Air, Freight News

Frankfurt handler wins GDP status

[ November 2, 2020   //   Chris ]

FCS Frankfurt Cargo Services has received EU Good Distribution Practice (GDP) certification for medical products for human use, a few weeks after gaining IATA CEIV certification.

FCS said it marked an important step in the expansion of pharmaceutical logistics activities and ramping up preparations to handle sensitive coronavirus vaccine consignments.

Unlike CEIV certification, GDP certification is independent of airfreight. It checks the quality of the distribution chain for medical goods and ensures that they are intact all the way from the producer to the end customer according to EU standards.

FCS managing director Claus Wagner, said: “In our role as a cargo handling company located at the airport, we act as an important interface between air and ground transport with our special warehouses and transshipment processes.”

Director of operations, Markus Schneefuss, added: “Despite the challenges of this year, my team has been working diligently to ensure FCS is well prepared for pharma handling now and in the future. Our airline customers, as well as the manufacturers and distributors of pharmaceutical products, can plan with confidence that the quality and integrity of their shipments will be maintained throughout the whole FCS supply chain process.”

A subsidiary of Worldwide Flight Services (WFS), the world’s largest airfreight handling company, FCS and its GDP certification fit into the “Project Coldstream” initiative just recently launched by WFS, which focuses on coordinating worldwide transportation of large delivery quantities of vaccines to fight the Covid-19 virus. The International Air Transport Association (IATA), the industry expects these deliveries to amount to the largest volume of airfreight involving a single item ever transported.

Tags: Frankfurt Cargo Services; Worldwdie Flight Services (WFS)