Glenmark Pharmaceuticals recently opened a U.S. distribution center in Allentown, Pennsylvania, to support nationwide shipments of prescription and over-the-counter medicines. The company will use the facility as its sole U.S. distribution hub, serving 321 locations in 43 states.

Located on a 6.5-acre campus, the approximately 160,000-square-foot center is Glenmark's largest distribution facility in North America. Its 45 employees support operations, quality, and administration, while the facility provides storage and handling capabilities for different types of pharmaceutical products.

The distribution center operates in accordance with applicable U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) requirements. Its capabilities include controlled-room-temperature storage, refrigerated cold-chain storage, and DEA-compliant cage and vault storage. Since beginning operations, the facility has shipped more than 61 million units across the U.S.

Safety and sustainability measures at the Allentown facility include emergency response and evacuation procedures, energy-efficiency measures, waste reduction, recycling, smarter packaging, and optimized delivery routes.

"Glenmark has served U.S. patients for more than two decades, and we continue to invest in the people and capabilities that enable us to serve patients, customers, and partners across the country," said Marc Kikuchi, president and business head, North America, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals. "Our growing U.S. platform spans innovation, manufacturing, and distribution, and the Allentown distribution center is an important part of that commitment. We chose the Lehigh Valley for its exceptional workforce, strong community, and proximity to our customers and U.S. headquarters. We are proud to operate a central distribution hub that helps keep Glenmark's medicines moving to patients nationwide from right here in the Lehigh Valley."

What this means for the trucking industry

Glenmark's Allentown facility creates a centralized distribution point for pharmaceutical shipments reaching 43 states. Its refrigerated cold-chain storage and controlled-room-temperature capabilities underscore the need for transportation providers to support different product-handling requirements. For fleets serving pharmaceutical customers, maintaining appropriate temperature controls and reliable delivery operations will be important to supporting this distribution network.