DHL Group has announced expansion of its dedicated airfreight cold chain network to Ireland and seven other nations to meet demand for secure, temperature-controlled transport of sensitive medical products including biologics and cell and gene therapies, according to an ITLN report.

The initiative forms part of a €2 billion strategic investment in DHL's health logistics division. The airfreight cold chain network expansion will incorporate India, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Brazil, the United States, Germany and Ireland, establishing new logistics pathways to meet strict regulatory requirements.

The expanded network includes a dedicated Boeing 777 freighter service between Brussels and Cincinnati, creating a high-capacity link between the United States Midwest pharmaceutical manufacturing hub and Europe's life sciences ecosystem. The operation is supported by 45,000 square metres of specialised pharmaceutical-only zones at Brussels Airport.

"Life sciences and healthcare companies expect cold chain solutions that are reliable, compliant, and transparent from end to end — and those expectations are rising fast," said Oscar de Bok, chief executive officer of DHL Global Forwarding, Freight. "The result is a more resilient, more efficient logistics backbone for customers who depend on flawless quality to deliver critical therapies to patients."

The move to a dedicated network represents DHL's response to increasing global volatility. By operating its own fleet and over 30 GDP-compliant aviation hubs, DHL provides enhanced temperature integrity control, greater resilience against geopolitical tensions and capacity shortages, and reduced reliance on heavy passive packaging.

Discover how DHL's cold chain expansion will support pharmaceutical manufacturing excellence in Ireland by reading the complete report.