United Parcel Service (UPS) ramps up delivery service for medical device industry; Service can reach 80% of U.S. hospitals within four hours

The delivery service known for its brown trucks has 36 FSLs strategically located around the country that provide temperature-controlled or monitored environments to meet regulatory standards that can help manufacturers and field sale representatives manage their inventories for time-sensitive devices.

 “Due to an increasingly complex regulatory environment and significant cost pressures, medical device manufacturers are looking to the supply chain to lower costs through inventory reduction and enhanced visibility,” John Menna, Vice President of Global Healthcare Strategy said in a statement.  “We have created a tailored inventory management and distribution solution to meet the unique needs of medical device manufacturers.”

Last year, competitor DHL released a study that outlined the increasing importance of the last mile of the delivery system for medical device and pharmaceutical manufacturers.  The report said manufacturers will need to expand their distribution capabilities to tier-2 and tier-3 cities and rural areas, which will require them to either develop their own logistics infrastructures or partner with a third-party.  Additionally, comprehensive visibility within the supply chain will become increasingly important for product security and integrity.

 Another competitor, FedEx also caters to medical device manufacturers.

REFERENCE:  Fierce Medical Devices; Joseph Keenan; 17 JUL 2014

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