Frankfurt am Main, April 16, 2024

The pharmaceutical supply chain industry has undergone significant transformations in the wake of several “black swan” events that have battled the world economy over the past few years. Miebach's new international study from 2024 with over 300 participants reflects the evolving needs and drastic shifts in priorities of the pharmaceutical supply chain, offering strategic recommendations to overcome challenges and capitalize on emerging opportunities.

Achieving Cost-effective and Transparent Supply Chains

The study underscores the importance of mitigating supply chain risks while effectively managing costs. The need for optimizing the current supply chain network is seen as the biggest challenge by 98% of the participants, followed by achieving global visibility of the whole network.

What can we expect from the future?

Emerging trends highlight a concerted effort towards enhancing supply chain resilience through inbound optimization, organizational restructuring, and leveraging digital tools such as AI and Big Data analysis. There is a notable shift towards prioritizing supply chain disruption resilience over traditional cost-cutting measures, with 98% of all participants seeing the underlying supply chain optimization as their top priority.

What Role do Technologies play?

Technologies like AI, Big Data, and warehouse automation continue to play pivotal roles in supply chain optimization. However, the study reveals some previously promising solutions experiencing setbacks over the past four years, with over 80% seeing blockchain as “not relevant” anymore.

Sustainability in the Pharma Supply Chain

Sustainability is still implemented continuously – almost all network studies account for it in planning and make it part of the decision-making process. 76% of all participants also highlighted that a sustainable supply chain is one of their highest priorities, setting the scene for future developments and efforts.

We are at a pivotal moment in the evolution of pharma logistics. As the industry embraces digital transformation, the opportunities for innovation are boundless. Miebach's study provides valuable insights to guide industry leaders in navigating this rapidly changing landscape and stay one step ahead", said Achim Sponheimer, Head of Pharma & Life Sciences at Miebach.