Medical support
UPS has expanded its network of medical device field stocking locations (FSLs) in Europe. Today’s (30 June) announcement follows on from the 2014 launch of a fully healthcare-compliant network of medical device FSLs in the US.
In Europe, UPS is upgrading a selection of key FSLs, closest to hospital locations, with a quality management system that includes temperature monitoring and visibility into product expiration, making UPS’s field stocking sites a cost-effective and practical solution.
“A significant portion of medical devices are routinely stored in the trunks of field sales representatives’ vehicles, or what’s called in the industry ‘trunk stock,’ ” said Jan Denecker, director of healthcare marketing and strategy, UPS Europe.
“This leads to inflated inventories with little to no visibility and less than optimal storage conditions. UPS’s FSL network helps solve these challenges for medical device manufacturers.”
UPS added that this was the latest in a series of recent expansions in Europe, including acquisitions of specialised healthcare logistics provider Poltraf in Poland and Polar Speed in the UK. UPS also opened an air freight forwarding facility at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol that is regulatory compliant and temperature-controlled, and expanded its European healthcare distribution campus in Roermond.
“UPS’s ongoing investments in Europe demonstrate our commitment to providing the right global solutions healthcare and life science companies require to meet demand,” said Geoff Light, UPS vice president of healthcare strategy.
