It all starts at Octapharma Logistics Centre in Arlandastad, Sweden

Interview: Marcus Wahlqvist, Head of the Logistics Centre in Arlandastad

In 2014, Octapharma opened a warehouse in Arlandastad, employing five people with a strategy to further develop the business. It is now a complete logistics centre with 40 employees, newly renovated premises and modern technology.

We’ve grown rapidly, but it’s still a friendly workplace with a warm and positive atmosphere,” says Marcus Wahlqvist, Head of the Logistics Centre in Arlandastad.

Seven days a week, the logistics centre receives incoming materials, both raw materials and plasma, which are then sent off and used in production at the Stockholm site.

“We make sure that it’s the right material, the right quantity and the right quality. We also carry out sampling to guarantee the quality of the material we buy,” says Marcus.

“We also work with Single Donation Control (SDC), which is an important step in our quality chain. We cross-check each individual donation against a register and make sure that there are no problems with the donor and that the plasma is sufficiently old, because it has to be left to rest for a while. A visual check is then performed to make sure that there aren’t too many platelets in the blood. The material must have the right colour and contain more plasma than blood,” explains Marcus.

Better flows and more satisfied employees

The operation at the logistics centre is a complex one. Since Marcus took over as manager, a lot of time has been spent streamlining flows and processes, which are necessary in a rapidly expanding operation.

“It’s all teamwork, and together with my amazing team leaders Jessica Tuomi and Simon Götz, as well as logistics specialist Christofer Järvermo, we’ve now created an order flow that’s controlled and managed. The employees are doing an incredible job, and we’ve received a very positive response to the changes we’ve made. Having an effective order flow is also noticed by employees, who feel that they have their work under control and experience less stress. They avoid unforeseen events,” says Marcus.

Rotation provides variety at work

Another change that has been introduced at the Logistics Centre is job rotation.

“We’ve now adopted a function-based approach to work, which means that employees can work at one place on one day and at another one the next day, depending on their needs. Those who work here learn a lot and experience variation in their work. Things don’t grind to a halt if someone falls ill, but everyone here can help each other with their work, which also contributes to an enhanced sense of team spirit. We understand each other’s duties and we solve things together here. I think this is one of the most enjoyable workplaces I’ve experienced, precisely because it’s relatively complex, yet still manageable, and the people here are amazing. We’ve grown quite quickly, but we still have that friendly feeling,” says Marcus.