New Dedicated Pharma Airfreight Capacity Strengthens DHL’s End to End Temperature Controlled Transport Capabilities

New Dedicated Pharma Airfreight Capacity Strengthens DHL’s End to End Temperature Controlled Transport Capabilities

(IN BRIEF) DHL Group has strengthened its Life Sciences & Healthcare logistics offering by expanding a dedicated Airfreight Cold Chain Network as part of a EUR 2 billion investment in DHL Health Logistics. The enhanced network integrates global aviation capacity, GDP-compliant facilities, and temperature-controlled infrastructure to provide end-to-end visibility and reliability for transporting sensitive pharmaceuticals, vaccines, and advanced therapies. A new Brussels–Cincinnati corridor and deployment of a dedicated Boeing 777 freighter establish a critical link between major healthcare markets while reducing reliance on third-party carriers and improving supply chain resilience, efficiency, and temperature integrity.

(PRESS RELEASE) BONN, 19-Feb-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — DHL Group has announced a significant expansion of its Life Sciences & Healthcare logistics capabilities through the development of an enhanced Airfreight Cold Chain Network designed to improve the global transport of temperature-sensitive medical products. The move forms a key component of DHL’s EUR 2 billion investment in DHL Health Logistics and is intended to meet rising demand for secure, compliant, and transparent supply chains for pharmaceuticals, vaccines, and advanced therapies.

The expanded network provides end-to-end visibility and control for highly sensitive shipments, enabling healthcare and pharmaceutical companies to move critical products more reliably across international markets. By integrating DHL Aviation’s global connectivity with its GDP-compliant station network and upgraded temperature-controlled facilities, the company aims to create a more resilient logistics infrastructure capable of supporting time-critical treatments and complex biologics.

Enhanced Control and Reduced Reliance on Third-Party Capacity

A central objective of the initiative is to reduce dependence on external carriers and commercial airline capacity. By operating more dedicated infrastructure, DHL can better safeguard temperature integrity throughout transit while improving flexibility in response to geopolitical disruptions, regulatory demands, and ongoing capacity constraints in global air cargo.

The network expansion adds new capacity for pharmaceutical and medical shipments and links major markets through more than 30 GDP-compliant aviation hubs and gateways worldwide, strengthening supply chain continuity for high-value healthcare products.

Strategic Route Launch Connects Key Pharma Regions

The first operational corridor connects DHL hubs in Brussels and Cincinnati, establishing a direct logistics bridge between the U.S. Midwest, home to numerous pharmaceutical manufacturers, and one of Europe’s leading life sciences clusters. The route is designed to bypass congested coastal gateways, enabling faster, temperature-controlled transport for biologics and emerging cell and gene therapies.

At Brussels Airport, the operation is supported by approximately 45,000 square meters of dedicated pharmaceutical handling space within BRUcargo, ensuring clinical-grade handling standards across the entire journey.

Dedicated Freighter Introduced to Support Healthcare Focus

To reinforce the new network, DHL has deployed a dedicated Boeing 777 freighter on the Brussels–Cincinnati route. The aircraft operates with specialized routing to provide predictable capacity and tighter temperature management for sensitive cargo, while also signaling the company’s long-term strategic focus on healthcare logistics through its DHL Health Logistics branding.

Supporting Evolving Needs of the Healthcare Sector

The expanded cold chain infrastructure is designed to meet increasing global demand for rapid, reliable transportation of temperature-sensitive medicines and medical supplies. By improving environmental control and reducing the need for heavy packaging or refrigerated containers, the network offers a more efficient and cost-effective logistics solution while maintaining strict quality standards and minimizing temperature deviations.

Through this initiative, DHL aims to reinforce its role in enabling the safe and timely delivery of life-saving therapies, supporting healthcare providers and manufacturers as supply chains grow more complex and specialized.

Media contacts:

Daniel Pohl
DHL Supply Chain
DHL Group
Charles-de-Gaulle-Str. 20
53113 Bonn
Germany

SOURCE: Deutsche Post AG