UPS Healthcare, the faction of UPS dedicated to pharmaceutical logistics, has opened its first facility in Dublin dedicated to boosting the distribution capabilities of the Irish pharmaceutical industry. The EUR €12M investment covers nearly 6,000 m² and has created 30 new jobs in the local area.
Manufacturing Chemist spoke with Cathy O’Brien, Vice President of Sales for UPS Healthcare to find out more.
Connecting healthcare
The facility offers small package, freight forwarding and logistics & distribution capabilities, as well as in-demand storage and transportation for a range of pharmaceutical and health tech products, offering customers from a variety of healthcare industries access to a global network.
UPS’s Irish site can also facilitate the transport of goods that require stringent temperature control, which now accounts for approximately 80% of all pharma products in Europe.
Cathy O’Brien, Vice President of Sales, UPS Healthcare believes that increasing Irish pharmaceutical export could significantly impact the industry: “When you look to the future of healthcare, it’s all about innovations in biologics, specialty pharmaceuticals and personalised medicine.”
“We’re seeing a lot of this type of innovation in Ireland which, for many years, has been world leading in this space. Pharma exports already represent nearly 50% of Ireland’s exports and that market is expected to grow by 6.17% annually through to 2028. Alongside this growth, these treatments are driving demand for precision logistics to ensure they get where they need to be on time and at the right temperature.”
Expanding Ireland’s pharmaceutical reach
The opening of the UPS Dublin facility will allow pharmaceutical companies worldwide to connect easily and more efficiently, Cathy explains: “This facility is connected to a global network of 1.6 million m² of cGMP and GDP-compliant healthcare space. Customers in Ireland, now have greater access to that network, allowing the market to continue to grow in the way we’ve been seeing.”
Previously, UPS also introduced a novel flight path between the US, Ireland and the UK with the goal of strengthening the trans-Atlantic trade line, as well as Ireland’s links with its most significant pharma export markets.
The route serves both Dublin and London Stansted airports, returning to UPS’s air hub in Louisville, US.