As part of its more generalised expansion of interests in Europe, UPS has expanded its network of medical device Field Stocking Stations (FSLs) on the continent.

The announcement today follows on from UPS’s launch of a fully healthcare compliant network of medical device FSs in the US.


UPS is upgrading a selection of FSLs in Europe that are closest to hospital locations. They have a quality management system that includes temperature monitoring, and visibility into product expiration. As a result UPS FSL sites will be a cost effective and practical solution for problems that have been around for quite some time.

“A significant portion of medical devices are routinely stored in the trunks of field sales representatives’ vehicles, or what’s called in the industry ‘trunk stock,’” said Jan Denecker, director of healthcare marketing and strategy, UPS Europe.

“This leads to inflated inventories with little to no visibility and less than optimal storage conditions. UPS’s FSL network helps solve these challenges for medical device manufacturers.”

The international delivery and logistics company has added that this is the latest in a series of expansions in Europe, that include acquisitions of specialised healthcare provider Poltraf in Poland, as well as Polar Speed in the UK. UPS has also opened a specialist air freight forwarding facility at Schiphol. This is regulatory compliant and temperature controlled. Additionally the company has expanded its healthcare distribution campus in Roermund.

“UPS’s ongoing investments in Europe demonstrate our commitment to providing the right global solutions healthcare and life science companies require to meet demand,” said Geoff Light, UPS vice president of healthcare strategy.