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Extra Flight Strengthens India-Europe Trade Connection

Posted on by David Priestman

Expanding its extensive air network, UPS has nearly doubled its air freight capacity between Delhi and its European Air Hub in Cologne, Germany, to meet growing export demand from Indian businesses.

Using a Boeing 747-8, businesses in key sectors such as automotive, industrial manufacturing, retail, and healthcare, now benefit from increased air cargo capacity and enhanced connectivity to UPS’s global network.

The flight also facilitates connections from Europe to the United States, where UPS maintains the most extensive network of any logistics provider. Driven by strategic policy initiatives, increased competitiveness, and expanded market access, India’s exports hit record levels in 2024 — particularly to its largest export market, the United States.

In Europe, Indian businesses will benefit from stronger links to their key markets through UPS’s leading ground network. By offering Saturday Standard delivery for residential packages without an additional charge across eight major markets, UPS provides Indian exporters with a distinct competitive edge.

“Across Europe and worldwide, there is growing demand for high-quality goods from India from a range of sectors. This expansion of our global air network will create new opportunities for European consumers, as well as for Indian businesses looking to export,” said Daniel Carrera, President, UPS Europe, Middle East, Africa & India.

India’s trade in goods with Europe totaled USD 137.41 billion in 2023-24, making it the country’s largest trading partner. The expansion also comes as India and the UK have agreed a landmark trade agreement.

UPS’s international network is also supported by MOVIN and its expansive domestic delivery network in India. MOVIN, a joint venture between UPS and InterGlobe Enterprises, helps Indian businesses of all sizes by providing reliable delivery services that meet customer expectations quickly and efficiently. MOVIN’s growing network in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities allows small and medium businesses anywhere in the country to reach new markets.

“This additional flight allows us to give Indian businesses of all sizes and industries the fast and reliable service to help them grow and stay competitive. Thanks to our investments we can make logistics a competitive advantage, offering unmatched choice, convenience, and control,” said Grégory Goba-Blé, Head of UPS India and Director MOVIN Express.

UPS has made substantial investments in its capabilities and operations in India to support rising demand. This includes the expansion of the Delhi gateway, nearly doubling processing capacity and enabling later pick-up cut-off times and improved service reliability. Additional enhancements include an expanded gateway in Bengaluru and a new temperature-controlled cross-dock facility in Hyderabad dedicated to more efficiently distribute healthcare shipments.

UPS has also introduced services such as UPS Global Checkout, simplifying cross-border e-commerce, and UPS Premier, designed for time-and temperature-sensitive healthcare shipments. The company further strengthened its presence with the launch of its first technology center in Chennai.

“We welcome this new capacity at Delhi Airport and are proud to support UPS in delivering vital global connections for Indian businesses to Europe, the United States, and beyond,” said Sanjiv Edward, CEO, GMR Cargo.

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UPS Acquires Healthcare Cold-Chain Logistics Providers

Posted on by David Priestman

UPS has today announced that it has completed the acquisition of Frigo-Trans and its sister company BPL, which provide industry-leading, complex healthcare cold chain logistics solutions across Europe.

The acquisitions further enhance the end-to-end capabilities available to UPS Healthcare customers, who increasingly need temperature-controlled and time-critical logistics solutions globally. Frigo-Trans’ network includes temperature-controlled warehousing ranging from cryopreservation (-196°C) to ambient (+15° to +25°C) as well as Pan-European cold chain transportation. This combined with the logistics solutions brought by BPL’s time-critical freight forwarding capabilities further enhances UPS Healthcare solutions for customers in Europe.

 

UPS Healthcare delivers healthcare logistics expertise to its customers around the world. UPS Healthcare has 17 million square feet of cGMP and GDP-compliant healthcare distribution space globally. Services include inventory management, cold chain packaging and shipping, storage and fulfillment of medical devices and lab and clinical trial logistics. UPS Healthcare’s global infrastructure, UPS® Premier visibility service, track and trace technology and global quality system are suited to meet today’s complex logistics demands for the pharmaceutical, medical device and laboratory diagnostic industries.

