Logistics Service Provider GROUP7 Receives GDP Certification for Pharmaceutical Logistics

The logistics service provider Group7 from Munich has received GDP certification for global cold chains for the pharmaceutical industry for air, sea, and land transport. The certificate is intended to further boost the logistics provider’s activities in the field of pharmaceutical logistics.

(Munich) Recently, the logistics service provider GROUP7 has been certified for GDP. The German testing company DEKRA confirmed the “Good Distribution Practice” (GDP) for the service areas of logistics and freight forwarding services as well as e-commerce. With the successful audit of the operational and management processes related to the international transport of pharmaceutical goods by sea, air, and land, GROUP7 has been confirmed that the services offered to customers in the pharmaceutical industry meet the highest standards. “The GDP certificate is a milestone for GROUP7 and boosts our activities in the Pharma & Healthcare business field,” comments GROUP7 board member Günther Jocher. With the certificate, GROUP7 can now transport sensitive pharmaceutical products worldwide, even under the strictest conditions. For example, the GROUP7 team can organize the transport of goods that require compliance with a cold chain at temperatures of -20 degrees Celsius.

GDP to Expand Pharmaceutical Range at GROUP7

GROUP7 is no newcomer to the pharmaceutical sector. Even before the GDP certification, the logistics provider was active in all parts of the supply chain from pre-carriage through air and sea freight to post-carriage and distribution for customers in the medical sector. The products previously handled included accessories, bandaging materials, and medical devices. “The inquiries from our customers and global partners have prompted us to take this new step. At the same time, ensuring the cold chain across multiple stations represents a significant responsibility for us. Standing up for the health of many people motivates us to achieve our best performance. I realized this during the project,” Jocher expresses his reasons for the GDP certificate.

Team Responsible for GDP Implementation

14-page quality agreements with subcontractors, risk analyses, procedural instructions, cleaning concepts, emergency plans: The certificate set high requirements. The project lasted a year, including all preparations such as training for employees. “To ensure we were well-prepared for the audit, we assembled a 6-member team for the GDP topic. It will also ensure knowledge transfer throughout the company in the future,” explains Thomas Wiederspahn, Head of Quality Management at GROUP7.

Direct Flights and Temperature-Controlled Intermediate Storage for Air Freight

The primary goal of GROUP7 is to meet the specific requirements for the proper transport of sensitive pharmaceutical products. “In the area of air freight, for example, we ensure that the goods are not subjected to an X-ray process if the product does not allow it. Here, we can apply our many years of expertise, as the selection of a suitable airline also plays a significant role. For temperature-sensitive products, we load, as far as possible, via direct flight. At the receiving airport, we ensure appropriate storage options to maintain the specified temperature range,” says Wiederspahn. During the audit phase, additional flexibility was required for GROUP7 due to the coronavirus: online interviews and online inspections were part of the certification process.
Photo: © Group7 / Caption: The GDP team of GROUP7: from left to right: Jasmin Jahres, Radoslaw Kowalczyk, Fabian Lechner, Michael Wehner, Thomas Wiederspahnwww.group-7.de