Parcel carrier and logistics provider UPS Inc. has acquired the German company Frigo-Trans and its sister company BPL, which provide complex healthcare logistics solutions across Europe, the Atlanta-based firm said this week.
According to UPS, the move extends its UPS Healthcare division’s ability to offer end-to-end capabilities for its customers, who increasingly need temperature-controlled and time-critical logistics solutions globally.
UPS Healthcare has 17 million square feet of cGMP and GDP-compliant healthcare distribution space globally, supporting services such as inventory management, cold chain packaging and shipping, storage and fulfillment of medical devices, and lab and clinical trial logistics.
More specifically, UPS Healthcare said that the acquisitions align with its broader mission to provide end-to-end logistics for temperature-sensitive healthcare products, including biologics, specialty pharmaceuticals, and personalized medicine. With 80% of pharmaceutical products in Europe requiring temperature-controlled transportation, investments like these ensure UPS Healthcare remains at the forefront of innovation in the $82 billion complex healthcare logistics market, the company said.
Additionally, Frigo-Trans' presence in Germany—the world's fourth-largest healthcare manufacturing market—strengthens UPS's foothold and enhances its support for critical intra-Germany operations. Frigo-Trans’ network includes temperature-controlled warehousing ranging from cryopreservation (-196°C) to ambient (+15° to +25°C) as well as Pan-European cold chain transportation. And BPL provides logistics solutions including time-critical freight forwarding capabilities.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed. But it fits into UPS' long term strategy to double its healthcare revenue from $10 billion in 2023 to $20 billion by 2026. To get there, it has also made previous acquisitions of companies like Bomi and MNX. And UPS recently expanded its temperature-controlled fleet in France, Italy, the Netherlands, and Hungary.
"Healthcare customers increasingly demand precision, reliability, and adaptability—qualities that are critical for the future of biologics and personalized medicine. The Frigo-Trans and BPL acquisitions allow us to offer unmatched service across Europe, making logistics a competitive advantage for our pharma partners," says John Bolla, President, UPS Healthcare.
