[040516.EN.BIZ] Panalpina's Brussels Operations Become First CEIV Station

PANALPINA'S operations in Brussels has become the company's first station to achieve IATA CEIV (Centre of Excellence for Independent Validators) certification for pharma traffic, now the benchmark for air freight cross-dock operations for healthcare products.

"The certification is yet another proof of our excellent handling capabilities for pharmaceuticals and medical products here in Brussels," said local Panalpina health and safety chief Frank Raeckelboom.

The fully Good Distribution Practice (GDP) compliant and TAPA-A (Transported Asset Protection Association) certified facility includes 940 square metres of rack-storage with a capacity of 328 euro pallets and 450 pallets of floor storage and is dedicated to cargo that has to be kept at 'controlled room temperature" between 15C and 25C.

Cargo that needs to be kept at a temperature between 2C and 8C can be stored in a cold cell of 32 square metres with a capacity of 25 pallets, reported to London's Air Cargo News.

As well as IATA, Belgium's Federal Agency of Medical and Health Products (FAMHP) has now certified Panalpina Brussels, where GDP compliant operations commenced in August 2012.

"Our certifications give our healthcare customers assurance that we can safely handle their valuable and sensitive products, be it human or veterinarian finished products, active pharmaceutical ingredients or medical devices, in a manner that is fully compliant with the highest standards," said Mr Raeckelboom.

Source : HKSG.