Panalpina gains GDP cert at Bogotá location

Today, the Bogotá branch of Panalpina has been certified by the Good Distribution Practice (GDP) program for the handling of medical products, following the completion a two-day audit from SGS, an international inspection and verification company.

“We see great growth potential in this business area, considering that the growth rate of this industry in Colombia is five percent per year,” said Angelo Dotto, Panalpina’s managing director for Colombia.

The forwarder said Colombia is Latin America’s fourth largest pharmaceutical market, following Brazil, Mexico and Panama. “Eighty-two percent of Colombia’s pharmaceutical imports and 47 percent of the pharmaceutical exports run through the Bogotá region,” Panalpina added.

This is Panalpina’s 31st location to obtain the certification, which has been compared to IATA’s CEIV-Pharma – a similar program, offered by IATA – which can be thought of as a newer, airfreight-specific version of the Health Sciences Authority’s (HSA’s) pre-existing certificate.

Learn more about the developing South American market on 10-12 October at Cargo Facts Symposium during the panel Latin American Focus: Rebounding economies, Renewed interest in freighters? For more information, or to register, visit www.cargofactssymposium.com.