During the last meeting of the CCA in Madrid (15-16 Oct 2012) the inefficiencies in (amongst others) the cool air cargo supply chain were discussed. Research showed that the loading area on the tarmac at many airports remains a weak spot.

DuPont and Cargolux, both members of the CCA have jointly developed a new solution for transportation of temperature sensitive products like perishable and healthcare products. Through various discussions and working groups in the CCA, both Cargolux and DuPont decided to collaborate on a solution to better control the temperature especially on the tarmac, where goods are sometimes exposed to very high temperatures.

Resulting from this joint effort between Cargolux and DuPont de Nemours (Luxembourg), the Tyvek® Air Cargo Cover represents an innovative breakthrough for the transportation of temperature sensitive air cargo. The blanket is made from high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and creates a unique balance of properties that are ideal for protecting sensitive cargo from extreme temperature variations.

Air Cargo Covers protect temperature sensitive goods against sunlight, temperature variations, rain and theft with pest or contamination control (liquids, dust, pollens, insects, bird droppings etc) as an additional benefit. The Cargolux KeepCool team tested the blanket in stations where temperature sensitive cargo is mostly vulnerable.

Positive results have prompted Cargolux to introduce the AirCargo Covers throughout its network for the benefit of its worldwide customers requiring additional protection for their temperature sensitive shipments. Read more about this CCA Show-Case here.

Especially some pharmaceutical and healthcare products need constant temperature monitoring (and preferably control) to warrant the quality and in the end the health of people. Forwarders have adopted different temperature monitoring systems and some of those have been applied by airports and handling agents. Different technologies are used to capture and share information, including sensors with RFID, temperature loggers and sensor networks.

Ideally these different systems operate through one information platform that should allow transparency across the collaborating parties in the Cool Chain. In case there is a temperature breach expected or detected, this should automatically trigger a message to the ramp employees in order to take (proactive) action. The objective is to create these alerts in real-time and resolve the problem when - or even before - it occurs.

New initiatives in this area will benefit from work that has been done by CCA members Rungis Express, Cool Chain Group and Xtreme Technologies, who have worked closely together to test a state-of-the-art technology solution to monitor and manage reefer trucks and trailers with 3 separate temperature chambers - in real time - across Europe. In order to improve quality, the advanced software solution continuously scans all events and provides real-time information on any irregularities that may affect the deliveries of the valuable shipments.

An intelligent system that continuously monitors all the events and alerts staff will improve business agility and help achieve the high quality goals set. This should result in a systematic decrease in damage or loss of products, late deliveries and claims. It was decided to test Xtreme Technologies’ TradeLink solution that enables job and fleet operations management, communication with drivers, navigation and real-time monitoring of vehicle locations and status of the 3 temperature chambers.

The platform can be further enriched with information from returnable transport items and products using (2D) bar-codes, RFID and sensor networks. For Rungis, CCG and their business partners this means they can now create an integral view of their deliveries and be pro-actively notified in case of relevant business events, improving quality and creating results that matter. Read more about this CCA Show-Case here.

The CCA is committed to ‘Healthy Living for All People on Our Planet’ and these projects offer a modest but concrete contribution by helping reduce food wastage and food-born illnesses, improving shelf-life, improving traceability and fighting counterfeits.

These CCA Show Cases are exemplary for our mission to reduce wastage and improve the quality, efficiency and value of the temperature sensitive supply chain by facilitating and enabling vertical & horizontal collaboration, education and innovation amongst our members and stakeholders.

Download the original press release in .pdf format here.

About CCA

The CCA is a non-profit organization, founded in 2003, with the aim of synchronizing the cool supply chain in order to improve the quality of perishables and temperature sensitive products (PTSP) and thus prolong their shelf life and reduce wastage. Its members come from a wide range of different industries across the world and are all active in the temperature sensitive supply chain. For more information, visit us at: http://coolchain.org

At the recent CCA Annual General Meeting in Luxembourg, Board members, presided by the newly appointed Chairman Sebastiaan Scholte (Jan de Rijk Logistics), decided unanimously to partner with ECSLA, the European Cold Storage and Logistics Association. With this partnership, ECSLA and CCA aim to reduce wastage and improve the quality, efficiency and value of the temperature sensitive supply chain by facilitating and enabling vertical & horizontal collaboration, education and innovation amongst their members and stakeholders. 

Both ECSLA President Hans van Leeuwen (Frigolanda Cold Logistics) and Vice-president Luc Put (Colfridis) demonstrated their excitement by stating: “Joining forces will not just strengthen our position as voice of the European cold storage and logistics industry in Brussels but also put the many logistic solutions our industry is offering for handling temperature sensitive products more into the spotlights. We believe that the CCA has proven to be fertile ground for innovations, developed in an environment of joint collaboration where knowledge is shared and business opportunities are created”. 

Mr. Scholte and CCA Secretary General Edwin Kalischnig indicate that this partnership fits exactly into the strategic vision of the Cool Chain Association, to take the organization to the next level by cooperating with other professional cold chain partners. “We are impressed by the ECSLA structure with so many executives taking leadership responsibility in committees and working groups and we are convinced that the mingling with our members will contribute to the professionalism of all logistic service providers involved.” 

First joint event will be a 2-days ECSLA/CCA conference in Madrid, Oct 15-16, 2012 set up in close cooperation with ALDEFE, the Spanish cold store association. Marcos Badenes, the Secretary General finds the partnership an extra argument for Spanish logistics companies to participate. “This brings the best of two worlds to Madrid and will make it an unique occasion to hear about best practices and latest developments in both frozen and chilled”.

About ECSLA: The European Cold Storage and Logistics Association (ECSLA) is the voice of the European cold storage industry. ECSLA represents the interests of thousands of refrigerated storage facilities throughout the EU with a total capacity of more than 40 million cubic meters. More details can be found at: www.ecsla.eu 

COOL CHAIN ASSOCIATION A.S.B.L. (CCA) today announced that Sebastiaan Scholte, Secretary General of the CCA and CEO of Jan de Rijk Logistics, was appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors on May 23rd 2012. 

Mr. Scholte replaces Robert Arendal, who stepped down from his position after 10 years of service. Mr. Arendal will continue as Member of the Board with a special interest in air cargo and sustainability. 

CCA also announced the appointment of Edwin Kalischnig, Member of the Board of the CCA and CEO of Xtreme Technologies BV, as Secretary General to replace Mr. Scholte. 

The third CCA announcement is the appointment of Youri Busaan, Member of the CCA and Deputy General Manager of Paris Vatry Airport, as Treasurer. 

Mr. Busaan replaces Arne Lossius of Marine Harvest who steps down from this position. In addition to his role as Treasurer, Mr. Busaan will act as key liaison between CCA and IATA. 

Mr. Stavros Evangelakakis, Sales Director of Cargolux Airlines, was elected Member of the Board in May 2011 and will continue in his role. 

The CCA wants to thank Mr. Arendal and Mr. Lossius for their many years of dedication and contribution.   

