World’s biggest delivery companies make push into health care logistics

The world’s biggest delivery companies—UPS, FedEx and DHL—are all making a big push into the health care logistics industry.

Health care logistics is not a simple business. The contents of delivery usually require very particular conditions for transport and storage, such as temperature control (some deliveries require sub-zero refrigerators), high security, and even attendant pharmacists.

But health care logistics is a booming sector with a global market worth $70 billion (USD), according to an estimate by UPS. Industry growth is expected to increase dramatically thanks to an aging population, in which the number of people aged over 50 is predicted to double.

UPS has a large health care hub in Louisville, Kentucky, in the United States, 1.4 million square feet in size. FedEx has more than 4 million square feet dedicated to health care after acquiring logistics firm Genco. DHL currently generates $3.7 billion (USD) from the health care sector.

(Source: CNBC)