2013 HDMA Distribution Management Conference

HDMA’s annual Distribution Management Conference and Expo is the single-largest forum for wholesalers dealing with the changing landscape of pharmaceutical distribution. This year, the meeting will benefit from the involvement of both the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Wholesalers (IFPW; Manassas, VA), and the Canadian Assn. of Pharmaceutical Distribution Management (CAPDM; Toronto). Historically, drug wholesaling was vastly different outside the US, and while many differences remain, actions such as the purchase of Germany’s Movianto by Owens & Minor; Walgreens pairing up with Alliance Boots, announced in mid-2012; McKesson’s deepening investment in Canadian wholesaling, and the 2010 acquisition of a major Chinese wholesaler by Cardinal Health are changing that scenario dramatically.

John Gray, HDMA president, will share the opening address slot with Mark Parrish, president of IFPW. There is also a session on the practice of drug wholesaling in Germany, by Dr. Thomas Trumper, chairman of the executive board of Anzag, a leading German wholesaler majority-owned by Alliance Boots.

The conference program for 2013 is a combination of perennial drug-wholesaling issues, with several of-the-moment topics added in. There are several sessions on serialization and track-and-trace technology for pharma distribution (HDMA has been an active member of the Pharmaceutical Distribution Security Alliance); drug recalls and reverse-logistics management; and compliance with DEA mandates on controlled substances distribution. Dave Long, VP industry relations at IMS Health, will give his annual marketplace-trends presentation.

More-topical presentations include a review of the 340B Drug Pricing program in light of the Affordable Care Act; a presentation on synthetic genomics and the effects of genomic research on drug development; and an emergency-preparedness table-top exercise based on wholesalers’ experience in dealing with Hurricane Sandy.

Showcase presentations include a leadership lesson from Alison Levine, an adjunct professor at West Point and leader of an American Women’s Everest Expedition, and insider’s view of Washington politics by Howard Fineman, political analyst for MSNBC.

The meeting is being held at the Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel, Tampa, FL. The meeting is also the occasion of the annual HDMA Distribution Management Award for innovative technology or business development.

Nearly 40 exhibitors (as of mid-January) have essentially sold out the exhibition space for the expo at the meeting. Descriptions of these exhibitors follow.

Acsis Inc. www.acsisinc.com

Warehouse systems integrator Acsis specializes in enterprise serialization in the life sciences, food and beverage and industrial markets. The company’s Enterprise Serialization Suite is designed to manage the serialization process from packaging through the warehouse, including global visibility.

AFS www.afs.net

AFS is a leader in transportation cost management, combining a robust reporting suite with cost-management specialists saving money for clients. Shipping cost reductions of 15% can be achieved.

AmeriCares www.americares.org

AmeriCares is a nonprofit disaster-relief and humanitarian-aid organization providing immediate response emergency medical needs. For more than 30 years, AmeriCares has built a track record of successfully delivering medicines, medical supplies and aid generously provided by corporate partners to people in desperate need, globally.

ARCO Design/Build, Inc. www.arcodb.com

ARCO Design/Build, Inc. is a turnkey design/build firm widely recognized as an industry leader for various industrial project types, including cold storage, pharmaceutical distribution, foodservice distribution, food manufacturing, public refrigerated warehouses and light industrial warehouse and distribution.

Axway www.axway.com

As the Business Interaction Networks company, Axway manages, runs, secures and monitors all of your business interactions, including email, files, messaging, services, events and processes. In addition to Axway’s comprehensive offerings of managed file transfer, secure email and business activity monitoring, the company provides solutions for the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry that offer improved supply chain visibility for counterfeit detection, diversion detection and compliance with industry regulations.

BuzzeoPDMA, a Cegedim Company www.cegedim.com/compliance

BuzzeoPDMA offers the resources, technology and guidance needed to cost-effectively comply with today’s changing regulatory requirements of the DEA, FDA and states, including state licenses and renewals. The company has helped its clients avoid monetary fines for regulatory violations, and its practitioner license-validation services help assure DEA, State and FDA compliance and business efficiency.

