DHL Global Forwarding, the air and ocean freight forwarding division of Deutsche Post DHL Group, said Friday it has opened a $1.5 million dedicated pharmaceutical transport facility in Indianapolis International Airport.
The new 30,000-square-foot facility, with direct access to the airport ramp, will combine with a DHL ground handling operation and dedicated twice-weekly B777F air cargo freighter connection with Liege, Belgium, to provide the unit’s first temperature-controlled cargo service between Indianapolis and Brussels.
The unit already has a temperature-controlled life sciences facility in nearby Plainfield, Indiana.
The end-to-end process has been designed to ship pharmaceuticals and other life sciences products without the need for specialized temperature-controlled unit loading devices, maintaining quality control and generating savings in transportation costs and time in transit.
The company said its growth in central Indiana further strengthens the region’s position as a key market for the development, manufacturing and transportation services for life sciences, health care and pharmaceutical companies.
“Indiana is an important pharmaceutical hub in the United States and our focus is to ensure seamless and safe transportation of the important products being developed here to facilitate the growth of our customers’ operations in the region,” said Jose Maria de Orduna, regional vice president, U.S. East Region, of DHL Global Forwarding. “This investment, combined with the know-how of our specialized life sciences and health care team in the U.S., will allow us to provide a unique end-to-end cold chain air cargo service that delivers both cost and transit time benefits for our customers.”
With this investment, DHL Global Forwarding is continuing to expand its dedicated cold chain network in the U.S. market, following recent investments in two other life sciences strongholds — San Juan, Puerto Rico, and the Research Triangle area in North Carolina.