UPS has announced a $48 million investment in 27 temperature-controlled freight cross-dock facilities around the globe.

The facilities are “optimized for speed and short-term storage between air and ground movements – all while maintaining specific temperature requirements.” Industry demand for temperature-sensitive biologics is “projected to expand at an 8.3% compound annual growth rate through 2033, reaching an estimated $38.1 billion.”

All of the 27 facilities are “compliant with IATA CEIV Pharma certification, an industry-recognized standard for pharmaceutical handling and quality.” A single integrated network will eliminate handoffs between providers, and “greater accountability and real-time oversight [will] protect high-value…therapies from excursion and disruption.”

Roughly one in three newly approved drugs today is a biologic, and over 85% of those require temperature-controlled handling. Cold-chain failures currently cost up to $35 billion annually and contribute to up to 50% of global vaccine waste.