Cavalier Logistics www.cavlog.com

With its own fleet of validated refrigerated trucks, Cavalier distributes diagnostic products, vaccines and pharmaceuticals in the cold chain globally. 3PL services include cGMP-validated cold storage and complete global logistics service. Asssets include validated 15—30°C space for 5,000+ pallets, 2–8°C space for 300 pallets, and -80 and -20°C sections. Licensed by DEA, Commonwealth of Virginia Board of Pharmacy and State of Maryland for the storage of schedule 2–5 controlled substances.

Cold Chain Technologies www.coldchaintech.com

Having more than 40 years’ experience in cold chain management, Cold Chain Technologies is a leading global provider of innovative thermal packaging solutions that protect the integrity of temperature sensitive products. The company offers standard off-the-shelf and custom KoolTemp containers, Koolit refrigerants and temperature indicators and data loggers.

DDN www.ddnnet.com

DDN, a Dohmen Company, provides conflict-free business support services for life sciences companies worldwide. DDN’s service advantage includes same-day delivery, real-time reporting, customer call centers, contract management, financial services, IT services and logistics. Contact us to discuss how DDN can streamline your day-to-day operations, protect your brand and grow your business.

DSC Logistics www.dsclogistics.com

Emphasizing operational and strategic strengths in 3PL and warehouse management, the DSC nationwide network includes more than 45 Logistics Centers and a Transportation Management Center located at the corporate campus in Des Plaines, IL. DSC provides integrated supply-chain solutions to help customers achieve their business goals, applying leadership, intellectual capital and collaboration to meet changing needs.

EAM-Mosca Corp. www.eammosca.com

EAM-Mosca Corp. is a global leader in the manufacture of innovative, high performance strapping systems. The Sonixs ultrasonic sealing system is ideal for distribution applications that demand reliability along with improved security and tamper evidence. The innovative strap handling design utilizes sealed bearing construction that prevents dust intrusion, reducing maintenance requirements. EAM-Mosca is displaying its TRP5 machine, a highly automated strapping machine for corrugated and other containers.

EXP Pharmaceutical Services Corp. www.expworld.com

EXP Pharmaceutical Services Corp. is a leader in the reverse distribution industry, specializing in returns processing, professional waste disposal and customized reporting services, nationally and internationally. EXP is fully licensed by the DEA (Schedules I—V), EPA and State Boards of Pharmacy. The company also has VAWD certification from the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, Green Certification and is a member of Practice Greenhealth. EXP’s expertise helps its clients, including manufacturers, healthcare providers and retailers, fashion an efficient, customized service procedure and deliver economic benefits to the pharmaceutical supply chain.

FastPoint Technologies www.fastpointtech.com

FastPoint offers an integrated suite of enterprise software products that address key challenges in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries. The company’s systems deliver complete solutions in the areas of track and trace, serialization, e-pedigree and REMS. FastPoint software products are specifically designed to deliver practical and proven business solutions for improving product security and patient safety. FastPoint focuses on combining leading-edge technology with dependable delivery methodology and high-touch customer service.

Fortna Inc. www.fortna.com

Fortna is a professional services firm helping companies with complex distribution operations, centered on warehouse design and management, materials handling and cold chain services. Fortna’s expertise spans supply chain strategy, distribution center operations, material handling, supply chain systems and organization excellence.

GENCO www.genco.com

GENCO’s returns expertise is tailored to the unique needs of today’s retail chains. Serving pharmacies nationwide for more than a decade, GENCO has developed careful processes for rapidly and diligently managing every phase of pharmaceutical returns management.

Guaranteed Returns www.guaranteedreturns.com

Guaranteed Returns founded the pharmaceutical reverse distribution industry in 1986. Since its inception, the company’s philosophy has been to strive for excellence, innovation and quality while providing the best possible returns management programs to their customers.

iDashboards www.iDashboards.com

iDashboards is an enterprise-class dashboard application that helps organizations leverage information in real time through visually rich, responsive and personalized business intelligence dashboards. Dashboards can help consolidate key performance indicators to monitor financial and operational results.

Inmar, Inc. www.inmar.com

Inmar connects trading partners through consulting, software services and operations so they can win. The company’s solutions make the connections that improve quality, efficiency and collaboration in supply chain, consumer marketing, business intelligence, financial settlement and risk management. Inmar is a trusted partner focused on driving sales and bottom-line performance through a combination of technology and people.