Biographies and Pictures of the Board can be downloaded here

Today the air cargo industry is using the IATA Perishable Cargo Regulations (PCR) as the essential reference guide for all parties involved in the packaging and handling of perishables for air transportation. Chapter 17 “Air Transport Logistics for Time and Temperature Sensitive Healthcare Products” in the PCR specifically addresses the temperature control management issues identified by the industry. 

This Chapter provides the requirements for the transportation of time and temperature sensitive healthcare cargo shipments and also sets out standards such as the use of the IATA Time and Temperature Sensitive label, developed together with the air cargo supply chain, and first introduced on July 1st, 2010. The air cargo industry recognizes this label as a best practice. Thus, effective July 1st, 2012 the IATA Time and Temperature Sensitive label will become mandatory for the transportation of healthcare cargo shipments, pursuant to the Cargo Services Conference Resolution Manual Resolution 607, Section 1. 

The decision to implement this step resulted from a collective recommendation supported by the Time and Temperature Task Force and Working Group members1 and endorsed by the IATA Live Animals and Perishables Board. Standard “Time and Temperature Sensitive” label The Time and Temperature Sensitive label is a shipment label, specific to the healthcare industry, that must be affixed to all shipments booked as time and temperature sensitive cargo. It is the responsibility of the shipper (or designated shipper’s agent by service agreement) to ensure the label is applied properly for time and temperature sensitive healthcare cargo shipments booked as such. 

The lower half of the label must never be left blank and must indicate the external transportation temperature range of the shipment. The temperature range must only be shown in Celsius. No other temperature information must be indicated on the label except, when agreed between the parties it may be used to communicate the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) number.

(The temperature indicated on the lower half of the label must match the approved transportation temperature range, e.g. +15oC to +25oC)

The initial booking is the key step to successful cargo transportation and will trigger the specific and/or appropriate handling and operational processes associated to healthcare transport and/or logistics. The label only supports the booking, thus the transportation temperature range specified on the label must match the transportation temperature range stated on the Air Waybill, Service Level Agreement (SLA) or Standard Operating Procedures (SOP). 

In the event that the shipper fails to complete the lower half of the label or in case of discrepancy the transportation temperature indicated on the Air Waybill (or on the SOP or SLA if no temperature is mentioned on the Air Waybill) prevails. In addition, a 24-hour contact telephone number(s) of a person knowledgeable about the shipment must be provided at the time of booking and on the Air Waybill as well as in the SLA or SOP, to allow contacting the appropriate person in the event of a significant delay or disruption to the shipment that may impact on the viability of the contents of the shipment.

Key benefits of the label

Better identification

• One unique, universally accepted and recognized label for all temperature sensitive healthcare cargo shipments
• Reflects the external temperature range required during transportation 

Faster supply chain transit handling 

• Strengthens the overall supply chain by increasing visibility and awareness

Greater reliability and accuracy

• Reduces delays due to inaccurate or inconsistent handling information
• Provides uniform and clear transportation temperature range during the handling and operational processes 

Decreases risk

• Reduces risk of mishandling that may affect the quality of the healthcare product
• Reduces risk of adverse exposure

Working towards international standards 

The IATA Live Animals and Perishables Board, comprised of 12 Airline members, endorse healthcare standards for the air cargo industry recommended by the Time and Temperature Task Force members and Working Groups. IATA’s aim is to ensure the integrity of the time and temperature sensitive healthcare cargo shipments and that the air cargo supply chain is prepared to handle the demands of these healthcare shipments. 

It is imperative that airlines, ground handling agents and other stakeholders in the supply chain – including freight forwarders, terminal operators, ULD manufacturers, packaging and tracking and tracing companies – are familiar both with the regulations and the appearance of the label. To achieve this, the provisions of Chapter 17 in the existing Perishable Cargo Regulations (PCR) will be enhanced in its 12th edition of July 2012 to set mandatory minimum requirements and focus on the end-to-end business processes. 

For more information, a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) list is available on the IATA website using the following link: http://www.iata.org/whatwedo/cargo/Pages/perishables.aspx

J. van de Put specialises in handling perishables airfreight cargo such as flowers, plant cuttings, fruits, vegetables. A family owned business with 260 employees located at Europe’s main platform for perishables cargo, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, the company facilitates logistics and customs processes for import and export shipments. J. van de Put offers a full range of services such as vacuum cooling, temperature controlled storage, customs clearing and inspections as well as delivery and distribution across Europe. Profound product specific knowledge, first class facilities and speed of service help to set J. van de Put Fresh Cargo Handling apart. 

“It is our pleasure to become part of the global Kuehne + Nagel network.  This fits into our overall strategy and secures the long-term future of our business,” said Moniek van de Put. “Our strong position in the perishables market and our unique location at Amsterdam Airport suits Kuehne + Nagel very well.  Together, we are a strong team to provide first class services to our customers.” 

“This acquisition follows our global expansion strategy in the field of perishables logistics,” said Karl Gernandt, Chairman of Kuehne + Nagel International AG.  “It extends our global capabilities and complements the service offering of our national organisation, ranked number 1 in the Dutch airfreight export market. Our customers will benefit from temperature controlled door-to-door logistics solutions for perishable goods that require highly specialised handling know-how.” 

The transaction is subject to the approval of relevant competition authorities.

Sebastiaan Scholte started his cargo aviation career in 1997 working in Mexico City for Aeromexpress, the cargo division of Aeromexico and Mexicana. From 1998 he was based in Madrid as VP Europe and in this function, oversaw the European cargo operations. During this period he also represented Aeromexpress in the various working groups of the Sky Team to develop the alliance’s economies of scale. Based in Mexico City as from 2000, he was promoted to VP Sales, Mexico and Central America, where he initiated new freighter operations and coordinated an alliance with a major Mexican courier.

In 2002 Sebastiaan joined Cargolux Airlines in Sao Paulo in the role of Regional Manager, South & Central America. After successfully restructuring the area, he became Cargolux’ Regional Business Development Manager, Spain and Portugal in 2004. He initiated Cargolux’ Portugal operations, while at the same time completing a Global Executive MBA at the IESE Business School. From 2006 till 2010 Sebastiaan was Head of Marketing & Special Projects, based at Cargolux’ headquarters in Luxembourg. In this function he was leading and coordinating various strategic projects, marketing analysis and commercial communication.

Since April 2010 he is the CEO of Jan de Rijk Logistics, based in Roosendaal the Netherlands, a leading provider of transportation and distribution services, operating a large, modern and diversified fleet of 700 vehicles across Europe. The company also offers warehousing services and retail distribution. Jan de Rijk has 25 offices in 15 countries and employs more than 1000 staff in Europe.

Maersk Line is a division within The A.P. Moller - Maersk Group and operates some 500 container vessels and a number of containers corresponding to 1.900.000 teu hereof some 200.000 refrigerated units (Reefers). The A.P. Moller – Maersk Group is a worldwide conglomerate and operates in some 130 countries and have a workforce of some 115,000 employees. In addition to owning one of the world’s largest shipping companies, they are involved in a wide range of activities such as Reefer operations, Container Shipping and Related Activities, APM Terminals, Tankers, Offshore and other Shipping Activities, Oil and Gas Activities, Retail Activity, and Shipyards, other Industrial Companies. The Group operates in the following geographical areas: Europe, North and South America, Asia and other countries

The Maersk Group was founded by Arnold Peter Møller in 1904. Following Arnold Peter Møller’s death in 1965, his son, Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller, assumed leadership of the group, which – thanks to initiative, foresight and enterprise – has grown into a major international business.

