Good news has been announced last December, with multiple vaccines approved for the COVID-19 virus and vaccination campaigns underway in many countries worldwide. A worldwide sigh of relief could be heard as the first doses of much-anticipated vaccines started being shipped around the globe. In order to make this all possible, the precious doses must travel great distances with strict handling requirements. Let's take a look at what's behind the scenes of what can be presumed to be the biggest vaccination campaign in history.

High levels of supplies and urgent distribution

All the material handling partners that make the supply chain, big or small, are facing a gigantic task. There are unprecedented amounts of supplies to distribute, that need to be delivered in a timely fashion all while respecting specific safety, temperature and other highly complex handling conditions.

Here are the key logistics steps between the vaccine and patients:

Some estimated numbers to put the challenge into perspective*:

• 10 billion doses needed to cover 70% of the world population


• 15 million cooling boxes required for transit


• 200,000 movements by pallet shipper


• 15,000 flights (by Boeing 747)

Furthermore, add the complexity of handling medical supplies*:

• Variable temperature requirements for different vaccines (from -70°C to +8°C)


• A total of up to 276 kg of dry ice per pallet could be required to maintain lower temperatures, making for potentially hazardous conditions

From the vaccine manufacturers' warehouses to airports to health authorities and finally to points of vaccination where doses are administrated to patients, material handling organizations such as Camso, a worldwide tire manufacturer, will be put to the challenge of supporting this complex journey.

Many of our clients in the material handling and logistics industry rely on Camso products and on-site service of equipment to ensure the uptime of their operations as well as product availability in order to beat the clock while they transport the vaccines.

Camso dedicated to safe and efficient operations

Camso and its partners are expected to play a key role with global partners in making material handling more efficient with the help of our complete range of material handling mobility solutions. More than ever, safety and reliability remain constant requirements for our clients when managing their ground support, warehousing and logistics equipment.

With over 375 mobile units around the world, we will also rely on the strength of our Solideal on-site services to perform urgent maintenance and maximize equipment uptime on any forklift tires and wheels.

Three tire technologies to meet requirements of any application

To help our clients reach the highest productivity levels required for warehousing, logistics and industry, we provide the optimal material handling and logistics solutions, no matter the environment or the intensity of the application. Learn more about the three technologies available for Camso solutions:

Solid resilient tires	Resilient tires include several layers of different types of rubbers: most resilient tires consist of a tread layer, a middle layer and a heel layer with steel bead reinforcements. Key benefits include puncture and maintenance free operations, high mileage and low cost per hour. When to replace resilient tires: watch our video here
Solid press-on tires	Press-on tires (cushion tires) are made of a rubber tread layer bonded to a cylindrical steel band. Key benefits include a high load carrying capacity, great stability as well as puncture and maintenance free operations. When to replace press-on tires: watch our video here
Bias pneumatic tires	Bias tires (diagonal ply tires) include multiple layers of fabric plies, set one on the other, running diagonally from bead to bead. Key benefits include high stability, low acquisition costs and a robust solution for rough industrial usage. When to replace industrial pneumatic tires: watch our video here

More than ever as we go through this global crisis together, Camso remains dedicated to partner with clients to ensure operations that are efficient and safe, to successfully assist in completing the mission of delivering the COVID-19 vaccines. For more information about our solutions, visit camso.co.


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About Camso
Camso^® is a commercial brand of the Michelin Group specialized in off-road tires, wheels, rubber tracks and undercarriage systems serving the material handling, construction, agricultural and powersports industries. Its high-performance products are specifically designed to meet the unique mobility needs of every application of the OTR vehicle market. Trusted by leading original equipment manufacturers (OEM), Camso products are also distributed in the replacement market through a global distribution network. For more information, visit camso.co.

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*Source: IATA webinars on Transport of vaccines

Disclaimer: this article does not provide medical advice or expertise about COVID-19 or the COVID-19 vaccine. It only aims to portray the logistics issues behind the distribution of medical supplies worldwide.