LONG BEACH, Calif., Feb. 12, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- UTi Worldwide Inc. (Nasdaq:UTIW), a global supply chain services and solutions provider, is expanding its cold chain offering in Europe with a thriving Good Distribution Practices (GDP)-certified Rome facility and its recent Brussels Airport CEIV certification.
"Italy is the world's sixth-largest pharma manufacturer, and we positioned our Rome hub based on the high concentration of pharma companies operating in central Italy and south of the region," said Phil Abbate, UTi Global Vice President, Pharmaceutical & Healthcare. "Our pharma handling protocols and enhanced capabilities ensure that inbound and outbound pharmaceutical products are handled safely and securely to ensure product integrity."
With close proximity to Fiumicino – Leonardo da Vinci International Airport and the Trans-European Motorway, the 1,700-square-meter facility is the ideal temperature-controlled space for housing products on behalf of global pharmaceutical companies.
"Our Rome facility maintains the highest standards in pharmaceutical freight forwarding for our clients, with three temperature-controlled rooms and strict handling protocols that exceed good distribution practices and other regulatory standards," Abbate added.
"Global pharmaceutical corporations demand absolute product integrity at highly competitive costs. Our Rome expansion with three rooms – one set for 2-8°C range, and two others in the 15-25°C range – allows us to provide these value-added solutions efficiently," he continued.
"We are Envirotainer QEP and C-Safe qualified for handling and pre-conditioning, provide assembly and distribution options, and manage a portfolio of insulated pallet wrapping options, including our proprietary, validated wrapping process, ZTM."
UTi also recently achieved certification in the comprehensive IATA training and pharmaceutical freight certification program, the Center of Excellence for Independent Validators (CEIV), at Brussels Airport.
"Advancing our abilities in cold chain freight forwarding with the CEIV certification at Brussels Airport, as well as continually evolving our Rome facility and upcoming Frankfurt facility, will reinforce the confidence our clients have in UTi as a pharma freight leader in Europe," said Abbate.
About UTi Worldwide
UTi Worldwide Inc. (www.go2uti.com) is an international, non-asset-based supply chain services and solutions company providing air and ocean freight forwarding, contract logistics, customs brokerage, distribution, inbound logistics, truckload brokerage, and other supply chain management services. The company serves a large and diverse base of global and local companies, including clients operating in industries with unique supply chain requirements such as the retail, apparel, chemical, automotive, pharmaceutical, and technology industries. The company seeks to use its global network, proprietary information technology systems, and relationships with transportation providers, and expertise in outsourced logistics services to deliver competitive advantage to each of its clients' supply chains.