UPS agrees to terms with ORTIE to buy pharma logistics company, Poltraf

by Dean Stiles

Warsaw, Poland: UPS has agreed to terms with Poland-based investment fund ORTIE to acquire its pharmaceutical logistics company Poltraf.

The acquisition strengthens UPS’s healthcare expertise and network in Europe, enabling compliant logistics services to customers for streamlining their product supply to the fast-growing healthcare markets of Central and Eastern Europe.

UPS expects to complete the transaction in the first half of 2015, subject to customary closing conditions.

Terms of the deal are not being disclosed.

Based in Blonie near Warsaw, Poltraf has offered customers top-rate healthcare logistics solutions for the past nine years. The company is recognised for its temperature-sensitive warehousing and transportation solutions that help healthcare and life sciences companies maximise supply chain efficiencies, meet regulatory requirements and deliver products reliably and securely.

Its customers include some of the best known healthcare brands in the world.

”This acquisition brings greater capability to our global healthcare network,” said Cindy Miller, president, UPS Europe.

“Poltraf complements our mainland Europe expansion plan and we are now able to provide healthcare companies access to a single source for logistics solutions across the continent, helping to achieve greater supply chain efficiencies and compliance with relevant guidelines.”

“This is a very positive development for our company, our employees, and our customers,” said Piotr Krol, chief executive officer, of Poltraf. ”

“Joining forces with UPS will allow us to continue to provide high-quality logistics services to our customers and broaden our reach by leveraging UPS’s global distribution network. We look forward to creating even greater value for our customers.”

The acquisition will add three sites with advanced warehousing management systems, full quality assurance services, and an experienced workforce to UPS’s existing European healthcare network, now totaling 14 healthcare facilities. UPS’s healthcare reach and expertise in Europe now includes dedicated healthcare distribution centers in the Benelux area, Eastern Europe, Central Europe, Southern Europe, the Iberian Peninsula and the United Kingdom, effectively covering Europe’s most vital geographies.

Poltrafutilizes a fleet of approximately 170 temperature-controlled vehicles for the transportation of both 2-8 degrees C refrigerated and 15-25 degrees C products. All vehicles feature an end-to-end GPS and temperature-monitoring system, and deliveries are supported by an advanced scan-based tracking program.

In addition, 10 field stocking locations, strategically placed across the country, support the timely delivery of the pharmaceuticals and medical devices.

The announcement follows UPS’s acquisitions of UK-based healthcare logistics innovator, Polar Speed, in February 2014; Hungary-based pharmaceutical logistics company, Cemelog, in 2013; and Italy-based, Pieffe, in 2011 – all part of UPS’s strategy to expand in vital markets to meet the demands of healthcare customers.