Author Archives: Filip Kozel

International transport company VCHD Cargo has invested in expanding its fleet with vehicles for transporting pharmaceutical products in accordance with Good Distribution Practice (GDP) principles. It has purchased tractor units and trailers specifically designed for the transport of medicines and high-security shipments, with a total value of CZK 20 million. The company has also successfully completed a repeat GDP Pharma audit.

The transport of pharmaceutical products is one of the most sensitive and strictly regulated areas of logistics. Its specifics stem from the nature of the goods being transported, which may be sensitive to temperature, light, humidity, or mechanical damage. Good Distribution Practice sets rules for the handling, storage, and transport of medicines to ensure their quality and integrity throughout the logistics process. Medicines and vaccines must be transported at a specific temperature, usually between 2 and 8 °C (in refrigerated mode) or 15 and 25 °C (at controlled room temperature). Authorization for their transport is linked to special vehicle technology.

VCHD Cargo has therefore expanded its fleet with seven Eur VI emission standard long-distance trucks and ten refrigerated semi-trailers designed for the transport of pharmaceuticals. These three-axle refrigerated semi-trailers have a capacity of 66 Euro pallets and are equipped with a refrigeration unit that covers a temperature range from minus 20 to plus 20 degrees. They exceed the standard EN 12642 XL safety certificate and are specified for the transport of medicines, including the Pharmaserv pharmaceutical certificate, which proves that the combination of the vehicle and the refrigeration unit meets the high requirements of this industry. The purchased trailers also meet the conditions for TAPA security standards and are equipped with an integrated telematics system, which helps to meet the requirements of good distribution practice (GDP).

“Telematics continuously monitors not only the set temperature on the refrigeration unit, but also the current temperature inside the cargo space, provides security information – opening and closing of the trailer doors and activation of the lock – and shows the location of the vehicle in real time. All this information is visible to our dispatch center online and can be shared with our customer in accordance with GDP,” explains Petr Kozel, CEO and Chairman of the Board of VCHD Cargo a.s. The trailers are equipped with the highest possible anti-theft security with multi-stage locking of the trailer doors. These lock automatically when closed and can only be reopened when the dispatch center releases the door opening via telematics and the driver enters the generated security code.

“Thanks to these technologies, we are able to offer the pharmaceutical industry fully transparent and secure transport in accordance with European legislation. Our priority is quality and the trust our customers place in us. Since last year, our many years of experience in transport across Europe and high-quality transport services have also been available to customers in the pharmaceutical industry, and based on positive feedback, we are now further expanding our services for this segment,” says Petr Kozel.

Companies transporting pharmaceuticals must be certified and regularly audited. VCHD Cargo recently successfully passed GDP Pharma recertification, which authorizes it to transport shipments from the pharmaceutical industry and other segments of the life sciences sector.

The international transport group VCHD Cargo has launched its own photovoltaic power plant. 230 photovoltaic panels with a total output of 100 kWp supply electricity to the warehouse and administrative premises of its subsidiaries in Alsfeld, Germany. The company has also installed a battery storage facility there and will supply part of the energy produced to the public grid. Photovoltaics is also one of the segments to which VCHD Cargo provides its transport services.

VCHD Cargo GmbH and Völker Logistik are part of the VCHD Cargo Group and are based in Alsfeld, Germany. The local warehouse and cross-dock building of approx. 1,400 m² and the office space are heated by energy-efficient heat pumps and energy-saving LED lighting is installed in the buildings. The overall electricity consumption has therefore already been optimized before the construction of the photovoltaic plant this autumn. Now that it has been tested and put into normal operation, the system is set up to cover the year-round energy consumption of the logistic buildings and office areas and the electric vehicle charging station. A battery storage system with a capacity of 83 kWh has been installed on site to store the energy. Approximately 40% of the surplus electricity generated will then be fed into the public grid. The company worked exclusively with local companies for the installation and commissioning and managed to take the project from planning to implementation in just three months.

„The installation of the photovoltaic plant in Alsfeld is part of the planned sustainable development of our branches,” explains Ing. Petr Kozel, CEO and Chairman of the Board of VCHD Cargo a. s., and adds, “The technology is advanced and shows significant savings. In addition, since we provide our transport services to customers/manufacturers in this segment, we have good references and see a future in photovoltaics.”

Völker Logistik, which has been part of the VCHD Cargo Group since 2021, provides transport services to PV panel suppliers. It loads fragile PV shipments daily at its warehouse in Alsfeld and coordinates delivery dates throughout Germany directly with customers. “The solar power generation segment is specific in its requirements for the quality of the shipments,“ explains Niko Völker, Managing Director of Völker Logistik GmbH, adding, “Our drivers are specially trained to deliver such shipments and this year we have invested more than 20,000 euros in electric pallet trucks that make the distribution of these panels significantly easier.”

The international transport company VCHD Cargo has successfully completed the certification process and received authorisation to transport pharmaceutical products in accordance with GDP Pharma. The Good Distribution Practice (GDP) for this segment includes a range of measures to ensure product integrity and quality and also sets out rules for transport. VCHD Cargo has thus extended its range of services to a very specific and demanding market segment.

GDP Pharma stands for Good Distribution Practice for products in the pharmaceutical industry. It contains the minimum standards that a transport company should fulfil to ensure that the quality and integrity of pharmaceuticals is maintained throughout transport, that contamination is prevented and that the right products reach the right recipient within a certain time frame.

