Courier tech group Medical Logistics (ML) is setting its sights higher with drone deliveries after pioneering super fast services nationwide transporting urgent blood supplies, medication and examination results. Having invested in its own fleet of electric vehicles, in January the business, founded by street ace cyclist Alex Landowski seven years ago, opened its first private healthcare testing centre.
Now it is powering ahead on the drones front following participation in a ground-breaking flight superhighway trial carrying medical cargo between two NHS hospitals.
Following fast, if not furious, expansion ML is forecasting a £3million plus turnover for 2024 and aims to grow the team – currently 25 staff and more than 50 contractors.
“Mobile clinical services, collections, screenings, tests, clinical consultations, drips, vaccines – we do them all with no hold-ups along the chain, no matter where customers are and for those who do not want to wait weeks for a result,” explains Landowski.
“Opening our lab centre in London took over a year to develop and is our biggest business venture to date.
“Now we do everything under one roof – an end-to-end provider with no third parties ensuring the best transparency and trackability.
“For example with our fleet of medics and our mobile blood testing we can go to a patient, deliver to the lab, test and follow up with a GP consultation. We work across the health sector.”
It has been quite a journey too for Landowski, an ambitious self-starter, who after working in retail in Poland, came to the UK in a bid to earn more and became a bike courier in the medical supplies market.
“Then I saw a big gap in that market for innovation – as a sector it was not advancing operationally,” he explains. “Logistics was its weakest link and there was an opportunity to create something more effective. This happened as private healthcare was also pushing to improve the patient’s experience and pressure was increasing on the NHS.”
Starting out with a £50,000 investment from a friend to develop the technology and buy a moped, he started by offering his services to private labs, GPs and clinics, first doing all the deliveries himself before building a team.
“Our strategy pulls a fragmented market together and is successful because it’s based on flexibility,” says Landowksi.
“We have all the official medical approvals and give customers plenty of options, keeping in the market pricing range.
“But our advantage is more than just time because we ensure our consignments are delivered safely. That care prevents repeats and associated add-on costs.”
Lockdown boosted demand for ML’s services and it’s currently in talks with a major private healthcare provider. Investment so far has been £200,000 and while it is now looking into innovation grants, a further funding raise is earmarked for 2025.
The drones trial is part of an investment with UK aerial solutions partners Skyfarer and Altitude Angel. “Drones are a natural path forward, adding a further layer to our business,” says Landowski.
“The technology can save lives, time and the environment, cutting comparable road emissions by over 90 per cent.
“This sector is in its infancy. Better infrastructure and landing technology are now needed.
“Our goal is to help make all parts work together. Delivering organs is not far off.”
