Expands transportation of critical supplies to support vaccination efforts in North America and Europe
XPO Logistics, Inc. (NYSE: XPO) has confirmed that its expedited transportation fleet began delivering Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine shipments this week in support of Operation Warp Speed, the US government’s public-private alliance to combat the pandemic. XPO is a global expert in cold-chain logistics and one of North America’s largest managers of expedited shipments.
The company has deployed its fleet of state-of-the-art tractor-trailers to support partners in moving the heat-sensitive vaccine to US distribution points and healthcare facilities. The thermal-mapped equipment is outfitted with sensors that constantly monitor the temperature inside the trailer and alert the driver to any variances. XPO has allocated additional transportation resources to handle COVID-19 vaccines awaiting approval for emergency use.
“This is an evolving situation, and we’re working closely with manufacturers and other major carriers to make sure the states have everything they need,” said Malcolm Wilson, XPO Logistics chief executive officer for Europe. “In addition to the vaccine, we’re also moving large volumes of saline, syringes and gloves. I’m proud of how quickly industry competitors became collaborators to complete these critical shipments.”
XPO routinely transports vaccines for its pharmaceutical customers, and Wilson noted that the company is no stranger to mounting an expedited response – a service XPO has offered its customers for more than three decades. Additionally, the company can provide safe storage of temperature-controlled pharmaceuticals as needed at its ISO-certified cold-chain warehouses.
“We have specialists who focus on arranging urgent shipments of pharmaceuticals and biologics using our XPO Connect digital transportation platform,” Wilson said. “The technology adds another layer of security to the strong protocols maintained at ground level by our drivers and dispatchers. We have continuous visibility of the trucks and external conditions, so we can make adjustments in real time.”
Throughout the pandemic, XPO has transported products used in the treatment of COVID-19, including therapeutic drugs, over-the-counter medicines and personal protective equipment. Recently, the company dedicated additional resources to deliver the essential supplies needed for large-scale vaccination efforts in North America and Europe.
