WFS achieves IATA CEIV at new Paris pharma centre

Ground handler Worldwide Flight Services (WFS) has been awarded IATA CEIV Pharma certification for its new €10m pharma centre at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport.

Opened in September last year, the 2,400 sq m centre is the only dedicated facility at the airport and almost 30 airlines and freight forwarders are already using it. The company expects the centre to handle over 8,000 tonnes of products in 2020.

Hugo Rodrigues, vice president cargo France at WFS, said: “Gaining IATA CEIV Pharma certification so soon after opening the Centre recognises our intention to meet the highest industry standards. It also adds to Paris CDG’s reputation as one of the world’s leading air cargo gateways.

“Investing in the Pharma Centre supports WFS’ strategy to broaden our product offering by supporting the needs of both our airline and forwarding customers as well as their customers, which, in this case, are major pharmaceutical companies that demand the highest standards of compliance to protect the integrity of their products.”

WFS has been investing in pharma handling centres at locations around its network. In 2019, this included the opening of other facilities in Copenhagen, Johannesburg, Miami and New York JFK.

In a release, WFS also highlighted the main capabilities offered by the Paris center.

It said it is located at the airport’s cargo area, has landside and airside access, boasts three temperature controlled rooms each offering loose cargo storage at a range of temperatures, two storage areas with a controlled temperate of 2-25 degrees Celsius, digital systems to improve visibility, barcode scanning tech, a temperature monitoring station, temperature controlled dollies and trailers and a cloud-based incident platform.