UPS announced the opening of its new healthcare-dedicated facility in Colombia. The 76,000-sq-ft center represents UPS’s latest investment in healthcare logistics aimed at helping pharmaceutical, biopharma and medical device companies create seamless, global supply chains as they expand into, transport within, and export from Latin America.
The multi-client facility is equipped with state-of-the-art technology for storing temperature-sensitive healthcare products. The building offers best-in-class distribution services, warehouse management, and late-stage customization such as labeling, product kitting and configuration, and repackaging.
“This latest announcement represents part of UPS’s long-term strategy to strengthen its integrated healthcare network to help manufacturers lower costs, streamline inventory and meet increasing demands across Latin America and the world,” says Francisco Ricaurte, UPS Colombia Country Manager. “When it comes to high-value, sensitive products, this investment demonstrates our ongoing commitment to the healthcare and life science industries, and to our mantra, It’s a patient, not a package.”
The Colombia facility features the latest in sorting, processing and data capture technology available through UPS’s validated warehouse management system, providing customers full inventory visibility, standardized processing and reporting. Customers will have access to UPS’s global transportation technology network for complete control of their supply chains.
The facility is Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP)-compliant, and follows international and local regulations required by the Colombian Drug Regulatory Authority (Instituto Nacional de Vigilancia del Medicamento - INVIMA) and the Colombian Ministry of Health. The building is located near El Dorado International Airport in San Diego Industrial Park in the Funza, Cundinamarca area of Colombia.
“Latin America is a vital region for the global healthcare industry,” says Romaine Seguin, UPS Americas Region President. “This facility offers greater access to UPS’s first-class logistics solutions for pharmaceutical products and medical devices, providing healthcare customers in the region with the confidence and support they need to achieve their business goals.”
UPS has been serving customers in the healthcare industry in Colombia for 11 years. This is the second healthcare-dedicated facility in the country and the ninth in the region. In Latin America, UPS distribution centers are located in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, México and Puerto Rico.
![“Another key [UDI] benefit, because we're calling that product by the same name across the healthcare supply chain… rich and robust data that we can access around supply consumption and utilization rates. One of the buzz terms we've heard during the COVID-19 crisis was what's my burn rate? How fast am I going through gowns, masks, gloves?” – Mike Schiller, Senior Director at AHRMM](https://img.healthcarepackaging.com/files/base/pmmi/all/image/2020/08/UDI.5f4d326e41d53.png?auto=format&fit=crop&h=146&w=340)
