Schmechel Logistics Trusts in Carrier Transicold to Safely Transport Sensitive Pharmaceutical Goods

Schmechel Logistics, located in Bad Oldesloe in Schleswig-Holstein, has been transporting highly sensitive, temperature-controlled medical, pharmaceutical and consumer products for more than 20 years. Operating in varied climates across Europe, the freight forwarder relies exclusively on Carrier Transicold refrigeration technology for its fleet of trailers, which are all fitted with multi-temperature versions of the Vector^® 1950 and Vector HE 19 units, featuring the company’s ultra-efficient E-Drive™ technology.

A proven specialist in the safe transportation of temperature-controlled pharmaceutical products, Schmechel Logistics trusts Carrier Transicold’s Vector units to maintain the cold chain throughout its delivery routes across Europe. The Carrier Transicold systems ensure the freight forwarder complies with all respective national regulations in terms of refrigeration capacity, temperature control, safety and the quality of equipment, sensors, data transmission and service. In addition to valuable medicines, Schmechel Logistics also regularly carries cargo that consists of slightly radioactive substances, which of course are also subject to their own radiation regulations. With cargo often worth millions of euros, the company also places great emphasis on security.

“We are extremely proud to provide Schmechel with very reliable and efficient systems to maintain the quality and integrity of the medicines and other sensible goods. Carrier Transicold places a high value on quality assurance for its customers," said Bernd Adelsbach, Germany Director Sales, Carrier.

The company’s commercial vehicle fleet comprises 160 tractors and more than 200 pharmaceutical-certified double-deck trailers. Most of these are equipped with the proven Vector 1950 MT refrigeration units, while 20 are mounted with the latest generation Vector HE 19 MT systems. All of the company’s trailers benefit from precise, multi-temperature set point control and feature Carrier’s ultra-efficient E-Drive™ technology.

"Thanks to their high refrigeration capacity, reliable function, high-precision temperature control and ease of maintenance, the Vector units best meet our demanding requirements for constant temperature conditions for our company's delivery routes,” said Dirk Schmechel, owner and managing director of Schmechel Logistics. “These run between the North Cape, Turkey and Morocco, through a wide variety of climatic zones ranging from freezing cold to blazing hot."

To protect the thermolabile medicines and other highly temperature-sensitive products from climate fluctuations and other environmental influences, the Vector units must ensure both high refrigeration capacity and consistent temperature control, including all related documentation, throughout the entire transport time.

"From the point of view of performance and cooling values, Carrier Transicold's Vector units are unbeatable," continued Schmechel. "They ensure extremely reliable management and control of the temperature, even under the most adverse conditions – with stable data on all sensors and secure two-way communication."

The company’s latest Carrier Transicold Vector HE 19 units combine a new multi-speed engine design with the all-electric architecture of Carrier Transicold’s E-Drive, which leads to a significant increase in performance, efficiency and payload. They provide an energy-efficient, environmentally-responsible solution supporting Carrier's goal of reducing its customers' carbon footprint by one gigaton as part of its 2030 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) goals. The system can deliver up to 30% fuel savings when compared to the Vector 1950 unit, is 10% lighter than the legacy unit, reduces noise emissions by three dB(A) and can cut operating costs by up to 20%. These statistics align with Schmechel Logistics’ ‘Green Logistics’ goal, requiring the use of state-of-the-art truck, trailer and refrigeration technology.

"The savings potential with modern Carrier refrigeration units is an average of 0.3 litres of fuel per operating hour, and they are also extremely quiet. There are still around 30 older refrigerated trailers in the fleet that we will replace in the near future and equip with modern refrigeration technology from Carrier Transicold," Schmechel added.

In addition to its modern, efficient and environmentally-responsible technology, Carrier Transicold's Europe-wide service network has also been a decisive factor in Schmechel Logistics’ trust and reliance in the company’s refrigeration systems.

"In the pharmaceutical transport business, very fast maintenance and repair solutions are often required, for which I can always rely on Carrier's international service network. Quality work, short distances, quick reactions and direct contact all add up and pay off in our operating costs," concluded Schmechel.