Why Organizations Add ATEK Alongside Controlant
When Pfizer-BioNTech needed real-time cold chain visibility for COVID-19 vaccine distribution across dozens of countries, they turned to Controlant — an Icelandic company that had spent over a decade building GPS-enabled temperature monitoring for pharmaceutical shipments. That partnership put Controlant on the global stage and validated their in-transit monitoring capabilities at unprecedented scale. But once those vaccine shipments arrived at hospitals, pharmacies, and distribution centers, a different monitoring challenge began: keeping those products safe in storage. That is where ATEK comes in.
Understanding Controlant
Controlant hf. was founded in 2006-2007 in Reykjavik, Iceland, and is now headquartered in nearby Kopavogur. The company built its reputation on Cold Chain as a Service (CCaaS) — a platform combining Sage Smart Monitor reusable IoT loggers with the Aurora cloud platform to provide real-time GPS location and temperature tracking for pharmaceutical shipments in transit. Controlant was acquired by Emerson Electric around 2021-2022 as part of their cold chain strategy. Following Emerson’s Copeland spinoff in May 2023, Controlant now operates under Blackstone-owned Copeland, giving it access to a broader cold chain ecosystem.
With approximately 150-200 employees, Controlant is focused on a specific and important problem: ensuring pharmaceutical products maintain temperature integrity during shipment. Their WHO PQS prequalification makes their devices eligible for global immunization programs, and their Pfizer-BioNTech partnership demonstrated their platform at the most demanding scale imaginable.
Controlant’s recognized strengths include:
- COVID-19 Vaccine Cold Chain Role — The Pfizer-BioNTech partnership required tracking ultra-cold vaccine shipments (-70C) across global supply chains in real time, providing Controlant with operational proof that few competitors can match for in-transit monitoring
- Real-Time GPS + Temperature Monitoring — The Sage IoT loggers provide simultaneous location and temperature data throughout the shipping journey, giving logistics teams visibility into exactly where a shipment is and whether it has maintained temperature from origin to destination
- WHO PQS Prequalification — Controlant’s prequalification for vaccine cold chain monitoring positions them as an approved provider for global health organizations, immunization campaigns, and public health supply chains
Common Challenges After Shipment Arrival
Organizations that rely on Controlant for transport monitoring frequently encounter a critical gap when shipments reach their destination:
- No facility monitoring capability: Controlant’s platform is designed to track products in motion. Once a pharmaceutical shipment arrives at a warehouse, pharmacy, or laboratory, Controlant’s monitoring role ends — but the temperature-sensitive products still need continuous environmental oversight during storage
- Compliance framework mismatch: Controlant’s compliance posture targets GDP (Good Distribution Practice) for transport logistics. Stationary facilities requiring FDA 21 CFR Part 11 compliance, electronic signatures, and ALCOA+ data integrity for stored products need a different monitoring solution with different regulatory capabilities
- Calibration and validation gaps for fixed sensors: Controlant’s reusable Sage loggers are designed for shipping cycles, not permanent installation in facility environments. Fixed facility monitoring requires A2LA-accredited calibration, IQ/OQ/PQ validation documentation, and ongoing sensor maintenance programs that transport-focused providers do not offer
- Overnight facility response during North American hours: Controlant’s support infrastructure is based in Iceland on European timezone schedules. A temperature excursion in a vaccine storage unit at 3 AM Eastern needs immediate local response from a team that understands facility monitoring workflows, not shipment logistics queries
- Regulatory documentation for stationary storage: Health Canada, provincial regulations, and FDA requirements for environmental monitoring in pharmacies, labs, and warehouses demand compliance reports, audit trails, and electronic records that go beyond transport chain-of-custody documentation
How ATEK Addresses the Facility Monitoring Gap
Purpose-Built Facility Monitoring: Controlant was built to track products moving through supply chains. ATEK was built to monitor the environments where those products are stored. Every feature — sensor placement optimization, room-level alarming, automated compliance reporting, calibration scheduling — addresses the specific requirements of pharmaceutical facility monitoring in labs, pharmacies, cleanrooms, and cold storage. There is no logistics layer to work around, and no adaptation of transport tools required for stationary use.
