DHL Supply Chain announced today that it will invest upwards of $400 million to expand its pharmaceutical and medical device distribution network footprint.

Westerville, Ohio-based DHL Supply Chain’s life sciences and healthcare (LSHC) sector will make the investment to expand the supply chain footprint by 27% this year, amounting to nearly 3 million additional square feet.

The company said in a news release that the ultimate goal of the expansion is to bring critical healthcare products closer to trade partners and patients. DHL Supply Chain’s investment includes six new U.S. sites by the end of 2022, with costs to invest in new buildings and technology as well as the fit-out and start-up of new or expanded operations.

With the expansion, DHL Supply Chain’s LSHC sites will grow to 34 in total by the end of 2022, including strategic locations in Georgia, Cincinnati, Tennessee, Nevada and Pennsylvania. The new builds as part of the investment will be fully licensed with temperature-controlled space that supports pharmaceutical storage requirements and they will allow integrated solutions for both packaging and managed transportation.

“This latest investment in our Life Sciences and Healthcare sector is testament to our track record and pedigree for delivering unrivaled supply chain expertise to our partners,” DHL Supply Chain North America President of LSHC Jim Saponaro said in the release. “This substantial expansion will only further deepen the connections between our customers and the patients they serve by providing best-in-class end-to-end supply chain solutions.”