DFW AIRPORT, Texas - Key strategic logistics service providers within the community at Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) International Airport have been awarded the Center of Excellence for Independent Validators (CEIV) certification from the International Airport Transport Association (IATA), the trade association for the world's airlines. The distinction recognizes companies that successfully complete a rigorous process and meet global standards set by IATA for handing pharmaceuticals at airports. DFW is one of only two airports in North America with a CEIV Pharma Community covering all links in the airport supply chain.

Left to right: Glyn Hughes, IATA; Milton De La Paz, DFW; Nick Careen, IATA; John Ackerman, DFW; Ronald Schaefer, IATA
Left to right: Glyn Hughes, IATA; Milton De La Paz, DFW; Nick Careen, IATA; John Ackerman, DFW; Ronald Schaefer, IATA
"The collective efforts of our partners to earn the CEIV Community certification demonstrates DFW's level of commitment to a world-class pharmaceutical handling operation that provides pharma manufacturers and shippers with confidence that their high-value products will be handled with quality, care and efficiency," said John Ackerman, Executive Vice President of Global Strategy and Development at DFW Airport. "The certification brings DFW one step closer to establishing a pharma gateway where manufacturers, shippers, and other stakeholders can send their premium shipments and be assured that our processes will maintain product integrity."

DFW adopted a community approach for the certification process by assembling logistics partners specialized in ground handling, trucking, cold storage/warehousing, and freight forwarding, which represent essential links of the air cargo supply chain. The following partners are founding members of DFW's CEIV community:

  • dnata cargo USA (ground handling and cold chain solutions)
  • SCL Cold Chain (refrigerated trucking)
  • B.I.G. Logistics (warehousing and distribution)
  • Expeditors (international freight forwarding)

The certification process for DFW's logistics partners involved training, pre-validation assessment, audit and validation.

DFW's cold chain facility operates 24/7 with capabilities to provide quality care for pharmaceutical freight, which consists of temperature- and time-sensitive products. The 37,000-sq. foot space has two dedicated pharma chambers, three multi-temperature zones and a 15,000-sq. foot area for airside refrigeration. Additional features include a refrigerated dock with truck doors, dry cargo space to handle a variety of customer needs and a certified customs screening facility for imports and exports. 

"We applaud DFW for its commitment to building a CEIV Pharma community through which it has met the industry's global quality standards that ensure pharma products will be handled in a safe and reliable manner," said Glyn Hughes, Global Head of Cargo at IATA. "By DFW's community obtaining CEIV Pharma certification, the number of organizations worldwide that are contributing to improve pharma handling across the aviation sector has increased, this is very positive."

DFW's certification is significant because its mid-continent location is accessible by every major U.S. market within four hours or less by air. This can greatly help with air transport of pharma products that are time- and temperature-sensitive.

Air cargo comprises more than half of the $37 billion economic impact that DFW Airport delivers to the North Texas region. DFW's cargo tonnage has grown more than 45 percent in the last 10 years. In 2018 alone, DFW handled more than 911,000 U.S. tons of air freight.