DHL expands airfreight cold chain network to meet pharma demand

DHL Group has announced an expansion of its dedicated airfreight cold chain network to meet the demand for the secure, temperature-controlled transport of sensitive medical products, including biologics and cell and gene therapies. The initiative, part of a €2 billion ($2.35 billion) strategic investment in its ‘DHL health logistics’ division.

The expansion is a shift in DHL’s strategy to take greater direct control over its logistics backbone, reducing its reliance on third-party commercial airlines to ensure the integrity of life-saving shipments.

The airfreight cold chain network is scheduled for expansion to incorporate several pivotal nations like India, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Brazil, the United States, Germany, and Ireland. New logistics pathways are being established to meet strict regulatory requirements, ensuring consistent product integrity throughout the supply chain.

The expanded network is the launch of a dedicated Boeing 777 freighter service between Brussels (BRU) and Cincinnati (CVG). This route creates a high-capacity link between the U.S. Midwest, a global hub for pharmaceutical manufacturing, and Europe’s premier life sciences ecosystem.

By bypassing congested coastal gateways, the BRU-CVG lane provides a seamless, clinical-grade pathway for time-critical therapies. The operation is supported by 45,000 square meters of specialised pharma-only zones at Brussels Airport (BRUcargo), the most advanced facility of its kind in Europe.

"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, CEO 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 is a direct response to increasing global volatility. By operating its own fleet and 30+ GDP-compliant (good distribution practice) aviation hubs, DHL's offerings provide advantages, including enhanced integrity through tighter control over temperature ranges from ambient to ultra-deep frozen.

Furthermore, their services ensure greater resilience, insulating operations from geopolitical tensions and capacity shortages often encountered in commercial air travel. Finally, DHL promotes operational efficiency by reducing the reliance on heavy, expensive passive packaging and refrigerated containers, which in turn lowers both costs and environmental impact.