UPS Makes Enhancements to Support Medical Device Industry

UPS (Atlanta, GA, USA) has announced it has developed a healthcare-compliant network of field stocking locations (FSLs) to reduce delivery time of medical device shipments and enhance inventory visibility.

The network includes 36 healthcare-capable FSLs strategically located to support time-sensitive distribution and efficient warehousing of products, providing access to over 80% of US hospital beds within four hours. The facilities will operate under guidance of the UPS quality assurance and compliance program, and will feature temperature-controlled environments and same-day delivery services. These features will enable medical device manufacturers and field sales representatives to provide best-in-class service to their customers and better manage their inventories.

The planned network marks the latest in a series of recent expansions to UPS's healthcare compliant network, which in addition to the 36 FSLs also includes 46 healthcare dedicated and compliant warehousing and distribution facilities worldwide, as well as a full suite of UPS temperature-sensitive transportation and risk mitigation solutions. The UPS healthcare facilities also help manufacturers ensure regulatory compliance, protect high-value and temperature-sensitive products, and speed distribution to end providers.

“Due to an increasingly complex regulatory environment and significant cost pressures, medical device manufacturers are looking to the supply chain to lower costs through inventory reduction and enhanced visibility,” said John Menna, vice president of global healthcare strategy at UPS. “Based on our experience in healthcare distribution and utilizing UPS's industry-leading global FSL network, we have created a tailored inventory management and distribution solution to meet the unique needs of medical device manufacturers.”

The UPS FSL network includes more than 950 locations globally, and has been in operation since 1995. The network is utilized by multiple industries including high-tech, telecommunications, and aerospace, industrial, automotive, and nonregulated medical device manufacturers.

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