Nissin and Panasonic are extending a collaboration dating back to 2021 to push VIXELL vacuum-insulated containers across global pharmaceutical trade lanes, as biologics and personalised therapies raise the operational bar for airfreight cold chains.

The partnership combines Panasonic's VIXELL container technology with Nissin's international logistics network, targeting worldwide expansion of temperature-controlled transport, stronger overseas supply networks and deeper technical cooperation for the life sciences sector.

The timing reflects pressure on pharma supply chains from multiple directions. Geopolitical tensions, labour shortages, infrastructure disruptions and climate-related events are exposing vulnerabilities in networks built for decades around centralised production and cost reduction.

"We operate with a profound sense of responsibility to ensure the continuous, reliable, and stable global supply of essential medicines," said Marc Steels, Head of the Nissin EU Pharma Business Unit.

What vulnerabilities does the industry underestimate?

Steels is blunt about the structural weaknesses he sees across global pharma logistics:

• Excessive dependence on centralised supply networks
• Limited end-to-end digital visibility
• Insufficient cold-chain transparency
• Inadequate resilience against geopolitical, pandemic and infrastructure disruptions
• Labour shortages, including Japan's "2024 problem"

"Many pharmaceutical supply chains remain overly optimised for efficiency and cost reduction rather than flexibility, continuity, and risk resilience," he said.

Airfreight remains fundamental to pharmaceutical distribution because of the speed and reliability it offers for high-value, time-critical products. But the growth of biologics, personalised medicines and advanced therapies is increasing complexity, forcing networks to maintain continuity under disruption while preserving product integrity across longer, more sophisticated routes.

Why is visibility now a strategic asset?

Every transfer between road, warehouse and air transport introduces risk. As products become more temperature-sensitive, real-time monitoring and end-to-end control matter as much as physical infrastructure.

That shift is driving investment in digital platforms that integrate temperature conditions, inventory status, emissions reporting and chain-of-custody information into a single operational view. In a sector where minor deviations can affect product efficacy, transparency is becoming a layer of risk management in its own right — allowing manufacturers and logistics providers to catch issues earlier, improve compliance and decide faster when disruptions hit.

"Our ironclad operational principle is the standardisation of handoff points combined with uninterrupted temperature control throughout the entire multimodal supply chain," Steels explained. "However, protecting pharmaceutical integrity across international transport requires far more than temperature control alone. It depends on the consistent orchestration of quality management, regulatory compliance, operational visibility, and risk control across every stage of the logistics process."

Visibility and sustainability are also converging into a single strategic priority. Organisations that can monitor product conditions, emissions and chain-of-custody data in real time are better placed to manage risk and meet both regulatory and environmental expectations.

"Real-time visibility across temperature conditions, inventory status, emissions, and chain-of-custody data is essential for maintaining product integrity, regulatory compliance, patient safety, and supply-chain resilience," Steels outlined.

From freight provider to healthcare infrastructure partner

The rapid growth of biologics, cell and gene therapies, vaccines and other specialised products is redefining what shippers expect from logistics providers. Airfreight networks are increasingly viewed as extensions of healthcare infrastructure rather than pure transport mechanisms.

Pharmaceutical companies are seeking partners that can manage rising complexity across Europe, Japan and North America, where digital connectivity, resilient cold-chain capabilities and harmonised regulatory approaches open room to improve performance while supporting sustainability goals.

"GDP compliance is simply the price of admission in pharmaceutical logistics," Steels said. "However, a true strategic healthcare infrastructure platform goes far beyond standard execution. As a strategic partner, Nissin combines digital visibility, integrated quality governance, and deep operational expertise to deliver predictive and proactive solutions before disruptions arise."

That means logistics specialists are embedding earlier in supply-chain design — in product development, clinical trials and market-launch planning — rather than waiting to execute commercial distribution. The market is shifting towards integrated ecosystems and long-term partnerships where risk management and regulatory expertise create value before a product ships.

"To support this evolution, Nissin is balancing organic growth with selective strategic acquisitions aimed at strengthening its global footprint, expanding regional healthcare capabilities, and enhancing multimodal logistics expertise across key pharmaceutical trade lanes," Steels said.

With VIXELL-based cold chain capacity expanding worldwide and Nissin signalling further acquisitions across key pharma corridors, expect competition among airfreight providers to centre increasingly on digital visibility and resilience credentials — not just temperature performance — as biologics volumes keep climbing.