Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE: UNP) announced that its Board of Directors today voted to increase the quarterly dividend on the Company’s common shares by 10% to $1.18 per share. The dividend is payable December 30, 2021, to shareholders of record December 20, 2021. Union Pacific has paid dividends on its common stock for 122 consecutive years.
“Union Pacific continues to deliver strong cash returns to our shareholders,” said Jennifer Hamann, Union Pacific executive vice president and chief financial officer. “Today’s action, coupled with the 10% increase earlier this year, is consistent with our targeted dividend payout ratio of 45 percent.”
About Union Pacific
Union Pacific delivers the goods families and businesses use every day with safe, reliable and efficient service. Operating in 23 western states, the company connects its customers and communities to the global economy. Trains are the most environmentally responsible way to move freight, helping Union Pacific protect future generations. More information about Union Pacific is available at www.up.com.
DHL Global Forwarding opens expanded Leipzig Life Sciences & Healthcare Hub
Frankfurt, Hamburg and Leipzig GxP facilities successfully achieve CEIV IATArecertification
Specially trained staff and state-of-the-art equipment for storage and handling oftemperature-controlled pharmaceutical products and drugs
DHL Global Forwarding, Deutsche Post DHL Group’s air and ocean freight specialist, has expanded its Life Sciences & Healthcare (LSH) facility in Leipzig by approximately 2,500 square meters. The center is very close to Leipzig Airport and houses state- of-the-art equipment for storing and handling temperature-controlled pharmaceutical and medical products, such as vaccinations. After Frankfurt am Main, Leipzig is the second DHL Global Forwarding facility to be expanded in terms of capacity and equipment. DHL has successfully achieved IATA CEIV Pharma recertification for its GxP (good practice) facilities in Frankfurt am Main, Hamburg and Leipzig, making the company ideally prepared in Germany to meet the logistical requirements related to importing and exporting Covid-19 vaccinations.
The previous trans shipment and warehouse space of approximately 2,200 square meters in Leipzig was more than doubled when the expansion was completed in the last quarter of 2020. The second warehouse covers more than 2,500 square meters and is divided into two temperature zones. In the larger zone comprising approximately 1,700 square meters, the temperature can be regulated between 15 and 25°C. The smaller zone of around 850 square meters can be cooled down to 2-8°C. This allows pharmaceutical products to be stored at an appropriately cool temperature, to ensure their integrity. Dry ice handling for passively cooled transport containers and handling of actively cooled transport containers are also part of the standard repertoire. The immediate proximity to Leipzig Airport ensures fast import and export times. Of course, the facility also operates under the highest safety and security standards, with systems in place to immediately report temperature deviations and fire risks, as well as break-ins.
DHL and IATA are jointly committed to ensuring that the pharmaceutical industries regulatory requirements are met. A standardized approach in air freight increases productivity, accuracy, and reliability, while enabling transport in compliance with all applicable regulations. DHL began IATA CEIV Pharma certification of its facilities worldwide in 2016, raising the bar in pharmaceutical logistics. After independent third-party audits and training courses for employees on site, the DHL GxP facilities in Frankfurt, Hamburg and Leipzig have successfully renewed the quality label. DHL Global Forwarding thus enhances transportation and storage quality levels of pharmaceutical goods, and the DHL station exceeds its usual quality standards. At each location, IATA verifies compliance with its Temperature Control Regulations (TCR), the European Union’s GDP (Good Distribution Practices) guidelines, and further requirements of the World Health Organization (WHO) and other regulatory bodies.
As the leader in the life sciences and healthcare sector, DHL provides its employees, at all levels, and in all functional areas around the world, with vital tools to meet the requirements of both its customers and the supervisory authorities. For example, it provided a special training program to implement IATA regulation standards at scale in key GxP (good practice) facilities worldwide. The Certified Life Sciences Specialist (CLSS) program, offered as part of the Certified initiative, provides a comprehensive curriculum of mandatory training and specialized courses and materials to convey the knowledge needed in this highly specialized industry. As with all of DHL’s temperature-controlled locations, all employees in Frankfurt, Hamburg and Leipzig who are involved in handling life sciences and healthcare products have successfully completed the training and are certified Life Science Specialists. This ensures that sensitive shipments are handled with the utmost care and in compliance with the highest industry standards.
After a long period of intensive and very professionally conducted negotiations, the “Kommunalförbundet Svenskt Ambulansflyg” (KSA) has opted for six Pilatus PC-24s in a fully equipped air ambulance configuration. These PC-24s will provide aeromedical care across Sweden from 2021.
KSA is a national organisation formed, mutually owned and financed by all 21 regions in Sweden. The regions are responsible for ensuring that everyone living in Sweden has equal access to good healthcare. Time is the essence for patients in an emergency and given the vastness of Sweden, the establishment of a national air ambulance service provides all residents with access to rapid, professional aeromedical care. Combining the speed of a jet with the ability to use short runways – one of the great strengths of the PC-24 – the Super Versatile Jet from Pilatus is the ideal aircraft for KSA.
Professional selection process
Following an extremely intensive selection process, Pilatus was naturally extremely pleased with the award of the contract for delivery of six PC-24s. The aircraft are scheduled for delivery to KSA in 2021.
Oscar J. Schwenk, Chairman of Pilatus, commented as follows: “I’m delighted to see the first air ambulance organisation in Europe opt to buy the PC-24. The highly professional selection process confirmed that the PC-24 is indeed the perfect aircraft for medevac missions. I’m also particularly happy that we managed to carry the day with our Swiss aircraft in a highly competitive market segment. We see further worldwide market potential for our PC-24 in this area.”
A successful cooperation will be ensured
Annika Tännström, Chairman of KSA, commented as follows: “We are very pleased to be able to announce that we have completed our procurement of air ambulance aircraft, and to award Pilatus the contract. The fleet of PC-24 aircraft will allow us to fulfil the needs of all regions in Sweden in terms of air ambulance transports. We look forward to deliveries in 2021!”
Andreas Eriksson, CEO of KSA, added: “By signing the contract with Pilatus today, Svenskt Ambulansflyg has passed a major milestone on the way towards establishing a national air ambulance with start of operations in 2021. The performance and capacity of the PC-24 combined with the spacious and easily re-configurable emergency medical service equipped cabin will allow us to conduct the required air ambulance missions safely and efficiently. We look forward to a close and successful cooperation with Pilatus.”
About the Medevac PC-24
The outstanding flexibility of the PC-24 opens up many possibilities for deployment of this aircraft on Medevac missions. The spacious cabin can accommodate up to three patients plus medical personnel. The large cargo door also facilitates rapid loading and unloading of patients. These characteristics, plus the PC-24’s capacity to use short runways, make it the ideal aircraft for all our Medevac missions. KSA is the second public sector organisation after the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia to use the PC-24 as an ambulance aircraft. The Super Versatile Jets operated by KSA will fly a total of around 6,000 hours a year on rescue missions.
