First GDP-compliant pharma facility opens at JFK

ZURICH/NEW YORK: April 11, 2019. Worldwide Flight Services (WFS) and Swiss WorldCargo have opened New York’s first GDP (Good Distribution Practice) compliant pharma facility after achieving certification of its Building 66 at JFK airport.

The certification confirms WFS’ compliance with World Health Organization (WHO), IATA, and Parenteral Drug Association (PDA) quality standards for handling pharmaceutical and life science products, as well as with agreements signed with individual airlines.

WFS Swiss WorldCargo “We are very excited that New York’s first GDP-compliant airline facility is located at Swiss WorldCargo’s warehouse,” said Michael Ganz, head of Northeast-/Midwest USA and Canada for Swiss WorldCargo. “This latest addition of GDP-compliant facilities allows us to offer additional quality corridors to our pharma and healthcare customers.”

WFS cold chain handling services include a pharmaceutical handling quality manual and quality management system, dedicated cooler facilities, a special products manager and a new cooler for the 1,000 sq. ft. pharma facility at JFK in support of the GDP requirements.

In 2018 Swiss WorldCargo received a global CEIV certification that ensures the company adheres to the highest standards of pharmaceutical handling globally. the airline operates three daily flights from Zurich and Geneva to JFK.

WFS has also signed a 15-year lease on a new 346,000 sq. ft. cargo terminal at JFK that will have a handling capacity of 300 million kilos a year plus dedicated facilities for temperature-controlled pharmaceutical products and perishables cargo when it opens in 2020/21.

Pictured left to right: Jo Palermo, general manager Building 66 JFK; Rinzing Wangyal, VP of Business Planning WFS; Tameika Thomas, Special Products manager, WFS; Kathy Roberts, director Quality and Training WFS; Michael Simpson, EVP Americas WFS; Michael Ganz, head of Cargo Northeast USA and Canada Swiss WorldCargo; Octavian David, manager Cargo New York Swiss WorldCargo; and Richard Hoffer, manager Indoor Sales and Operations New York Swiss WorldCargo.