US logistics giant UPS is investing $48m in 27 temperature-controlled freight cross-dock facilities around the globe.

Located in Europe, Asia and the Americas, these facilities are optimised for speed and short-term storage between air and ground movements, all while maintaining specific temperature requirements.

The announcement strengthens UPS’s global cold-chain network as demand grows for medicines requiring strict temperature ranges of 2 to 8˚C, 15 to 25˚C and frozen.

Industry demand for temperature-sensitive biologics is projected to expand at an 8.3% CAGR till 2033, reaching an estimated $39bn, according to Growth Market Reports. Meeting this demand requires cold-chain expertise to maintain product quality and safety from manufacturing to patient.

“We have aligned our investments with our healthcare customers’ specialised needs,” said Kate Gutmann, executive vice-president at UPS (www.ups.com). “Our global cross-dock facilities strengthen our end-to-end cold-chain capabilities to ensure critical treatments are delivered safely and reliably to patients around the world. This effort – and all of our work in healthcare logistics – extends from a deep understanding that we’re doing more than moving packages. We are helping patients access the medications and treatments they need.”

The 27 temperature-controlled freight cross-docks create seamless movement across transportation modes. All facilities are compliant with IATA CEIV Pharma certification, an industry-recognised standard for pharmaceutical handling and quality.

A single integrated network eliminates handoffs between providers, reducing risk and increasing control. Greater accountability and real-time oversight protect high-value, temperature-sensitive therapies from excursion and disruption.

A round-the-clock control tower proactively monitors shipments, flags risks and enables rapid intervention to keep critical products moving.

The rapidly growing biologics pipeline is increasing complexity across cold-chain logistics. According to PharmaSource, roughly one in three newly approved drugs today is a biologic, with more than 85% of those requiring temperature-controlled handling. As therapies such as cell and gene treatments, mRNA platforms and GLP-1 injectables come to market, healthcare supply chains are becoming more complex and risk-sensitive. Temperature excursions are a key driver of that risk, with cold-chain failures estimated to cost up to $35bn annually and, according to WHO, contributing to up to 50% of global vaccine waste.

“Biologics and personalised treatments are driving better, more targeted care for patients,” said John Bolla, president of UPS Healthcare (healthcare.ups.com). “These investments reflect our commitment to continue to align our leading end-to-end supply chain to protect innovative treatments and diagnostics, supporting better patient outcomes.”