IntegriChain, Inc. www.dna-cloud.com

IntegriChain launched the Demand Network Analytics (DNA) cloud in 2007. Today, DNA is the world’s largest channel data management and application cloud, processing hundreds of billions of dollars in annual channel commerce. The leading healthcare and consumer brands count on DNA to put real-time channel data to work in their commercial businesses.

International Business Systems www.ibs.net

IBS Enterprise for pharmaceutical distributors is an automated solution for warehousing, inventory, logistics, rebate and chargebacks handling, license verification, lot control, contract pricing, pedigree tracking and ARCOS reporting. It also alleviates other symptoms such as sales order management, procurement and financial control while using business intelligence to identify the most profitable products and customers. IBS’s applications connect systems for collaboration between divisions, partners and customers.

Knapp Logistics Automation, Inc. www.knapp.com

Knapp Logistics Automation, Inc., is a leading global provider of automated warehouse solutions and warehouse logistics software for the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries. The company’s product technology improves operations in storage/buffering, order picking, sorting and packing. From manual to fully automated goods-to-person picking and storage systems to intelligent warehouse control software, Knapp “makes complexity simple.”

Label Vision Systems, Inc. www.lvs-inc.com

LVS designs, manufactures and sells print-quality inspection systems with an emphasis on ISO/ANSI verification of barcodes for both offline and inline applications. The Integra 95XX can offline verify any 1D or 2D symbologies without equipment changes and is certified compliant ready by GS1 US and 21 CFR Part 11. The LVS 7500 offers 100% print-quality inspection and barcode verification capabilities for thermal and other printers. The LVS 7500 provides a cost-effective means to ISO verify multiple 1D and 2D codes on a label, OCR and OCV, check for duplicate numbering, identify print blemishes and is compliant ready with 21 CFR Part 11.

Legisym, LLC www.legisym.com

Legisym, LLC, is an application services provider specializing in the deployment of Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) technology. Legisym’s Express222 is the simplest, most cost-effective answer for eliminating the paper Form 222 and ensuring DEA compliance. This Web-based Controlled Substance Ordering System (CSOS) delivers all the benefits of electronic controlled substance ordering and fulfillment with some surprising differences. Its Web-based design for order processing provides the end-user a simple and familiar experience. Additionally, this patent pending design offers tremendous savings by eliminating the need for costly installation of hardware and software.

Manhattan Associates www.manh.com

For more than two decades, Manhattan Associates has provided global supply chain excellence to organizations that consider supply chain software, processes and technology strategic to market leadership. The company’s platform-based supply chain software portfolio, Manhattan SCOPE, is designed to address the specific needs of the healthcare distribution industry. By using Manhattan’s solutions for healthcare distribution, you can ensure compliance, increase security and improve tracking—all while minimizing logistics costs to make you more competitive.

MD Logistics www.mdlogistics.com

MD Logistics designs customized supply chain solutions for the global distribution of trade, sample and clinical specialty products. Located in Plainfield, IN, and Reno, NV, MD Logistics’ warehousing facilities are fully licensed and accredited, maintaining cGMP and VAWD standards, enabling the company to provide compliant cold-chain storage for finished and WIP products. MD Logistics’ global distribution network allows the company to provide its customers with cold chain transportation solutions, both domestically and internationally. The company offers pharmaceutical packaging and kitting, as a licensed FDA relabeler, and full integration with customer ERP software to support electronic data interchange for order management and reporting.

Muratec www.muratec-usa.com

Murata Machinery USA’s totally integrated series of automated storage and retrieval systems has helped companies produce, store and ship materials efficiently and economically. A turnkey material handling systems supplier, Murata engineers, manufactures, installs, commissions and services all of its products. It also supplies equipment controls. Muratec’s Material Handling Div. facilitates the transition from labor intensive factory and warehousing operations to leading edge automated material handling and information control systems.

New Century Transportation, Inc. www.nctrans.com

New Century Transportation offers a wide variety of features that allow it to provide a full range of services for the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry, including less-than-truckload (LTL), truckload (T/L) dry, temperature controlled, heated, team service, expedited and same-day service. New Century Transportation realizes the importance of setting a “Standard of Care” in terms of security, temperature control and quality in the pharmaceutical industry.

