Documentation and GDP Compliance by Design
Compliance in pharma logistics goes well beyond getting a shipment from A to B. At LEMAN, our operations are built around Good Distribution Practice (GDP) and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) guidelines — governing every aspect of transport, handling, warehousing, and documentation. LEMAN holds GDP certification, and our facilities are subject to regular audits. We partner exclusively with carriers and suppliers who meet the same high standards.
As Gert Christiansen, Vice President, Pharma & Healthcare, explains: “Successful GDP adherence requires a company-wide culture of precision training, proactive risk management, and real-time monitoring — not just process documentation.” Companies that invest in digitalised compliance solutions, such as real-time temperature monitoring and automated reporting systems, significantly reduce their risk exposure.
Every LEMAN pharma shipment is fully documented, logged, and available for audit, whether that’s an internal quality review, a regulatory agency inspection, or a customer’s own quality control visit. Every deviation is investigated and followed up. That’s what trust is built on.
Exception Handling: Planning for What Can Go Wrong
In pharma, it’s not enough to plan for the ideal scenario — you have to plan for disruption. Before any shipment moves, LEMAN conducts full risk mapping and route analysis, assessing geopolitics, weather, infrastructure, and customs risk to select routes and partners that minimise the chance of a temperature excursion or delay.
Every critical pharma shipment comes with pre-agreed contingency plans and rapid escalation procedures. From alternate transport modes to product salvage and revalidation, the protocols are defined before they are ever needed. Our TAPA TSR-1 certified pharma trucks, strict SOPs aligned with GxP guidelines, and qualified partner network all form part of this protective layer.
Risk management at LEMAN is also a continuous process. We learn from deviations and near-misses, and our pharma teams undergo regular training and internal audits. Because in pharma logistics, prevention is always the most important intervention.
Cold Chain Meets the Warehouse
Temperature control doesn’t stop when a shipment arrives. LEMAN’s GDP-certified warehouses in Greve offer temperature-controlled zones with continuous monitoring, qualified staff, and full batch traceability. Storage options cover +15°C to +25°C for general pharma products, +2°C to +8°C in a closed cold chain configuration, and active substance (API) storage on frost down to -20°C — capacity that has been significantly expanded to meet growing customer demand.
The warehouse and transport chain are designed as a single, seamless, monitored environment. There is no gap where the cold chain can be broken undetected.
In a sector where the consequences of failure extend beyond financial loss to patient safety, LEMAN’s approach to pharma logistics is built on one principle: that every degree, every document, and every deviation response matters. Because protecting the cold chain is ultimately about protecting the people at the end of it.
Want to learn how LEMAN can support your pharmaceutical supply chain?
LEMAN consistently delivers. I am very impressed with the service they provide. If challenges arise, or if I perhaps come with an overly optimistic delivery request, it is quickly and efficiently resolved by my personal LEMAN contact person.