DHL Exel Supply Chain celebrated the official launch of its Asia Healthcare Hub on Friday May 26 with a gathering of customers and senior executives from across the region. “DHL Exel Supply Chain’s latest investment in a dedicated Healthcare and Life Sciences logistics facility is further testament of our commitment to Singapore as a major pharmaceutical and life sciences hub for South East Asia,” remarked Humberto Florez, CEO – Asia Pacific, DHL Exel Supply Chain.

The new Singapore center, operated and managed by trained pharmacists and healthcare professionals, is designed specifically to meet the challenging and evolving supply chain needs of leading life sciences and pharmaceutical companies as they expand throughout the region. “The new Asia Healthcare and Life Sciences Hub’s key focus is to deliver industry-specific end-to-end supply chain management solutions, supported by leading edge IT solutions, to companies in the pharmaceuticals, hospital and medical equipments sectors,” added David Ward, Vice President, Healthcare, Asia Pacific for DHL Exel Supply Chain.

Key services offered in the new 30,000 square foot facility near Changi Airport include the handling and support of regional clinical trials, cold-chain management, hospital logistics, temperature controlled storage, customized packaging and repackaging services, warehousing, and dangerous goods storage – including cytotoxic materials, all licenced and regulated by the Singapore Health Sciences Authority.

“In Asia, the healthcare industry is growing at an accelerating pace to support an aging population base,” added Mr. Florez. “With increasing public demands for high quality drugs and medical services, healthcare and life sciences companies are facing new challenges – particularly in the logistics and supply chain management sectors – with very different market landscapes across the region. Working with a proven supply chain partner, Like DHL Exel Supply Chain, that both understands those market dynamics and truly knows the pharmaceutical and life sciences industry is paramount to many companies’ success.”

The recently opened healthcare hub boasts a number of unique features that enables it to meet the extremely demanding needs of the world’s leading pharmaceutical and life sciences companies. The packaging chamber contained within the facility is the first in Singapore to obtain a cytotoxic operational license from the Health Sciences Authority. Secondary packaging for cytotoxic materials is done in a specially built room, where air can circulate in but not out, preventing contamination to the environment in the event of an emergency. The hub is further protected by other safeguards including separate storage and staging areas, special facilities for toxic cleansing, an emergency alarm and exit in case of contamination, and a specially trained cleaning crew on round-the-clock standby.

In addition to the highly sensitive cytotoxic handling facilities, the healthcare hub also boasts a Clinical Trials department designed specifically for handling and repackaging clinical trials; specially designed cold room and cold chain management solutions, including chiller rooms and freezer units with temperatures set between 2°C and 8°C as well as between -10°C and -22°C respectively, guaranteeing optimal storage conditions; all supported by fully integrated IT solutions and DHL’s unparalleled global logistics network.

DHL Exel Supply Chain’s Asia Healthcare and Life Sciences Hub began operational services in April 2006 and is already in the process of planning for the further expansion of its Changi facilities to meet the increasing supply chain demands of its growing customer base.