Comprehensive information on Maersk Line and the A.P. Moller – Maersk Group can be found on the websites www.maerskline.com and www.maersk.com

The Cool Chain Association is a non-profit organisation and more details can be found on the CCA Website; www.coolchain.org

This specialist trade fair offer the sectors connected with the fresh fruit and vegetable business an ideal opportunity to present their products across the entire added-value chain, from growing to the point-of-sale.

FRUIT LOGISTICA is the most important business and communication arena of the international fresh produce trade. The industry's key decision makers are there as exhibitors and trade visitors and use the opportunity to approach potential business partners with their services/products. The trade visitors are growers, importers and exporters, wholesale markets, wholesalers and retailers, packaging, transport, institutions and organizations from more than 120 countries.

The Cool Chain Association invites its members to share a booth at the Fruit Logistica 2011 in Berlin.

CCA offers:

• Rental of suitable booth for at least 3 members 
• Arrangement and display of promotional material
• The costs for the booth and all related costs will be shared by all participant members on equal basis

Contact CCA Secretariat: 

Most CCA members and many new faces followed the call and met in Brussels to discuss the needs of temperature controlled transport of pharmaceuticals for two days. And there is a demand: the growth of pharma sales is tremendous. It grew from $298 billion in 1998 to $602 billion in 2005. But the Pharmaceutical Industry demands further quality improvements in the handling and transportation of the pharma products, for example unbroken cool chain, careful handling and last but not least more transparency in the logistic process etc. To reach that quality level of service the industry needs “logistic standards” – similar to the requirements in the “Perishable Industry”. Consequently, adopting the CCA CCQI Master Tables for the Pharmaceutical Industry could be a logic solution.

The Cool Chain Association, together with the PTSP (Perishables and Temperature Sensitive Products) Industry and Germanischer Lloyd, has been successful in developing new standards for the transportation and handling of PTSP - with the objective to improve the quality within the PTSP logistics as well as reducing waste and claims. The Cool Chain Quality Indicators (CCQI) are a complete set of Master Tables that cover all the steps of the individual participants in the cool chain logistics from A to Z. Each activity within the chain is covered separately and in a clear and explanatory way. 

Service Providers that apply the CCQI Master Tables can in turn obtain the CCQI Certification – a “quality stamp” of EXCELLENCE in the PTSP logistics. What still is missing is the integration of the needs for the transport of pharmaceutical products. Several guidelines and standards for pharma products have already been generated by different groups such as PLF (Pharma Logistics Forum), PDA (Parental Drug Association), WHO (World Health Organization), IATA (International Air Transport Association) and the EU with their GDP (Good Distribution Practices) Standard. Therefore it was necessary to also compare these standards with the CCQIs, bringing all these groups with different business knowledge together at one table and unite the knowledge of all into a separate standard.

Panalpina, being sponsor of the event, Bayer Healthcare and LifeConEx (a joint venture between DHL Danzas Air & Ocean and Lufthansa Cargo) led a panel discussion where the similarities and differences between food and pharma were presented. Also discussed was the question of what the pharma industry expects especially from their supplier and of course from the CCA. The panel recommended to develop comprehensive quality agreements and to utilize technological advances to further enhance the need for full transparency. Furthermore there is a strong demand to develop common jurisdiction which regulates global air transport. Introducing relevant training in “Temperature Controlled Airfreight Handling” was also one point of the long list of recommendations.

A presentation on the ”airline’s view on the logistics of the pharmaceutical industry” was given by Cargolux Airlines. The need for the right process and the need to create awareness about the pharma products within the logistic network was expressed strongly. It is necessary to understand the needs of the customer and to simplify the process for the people handling the goods, while still maintaining the specific needs of the pharma industry.

A further highlight was the presentation by GSK – GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals, who presented an example on how a vaccine manufacturer manages his cold chain distribution. GSK expressed what their expectations from the suppliers are and what limitations they face. This led to a discussion where the attendees exchanged the views to understand what the future cold chain transport could be like.

The CCA would like to follow the demand of not only their members but also the Industry in general in order to find a standard that would unite the parties and harmonize the cool chain of pharmaceuticals. For this the CCA will form a working committee “Cool Pharma” to generate such a standard during the next month.

The conclusions of this successful CCA event was summarized by the fact, that it’s extremely important for all the parties in the logistic chain to work closely together, combined with open and frank discussions on where and how improvements of the flow of pharma products from manufacture to client can be made;

Let’s work together and harmonize the cool chain!

The Cool Chain Association (CCA), together with the PTSP Industry and Germanischer Lloyd, has been successful in developing new standards for the transportation and handling of Temperature Sensitive Products - with the objective to improve the quality within the PTSP logistics as well as reducing waste and claims.

The Cool Chain Quality Indicators (CCQI) are a complete set of Master Tables that covers all the steps of the individual participants in the cool chain logistics from A to Z. Each activity within the chain is covered separately and in a clear and explanatory way. Service Providers that apply the CCQI Master Tables can in turn obtain the CCQI Certification – a “quality stamp” of EXCELLENCE in the PTSP logistics.

The CCA is now turning its focus on the Pharmaceutical Industry that is searching for the same high quality logistics and unbroken cool supply chain. The CCQI Master Tables are equally valuable, applicable and mandatory in the transportation of Pharmaceutical products and the CCA endeavors to make the Pharmaceutical Industry aware of the importance and advantages of the CCQI Master Tables.

The CCA Workshop “Cool Pharma” is a true workshop with the objective to involve all the companies that are a vital part of an unbroken cool chain for pharmaceutical products. The CCA Workshop enables clients and service providers to explain their views and advantages on how to improve the logistic chain and set new standards for the distribution of pharmaceutical products.

It’s a unique opportunity for all parties, but especially for the pharmaceutical manufactures to learn the latest technology and standards - but also to explain their specific requirements - in the unbroken cool chain.

Enschede (NL), 10 September 2008 – A fifth of all fruit and vegetables go off before they reach supermarket shelves. A shelf life model created by the University of Bremen aims to reduce this in the future.  Ambient Systems is providing the implementation technology with its third-generation active  RFID solution. As a first step in  this cooperation, a research team recently programmed the first RFID tags for real-life testing. These so-called Shelf-Life SmartPoints measure the temperature during transportation and  storage  and calculate the quality and shelf life of the goods. The result is used to optimise logistics processes based on the  “First Expire – First Out” principle and is available from September as part of the Ambient Product Series 3000.

According to the US Food and Drug Association (FDA), which has its headquarters in Rockville, 20% of all perishable food are wasted during transport. Ambient’s active RFID tags with incorporated shelf life model, where every type of fruit and vegetable is assigned an individual model, aim to reduce this loss. “The self-monitoring of logistic processes is one of our main areas of work,” says Dipl. Ing. Reiner Jedermann, Research Associate at Microsystems Center Bremen (MCB). “The shelf life model was developed as part of the ‘Intelligent Container’ research project. Up until now, transferring the findings to practical applications has failed due to the price and performance of standard RFID technologies.”

