Joachim von Winning, Director Cargo Partnerships at airport operator Fraport AG, reports on the First Pharma Day held by the Air Cargo Community Frankfurt in temperatures of between 38 and 40 degrees centigrade. The contrast between extreme heat and temperature-critical pharmaceutical products couldn’t have been greater.
On 01JUL25, as the mercury soared and Frankfurt melted, the local Air Cargo Community pulled off a feat nearly as miraculous as maintaining a vaccine shipment at 2-8°C: Its first ever Pharma Day. The event was held at ‘The Aircraft at Burghof’ in Dreieich – just a stone’s throw away from Frankfurt Airport, and was attended by 160 invitees, including twelve speakers and eight sponsors.
A day packed with logistics and industry insights
The day’s agenda read like the manifest of a particularly well-stocked pharmaceutical flight. The welcome delivered by Lea Walther, Head of Process Development at Air Cargo Community Frankfurt e.V. set the tone for a day steeped in expertise, practical insights, and – most importantly – community spirit.
Susanne van der Beck from IQVIA Commercial GmbH & Co. OHG, kicked off proceedings with a comprehensive overview of trends and outlooks in the pharmaceutical industry. Over 90% of shipments, we learned, are now controlled room temperature (CRT), with dramatic growth forecasted for obesity and oncology treatments. I couldn’t help but notice – with genuine interest – the subtle difference in how our German-speaking pharma logistics colleagues refer to CRT (15 °C to 25 °C) as ‘ambient’. In the air freight world, by contrast, ‘ambient’ often simply refers to the outside temperature – which, on a day like this, can be quite a variable thing. It’s one of those classic nuances between different parts of the supply chain, and a great reminder of how valuable events like this are in fostering shared understanding across our industry.
Legal challenges were outlined (in detail!) by Andreas Fuchs of business law firm ARNECKE SIBETH DABELSTEIN, whose catalogue of regulations and liability pitfalls would make even the bravest forwarder reach out for a good lawyer – or perhaps a stiff drink.
Werner Claasen from Luftfahrt ohne Grenzen/Wings of Help reminded us that disaster relief is aviation’s finest hour, while Lydia Schmidt-Köroglu of Fraport Ground Services detailed how airports invest in processes, certification, and infrastructure to secure the integrity of pharma shipments.
Packaging, practicalities and innovation
Christoph Honermann from Envirotainer explored the eternal struggle: active containers versus advanced packaging. Florian Siedenburg of Eco°Cool offered a budget-friendly solution, tackling real-world challenges with real-time cargo monitoring.
Stefan Langer of Merck KGaA, a long-time friend of the community, outlined the ever-evolving demands of pharma shippers – and even managed to improvise an iced coffee using the sponsored Lufthansa ice cream and the venue’s coffee machine. A moment for the logistics history books.
Christopher Fuss from the DHL Innovation Center delivered an inspiring keynote, drawing on the DHL Trend Radar. One standout mega trend: longevity. As he noted, “The first person to live forever has already been born” – though the consequences remain to be seen.
Carolin Gerstenmaier and Uta Frank of Lufthansa Cargo presented their latest pharma offerings under the reassuring banner ‘Temperature. Trust. Transparency.’ Alex Guillen from Tive Inc. closed the technical talks with a dive into real-time temperature tracking to cut waste and boost sustainability.
A community gaining relevance – and humility
The sheer diversity of participants was striking: manufacturers, pharmacists (I found myself next to the head of the Goethe University Hospital Pharmacy), freight forwarders, airlines, packaging providers, legal experts, NGOs, researchers, and suppliers showed up. It was a true cross-section of the pharma supply chain, all gathering under one roof.
Reflecting on the origins of the Pharma Competence Team within the Air Cargo Community, it is remarkable how swiftly this initiative became the central hub for collaboration – bridging the gap between pharma shippers and the cargo industry, with invaluable support from the German Pharmaceutical Industry Association (BPI). When the current team decided to take the bold step of organizing a larger event, it was something of a gamble – but one that undoubtedly paid off, as the venue was fully booked on the very first attempt.
As Timo Stroh, Chair of the Air Cargo Committee of the German Freight Forwarder Association and MD of BeCon Projects, put it: “Wow, what potential the industry has.”
Remarkable event
Thilo Schäfer, Director Cargo Condor, added: “An excellent opportunity to connect within the most vibrant and demanding industry and exchange about latest developments as well as future requirements – foremost service, sustainability and, of course, digitization.”
And, in the words of Patrik Tschirch, Chairman of the Air Cargo Community Frankfurt and Managing Director LUG aircargo handling: “The remarkable success of this very first Pharma Day shows just how much relevance the Frankfurt community has gained. To see such impressive participation right from the start makes me proud, and I’m glad that, in our own humble way, we’re able to provide the world with life-saving pharmaceuticals.”
With a wrap-up and talk of an even larger venue for the future, plans for Pharma Day 2026 are already underway – though the exact date is still to be confirmed. If the enthusiasm (and the demand for ice cream) at this year’s event are any indication, the future of pharma logistics in Frankfurt is in very good hands.
