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The DHL Group has expanded its air freight cold chain infrastructure to improve logistics in healthcare. This measure aims to optimize the transport of temperature-sensitive medications, vaccines, and pharmaceutical products worldwide. The expansion is part of a comprehensive investment of €2 billion in DHL’s healthcare logistics and provides customers with complete transparency regarding the transport of sensitive health products.
Oscar de Bok, CEO of DHL Global Forwarding, Freight, emphasizes the increasing demands of companies in the life sciences and healthcare sectors for reliable and transparent cold chain solutions. „They are looking for ways to simplify supply chains and reduce costs.“ The new infrastructure combines DHL Aviation’s global air connectivity with a network of GDP-compliant stations and modern, temperature-controlled facilities. This is intended to ensure a more resilient and efficient logistics system for companies that rely on impeccable quality to deliver critical therapies to patients.
The expansion reduces dependence on third-party providers and commercial airlines, improving product integrity and temperature control during transport. Additionally, it enhances supply chain resilience in times of geopolitical tensions and increasing regulatory complexity. Over 30 GDP-compliant air freight hubs and gateways will be integrated into the network to increase capacity for temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical and medical shipments.
Enhanced Connections Between Key Markets
The network will initially connect DHL’s main hubs, including Brussels (BRU) and Cincinnati (CVG). Further routes in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Latin America are expected to follow. The connection between BRU and CVG provides direct access to the U.S. Midwest, where many leading pharmaceutical companies are located, and to one of the most advanced life sciences ecosystems in Europe. This route avoids coastal congestion and offers a seamless, temperature-controlled transport path for valuable biologics and time-sensitive cell and gene therapies. At the Brussels end, the route is supported by 45,000 m² of pharmaceutical zones at BRUcargo, ensuring clinical-grade integrity.
To support the expanded network, DHL has introduced a dedicated Boeing 777 freighter operating between Brussels and Cincinnati. The aircraft, adorned with the new „DHL Health Logistics“ design, serves as a visible sign of the company’s strategic focus on healthcare logistics. The dedicated route provides consistent and controllable capacity on one of the key pharmaceutical connections and reinforces the necessary standards for reliability and temperature management for sensitive shipments.
