UPS acquires British health-care transportation provider Polar Speed

United Parcel Service (UPS), the world's largest package delivery and logistics company, yesterday acquired UK-based health-care transportation provider Polar Speed.

The acquisition comes after UPS last year purchased Hungary-based pharmaceutical logistics company Cemelog, and expanded six of its health-care facilities across North America.

Without disclosing the financial terms UPS said that the acquisition would further strengthen its healthcare network across Europe, providing healthcare companies access to a single source for logistics solutions across the continent.

Polar Speed is an innovative provider of temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical supply chain solutions specialising in active temperature-controlled deliveries to hospitals, pharmacies, wholesalers and surgery centers as well as end patients.

Polar Speed also offers unique capabilities within the growing home-care direct-to-consumer delivery market.

Its customers include some of the world's best known pharmaceutical companies, including Sanofi, Roche, Abbott Laboratories, Grifols, Alcon, AstraZeneca, Wockhardt and others

Polar Speed has a fleet of 118 actively monitored temperature-controlled vehicles for transporting both 2-8 degrees celsius refrigerated and 15-25 degrees celsius products in accordance with UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency guidelines.

The fleet is outfitted with sophisticated technology, including on-board temperature recorders and alarms to alert drivers of potential temperature excursions as well as a PolarTrack, an online portal linked to a satellite navigation system allowing customers to access real-time delivery status and temperature conditions of their products.

Atlanta-based UPS said that the acquisition will add three facilities with advanced warehousing management systems, full quality assurance services, and an experienced workforce to its existing global healthcare network, now totaling 45 healthcare facilities.

UPS's healthcare in Europe now includes healthcare distribution centers in the Benelux area, Central and Eastern Europe, Southern Europe, the Iberian Peninsula and the UK.