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Tag: pharmaceutical

  • Pharma Leaders At Flypharma Highlight Air Cargo’s Role In Global Health

    Pharma Leaders At Flypharma Highlight Air Cargo’s Role In Global Health

    At the FlyPharma Amsterdam 2025 conference, leaders from the worldwide pharmaceutical industry gathered to highlight the importance of collaboration for the steady global transportation of essential healthcare items and life-saving medicines. The conference took place amidst the backdrop of rapidly changing regulations, shifting trade flows, and an uncertain geopolitical landscape.

    Growth in Pharma Sector Increases Demand for Specialised Air Cargo

    The global healthcare and pharmaceutical industry is projected to achieve a total worth of USD 1.77 trillion by 2025. This growth is primarily attributed to advances in biologics, digital health, and personalized medicine, along with increased patient access on a global scale.

    The industry’s momentum is directly reflected in increased demand for airfreight capacity, especially for temperature-sensitive, high-value shipments. The pharma airfreight segment alone is predicted to witness over 6 percent annual growth, as manufacturers and logistics providers prioritize speed, dependability, and adherence to Good Distribution Practice (GDP) standards.

    Air cargo carriers and airports are making significant investments in IoT tracking, cold-chain infrastructure, and digital visibility tools to cater to this growing vertical. The fastest growth is anticipated in corridors linking Asia, Europe, and North America. The pharma and healthcare logistics sector is emerging as a strong and premium segment within the global air cargo market.

    Schiphol: A Global Centre for Pharma Logistics

    Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is a crucial global hub for pharmaceutical logistics. With its central European location, advanced infrastructure, and robust network of logistics partners, the airport is essential for global pharmaceutical supply chains. Schiphol contributes significantly to the worldwide distribution of vaccines and medicines and enhances the Dutch economy, further establishing the Netherlands as a hub for international trade and innovation in life sciences.

    The pharmaceutical logistics ecosystem at Schiphol has considerable implications not only for global public health but also for the Dutch economy. In 2024, the Netherlands exported pharmaceutical products worth USD 38.49 billion, highlighting the sector’s role in driving trade, innovation, and high-value employment. Schiphol’s success as a pharma logistics hub encourages companies to invest, expand, and drive innovation in the Netherlands, making the country more competitive and appealing to life sciences entities.

    Schiphol’s importance as a global logistics hub was further underscored during the COVID-19 pandemic, during which it served as one of Europe’s primary gateways for vaccine transportation and temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals.

    The Role of Air France KLM Martinair Cargo in Pharma Logistics

    Air France-KLM Martinair Cargo (AFKLMP Cargo) has positioned itself as a leading player and innovator in pharmaceutical logistics, being among the first airlines to receive IATA CEIV Pharma certification. The airline’s dual-hub structure in Amsterdam Schiphol and Paris Charles de Gaulle, situated in Europe’s “pharma belt,” provides unique resilience and adaptability in a fluctuating market.

    According to GertJan Roelands, SVP Commercial, AFKLMP Cargo, the company’s growth in the pharmaceutical and healthcare segment has been a strategic priority over the past five years. The airline has made considerable investments in infrastructure and introduced new digital solutions while optimizing processes to enhance resilience and transport quality. The airline’s commitment to this strategy is reflected in its record-breaking performance in the pharmaceutical and healthcare segment and its increasing market share.

    Innovation, Sustainability, and Excellence in Cool Chain

    AFKLMP Cargo continues to expand cool-room capacity, develop digital monitoring dashboards for operational visibility, and pioneer sustainable temperature-control solutions such as CO₂-based refrigerant technology at Paris CDG. As personalized medicine and advanced therapies gain traction, the airline collaborates closely with shippers, forwarders, and life science clusters, providing time-critical solutions that are fully compliant with GDP and CEIV.

    Despite market volatility and geopolitical pressures, AFKLMP Cargo remains steadfast in its focus on on-time delivery and maintaining the integrity of the cool chain supply. The resilience demonstrated during the pandemic continues to shape the airline’s long-term strategy.