Pharmaceutical Dimensions www.phdreturns.com

From its base in Greensboro, NC, PhD services customers from 35 different states with reverse distribution and disposal of pharmaceuticals. Non-returnables are incinerated, but alternative green technologies are being explored.

Revitas, Inc. www.revitasinc.com

Revitas, the leader in enterprise revenue dynamics, delivers integrated solutions for contracts, pricing and compliance that drive profitability and lower risk. Revitas empowers companies to optimize contract performance by defining, managing and analyzing complex, multi-tier pricing incentives and enabling positive proof of compliance with commercial, financial and industry requirements. Powered by the secure, scalable and standards-based Flex platform, Revitas applications speed time to market and improve visibility across B2B relationships. Hundreds of organizations across the most highly regulated and challenging industries leverage Revitas’s integrated solutions to save money, make money, and reduce risk.

Schaefer Systems International, Inc. www.ssi-schaefer.us

SSI Schaefer builds unconventional, hyper-efficient distribution systems for visionary companies that are committed to lowering their cost-of-piece picked. In addition, SSI Schaefer is focused on partnering with organizations to find the most efficient means of delivering products in a scalable manner for their central-fill and mail order fulfillment operations. The company’s products include A-Frame Automated Picking Systems; Ergonomic Workstations, including Schaefer Commissioning Systems; Pick-to-Light and Pick-to-Voice Technology; “Lights-Out” Case Picking Systems; Miniload and Unit-Load ASRS Cranes; and Warehouse Management and Material Flow Control Systems.

Seeburger, Inc. www.seeburger.com

Seeburger is a global provider of business integration solutions, with a comprehensive business-to-business and managed file transfer offering. Beyond state of the art B2B solutions, its business integration suite enables e-Storefront productivity through “punch-out” integration, configurable adaptors for legacy Material Management Information Systems as well as SAP Solution Extensions for i-Doc monitoring and workflow management. Seeburger collaborates with leading CSOS and e-pedigree solution providers, leveraging customers existing investment in technology and business processes.

Sensitech, Inc. www.sensitech.com

As the world’s leading provider of cold-chain visibility solutions, Sensitech Inc., a part of Carrier Transicold, enables global leaders in the life sciences, food and industrial markets to track and monitor assets across the supply chain to protect the integrity of temperature-sensitive products. Sensitech is an ISO 9001:2008 company based in Beverly, MA, with more than 30 sales, service and distribution locations around the world.

Sonoco ThermoSafe www.thermosafe.com

Sonoco ThermoSafe is the leading global provider of temperature assurance packaging for the safe and efficient transport of pharmaceuticals, biologics, vaccines, food and other temperature-sensitive products. ThermoSafe’s portfolio includes an extensive array of various insulated shipping containers, pre-qualified shipping systems, refrigerants in a wide range of configurations and sizes and advanced phase change materials. In addition, ThermoSafe’s ISC Labs design and testing services bring its customers innovation in package design, advanced thermal modeling capabilities and qualification services to meet all regulatory requirements.

Stericycle ExpertSolutions www.stericycle.com

Stericycle’s ExpertSolutions help protect consumers, brands, and protect the environment and reduce corporate risk in reverse distribution. The company’s best-in-class services and industry-leading experts offer the most comprehensive and compliant recall, return, retrieval, quality audit and sustainability solutions available.

Systems Logic www.warehouseinabox.com

Developers of the Warehouse In a Box line of software for managing warehouse inventories, shipments and deliveries, Systems Logic’s services include cloud-based customer portals, EDI and ERP connectivity and packing management.

Temptime Corp. www.temptimecorp.com

Temptime’s extensive range of time-temperature indicators change color to signal the occurrence of a potentially damaging heat or freeze event, allowing the user to determine whether the product should be used to treat patients. The indicators can be affixed to an individual unit to follow the product from manufacture to use, inserted into the secondary packaging to monitor multiple units or into shipping boxes to monitor the shipping carton during a shipment segment.

ValueCentric, LLC www.valuecentric.com

As the leader in connected healthcare intelligence, ValueCentric’s mission is to provide unprecedented market insights and enhanced business relationships through shared actionable information. An early pioneer in cloud-based services, ValueCentric’s innovative technologies allow healthcare companies to leverage critical channel information to drive transformational decisionmaking and business outcomes. Serving more than 200 marquee customers from throughout the healthcare spectrum.