Alaska-based Lynden International Logistics (LILCO) has opened a station in Guelph, Ontario - its fifth location in Canada. "We consider this our flagship facility," says Brian MacAskill, LILCO Vice President and General Manager.
The new location, offering customers state-of-the-art security and temperature control of their shipments, can accommodate 8,000 ambient pallets, 1,000 cooler pallets, and 350 pallets of controlled substances. Pharmaceuticals represent a high-value inventory and security can be a challenge, states the company. Controlled substances require storage regulated by Health Canada's Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. One of LILCO's two controlled drug vaults is the largest third-party logistics (3PL) vault in Canada.
Lynden’s Fort Knox in Guelph
The vaults include motion, heat, and smoke detection, seismic detectors, and layered security access that includes access cards, combination locks, and biometric fingerprint reading, thus much
resembling standards applicable in Fort Knox.
At almost 33,000 m² (108,000 square feet), the Guelph facility is LILCO's largest. It brings LILCO's Canadian footprint to nearly 13,700 m² (450,000 square feet). The other locations are in
Vancouver, Calgary, and two in the greater Toronto area – Vaughan and Milton.
Construction on the Guelph location started in late 2019. Despite the challenges and delays due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the facility was completed on time, Lynden’s management emphasizes.
"This required approvals from regional authorities, and a tremendous amount of dedication and teamwork from Lynden and vendors alike. The Health Canada audit went very well, and the facility
was licensed for operation on schedule," Brian MacAskill explains.
The technology aspect was a key element of the startup. "Lynden's IT team was terrific in supporting LILCO and its requirements," Adrian Peluffo, LILCO Vice President of Administration,
adds.
Fleet of L-100 Hercules
In addition to truck, rail, ship transports, warehousing, and project logistics, the Anchorage, Alaska-based company offers customers air freight capacity on its Lookheed L-100-30 Hercules fleet.
The cargo subsidiary was incepted in 1995 and operates linehaul flights within a regional Alaskan and Canadian network, as well as individual charter missions to remote places in Indonesia and
the Asia-Pacific region on behalf of humanitarian organizations or within the framework of special projects.
Heiner Siegmund
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