The 27,200 m sq GMP and GDP compliant space will house over 30,000 pallet positions capable of supporting storage of a range healthcare products at 2C to 8C, 15C to 25C and up to -20C degrees.
The new site will ensure patient-critical products are delivered where they need to be, at the right time and at the right temperature, said UPS, with it noting that pharma, medical device, and biologics producers increasingly need time-critical and temperature sensitive logistics for their products.
The facility is close to UPS' Europeans hubs at Cologne Bonn Airport and in Roermond, the Netherlands, to enable customers shorten domestic and global transit times - the company maintains that this level of proximity could potentially increase production windows.
The site is also designed to offer next-day delivery to 80% of Europe as well as provide access to major ports including Rotterdam, Antwerp and Amsterdam. In addition, the facility will support hospital and pharmacy distribution across Germany, said UPS.
“We have created a truly pan-European cold chain network, capable of providing end-to-end range of quality specialist storage and handling services,” said John Bolla, president, global logistics and distribution, UPS Healthcare.
The Giessen facility also ticks sustainability boxes, with the roof featuring a solar system that produces over 850,000 kWh of electricity annually - more than the facility consumes.
UPS Healthcare is planning to more than double its presence in dedicated healthcare facilities in 2023 compared to 2020. Throughout this year, it is set to add over 200,000 m2 of warehouse space, of which about half will be in Europe.
