UPS INCREASES ASIA PACIFIC OFFERINGS

Logistics Asia, 1/3/2008

UPS is aiming to make international trade easier and simpler, with the introduction of eight new products to its Asia service portfolio: UPS Paperless Invoice, UPS Broker of Choice, UPS Free Trade Zones Facilitator, UPS Express Freight, UPS Air Freight Direct, UPS Air Freight Consolidated, UPS Returns and UPS Clinical trials. These products make up a suite of three services for shipping international air freight, including a substantiallyexpanded express freight option with guaranteed door-to-doorservice.

UPS Returns allows businesses to offer post-sales service, assuring customers that they can easily return products purchased over the internet. This product also aims to minimize the number of service centers companies need to maintain across Asia. Instead of going directly to a local service center, customers of businesses can use UPS Returns to return items for repair and replacements. Companies using UPS Returns can lower their overall costs by maintaining fewer service centers, while still maintaining the same levels of service efficiency.

UPS Clinical Trials is targeted at pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, as well as hospitals and medical labs that need biological substances transported internationally for clinical tests and research.

"This product is in line with the government's endeavor to turn Singapore into a regional biomedical hub,"says Mary Yeo, Managing Director, UPS Singapore.

Last year, in Asia Pacific, UPS reported more than 15 percent growth for the last quarter compared to the same period, driven by strong growth in China (more than 30 percent) and in India (nearly 25 percent). Singapore reported growth of nearly 10 percent for the quarter, and more than five percent for the year.