UPS Healthcare opens first dedicated facility in Germany

UPS Healthcare has opened its first dedicated healthcare logistics facility in Giessen, Germany, creating up to 150 new jobs. The 27,200m2 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.

device and biologics producers that increasingly need time-critical and temperature sensitive logistics for their products. The global market for biologic therapeutic drugs is set to increase from $285.5 billion in 2020 to $421.8 billion by 2025.

WISETECH Academy, the online training arm of WiseTech Global, has launched the WiseTech Diploma of International Freight Forwarding. The Diploma prepares students around the world for the role of International Freight Forwarder and covers all aspects of the global movement of cargo, relevant regulatory requirements, and conventions and barriers that impact the flow of trade.

The fully online and self-paced format allows students to start and finish at any time throughout the year. The high-quality learning experience is delivered via multimedia content that includes interactive tools, videos, quick quizzes and a community forum, all designed to help students synthesize and apply what they have learnt. The total fee for the Diploma is AUD $1,024.

“WiseTech is committed to supporting education and skills development in the logistics industry through affordable and accessible courses designed for professionals who work in global supply chains,” Dr Tudor Maxwell, who leads WiseTech Academy at

WiseTech Global, said.

“The fully online format of the WiseTech Diploma of International Freight Forwarding allows students flexibility to fit their studies around their work and personal lives, making it ideal for people who are transitioning into the industry or preparing to advance their career in international trade. They do not need to wait for the next student intake or work around scheduled class timetables,” Dr Maxwell added.

The Diploma is made up of 16 courses covering the various modes of transport within the industry such as sea, air, road, rail and inland waterway and the combination of these through multimodal transport, logistics, warehousing and distribution. It also addresses safety and security, liability and insurance, incoterms, global customs practices, handling of dangerous goods and the various technologies that support global trade. Participants can take any of the 16 courses as a standalone course to achieve a Certificate of Attainment. Once they complete all 16 courses, they are awarded the full Diploma Certificate.

“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.“In opening our first facility in Germany, we can provide greater visibility and control to ensure our customer’s patient-critical products are delivered where they need to be, at the right time and at the right temperature.”

The roof of the facility features a solar system that produces more than 850,000 kWh of electricity annually – more than the facility consumes. The building also meets the Gold Standard of the German Sustainable Building Council.

Strategically located, the new facility offers access to the fast-growing European healthcare markets, supporting pharmaceutical, medical

Throughout 2023, UPS Healthcare will add over 200,000 m2 of warehouse space, of which about half will be in Europe. This space will add to the existing 217 facilities with a total of over 1.5 million sqm2 of GMP and GDP-compliant healthcare distribution space in 37 countries and territories. Through these investments, UPS Healthcare will have more than doubled its presence in dedicated healthcare facilities in 2023 compared to 2020.

It’s proximity to UPS’s European air hub at Cologne Bonn Airport and UPS Healthcare’s European hub in Roermond also provides customers with shorter domestic and global transit times, potentially increasing production windows and offers next-day delivery to 80% of Europe as well as access to major ports including Rotterdam, Antwerp and Amsterdam. The facility will also support Hospital & Pharmacy distribution across Germany.