    In the words of GertJan Roelands, “Pharmaceutical logistics is not just about transportation — it’s about trust, responsibility, and resilience. Our mission is to deliver healthcare products safely and reliably, adapting to new challenges while ensuring patients around the world receive the medicines they need.”

    Questions & Answers

    What are the main factors driving the growth of the global pharmaceutical industry?
    The main factors driving this growth include advances in biologics, digital health, and personalized medicine, along with increased patient access globally.

    What is the projected growth for the pharma airfreight segment?
    The pharma airfreight segment is predicted to grow more than 6 percent annually.

    What role has Schiphol played in global pharmaceutical logistics?
    Schiphol serves as a crucial global hub for pharmaceutical logistics, contributing significantly to the worldwide distribution of vaccines and medicines, and enhancing the Dutch economy.

  • API launches online B2B hub for pharmacies to source products

    API launches online B2B hub for pharmacies to source products

    Australian Pharmaceutical Industries (API) has launched an online B2B hub – MyAPI – for its wholesale pharmacy customers.

    API is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Wesfarmers Health and has more than 4000 wholesale pharmacy customers.

    According to the company, the platform offers “enhanced functionality and an elevated experience,” allowing pharmacies to research products, place orders, identify stock on hand, obtain pricing and deals, and manage their accounts.

    It also facilitates stock returns, backorder management, houses key documents and provides customer support and communications.

    “By investing in technology like MyAPI, we’re ensuring pharmacy owners have 24/7 access to critical products and essential information at their fingertips,” said Doug Swan, executive GM of wholesale and pharmacy services at Wesfarmers Health.

    “This means more convenience and flexibility, and empowers them to serve their communities with confidence knowing they have what patients need, when they need it.”

    In addition to the main features, the e-hub also supports compliance with Community Service Obligations for pharmaceutical wholesalers, including the timely delivery of Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme items within 24 hours.

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  • India seeks to pour $500-mln into Vietnam pharmaceutical hub

    India seeks to pour $500-mln into Vietnam pharmaceutical hub

    Large pharmaceutical enterprises in India have expressed their hope to establish a pharmaceutical industrial park in Vietnam, with an initial investment of about $500 million.

    The idea of setting up the pharmaceutical industrial park was launched during recent trade and investment promotion sessions for the pharmaceutical industry organized by the Vietnamese Embassy in India, according to the local Vietnam Trade Office.

    Vietnamese Ambassador to India Pham Sanh Chau said construction of the pharmaceutical industrial park would open an opportunity to welcome large pharmaceutical giants for long-term investment, helping Vietnam reduce dependence on traditional pharmaceutical supplies and diversify production chains.

    It is estimated the industrial park would create jobs for 50,000 direct and 200,000 indirect workers, earning export revenue of about $5 billion per year.

    Leaders of localities in Da Nang and Thua Thien-Hue in central Vietnam, Long An in southern Vietnam, and Hai Duong, Bac Ninh, and Thai Nguyen in the north have discussed land rent, geographical location, transport infrastructure and investment incentive mechanisms with Indian investors.

    Ramesh Babu, chairman of India-based pharmaceutical manufacturing company SMS Pharmaceutical Group, which plans to invest in the pharmaceutical industrial park in Vietnam, said if successful, it would turn the country into a leading pharmaceutical research, development and production base in Southeast Asia and the world.

    Analysts at SSI Securities estimated Vietnam’s pharmaceutical industry to grow by 15 percent in 2021 mainly due to a rapidly aging population and rising incomes.

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  • Indonesia campaigns for pharmaceutical after liberalization

    Indonesia campaigns for pharmaceutical after liberalization

    The government is intensifying efforts to support the country’s longstagnant pharmaceutical industry after opening up the sector to foreign investment in its latest revision to the negative investment list (DNI).

    The efforts were evident at a dialog on “Expediting the Development of Indonesia’s Pharmaceutical Industry” organized by the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) on Thursday that gathered together players in the pharmaceutical industry and its related sectors.

