Smart intralogistics for the pharmaceutical industry

Delivery reliability in the pharmaceutical industry is literally a matter of life and death. Whereas consumers may not mind if an online order arrives a day late, that does not apply to medicines. Especially in this complex and demanding sector, Inther Group knows how to distinguish itself with far-reaching automation and innovative solutions.

"Pharma is one of the most important markets for us," says Paul Hermsen, CEO of Inther Group. "The order profile is substantially different than in e-commerce. Whereas in online retail the average order consists of barely more than one or two items, in pharmacies and hospitals there are often dozens. On top of that, punctuality and reliability are crucial."

To meet those demands, Inther Group offers advanced solutions such as the A-Frame for automated order picking. This technology is ideally suited for pharmaceutical products and cartons. Within seconds, an order is assembled and automatically packed. "This is not only lightning fast, but also extremely error-free," Hermsen said.

Central Filling and FMD: convenience and security

For repeat prescriptions and home medication, Central Filling is on the rise: orders are shipped directly from a central warehouse to the customer, without pharmacy intervention. "The reliability here has to be one hundred percent," Hermsen emphasizes. "After all, the customer receives the medication directly, without the control of the traditional pharmacist."

Inther also developed its own FMD solution, a system that automatically checks medicines against the European Falsified Medicines Directive (FMD). "This verifies that each medicine is authentic and not a counterfeit," Hermsen explains.

Automation pays off with complexity

The pharmaceutical sector lends itself ideally to extensive automation, according to Inther. Not only because of reliability requirements, but also because of personnel shortages and rising labor costs. "We focus on distribution centers with at least twenty to thirty employees. There is really something to be gained there with our technology," Hermsen says. "It can deliver a productivity increase of up to 50 percent."

From advice to service

Inther not only provides the technology, but guides customers from analysis and business case to implementation and long-term service. "We start with consultancy: wanting to understand what the problem is and what is needed," Hermsen said. Then a solution is worked out, built and implemented. Even after delivery, Inther stays involved with long-term service contracts. "Some customers have been working with us for more than 20 years."

Within Inther Group, pharma has become a spearhead. With references in pharmacy chains and surgical material suppliers, among others, the company positions itself as a specialist. "It's a clear-cut market with high demands," says Hermsen. "But that is precisely why we can make the difference."