Robotics on the rise in pharma supply chains

Research has pinpointed the growing trend of deploying robotics in the distribution of medicines to patients.

The pharma logistics market’s warehousing segment in the Asia pacific region was valued at $14.6 billion in 2016. One key trend fruiting within this industry is the adoption of automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS) according to Technavio.

These are instrumental to cold storage units where temperatures decrease by up to -0.5F.

Automatic storage and retrieval systems 

Automatic storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS) are electronic systems that store and retrieve cargo within warehouses. These function under computerized controls

These are useful when there is a high volume of stock to be transported and there is a heavy reliance on accurate tracking to avoid expensive product loss.

These systems are often beneficial for saving space due to upped storage density.

The market research firm notes that these frameworks can shrink labor costs by more than 50%.

AS/RS has been instrumental within the just-in-time trend in logistics and manufacturing due to swifter supply chain management and tighter controls on inventory.

The APAC market is on many radars in pharma now due to the region’s growing population and its swift economic progression.  The lengthening life expectancy of citizens today is also increasing the demand for medicines.

Biologics in emerging regions

The non-cold chain segment dominated the market last year in APAC. However, there is a strong shift towards biological drugs which is expected to continue.

Looking at the hurdles in the market with biologics, Shakti Jhakar, a lead analyst at Technavio noted that there are: “… certain challenges faced by the cold chain vendors in the emerging economies, such as the lack of proper infrastructure, presence of minimal logistic support, lack of proper warehousing facilities, lack of skilled workers, and limited presence of service providers, have led to a substantial wastage of pharmaceutical products in these countries.”