IHD Information

IHD was acquired in 2004 by UTi Worldwide Inc, a global leader in integrated supply chain solutions headquartered in the United States. UTi Worldwide’s heritage and global footprint gives UTi Pharma the ability to move seamlessly from market to market and the advantage of accessing UTi Worldwide’s full suite of services. They include warehousing, order fulfillment, distribution, contract logistics and quality control; air and ocean freight forwarding and customs brokerage; transportation management and optimisation service and truck brokerage and supply chain management services. UTi Pharma’s origins are to be found in the radical innovation of its predecessors, IHD and Kite Logistics, and the courage of four leading healthcare companies who in 1993 wanted a distribution channel that ensured quality and transparency not only for themselves but also for , dispensers and patients. And UTi Pharma’s direct distribution model gives them just that. It ensures product integrity … pharmaceutical products are highly sensitive and need specialised cold storage and handling conditions to guarantee treatment efficacy and patient safety. UTi Pharma doesn’t own any product, but is responsible for ensuring effective manufacturer control of the distribution process and above all brand integrity. Direct distribution helps reduce grey market trading. The trade in stolen, counterfeit or expired pharmaceutical products is always a threat to patient safety, and UTi Pharma’s validated systems provide a full audit trail to prevent grey market trading. It also gives the manufacturer direct access to the end dispenser. They, along with the prescriber of the medicine, are the only stakeholders in the distribution chain who interact directly with the patient. Direct distribution also means manufacturers can leverage economies of scale … and reduce costs of finished goods, warehousing and distribution, which ultimately leads to cost benefits for patients.