Munich, Germany-based Life Couriers, a provider of expedited and temperature-controlled logistics services with a core competence in the healthcare sector, has been acquired by private equity firm JLL Partners, according to FreightWaves. The companies announced the deal on Monday, and Edward DeMartini was named CEO, succeeding Stefan Glebke.
The acquisition positions Life Couriers to tap into a healthcare logistics market that is expected to grow from $246 billion in 2024 to about $503 billion by 2034, according to Allied Market Research. Industry experts cited by FreightWaves say the market is expanding because high technical and compliance requirements allow for lucrative value-added services beyond basic parcel transportation, and an aging global population needs more drugs and biological medical products to treat chronic disease.
New CEO brings healthcare logistics pedigree
DeMartini served until October as CEO of The Quick Group of Companies, a global time-critical logistics and priority transport provider owned by Kuehne+Nagel. Before that, he was vice president airfreight development at Kuehne+Nagel, where he held leadership roles over 12 years. He started his career at DHL in the life sciences and healthcare area.
According to FreightWaves, DeMartini's experience at Quick Group — including Quick Logistics, QuickSTA and Sterling — supporting the pharma, biotech, life sciences, technology, aviation, automotive and semiconductor industries with white-glove solutions fits the type of work conducted by Life Couriers.
In a LinkedIn post, DeMartini thanked JLL Partners:
To JLL Partners, thank you for your confidence and your partnership. Your deep healthcare investment experience and your commitment to investing in our people and operations position Life Couriers to accelerate what comes next: continued growth across every business unit, deeper geographic reach, new investment in the technology and services our customers need, and a fully integrated Life Couriers speaking with one voice, globally.
Why healthcare logistics is attracting private equity
The deal comes as major parcel carriers expand cold-chain investments. DHL, FedEx and UPS are each investing heavily in end-to-end cold-chain infrastructure and processes to ensure precise temperature management during shipping, and each is approaching $10 billion in annual healthcare-related revenue, according to FreightWaves. Last year, UPS acquired a large Canadian logistics firm specializing in healthcare, and DHL acquired U.S. healthcare courier SDS Rx.
Market growth is being fueled by GLP-1 weight loss drugs, as well as vaccines, biologics, gene therapies and other specialty medicines that are expensive, highly regulated and require transportation within tightly controlled temperature ranges.
| Healthcare logistics market | Value |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $246 billion |
| 2034 (projected) | ~$503 billion |
Life Couriers' service lines and global footprint
Life Couriers operates six specialized service lines:
- Radiopharmaceuticals
- Life science
- Stem cell onboard
- Direct-to-patient package delivery
- Pharmaceutical freight
- Emergency logistics
The company, which changed its name from Ontime Courier in 2025, has operations in the United States, Europe, Central America and Asia. It uses its own infrastructure and exclusive agency partnerships to offer onboard couriers that hand-carry urgent items on passenger flights, next-out flights, aircraft charters, and dedicated ground vehicles, according to FreightWaves.
What the deal means for shippers and logistics operators
Life Couriers said it will use JLL's financial resources and expertise in the healthcare industry to expand operations and footprint amid growing demand for time-sensitive radiopharmaceutical and medical logistics services. JLL Partners also has portfolio companies in the industrials and business services sectors.
JLL thanked outgoing CEO Stefan Glebke for his contributions to Life Couriers, according to the announcement.
For shippers in pharma, biotech and life sciences, the acquisition signals additional investment capacity for time-critical, temperature-controlled shipments across multiple continents. For freight forwarders and 3PL operators, the deal reinforces a trend of private equity and large parcel carriers consolidating specialized healthcare logistics assets to capture higher-margin, compliance-heavy services.
Watch list
- Continued demand growth in pharmaceutical distribution driven by GLP-1 weight loss drugs, vaccines, biologics and gene therapies
- Further cold-chain investments by DHL, FedEx, UPS and other logistics providers
- Life Couriers' geographic expansion using JLL's financial resources and healthcare expertise
- Potential further acquisitions in the healthcare logistics sector, following UPS's Canadian acquisition and DHL's purchase of SDS Rx
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