When Sanquin learned that one of its two blood processing sites would become unavailable within two years, it faced a complex healthcare supply chain puzzle. A dedicated project team was tasked with addressing the issue – they successfully navigated the transition and at the same time used the momentum to future-proof Sanquin’s logistics and facilities.
Sanquin is the non-profit organisation legally responsible for blood supply, plasma, and blood products in the Netherlands.
Ivo van Schaik, chairman of the board, explains: “Beyond collecting, processing, and distributing blood products, we are also involved in research and education in the field of blood. We help over 100,000 patients each year, contributing to their quality of life. Our mission is clear: ‘Together with donors, for a better life for patients.’”
How the puzzle started
The supply chain puzzle started with news from the hospital adjacent to one of Sanquin’s two processing sites, which also served as a distribution centre. The hospital wanted to purchase the building for its own activities. Sanquin agreed, meaning new premises were required by 1 January 2025.
Supply Chain Director Onno Wisman had often considered the optimal design of Sanquin’s unique healthcare logistics. He explains: “Through our donors at dozens of fixed and mobile locations, we receive blood and plasma. We process these at our facilities into – often life-saving – blood products, which are then distributed to hospitals from our distribution centres. This is all done under strict protocols: from testing every donation for abnormalities to complying with stringent regulations on delivery times and temperature conditions.”
Selling one of the processing and distribution sites presented Sanquin with a unique opportunity to redesign the entire logistics network. Ivo says: “We thought it wise to seek external help for such a high-impact issue that doesn’t come up every day. Impact Stewards was the right partner, with specialist healthcare supply chain expertise and the ability to guide the decision-making process effectively.”
Five members from Impact Stewards – Daniël Brouwer, Laurens van Pinxteren, Johan Kalkoven, Tim van Rees and Patrick Filius – joined the project team. Their first step: a greenfield healthcare supply chain analysis. If Sanquin could redesign everything from scratch – knowing where its collection points and hospitals are – where would the optimal processing and distribution sites be?
The team gathered all relevant financial and supply chain data, developed a supply chain model, and validated the results with experts at Sanquin.
Making choices
This analysis produced 10 different scenarios, but how to choose? Sanquin and Impact Stewards developed a decision-making framework. How could Sanquin maintain patient care quality while meeting legal obligations to supply hospitals within 1 hour and 15 minutes in emergencies, and ensure redundancy during national crises? How could it simultaneously reduce location costs and travel distances, minimise staff impact, and account for sustainability?
Based on the impact on staff, CO2 emissions, and costs, two options remained. These were presented to the Supervisory Board. Ivo explains: “One option offered greater savings but carried a higher risk that staff from the current processing sites might not relocate. Since we wanted to retain our people’s specific knowledge and skills, we chose the alternative: new processing sites near the existing locations.”
“Only the distribution centre in Nijmegen would be consolidated with the existing site in Deventer. We also decided to merge two distribution centres in Eindhoven and Maastricht into a new location in Weert.”
Engaging hospitals
A clear and well-considered decision, but the real challenge was just beginning: quickly finding suitable locations and bringing everyone along with the changes – both internally and externally. To address concerns and potential misunderstandings, Sanquin and Impact Stewards organised a roadshow visiting around 20 hospitals. “Hospitals were particularly worried about travel times. Counter-expertise was even commissioned, but that study also confirmed we had chosen the right locations,” explains Ivo.
Sanquin worked closely with hospitals to find solutions. Onno: “Even the hospital hosting the current processing and distribution site was concerned. Instead of receiving supplies via pneumatic tubes from the hospital, they now had to account for delivery times and adjust their stock. Ultimately, we reviewed stock levels and made special arrangements to adapt supplies to the new conditions.”
Ivo adds: “We invested a lot of time in this as a team. Ultimately, the hospitals also understand that we are doing this together for the bigger picture: keeping the Dutch healthcare system accessible and affordable.”
Scouting locations
Meanwhile, the clock was ticking, and new locations had to be found. Processing and distributing blood and plasma products is not simple and involves strict protocols. Whatever buildings were chosen, significant modifications would be needed.
Impact Stewards assisted in scouting locations. Laurens: “Finding a suitable processing site was particularly challenging. Ideally, all activities would take place on the ground floor for efficient and safe workflows, and the building needed to be easily accessible- not just for staff but also for lorries.”
