Arca BioLogistics partners with Cen Global to propel bio-science logistics into the 21st century

Arca BioLogistics has joined forces with Cen Global, one of the UK’s leading providers of transport and logistics systems, to transform the delivery of life science and healthcare products across the globe.

Specialising in the distribution and handling of research material as well as healthcare and pharmaceutical products, Arca offers an end-to-end specialist logistics service for its customers which focuses on an unwavering commitment to precision and transparency at every step.

Formed in 2023, Arca has already gone from strength to strength in its short time of trading, harnessing the knowledge and expertise of its directors, who each boast impressive backgrounds working within some of the industry’s most high-profile organisations, to instil a technology-driven approach that provides customers with total visibility across the entire logistics process.

For many organisations the traditional modus operandi when looking to ship products is to manage everything through email, resulting in long drawn-out exchanges and frustration from all parties involved.

Recognising that this industry-wide problem of outdated and cumbersome booking processes was in need of solving, Arca set out to develop a platform that not only provided customers with real-time visibility into their shipment’s location and temperature, but also one that streamlined their entire booking experience. The solution allows for quotes to be produced within seconds and bookings within minutes, drastically reducing the burden of time associated with complex logistics requirements.

After identifying their chosen core operating system, Arca sought out the services of Cen Global, to build and develop its portal, Arca Live.

Through this cutting-edge platform, Arca customers can book shipments, create customs paperwork, upload and access documentation, check pricing, as well as review and monitor live temperature and the location of their shipments with ease – enabling them to make informed decisions, reduce risks and give them the confidence that their products are being handled correctly and with the utmost care.

With a requirement to align their portal with the core operating system, a seamless data synchronisation between both platforms was required. Cen Global was able to facilitate this by delivering a robust, intergrated and bespoke solution that not only allowed Arca to optimise its own operations, but also give its customers the ability to track shipments, manage documentation, and receive updates at the click of a button.

The success of the portal has been remarkable thus far, with many Arca customers experiencing a dramatic reduction in booking lead times, in some cases saving hours if not days.

In the coming months, Arca, with the assistance of Cen Global, will be advancing to phase two of its portal development, where a range of new features will be released.

According to Tom Webb, Director of Operations at Arca BioLogistics, providing customers with a user-friendly portal which combines visibility and transparency is becoming vital due to the complexity and sensitivity required when shipping healthcare and pharmaceutical products.

Tom commented: “Our primary purpose is to get a shipment from A to B as efficiently and seamlessly as possible while providing vital data and complete visibility throughout the process - ensuring that our customer’s consignments are delivered on time and in perfect condition.

“In many ways we’re operating in the forgotten space. When transporting pharmaceuticals and research materials, there is an added risk that they will spoil in transit. This is where the use of passive monitoring as an industry standard is now rather outdated, as if a shipment has gone outside of its temperature range and the product is spoiled, then that won’t be known until it arrives at its end point. It is for this reason why we have flipped the script and looked to take a more proactive and preventative approach.

“By leveraging live data, we can monitor shipments for customers in real-time and have alerts set to notify us of any temperature fluctuations, ultimately allowing us to take immediate action during transit to prevent products from going out of range. Cen Global has been instrumental in bringing this concept to life.”

Paul Grindall Commercial Director at Arca BioLogistics also added: “From the very first meeting our customers can see first-hand the benefits of the solution. We built the portal with the user in mind, focusing on a simplistic and comfortable design, largely because the majority of day-to-day shippers aren’t logistics people, so ease of use was essential in the building process and is an area our customers believe we are now unmatched in.

“By combining the reduced booking lead times with some of the fastest door-to-door transit times across Europe, we significantly shorten the time this valuable product spends in transit, accelerating its progression to the next stage of the process.”

“Since our inception we have wanted to evolve our offering around what the customer wants rather than shoehorning them into a product box. Arca Live enables us to do this by providing a customisable platform that adapts to each customer's specific requirements and can be used without the need for intensive training. This aspect was vital as it allows customers to focus on what they know and understand – their own business – and Cen Global went above and beyond to facilitate this.”