OREANDA-NEWS. October 02, 2015. As part of its long-term strategy to support medical device manufacturers, UPS® (NYSE: UPS) today announced the opening of a new healthcare-compliant distribution and warehousing facility in New Jersey to support the growth of its customers. The multi-client hub is the first in UPS’s network to offer medical device companies comprehensive logistics services such as autoclave capabilities, instrument inspection and surgical set replenishment, among other services.

The 208,000-square-foot facility is healthcare-dedicated and strategically located near UPS’s air hub at Philadelphia International Airport. It is fully integrated into UPS’s overall transportation and field stocking location (FSL) network and provides an end-to-end solution for healthcare customers seeking increased inventory visibility and control of their supply chains. This network also makes it possible for healthcare manufacturers and distributors to reach more than 80 percent of U.S. hospitals within four hours.

“The ability to decontaminate surgical kits, replenish and repackage instruments, and respond quickly to urgent medical needs is pivotal to our customers’ market success, and UPS’s growing warehousing, distribution and value-added services are playing a key role,” says David Quintilio, UPS vice president of healthcare logistics.

 This UPS announcement follows the 2014 introduction of a healthcare-compliant network of FSLs to improve time-in-transit for medical device shipments and to enhance inventory visibility. Field stocking locations are strategically placed centers designed to support warehousing and time-sensitive distribution of products for patient services.

“UPS continues to strengthen our integrated network globally to help manufacturers lower costs, streamline inventory and meet increasing demands,” says John Menna, UPS vice president of global strategy, healthcare logistics. “In the U.S., building out a best-in-class, comprehensive service that integrates a loaner hub with our vast FSL and global transportation network raises the bar and further demonstrates our commitment to the healthcare industry.”

This marks the latest in a series of announcements UPS has made in the healthcare space. Others include the acquisitions of Poltraf, Polar Speed, and CEMELOG, along with the opening of a new healthcare center in Roermond, Netherlands. These and other strategic investments to support pharmaceutical, biopharma and medical device companies continue to make UPS a leader in healthcare logistics.