Highlights and Main Takeaways of the 2023 Pharma Logistics Masterclass (Singapore, 4 – 8 September)
Highlights of Day 1 | Emulsions or solutions: how collaboration creates the fuel to supply chain innovation
Day 1 Key Speakers: Wouter Dewulf, Pierre Van Damme, and Vincent Van Bockstaele – University of Antwerp, Frank Van Gelder and Trevor Caswell – Pharma.Aero, Jamie Bloomfield – Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), Jaisey Yip – Changi Airport Group, Samuel Speltdoorn – Brussels Airport Company, Kim Demeyer – Flanders Investment & Trade (FIT)
➡️ Pharmaceutical companies and universities have always been working together. However, there is currently a shift from a more unilateral collaboration towards a bilateral mode of collaboration resulting in a stronger position for the universities.
➡️ Collaborations on pharma research between the industry and universities are well established, while collaborations on pharma logistics are just taking off. Reluctance to collaborate in this field is often blocking the development of a reliable interconnected ecosystem.
➡️ While the pharmaceutical industry is an established industry in developed countries, there is still a large potential in emerging and developing countries. Moderate pharmaceutical consumption growth is expected in developed countries (+5% CAGR). A larger double-digit growth is expected in Asian countries like India, Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia.
➡️ Logistic costs constitute about 7% of the pharmaceutical market revenues with last-mile delivery, picking and storage as its major contributors. While airport-to-airport transport constitutes only about 3.5% of the supply chain costs, air transport remains a crucial and indispensable element in the pharma logistics supply chain costs.
➡️ A pharma logistics strategy should contain Technology, Regulatory Compliance and Sustainability as basic pillars. This strategy should be supported by a focus on Product (through integrity, value and complexity), Process (through on-demand, always-on digital and interoperability) and People (through skills, collaboration and cross-industry).
Highlights of Day 2 | Strategy to accommodate new technology: Embedded company leadership will carve or end the future of today’s companies
Highlights of Day 3 | The World 2.0: The new technology translation through industry cross-pollination
Day 3 Chairs:Frank Van Gelder–Pharma.Aero,Cesar Gil-Martinez–Bayer
Key Speakers:Pierre Van Damme,Koen Vandenbempt, and Elena ProzorovaofUniversity of Antwerp,Shaohui FoongofSingapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD),Veerle Vermeiren–Pfizer,Diego Loaiza–Cold Jet,Mohamed Nouh–SkyCell AG, Christopher J. Storch – va-Q-tec, Roland Yap EdD MBCC EMLSI MPPM MEd MA BA WhartonTechAP StanfordSustainability HarvardALP–Novartis
Jim Powell–Dangerous Goods Trainers Association Inc.,Tom Heymans–HAZGO
➡️ m-RNA technology is maturing, is not a mayfly and will have a significant impact on future vaccine/pharmaceutical developments and logistics. Thermostability remains important, yet increasingly less critical for many mature products. Lyophilized pharmaceutical products show high potential to reduce volumes and ease required transport conditions. The impact on pharma logistics is yet to be seen!
➡️The future of oncology treatment through the promising innovative medicine Radioligand Therapy (nuclear medicine) is a multi-disciplinary combinatorial which includes biology, chemistry and physics, operations research and some biomedical engineering in each step. Watch this space!
➡️Drone technology and applications are moving beyond the early-stage trials, yet multi-rotor drones are still mainly used in niche applications like remote and complicated locations delivery, inspections etc. Fixed-wing cargo drones might have a higher potential to become a mainstream transport mode as the range and speed are superior to multi-rotor drones.
➡️ Dry ice can serve as a ‘battery’ for circular and sustainable cold supply chain ecosystems. Academic research on the efficiency of potential sustainability improvements is ongoing.
➡️ Resilient supply chains have three commonalities to achieve end-to-end transparency: predictive capabilities + ability to optimize and scale + preventative capabilities = end-to-end transparency.
➡️ We launch a new buzzword in pharma logistics: cross-pollination. Look it up!
Highlights of Day 4 | Ecosystems under the sustainability microscope
Day 4 Chairs: Christa Sys of the University of Antwerp, Lila Ridouh of GSK
Key Speakers of Day 4: Stijn Michielsen, and Roel Gevaers – University of Antwerp, Lingjie Duan, and Peter Jackson – Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), Fabrice Panza – Etihad, Laetitia Chery – JAS Worldwide, Lucas van der Schalk of Corplex, Desmond Pan – Singapore Airlines, Jimmy Suroto, Darrel Chong, and Simona Ravera – PSA BDP, Torge Koehnke, Erik Van Wunnik, Nouzha Ouaamar – DSV – Global Transport and Logistics
➡️ There is a 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐦 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐟𝐭 in the distribution ongoing: ‘from push to pull’, ‘from pallet to parcel’ and from ‘B2B to D2D’. Data and control towers are key, hence Amazonisation, JD-isation, Ali Baba-isation… which might lead to an oligopoly. These ecosystems are now also entering the pharmaceutical B2C market.
