ROCKFORD, Ill. (Sept. 9, 2024) – Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD) is pleased to announce the recent initiation of new GDP certified pharmaceutical trade lane from India. The first shipment was undertaken by Penta Freight Pvt. Ltd. India, one of the country’s leading pharma focused freight forwarders, on behalf of its client, an India based pharmaceutical company. The shipment was carried by Maersk Air Cargo-Magma Boeing 747-400F scheduled freighter flight from Frankfurt Hahn Airport HHN, Germany, on an interlined flight from Mumbai International Airport (BOM) to Frankfurt Main Airport FRA where it was then transferred through Maersk’s Frankfurt cargo hub to HHN. The Pharma shipment marks the establishment of an RFD partnership with Chicago-based specialist pharma and life sciences logistics, trucking and warehousing company, Xperts Group.

Highlights:

• Pharma cargo moved directly from aircraft into Xperts Group Reefer Truck, by Menzies Aviation.

• GDP-GSP pharma import process at RFD avoids airside air cargo building handling.

• RFD process helps lower handling costs for pharma shippers and helps lower their Co2 emissions.

• Complete cool chain integrity maintained throughout the process.

• B747F flight wheels down to engines off in less than five minutes, with cargo at ramp and unloaded swiftly and down at Chicago area for breakdown within two hours.

Commenting on this shipment RFD Executive Director, Zack Oakley said, “The establishment at RFD of our GDP and GSP process for the handling of import pharma and life science products comes in direct response to a growing demand by the pharma sector in India, who along with their freight forwarding agents, want to improve the efficiency of the handling of these sensitive shipments by shipping them though a less congested airport system.”

Penta Freight’s Deputy General Manager Business Development said, “Chicago is one of the main air cargo import markets for India pharma products and it is a market that is growing rapidly. As a major freight forwarder in India, focused on the pharma sector, we continuously examine alternative airport routes/possibilities for pharma cargo shipments, especially airport solutions that can help our clients lower their costs, risks and importantly their Co2 emissions. Because flights into RFD are direct in approach and the aircraft is at the ramp ready to unload within five minutes of landing, the Co2 savings run into the tens of tons per shipment. By being able to unload the pharma directly from the aircraft and into the reefer truck, we massively reduce risks and costs associated with the traditional airside air cargo airport handling process for pharma. Now that we have proven the GDP-GSP pharma handling process at RFD we anticipate growing this trade lane from India and feed more pharma into the USA and especially RFD.”

About Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD)

RFD is the second largest domestic hub in the USA for UPS Airlines, which operates circa 40 daily flights. It is the Midwest gateway airport for Amazon Prime Air with circa 10 daily flights all to U.S. cities. RFD is also the Midwest gateway airport for Maersk Air Cargo.

CHINA AIR CARGO ROUTES

Maersk operate a 6-x weekly freighter flight B767 to Hangzhou Airport (HGH) in China.

Maersk operate a 3-x weekly freighter flight B767 to Zhengzhou Airport (CGO) in China.

EUROPE AIR CARGO ROUTES

Maersk operate a 2-x weekly Boeing 747 Freighter to Frankfurt (HHN) airport in Germany.

For more information about RFD cargo, visit www.RFDCargo.com.

About Penta Freight

Penta Freight is one of India’s leading freight forwarding, logistics and customs brokerage companies focused on the global shipping of pharmaceutical and life science products, by air, sea and multimodal transport. www.pentafreight.com

About CartageXperts- Xperts Group

Cartage Xperts, headquartered in Chicago, are a GDP-GSP compliant logistics, transportation and warehousing operator working within EU/WHO/FDA 21 CFR guidelines. The company is a large asset owner of modern reefer temperature-controlled trucking and state of the art temperature Ai controlled warehousing all dedicated to the transportation, distribution, handling and storage of pharmaceuticals and life science products. www.cartagexperts.com

About Menzies Aviation 

Serving more than 600 customers globally, Menzies Aviation is an internationally acclaimed tier one air cargo ground handling and airport services company operating out of air cargo building three at RFD where they provide cargo and ramp handling services. www.menziesaviation.com.