Temperature Controlled Logistics Awards 2016: Winners Revealed

Last week saw the unveiling of 2016 temperature controlled logistics award winners. The Temperature Controlled Logistics Awards identify and applaud innovative companies or individuals who have shown amazing resilience and results throughout the year. The 2016 ceremony was held at the annual temperature controlled logistics Europe conference in Frankfurt last week.

This year received a record level of votes for award nominees, the results ran as follows:

Best Temperature Controlled Logistics Project Award

Winner: Johnson & Johnson

Reason for Nomination: For organising the supply chain for shipping and storage of a vaccine for Ebola into Sierra Leone, which needed to be shipped on dry ice, stored at -20°C, transported below -5°C, stored at the clinic between 2-8°C, and administered below 25°C

Runner Up: va-Q-tec

Reason for Nomination: A collaboration between va-Q-tec Limited and and Gilead Sciences to produce an advanced passive Container (the va-Q-tainer), which replaced the previously used single-use passive pallet shippers on global trade lanes. This resulted in a reduced global footprint, decreased costs for Gilead Sciences, zero temperature deviations, and no product waste.

In response to their win, Gino Vleugels from Johnson & Johnson who was present at the ceremony said: "I’m very pleased with this award, it’s really an honor to win the IQPC award. This award is a result of the great work from a team with passion, strong commitment and a vision for the patients and community. This team shows that the possibilities are endless with commitment and strong collaboration. Thank you for this recognition.

"Johnson & Johnson continues to maintain its commitment to combatting Ebola, including the accelerated development of a preventative prime-boost Ebola vaccine regimen at the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson."

Supply Chain Innovation Award

Winner: va-Q-tec

Reason for Nomination: va-Q-tec AIR FRANCE KLM MARTINAIR Cargo: The hassle-free AFKL rental arrangement of advanced passive va-Q-tainer containers in 5 sizes and 7 Temperature Ranges enables reliable temperature controlled Closed Cool Chain Solutions© for global shipments. Unique temperature ranges from -70°C to +40°C to over 500 AFKL network points are provided in a container fleet of over 1000 containers with cost saving container sizes for two pallet shipments.

Runner Up: CargoSense

Reason for Nomination: CargoSense Supply Chain intelligence and Black Box sensor: A new smart-data and MicroAnalytics Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution designed to optimize logistics networks in healthcare, food, medical devices and other industries with complex, environmentally senstive supply chains.

Dominic Hyde, Managing Director va-Q-tec Limited said: " va-Q-tec are very proud to win the Supply Chain Innovation Award together with our great partner Air France KLM Martinair Cargo.

"The unique container rental agreement between AIR FRANCE KLM MARTINAIR Cargo and va-Q-tec enables reliable temperature controlled Closed Cool Chain Solutions© for global shipments. In the hassle-free rental agreement, va-Q-tainer containers are delivered preconditioned to the shipment origin, ready to "LOAD & GO". This ensures a closed cool chain, maintaining the product temperature and quality for patients worldwide. After the one-way shipment, the container is returned to one of 500 AIR FRANCE KLM MARTINAIR Cargo network points worldwide for re-use. This Supply Chain Innovation has a huge impact on the industry, creating an easy to use, quality assured Closed Cool Chain Solution© worldwide."

Renate de Walle, Director of Pharmaceutical Logistics at AIR FRANCE KLM MARTINAIR Cargo added: "Together with our suppliers, our customers and other stakeholders in the supply chain we always search for innovative ways to improve our products and processes and to minimize risks as much as possible. This award confirms – to our customers, to patients depending on healthcare products and to the industry at large – that we are on the right track."

Figure 1: Renate de Walle, Director Product Market Group Pharmaceutical Logistics AFKL and Dominic Hyde, Managing Director va-Q-tec Limited, receiving the award together

Cold Chain IQ Newcomer Award

Winner:Katharina Wuensche, Director Business Development and Partner Alliance - va-Q-tec Limited

Reason for Nomination: In less than 5 years, Katharina, a bright and assured graduate, has built a global partner network of over 50 contracted airlines, freight forwarders and integrators. It has taken a huge amount of energy and personal sacrifice to achieve but she has done it with infectious enthusiasm and has always found room to inject a little fun.

Runner Up: Stefan Braun, Managing Director - SmartCAEStefan Braun

Reason for Nomination: Stefan Braun and his team developed a thermal simulation software suite tailored to temperature controlled logistics. His software provides the tools to bring to life what they call the "virtual cold chain". The virtual cold chain enables a risk based strategy to improve the thermal and economic efficiency of passive shippers sent on arbitrary lanes.

in regards to winning her award, Katharina Wuensche commented: "Receiving the Cold Chain IQ Newcomer Award for my part in building a global container rental network and establishing partnerships with airlines, forwarders and integrators at va-Q-tec Limited is a great honour. For me, a Newcomer Award is not just about hard work but also about the people who believe in you and give you the chance to prove yourself at the beginning of a career. Therefore I feel very grateful towards Dr Joachim Kuhn, va-Q-tec founder and CEO, and Dominic Hyde, Managing Director va-Q-tec Ltd., who have been leading me with the right combination of freedom and guidance to develop myself and the va-Q-tec container rental business further.

Image: Katharina celebrating with her award.

"At va-Q-tec I love the team spirit and how much we believe in our products and pharma cold chain service solutions. Our customers and partners get taken on board by this spirit, which increases their confidence and trust working with us. Maintaining this spirit in va-Q-tec while managing our strong global growth rates efficiently are for me the key to future success of va-Q-tec Limited."

Cold Chain IQ Influential Media Award

Winner: Life Science Leader
Reason for Nomination: Thought leadership articles and discussions about the current life science industry.

Runner Up: Fresh Logistics Magazine Reason for Nomination: European trade magazine that deals with all issues in the temperature-controlled logistics process.

Cold Chain IQ congratulates all the award winners and also those recognised as nominees.

Browse the history of the temperature controlled logistics awards in more depth here:

2013 winners

2014 winners

2015 winners

Footage of the highlights of the 2016 awards ceremony will be published on Cold Chain IQ shortly.