Ivoclar and SkyCell Partner to Make Dental Supply Chain Logistics More Sustainable

Ivoclar and SkyCell Partner to Make Dental Supply Chain Logistics More Sustainable. Image credit: © Ivoclar

Ivoclar has joined forces with SkyCell, a pioneer in temperature-controlled hybrid container manufacturing, to make reverse logistics processes more sustainable. This collaborative effort aims to significantly reduce CO2 emissions, minimize waste, and streamline costs within the dental supply chain, according to a press release from Ivoclar.

Per the press release, transporting medical and pharmaceutical products is a critical operation, often necessitating specific shipping conditions to preserve the integrity of sensitive, vital medications. However, inefficiencies abound, particularly in air freight where containers frequently return empty to their origins after delivering their cargo. Ivoclar and SkyCell are addressing this issue head-on, presenting a joint strategy to optimize reverse logistics and set a new standard for efficiency in transportation.

The initiative, which officially commenced in February 2024 following a successful pilot project in December 2023, sees SkyCell shipping its hybrid containers filled with medical products to the United States, while Ivoclar pallets inside the SkyCell hybrid containers are now utilized for the return journey. By partnering with transport and logistics giant DSV Air & Sea, container returns are managed efficiently, per the press release.

"Tracking emissions from reverse logistics poses a significant challenge for pharmaceutical companies. By integrating Ivoclar pallets into our hybrid containers, we optimize freight efficiency, leading to reduced CO2 emissions and bringing us closer to our goal of climate neutrality," Paulo Baumgartner, Head of Operations Supplier & Procurement at SkyCell said in the press release. The collaboration extends to the handling and delivery of cargo throughout Europe, with Fischer Road Cargo playing a pivotal role in the process.

By saving approximately 350 tons of CO2 emissions annually on this route alone, Ivoclar and SkyCell are reportedly making significant strides toward their goal of achieving climate neutrality. Olivier Hett, Global Transport Manager at Ivoclar, emphasized the importance of innovation within existing frameworks: "Our goal is to optimize value creation within the supply chain by developing new approaches within the existing framework."