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Pharmaceutical Manufacturing and Packing Sourcer
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PMPS: What is a typical day for you?
Renate de Walle: Typical days are rare; however, I do have some guiding principles I
follow daily, and I have a morning routine which centres my thoughts and
recalls my main priorities, enabling me to start the day prepared and
focused. In addition, I try to balance both the large and small elements
of my role, alongside scheduled and unscheduled activities. Last but
not least, I try to make every interaction count.
What drives you to succeed?
I
am motivated by being part of a team that serves a unique industry,
which employs millions of people saving or improving others’ lives.
Transporting healthcare products by air depends on complex logistical
methods to maintain each shipment’s integrity. It requires specific
equipment, storage facilities, harmonised handling procedures and, above
all, strong cooperation among cold chain partners. Taking on new
challenges and seeing the success of service solutions for the
pharmaceutical industry, in order for them to improve quality of life
for all, pushes me to go that extra mile.
What are the issues involved in maintaining temperature?
Numerous
risks are associated with transport logistics that could lead to a
failure in the cold chain. Temperature changes during transportation can
be a serious threat to product integrity. Quality, reliability and
performance are essential. The two most important issues for the
industry and its logistics providers are to clarify mutual expectations
between the stakeholders involved, and to minimise risks for air freight
within the cold chain.
What are the most common causes of delay in transporting a product from A to B?
Data
from the US Bureau of Transportation Statistics – to whom airlines
report – show that the most common causes of delay in air freight
transportation are: the aircraft arriving late (often resulting in a
snowball effect); air carrier delay (for example, aircraft on ground or
suffering technical problems); and delays and cancellations (such as
those attributable to the National Aviation System, or adverse weather
conditions).
What knock-on effects can this have?
Air
freight allows businesses to operate in a more flexible way, in terms
of quick inventory movements and routing of time-sensitive products. The
fast transit times and seamless connections to final destinations allow
air shipments to be timed according to production schedules, helping to
improve inventory flow. If delays occur, it can have ramifications
throughout the entire healthcare sector – varying from medicine
shortages to disruptions in the throughput times of pharmaceutical
manufacturing processes.
When is it best to ship by air, as opposed to any other means?
Although
there are numerous considerations in transport method selection, the
pharma industry relies on air transport for its speed, reliability and
efficiency in delivering high-value, time-sensitive,
temperature-controlled product shipments. Air freight can involve a
journey of just a few days, whereas sea freight transport, for instance,
will be counted in weeks.
How important is it to have suitable facilities in place at the airport?
Counterfeit
pharmaceuticals are a real threat to public health and safety.
Consequently, it is essential to protect the supply chain against the
penetration of such products. Cold chain facilities and processes should
be suitable for the handling of all products under appropriate
conditions (and climate controlled when necessary), thereby meeting the
requirements of manufacturers.
What options are available for temperature-sensitive products?
When time- and temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals or healthcare products –
such as chilled (2°C to 8°C) or ambient (15°C to 25°C) – are delivered
via air freight, the choice can be made to transport with an active
(cooler engines) or passive (insulated packaging) cooling system, or a
combination of both.
When should you use either active or passive packaging?
The
decision on whether to use active or passive packaging, or a
combination of the two, to transport temperature-sensitive products is
largely determined by assessing the product’s requirements, the
shipper’s approach and attitude to risk, the destination, and the cost
involved. One solution will not necessarily fit all, but the best system
for each shipment can be found if you have a comprehensive
understanding of the options available.
Are there any gaps in the cold chain which you believe need filling?
Validated
monitoring technology further increases supply chain visibility and
compliance, making it possible not only to track shipments in real time,
but also to monitor their environmental status and intervene through
quality assurance. The latter can only be successfully accomplished if
parties collaborate.
If you could change one thing about the air freight industry, what would it be?
To
support future demand, there is further room for pharma companies,
freight forwarders, airlines and other parties in the cool chain to work
together in a truly collaborative approach based on mutual trust and an increased transparency.
How do you think pharma logistics may change in the decade ahead?
Fuelled
by rising global demand, I think that the importance of pharma
logistics in meeting tighter regulations – such as those involved in
temperature management – will become increasingly important. Over the
next decade, parties in the cold chain will also have to respond to the
changing market landscape, such as implementing a direct-to-market
approach for speciality products, and value-focused approaches for
generics. In addition, the further development of personalised medicines
will have implications for the whole logistics industry.
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