The chosen processing site was a former baby outlet store in Elst. Ivo explains: “For the staff, who had been involved step-by-step in the decision-making, this was a pleasant surprise: not too far from the original location. Almost everyone wanted to move to the new building. Naturally, the prospect of working in a state-of-the-art facility was also appealing.”
Creative renovation
Extensive renovations were required. Impact Stewards remained closely involved to ensure the project stayed on track. Every renovation has its surprises, and this was no exception. Like much of the Netherlands, Elst’s electricity grid was at capacity. Sanquin planned to make the building highly sustainable, but a heavier electrical supply was still needed for air handling, cooling, and processing blood and plasma products.
Onno explains: “We saved a lot of energy through good insulation, a heat-cold storage system, and battery storage. We also have backup generators for emergencies. Nevertheless, it was uncertain whether we could open without these connections, but we used our creativity to make it possible – through intensive negotiations with the grid operator and setting up our own energy hub.”
Intensive stakeholder engagement
There were more challenges, says Mirjam Reimers, the internal programme manager involved since 2024: “After an intensive renovation, the building was completed in June 2025 – we got a brief extension from the new owner of our old site – just in time for an audit by one of our clients. When I entered the building that very day, the floor was completely flooded because a bolt in a boiler hadn’t been tightened properly. We mopped quickly, reported it honestly to its inspectors, and resolved everything just in time.”
Were there more surprises? Mirjam says: “Thanks to thorough preparation, we had a clear vision of how the building should be set up, but the proof of the pudding is in eating is. We maintained intensive contact with the Works Council and had representatives from almost all of Sanquin’s disciplines in the project team. Through close on-site collaboration with everyone involved, we resolved many surprises before they became problems. We took all these experiences with us to the next locations.”
Pushing on
For the new distribution centre in Weert, a former yoga school was chosen. Onno explains: “A distribution centre is technically less complex, but no less critical. The weekend it opened, we were immediately tested: emergency requests came in, and there were roadworks. Fortunately, everyone saw that we could meet our commitments.”
Mirjam adds: “We are pushing ahead: the second processing site in Greater Amsterdam will also move to an optimised building. And that’s not all: the next step will be optimising the donor locations.”
Positive effects
What does such a project ultimately deliver? Ivo says: “Like many construction projects, we faced rising material and labour costs. We also had to invest heavily in our own energy supply – more than initially anticipated. The financial business case shrank: was it still worth continuing? Sometimes, such investments are truly necessary for a future-proof chain.”
“A major project like this also has positive side effects: it broke down silos within the organisation and improved how we manage programmes,” he continues.
The right support
What was it like working on this project with Impact Stewards? Ivo says: “It was an incredibly rewarding project. You start with a strategic choice, but it becomes very concrete – right down to the window frames. Since we didn’t have all the capabilities in-house, it was valuable to have the right external expertise and a fresh perspective from Impact Stewards. Of course, there were challenging moments, especially when the business case turned out less favourable than expected. But overall, the collaboration was exceptionally positive.”
Mirjam adds: “I joined as an internal programme manager at Sanquin when the project was already underway. I enjoy a challenge, and this project certainly was one. There was no slack in the schedule, so a lot was at stake. Step by step, I took over from Impact Stewards, and the transition was very smooth- everyone was very open.”
Lessons for others
Healthcare supply chains and facilities are critical for any healthcare organisation. What can others learn from this experience? Ivo advises: “If you’re considering a new building, pay close attention to the electrical supply. Most healthcare institutions need heavier connections than average organisations, and it’s no longer guaranteed that the grid operator can provide them. This can make or break your project.”
Tim states: “This was also a challenging and incredibly enjoyable project for us. Sanquin is a very open organisation; the Board of Directors was highly involved and accessible. That way, we could move forward quickly together. It also aligns with our philosophy to hand over such a project to the organisation itself, and I’m pleased that this has been successful.”
Patrick adds: “When you think of relocation, you don’t immediately think of strategy and transformation. Yet that’s exactly what this was: the physical design of your healthcare supply chain is a strategic choice with significant impact on all stakeholders. It was a privilege to guide Sanquin through this process.”