Frigo-Trans provides an end-to-end warehouse and transportation solution for pharmaceutical and biotech customers. Frigo-Trans does this by utilizing best-in-class distribution facilities and a pharmacy-focused, Pan-European, cold-chain transportation network. Other value-added services include, but are not limited to, packaging, handling and inventory management. Headquartered in Fußgönheim, Germany, Frigo-Trans’s network expands across all countries in Europe.

BPL offers individual transport management for GDP-compliant shipping of time-critical and temperature-sensitive products. BPL manages a high-quality network of air and ocean freight carriers along with customs clearance to meet the complex, cross border needs of customers. BPL prioritizes serving biopharma customers with special temperature, quality and speed requirements. BPL is headquartered in Duesseldorf, Germany.

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Improving cold-chain logistics

 

UPS and FedEx Deliverability Rates Drop Significantly

Posted on by Will Priestman

Aggressive discounting by UPS and FedEx during Q3 2024 lowered ground delivery rates to their lowest since 2021, according to the TD Cowen/AFS Freight Index. While this benefits large shippers with reduced costs, it may have implications for service quality and deliverability. Logistics experts caution that as carriers continue to cut prices, maintaining operational efficiency and speed could become a challenge, potentially affecting delivery times, especially for smaller customers who receive fewer discounts and may face delays.

Larger Discounts for Big Shippers

The data revealed that the most significant discounts were granted to high-volume customers, indicating a strategic push by the two delivery giants to lock in large accounts during a period of intense competition. As e-commerce continues to grow and consumer expectations for fast, affordable delivery rise, companies like UPS and FedEx have been forced to find ways to meet demand while protecting their market share. By offering more substantial discounts to larger shippers, they aim to retain key business clients in a highly competitive environment.

Broader Market Implications

This trend has broader implications for the logistics industry. The price war between UPS and FedEx signals a potentially long-term shift in how carriers price their services, particularly as global supply chain pressures and inflationary forces continue to affect operations. Despite cost-saving measures, including automation and logistics infrastructure improvements, the significant rate reductions may challenge carrier profitability if such discounts continue.

The question now is how long these aggressive pricing strategies can persist. While large customers are benefiting, smaller businesses may need to explore alternative options as their savings remain limited. Carriers will need to strike a balance between offering competitive rates and maintaining financial sustainability as the shipping landscape evolves.

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UPS Opens 3 new DCs in Puglia

Posted on by Keith McKinley

UPS has announced the opening of three new Italian logistics centres in the provinces of Bari, Taranto and Lecce, representing 10,000 m2 to support SMEs and Made in Italy exports in the south of the country.

UPS’s announcement is part of its strategy to strengthen its network to give local businesses greater access to the most profitable export markets, not only in Europe and the United States, but also in emerging economies in Asia. Exports from Puglia region saw an increase of 14.8% in 2022 compared to the previous year, in particular 21.9% towards non-EU countries, exceeding the value of 10 billion euros for the first time since 2000.

One year after the inauguration of the new gateway in Bergamo, with the opening of three new facilities in Puglia, UPS continues to strengthen its widespread presence throughout the peninsula to support the exports of SMEs, the backbone of the country’s economy. In particular it intends to facilitate the exports of local high-quality products so that they can take full advantage of business opportunities across the border – estimated by ICE at 4.8 billion Euros.

The centres of Bari, Taranto and Lecce are located in a strategic position and will allow UPS to offer reliable and timely service to these areas. Now fully operational, they are ready to manage the increase in shipments linked to the 2023 holiday period, also supporting e-commerce and digital exports, a growth lever for business internationalisation.

In parallel with the expansion of the network of operational structures, UPS continues to extend the UPS Access Point network with more than 34,000 collection locations in Europe, of which 4,700 in Italy and approximately 250 in Puglia alone. Deliveries to these points allow saving up to 33% of carbon emissions compared to traditional ones to satisfy the growing demand for greener deliveries from responsible online consumers.

Francisco Conejo, country manager, UPS Italy, said: “UPS has been working alongside Italian companies for over thirty years with logistics services capable of satisfying companies’ aspiration to be global. Strengthening our network and optimizing operations so that SMEs in the South can focus on their core business confirms our confidence in the prospects of the local economy.’’

