Glaxo Smith Kline (GSK), a major player in the healthcare industry, has signed a new contract with Tranzone Logistics fzco, a specialist in storage and handling solutions for the health industry.

Tranzone, which opened its new facility in the Jebel Ali Free Zone recently, will be responsible for warehousing various GSK products for distribution to the Gulf and Nar East region.

GSK, occupying a major part of Tranzone’s warehouse, will be responsible for contributing approximately 25 per cent of their revenue in 2012, a Tranzone spokesman said. Tranzone fzco is a subsidiary of Banaja Holdings and the first and only facility of its kind in the free zone.

“High priorities in GSK’s awarding of the lucrative contract to Tranzone were the top-of-the-range facilities available and back-up strategies to protect  products at all times in all circumstances, the high quality management system and absolute confidence in their professionalism and ethics, these last two vital when they have a direct impact on health and life itself,” a Tranzone statement said.

GSK has very exacting standards in their quality department but these were all met comfortably, the statement said. Emphasis has also been placed on physical security such as access control and fire prevention and process quality. As well as GSK’s criteria the strict standards demanded by the UAE’s Ministry of Health were also met. The statement added that “such criteria and strict standards were never viewed as a problem; quite the reverse, because of them, clients could be confident in the company’s self-imposed rigorous safety and good practice measures.”

Deal good for Tranzone image

Tranzone said the new deal with GSK, in addition to being financially lucrative, was good for Tranzone’s image and would bring about further recognition in the healthcare industry. 

“GSK is a world-leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare company with headquarters in the UK and to have their public confidence is seen as a major acknowledgement of Tranzone’s place as a force to be reckoned with in the region,” the statement said.

Present at the opening ceremony of the new facility were Aiman Hamadallah, vice president for finance at Banaja Holdings, Juergen Hirsch, general manager, Tranzone Logistics FZCO, and Fouad Benghalem, GSK’s senior vice president for the Middle East and Africa.