UPS-owned Marken will expand in India in the first quarter of 2018 with a new branch in Ahmedabad and larger facilities in Hyderabad and Delhi, giving it six sites in total.
The office moves are a response to increased client demand and also enables further expansion of the company’s transportation network in the country. When complete, Marken will have six fully equipped locations in India, including its 24/7 Global Control Center in Mumbai.
CEO Wes Wheeler said: “We continue to expand our global footprint and facilities to accommodate the growth of demand for our services. The opening of the new office in Ahmedabad will allow us to meet the needs of our clients in the western part of India. The expansion of existing sites will continue as the space requirements for clinical logistics grows. The expanded India footprint also allows us to in-source more of our own local services, including hiring dedicated drivers.”
The Indian biotech industry holds a 2% share of the global biotech market, but is growing fast. The total industry size stood at US $11 billion in 2016. Fast-paced growth is likely to continue, driven by a range of factors including a growing demand, intensive R&D activities and strong government initiatives, Marken pointed out.
India is among the top 12 biotech destinations in the world and ranks third in the Asia-Pacific region. India has the second-highest number of US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA)–approved manufacturing plants, after the USA. In addition, the country has emerged as a leading source of drug manufacturing but is also a growing destination for clinical trials and contract research.
Marken describes itself as the only patient-centric supply chain organization 100% dedicated to the pharmaceutical and life sciences industries. It maintains the leading position for Direct to Patient services and biological sample shipments and offers a state-of-the-art GMP-compliant depot network and logistic hubs in 46 locations worldwide for clinical trial material storage and distribution. Marken’s more than 800 staff members manage 50,000 drug and biological shipments every month at all temperature ranges in more than 150 countries.
