Porsche heads effort to airlift PPE from Shanghai to hospitals in Germany

MANILA: German sports car maker Porsche partners with logistics firms DB Schenker and Lufthansa Cargo to fly essential medical equipment to hospitals, emergency service units, and other institutions in Germany amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since April 9, Porsche has been “organizing the supply chain and airlifting of protective masks, goggles and suits from Shanghai, China, to Germany,” the firm reported in a release. “To date, at least six aircrafts a week have been transporting the cargo to Frankfurt and Munich, where the materials are then trucked to a warehouse at Stuttgart airport. From there, authorities from the German states of Saxony and Baden-Wurttemberg take over the distribution of the protective equipment to concerned agencies.”

According to Porsche, since the airlifts started, “several million masks” of various protection classes, plus protective suits and goggles have made their way to Stuttgart. The city is the capital of southwest Germany’s Baden-Württemberg state, and where Porsche is headquartered.

By the end of May, materials reaching Germany are expected to amounted to over €100 million in worth — and a collective volume that requires up to 50 passenger aircrafts to transport.

Said Uwe-Karsten Stadter, a member of the executive board for procurement at Porsche AG, “Everyone is contributing their strengths in this joint effort, and it is working extremely well. At the moment it is more than ever about getting involved, showing consideration for others, and taking on responsibility — central values of our Porsche culture,”

DB Schenker said it is pleased that it is able to maintain supply chains for the medical products, citing its network in almost 140 countries is guaranteeing the supplies reach the people who need them. Meanwhile, Lufthansa Cargo explained that using passenger aircraft as freight planes further ensure the medical equipment arrive safely in Germany.

In photo are (from left): DB Schenker CFO Oliver Seidl, Minister for Social Affairs and Integration in Baden-Württemberg Manne Lucha, member of the executive board for procurement at Porsche AG Uwe-Karsten Städter, and member of the executive board and COO of Lufthansa Cargo AG Dorothea von Boxberg.

Photo from Porsche

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