Autonomous Electric Cargo Vehicle Pilot Programme

Posted on by David Priestman

UPS and Aurrigo have announced a collaborative project to deploy Auto-Cargo, an autonomous electric vehicle designed to move heavy cargo loads to and from aircraft at the UPS hub at East Midlands Airport, the UK’s second-largest cargo terminal. The image here is an artistic rendering of Auto-Cargo.

The autonomous electric vehicle has been designed to move heavy cargo loads to and from aircraft at the UPS hub at East Midlands Airport, the UK’s second-largest cargo terminal. The development and piloting of the vehicle will take 14 months and is supported by matched funding from Innovate UK, the UK Government’s innovation agency, and The Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles, with almost 500K GBP in funding.

Reduce emissions and increase safety

The vehicle can transport a standard full-size cargo pallet or two half-size aviation industry standard containers or Unit Load Devices (ULD) up to a total load of 7.5 tonnes and is designed to tow a further fully loaded cargo trailer behind it. Its autonomous technology will enable the limited numbers of security-cleared drivers to be freed-up to perform other roles around the airport, while also producing zero tail pipe emissions.

David Keene, Aurrigo CEO said, “this vehicle allows an airfreight operator to help decarbonise and automate its ground operations for lower emissions and greater efficiency. By combining the tractor and trailer into one unit, we save space, which in a busy cargo hub like East Midlands Airport is vital to efficient loading and unloading of aircraft.’’

Matt Nicholson, UPS International Director of Automotive Engineering, commented, “our business is all about delivering parcels efficiently through our global, integrated network. This collaboration will help us do that with increased safety and zero tailpipe emissions, making our airside operation more efficient with a purpose-designed vehicle.’’

Liverpool FC and UPS Deliver Partnership

Posted on by David Priestman

Liverpool FC and UPS are proud to announce a new multi-year partnership, with UPS becoming the Reds’ first Official Global Logistics and Shipping Partner. The two iconic brands will work together to expand on the global distribution of LFC’s retail and e-commerce operations.

The club will utilise UPS’ extensive logistics experience and expertise, with UPS supporting Liverpool FC’s Global Retail and eCommerce channels, allowing them to deliver a better fan experience and getting LFC merchandise into the hands of those fans quicker and more efficiently than ever before.

Liverpool FC and UPS will also team up to provide unique opportunities and experiences and will come together to drive engagement and positive impact for LFC fans, UPS customers, and employees.

Ben Latty, Commercial Director for Liverpool FC, said: “We are proud to be announcing this global partnership with UPS. As one of the world’s largest companies, UPS are bringing a wealth of knowledge and expertise to our already successful retail operations. We are looking forward to seeing the impact this will have, and how it will improve fans’ experiences around the world.”
With millions of small business owners from worldwide cheering LFC on every week, the partnership will also allow for UPS to engage with its global customer base in a new way.

“We’re proud to be the official logistics sponsor of Liverpool Football Club,” said Kevin Warren, Chief Marketing and Customer Experience Officer at UPS. “Our global, integrated logistics network means we can offer unmatched speed and reliability as LFC continues to grow its retail operations. We’re ready to deliver team spirit and pride to LFC fans – no matter where they are in the world.”

Founded in 1892, Liverpool FC is one of the world’s most historic and famous football clubs, having won 19 League Titles, including the Premier League, eight FA Cups, nine League Cups, six European Cups, three UEFA Cups, four European Super Cups, 16 Charity Shields, two Women’s Super League titles and one Women’s Championship.

As a socially responsible Club, Liverpool FC is proud of the work it does via the award-winning The Red Way, its ongoing commitment to creating a better future for its people, its planet and its communities. This includes efforts to improve club-wide sustainability, enhance Equality, Diversity & Inclusion in all areas, and create life changing opportunities for children and young people in Merseyside and beyond thanks to its official charity, LFC Foundation.

 

London Light Freight Walking Trial

Posted on by David Priestman

Cross River Partnership (CRP), a non-profit and impartial partnership organisation, is excited to have launched the London Light Freight Walking Trial; UPS’s first walking freight trial on public land. This forms part of the Defra-funded Clean Air Logistics for London project.

