Marken delivers solutions across the globe for the life sciences industry

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To remain a world leader in supply chain logistics for 35 years, it takes determination, experience, the right team, and continuous innovation, all of w...

To remain a world leader in supply chain logistics for 35 years, it takes determination, experience, the right team, and continuous innovation, all of which Marken has no shortage.

By integrating depot and logistics services into solutions that extend the reach of clinical trials to even the most remote regions of the world, Marken has bridged the distance between the patient and the essential resources of life science companies.

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“Over the last four years, we have continually remained ahead of our competition,” said Wes Wheeler, CEO of Marken, citing technology, investments and personalized services as the driving factors during a recent interview. 

Having been in the business of operating facilities and companies for over 35 years, Wheeler knows more than just a thing or two about successfully running an organization. With GlaxoSmithKline and Exxon Mobile on his impressive resume, Wheeler was initially attracted to join Marken because of its positive reputation, global positioning and efforts for expansion.

These were also influencing factors for Ariette van Strien to join Marken, CCO, and Dan Bell, VP for Regulatory Compliance and Technical Affairs.

“The initial attraction was the potential, and the continued attraction is the success that we have,” said van Strien, whose primary responsibility is to drive Marken forward with the right clients.

“Marken is the best company around for specialized logistics, and I wanted to work for the company at the top of the list and apply my own knowledge,” said Bell.

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All three executives take pride in working for a specialized logistics and supply chain provider that is solely dedicated to pharma and the life sciences industry. Identifying themselves as a vital link to transport pharmaceuticals to patients, Marken as an organization plays an important role within the clinical research industry for supply chain services related to drug development and disease control.

With over 50,000 temperature-controlled shipments each month, and a staff of 600+ individuals across the globe, how does one company answer the needs of a global population while consistently advancing amidst a hyper-competitive market?

Step 1: Pursue innovation

Marken constantly reviews technology and new services to ensure they are meeting the needs of clients and the industry trends..

Marken consistently and constantly evaluates the technology of the market’s packaging solutions. As a global provider, entering geographic locations with high or inconsistent temperature ranges can pose a threat to the quality and efficacy of materials being shipped.  It’s important to seek out packaging solutions that offer longer duration of temperature stability as well as higher payload capacity.

In order to maintain the stability of drugs, blood samples and other biologic materials, thermo-isolating materials are integrated into specialty outer packaging so that clients can rest assured knowing their materials will sustain their temperatures for longer periods of time without interruption.

“More efficient insulating materials used in thermal packaging also allows for a higher payload by placing more product in less boxes. This can maintain or reduce shipping costs,” said Bell.

Significant investments have also been made to internal IT systems. With two main software platforms—Marken Solo and Marken Maestro—managing the inventory of drugs and tracking shipments is truly state of the art.

RELATED TOPIC: How Pharma Supply Chains Need to Change for the Future

“Managing shipments from start to finish is critical, not just to us but to our clients as well,” added Bell. “Today’s technology includes integration of remote GPS devices into the IT systems.”

Bell explains that Marken incorporates GPS tracking systems to remotely monitor not just the location of a shipment, but the environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, pressure, shock, and vibration as well.

“We are constantly looking for what’s going to make our clients’ lives easier, giving them the assurance that their shipments are being handled in an appropriate manner,” said Bell.

“In the case of software, Marken and our clients have complete visibility both in real time and in terms of metrics,” he added. “Both of our systems allow us to extract data and make quicker, more meaningful decisions about our operations.”

While the pharmaceutical industry in general is behind in integrating the latest technology trends, Marken separates itself from competition by maintaining the leadership role in driving the industry forward to offer the best services possible.

“We want to make sure that Marken remains ahead of the curve, and using technology allows us to make smart decisions and deliver the best value,” concluded Bell.

Marken is a leader in direct to patient shipments for the pharmaceutical industry so that shipments can be handled without compromising a clinical trial protocol...To check out the entire story on Healthcare Global, click here.

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