➡️ Airlines and other actors in the value chain are increasingly taking up 𝐬𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬, also due to the increased pressure from pharma and healthcare companies. However, there is work to be done on regulation, uniformity and consistency of measurements, and cooperation with pharmaceutical producers. 𝐑𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐬 can already be a great start.
➡️ The shift towards 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐞 is taking place, we strive to accelerate the shift and help supply chain stakeholders achieve a more agile, resilient and sustainable ecosystem.
➡️ 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦: there is a need to focus on hyper-connected maritime and air transport ecosystems. Eliminate barriers such as data, regulation, and standardization.
➡️ One of the main 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬 for shipping companies is 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. Reducing speed is a ‘low hanging fruit’ solution to reduce CO2; that proved to be already effective.
➡️ As the 𝐦𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐟𝐭 already started, the growing demand for healthcare will result in an increase in seaborne trade (powder vaccines, primary/secondary/tertiary innovative packing) Work still needs to be done on the 𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐟𝐭 by collaborating with alternative transport modes!
➡️ Using several transport modes within the same intermodal supply chain might be challenging. There are a lot of requirements and factors, making it a 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐞-𝐨𝐟𝐟 𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐞 between sustainability, costs, lead time, and routing options.
Highlights of Day 5 | Academic and Business Collaboration as the bedrock for a sustainable future
Day Chairs: Trevor Caswell – Pharma.Aero, Edmonton International Airport (YEG) and Gergely Szorcsik – MSD
Key Speakers of Day 5: Rafael Arevalo-Ascanio – University of Antwerp, Lynette Cheah – Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), Emma Wong – SkyCell AG
🛫🌿🔎Workshop: Pharma.Aero Green Air Pharma Logistics Project moderated by Jaisey Yip – Changi Airport Group, and Celine Crahay – 3CeL Consulting, with Cesar Gil-Martinez – Bayer, and Gergely Szorcsik – Zoetis
➡️ Synchromodality as a tool for decarbonization and optimization of logistics? We are talking about intermodality and multimodality, but synchromodality (vertical and horizontal collaboration) is the next step to understanding the complexity of timely modal shift.
➡️ Freight greenhouse gas emissions are growing but can be reduced by adopting technologies, but also by improving the system and trip efficiencies. Influencing consumer behaviour can be very impactful for that purpose.
➡️ Collaborative insights across industry stakeholders are the key to getting the relevant “How Might We“, ‘HMW’ in developing and measuring a Green Air Pharma Lane.
➡️ A device-independent control tower is crucial to guarantee full and secure visibility.
Special thanks to all our speakers and sponsors whose contribution was decisive to the success of the third edition of the Pharma Logistics Masterclass! We look forward to welcoming you to Dallas for the PLMC 4th edition next year!
Day 2 Chairs: Lynette Cheah, Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) & Ruud van der Geer, MSD
Key speakers: Pablo Valdivia y Alvarado – Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), Chonchol Gupta – Rebirth Analytics & University of Antwerp – Faculty of Business and Economics, Miguel Rodríguez MBA – Qatar Airways, Irene Lau – Airport Authority Hong Kong, Koen Vandenbempt – University of Antwerp – Faculty of Business and Economics
Damien de Chillaz – KatalX | Alexandre Bosdonnat – LAINPHARMA | Cesar Gil-Martinez – Bayer
➡️ Especially in volatile markets, we have to move from KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) to KISIS (Keeping It Simple Is Stupid).
➡️ Revolutions do not happen overnight… they incubate over years. We need to learn to identify weak signals and ‘look around the corners’. Hint: Begin seeing around the corner at the edges of your organisation, where you engage with the markets.
➡️ 3D printing technology is moving at a fast pace. However, it is still mainly relevant for niche markets as the applicability to mainstream solutions is limited. The future will tell in which direction this technology will progress, both from a cost and from applicability point of view.
➡️ Digitisation and control of the supply chain up to tier 3 suppliers are key to a complete risk assessment as 75% of the incidents happen with tier 3 suppliers. Everyone knows that risks are interconnected but academic research in this area is limited.
➡️ Proven and tested new technologies can improve logistics operations to predict, optimise and secure the pharma logistics supply chain. Applications can be in lane risk operations, CO2 calculations, cold chain management and product stability during transport, track and trace visibility,… (Big) Data-driven and inter-company applications are most suitable for a successful rollout. This is a first, yet crucial step to migrate towards an ecosystem.
➡️ The trade-off between automation versus flexibility drives digital innovation in the pharma supply chain. Factors like data availability, collaboration between the actors, data security, SOP and agreed customer visibility are key to success. Creating a digital mindset in a company is challenging and requires the entire company’s commitment.