Capabilities of Ambient’s SmartPoint were the decisive factor

After a meeting in March, Reiner Jedermann showed immediate interest in cooperating with Ambient, because compared with other solutions its technology provides considerably more capabilities. Ambient SmartPoints provide sophisticated sensing and logging capabilities that communicate with Ambient’s easy to install all-wireless networks. Most importantly for the University of Bremen, SmartPoints are specifically designed to implement sophisticated business rules such as the shelf life model.

Before shipment, SmartPoints with incorporated shelf life model are placed in individual pallets and crates with perishable goods. During transportation and storage these SmartPoints continuously measure temperature and potentially other conditions. Based on these measurements, SmartPoints calculate remaining shelf life and wirelessly communicate this information to Ambient’s networks at various points in the supply chain. SmartPoints also trigger alerts when the product quality is in danger of getting below the recommended range. “Instead of a flood of irrelevant data, logistics companies receive highly relevant information that enables them to ship out food products with the shortest remaining shelf life. This is the best way to reduce waste and increase profitability in the food supply chain,” explains Reiner Jedermann. “We thereby optimise temperature-controlled transport, such that the goods reach the supermarket shelves in perfect condition.”

Quality on track for everyday applications

“Ambient’s products are already used by many supermarkets to monitor temperatures in refrigerated areas.”, says Eelco de Jong, Marketing & Sales Director at Ambient Systems. “Especially given the recent discussions on global food shortages, we are delighted to develop a product that is reducing food spoilage.” As members of the Cool Chain Association, the project partners are working in close collaboration with the Chairman,  Robert Arendal: “The Shelf-Life SmartPoint perfectly meets the requirements of our members, who transport food using temperature-controlled methods, and paves the way for entirely new approaches in the logistics chain.” As part of the cooperation, pilot projects with temperature-controlled transport of perishable goods will be carried out  later this year.

Ambient Systems B.V.:

Ambient Systems, based in Enschede (NL), provides  third-generation active RFID solutions to improve process quality and efficiency in distribution, transport and industry. Unlike conventional active RFID solutions, Ambient uses intelligent SmartPoints to locate, monitor and protect goods and persons. Robust all-wireless networks enable management by exception at considerably lower costs than traditional solutions. Over 100 customers around the world including Sitos, Cargill  and the Australian Institute of Marine Science use solutions from Ambient Systems. Ambient Systems’ products are distributed by a constantly growing network of distributors and partners.

For more information please visit www.ambient-systems.net.

Microsystems Center Bremen (MCB), University of Bremen

A shelf life model for online monitoring was implemented by Microsystems Center Bremen (MCB). As an application-orientated research institute of the University of Bremen, the MCB is currently developing the Intelligent Container (www.intelligentcontainer.com) as a quality control system for food.

Cool Chain Association asbl, Luxembourg

The Cool Chain Association has set itself the goal  of optimising the cool chain and bringing together all logistics partners involved with temperature-sensitive goods on this common issue. Members of the CCA come from all over the world and are all either directly or indirectly involved in cool chain logistics. The Cool Chain Quality Indicator, developed by the CCA in collaboration with Germanischer Lloyd, is a standard for the industry which is regarded as a criterion for optimum transport or the best possible means of storage.

AcuTemp worked closely with Solstice to develop the new passive box solution, accounting for customer- defined temperature and dimensional requirements, ease of pack-out, and duration of shipping cycle. The finished design meets the key specifications outlined by Solstice and delivers several benefits over the company’s existing solution.

“The new AcuTemp solution meets our shipping requirements and its performance was confirmed through extensive testing,” states Alison Becker, Director, Customer Relations and Information Management for Solstice. “The solution also provides us with a smaller and lighter weight box than we have used in the past, providing advantages in shipping and warehousing,” continues Becker.

AcuTemp designed the Solstice box solution utilizing the company’s proprietary ThermoCor® high performance insulation. With an R-value of 45 per inch of thickness, ThermoCor significantly out-performs other insulating materials such as expanded polystyrene or polyurethane. Additionally, ThermoCor components are environmentally-friendly, making the AcuTemp box 100% recyclable – a key element as companies such as Solstice seek solutions that not only meet their temperature requirements but also address environmental responsibility.

“AcuTemp’s thermal technology, their seasoned sales and engineering staff, and the company’s ISTA- certified in-house testing laboratory were key elements in providing us with an improved cold chain box solution for our products,” concludes Becker.

“AcuTemp Thermal Systems is delighted to have been chosen as Solstice’s supplier in providing a high performance temperature sensitive shipping container to assure that Solstice products are delivered to the end user at the right temperature,” states Vince Reidy, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for AcuTemp.

About AcuTemp Thermal Systems

AcuTemp Thermal Systems designs and manufactures reliable thermal management products used to maintain valuable temperature-sensitive payloads at The Right Temperature® during transit. By combining the company’s proprietary high performance ThermoCor® insulation with advanced engineering design, AcuTemp offers a range of solutions that integrate active and passive temperature control technologies for the cold chain, delivering the Peace of MindTM that customers require. Offerings range from small passive shipping boxes to large active pallet-size shipping containers equipped with sophisticated data-logging capabilities. The company also offers advanced thermal testing and package validation services in its ISTA-certifiedtesting laboratory. AcuTemp products are marketed directly and through a global network of distributors to businesses with temperature sensitive requirements in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, public health, defense and transportation/logistics markets. The company is privately held and is headquartered in Dayton, Ohio, USA. For more information, visit www.acutemp.com.

However, the media and others have often rushed to incorrect conclusions without searching for the true facts, and especially without scientific evaluation of the causes of the various CO2 contributors. Consequently the CCA have put priority on this topic and as such CO2 emissions of the various modes of perishable transports was the focus of this event. The CCA is also working closely with IATA in order to establish a Common Voice for the aviation industry in reference to creditable information and references on the CO2 emission issues.

The environmental debate started on the second day at 11.00 o’clock with the attendees, continued in smaller group in the afternoon, while other participants were divided into other working groups such as the PPECB pilot project, where the CCA wants to determine, that applying the CCQI standards will lead to an improvement on shelf-life, reduce waste and CO2 emission. Meanwhile the Technology/Cargo2000 group agreed to a continuous effort and strategy to cooperate with IATA’s Cargo2000 to integrate temperature controls into the C2K process flow, to investigate the possibilities of integrating RFID technology into temperature and C2K measurements as a tool for improved accuracy and efficiency. Furthermore, it was agreed to promote the use of a standardised perishable label to facilitate and improve the handling of perishable and pharmaceutical shipments requiring storage during transport within a certain temperature range. The University of Bremen also presented their process with their intelligent container.

