Parcel delivery and logistics giant UPS Inc. has paid $1.6 billion to acquire Andlauer Healthcare Group Inc. (AHG), a Canadian firm that provides customized third-party logistics (3PL) and specialized cold chain transportation solutions for the healthcare sector.
According to UPS, the deal underscores its commitment to providing global specialty capabilities as a leading provider of complex healthcare logistics. With the addition of AHG’s specialized cold chain network and expertise, UPS Healthcare customers will benefit from reduced transit times, enhanced end-to-end visibility, deepened global reach, and leading quality assurance, the company said.
In a similar move, UPS acquired the pharmaceutical logistics specialist Marken in 2016, saying the move would strengthen its ability to guarantee temperature-controlled, 48-hour delivery of delicate medical samples such as frozen samples of blood, plasma, urine, and tissue. More recently, UPS in January also bought two German healthcare logistics specialists, called Frigo-Trans and its sister company BPL. And UPS bought the Californian time-critical logistics provider MNX Logistics in 2023, likewise building up its capabilities in healthcare industries such as radio- and bio-pharmaceutical products.
Following the latest acquisition, Michael Andlauer, founder and CEO of AHG, will lead UPS Canada Healthcare and AHG to expand the businesses’ specialized capabilities and meet the needs of healthcare customers.
