UPS rolls out Amsterdam-based healthcare-dedicated air freight forwarding facility

Earlier this week, UPS opened up a healthcare-dedicated air freight forwarding facility at Amsterdam Schipol, Netherlands, which it said serves as an expansion of its European-based temperature-controlled supply chain capabilities.

UPS officials explained that this facility highlights its focus in ongoing growth investments focused on the logistics needs of European healthcare and life-science companies.

The 600-square-meter, GDP-compliant facility is designed to meet the highest standards in pharmaceutical freight forwarding, featuring 15ºC -to-25ºC and 2ºC-to-8ºC temperature zones and 24/7 monitoring and alarm systems to protect the integrity of temperature-sensitive healthcare shipments, according to UPS, with the company adding that UPS operators follow in-depth training programs and adhere to healthcare-specific protocols to ensure that inbound and outbound products are handled safely and securely during transit.

This facility will also enable UPS to provide more control of the cross-docking and interim storage of healthcare shipments and also help shippers mitigate risks and comply with high quality standards. At the facility, UPS also provides for the assembly of insulated pallet packing options and the maintenance of actively-controlled container solutions. UPS staff on-site are trained to ensure appropriate handling and adherence to operating instructions of packaging suppliers, the company said.

“With the rise of biologics and temperature-sensitive products as well as changing regulations governing the transportation of pharmaceuticals across different geographies, companies need increased control and protection of their products during transit,” said John Menna, UPS vice president of global strategy, healthcare logistics, in a statement. “The new life-sciences center at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol allows us to process shipments under strict temperature conditions according to expectations set out in the EU GDP guidelines.”

A UPS spokesman said in an interview that the company’s strategic investments align with the expectations of its customers who are looking for a partner that can provide complex logistical solutions, explaining that customers also want a partner that can execute supply chain strategies to help them capitalize on new market opportunities, while driving as many supply chain efficiencies as possible.

“Since UPS opened its first healthcare-dedicated distribution center in Europe in Roermond, Netherlands in 2009, UPS’s healthcare reach and expertise in Europe expanded significantly and we are now able to deliver comprehensive, compliant services to customers in the pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device industries across the continent,” the spokesman said. “The new facility at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol was needed to allow UPS to process freight shipments under strict temperature conditions according to expectations set out in the EU GDP guidelines, which govern the transportation and handling of healthcare shipments in Europe.”

As for the benefits this new facility provides for UPS’s European healthcare shipper customers, he said that UPS helps healthcare companies build agile logistics networks that give them the ability to quickly accommodate different types of products, leverage new distribution channels to reach new customers in new and existing markets, and prioritize risk management to ensure business continuity in a growing global marketplace.

What’s more, he noted that UPS helps healthcare companies build agile logistics networks that give them the ability to quickly accommodate different types of products, leverage new distribution channels to reach new customers in new and existing markets, and prioritize risk management to ensure business continuity in a growing global marketplace.

“Companies that will ultimately win in the new healthcare marketplace will view their supply chains as strategic areas for innovation and business growth,” he said. “Also, trends such as industry collaboration and convergence mean that supply chains are becoming more inter-connected. This UPS facility as well as other strategic investments will help facilitate that growth and global expansion for our customers.”

This news comes roughly six months after UPS said it agreed to acquire Poland-based pharmaceutical logistics company Poltraf. UPS said that through this acquisition it will augment its healthcare expertise and network in Europe, specifically in the fast growing healthcare markets in Central and Eastern Europe.

Poltraf was established in 2005 and its primary service offering is its temperature-sensitive warehousing and transportation solutions geared to help healthcare and life sciences shippers maximize supply chain efficiencies, meet regulatory requirements and deliver products in a reliable and secure manner.