Talks about the percentage of man-made CO2 emissions led to discussions about reducing fuel, increasing added values into transportation and more efficient transport routes. These discussions and the calculation of the percentages had a stunning effect on the audience, due to several ways to look on the emissions produced by air transport versus sea transport or locally grown flowers. JP Emond, UFL hosted the working group CO2-emissions, which discussed the report he and Tony Wright, Exelsius prepared for the CCA. Tony Wright presented the report to the audience earlier in the day and it was up to JP Emond to lead the discussions. Some stated that they did not see a need for reducing and improving, due to the fact that the total amount of man-made emissions were less that 3% of the total CO2- emissions. Others argued that a defensive stance would not be the best way to handle such a sensitive issue. The Airline KLM/AF prefer to face the problem and demonstrate to the world how the airline is reducing their emissions. In contrast stand the approach of the UK, which intends to offset food-miles by carbon licensing. Food-mile is one dimension used in assessing the environmental impact of food.

Quote of the day: “CCA does not tolerate waste, including emissions”

Highlights were the two site visits, one to the DHL Innovation Center, secondly an invitation to the RUNGIS express AG warehouse, concluded by a high-class dinner.

In connection with the working groups and presentation the CCA held their annual general meeting, where amongst other issues the members elected the directors of the board. Still on the board are Christian Helms as Secretary General and Arne Lossius as Treasurer. Re- elected for another period of three year was Chairman Robert Arendal, who accepted the renewal with thanks. The members showed their appreciation for the chairman, who is now in his third term of office, since the founding of the CCA. Because of the resignation of the former directors Steven Boyd of AmSafe and Ian Gregory of BMI, the members elected two new members at large, being Stavros Evangelakakis of Cargolux Airlines and Arnaud de Bakker of Worldwide Flight Services.

Founded in Dubai, UAE, in 1989 by logistics veteran Issa Baluch, Swift is an international freight forwarder and logistics provider offering competitive options for sea freight, air freight, sea-air combined transport, overland transport, perishable transport, consolidation and multimodal transport solutions.

From 12 employees in its inception, Swift now has over 500 employees, with 40 offices in 18 countries. The group turnover in 2006 crossed over the US$200 million mark.

“While the achievements in these 18 years have been tremendous in terms of growth, what has been most remarkable about our organization is the local dominance we developed on inception with just 12 people, which was then followed by regional influence, and now a complete global impact. What a story!” said Issa Baluch, Chairman & CEO of the Swift Group.

Expansion plans

Swift is proud to have been one of the first companies to reserve space in Dubai Logistics City (totaling 28,800 sq m) for a purpose built logistics center. Swift will also have an additional 25,000 sq m airside facility at the new World Central Airport to provide smooth air connectivity for shipments.

The Swift 5 logistics center, located in Jebel Ali Free Zone, is currently being built to provide an additional dry storage area of 5,450 sq m, with over 12,500 pallet positions and variant temperature possibilities. A new 2-story office block is also being built adjacent to the warehouse expansion for the ever-growing needs of customers. The expanded warehouse will feature a wireless guided, state of the art Very Narrow Aisle system that is controlled by a base station. The racking system has been designed for maximum efficiency of movement and is also flexible enough to be configured to any customer’s requirement.

In addition to logistics, warehousing and distribution, Swift provides a variety of freight forwarding services that focus on the African trade lane. The expansion of Swift’s network in India and the Far East, combined with the opening of more countries on the African continent and the consolidation of Swift’s infrastructure in Dubai, have positioned the organization to create a major transshipment hub for goods from the Far East and India into Africa.

Moreover, Swift has recently implemented a new ERP system to link business functions across offices worldwide, including the UAE, Far East, India, and some parts of Africa. The same system will be fully implemented in the African continent by December 2007.

Contemplating on Swift’s success over the past 18 years, Baluch said: “I always say that this is not a job of just one person, but a dedicated army of colleagues who are determined to succeed in whatever they put their hands on... and this is joy in its best setting to me personally.”

Swift will soon announce the opening of new offices in Indonesia, Singapore and the USA.

Unique, scheduled service

Swift pioneered innovative logistics solutions into Africa. SAM (Sea Air Model) is the first multimodal solution into Africa. It is a cost-effective scheduled service with estimated transit times that result in better planning and faster business cycles at reasonable cost. Surelines, on a similar note, is a scheduled NVOCC, LCL service into Africa. SPL (Swift Perishable Logistics), operating from Dubai Flower Centre, offers African farmers and traders, via Swift’s wide branch network in Africa, an excellent opportunity to export perishables around the world.

Swift is ISO 9001:2000 certified, has over 80 international industry awards, and enjoys continuous recognition from governments and partners.

Formalized with a new contract agreement signed in Munich, the partnership will cement consistent terms of service between Envirotainer and Emirates SkyCargo, therefore securing Emirates ’ place as Envirotainer's strategic partner in the Middle East.

The new agreement allows Emirates SkyCargo to ensure the highest levels of access to Envirotainer solutions which in turn, provide unparalleled benefits to its customers. The partnership will afford Emirates SkyCargo a dedicated Envirotainer account manager, broad access to research and development, consulting services, and the highest levels of flexibility to ship across both companies ’ networks and beyond.

“The new agreement simply translates to value for our customers and in particular the pharmaceutical delivery transportation industry,” comments Ram Menen, Emirates Divisional Senior Vice President, Cargo. “This cooperation with Emirates SkyCargo’s extensive background and experience with Cool Chain solutions should give our customers tremendous confidence.”

Emirates SkyCargo started their cooperation with Envirotainer in 2003 and the carrier has built up a professional infrastructure and specific handling procedures to protect temperature-controlled shipments, complemented by a dedicated Cool Chain team and a global training program.

Envirotainer has recently decided to focus on serving solely the pharmaceutical market with its fleet of more than 3,500 active temperature controlled air cargo containers. Just recently Envirotainer increased its fleet of the latest dry-ice container generation by 10%.

Thomas Persson, CEO and President of Envirotainer, said: “Emirates SkyCargo has gained a reputation as a reliable and professional Cool Chain solutions provider for many pharmaceutical customers. We are delighted that this fastest-growing global carrier has now joined our Premium Partner league and believe in Emirates SkyCargo’s commitment to deliver high quality service. Emirates SkyCargo’s driving spirit and customer commitment, in addition to its ambitious expansion plans, will add valuable options for our customers.”

This announcement coincides with Envirotainer’s decision to make Dubai one of its network stations. Envirotainer stations are authorised to provide full maintenance support for their products and house a larger stock of containers leading to easy access for all Emirates SkyCargo customers.

The Dubai station will also provide a fleet of RKN e1 heating and cooling containers: Envirotainer's state-of-the-art compressor cooling and electrical heating technology which provides the highest levels of temperature integrity without dry ice.

According to Swift Region Head for East and North Africa, Subin George, the new office in Nairobi boasts of a 10,000-sq ft warehouse, meant to answer the growing demand for 3PL service in Kenya.

Subin further related that Swift Nairobi office will operate under a new name—Swift Global Logistics. “Our new name signifies our commitment to further open Africa to trade worldwide by providing logical, multimodal transport solution for the continent. Our new location is only the start of better things to expect from Swift Global Logistics,” he added.