‘We consider certification for the transport of pharmaceuticals to be a significant step for our company,’ says Petr Kozel, CEO and Chairman of the Board of VCHD Cargo a.s., and adds: ’GDP Pharma opens the door to this demanding segment and we are ready and equipped to fulfil the requirements of our customers.’ This type of highly complex transport requires special vehicle technology that, among other things, enables the semi-trailer to be opened and closed remotely and brought to a complete stop if the driver loses control of the vehicle. The vehicle must also be equipped with temperature control. High demands are also placed on the management of the entire transport process.

‘In connection with the GDP pharma transports, we had to thoroughly train our drivers and dispatchers and ensure a different approach to data handling than is the case with normal customers,’ explains Petr Kozel. The company must not only provide the customer with all information about the consignments, including, for example, a record of the temperature profile during transport, but also keep it for five years after the transport.

VCHD Cargo’s fleet comprises more than 240 tractor units and dozens of trailers and swap bodies. The new transport service – GDP pharma-compliant transport – is offered in both export and import mode.

The international transport company VCHD Cargo has deployed a hydraulic platform on its new line, which enables the loading and unloading of swap bodies even in areas without loading bridges. The technology, which is hidden in the chassis of the tractor unit, is used by the company in regional transports within Germany. For VCHD Cargo and its German subsidiary, Völker Logistik, the platform means greater flexibility in the use of swap bodies, as well as the convenience of being able to serve customers in smaller logistics areas.

A hydraulic platform is a device that is placed in the chassis of a tractor unit designed for transporting swap bodies. The platform is extendable and easy to operate and allows loading and unloading of swap bodies even where it is not possible to bring the vehicle to the ramp. The truck driver is trained to operate the hydraulic platform and by lowering it, the customer’s ground handling equipment can enter.

The new line, on which VCHD Cargo has deployed the equipment, makes regional deliveries in northern Germany, near Alsfeld. It is one of the regional lines operated by VCHD Cargo through its subsidiary in Germany. “The launch of another new local line allows us to cover our customers’ needs in the region even better, ” says Niko Völker, managing director of Völker Logistik, adding, “Thanks to the hydraulic platform, customers can plan their local shipments with even more flexibility and minimal restrictions. The equipment is also lightweight and does not represent any significant increase in gross vehical weight.”

Ing. Petr Kozel, CEO and Chairman of the Board of VCHD Cargo a.s., explains, “The hydraulic platform solution is beneficial for all parties involved. The swap bodies usually run on our long-distance overnight lines, which are loaded in large logistics centres at customers in the manufacturing or logistics sector. Their use for regional daytime lines has not yet been possible for any destination. By using a hydraulic platform, we have turned a special solution – a tractor with swap bodies – into a universal solution that can serve any consignee or shipper in the region.”

The Czech family-owned company VCHD Cargo has been operating in Germany since 2019, when it established VCHD Cargo GmbH, which, like its Czech parent company, specialises in long-distance overland liner transport. In 2021, the company acquired the family-owned transport company Völker Logistik, a specialist in German regional transport, by acquisition. The combination of the two solutions – long-haul and regional transport – brings VCHD Cargo significant synergies, particularly in the German market, which are crowned by stable double-digit growth.

The international transport company VCHD Cargo has published the results of testing the eActros electric truck from Mercedes-Benz. The tests revealed a range of 200 kilometers for a setup with two swap bodies on a single charge, a charging time of 45 minutes from 20% to full battery, and a pleasant user experience.

VCHD Cargo operates a fleet of over 220 conventional drive vehicles. However, with a view toward the future of European transport, the company is open to new alternatives and seeks ways to implement low-emission and zero-emission transport solutions. It has already tested an LPG truck and this year tested the flagship of Mercedes-Benz’s zero-emission technology—the eActros 300 L.

The eActros 300 L (6×2) truck, with a 330 kW engine and a gross weight of 27,000 kg, is designed for cargo transport with swap bodies. It features an 8-ton steered lifting axle for connecting up to two swap bodies in tandem. The eActros was tested in a version with three high-voltage lithium-ion batteries, each with an installed capacity of approximately 112 kWh. The tested model was equipped with air distribution system heating (APU/EAPU), trailer brake, and various assist systems, including trailer stability assist (TSA), lateral stability assist, distance control assist, turn assist, active brake assist, and tilt control assist. The standard Multimedia Cockpit dashboard and MirrorCam system, low cabin noise levels, and low vibrations (as there is no engine under the cabin) help reduce driver stress. The manufacturer positions the eActros for heavy distribution transport in urban environments, with a stated range of up to 330 km, though this can vary depending on factors like topography, driver behavior, external temperature, load, and body type.

VCHD Cargo deployed the 27-ton eActros on a customer-requested regular domestic route. The truck operated as a tandem setup with two swap bodies between two warehouses approximately 65 kilometers apart. It transported heavy electrical industry products, impacting the vehicle’s actual range. The truck was scheduled to cover the 130 km round trip twice a day, totaling 2 x 130 km and requiring two recharges per day. Charging from 20% battery capacity at a truck charging station took about 45 minutes each time. “Our experience with the tested eActros model was generally positive. We tested it in colder weather and with a heavy load, which reduces battery life per charge,” said Ing. Petr Kozel, CEO and Chairman of the Board of VCHD Cargo, adding, “We were satisfied with the driving characteristics and technical features, which are comparable to conventional vehicles.” VCHD Cargo also appreciated the high driver comfort and numerous safety features available as standard. “However, deploying such vehicles in regular operations still depends on whether transport customers are prepared to cover the increased costs associated with acquiring and operating such zero-emission technology,” concluded Petr Kozel.