Driving Change in the Pharma Arena
The global pharmaceutical cold chain sector is unlike any other. It is huge, dynamic and provides us with an ever-expanding range of essential life-saving products.
The recent pandemic has shed a spotlight on the dramatic increasing demand of the industry. As global quarantine measures emerged, causing supply chain roadblocks such as delays, shortages in key commodities and manpower, we came to recognize how much we rely on the international cold chain operation to gain access to vitamins, minerals, and various high-value medical supplies. It’s safe to say that even as the situation normalizes, the pharmaceutical market will remain as relevant as before.
Millions of products are shipped across oceans every single day, but some are more challenging to transport than others. Pharmaceuticals have very particular and individual features. They are often delicate and time-sensitive which means they demand strict temperature supervision and a well-coordinated handling procedure that should be addressed with each and every shipment.
Let’s take a closer look at the road ahead for the pharmaceutical industry.
Temperature monitoring is always critical.
Temperature deviations can happen anywhere along the supply chain, even as the products are being packed, or during their loading/unloading process. Under certain conditions, pharmaceutical products can react to humidity or exposure to light. Maintaining temperature control on a regular basis is crucial to keeping the high value of these goods and avoiding risks.
Improving end-to-end visibility
Various customs and cross-border restrictions enforced by government officials have also presented some challenges.
The pandemic has encouraged governments and regulators to set out standards covering all steps of the cold chain – from transport, labelling, packaging, and data monitoring. Many have reevaluated strategies that go beyond the pandemic, prioritizing a clean and tamper-proof operation, in an effort to guarantee their safe distribution at the final destination.
The combination of speed, flexibility, and the ability to optimize operations to meet the recent dynamic demand has become more important than ever for the pharma cold chain industry. The use of the latest technology for tracking shipments, monitoring temperature and data throughout the journey, not only improves efficiency for the pharma sector, but brings more visibility in overcoming any supply chain challenges, especially in today’s changing landscape.
At ZIM, we understand the need to provide full transparency, especially when shipping sensitive, high value reefer cargo like medicine. With our state-of-the-art ZIMonitor, you have all the professional tools needed to track, monitor, and even control your cargo’s environment at any moment. This service is also accompanied by ZIM’s staff who are on-site 24/7 to provide personal support.
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