Pharmaceuticals, food and chemicals: warehouse management for critical industries. (Part 1 of 2)

What the warehouse must provide: absolute transparency and best-before date control.

Whether medicines, food or chemicals - without them, our society would stand still. These industries deliver what we need every day. And that requires damn good intralogistics.

Behind the scenes, nothing runs by itself. Complex supply chains, sensitive products and the strictest regulations - the logistics have to fit. Maximum transparency and the highest quality standards are crucial.

The pharmaceutical industry is no place for compromises. It is about health, about lives and about an absolutely seamless supply chain. Our customers such as InfectoPharm, Hermes Arzneimittel and Gerresheimer operate in a highly regulated environment. Every deviation must be documented, every delivery must be traceable and every product must comply with strict guidelines.

Whether it's organic tea from our customer Bad Heilbrunner or traditional coffee from Darboven - every minute counts in the food industry . Expiry dates, cold chains, batch tracing - the list of requirements is long and the time frames are short. Functions such as temperature and best-before date monitoring ensure that every product arrives fresh at the customer.

Chemistry sounds like test tubes? No! This sector produces chemical products for many branches of industry and end consumers. Our customers such as Uhu, SurTec and Marabu work with highly sensitive substances whose handling is anything but trivial. Whether special labeling, special storage zones or testing processes.

Challenges that are of particular concern to these sectors:

1. Seamless transparency in the supply chain - indispensable
   Transparency today secures the lead of tomorrow. Unclear stocks and late deliveries lead to frustration - in the team and with the customer.
2. Best-before date (BBD) - always in view
   Products with an expiration date require precise monitoring. Those who do not monitor the best-before date risk losses and jeopardize product safety.
3. Storage of hazardous substances - mandatory by law
   Working with hazardous substances means responsibility. And it doesn't end with the warning sign on the door. It's about clear storage zones, regulations and safety distances.
4. Transporting dangerous goods - never worth the risk
   Even a missing label can be a risk. Digital systems prevent gaps and secure transport processes with legal certainty.
5. Zero picking errors - with digital help
   Every mistake costs money, time and reputation. Nobody can afford that anymore. Intelligent control processes and plausibility checks are now standard.
6. Quality and safety standards - the bar is set high
   In these industries, there is no such thing as "about right". Everything must be tested, documented and traceable - at all times.

The challenges are real - but they can be solved. Digitalization offers many levers to transform your warehouse into a high-performance zone.

1st challenge: seamless transparency in the supply chain

‍Insensitive industries in particular, complete traceability is not a nice-to-have, but a legal obligation. Regulation (EC) No. 178/2002 requires companies to know at all times where a product comes from, where it is stored and where it has been delivered. But even if it wasn't an obligation: Who wants to be flying blind when it comes to quality, safety and trust?

Many companies are aware of the relevance of the issue, but suppress it. "That's how it used to be". Yet a transparent supply chain is crucial - for quick recalls, fewer liability risks and more trust.

The 1st answer: Record batch and serial numbers
In the master data, you can specify which products require a batch number and which require an additional serial number. Products with a batch requirement are recorded in goods receipt with their individual batch number. This accompanies the product through every stock movement - both internally and externally. It remains unchanged, traceable and can be called up at any time.

And that's exactly what makes the difference: the control center can see in real time which batch is in which storage bin. In an emergency, nobody has to search any more, but can act. This means that recalls can be carried out precisely and without errors.

The 2nd answer: real-time tracking with RFID technology
RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) shows the location of every product live - from goods receipt to dispatch. RFID tags (also known as transponders) automatically transmit position data. These tags can be attached to containers or individual parts. Detailed information and practical examples can be found here:

Blog post RFID real-time tracking: a small label with a big impact Part 1

Blog post RFID real-time tracking: a small label with a big impact Part 2‍

2nd challenge: best-before date (BBD)

‍Food, medicines and chemicals have an expiry date. Best-before date monitoring is a must in order to avoid losses and protect consumers. The overview must be right. It is not enough to know that a best-before date exists. The decisive factor is which product has to go out when. "First in first out (FIFO)" is not just good advice, it is essential.

The answer: automatic BBD monitoring
Our WMS checks and calculates the BBD automatically. How does it do this? Either using data from the ERP, via adjustable parameters or by entering a shelf life in the article master. And then? The oldest goods are always reserved first for picking. An additional monitoring process warns when time is of the essence. If the expiration date is approaching, the goods are automatically blocked before it becomes critical.

3rd challenge: Storage of hazardous substances

‍Chemicals, flammable liquids or explosive substances are not toys. These substances are part of everyday life in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. Strict rules apply wherever hazardous substances are stored. And for good reason. Certain chemicals must not be stored next to each other. Experts speak of a ban on co-storage. In addition, there are fire protection concepts, reporting obligations to the fire department and internal control functions that must run smoothly. Because this is all about safety.

The answer: safe hazardous substance management
The products are assigned characteristics from the ERP such as storage location and hazardous substance class. This is the basis for safe and legally compliant warehouse management. The software knows what can be stored where and where it is better not to store it. This means that hazardous substances only end up in approved areas. The WMS also creates so-called fire department lists. These reports show which hazardous substances are located in which fire compartments. In an emergency, the warehouse management knows where things could get dicey and so does the fire department. That saves lives.

‍
This is where we take a break. You have learned about three of the six key challenges and solutions. In the second part, we will look at the remaining three and show you other useful functions for these sensitive sectors. It's worth sticking with it.