5-Minute Live Response During North American Hours: For organizations accustomed to Controlant’s Iceland-based support model, ATEK eliminates the overnight coverage gap for facility monitoring. When a vaccine storage refrigerator triggers an alarm at 2 AM Eastern, ATEK’s Quebec-based monitoring specialists are already working — not waking up in Kopavogur. The 5-minute phone response guarantee means facility excursions receive immediate attention from staff who understand cold chain storage requirements, not shipment routing.
A2LA-Accredited Calibration for Fixed Installations: Controlant’s Sage loggers are calibrated for shipping cycles and transit use. Facility monitoring sensors require ongoing calibration with A2LA-accredited certificates traceable to national standards. ATEK’s in-house calibration lab in Canada handles this directly — no international shipping, no third-party coordination, and no customs delays that would leave monitoring gaps in regulated environments.
All-Inclusive Pricing for Facility Coverage: Controlant’s CCaaS pricing is structured around shipment volume and transport routes. ATEK’s per-monitoring-point pricing covers a fundamentally different need: hardware, cloud platform access, calibration, IQ/OQ/PQ validation documentation, training, and 24/7 support for permanent facility installations. The pricing models do not compete because they serve different parts of the supply chain.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Factor | Controlant | ATEK | Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-transit GPS + temperature | Sage IoT loggers + Aurora | Not offered | Controlant |
| Fixed facility monitoring | Not offered | Purpose-built platform | ATEK |
| WHO PQS prequalification | Yes | No | Controlant |
| FDA 21 CFR Part 11 | Not applicable (transport) | Full compliance | ATEK |
| Global shipment tracking | Core capability | Not offered | Controlant |
| Calibration lab | Transport-cycle calibration | A2LA-accredited in-house | ATEK |
| Support response | EU timezone primary | 5-minute guarantee, 24/7 | ATEK |
| Bilingual support (EN/FR) | Not available | Native French + English | ATEK |
| Canadian data hosting | Not specified | Canadian-hosted, PIPEDA-compliant | ATEK |
| Copeland/Blackstone ecosystem | Integrated | Independent | Controlant |
Who Benefits Most from Adding ATEK
- Pharmaceutical facilities already using Controlant for transport that need continuous environmental monitoring once shipments arrive at warehouses, distribution centers, or pharmacies — creating unbroken cold chain documentation from origin through storage
- Vaccine distribution sites that received product tracked by Controlant during transit but lack a compliant facility monitoring system for ongoing storage in refrigerators and freezers, particularly sites involved in vaccination programs
- Canadian facilities with bilingual requirements that need local support, Canadian data hosting, and French-language capabilities alongside their existing Controlant transport monitoring
Adding ATEK Alongside Controlant
Rather than replacing Controlant, most organizations add ATEK to cover the facility monitoring side of the cold chain. The implementation follows a straightforward approach:
- Gap assessment — We map which monitoring points at your facility currently have no environmental monitoring coverage after Controlant’s transport tracking ends. This includes storage areas, pharmacy refrigerators, laboratory environments, and cleanrooms where products reside after delivery
- Facility deployment — ATEK wireless sensors install in your facility environments. Since Controlant monitors products in transit and ATEK monitors facility environments, there is no system overlap or conflict — each platform covers its own domain
- Validation and compliance — Complete IQ/OQ/PQ documentation is included for all facility monitoring points. ATEK’s compliance framework covers FDA 21 CFR Part 11, Health Canada requirements, and provincial regulations specific to stationary storage — the regulatory areas that Controlant’s transport-focused GDP compliance does not address
- Operational integration — Your operations team gains a unified view of the full cold chain: Controlant provides transport visibility, ATEK provides facility monitoring. Many organizations find this complementary approach delivers more robust documentation than trying to force a single transport-focused platform into facility monitoring duty
When Controlant May Be the Right Fit
Controlant is the right choice for organizations whose primary monitoring need is in-transit pharmaceutical cold chain visibility. Their Pfizer-BioNTech-validated platform, WHO PQS prequalification, reusable Sage IoT loggers, and GPS-enabled real-time tracking are purpose-built for shipment monitoring at global scale. Organizations deeply embedded in the Copeland cold chain ecosystem, or those focused exclusively on transport logistics without stationary facility monitoring requirements, will find Controlant well-suited to their needs.
