Millions of vital medicines are flown around the world each day. And no other facility in Europe is better positioned to handle the rapid and secure transport of these medications than Frankfurt Airport.

In an interview, Lea Walther, Head of the Pharma Competence Team at the Air Cargo Community Frankfurt e.V. (ACCF), explains the organization's role as an independent association of air freight and logistics companies in Frankfurt.

One thing is clear: project-based work in the community plays a crucial role. The ACCF is actively driven by its members, creating space for dialog, supporting joint learning, and facilitating practical solutions to strengthen Frankfurt's long-term future as a pharmaceuticals hub.

What challenges are there when transporting pharmaceutical products?  

The seamless coordination of many different players is required to meet the high security standards needed for pharmaceutical transports. For example, strict temperature controls need to be maintained across the entire supply chain. One of the biggest challenges is to optimize these interfaces through clear communication and coordinated processes.

How does the Pharma Competence Team provide support for addressing these challenges?

As a neutral intermediary, we act as a hub for the various interests and capabilities that exist across the entire supply chain. We assist airlines, handling agents, logistics providers, trucking companies, and pharmaceutical experts to work together on optimizing processes, sharing knowledge, and setting new standards.

We develop approaches that can take Frankfurt forward in a product-oriented way.

That means bringing everyone together, sharing knowledge, and driving innovations as a team – whether it's through best practice sharing, special projects, or events like Pharma Day, a concept developed by the Competence Team that brings together the pharmaceuticals and logistics industries.

The partnership here in Frankfurt both facilitates seamless procedures and builds confidence in the pharmaceuticals industry – a key factor for success in a market where safety and quality are paramount.

What specific projects are you working on and what have you been able to achieve so far?  

We are currently working on further promoting Frankfurt as a leading pharmaceuticals hub and enhancing transparency in on-site processes. One initiative includes visualizing the pharmaceuticals handling process here in Frankfurt. We’ve already successfully introduced important standards in the past. For example, we developed a handbook that provides standardized documentation of temperature requirements. We've also simplified procedures and ordering processes for specialist refrigerated trucks used on the apron, known as Cool Dollies.

Beyond this, the Competence Team has also been able to provide support with the introduction of pharmaceuticals certification to help even smaller companies in Frankfurt meet international quality standards.