In this insightful conversation, Steffen Segelke, Managing Director of Eurotranspharma Germany, shares the inspiring story behind the founding of the company, the initial vision and goals, the challenges faced, and the milestones achieved in the first year of operation.
By: PHARMALOGISTICS Magazine
Read the article here in the pharmalogistics magazine: https://online.fliphtml5.com/bwrte/ohzy/#p=7
(Frankfurt) Steffen Segelke also discusses the strategies used to establish the network, the role of technology, and the importance of maintaining high standards of quality and safety. Steffen details the valuable lessons learned in embarking on this project and offers a glimpse into the future growth and evolution of Eurotranspharma Germany.
PLM: Steffen Segelke, What inspired the founding of Euratranspharma Germany and what were the initial goals?
Steffen Segelke: Germany was one of the few countries with only one service provider for GDP-compliant distribution, covering the full spectrum of packages and pallets in temperature ranges of 2-8°C and 15-25°C, but only using two vehicles. Our European customers were asking us to create an alternative solution on the Market, as a priority to ensure Business continuity planning on their side. As you know, in the pharma and healthcare market insecurity isn’t an option.
Before we come along, there was no network capable of reliably delivering both temperature ranges in a single vehicle. From day one, we set out to build a specialised, dedicated network for pharma and healthcare, with the ambition to lead the way in high-quality GDP transport.
What were the key factors in choosing Germany as the next location for Eurotranspharma’s expansion?
As mentioned earlier, our customers were calling for an alternative to the existing monopoly – a second provider who could offer a 100% healthcare dedicated GDP network.
Secondly, Germany is one of Europe’s largest pharmaceutical markets, offering strong demand and growth potential.
Finally, and strategically, Germany’s central location and world-class infrastructure make it the ideal addition to Eurotranspharma’s pan-European network, unlocking new export opportunities and creating a new launchpad for cross-border distribution.
What were the biggest challenges you faced during the founding phase and haw did you overcome them?
The biggest challenge was meeting the set time goals. We needed to enable the network to deliver parcels and pallets nationwide next day as soon as possible. Assembling the initial team was crucial; we knew the key to success was to have a team of very experienced people, ideally those who had worked in a pharma network in Germany or already built similar structures. We were incredibly fortunate to bring together a powerhouse team with over 200 years of combined pharma experience – the kind of expertise that allowed us to hit the ground running with both speed and precision.
One of the biggest takeaways from these challenges was learning to balance our drive for speed with the realities of working within regulatory frameworks. We were moving fast and pushing hard, but quickly realized that external processes, especially with authorities, move at their own pace. It was a valuable lesson in moving not just fast, but in step with all stakeholders.
What were the main milestones achieved in the first year of operation?
Key milestones for me were our operational achievements, as each one propelled our momentum forward. This includes launching parcel delivery at 15-25°C in February 2024, expanding to pallet delivery in this range by April 2024, and getting our central hub in Malsfeld operational by June 2024. By the end of August, we began shipments in the 2-8°C temperature range and secured our GDP certification in September. Starting in October, we integrated with the pan-European network, maintaining daily import and export lines.
How did you establish the network from scratch and ensure compliance with GDP standards?
Implementation speed was critical. We capitalized on the expertise of our European colleagues, access to dual-temperature vehicles, and established German partners. Adhering to GDP guidelines was the foundation of our approach.
We drew on the extensive experience of Eurotranspharma in France and Benelux, using the some IT system as our counterparts in other Eurotranspharma countries. Our first hire, Andrea Blum, as Quality Director, built on Eurotranspharma’s strong quality framework and added the final touches to tailor it specifically for Germany.
What role did technology play in setting up and running the operations?
The TMS system already used across Europe in our network was a key success factor. Starting from scratch allowed us to standardize things, using the some telematics in all vehicles, which is now being gradually introduced in other countries. In addition, our systems being flexible, we were able to implement local adaptation needs to ensure the bet set-up for the German Market. In a nutshell we benefit from robust and proven technologies with strong track records in healthcare distribution in Europe and flexible enough to odd our own local specificities.
How did you secure your first clients and partnerships?
Trust was the decisive factor. Our first customers, like MED-X-PRESS, watched the progress with great interest and confidence. The people at Eurotranspharma, many of whom were already well-known in the industry, played a crucial role in building that trust and ensuring a successful launch.
In the first six months, we also had numerous customer audits to ensure safety and trust. Even today, it is normal for customers to agree on a test phase with us, starting with defined volumes and temperature requirements. Once they see how we work: our efficiency in next-day delivery, our extra care with handling sensitive parcels, even our strict quality protocols, they usually increase the volume and stand with us.
What were the most significant learnings from the first year of operation?
Have the courage to change things quickly and don’t hesitate to turn back if the path is not right. Open and trusting collaboration at all hierarchical levels is crucial – every voice counts and is welcome.
How did you measure success in the initial stages?
The indicator of our success is the customer. If we succeed in satisfying the customer and ideally even positively surprising them, we have laid the foundation for all further successes.
For example, many customers are pleasantly surprised by our high-quality service and its positive impact on their operations. By focusing solely on healthcare and pharma parcels in our GDP network we exceed the standards of general transporters, handling each package with extra care. This leads to fewer damages, fewer complaints to our clients’ customer service departments, and improved efficiency across their distribution chain. Ultimately, this kind of feedback from customers is the real measure of our success.
What are your plans for the future growth of Eurotranspharma Germany?
We are fallowing a clear three-year plan focused on increasing volumes, which will allow us to open additional locations. Our team is already making concrete progress on expanding to new sites, while we continue to engage prospects and inform them about our healthcare offerings. Today we have 13 sites across Germany and we hope to push that number up to 30 in the next 2 years.
In the next 5 years, consolidated delivery in one vehicle will become increasingly more important for ecological and economic reasons. Additionally, recipients wont to spend less time on goods receipt processes and focus on their customers – in this case, the patients. This is why we use dual temperature vehicles as well. We also have to wait and see the developments due to e-prescriptions and increasing home care and follow-up care.
What innovations or improvements are you most excited about implementing?
I am proud to see the development of our team and how we all strive to be better than yesterday. We significantly increased our volumes and, thanks to the dual temperature vehicles, did so without significantly increasing kilometres driven or the number of trucks in our fleet, thereby minimizing the impact on the environment and roads. We have partnership-based dialogues with many customers to find sensible ideas and solutions for the future. From 2025, we have expanded our product portfolio to include sea, air freight, and European direct traffic for individual customers, fallowing their needs.
What are your long-term goals for Eurotranspharma Germany within the broader Eurotranspharma network?
Our German organization is still young within the Eurotranspharma family. We want to do justice to the position and size of the market with our notional network and become an important hub for our European traffic. This is only possible if we keep the customer and their needs firmly in mind.
Steffen Segelke is an expert in pharmaceutical logistics and has been Managing Director of Eurotranspharma Germany GmbH since January 2024. Previously, he led GDP network solutions GmbH and held leadership positions at companies such as transmed, Kuhne+Nagel, and GEFCO. With extensive experience in temperature-controlled transport and healthcare logistics, he drives innovative solutions and quality standards in the industry.