When ATEK Is the Better Choice
Choose ATEK when you need:
- Continuous facility monitoring for the products Controlant tracked in transit — covering labs, pharmacies, cleanrooms, and cold storage after delivery
- FDA 21 CFR Part 11 compliance with electronic signatures and ALCOA+ data integrity for stationary storage environments, beyond Controlant’s transport-focused GDP framework
- A2LA-accredited calibration from a Canadian lab for permanently installed facility sensors, rather than transport-cycle calibration for shipping loggers
- 5-minute live support response during North American overnight hours from facility monitoring specialists, not Iceland-based logistics support
- Bilingual support and Canadian data hosting for Quebec and Canadian facilities with PIPEDA and provincial privacy compliance
Start with a free assessment to see how ATEK complements your existing Controlant transport monitoring.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does ATEK replace Controlant for cold chain monitoring?
No — ATEK and Controlant serve different parts of the cold chain. Controlant monitors pharmaceutical products in transit (GPS + temperature during shipment). ATEK monitors facility environments where those products are stored after arrival (labs, pharmacies, freezers, cleanrooms). Most organizations use both platforms together for complete cold chain documentation from shipment origin through long-term storage.
Can Controlant’s Sage loggers monitor facility environments?
The Sage Smart Monitor loggers are designed for reusable shipping cycles — attached to shipments, tracked in transit, then returned and reconditioned for the next shipment. While technically capable of measuring temperature, they lack the facility-specific features required for stationary environmental monitoring: permanent installation, FDA 21 CFR Part 11 compliance, automated compliance reporting, room-level alarming, and A2LA-accredited calibration for fixed sensors.
How does ATEK work alongside Controlant operationally?
The two platforms cover non-overlapping domains. Controlant tracks your shipment from the manufacturer or distributor to your facility door. When the shipment arrives, ATEK’s facility monitoring takes over — continuously monitoring the storage environment with real-time alerting, compliance documentation, and 24/7 support. Your operations team uses Controlant for transport records and ATEK for facility records, creating unbroken chain-of-custody documentation.
Does ATEK meet the same regulatory standards as Controlant?
ATEK and Controlant address different regulatory frameworks. Controlant targets GDP (Good Distribution Practice) and WHO PQS prequalification for transport cold chain. ATEK provides full FDA 21 CFR Part 11 compliance, electronic signatures, ALCOA+ data integrity, and IQ/OQ/PQ validation documentation for stationary facility monitoring. For Canadian facilities, ATEK also addresses Health Canada and provincial regulatory requirements.
How long does it take to deploy ATEK at a facility already using Controlant?
Typical facility monitoring deployments take 2-4 weeks per site, including sensor installation, validation, and IQ/OQ/PQ documentation. Since ATEK covers facility monitoring and Controlant covers transport, there is no system migration or data transfer required — ATEK installs as a new system alongside your existing Controlant deployment.
Is ATEK available for facilities outside North America?
ATEK currently specializes in North American facility monitoring, with bilingual support (English and French), Canadian data hosting, and A2LA-accredited calibration from a Canadian lab. For organizations with global operations, Controlant handles international transport monitoring while ATEK covers North American facility environments — a natural geographic division of monitoring responsibilities. Request a demo to discuss your specific facility locations.