DHL Global Forwarding, the air and ocean freight specialist of Deutsche Post DHL Group, opens a new logistics center for life science and healthcare products at Amsterdam-Schiphol.

The new so-called Life Science Competence Center is located next to the airport at the business park Schiphol Southeast. It serves as a hub for the transport, transport preparation, temporary storage, and transport follow-up of active and passive temperature-controlled pharmaceutical and medicinal products. The facility covers 1,000 square meters and took an investment of one million euros. The center is run by 14 specially trained logistics specialists.

The facility is one of the largest and most modern of its kind in the transport sector in the Netherlands. One area is dedicated to pharmaceutical products that must be stored at constant temperatures between two and eight degrees Celsius, while the second one allocated to a controlled temperature range of between 15 to 25 degrees Celsius. There is a special temperature-controlled loading area, with a loading dock for both ULD’s and pallets. Actively cooled containers can be charged and dry ice can be replenished. The center is equipped with numerous temperature and humidity sensors that immediately sound an alarm should conditions fall outside of established parameters. Furthermore, the center meets the latest safety standards and complies with all European directives that apply to such transportation and storage facilities.

The services offered by the forwarding division of DHL in the new competence center cover the needs of the growing number of customers looking for global end-to-end solutions in temperature controlled air transport. The logistics center will also provide DHL Thermonet, the standard product of DHL Global Forwarding for managing temperature sensitive air freight shipments. DHL Thermonet provides seamless temperature visibility along the supply chain, 24/7 proactive monitoring and intervention based on pre-determined touch points and DHL's RFID SmartSensor technology.

“The life sciences and healthcare industry is regulated by increasingly stricter compliance requirements that stretch beyond the historic boundaries of GMP& GSP (Good Manufacturing Practice and Good Storage Practice). At the same time, dealing with increasingly sensitive pharmaceutical products, often of high value, that have specific handling and temperature tolerances brings new complexity to the supply chain,” stresses Nigel Wing, Global Head Life Sciences & Healthcare, DHL Global Forwarding. “With its strategic location at Amsterdam Schiphol airport, this new competence center further strengthens our existing temperature-controlled network worldwide. The facility is certified as part of our network of DHL Thermonet stations and allows us to expand and share our knowledge and expertise globally, whilst meeting the high quality levels expected of the life sciences industry.”

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