The Covid-19 pandemic dramatically shifted the understanding of what constitutes a resilient cold chain, testing the industry’s capacity to supply temperature-sensitive products in a controlled, repeatable manner like never before.
“The pandemic really clarified what matters in our field,” Julius Graf von Pfeil, Head of Supply Chain and Finance at Logistics4Pharma, stated. “It’s not always about the highest margins; it’s about ensuring that essential services continue, even under extreme pressure.”
During the pandemic, companies across various sectors collaborated in ways previously unimaginable. Von Pfeil recalled: “We saw airlines operating fully chartered flights, freezer companies developing scalable minus 80 °C storage units, and production lines ramping up production to meet the demand for Covid-19-related services and transportation. Everyone worked overtime—double, triple, and even quadruple shifts—it was a collective effort on a global scale.”
This spirit of collaboration extended to the rapid establishment of testing centres, a crucial infrastructure that, just a few years earlier, would have seemed implausible. “The ability to test globally, despite varying levels of safety and security, was a remarkable achievment,” von Pfeil noted. “It demonstrated the industry’s resilience and its capacity to adapt swiftly.”
Gaps in the system
While the pandemic fostered unity in the industry, it also exposed vulnerabilities in Europe’s Good Distribution Practice (GDP) guidelines.
“GDP provides a solid foundation, but it’s not enough to keep it as is,” von Pfeil said. “While some flexibility in some areas is helpful, there are areas where more stringent regulations would streamline and simplify operations, especially for companies aiming to scale. More consistent and globally unified guidelines would make growth more manageable.”
Despite these challenges, the focus must remain unwavering: product quality and safety.
“It’s not just about the logistics provider – it’s about safeguarding the product throughout its journey,” he emphasised. “Pharmaceutical companies bear immense responsibility, and that responsibility doesn’t end at the factory gate. The entire cold chain process must maintain the highest standards to ensure safe delivery, considering the full lifecycle and associated costs.”
Precision under pressure
The sudden surge in demand for vaccine and pharmaceutical transport in the past few years has spotlighted the challenges of maintaining the integrity of complex cold chains.
“Logistics is inherently complex,” Julius Graf von Pfeil, Head of Supply Chain and Finance at Logistics4Pharma, stated. “It requires seamless coordination among multiple stakeholders to ensure the successful delivery of sensitive goods.”
“In the cold chain logistics, where precision and reliability are non-negotiable, this coordination must be executed with excellence. Anything less is unacceptable. Striving for excellence is not just an expectation, but a fundamental principle within our industry.”
Driving innovation through data
As innovation accelerates, digitisation is transforming the cold chain market – enhancing efficiency, safety and transparency.
“The real value is in integrating and analysing data to assess risks, improve operational processes, and ensure compliance,” von Pfeil outlined.
“Technologies like live trackers and data loggers allow monitoring of temperature-sensitive goods. RFID tags and QR codes enable end-to-end visibility – from loading to delivery – empowering better decision-making and control throughout the whole supply chain.”
Quality: The non-negotiable standard
Amid all of these advancements, one principle remains unchanged: quality is paramount.
“You cannot compromise,” von Pfeil declared. “From manufacturing to final delivery, product quality must be continuously monitored and protected. Keeping that focus enables us to achieve outcomes that are safe, reliable, and repeatable.”
“Transparency with your partners is key — being honest about your capabilities, what you can do, what you’d recommend to do, and what you cannot do is the first anchor in a shared commitment to quality in our industry.”
“We’ve engaged with integrators, pharmaceutical companies, packaging providers, warehousing and transportation specialists. While their perspectives vary, the common thread is a shared pursuit of excellence.”
