Logistics & Warehousing for medical devices

Logistics for medical devices differs from ordinary warehousing in three respects: traceability, storage conditions and recall capability. ISO 13485 requires products to be handled and stored so that they do not deteriorate — for sterile goods that means dry, low-dust storage without mechanical stress on the sterile barrier; for temperature-controlled products it means continuous monitoring.

The second requirement weighs more heavily than it sounds. Every batch must be traceable from goods-in to recipient, and in both directions: where did batch X go, and where did the stock at customer Y come from. In a recall, that alone decides between hours and days. Added to this is the UDI, the machine-readable identification that has to be reflected in warehouse management and picking.

For manufacturers, a logistics provider is therefore not a simple purchase but a supplier with influence on product conformity — one to be evaluated, monitored and contractually bound. The providers listed here range from contract logistics with their own quality management through cold chain logistics to warehouse operators handling sterile goods and implant consignment stock.