CRP has been working with The Fitzrovia Partnership, London Borough of Camden, UPS and Heal’s to bring this trial to life, which officially began on Friday 5th May. The trial serves last-mile deliveries and will support the reduction of emissions and congestion in Fitzrovia.

Walking freight is a mode of logistics where foot-based porters play a key role in deliveries and collections. Overall kilometres travelled by light goods vehicles (LGVs) could be reduced by up to 0.4% across Greater London (i.e. one in every 250 kilometres) if walking freight was expanded to its full potential in the CAZ (Central Activities Zone). (CRP’s Walking Freight Feasibility Study, May 2022).

The economic benefits of walking freight are estimated to be at least £37 million per year, due to decongestion, decarbonisation, improved air quality, minimise noise pollution and reduced road wear.

According to Defra’s Emission Factors Toolkit (EFT), we estimate that expanding walking freight could reduce London’s carbon emissions by 4.7 kilo-tonnes per year. UPS is conducting the e-walker trial in Fitzrovia daily, delivering packages to local residents and businesses on foot utilising an electric-assisted trolley developed by Fernhay. This trial runs until September 2024.

CRP is unlocking potential and transforming space across the logistics sector in London, to deliver solutions that make London fairer, greener and safer. The London Light Freight Walking Trial supports CRP’s vision to make London a better place to live, work and visit. CRP will be monitoring the impacts of the trial with UPS’s data from the pilot. We want to prove walking freight as a model and encourage more logistics operators to look into walking freight feasibility.

A Camden Council spokesperson said “This innovative trial with e-walker trolleys is a further example of how the council is embracing new technology and approaches to reduce motor vehicle traffic and the related air pollution, in line with its transport policies. The e-walkers allow for the prompt delivery of packages to the residents and businesses of Fitzrovia without the associated increase in traffic in this busy area of the borough.”

Mick Atkinson, Head of Environment and Place, The Fitzrovia Partnership, said “We’re delighted that Fitzrovia is being used as a trial for UPS’s first walking freight trial on public land. The demand for next-day deliveries is now a part of life and programmes that reduce the environmental impact of the cost of doing business are fully supported by The Fitzrovia Partnership and its’ business community. This exciting initiative changes the nature of deliveries to minimise their impact on the environment by reducing congestion and emissions on Fitzrovia’s streets.”

Artur Drenk, International Sustainability Director, UPS, said “We are continuing to expand our alternative fuel fleet as we work towards reducing emissions per package. We are excited to introduce the electric-assisted walkers, developed by Fernhay, to the streets of Fitzrovia as part of our efforts to serve our customers in urban areas in a more sustainable way.”

Fiona Coull, Senior Programme Manager, Cross River Partnership, said “Walking freight has real potential to reduce congestion and improve air quality, particularly in central, high density locations such as Fitzrovia. We look forward to understanding the impacts of the trial, as it’s really important to explore these innovative logistics solutions and share any learnings gained.”

ShipStation adds UPS to its Carriers

Posted on by David Priestman

ShipStation, a cloud-based e-commerce shipping solution, today announces that UPS is live on its carrier services platform in the UK. This new collaboration gives UK merchants using ShipStation access to UPS’s domestic and international shipping services at discounted rates, making it easier to scale their delivery operations, save on shipping costs and grow their revenue.

Quick and easy to set up, the integration gives merchants more choice and transparency when it comes to shipping. Merchants will also have the option to drop off at a growing network of nearly 35,000 UPS Access Point® locations across Europe for greater convenience and control over their deliveries. With no volume commitments, all merchants with a ShipStation account can add and access UPS as they streamline their delivery operations.

“Small and medium-sized businesses are the heart of the global economy, and we’re always looking for ways to make e-commerce easier for them – especially when it comes to cross-border trade,” said Dana Nino, Vice-President of Marketing at UPS. “We’re excited to work with ShipStation to bring our shipping services to more UK businesses. Having easy access to UPS’s flexible, reliable shipping options at discounted rates will help them achieve their business goals and thrive in the world of global e-commerce.”

