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86 THE JOURNAL OF COMMERCE www.joc.com MAY 26.2014 TOP 100 IMPORTERS AND EXPORTERS By Bruce Barnard IT OCCUPIES ONLY 300 square feet in the world's biggest international airport, but American Airlines Cargo's fi rst European temperature-controlled facility, which opened this month at London Heathrow, underscores the rise of health care as a key driver of global transportation demand. Although the overall air freight market is fl at-lining, pharmaceutical shipments rang- ing from vaccines and serums to plasma and lab tests are growing rapidly as the health care industry goes global. American Air- lines, which operates up to 14 daily fl ights between London and the U.S., says its Expe- dite TC cold chain operation is posting strong growth, with passive shipments increasing 15 percent in the fi rst quarter year-over-year. The airline's Heathrow facilit y is designed to maintain a temperature range of 15 to 25 degrees Celsius, and will assist ship- pers and forwarders with two-day packages by helping to extend the life of gel packs, said Tristan Koch, AA Cargo's managing direc- tor of sales in Europe. "The facility will be of special interest to our Irish pharmaceuti- cal customers who have goods that transit London Heathrow on their way to other international destinations." The carrier also is expanding its U.S. operation with the construction of a 30,000-square-feet dedicated cold chain facility in Philadelphia, one of the nation's most strategic markets. The pharmaceutical industry is playing a key role in the strategic planning of airlines as they seek to boost sagging utilization rates. IAG Cargo, the merged British Airways-Ibe- ria carrier, said its recent decision to upgrade Pharma is playing a key role in the strategic planning of airlines as they seek to boost sagging utilization rates. Rx for Air Freight With much of the air cargo sector on life support, pharmaceuticals trade is giving carriers and forwarders a boost