Shipping of Substances by the Compound Management
Written by Sabrina Leuenberger
Compound management is a service hub in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry for the management of chemical and biological compounds used in research and development. Standard services include the storage of chemical and biological compounds, their provision and all logistics for distribution to laboratories. In the context of global networks of service and research laboratories, smooth shipping operations are of utmost importance. This requires a combination of advanced logistics planning, knowledge of regulations, and technological solutions to ensure the quality and integrity of the compounds being shipped.
Based on our experience in providing software solutions to support the shipment of research compounds, we would like to highlight a few points where technical solutions can significantly support and simplify the shipment of compounds.
Packaging Optimisation
In order to guarantee the quality of the compounds and to comply with legal requirements, the correct type of packaging must be selected. If the size is well adapted to the volume of the material to be shipped, costs and packaging material can be saved.
A digital solution can help to determine the right packaging with the optimal dimensions. The applicable regulations for packaging and the volume of the shipping material must be taken into account.
In terms of a software solution, this requires that the available packaging material, the packaging requirements and the containers for the compounds, along with all the necessary data, are stored in the digital solution.
Monitoring the Compounds
For the quality of the compounds to be maintained, they often have to be shipped under defined conditions, e.g. at -80°C. Since shipping times and external conditions vary, this can lead to unwanted changes in the conditions inside the package, which in turn can affect the quality of the compounds. In order to record any deviations from the required conditions, data loggers are added to the package to record, for example, the temperature inside the package. The data loggers are read electronically at the end of the transport process and, ideally, can then be assigned to the corresponding container in the compound management system. This allows any necessary measures to be defined in a more proactive and targeted manner.
Automatic Generation of Shipping Documents
When shipping chemical or biological compounds, various documents must be prepared and enclosed with the parcel. These documents may vary depending on the destination country, contents and means of transport. However, a packing list and commercial invoice are always required as standard.
The packing list contains a list of all containers and additional materials such as dry ice.
In international shipping, the commercial invoice serves as a customs clearance document. Depending on the destination country, it may vary in detail. Certain countries have specific requirements for commercial invoices, but in general, they contain:
- A description of the contents
- The country of origin
- The destination country/recipient
- The HS customs tariffs of the compounds shipped
- The value of the compound, whereby a distinction can be made between the customs value and the commercial value. In the context of compound management, the commercial value can, for example, be set to 0 under certain circumstances and in consultation with the relevant authorities.
In addition to the packing list and commercial invoice, other documents may also be required, such as a waybill or import licenses.
Most of the required data is stored in internal systems and can be retrieved to generate the necessary documents in an automated manner.
Some data can be obtained from external providers, e.g. the HS code, which is required on the commercial invoice. These can be integrated automatically via interfaces to service applications. Examples of such applications are CHemTS and the Compliance Checker from Chemaxon (chemaxon.com), different platforms from Scitegrity (HS Codes | Drug Abuse Potential | Regulated Chemicals) or Illuminator from UL solutions (Illuminator® | UL Solutions).
Automatic Generation of a Shipping Order
Last but not least, applications can also simplify the creation of shipping orders. Carriers usually offer interfaces to their systems. These can be used to transfer the necessary data directly or via a file to the carrier's system. One example of this is the FedEx interface. Tracking functions can also be integrated into your own applications in this way. This is usually offered by the carrier and is independent of the sender's systems.
Summary
There are various ways to simplify the shipment of compounds with the help of electronic support. The concrete implementation of a suitable combination of these various options can lead to a customised solution that offers an optimal balance between cost and benefit and provides real added value for optimising the shipping process.
