Faster transit times, wider service footprint, and extended collection hours for export shipments across the company’s Smart Logistics Network
The series of service enhancements UPS (NYSE:UPS) revealed today impact almost 1.4 million postal codes in 41 countries and territories across the Asia Pacific region, enabling worldwide connectivity for over 22 million businesses.
“At the root of the investments in our Smart Logistics Network is a simple desire to make global commerce easier for Asian businesses—because when they grow, we grow too,” said Ross McCullough, President, UPS Asia Pacific Region. “More UPS customers in the region will now be able to have their shipments sent and received in less time; they’ll be able to find us easily in more cities and towns, and they’ll be able to send shipments later in the day than before—all of which will open new opportunities for businesses in the region to trade more efficiently with the rest of the world.”
A major enhancement in Thailand this year was the launch of UPS eFulfillment to facilitate greater global access for Thai small- and medium-sized companies. The programme integrates access to 21 online marketplaces/web stores through a single platform that handles storage, order processing, packaging and shipping.
In the first half of 2019, UPS also completed the following as part of its strategy to bolster economic development in the region, which is projected to account for 63 percent of global GDP growth in 2019 :
• Shenzhen Asia Pacific Air Hub upgrades increase the hub’s processing capacity by nearly 50 percent in preparation for volume gains in the coming three years.
• Transit times reduced across 2,300 trade lanes: Intercontinental transit times reduced by up to 4 days, while shipments with destinations in Asia see transit times improved by up to 2 days.
• Improved the geographic reach of UPS Worldwide Express® services, offering international shipping with time-definite deliveries in Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, and South Korea; Thai businesses can now meet urgent delivery demands of customers and vendors located in these markets.
• Extended pick-up times by up to five hours for export shipments from China, Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea, widening production windows and giving businesses additional time to fulfil customer orders.
• Strengthened supply chain flexibility with Saturday pick-up services in the U.S. enabling import shipments destined for eight markets in Asia – including Thailand – to be delivered 1 day earlier than before.
“We’re seeing increasing demand for connectivity in the region,” said Russell Reed, Managing Director of UPS Thailand. “The recent ASEAN summit here in Bangkok showed strong support in promoting seamless connectivity; a goal that aligns with UPS’s priorities. A strengthened regional economy will allow Thailand to thrive in a changing environment, and UPS’s extensive experience will continue to help Thai businesses navigate the volatile business landscape of today. Together with our local service enhancements, regional upgrades like the one at our Shenzhen hub will give UPS the capability to support Thailand’s manufacturing and e-commerce growth in the coming years.”
UPS’s Shenzhen Hub serves as a transfer point for shipments moving within the region, and the enhancements improve both reliability and quality of service provided to UPS customers in Asia. About 550 employees maintain round-the-clock operations at the hub, which houses separate sorting and handling facilities for express and cargo shipments, on-site customs office and processing – including China Inspection and Quarantine (CIQ) clearance for import commodities – and a dedicated 150,000 square meter ramp with 13 aircraft parking positions. Self-operated aircraft ground-handling provides UPS, as a logistics integrator, with greater control over the 86 weekly UPS flights in and out from the hub.
UPS continues to make service enhancements to reinforce its commitment to Thailand with innovative upgrades that help Thai businesses capture new e-commerce opportunities. In 2018, the company implemented the largest expansion of the UPS My Choice service since its launch, offering users in an additional 96 countries and territories enhanced tracking and tracing visibility. Consumers in Thailand can access e-mail and text notifications across the delivery journey, and reschedule the delivery of packages with added convenience.