World Courier has announced the upcoming expansion of the World Courier Ground Europe (WCGE) fleet.

WCGE currently operates Mercedes-Benz Sprinter temperature controlled ‘cube’ vans, capable of holding six Euro-pallets, and multifunctional ATP certified 13.6m trailers, from the office in Hythe Kent, close to the Channel Tunnel and the ports of Folkestone and Dover.

Since the EU Guidelines on Good Distribution Practice of Medicinal Products for Human Use came into effect, demand has been extremely high for the specially designed GDP compliant vehicles. Eleven new vehicles, due for delivery early this year, will be based in mainland Europe, to improve response times and flexibility for both existing clients and an ever expanding European customer base.

The added vehicles, which are built for fuel efficiency and low-emissions in compliance with World Courier’s ISO 14001 commitments, are being fitted out with a new generation of compressor units and in common with the existing fleet, carefully positioned temperature probes offering real time telemetry.

In addition, they are being fitted with extra safety and security features, which have been retrofitted to the existing vehicles. These will be undergoing Operational Qualification at the Cambridge Refrigeration Technology facility in February prior to final commissioning.

WCGE’s fleet offers dedicated pharmaceutical vehicles tested to extremes of heat and cold and for seasonal variation, under multiple power sources. They are designed for transporting between -25°C and 25°C, to offer refrigerated, frozen and controlled room temperature options.

Alan Bryan, director of integrated services, said: "They will allow us to respond quickly to requests from our European clients and make deliveries both in Europe and beyond as the demands of the Pharmaceutical community turn regularly to the Ground offering to ensure compliant movement of products, APIs and clinical trial supplies."