“At a time when it’s more important than ever for small and medium-sized businesses to save on costs, we’re delighted to be expanding our relationship with UPS to the UK market.” said Mike Hayers, General Manager Europe at ShipStation. “Businesses on our platform can directly access UPS’s affordable rates on our carrier services platform to ship with the utmost ease to wherever they need to in the world. By removing the complexities and inflexibilities often associated with delivery management and instead giving greater choice and control when it comes to shipping, we’re enabling our merchants to focus more on the most essential part of their business, the end-consumer.”

Every day, tens of thousands of e-commerce retailers rely on ShipStation to solve the day-to-day challenges of importing orders and processing shipments. The trusted leader in shipping software since its founding in 2011, ShipStation helps online sellers scale their businesses and deliver exceptional customer experiences, with an intuitive online solution that allows them to efficiently ship orders – wherever they sell and however they ship. The multi-channel and multi-carrier platform offers the most integrations of any e-commerce solution, with more than 300 partnerships with leading shopping carts, marketplaces, carriers and fulfilment services, including UPS, FedEx, USPS, Royal Mail, Amazon, Shopify, and BigCommerce. ShipStation is a member of the Auctane family of companies and is headquartered in Austin, TX.

Airbridge for Turkey Humanitarian Relief

Posted on by David Priestman

Amid widespread devastation caused by the recent earthquake people in the affected areas in Turkey and Syria need all the humanitarian relief available as soon as possible. UPS has put its worldwide smart logistics network to the task to transport relief supplies.

A Boeing 767 is currently taking off every night from the UPS Air Hub at Cologne Bonn airport, transporting urgently needed goods to Turkey from national and international aid organizations, UPS employees, citizens, and companies.

The willingness to donate in the region was so extensive that on-site donations are not currently being accepted. In-kind and monetary donations should instead be given to other aid organizations providing support.

The UPS Air Hub at Cologne Bonn Airport is UPS’s European air freight hub for international transport of goods. As a European hub, it is not only a platform to service customers but is also central to disaster relief efforts and support. The UPS Air Hub was also able to demonstrate its strategically important position and its reliability in the handling of shipments for the worldwide distribution of vaccines.

Relief supplies and donations receive freight space within the UPS network

In addition to the Cologne-Istanbul airbridge, UPS and The UPS Foundation have taken other measures to provide assistance where it is most needed. This includes:

• Pledging more than US$1 million in global logistics services.
• Working with the World Food Program, UNHCR and International Red Cross & Red Crescent to fly in relief items from Dubai.
• Offering transport capacity in UPS trucks for the Istanbul city government and NeedsMap, a local NGO that UPS supports.
• Activating EDUARDO, an emergency air dashboard created by skilled UPS volunteers to help humanitarian relief organizations quickly access all available flight capacity available at airports across Turkey.

Frank Jørgensen, President of UPS Germany, Austria and Switzerland, told us “Our hearts and thoughts are with the people of Turkey and Syria. Our sympathy also goes to the many relatives – including numerous UPS employees – of the people affected in the earthquake area. Above all, we help by using what we have: our committed employees with their expertise and our global logistics network.”

UPS Supply Chain Opens Madrid Facility

Posted on by David Priestman

UPS Supply Chain Solutions (SCS) has announced the opening of its new facility in Madrid. The brand-new 6500 sq.m premises will be a main point of distribution for the Iberian Peninsula, connecting the region’s growing tech and healthcare industries pharmaceutical and medical technology industries to UPS’s smart global logistics network that serves customers in over 220 countries and territories.

Equipped with 7500 pallet positions and 25000 shelf locations, the facility provides end to end visibility for critical high-value, time sensitive shipments and is currently processing about 81,000 units per quarter. It is also LEED Gold certified with solar panels for green energy generation.

“We are focused on creating both efficient trade lanes for our customer to grow as well as useful technologies for online, real-time inventory visibility and critical order management with around-the-clock customer support,” says Gonzalo Vidal, Contract Logistics Manager for Spain, Italy and Portugal at UPS SCS. “Our goal is to guarantee supply chain resilience for our customers as their businesses navigate the demands, challenges, fluctuations and opportunities of the market.”

The Madrid facility is the 4th UPS SCS one to open in 2022, which also saw the unveiling of a new state-of-art building in 32 000 sqm Roermond, NL; selected for its central location and excellent ground, ocean, rail and air connections, these premises will also house the first UPS SCS Innovation Centre in Europe.

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