DHL builds confidence in American healthcare shipping

DHL Global Forwarding is working to accredit several of its North American sites as Qualified Envirotainer Providers (QEP) by the end of this year. Already the largest user of Envirotainer containers – specialised temperature-controlled air cargo containers – DHL said the accreditations would boost confidence in its services for the increasingly competitive healthcare and life sciences logistics segment.

DHL has already received QEP accreditation this year for its station in Brisbane, near San Francisco in California, after a process that involved staff training, documentation and an audit of the facility.

Accreditation endorses the station’s management of biotechnology, pharmaceutical and medical shipments using Envirotainer containers.

DHL said accreditation as part of its bid to lead development of cold chain services for a “very important” customer segment, including temperature-controlled package handling, cold chain storage and the tracking of shipments in transit.

Angelos P Orfanos, the company’s president of Life Sciences and Healthcare, said QEP accreditation was just “one of many steps” DHL was taking to improve the transparency of its cold chain processes.

Orfanos said: “We handle shipments that are not only monetarily valuable but also in some cases can make the difference between life and death; we understand the importance of maintaining the integrity of these goods, so we ensure they are handled with the utmost care.”

DHL has been leasing containers from Swedish firm Envirotainer since 2001, cementing a global partnership with an agreement struck in 2008.

Following QEP accreditation of DHL’s Brisbane facility, the company is now planning to invest in further cold chain systems, to turn the site into a Life Science Competency Centre in the coming year.

DHL currently has 17 of the centres across the globe, facilities which include experienced staff and specialized systems dedicated to the life sciences and healthcare sector.

Mark McGonegal, vice president, West Region, DHL Global Forwarding, said of the Brisbane plans: “The Competency Center will include cold storage for deep frozen, controlled 2° – 8° Celsius and controlled 15° – 25° Celsius, all high in demand for the Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology customers we support.”