    “Most of the existing companies make medicines, whereas the raw material businesses is small. Roughly 90 percent of raw material for the pharmaceutical industry is imported from India or China. We have to change this,” BKPM investment monitoring and implementation deputy chairman Azhar Lubis said during the event.

    In a bid to encourage the raw material industry, the government has revised the DNI, which lists the sectors restricted to foreign investment. Following the revision, the government now allows 100 percent foreign ownership in pharmaceutical companies, from 85 percent previously.

    Following the issuance of the regulation, no fresh interests on raw material sector have been expressed by foreign investors, Azhar said. However, there have been 18 new licenses for investments in the pharmaceutical industry issued by BKPM from January to September worth Rp 2.1 trillion.

    Apart from campaigning for investment in pharmaceutical factories, the BKPM will also push research and development (R&D) in the sector to encourage new innovations in new medicines that are locally made, Azhar added, citing R&D centers in Singapore and Europe.

    However, industry players said the problem with investment in the pharmaceutical sector lay in the fact that there was a relatively small number of hospitals and doctors for whom the medicines would be distributed.

    “Boosting the industry does not only mean pushing for medicine production and factories. What’s also needed is hospitals, doctors and clinics as the infrastructure to feed the pharmaceutical industry,” said International Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group (IPMG) executive director Parulian Simanjuntak.

    Investments in the pharmaceutical sector have stagnated in recent years, reaching just Rp 8.9 trillion from January 2011 to September 2016, BKPM data shows. Also, there are only 214 pharmaceutical companies in Indonesia, most of which make medicines. Just a few of them manufacture raw material for pharmaceuticals.

    “If production [of raw material] were to start in Indonesia, it would take around three years to really get going and it would definitely cost more than importing from other countries,” said Arustiyono, the director of supervision and therapeutic product distribution at the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM).

    “The research and development phase for the chemical reactions would itself take a year,” he added.

    The pharmaceutical industry is 70 percent dominated by local players, including privately-owned Kalbe Farma and state-owned Kimia Farma, among others.

    “The stimulus package for raw material factory investments will bring about a positive impact for the pharmaceutical industry because the source for materials will shift to local sources. This will inoculate the industry from the rupiah’s fluctuations,” Kalbe Farma corporate secretary Vidjongtius said. “In this way, medicine production costs can be more controlled. This, however, is a medium to long-term project.”

  • Kimia Farma builds pharmaceutical raw material factory

    Kimia Farma builds pharmaceutical raw material factory

    In cooperation with Sungwun Pharmacopia of South Korea, Indonesias state-owned pharmaceutical company PT Kimia Farma will build the first factory for pharmaceutical raw materials to meet the needs of medicine producers in the country.

    The construction of the pharmaceutical factory was inaugurated on Monday by Health Minister Nila F Moeloek, in the company of Kimia Farma President Director Rusdi Rosman, Food and Drug Regulatory Agency (BPOM) Chief Penny Lukito, and House Commission-IX Chairman Dede Yusuf.

    Rusdi Rosman said the factory, located at the Lippo industrial area in Cikarang, Bekasi, will be built in stages on a six-hectare plot of land and at a cost of Rp132 billion.

    In building the first factory for pharmaceutical raw materials, Kimia Farma will cooperate with Sungwun Pharmacopia Co. Ltd, because of their experience in producing raw materials for medicines.

    Further, the Kimia Farma president director noted that the factory will be built in accordance with the standard of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and is expected to be completed by the end of 2017, while the selling of Active Pharmaceutical Raw Materials (API) is planned to begin in early 2018.

    Rusdi noted that the factory will produce eight types of raw materials, including Simvastatin, Atorvastatin, Rosuvastatin, Pantoprazole, Esomeprazole, Rabeprazole, Clopidogrel and Sarpogrelate, with a production capacity of 30 tons per year.

    Production of the raw materials is to meet 100 percent of the needs of the pharmaceutical industry in Indonesia, as well as for market export.

    Kimia Farma will also manufacture seven types of raw materials that can be used for cosmetics and dietary supplements, and to be exported to Korea, Japan and America.

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