o-flex managing director, told guestsat the opening ceremony. “This construction project emphasises the focus of trans-o-flexLogistik-Service and the entire trans-o-flex Logistics Group on offering the pharmaceuticalindustry holistically high-value logistic solutions. We see this (location) as a model for otherregions in Germany as well.”
Trans-o-flex generates about half of its €550 million turnover from the pharmaceutical andhealthcare sector. The German-based company is able to provide a complete range of services for thesector, from express delivery of parcels and pallets to chemists, hospitals and other locations,temperature-controlled distribution and added-value logistics services, Rupps stressed.
International real-estate developer Panattoni Europe invested a double-digit million euro sumin the building on a 20,000 sqm plot of land. The first stage includes the 10,000 sqm high-baywarehouse with 12,000 storing positions and 10,600 lower-shelf spaces.
In order to meet all of the required GMP standards applicable in the pharmaceutical industry,trans-o-flex has invested about €2 million in the interior work alone. The building is fullyair-conditioned and temperature-controlled zones can be quickly provided in line with customerneeds. Other features include temperature control and monitoring systems to document compliancewith the requested temperature range and pest control standards, conveying and picking &packing systems and security surveillance systems.
The warehouse is operated by trans-o-flex Logistik-Service GmbH, which specialises inoffering contract logistic services and develops tailored solutions with a focus on procurement,distribution, storage and a wide range of value-added services from one single source. The companyalready operates its own logistic centres in Kerpen and Frechen (near Cologne), Weinheim (nearHeidelberg) and Roth (near Nuremberg).
Georg Pölzl, CEO of trans-o-flex’s parent company Austrian Post, told guests that thefacility demonstrated the company’s expansion of logistics services with a clear focus onpharmaceutical logistics.
Peter Umundum, Austrian Post board member and director for Parcels & Logistics,emphasised the strategic importance of trans-o-flex for the overall group. He also highlighted therole of the Eurodis network for European parcels and pallets delivery in 34 countries, Thermomed’screation of an international network for cross-border transportation of temperature-controlledgoods in neighbouring countries and the acquisition of a specialist logistics company in Austriafor value-added services.
Markus O‘Sullivan, Head of the trans-o-flex Group’s Pharma & Healthcare competencecentre, gave an overview of the consequences of the new EU-GDP (Good Distribution Practices) forpharmaceutical logistics, including new requirements for temperature-controlled transportation ofpharmaceutical products. This would generate new demand and could see trans-o-flex transferringmore volumes to the Thermomed fleet, he noted.
Dr Klaus-Peter Jung, member of the Board of Frankfurt-based Miebach Consulting, dealt withthe challenges of outsourcing in the pharmaceutical logistics sector in Europe. He said there arerelatively few logistics companies with expertise in outsourced pharmaceutical logistics andpredicted that more healthcare companies would consider outsourcing their logistics activities dueto increasing cost and price pressures. “The pharmaceutical industry will catch up with outsourcingon what the automotive industry has done in recent years,” he forecast.
The logistics expert also predicted more international flows of pharmaceutical products asmore production took place in Asia and highlighted “a market gap” for Europe-wide or even globallogistics services for the clinical trials segment.