Swift Global Logistics in Kenya will continue to offer the same pioneering logistics services, such as SAM (Sea-Air Model) and Surelines, which both improve business cycles via scheduled trips to and from Africa; plus, SPL (Swift Perishable Logistics), which handles transshipment of perishable goods, particularly flowers—of which Kenya is one of the largest exporters in the world.

Swift offices in Africa are located in Burundi (Bujumbura), DR Congo (Kinshasa, Butembo, Lubumbashi), Ghana (Accra), Kenya (Nairobi, Eldoret, Mombasa), Nigeria (Lagos), Rwanda (Kigali), Senegal (Dakar), Tanzania (Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar, Mwanza), Togo (Lome), Uganda (Kampala, Entebbe, Malaba) and Zambia (Lusaka, Kitwe, Ndola).

For more information, please email Robert Odette, Sales and Operations Manager at robert.odette@swiftfreight.com, or refer to the attached updated Swift Nairobi office contact details.

The new agreement will see the increased use of Envirotainer’s active temperature-controlled air cargo containers for customers using Continental Airlines Cargo’s ClimateSecure service. The airline says using these advanced ULD containers provides its customers with a ‘superior alternative to traditional cooling means such as foam, gel packs or insulating blankets, which add expense to shipments and waste space.’

“Our new agreement with Envirotainer demonstrates Continental Cargo’s commitment to expand our position as the only U.S. airline with a comprehensive temperature-controlled shipping program.” says Mark Mohr, Continental Cargo’s Manager of Product Development and Specialty Sales. “As a direct result of our enhanced relationship with Envirotainer, we will soon be seeing even greater advances in the areas of quality, and new product development.”

ClimateSecure provides an unbroken door-to-door cool chain for up to 72 hours or longer when dry ice and batteries are replenished in transit. The service is designed for customers shipping high value and sensitive goods including pharmaceuticals, electronics, cosmetics, fine art and perishables.

As part of its new agreement, the airline will also participate in Envirotainer’s training program and aims to become a QEP-CEP accredited airline. The implementation of the training sessions is planned to start in the next few months. The program was developed in consultation with the pharmaceutical industry to define those service providers that were capable of using the Envirotainer solution to ensure the integrity of their temperature sensitive shipments. Continental will commence with the formal technical training and accreditation program in Newark and Houston followed by locations in Western Europe.

Martin Peter, Vice President Sales at Envirotainer, says: “We are happy to win the first American carrier to invest in a structured and branded service to provide cold chain services based on Envirotainer containers. This is an important milestone also for Envirotainer.

Rolling out the product within Continental Airlines alongside with the QEP/CEP program will help to grow the business at a high quality.”

“As a leading distributor of medical equipment and supplies to the health industry, IBC is highly qualified as a partner for expanding AcuTemp’s sales efforts internationally,” states Vince Reidy, vice president of sales and marketing. “We are pleased to have IBC representing AcuTemp products, particularly at a time when public and private health entities continue to demand more reliable solutions for storing and transporting temperature sensitive goods.”

“With increasing scrutiny on ensuring the integrity of the cold chain, it is important for us to offer superior products that can provide our customers with peace of mind when shipping or storing their temperature sensitive goods,” says Mazhar Ansari, sales manager for IBC. “AcuTemp solutions deliver that peace of mind, and we are pleased to offer them with confidence.”

AcuTemp Thermal Systems designs and manufactures reliable thermal management products used to maintain valuable temperature-sensitive payloads during transit or storage. By combining the company’s proprietary high performance ThermoCor® insulation with advanced engineering design, AcuTemp offers a range of solutions integrating active and passive temperature control technologies for the cold chain. Offerings range from small passive shipping boxes to large active pallet-size shipping containers equipped with sophisticated data logging capabilities. The company also offers advanced thermal testing and package validation services in its ISTA-certified testing laboratory. AcuTemp products are marketed directly and through a global network of distributors to businesses with temperature sensitive requirements in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, public health, military and transportation/logistics markets. The company is privately held and is headquartered in Dayton, Ohio, USA.

IBC Equipment and Supplies is a leading distributor of medical supplies to the health market, serving Asia and the Middle East. The company’s dedicated and knowledgeable staff provides an uncompromising commitment to service and quality by offering innovative and cost-effective medical equipment solutions to meet the challenges of today’s global economy. The company is headquartered in Greenford, Middlesex, UK. In addition to its headquarters, IBC has a distribution center in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The upcoming 5th Annual General Meeting will be hosted by Paris Vatry Airport S.E.V.E. on 23rd to 25th May 2007 in Chalons Champagne Cedex. Health, Food Quality, Bio Products and Freshness are the focus of the Consumer of tomorrow; Consequently, Retailers will be demanding improved efficiency and logistic quality in their supply chain. Not only growers and exporters need to supply top quality but the providers in the unbroken cool chain transportation need to meet this new demand as well. The CCQI concept and the CCQI certified companies are expected to be the retailers preferred partners in order to meet future Consumer demands.

The CCA has secured top industry experts to present and challenge us with their expertise at our Annual General Meeting in France. Some of those experts include Mr Tony Wright, Vice President of Exelsius who will discuss the issue of changing consumer trends and what it means for Perishables and Temperature Sensitive Products (PTSP). Additionally, Mr. Jelger de Vriend, Project Leader "Next Generation Sourcing" in Royal Ahold, Netherlands will explain the prime quality demands at the point of distribution. Consumer demands for quality are consequently retailer demands. In order to help us better understand this important issue, Mr Marc Spielrein, President/Chairman of Semmaris/Rungis will explain some of the needs of his company, one of Europe’s largest high quality food distributors.

During the conference participants will be broken into smaller working groups to discuss perishable transportation issues and future challenges. The second day is devoted to panel discussions incorporating both the working groups and speakers views.

As it is every year, the highlight will be Gala dinner at Champagne House Pommery.

This event is a must for all industry professionals involved in the transportation and management of Perishable and Temperature Sensitive Products. This is the only industry forum of its kind for perishable logistic experts worldwide.

The Cool Chain Association was represented by its Chairman Robert Arendal and members of the Board Steven Boyd, AmSafe and Ian Gregory, bmi. Several other CCA member companies attended, such as Cargolux, Envirotainer, KLM/AirFrance, Continental Airlines, Emirates Airlines, Franwell, Icelandair, Hellmann’s, Panalpina, Riemsdijk and many others.

Apart from the Opening Plenary Session – attended by most of the 750 people – the participants could attend - at their choice - a selection of 8 different forums, including such subjects as E-Freight and Perishable Goods.

The Perishable Goods Forum was attended by 40 to 50 participants and around 10 different subjects as well as Panel Discussions and Face-to-Face Sessions. The two days “Perishables forum” was well managed and chaired by Bruce Clemmons of FEDEX with some 20 different speakers and panel participants and included some excellent and very good as well as provocative but especially constructive Q&A sessions. The full program is available on the IATA website – www.iata.org/cargosymposium.

