Medical technology company Siemens Healthineers is working with DHL Supply Chain to increase the use of digital and robotics technologies for logistics services in the USA.
 
The two companies will invest in a world distribution centre in Memphis, Tennessee, which will be operated by DHL Supply Chain. The centre will incorporate DHL’s proprietary warehousing and inventory management system and innovations such as automated storage and retrieval systems and augmented reality-assisted picking to increase efficiency and productivity.
 
Digital technologies, such as DHL’s MySupplyChain application and GPS tracking for final kilometre delivery, will provide engineers with additional transparency, visibility and control over their orders and returns.
 
“The Americas is an important growth market for Siemens Healthineers, and the quality, flexibility and speed of the service logistics platform we have established in the region helps us better serve our customers,” said David Pacitti, president and head of the Americas for Siemens Healthineers. “Working with DHL Supply Chain, we have an exciting opportunity to further strengthen our services and support our company’s ambition to deliver a digital advantage for our customers and their patients in this region.”
 
The ten-year service agreement will see Siemens Healthineers occupy approximately 24,000 square metres of a 40,000 square metre facility that DHL has purchased. This site is the first speculative distribution facility built in Memphis since 2007 and will employ approximately 105 people.
 
“DHL Supply Chain is bringing more than 20 years of experience in healthcare logistics, a company-wide culture of continuous improvement, and a broad suite of end-to-end, digitally-enabled supply chain solutions to this relationship with Siemens Healthineers,” said Scott Allison, chief customer officer at DHL Supply Chain. “Thanks to Siemens Healthineers’ leadership in medical technology and their commitment to transforming care delivery through increased digitalisation, we believe that we have an opportunity to jointly leverage our capabilities and to generate substantial value in their supply chain. We will also be applying our expertise in contract logistics and the capabilities of our broader service logistics network to target cost savings in materials procurement, labour sourcing and carrier management.”