Panalpina gained Good Distribution Practice (GDP) certifications for 11 sites in 2018, and expects to get over 10 sites certified to GDP in 2019.
With currently 37 GDP-certified locations around the globe, the logistics provider said it now is well-positioned to serve the healthcare and pharmaceuticals industry with comprehensive, end-to-end supply chain solutions.
Panalpina obtained GDP certifications for these sites in 2018, 10 of which were audited by external certification body SGS and one by a local health authority:
- Americas: Nashville, San Francisco, Panama, Bogotá, Montreal
- Europe: Innsbruck, Lisbon
- MEAC: Dubai
- APAC: Narita, Hyderabad, Singapore
With that, the third-party logistics provider is staying on course to expand its network of GDP-certified sites in key regions geared to serve the healthcare and pharmaceutical industry and meet their demands in handling, storing and distributing their products according to the European Union GDP guidelines and World Health Organization guidelines.
Panalpina’s Hyderabad facility is aiming to capitalise on India’s projected growth to be the sixth largest pharmaceutical market in size, according to the Make in India intiative. India accounts for 20 per cent of global exports in generics, making it the largest provider of generic medicines globally.
Up next for GDP-certification in the second half of 2019 is Panalpina’s warehouse in Cajamar, São Paulo, which is exclusively dedicated to the cold chain segment and is able to store various types of temperature-controlled cargo. Stretching over 4,000 square metres, the facility has three cold chambers for different temperature ranges: -20°C, from 2°C to 8°C, and from 15°C to 25°C.
Over the coming months, Panalpina is extending its global GDP footprint to cover over 10 key locations in the Americas, Europe, MEAC and APAC.
“We are stepping up our in-house training capabilities to ensure that employees have the qualifications and training required for GDP,” says Panalpina’s global head of quality, health, safety and environment, Lindsay Zingg. “Targeted and faster training enables Panalpina to get more sites certified.”
