Alcalá/Gütersloh – Arvato Healthcare is extending its offering on the Iberian Peninsula. From autumn 2016, medicines and medical technology products will also be dispatched from the distribution centre in Alcalá in Spain. To do this, the existing warehouse has been extended by 4,500 square metres, which are dedicated and specifically tailored to the particular requirements of pharmaceutical and medical technology companies. With its new location near Madrid, Arvato Healthcare is strengthening its European network and continuously focusing on pan European solutions on the basis of a standardised IT environment and a harmonized quality management system. With its central location in Spain, Alcalá is a perfect place for time critical logistics of pharmaceuticals and medical technology products. “This allows us to optimize transport times and to provide pharmacies, hospitals and wholesalers throughout the Iberian Peninsula with improved customer services,” explains Christian Wolf, Executive Vice President at Arvato Healthcare. As a legal requirement in Spain medicines must be received by recipients such as pharmacies within 24 hours of dispatch. “Embedded in Arvato’s existing European site network the new Alcalá distribution centre helps our clients to meet this requirement, with reduced transport costs and increased delivery reliability”, said Wolf. “The healthcare offerings in Spain comprise the entire order-to-cash cycle, from customer services and order management, warehousing and transport management, through to invoicing, accounts receivable management and credit control. This also includes GDP-compliant storage for products between +2°C and +8°C, as well as their actively and passively cooled transport in insulation boxes,” explains Emilio Juaranz, General Manager of Arvato SCM Solutions in Spain, who is also directly responsible for the healthcare business on the Iberian Peninsula. The warehouse also provides an area covering 3,900 square metres for storing ambient products in the +15°C to +25°C temperature range required for most medicines. The warehouse and all Arvato Healthcare activities in Spain will meet all Good Manufacturing Practice and Good Distribution Practice requirements. “The quality management system in Spain is fully integrated in our European QM system and the quality organisation,” explains Carsten Thiemt, Director of Quality Management for Arvato Healthcare in Europe. It goes without saying that this new location is also fully integrated in the SAP- based Arvato IT structure. This reduces interfaces and guarantees standardised processes to manufacturers across national borders, while ensuring data security and transparency. The modern distribution centre in Alcalá was commissioned by Arvato SCM Solutions in February 2015 and has to date been used exclusively by the High-tech and Entertainment business sectors. Following the extension, services for customers from the health and pharmaceutical industries will be processed here autumn 2016 onwards. To further expand its European healthcare network, Arvato also opened two further locations – one in Italy and the other in the Netherlands – and continues to enlarge existing warehouses, too.