The quick and highly specialised handling of temperature-sensitive pharma products around the clock is the core competence of the new 1,600 m² Vienna Pharma Handling Center (VPHC). This makes Vienna International Airport the only airport in Central Europe to offer a complete end-to-end solution for pharma products from a single source, featuring a seamless cool chain, quick handling processes and short turnaround times between air and road transport.
Kuehne + Nagel is now utilising this highly specialised service as “Preferred Partner” for the handling of its pharma shipments. Within the framework of the partnership, the global logistics provider benefits from its own, exclusive handling area, allowing for even greater flexibility.
Heiko Schuhmacher, Regional Airfreight Manager at Kuehne + Nagel: „This partnership between Kuehne + Nagel and the Vienna International Airport will further enhance service levels for our customers from the pharma & healthcare industry in Austria and the neighbouring countries. By using Kuehne + Nagel’s KN PharmaChain customers gain access to industry-specific, GxP compliant transport and logistics solutions with the same high quality standards worldwide.”
Patrick Mair, National Airfreight Manager at Kuehne + Nagel Austria, confirms: „All services such as packaging, storage, loading and unloading of temperature-controlled shipments can now be offered in an exclusive handling area. An additional benefit of the partnership is the fact that the facility is situated directly at the apron with very short tarmac distances to all aircraft positions. This enables a continuous cold chain for our shipments and seamless, temperature-controlled transportation to and from the aircraft, which was not previously available at Vienna International Airport.”
Das Vienna Pharma Handling Center was opened in December 2018. It is part of the Air Cargo Center and directly accessible from both, land and airside areas. The state-of-the-art facility provides two separate temperature controlled areas: A 1,500 m² area for the handling of pharmaceuticals at 15° – 25°C und an additional 153 m²for the storage, build-up and break down of 2° – 8°C shipments. The VPHC exclusively handles temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical products. Vienna Airport has invested about EUR 1.8 million in the new Pharma Handling Centre.
With over 82,000 employees at some 1,300 locations in over 100 countries, the Kuehne + Nagel Group is one of the world’s leading logistics companies. Its strong market position lies in the seafreight, airfreight, contract logistics and overland businesses, with a clear focus on providing IT-based integrated logistics solutions. In Austria, Kuehne + Nagel Kuehne + Nagel Austria has been operating since 1970, with approximately 500 employees at 12 locations.
