To meet the needs of its region – home to a host of pharmaceutical companies -, Lyon Saint-Exupéry Airport, managed by VINCI Airports, has opted to make pharma cargo a key component of its business. Working hand in hand with manufacturers, airlines and specialist operators to handle temperature-sensitive cargo led to the creation of specific facilities, including an extensive cool storage area. 

This strategy entered a new phase in February when Lyon Aéroport obtained IATA CEIV Pharma certification (Center of Excellence for Independent Validators in Pharmaceutical Logistics). The certification guarantees the handling process in place for pharmaceutical products, and notably the ability to maintain constant temperatures in the airport’s cool storage units in order to meet the high standards imposed by pharmaceutical laboratories. It also confirms that the airport addresses the needs of freight forwarders and airlines handling the transportation of these highly specific goods.

As a result, Lyon airport’s storage facility is one of just four airport centres of excellence worldwide to have been awarded CEIV Pharma certification by IATA.

The large cool storage site operated by Lyon Aéroport stretches over 500 square metres and is split into three areas:
+2°C / +4°C: 370 m² in modular units
+15°C / +25°C: 96 ^m2 in two units
-22°C: 15 ^m2 (one unit)

The location of the specialist warehouses housing the cool storage centre enables smooth transportation of goods with direct access to loading and unloading bays and the airside zone.
The Cargoport area, covering some 150 hectares dedicated to cargo and logistics, is ideally located (less than one kilometre between the aircraft stands and the motorway network), making it quick to access and ensuring efficient air-road operations.

“We are proud to have obtained CEIV certification and to be able to play our part in guaranteeing the safe handling of the healthcare products, which pass through Lyon airport. At VINCI Airports, we make all efforts to ensure our airports address the needs of their region. Here in Lyon, we help support the growth of key industries such as pharmaceutical manufacturing,” Tanguy Bertolus, CEO of  Lyon Aéroport, said.

“Lyon and its region are amongst the most advanced pharmaceutical hubs in the world. The CEIV Pharma certification obtained by Lyon Aéroport for its storage facility is an important tool for meeting the needs of pharmaceutical companies, as well as transporters, for both standardisation and transparency throughout the pharmaceutical supply chain. This official recognition will bolster Lyon’s reputation as a hub, and we are pleased to congratulate Lyon Aéroport on their success”, Frederic Leger, Senior Vice President for Commercial Products and Services at IATA, stated.

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