Reference to the CCA as well as the CCQI’s were made many times during the speeches as well as during the Q&A sessions and Eric Raemdonck of IATA, confirmed that IATA was very open for a cooperation with CCA and it was agreed that several of the key subjects brought up at this PER forum should be carried forward for further evaluation at the CCA AGM and Workshops in Vatry, May 23rd to 25th, 2007. 

Such subjects were:

• Temperature statements on the airway bill or consignment documents
• A special label for PTSP’s with (or without) the required temperature indicated
• How to “guarantee” unbroken cool chain transportation – from A to Z
• How the retailers are shaping the PTSP supply chain - New technology for PTSP movement and temperature tracking (RFID)

In the afternoon of March 7th, a CCA presentation was also made to the Working Group of Cargo2000. The idea of cooperation between CCA and C2K was well received and it was agreed to continue to explore this cooperation in form of an integration and/or link between C2K cargo tracking/movement management system and the CCA CCQI and temperature control system. In line with the guidelines agreed by the Board of Directors of C2K and CCA, the next step is now for the CCA TWC to meet the C2K TWG on March 21st in the UK. The purpose of this meeting is to evaluate the technology issues in the C2K & CCA cooperation and provide a status report on this issue at the CCA AGM in May this year.

With the Cool Chain Quality Indicators (CCQI) industry standard, Integra2 provides its customers a certified and quantified degree of proficiency in the growing perishable and temperature-sensitive products (PTSP) logistics market.

The Cool Chain Quality Indicators (CCQI) - established by the Cool Chain Association (CCA) and Germanischer Lloyd (GL) - is an industry standard for reliability, quality and skills in temperature-critical logistics like food, flowers and plants, some chemicals, pharmaceuticals and human blood. CCQI uses a benchmarking system to assess transparent and comparable quality measures. The standard provides guidance and support to continually improve and assess the logistics chain for PTSP carriers (airlines, road haulers), handling agents, forwarders, perishable centers, airports, warehouses (long- and short-term cold stores) and containerized and conventional Ocean Transport.

Picture 1: Pablo Rebollo, Managing Director Integra2 received the certificate from Jose Manuel García Martín, Managing Director GLC in Spain (from left to right).

Picture 2: After the handing over of the certificate: Mr Gonzalo, Certification Manager GLC, Ms Gambús, Quality and Cool Chain Manager INTEGRA2, Mr Rebollo, Managing Director INTEGRA2 and Mr García Martín, Managing Director GLC in Spain (from left to right).

Integra2 Integra2 specializes in industrial and commercial package transportation at both ambient and controlled temperatures (between +2C and +8C), operating in Spain, Andorra and Portugal. The company is part of the Logista Group, the leading integral logistics operator in Spain and Portugal and one of the most important in Europe.

Germanischer Lloyd Certification GmbH Germanischer Lloyd Certification (GLC) has a worldwide network of auditors and experts to provide independent assessments of management systems in the fields of quality, environment, health and safety, and risk management. www.gl-group.com/glc

The agenda boasted a wide range of topics from RFID technology when transporting fish and fresh cut flowers to learning about temperature techniques in sea containers. Industry experts presented information that won wide ranging support from the participants.

As to the question of WHY temperature should be measured, it was unanimously agreed that it is explained in one word: Quality. However when the group began debating the question as to WHEN measurements should be taken – and how often, the discussions brought up a range of practical as well as security questions, while – again - all agreed that it should be measured during throughout the actual transportation. With new technology coming on the market every year, the HOW can be answered by considering RFID options, which observe periodic temperature measurements. 

Global giants such as the Boeing Company are using this type of technology in their aircraft manufacturing and maintenance process. RFID technology can help to control temperature, but is not able to solve the problem when the temperature is wrong/high/low during the cool chain. Dr. Wild an expert on maritime container transport gave examples WHERE to measure temperatures by explaining the air-systems inside a reefer container where studies show the best place to measure temperature is in the surrounding box/container.

By the end of the two days of workshops, it was agreed that the best way forward is to have airlines, manufacturers, forwarders, and handling companies to look further into this matter and identify the solutions and processes for improving this vital part of the unbroken the cool chain. Providing a forum to learn from cool chain experts on how to meet the demand our customers require and deserve is critical to improving the overall PTSP transportation and providing better solutions to the industry.

The largest retailer in the UK (Tesco) was invited to the congress to deliver their “managing the quality and sourcing of cut flowers” presentation. This was delivered by Tesco technical manager - David May (Hons).

David explained that up to 30% of their flowers were received in poor condition due to negligence in the cool chain. David’s presentation was informative and very indicative about the perception retailers perceive the suppliers handle “cool chain” products in the food industry.

I met with David at the conference and proposed I deliver a presentation about the CCA’s objectives in the perishable and temperature sensitive industry at his corporate offices. I felt this was necessary after the Director of logistics for Air France/KLM delivered a damming verdict of the problems with maintaining the cool chain process through Cargo. Regrettably, the speaker had no answers to the problem and would only emphasize that it is somebody else’s problem! You could sense the dissatisfaction within the audience that Airlines were not prepared or focused on how to resolve the unbroken cool chain process. I intercepted at this point and explained that our Airline (bmi) was focusing on the cool chain process through our involvement with the CCA (cool chain association) as opposed to other carriers who have this negative attitude.

Technology

Although technology will play a big part on how the industry must change, it will also focus the Airline industry on the challenges we face with our suppliers in the future. With “radio frequency identification (RFID) tags” now becoming an every day part of our lives, they will soon appear in our industry.

The message was reinforced by various suppliers at the congress on how to help perishable producers, and their trading partners, gain insight into how the quality of a perishable has been maintained throughout the cool chain. They explained how tags will give retailers information, via the tag, about how their perishables will confirm if the product has remained in a certain temperature throughout its journey. The tags will also inform the shelf life data including high and low temperature thresholds.

It was felt that retailers would force the industry to change as they will offset their losses by investing in the tags and challenging all parties across the cool chain process to invest in RFID portals or handheld readers as perishables pass through a warehouse.

Tampa Cargo was also present at the congress and spoke a few words about their involvement with the CCA and how they intend to be the first carrier to be certified.

The International Air Cargo Association has produced international forums and expositions for the past 46 years. These events are held biennially and rotate between North American, Asian, and European venues. This year well-defined audience of from 4-5,000 industry experts were present, with interests in economic savings and better utilization of facilities as well as other industry relevant topics.

The most interesting session “Help, We’re Drowning in Paper!” hosted by Peter Conway, Correspondent of Payload Asia was about the paper waste within the transportation. IATA claims that the air cargo industry could fill 39 Boeing 747 freighters each year with paper wasted on documentation. In 33 years the average time for an air cargo shipment has only been reduced from 6.5 days to 6 days. Paperless cargo processing could save the industry $1.2 billion each year and reduce shipping time by 25%.

The Cool Chain Association looks forward to being part of this event in Malaysia in 2008!

Organised by IIR Middle East, the Forum will be held at the JW Marriott from June 24 – 28.

GSL General Manager Mike Lee will give a presentation on “Benefiting from Cold Chain Chilled Product Movement in the Middle East.”

Satya Tekkali, GSL Distribution Manager and Arun Kumar, IT Manager, will take part in the group discussions.

