UPS announced today an expansion of healthcare capabilities at its Polar Speed subsidiary, with a new 100,000 square foot state-of-the-art healthcare logistics facility in Birmingham, United Kingdom.

UPS Healthcare is leveraging Polar Speed’s comprehensive healthcare expertise to help address the increasing need for last-mile COVID-19 vaccine delivery and other healthcare logistics support.

“Polar Speed is an important part of the UPS Healthcare global logistics network,” explained UPS Healthcare president, Wes Wheeler.

“From this new facility, Polar Speed is already scheduled to deliver three million influenza vaccines each week into GP surgeries and community pharmacies. This new delivery capacity is now immediately available to also support COVID-19 vaccines for distribution across the country.”

During recent winter flu seasons, Polar Speed has routinely transported more than 10 million vaccine doses each year into various National Health Service locations.

When combined with the existing 40,000 square feet of MHRA-licensed Polar Speed warehousing capacity throughout the UK, the additional size and scale of this new facility creates a seamless framework to deliver even more vaccines in response to COVID-19.

The combined hub, depot, and warehouse facility is a significant investment in the UK and will be staffed by more than 100 employees, with capacity to store 8,000 pallets at a range of temperatures from 2^°C to 8^°C and 15^°C to 25^°C, and frozen storage capacity ranging from -20^°C to -80^°C, allowing it to store up to 25 million vaccine doses.