Said Lee: “We will cover items such as harvest techniques, transportation methods and quality controls in temperature monitoring.

“We will also explain how companies can introduce processes to manage this risk area. This is critically important in today’s industry and regulatory environment.”He added: “GSL is delighted to be taking part in this event as part of the specialist cold chain industry serving Dubai and the UAE. The industry is critical to the functioning of Dubai and our participation in the Forum reflects our commitment to excellence in the industry.”

As well as the two-day forum delegates can take part in a series of workshops during the Supply Chain Management event: World Class Purchasing Strategies to Support Supply Chain Efficiency; Discover the Secrets to Securing Large Scale Contracts; Strategic Sourcing, eight steps to Guarantee Financial Benefits; Design Components For a Perfect Warehouse; Optimising the Supply Chain; Understanding and Gaining From New Technologies and Fleet Maintenance, Operation and Maintenance.

Delegates can also expect to gain tips from more than 35 experts during the forum as well as participating in additional exciting case studies, industry specific streamed sessions and interactive laboratories.

GSL is a member of the Cool Chain Association (CCA) as well as the International Association of Refrigerated Warehousing (IARW), both organisations committed to developing and implementing best practice in the cool chain industry.

GSL’s Dhs130 million warehousing facility at Dubai Investment Park is a state-of-the-art complex offering a total of 20,000 tonnes capacity for frozen and chilled products, with temperatures ranging from -25C to +4C.

About Global Shipping and Logistics (GSL)

Global Shipping and Logistics (GSL) is part of the UAE-based Al Shirawi Group – Oasis Investment Company (OIC), founded in 1972 and currently with more than 5,000 employees.

The company is a leading logistics provider with the UAE, offering controlled warehouse infrastructure, temperature ranges from -25 Celsius to Ambient, as well as Project cargo storage.

GSL has been active in the freight service provider sector in Dubai since its incorporation in 1975. GSL offers customers a range of freight management and local warehouse and distribution solutions.

The Al Shirawi Group is one of the Middle East’s largest business houses, with diverse interests, including manufacturing, engineering, trading, marketing, distribution, contracting and services. Products and services include steel and metal fabrication, contracting for air conditioning, refrigeration and water proofing, interior decoration for commercial complexes and showrooms, printing, plastics, technical services, electronics and computers, trucks and heavy engineering products, and industrial, consumer and food products.

From its origins as a trading and contracting company, OIC’s scope has broadened to encompass a cross-section of products, services and industries, backed by its strengths in trading. The result is that OIC is perfectly positioned to bridge the technology gap, bringing the best possible global resources to the doorsteps of regional countries. The Group has the unique distinction of securing partnerships with more than 100 multinational companies for technical licensing, distribution, servicing and/or trade representation.

Speakers Eric Raemdonck of IATA, Edwin Kalischnig of ORACLE and Chris Meyer of AcuTemp explained transportation of perishable goods and how to repair the weakest link in the cool chain. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is still the main topic in order to monitor the PTSP’s from origin to destination. The audience was witness to an excellent demonstration how the RFID Chip can monitor temperature changes inside the box. Furthermore the needs of high quality insulations were presented. In many cases, high tech insulation is the better choice in the PTSP supply chain and gives all parties involved better control of the shipment quality.

MIGROS, the leading grocery retailer in Switzerland, was represented by Mr. Metzger whose views regarding the expectations of the retailer for the cool chain market led to a fructuous discussion, and consequently cooperation between the CCA and Migros.

Steven Boyd, Director Sales of AmSafe Bridport was elected as director of the board after his successful year as member at large. He presented his developed CCA Marketing Plan with the goal to recognize CCA as world’s PTSP authority and CCQI becoming recognized standard. Also elected as Members At Large were Arne Lossius, Director Special Projects of DHL Global Forwarding and Ian Gregory, Operations Manager – Cargo of bmi - British Midland.

Germanischer Lloyd Certification presented a revision to the Cool Chain Quality Indicator (CCQI) master table “Aircraft Transport”. Additionally Envirotainer provided detailed proposals for modifications in regards of temperature controlled ULD’s. The complete CCQI's provide a means for gauging the reliability, quality and proficiency of companies involved in the transport, handling and storage of PTSP’s. The point system incorporated in the CCQI standards provides an innovative, reliable and accurate way of handling and tracking quality in the cool chain logistics supply chain. The audience was also informed about the insurance advantages of CCQI certification by Germany’s well-known insurance company Lampe & Schwartze, special insurance provider for commercial and industrial risks, represented by H.C. Enge who is responsible for marine and transport activities.

Sjel Wijngaards of Jan de Rijk Logistics, one of Europe's leading providers of integrated logistics services, proudly presented his renewal CCQI certificate for successful completion of the quality standard. The logistic company again achieved the high score of 93 out of 100 on the audited master tables. Further CCA members declared their intension to get the CCQI Certification Audit from Germanischer Lloyd Certification soon.

The attendees participated in different workshops such as “How to increase awareness of the CCA”, “The Marketing Plan of the CCA”, “Who should be members of the CCA” and “CCA relations with Government and other organisations”. Results of these enthusiastic working groups can be regarded at the website of the CCA, www.coolchain.org.

Besides the presentations and workshops the attendees were invited to an exclusive boat tour with dinner in the magnificent port and harbor of Hamburg. Here the companies’ representatives had time for business talks and networking opportunities. The attendees concluded that CCA proved to be an important forum as far as revolutionizing the perishable industry concerns.

Hans-Christoph Enge is a lawyer by education. After finishing his legal studies in Hamburg where he specialized in maritime and marine insurance law, he worked for various shipping and insurance companies in New York, London, and Paris. Enge is also active in various committees of insurance – and marine insurance associations and is co-author of specialist marine insurance law books.

He is now one of the managing partners responsible for marine and transport activities of Lampe & Schwartze. This company, which was founded in 1858, has 150 employees and is a special insurance provider for commercial and industrial risks. As one of the largest marine underwriting companies in Europe, it carries large insurance capacities and specialist know-how in all classes of marine insurance.

Experience and expertise enables Lampe & Schwartze to service even large international marine accounts, specifically commodity cargo and liability related risks.

For more information about Lampe & Schwartze, visit www.lampe-schwartze.de

CCA has scheduled presentations and workshops under the banner, “Controlling the Weather Inside the Box.” The presentation will take place at the Headquarters of Germanischer Lloyd, one of the world’s leading classification societies, setting engineering, and quality and safety standards for over 135 years.

AcuTemp (www.acutemp.com) is an industry leader in the design and manufacture of high performance insulation and temperature sensitive packaging and delivery systems. Chris Meyer will present how greater awareness of the transportation cold chain for pharmaceuticals has shed new light on the components of a passive temperature sensitive shipment. Discussion will focus on the critical role of insulation in temperature management, as conference attendees examine the entire shipping cycle in determining cost/benefit results for critical temperature maintenance assurances.

Mr. Meyer holds a BA degree from Earlham College and a MS degree from the University of Southern California. He has spent nearly 20 years in the thermal management industry and holds three U.S. patents for his work in the development and application of high performance insulation technology.